Never before had Alexis been stared at so completely and not even seen. Yet that is exactly what she felt when Thundercracker observed her. It put her off immediately and when she had the misfortune to accidentally spill something on him, her irritation grew even as she tried her best to be nice.

But he was antagonistic, and was turning a night she had looked forward to since Starscream's return, into something she was praying to end. Of course, the Seeker had to stay with them, scrutinizing her as he followed them around. Yes, she tried a couple more times to speak to him, but her agitation only grew at his lack of response.

Sensing her frustration, Starscream lost his wingmate. The two were finally alone, for all of fifteen minutes, until he found them again along with Mika, Sam and Bee.

She was relieved when Mikaela and the others located her. She was momentarily filled with the anxiety of approaching Thundercracker alone and already fed up with dealing with him. Quickly enough Starscream returned, giving Alexis all of two seconds to make excuses before he dragged her away.


"When you said get away, I didn't know you meant this."

Space, she was actually in space. Earth was below, rotating slowly, a blue orb of a home planet with a beauty that moved her deeply. She stared for a long time, watching as they hovered above. Her eyes turned up; her breath catching in her throat. The stars were so close that Alexis felt that she could pluck one right into her hand, and the moon was a spectacular sight all on its own.

"It will not be such an easy task to interrupt us out here. And I desire to have words with you."

Alexis waited patiently for him to continue. She smoothed out her dress, fingers gliding down the fabric. To think it was a gift from Starscream, and was the same dress she tried on at the mall all those years ago. Still, she wondered, did he see her with it on that first time? Did he hold on to it all that time? Is that why he wasn't in the parking lot when she returned? Was he getting the dress?

She had to borrow a short jacket from Julia so that she could feel comfortable wearing it, the dress still more reveling in the front than she would ever permit herself to wear out in public. But the shock of Starscream showing up at her door with it along with the command for her to wear it, Alexis knew no matter what that she would.

"I believe it is time I tried you out." His voice was low and throttled, an excitement trailing behind that made her suddenly feel that much more like an adult.

"Starscream..." Alexis felt all the blood rush out of her face. She was mildly distressed by the horror of a way he said such a thing.

"You refuse me?"

"No. Yes... I mean... it's not as simple as that."

"I want you, Alexis. I know you desire me. Where in this entails the complication?" His tone was terse and edgy with agitation and anger building that he seemed unwilling to contain.

"Because we aren't, that is... you have only been back four days and..."

"Time has nothing to do with it," he said, and she knew he was searching for an answer.

"No, it doesn't," she replied.

Starscream was silent for a moment and obviously processing much. "I believe I know what you require. This ritual, the one your human companions observed, this marriage..."

"So, you want to marry me, so we can..."

"If that is what it takes to have you. Even so, why such a flimsy ceremony is required when you becoming my bonded would be so much more permanent and... intimate. You will marry me," he suddenly barked out, turning what were some of the most romantic words in the human language to a command that made her feel that she had no choice. Whatever romantic fantasies she imaged as a youth faded away, a part of her oddly not minding even as the other part mourned at the lack of sensitivity.

She knew, however, that under Cybertronian observations they were already considered, using a human word, engaged. In fact, from what she got from Starscream when they joined minds before he left, them becoming a bonded pair, from his view, was just a matter of course. If she was a femme, Alexis knew he would have taken her already. That Decepticons when choosing a companion usually did not dwell on such things as consideration or even permission. And usually when the spark mate was chosen the first encounter that left them bound together irrevocably could be as brutal as if they were on a battlefield.

"Starscream, you can't just order me to marry you. You ask. It's my decision. I could never marry someone if I didn't believe myself their equal."

"You shall be my equal in these matters. I wouldn't want a mate who couldn't hold her own against me."

"You are earnest."

"I am."

Alexis' seat tilted backwards and disappeared entirely underneath. Starscream appeared. He brought her to him, his hand caressing Alexis' cheek before wandering down her neck and lingering on the delicate flesh where her heart pulsed.

"Through you, I will learn of innocence and purity again. You are the only one my spark shall ever know. Command anything of me and it is yours. Planets? A Galaxy? Your world your own? An army to command? Tell me, and you will not be denied."

"Anything?" Her tone was terribly low, a whisper of breath that had his eyes shining bright.

"Anything," he reaffirmed.

Alexis slanted toward him, hand going behind his neck as she drew closer. "Ask me to marry you then."

His eyebrows scrunched up, a peculiar expression ghosting over his continence. "And you will be mine?"

"I just want to hear you ask, Starscream. Call it a human need for a romantic experience."

He frowned. Alexis' heart skipped a beat. Momentarily, she thought she went too far. But then he caught her hand and brought it up, caressing it with his mouth.

"Be my mate, Alexis. And know that your acceptance of me shall bring forth an intimacy that no human has ever experienced before. However, do not think lightly of the position you will ultimately hold with me. And do not think I have chosen you on some idle whim. A Seeker has not taken a mate in many a mega-cycle. When you are my spark mate, you will conceive how binding such an act is even as this marriage ritual of yours will soon seem inconsequential. Just the same, I will have you as my wife as well as mate, so..." He merged his eyes with her own; emotion and open feeling swam in their depths. "...marry me, Alexandra?" His words came out strained and rather fierce, uttered with obvious difficulty. He was not used to asking and doing so disturbed him. She always found it incredibly attractive though when he pushed past his pride and managed to.

