Blinking my eyes open I winced, throwing my hand up to shield my eyes from the bright sunlight. It was warm but not the over bearing heat of the desert I'd grown used to in the past few hours. Sitting up I glanced around with a frown. Where the hell was I? Towering red rock encased me in a bowl like field, long grasses sweeping at my legs and tickling my skin. Glancing down I noticed that here my clothes weren't sandy nor sweaty, my hair was neat in its low hanging bun and the breeze was pleasant on my skin. Bending slightly at the knee I ripped up a tall blade of grass and begin stripping it layer by layer, twisting it and twirling it in my hands while I tried to figure out what this place was.
"Your subconscious mind." A deep voice rumbled. Jumping in fright I turned to see the Fallen standing before me, spear resting lazily by his side as his red eyes burned through me.
"What do you want with me?" I demanded sharply, trying not to shudder as my palms began to sweat.
"The matrix, you know where it is, you and the human boy…where is my matrix fleshling?" he snarled, pulling his spear up and taking a step towards me. Swallowing thickly I began thinking about anything and everything that wasn't matrix related. If this really was my subconscious mind and he was in my head I couldn't give him any clues as to where it was. "A clever little thing…but I will have answers!" The Fallen growled, thrusting his spear forward. I dodged to the left, the sky turning a stormy grey as a great crack of lightning brought a torrential downpour all of a sudden. I turned on my heel and ran, sprinting through the field of grass towards one of the rock walls. "Get back here!" the Fallen boomed from behind me, his running shaking the earth and knocking me off balance.
"Not likely!" I screamed in panic, darting through a crack in the rock wall and bursting out onto a cliff ledge.

Pebbles tumbled down into the oblivion below, the floor covered by ominous looking fog as the rain poured down and battered my skin. Shivering now I hugged my waist, goosebumps breaking out on my flesh as I turned to see the Fallen crouching behind me, his spear aimed straight at my chest.
"Nowhere to run…"his metal mouth twisted into a vicious grin and I swallowed thickly. I couldn't let him get to the matrix, no matter what, this had been my promise, and now I had to perform.
"Why run when you can fall?" I questioned, trying to sound braver than I felt as I turned and leapt over the edge of the cliff, falling with a scream as the Fallen snarled behind me furiously while I flailed and tumbled down. I fell for a lifetime through nothingness, cartwheeling and twisting in the air and by now I no longer felt fear, only regret. Maybe the fear would return when I found the ground again? What would happen when I hit the ground anyway? I'd seen enough movies to suggest that if I died here I would die in real life too. I hadn't even kissed Will goodbye. Sam wouldn't know until this was all over…but I'd kept him safe as I promised I would. I promised mom and dad I'd come back too, but if they got to keep Sam maybe they'd understand. I couldn't have told you what speed I was falling at but I felt it when I slowed, my descent coming to a steady halt where the sun had come out again and I was suddenly dry, landing lightly on sand that blew through the gaps of more red rock towering either side of me. Behind me was more oblivion, in front of me was a promising sunset through the gap in the rock. Was this where you chose heaven or hell? Life or death? How was I supposed to know which way to go?

A shadow passed over the rock and I frowned quizzically. What was behind there? Taking a breath I prayed I was making the right choice and squeezed through the gap in the rocks. The sand was blowing in a more violent breeze here and I had to shield my eyes, the bright sunlight and heat reminding me too much of the Egyptian desert I'd just left. Jagged rock stuck out in odd angles here and as I ventured further forward I realised this was another sort of cliff, a rocky platform floating on the sunset.
"We have been watching you Ellie Witwicky." The deep rumbling voice reminded me of Optimus and I was immediately soothed, squinting up at the tall and imposing robots looking similar to the Fallen.
"The…you're the Primes?" I whispered confusedly, "Does that mean I'm dead?"
"No." one answered from the right, I couldn't see their faces properly as they were shrouded in shadow and the sun was too bright.
"Well if I'm not dead then where am I?" I questioned frustratedly. If I wasn't dead why couldn't I wake up?
"Unconscious." The same Prime answered in the rumbling voice that shook my bones. I shuddered involuntarily. "You have fought valiantly for the autobots, your loyalty unwavering, it is inspiring." Frowning I stayed silent – if this was supposed to be a commendation ceremony I'd like to have my family nearby and preferably be awake. "But your plan is missing pieces." The Prime continued.
"My plan is…wait you're saying the matrix isn't enough? We can't bring Optimus back?" I demanded, running my hands over my face and trying to quell the onslaught of grief and fear once more.
"The matrix alone was never going to be enough." The Prim revealed, "However you have earned our respect, and that is why we will tell you what else Optimus needs, it is simple."
"But why me!" I exclaimed, "I'm not the one with the matrix!"
"You are one half of a destiny waiting to be fulfilled." The Prime answered, "Now listen closely."

