Author's Note: Thanks to I am Blueberry (No I haven't. Why?) for reviewing the last chapter. Enjoy and I own nothing but my (deceased) OCS


Lightning Strikes Twice-Final Farewell

"It turns out freedom ain't nothing but missing you, wishing I'd realized what I had when you were mine. I'd go back to December, turn around and make it all right. I go back to December all the time."-Back To December, Taylor Swift

Ironhide stood in front of Breeze's grave out in the middle of nowhere. The black mech knew that Rumble had followed him long enough to find out where the femme's grave to report back to Soundwave but Ironhide didn't care. The pain of losing Breeze was washing over him, threatening to drown him again. Jazz had offered to go with him but Ironhide had turned to perky silver mech down knowing he had to do this alone. It took him a moment to find his voice to say anything.

"Hey Breeze. Idon't know if you can hear me wherever you're at right now but I wanted to say I'm sorry," Ironhide said slowly. "I promised you that we'd get out okay and we didn't. I promised I would never let anyone hurt you and Dirge offlined you. I failed."

A whisper of wind hissed by him and there was a slight shimmer in the air around the grave. Ironhide had heard rumors of these kinds of things but he had never believed them for now. "It's ok. You didn't fail me." Ironhide stiffened as he heard Breeze's voice flowing along the wind. "This was meant to be. We weren't."

"What do you mean?" Ironhide asked softly, afraid of the answer.

"You were meant for something more 'Hide and I was just a step in the path. An important one but a step none the less. When you realize your feelings for her you'll understand," Breeze said softly. The shimmer began to fade and Ironhide felt a wave of fear and pain wash over him all over again.

"Wait," he cried out. "Don't leave me."

The wind brushed his cheek like a gentle caress and Breeze's voice said, "I'm sorry but I have to. Know that I will always love you and I know what will happen if I stick around. I love you enough to let you go." Then she was gone and Ironhide fell to the ground. And he cried.

He cried for Breeze and for all the lost loves and lives that this war was causing. He cried for the death of someone too innocent to realize she may have been targeted by an enemy. The healer in training who had cared for her brothers, Starscream's trine, Soundwave and his crew, and Ironhide. And when he was done crying the pain had left. There was a deep sadness left but the awful pain was gone. He stood and turned back the way he had come only to see Ramjet standing there. "I'm sorry," he choked out. "I'm sorry you had to lose her."

"Livewire too," Ramjet said tiredly.

"I'm so sorry," Ironhide said again feeling a brief pang of pain.

"And I'm sorry for you too," Ramjet said. Ironhide nodded and slipped passed the Seeker, pausing only to squeeze his shoulder lightly. He was only a few steps away when he heard Ramjet say, "She really loved you and you loved her. I'm sorry that you had to lose her and that it hurts you as much as it hurts me. I'm sorry I wasn't more careful."

"As am I," Ironhide said before slipping away. He had said his good-bye. It was time for Ramjet to say his. As Ironhide headed back to the Ark he made his choice. When it came down to it he would side with the Autobots. He knew somehow he had lost his friendship with Ramjet and the others. He had a friendship with Jazz that was tentatively growing and one that was reigniting with Ratchet. Maybe someday he and Optimus could be reconciled but even if it wasn't he would side with the Autobots anyway. Because it was the right thing. And Breeze would have agreed with him about that. With a weight lifted from his shoulders he made his way back to the Ark and somehow he wasn't surprised at all to see Jazz waiting for him. And he followed the silver mech on to the Autobot ship and on to his new life.