"So you see a spark is very delicate. More delicate than even your own heart, perhaps . . . one hit to it will make it leave your body and you die. That is why we try and protect our spark with these strong bodies the best we can or else . . . we shall die," said Starscream explaining things to Alexis.

"What happens after it leaves your body?" asked Alexis.

"Then our spark returns to where it originated from . . . the allspark," said Starscream.

"Oh . . . I see," shook Alexis.

"But the allspark was destroyed and so perhaps now we can't die . . . perhaps now we will live on if ever someone builds a body for us."

Alexis then looked at the medical bay and knew Barricade was trying to bring back Skorponok and rebuild him a new stronger body. She hoped it would work for she didn't want to see any transformer die, especially not these guys . . . they were her family. Alexis then remembered something when Skorponok died. She tried to catch his spark but she couldn't touch it . . . why?

"Starscream," said Alexis still gazing at the medical bay.

"Yes, What is it Alexis?" asked Starscream looked at her.

"When Skorponok died . . . I tried to touch his spark . . . it just went right through me like a ghost . . . why couldn't I touch it?" she asked.

"Because," sighed Starscream. "Only transformer metal can touch a spark and hold it . . . or else our sparks will just wander off into space."

"So if you were to die . . . I couldn't . . . I couldn't save you?" asked Alexis.

Starscream could hear and see her movements. This was hard for Alexis to comprehend after hearing all this about their sparks and life. This was why he didn't want to tell her because he knew she would act like so. Starscream sighed and looked downward saying-

"No."

Alexis looked down in sadness at knowing that there was nothing she could do if Starscream died. No tool in the world could fix a spark. She wasn't trained for that. Alexis sighed and turned to Starscream saying-

"It's been a long day I'm gonna go rest okay?"

"Okay Alexis," said Starscream as he watched her leave.

When she left he wondered if he should have told her all this. He wondered if she was truly that ready to hear, to comprehend everything. Only time would tell now.


"But why would they take hostages?" asked Prowl as the autobots discussed a certain matter. "Won't it suit them just by killing the humans?"

"I don't know, you tell me!" said Jetfire getting tired of Prowl interrupting. "Look, I know what I saw Optimus!"

"Calm down Jetfire, I believe you, but if Starscream did capture a human why? and for what purpose?" wondered Optimus.

"Hey, I bet ya there are cameras near that ally way and so if we could get her face then we can get her name and find out where she lives."

"Yea, if she's still there," scoffed Hot Shot.

"It's the only thing we got at the moment," sighed Ratchet. "So let's get started shall we?"

They searched and searched till they found that tape. They closened in to see a better picture of her face. She was just a normal girl, why would Starscream want her? She seemed like a country girl though, like out of place in that city.

Well they would get to the bottom of this sooner or later. After a couple more hours of searching for her name they found it and then her address.

"Should we pay a visit to miss Alexis?" asked Sam looking at Optimus.

"The decepticons could be there," pointed out Ironhide. "She lives out in a desolate place. Perfect to hide."

"Ironhide's right. We all go, but you and Makeala shall talk to her if need be," said Optimus.

"Okay, let's go," said Sam as they got in Bumblebee and headed to Alexis' home out in the country.


There came a knock on Alexis' door and so she opened to see who it could be. She didn't think it was the decepticons for they just come up to her window and bother her. They weren't the gentlemen type. Alexis opened the door to see two teenage kids, a boy and a girl.

"Hi, are you Alexis?" asked the boy.

"Yea, why?" asked Alexis.

"Hi I'm Sam Witwicky and this is Makeala."

"Hi," smiled Makeala.

"Why are you here?" asked Alexis glancing over at the numerous vehicles in her drive path.

"Look I know this may sound crazy, but we thought you . . ." Sam paused wondering if he should say.

"I was what?" asked Alexis.

"Kidnapped by a giant alien robot," said Sam quite fast half expecting her not to catch it, but half expecting her to catch it.

"E-excuse me?" chuckled Alexis seeing how hard it was for him to say things.

She then realized things as she glanced once again at the vehicles. She then figured things out. They weren't . . . were they?

"Uh . . . um, I don't know what you're talking about so-" started Alexis, but Sam spoke again.

"But do you know of any thing like that?" asked Sam.

"Uh . . . no I don't so if you can just leave I'd be happy to-" tried Alexis wanting them . . . all to leave.

"She's lying can't you tell?" said Hot Shot secretly to Optimus.

"Hot Shot we can't be for sure," started Optimus.

"But she can be hiding the decepticons!" said Hot Shot wanting to go and get answers.

"No, stay unseen!" said Optimus.