Will's Point of View:

I squeezed off another round and ducked back behind the wall before sprinting for the tanks and diving in front of it. One of my sergeants came up beside me, landing in the sand at my side,
"Sir they're approaching the pillars!" he informed me.
"Precious cargo's coming!" I bellowed, getting up into a crouch as Megatron's ugly face appeared, watching the two teens sprinting towards us as Sam waved frantically. My eyebrows furrowed, where was Ellie? "Sergeant there should be three, where's the third party?" I demanded. He shook his head,
"We've recovered her sir and she was unconscious when I left a few minutes ago." He informed me, "Cracked her head off a rock, she's with medics now." My stomach dropped as a loud series of bangs snapped my attention to the teens heading my way. Sand billowed up behind them as Megatron let off a string of explosions that sent them to the ground.
"Epps!" I bellowed, springing up and sprinting for them. Sam was still waving frantically at us as Epps and a few of my loyalist boys ran alongside me.
"Hold off on that air strike, we're rescuing civilians!" Epps barked into the radio. We should have been rescuing Ellie right now, she should have been with them. How the hell had she hit her head? Had she been hit anywhere else? I was unfocused as we hustled Sam and Mikaela to safety and had to shake my head to get myself back in the game.

Not looking in the right direction in this game usually got you shot or blown to pieces, and I intended to say unperforated and in one piece if possible.
"Where's Ellie?" Mikaela panted breathlessly at me.
"With the medics." I answered grimly, "I don't know what happened yet." Mikaela looked horrified, her expression crumpling and her eyes turning desperately sad,
"But she was trying to keep us safe." She whispered to herself, looking guilt ridden. I squeezed the young girls shoulder,
"And she wouldn't have wanted it any other way. She's not dead Mikaela, just injured, she'll be okay." I answered, determination in my voice. I'd sit at her bedside and order her to wake up every day if I had to. Sam was behind Mikaela, one hand placed gently on his girlfriend's elbow as they trustingly watched me.
"Alright, we're going to have to make a break for it, you two stay close okay? Stick close on my ass." I ordered firmly, looking at Epps as the radio in his hand chattered.
"I hope those F-16's got good aim." He muttered, eyes meeting mine in that way they always did when we faced situations like this – it was the look that said it was an honour serving with you.
"Why's that?" I asked jokingly to try and ease the tension. A fresh wave of adrenaline was pounding through my veins as Epps grimaced,
"I told them to hit the orange smoke." He informed me. Glancing to my right I hung my head briefly and took a breath,
"You mean that orange smoke?" I queried. Epps frowned,
"It wasn't my best toss okay?" he protested quietly so as not to spook the kids. The F-16s were closing in and with no other options left Epps bellowed for us to run.

I shot forward like an athlete off of the blocks, no intention of being caught in that firestorm. Mikaela's hand was sweaty but I gripped it tightly, determined not to lose her and pull her along behind me. Sweating profusely with my heart pounding hard in my ears I tried to yell some encouragement as the earth began to shake and sand billowed up behind us. Ironhide managed to stumble from the smoke to join our group and just as we be reaching cover…Sam left it. My heart dropped and I all but screamed his name but he wouldn't stop, pumping his legs as fast as they could go to get to Optimus as Mikaela cried out in panic. The fire billowed up behind us as nausea took over. If Sam died today Ellie would kill me, but he wouldn't get out of this one in any way I could see. Time seemed to slow down as the dust and sparks flew up and scattered through the air, Sam's hazy figure all I could focus on as we dropped to the floor. I couldn't do anything for Sam but I could sure as hell save Mikaela. I pinned her to the floor, my eyes riveted on the boy as he gave everything he had left to Optimus. A huge and lumbering figure shadowed by smoke and dust and haze rose up behind him, and too late I realised Megatron was right behind him. The shot sent him straight over a wall, flipping in the air with a scorched shirt and blackened chest. Once he disappeared behind the crumbling wall in the smoke Mikaela began struggling, screaming his name, but I couldn't let her go until the tanks drove off Megatron.