Alexis' mouth fell open and tears welled in her eyes. She considered the question, finding that a part of her never really believed he would ask. Alexis knew she wanted him, knew even before he returned that her future was already set with Starscream. Yet now that the question was out, her mind rushed forth, pushing through her hopes as it slapped her with reality and the unconventionality of their entire relationship. However, strange as it may have seemed, it was a part of what drew her to Starscream. He was so unlike anyone she ever knew and had long ago dashed all hopes of any sort of possibility of wanting another.

Blinking herself out of the daze she easily fell into, she considered things. Despite what Starscream believed, marriage was the very peak of seriousness to her, a commitment and shared covenant that would be binding and permanent. She would be giving everything she was to her husband and trusting him perhaps even more than herself just by loving him alone. She could compromise for him and let her pride rest. She could share all with him and not be ashamed. There was confidence that he would be there for her, and that he would protect her if need be, that he would keep her safe at any cost. And he would sacrifice as well. Alexis knew that. The way he felt about her was overwhelming and scary but was somehow exciting as well.

Half consciously the negatives started to swim upwards. That of her faith that he so obviously didn't share, the marriage ceremony, and what her friends would say. Struggling, she pushed the daunting whispers back. Even if they were complications that, one way or another, were going to have to be addressed. Falling back on the contentment of the prior thoughts, she rid herself of the needless worrying.

Alexis replied with the only answer there could have been. "Yes, my answer is yes."

With that she found herself led backwards, Starscream lying beside her. Their hands met, he brought his body upwards as he leaned over her, a glimmer in his eyes.

"Now that the preliminaries are out of the way, I believe there are no more obstacles to me experiencing you."

Alexis blushed as she whispered, "Actually we would have to get married first. I mean... I think I want to... I mean I... this is what you meant... you actually want... I mean as a human?" Alexis hated the way her words sounded. They were a garbled mess of incoherent speech, but nervousness was suddenly there when she realized that was what he was suggesting all along. Once more, she pulled herself away. Sitting up, he came alongside. She felt Starscream staring.

"What exactly does this marriage ritual entail?"

For the last four days Alexis kept Starscream at bay, four days she had to convince herself to keep his physical attentions at a minimum. Her resolve was weakening, her dreams awakening and her body responding in ways that frightened. To even be away from him caused a pain that wasn't easily quelled.

"Alexandra?"

His hand was lingering on her arm, three fingers sliding back and forth. Starscream got even closer as he came around front.

"I would have to get a dress for one, but white isn't exactly easy to find nowadays." How could she speak so much when she wanted to be doing something else entirely? She wanted that mouth of his to be on top of hers and wanted to feel that pleasurable rush that hinted at possibilities.

"White?" Starscream echoed.

"It's worn by a bride to show her innocence and virtue," Alexis explained.

"Then it must be a rarity indeed for a bride to wear such a color. You humans are not known for abstinence, and few even on your base could claim such a quality."

"You can actually; I mean... never mind. Don't tell me."

"Even your companion Julia could not..."

Alexis sat up, shaking her head, hands covering her ears. "I said don't tell me." She dropped her hands as she rolled her eyes. Starscream held the appearance of someone who was trying hard not to laugh. "What about..." Alexis tried to search for the way to say it, deciding for the direct approach because her mind was out of loopholes, she went for it."...bonding. How exactly does that work?"

"Fortunately, for one, there is no required ceremonies. And unlike this marriage of yours, it is permanent. I shall be formatted to you and shall know no other after."

She thought about that. Alexis was delighted at first and then distraught. "But Starscream... I mean... I only, that is, humans only live to about eighty or so, and even then..."

"I shall keep you as long as possible, and you shall remain a part of me until I off-line," Starscream declared.

"But to never be able to be with another, I..."

"I shall be able to be with another, just not create a spark-bond with them. I shall be mated to only you, Alexandra. It is my choice."

"But it will be so lonely after I am gone. I mean..."

He interrupted, "I have been alone for longer than you can possibly imagine little one. Being alone again is not something I want to contemplate. Not right now."

Tears were welling in her eyes, and even though his words were terse they held an ache behind them that tugged at her heart.

"I just don't want to be a cause of pain for you," Alexis said, her words just above a whisper.

He frowned and scooted closer. He wiped off her tears with his fingers. "There is no avoiding that. It will be a part of what I will have to ultimately accept. It does not make me want you any less. Although it does want me to have you... sooner."

This time his voice was soft, a comfort of words that touched and warmed. She responded, wrapping her arms around him as she pulled him into a hug, holding Starscream as close as she could. "I don't want to leave you, Starscream. I don't want..." Alexis pulled back. Her expression was obviously alarmed for the Seeker picked up on it.

"What is it?" he asked, his words heavy and gruff, muscles clenching under her light grip as the craft suddenly stopped moving. Near Earth, the F-22 drifted between the stars.

"I forgot..." She bit her lip. Grimacing, Alexis tried not to think of what her words could mean, or what sort of thing could come out of it. "...you're going to have to meet my parents."

Alexis knew that phrase wasn't all together popular among the male of her species, but she would never forget the disturbance that rippled through Starscream's face.

"When?"

"The sooner we talk to them, the sooner we can get..."

"Then tomorrow," Starscream commanded.

"Perhaps we should wait until..."

"Tomorrow," he repeated firmly.

Alexis found there was no arguing with him, so she throttled her apprehension down as she relaxed. Enjoying the wonders of space one more, she became fascinated and enthralled at all that Starscream could offer and was capable of. But then a rather dominating thought came racing through. She couldn't ignore that one.

God help her. Starscream was going to meet her parents.