"Listen to Optimus Hot Shot!" said Ironhide.

After seeing Sam and Makeala fail to get anything out of the women Hot Shot sighed, rolled his optics, and said-

"That's it!"

"Hot Shot no!" gasped Optimus as all watched him transform and come up to Alexis.

"Look, we saw you with the decepticons or at least Starscream so you better give us some reliable answers!" pointed Hot Shot to her face.

"That's it, he blew it for everybody," sighed Prowl seeing no reason to hide anymore and so transformed along with the others.

Alexis backed up into her house leaving the door wide open as she gazed at the autobots. They were different from the decepticons, but alike in a way. Alexis could easily tell which one was their leader. He was the biggest there and it looked like it how he acted.

He came up to the, clearly, young one that got all up in her face a moment ago and pulled him away from her a bit harshly.

"Hot Shot what is with you?!" he gasped pulling his arm.

"What?" said Hot Shot. "You seems to be hiding the decepti-"

"And what if she isn't, hm?!" asked Optimus. "Now she knows who we are!"


The decepticons made sure they were very quiet as they heard the autobots just above them. Their base was low enough just for them not to be heard, but they still didn't want to take that chance. They watched the autobots on their monitors and ever wished for them to leave.

"Sure are noisy aren't they?" said Cyclonus.

"Shh, quiet you idiot!" spat Starscream as low as he could.

"What?" said Cyclonus.

They then continued to watch the autobots till Cyclonus let out-

"Why can't we just kill them?"

Starscream rolled his optics in annoyance to the transformer and so turned to him saying-

"Because we don't want them to find out where our base is and or doing anything to Alexis. This is her farm. I promised I wouldn't do anything to it."

"So, you've broken promises before so why not hers?" asked Cyclonus.

"Just shut up," shook Starscream.

There was then silence again till he spoke again.

"What kind of evil people hide underground like a ra-?"

"Shut up!" hissed Starscream.

"I don't know there was this one guy in human history who-" started Skywarp, but was cut off when all glared at him with evil glares. "Sorry."

"It just feels so . . . human," scoffed Cyclonus placing his fists on his hips.


Alexis wasn't saying anything. She tried to look nervous and frightened around them, but that young one wasn't buying it.

"I'm sorry we troubled you ma'am," said Prowl crossing his arms. "We just saw on a tape that you were taking by a being like us, but he would mean you harm."

"We wanted to know your safety," said Ironhide.

"Well . . . you can see I'm safe now so yea," said Alexis.

"Listen you won't tell anyone about this little . . . visit will you?" asked Sam.

"No one ever comes out here so no," said Alexis. "Your secrets safe with me."

Hot Shot glared at her hard with his arms crossed. For some reason he knew she was lying. For some reason he could tell the decepticons were near. He couldn't explain it, how he knew these things, but he just did and he wanted answers which he knew she had.

"We shall be leaving now," said Optimus getting ready to transform.

"But Optimus I know they're here!" said Hot Shot.

"Hot Shot don't embarrass us more than you have already!" said Optimus pulling Hot Shot close to him to get his point through his hard mainframe.

Hot Shot then looked once more at Alexis seeing in her eyes the lies that they were all falling for. He then growled and slapped Optimus off him and walked off. Optimus just sighed with frustration and looked one more time at Alexis saying-

"We are sorry about this and so we shall leave you be. You shall never hear from us again miss."

Alexis just nodded as they all transformed and left. Hot Shot stood by the barn just scanning his surroundings. He knew something was there and Alexis feared him finding their base and them! There then came the sound of a semi truck horn.

"Let's go Hot Shot!" said Optimus firmly letting him know he'd wait all night if he had to.

Hot Shot then grumbled inside his throat and transformed reluctantly leaving. As soon as they left Alexis sighed and leaned against the door way. The decepticons had also come out and Starscream asked if she was okay.

"Yea I'm fine, I'm just tired that's all," said Alexis entering her house.

She went to her room and plopped on her bed just thinking of many things. She then looked at her hands and found they were shaking. She was scared, not for herself, but for them. She had never been so afraid of letting, perhaps, a good thing happen.

"Alexis," came a soft voice.

Alexis turned to her window and saw Starscream's face. He waited for her to come to him and so she sighed and did just that.

"Yea, what is it?" asked Alexis a headache coming to her from that day's excitement.

"I never did ask you to do that for us," said Starscream. "So . . . thank-you."

"Do you think I would let them find you guys?" asked Alexis as she sat on her bed facing him. "No way, you guys are like family to me . . . bad family, but family nonetheless."

"I'm sorry I had to put you through that because of us," said Starscream.