It was then I heard the other terrible screech, one I'd only ever dreamed of before, one I'd imagined in my nightmares. My head snapped to my right and there she was in all her glory, a bruise blossoming to the left of her forehead in a jagged triangle down to the middle of her cheek, blood caking her hairline where they'd stitched her up. Hair blowing in the wind, my Ellie stood on shaking legs and watched her brother take the hit. Wailing horribly she managed to stagger forward before breaking into a run, scrambling through the sand to reach her brother.
"Hold your fire!" I yelled, sprinting after her and Mikaela as they skidded into the sand beside where Sam had landed on some rusted metal sheet of some sort. He was so close to Optimus it was painful to see. Ignoring my own pounding heart I shoved Mikaela back, "Back up!" I ordered, starting CPR in a last ditch attempt I didn't really have faith in. His shirt was torn, a bloody burn mark in the centre of his chest, scratches on his blackened face. The kid was well and truly fried.
"Fucking do something!" Mikaela screeched. Ellie knelt by her, hands fisted in the sand as she struggled to breathe and weakly called Sam's name, unable to choke the name past her lips as tears streamed down her face.
"Dammit Sam wake up!" she screamed suddenly, breaking off into a sob as I avoided her stare, the guilt in my eyes giving me away for a conversation I wasn't yet ready to have.
"Sam! Sam! Sammy!" I could hear other people calling for him now but didn't know what else to do other than see if I had got him breathing. The answer was a gut wrenching no.

Ellie completely collapsed into the sand as Mikaela began sobbing harder against his side. A glance told me that somehow her parents had made it here and were desperately trying to reach their son as I pulled Mikaela around to his other side,
"You've gotta move." I insisted, seeing the medics come running for us. Pulling Ellie up I maneuvered her dead weight into my arms and rocked her like a child, stroking her hair gently as I tried to hush her with little success. My own heart felt raw, aching and bleeding in my chest as the boy remained motionless after the first shock from the defibrillator. Clutching her tighter I buried my nose in her hair, smelling the smoke and fire of the battle. "Ellie, El baby, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry." I murmured repetitively.
"Sammy." The whimper shattered my composure completely and I nestled my face into her hair so she wouldn't see me cry.
"Listen to my voice, I love you, and I need you. Please come back to me, Sam!" Mikaela's heart wrenching cries made Ellie tighten her grip on my vest, curling herself as close to me as she could to make sure I was still here. I tightened my own grip in response and gave Mikaela a sorrowful stare as she continued to plead with him to wake up.
"Mikaela." I tried but couldn't find the words to say. I felt paralysed, unable to move, helpless, no more orders or hope or anything, there was only the time I had left with Ellie before the world went to shit, the time we had left before the whole world would know we failed.

Mikaela had lay beside him, crying quietly as Ellie managed to look up at me. I didn't even have the energy to wipe her tears. Jazz was stood by Bumblebee, the latter having fell to his knees with the weight of his grief.
"They lied to me Will." she whispered weakly, "He wasn't supposed to die, it wasn't supposed to be like this." Not having a clue what she was talking about I simply nodded, brushing a tendril of hair from her face,
"I know." I said quietly, and I finally got to say it, "I love you." A powerful emotion flittered in her eyes as she crumpled back against me and burst into a fresh round of tears. Grief, anger, relief, despair, it was a confusing lot to feel, a swirl of emotion too much for me to process as a sort of numbness began to creep in. A sudden gasp made us all jump violently and Ellie sat up abruptly, holding her breath as if she dared not believe it, hell I didn't know whether or not I did. Sam blinked at Mikaela, evidently horrified and shocked and deliriously relieved all at once as she cupped her face and whispered his own I love you to her. Mikaela's eyes watered but a smile spread on her lips.
"Sammy." Ellie breathed, "Sammy!" she lunged for him and knocked the poor kid back to the ground, but he held her just as tightly as she held him and just like that another spark of hope had been born.
"I'm sorry." Sam moaned quietly.
"You better be!" Ellie cried furiously, swiping her eyes with her palms and glaring at him, but it didn't last. She hesitated, jerking back and forth as she tried to decide whether or not to come back to me or stay with her brother.

