Chapter 38 - Knockout (Grace)

Knockout remained frozen. The woods were completely still, no noise, just the smug expression on Starscream's face. And Rylee's lifeless body below the tree. It… couldn't be true. There was no way it could be. He could feel his body shudder. He knew humans were fragile but… he never expected… he never wanted

He wanted to run over, kneel over, check if she was alright. There was still a chance, a way to save her, somehow…

But as the moments passed on, Rylee remained unmoving. And across her face he could see a trickle of… what was the word… blood , from the early wound reopened. She… was gone?

She was gone.

Knockout's intense gaze snapped up from Rylee's body, and up at Starscream, who seemed to be enjoying it all. But one look at Knockout's now furious complexion, and his smile slightly faltered.

"Now," Starscream crooned. "Are you ready to -"

Knockout lunged at him before Starscream could finish his sentence. Whatever happened, he would make Starscream pay.

There was a great chance he wouldn't make it out of it alive. Especially attacking him head-on. But whatever he did, he was going to make Starscream regret ever setting foot on Earth at all.

"You… took… her!" Knockout huffed in rage. Tackled, Starscream went tumbling over, his smug expression jolted into surprise. Knockout went for Starscream's face, trying to attack with as much force as possible. He was never a fighter. But this would be the one thing worth getting his paint job ruined. "She was innocent! What did she ever do to you?" Knockout seethed, putting extra energy into one last final punch, and he quickly looked away to Rylee's body. Still motionless, expressionless, laying under the tree as if she were a doll. He… he could find a way to save her. If they left now, he could get her to a human hospital. And Cybertron's technology is more advanced than Earth's… maybe try there as well? Maybe Ratchet could stabilize her? Or perhaps try new technology? Or -

He knew, at least, that he would never give up. Not until he's tried everything he possibly could. She was right. It was his fault she was in this. And he couldn't bear having her death on his conscience his whole life. He quickly stood up from Starscream, and strode towards Rylee. And if he did save her somehow… he would stay out of her life. It was safest for her. It was for the best.

He reached out for her - and right before, he could fell a grasp around his ankle, and he was tugged back, his chest slamming against the floor.

"You thought I was defeated that easily? Pah!" Starscream laughed, not looking phased in the slightest, now looming over him. "I've survived a thousand times worse from just one encounter with Megatron. You're nothing ."

Knockout kicked out at him, but it was no use, the struggling didn't do much. "No, you're nothing!" Knockout hissed at him. "Still stuck in your old ways. You know the war ended ? Megatron moved on and let go of his past, why can't you? But no, you're still your old, obsessive, vile self. And you'll fade into nothing trying to grasp for the last little bits of revenge while everyone else actually does something in their life, rebuilding the world we all fought so hard for."

Starscream picked him up by the chestplate, and landed a punch on his face. "Shut up ," Starscream growled. He then went at Knockout, taking out all his rage and anger.

"And…" Knockout gasped between hits. "You're just mad.. augh… because I'm right ." Knockout let a grin loose on his face, which made Starscream even angrier. By the second, Knockout was finding it harder and harder to stay conscious. His face blurred in an out of vision, and he could now feel his own energon on his face. How much longer until it was enough? Would Starscream keep going after he was out cold? And wherever he goes… would he meet Rylee there?

He was grasping to the last bits of reality. Of the fuzzy stars in the sky, and the moonlight, as everything grew darker… and darker…

When suddenly, a blinding light appeared. Starscream stumbled back and dropped Knockout, and looked in horror at the source.

"What… what have you done ?" Starscream seethed, half in rage, half in fear. With all his effort, Knockout managed to turn himself around to look at the light source, and collapsed on the floor once more. It was bright - as if a star had been localized at the roots of a tree. It was… unfamiliar, but the warmth of it screamed hope . Knockout's optics finally adjusted, and he quickly sat up, exhilarantly unbelieving at what he was seeing.

There she was. Rylee, barely conscious but with fierce determination. Kneeling in the dirt, barely alive, the communicator raised high over her head with both hands - as if it were the life-saving matrix of leadership. And in their case, it was. Because now, Knockout knew what the light meant - it meant the Elite Guard would be here in moments. She called them over. She saved both their lives.

"You…" Starscream growled. "Ruined everything !" Starscream took off into the air, already trying to put distance between them. "I will be back. But I can't afford the Elite Guard on my tail. Come find me-" Starscream raised his missile-loaded arm, then aimed directly at Rylee and her light. Starscream smirked. "When you're ready for revenge."

Starscream let loose the missile and blasted off a millisecond later. Rylee was only given a moment to look up at the missile in fear, before a large metallic body blocked its path and exploded. Knockout collapsed under the strain - he was absolutely sure his entire inner back was exposed, and surprised everything keeping him functioning wasn't spilling out. He laid there, unable to move, in pain. But at least he was still alive. And he glanced over at Rylee. She was pale, unable to focus, and her uniform was stained more red than usual. But she looked at Knockout, and smiled. And collapsed down beside him, laying her head on his arm.

He looked to her again ; she was staring off in the distance - not fully conscious, but still peaceful nonetheless. "I thought you had died," Knockout whispered, his voice much raspier than normal.

"It hurts so much to breathe," Rylee gasped. "And I…" she paused, effortfully trying to take some action and failing. "I can't move my legs," she whispered. She then sat there motionless. "The missile… Why? How are you alive?"

The explosion was taking a toll on Knockout's back, and he could already feel certain functions being shut down. "Because… you mean a lot. To me. All that matters… is that you're alive."

"And…" Rylee breathed heavily, motionless. "So are you. Thank… you. For everything."

"No… it's my fault you're in this." Knockout said effortfully. "As soon as I can walk again, I'm taking you to the best doctors, and then I'll leave your life forever. It's not fair to you-"

"No," Rylee cut him off, turning her face to his, their eyes meeting. "I… made my choice. Don't… don't leave."

Knockout looked away guiltily, and then with a smile. She snuggled up closer, both looking at the stars in peace, smoking rubble all around them that neither had the capacity to care about. "You're right. I made a promise." Knockout remarked. Rylee passed out again, a smile on her lips. And Knockout looked up at the sky in relief as well. They will survive. As Knockout faded out of consciousness, he could see the bright glow of the space bridge illuminate their surroundings. But he was too comfortable to care.