"Hey, it had to be coming some day right?" said Alexis shaking a bit almost letting her emotions take the best of her.

Starscream then saw a couple of tears swell in her eyes. She wiped them away with her hand as she said-

"I just don't know what would happen if you guys left, or anything happened to you."

"Alexis, we're still here," smiled Starscream glad to know she cared.

"But for how long Starscream?" asked Alexis looking at him with sad eyes. "How long till you die or . . . go back home?"

Starscream was stumped. He didn't know. He wasn't expecting this sort of question . . . one that he couldn't answer.

"I . . . I . . . I don't know Alexis. I don't know," he sighed as he left her to sort out her emotions by herself.

Alexis cried to herself as the sun set that day. She didn't know what happened to herself or why she got herself into this situation. She loved Starscream more than anything and it never dawned on her once that he has his own home . . . his own world . . . a place far away from here . . . a place she couldn't go and could never go. He would leave one day and this she could not stop . . . you could never stop the inevitable.

She didn't even know him that well to know if that time came for him to leave of he would stay with her if she asked him to. Would he? Did he care that much about her? She thought so, but now her emotions and thoughts played tricks on her making her doubt and doubt, to her, was never good.

Eventually Alexis fell asleep, but even her dreams were horrible. Her dreams were all the same. She was standing on a battle field with many dead around her and there, before her eyes, the autobots kill Starscream and his spark floats away from his body . . . to her. She holds out her hands to catch it, but she can't . . . she can't do anything.

Alexis then woke up her face soaking wet from the numerous tears she spilt from that nightmare. She cupped her face as the cold darkness crept in to surrounded her making her ever feel lonely. She then got up and placed a robe around her night gown and headed out of her house and into the trees behind her house. There she found the back way into the decepticons base where Starscream was.

She came to him and found he was but asleep on his bed. She tried to hid her tears, but they kept coming no matter how many times she wiped them away. She was just glad to see he was still there, but she wanted to make sure. She wanted to touch him. Alexis then crawled up into his bed right next to him.

As soon as he felt her touch he woke from his light sleep and saw her curled up next to him. He was going to say something, but something inside him told him now was not the time for words as he saw her tears. Alexis cried and cried till she had no tears left to cry and her eyes tired of feeling watery. Then something happened Starscream never thought he'd see . . . she fell asleep.

When she did he placed his hand over her to keep her warm. He placed himself more near her as he laid down fully instead of half way. He came as close as he cloud and let her be near his spark again. He knew she liked the soft humming sound it made.

It always made her sleepy. It was like a lullaby to her in some strange way. Starscream couldn't help but smile as he watched his beauty sleep. His finger teased one of her locks of hair near her face.

He pulled it back to keep it out of her face, but it would fall back. He wanted to see her face and so he kept pulling back that lock till he gave up and just softly caressed the side of her face. Pulling the lock back as he did so. How on cybertron did he come to know her or as a matter of fact . . . to love her?

"Starscream," said Barricade coming in. "I have revived Skorponok. His body is different, but it is him nonetheless."

"Okay," said Starscream still caressing Alexis. "You may leave."

"Yes sir," bowed Barricade as he left, but before he did he glanced Alexis next to Starscream and so wondered why she was there or what she was doing there, but then again he had no business in Starscream's personal life and so he left that thought unanswered.

Starscream sighed lightly thinking of many things, like what Alexis said a bit earlier before night fall. When he left . . . when would he leave? How could he leave? Why would he leave?

And would he be able to leave her? he wondered as he looked back at her. She was so soft he thought as he felt his hard rough metal skin on her soft organic skin. What was he thinking being with her? They were so very different, but maybe . . . not as much as he thought.

Why couldn't he have just fell in love with a normal cybertronian femme? He never did like anyone before. His affection for anything or anyone stayed dormant inside him for so long. It could be perhaps that he never had the time to build a relationship like he did with her . . . well he didn't exactly build it, it just appeared out of nowhere . . . but why?

Why was she so different? As Starscream thought of all this he almost jumped at feeling Alexis move. He looked and found she had turned her body towards him and nearer to his spark. She gave out a peaceful sigh and so Starscream smiled.

He then thought that it was when he allowed her to sleep near his spark that one day she was sick. He opened himself to her and pretty much humbled himself to help her. He had never done that before for no one and to no one, but he did it to her. He couldn't help it anymore . . . he loved her, there was no denying it.

It was strange yes, but it was the truth and right now it didn't matter. He knew. She knew it, well at least he hoped she knew it. That was all that they needed to know.

The others could make fun of him all they liked, but they would never understand. Only she would. His beauty. His love.

His Alexis.