"Are you sure you can do this?" Starscream cupped Eva's face, pressing his forehead against hers. His words were soft, murmured. Arcee and Bulkhead and everyone else didn't need to hear. He'd managed to pull himself from the medical bay, much to Ratchet's resentment, and climb atop the silo.

He realized that he had the location of the Autobot base right on the tips of his talons, but he didn't care. All of that, the caring, the constant smarm towards Megatron, was all gone. Starscream was…Starscream. All those millennium didn't matter anymore.

Eva gently placed a hand on his chassis, easing him away. She peered into his crimson eyes, lenses flashing, before nodding. Then she pulled him close and wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her head in his shoulder.

"My dad won't do anything to me," she whispered, "Especially when he sees me like this."

"You'll have Fowler with you," Starscream added.

"What if he says no?"

Both Cybertronian's turned. It was June, sitting next to Fowler's helicopter. Dark rings lined her eyes and she looked gaunt. Her skin had taken on a pale sheen, and her hair had lost its luster.

"He won't," Eva said confidently. "He can't. I'll make sure he can't. He's never denied me in my time of need, especially after mom–" she choked back a sudden sob and ducked her head. "Even after mom died."

Starscream leaned over and kissed her once more. Only Arcee turned away, hands clenched into fists, winglets fluttering wildly.

Eva transformed. Flawless. Fowler climbed into the cockpit, casting a lingering glance in June's direction, before being partly obscured by the thick glass as it fell around him, closing him in.

Then they were gone. Both of them.

Starscream turned away, watching as Bulkhead, face set into a permanent scowl, crawled back inside the silo. Bumblebee and Knockout and June and everyone else followed behind, leaving Arcee standing with her back turned.

Silence. Starscream sucked in a breath and glanced towards Jasper. Smoke was curling from buildings, sirens were screaming in the distance. Still trying to cope with Chronos's previous attack.

"Two-wheeler," Starscream drawled, lacing his fingers together and twisting them behind his back. His wings rose and his shoulders hunched.

"Save it," she said firmly.

"I hope all transgressions can be forgiven–"

"What?" Arcee spun. "What? Are you serious?"

"I–"

"No. No. When this is all over, I don't want to see you or your girlfriend again, alright? The Autobots don't need you," she bared her teeth. "Not after all the pain you've caused us."

"All the pain I've caused you," Starscream raised a talon, stepping closer. His expression was a mixture of sincerity and scorn. He couldn't choose which one to primarily convey. "Did Cliffjumper mean as much to you as Eva does to me?"

Air hissed from between Arcee's dental plating. Now it was her turn to step back, albeit, almost in fear.

"Maybe."

"Maybe?" Starscream chuckled. "I think yes. I think you did care for him as I care for Eva, and if that is the case…I…"

He paused.

"Cat got your glossa?" Arcee challenged.

"I… I don't know what to say," Starscream dipped his head in shame. "I don't know what to say. Yes, I killed Cliffjumper, no, I am not sorry," he raised his head, crimson optics gleaming. "I did what I had to do. I did what any soldier would do."

Arcee didn't respond.

"Tell me," he continued, "if Prime were to disappear, and you were to operate without his judgment, what would you have done? You Autobots are not infallible. Prime is not infallible. The Autobot's as a whole have offlined just as many Decepticon's as my kind have Autobots. Do not think that the causalities of this war were one-sided."

"You could have kept him as a prisoner."

"And you would have rescued him. Disposing of him was the only option. We couldn't afford it at the time. The Decepticon's, I mean," Starscream brushed past Arcee. He paused. His wings bristled as yet another point struck him, one that overpowered his senses and caused him to bare his own teeth and turn on Arcee. "I lost Eva once, do you understand? I love her more than I love myself and if I were to lose her again…how much did you love Cliffjumper?"

"Enough to get by," she huffed and glanced away. "Just enough."

Starscream met her optics. "Enough isn't enough until its too late, two-wheeler. I can promise you that."

He was dying. Optimus Prime was dying.

Chronos's horse stomped the grass, sending up a plume of dust and dirt that clogged his intakes. Snot dripped from the charger's nostrils, splattering against the ground.

"Tighter," Chronos whispered silkily. "Tighter."

Prime squirmed. The binds sliced past his wrists. The stone beneath him was carving indentions into his armor, drawing little flecks of energon.

They were in a ravine. The Nemesis cast a shadow on the area, blocking out the sun. A dozen Vehicon's had dropped from above, led by Megatron.

Megatron's optics were a milky white and he walked as if he were a zombie, slow, his weight carrying him forward.

Chronos smashed his mace against the ground, embedding it into the dirt. Armor rattling, he trudged over to Barghest and Cerberus who stood, foaming at the mouth. Their eyes were trained on Optimus.

"Not yet," Chronos said. Then he twisted his neck at an impossible angle to regard Optimus. "A shame you are not like Prometheus – your limbs to not grow back."

Optimus squirmed and writhed and spat hatred at Chronos, who was beginning to unclasp his dented, scratched armor. Chest plates fell away, rattling against stone.

The eagle stretched across his humanoid, scale-covered chest was moving.

It was a drawing, Prime told himself. A drawing. Certainly not something that could peel away from flesh, wings extending, beak snapping. Its talons extended, raking against Chronos.

The lizard stood, bored and brute. His tails ran back and forth across the sand.

Megatron stood, motionless with his Vehicon's.

The eagle detached itself from Chronos and the beast regained his armor. Chronos then began to coo softly, the mangy, massive bird with the bloodshot eyes snapping at open air.

Then it spotted Prime.

"My son's pet," Chronos cooed. "Zeus was always fond of them. He'll be absolutely riled when he finds that I've stolen it."

"You're insane!" Prime shouted.

"I am a visionary," Chronos flung the bird upward. The eagle's wings caught the air and it drifted. "I visualize, as I am right now, watching as your comrades find you mutilated and bloody."

The eagle dove, suddenly. Faster than light. Prime arched his back and tried to wriggle away.

The bird ate at Prime's insides as if they were nothing.

Optimus tried not to scream. Failed.

Always failing.

"I have things to attend to," Chronos grasped his mace and turned his back to Prime. Wires coated in energon leaked from the eagle's beak. Prime's processors were rattling, warning signs screaming. He shut off his pain receptors as the eagle tore another strip from inside his tanks.

"Stop this and fight me!" Optimus raged. "Untie me and battle me like a true warrior!"

"Don't have the time," Chronos waved a hand airily. "Darby is almost finished with the second batch of mindeaters. Hard working, that human is."

"He's insane, like you."

"He is insane, yes, but he is necessary. You are not. You are a hindrance and nothing more."

"I'll destroy you," Prime said, each word labored. He glanced down at the feeding eagle and almost purged his tanks. "I. Will. End. You."

"You have to get out, first."

Optimus pulled with what little strength he had left, and ended up sinking back against the rock. Chronos was disappearing, fading as his processors took control, locking him in stasis.

He saw Chronos speak briefly to Megatron.

Optimus Prime's optics blinked out.