Sam reached beside him with a look of pure wonder, pulling up a triangular prism like shape with a glowing blue centre. It was bright silver, like it had been freshly made and I frowned at it quizzically, heart soaring and adrenaline returning as Ellie's mind began audibly clicking into gear. "Oh my…they…"she trailed off, sniffing and wiping her eyes again before a determined expression settled on her face and she called for Jazz. "Do you know what to do?" she demanded of her brother. Sam nodded, an almost identical steely look in his eyes.
"You know you're part?" he asked in return. Ellie nodded as I groaned,
"What crazy ass plan is it this time?" I questioned. Ellie turned and smiled half-heartedly,
"It's hardly crazy…well it's better thought out than most of our plans anyway." She answered as Sam headed for Optimus, climbing up his prone body slowly but steadily as my men gathered in a group to watch, the autobots not too far behind. "Jazz, once the Spark's distributed its power throughout Optimus's body you have to hit him with an EMP, like a jump start." She instructed. Jazz cocked his head but nodded once in acknowledgement, lumbering towards Optimus. Sam let out a guttural cry as he drove the spark into Optimus's chest, getting off of him quickly as he bucked and convulsed, a shiver if robots could shiver. The light returned to his eyes, a misty and pale blue before Jazz shot him with an apology that turned up the brightness.

He blinked and cried out and out of pure instinct I pulled Ellie closer to me. She stood quite happily in my arms, watching with a grin, the spark in her eyes brightening up to as Optimus groaned his way to his feet.
"Boy, you returned for me." Optimus sounded almost touched and Ellie turned in my arms with a cry of triumph, throwing her arms around my neck as I chuckled and spun her around,
"You're a genius baby!" I kissed her forehead.
"Baby's a new one." She mused and I frowned slightly,
"I can always call you Gollum." I teased.
"Baby is just fine." She assured me quickly. Smirking down at her I relished in the feeling of her warmth, just thankful she could be near me. Pressing my forehead against hers I moved in like I was about to kiss her, but quickly moved my lips to her ear instead,
"Who the hell is the old robot?" I muttered. Ellie pulled back and turned with a confused expression, looking towards the robot with the metal beard stumbling forwards on his walking stick, leaking oil. I was alarmed by his red eyes but no one else had seemed to react, despite the wary look on some of my boys faces.
"Oh my god." She gasped slightly, "Jetfire! Jetfire what happened to you?"

The old robot squinted at her and slammed his stick on the ground, sending himself into a coughing fit that doubled him over.
"Take it easy man." Jazz advised.
"Take what easy?" Jetfire demanded, "Why if I took things easy there'd be many more bloody decepticon's still hanging around! And you fleshling-" he pointed a gnarled finger at Ellie who rolled her eyes in response, "Don't you go accusing me of being clumsy, I was the best fighter they had, that's why they sent me here." He was clearly senile, denying accusations we hadn't made.
"Yet you're riddled with bullet holes, find a place to lay low and let me take a look and see what I can do." She offered.
"Lay low? No no no, don't be stupid fleshling!" he growled. Before we could go any further a large boom had shook the ground, and I turned to see a large spear slashing through the dust as we scattered with cries of shock.
"It's the Fallen!" Sam yelled. Shielding Ellie's body with my own I stared at the thing in shock. It was a tall and gangly kind of robot, vicious red eyes sizing us up.
"Ellie?" I asked questioningly.
"No idea." She answered biting her lip, "Only Optimus can beat him." Stomach dropping I called for my men to fall back, watching the godzilla like robot snatch the matrix and pin Optimus out of his reach with one huge claw like foot.

