Disclaimer: Mine? *all Autobots* NO, IT'S NOT! ... *pouts* ok, ok...it's not.

Author's note: Surprise, Surprise! Ok, so this is my last Oneshot for the year. XD I hate odd numbers, so I wanted to end the year with an even number in my Oneshots. It still bugs my that my other fanfic. is at chapter 7. Grrrrr. Oh well, not much I can do here. So this was a spontaneous idea, hope you like it. And since I won't be around to post anything on New Year's Eve, I'll have to post it now. Enjoy.

~o~o~o~

10. Stars
by Misty Mina

Looking at earth's night sky gave Red Alert a sense of peace like he would rarely experience throughout the day. No work, no stress, no paranoia. Everything was forgotten as soon as he would look at the stars. It made him remember. All those planets he'd been, seen or heard of. All those places he'd wished to visit. But that was in a time before the population of Cybertron called for war.

Would he ever return? Would he never travel the galaxy again? Would he never see his home again? Would there be a home to return to?

Inferno had reassured him that there was always a home to return to, but Red Alert didn't really get what exactly his mate meant. What if Cybertron was no more when the war would end? There wouldn't be a place to return to. Not every planet was suited for their species, no matter how advanced they were.

So one day, when Inferno joined him one night while he was out stargazing, he couldn't help but ask.

"Inferno?"

"Hmm?"

The fire engine turned his attention away from the shimmering lights above them.

"...Do you think, ...one day, when the war ends, ..." He didn't exactly know how to ask. How should he know what the future held for them?

Inferno waited patiently for his mate to continue. Judging from Red's hesitation, it had to be important.

"...Do you think, we could go home?" There, Red had said it. He looked at Inferno, trying to read his faceplates.

The fire engine looked confused for a moment. But then he smiled and looked back up at the stars.

"...Dunno what yah mean, Red. I'm home."

Now it was the Lamborghini's turn to be puzzled. Inferno wanted to stay? On earth? Just like Hound? He hadn't even noticed that his mate enjoyed this planet so much. What a great lover he was. Not even noticing the simplest things...

"...So, earth is your new home?" He couldn't really hide the sadness in his voice. How could he abandon the planet he'd been created on so easily?

If possible, Inferno's grin grew even wider.

"Nope."

What? Didn't he just say...?

Seeing Red's stumped expression made the situation even funnier, at least for Inferno. Chuckling lightly, he placed a servo flat on Red's chestplates, directly over his spark chamber. The intimate gesture made the security director blush in return.

"This is mah home, Red!"

If anything, Red's faceplates were on fire now. Inferno drew his speechless mate into his arms.

"Home is ...where tha spark is."

Red didn't need further explanations. Inferno's spark was with him. Home was wherever he would go. He embraced his lover and looked up into those dark blue optics. Yes, he was right. It was almost too simple and yet it was so true. No place was home without Inferno. Not even Cybertron.

A place, a planet or a galaxy without his love, ...was not worth living in. The stars might not have lost their beauty, but they've lost their wistful appeal. Home was not up there. It was down here and would always be.

~o~o~o~

To all my Readers: I wish you all a Happy New Year. I'll see you all in 2012. XD

If anyone wants to know, the Oneshot was inspired by the song 'One last wish' AKA 'Casper's lullaby' from the soundtrack of the movie 'Casper'.