Squeezing her waist I quickly kissed the top of her head, silently letting her know I loved her in case it was the last time.
"Get up!" Sam screeched. Sam was trying to urge Optimus up, telling him he was going to the machine.
"Machine?" I enquired, feeling even more out of the loop than I already was. As far as I was aware this mission was simply to bring back Optimus to stop this Fallen guy taking over the planet.
"It will destroy our sun." Ellie answered, scrambling to her feet and towards Optimus, "He's right Optimus, you have to get up, please! We can't give up now." Turning to the nearest sergeant I put my game face on,
"Get some infantry towards that pyramid, buy us as much time as you can." I ordered as Jetfire rambled in the background. Inhaling a lungful of the smoky air I wiped the sweat from my brow and took a long drink from my canteen, the cold water refreshing me nicely.
"Jolt, electrify the after burners!" Ratchet commanded. It was like watching magnets work. The shock running through Jolt's body pulled the parts from Jetfire's fallen body towards Optimus. He absorbed the added metal into his structure and shot up into the sky like a rocket.
"We have to get to that pyramid, get moving people." I ordered. I could see the rocks in the distant floating in a ring around the apex of the pyramid, taking out our F-16's.

Ellie gave Sam a troubled look and despite the agony the kid must have been in he still grinned at her reassuringly.
"If this doesn't work we're dead." Ellie reminded him.
"What happened to having faith?" Sam retorted. Ellie rolled her eyes and bit her lip, glancing towards Jazz who had transformed for her. Sam glanced about finding Bumblebee also transformed, and in an attempt to lighten the mood the siblings both began walking to their cars.
"Race ya!" they yelled in unison over their shoulders. Scrambling for Jazz I made it into the passenger's seat as he floored it, kicking up dust behind him.
"If he destroys our sun we're dead." I thought aloud. Ellie nodded,
"Exactly, that's why we had to revive Optimus." She answered with a grimace, "Will…I've been such an idiot, sending that text and-"
"Don't." I cut her off, reaching over and squeezing her hand, "Don't apologise. We could be racing to our deaths right now, so let's forget all that and just be together." Ellie gave me a soft smile that I returned despite my unsettled stomach. Before we could arrive the top of the pyramid exploded and Ellie sagged back in her seat,
"Well…that was anti-climatic." She declared. Chuckling slightly I shook my head,
"I don't know, I don't think I can stand right now." I replied, relief saturating my voice. Ellie gave me a concerned frown and I smiled tiredly, "I'm fucking exhausted baby."

We stopped near the Sphinx and climbed out to survey the damage, the distant sounds of gunfire and rubble scattering making me cringe. I hoped Optimus would be okay. Ellie held my hand tightly in her own,
"Maybe I'll cook dinner tonight, give you some time off." She suggested lightly.
"You cooking?" Epps suddenly appeared beside us and I realised that through an assortment of methods my men had arrived with us, standing in a loose semi-circle as Sam and Mikaela stepped up a little ways off from us, hands clasped together. "I ain't coming home for that dinner." Epps declared with a tired grin. Snorting a bit I hummed in agreement,
"We'll get some takeout El." I informed her, seeing her wrinkle her nose and glare at me through those green eyes I loved. It didn't last and she moved against my side, her head leaning against my chest as we waited for any sign of the victor. The tension in the air was thick and weighty, but the sudden silence had left my ears ringing. No more shells and gunfire and lumbering alien footsteps, it was all peacefully quite. We'd left the smoldering remains of that village behind (I'd have to put in a claim to help them rebuild because I grew more guilty the more I thought about it) and the sun was slowly beginning to go down a little, the temperature dropping just enough to be noticeable as the sky started to darken, no longer a vivid blue but slowly getting greyer. In the heat haze as the dust blew around our feet, a large figure plodded over the back of the Sphinx, shucking off the heavy looking planet parts as he went.

Optimus.

Our job was finally done and I could finally bring my girl home.