(A/N: I just want to thank you all for reading this story. I was re-reading all your comments today and I was nearly in tears because of all the nice things people had to say about my story. It's been rough today, and seeing all those comments made me feel better. Love you all! Sorry the story had to end, but it's now completed!

However... Good news. Since I'm doing pretty well on updating my stories and have a few that are completed and just waiting for publications, I'm considering making this a series. So there are four polls on my profile. 1) is to chose the autobot you want to be focused on in the next ('enslaved' as I'm calling it) story. 2) is for you to pick the decepticon "master". 3) is to ask what sort of rating you guys want it to be (M being with more graphic sexual scenes/ maybe some non-con.) and 4) is just for what other stories I should update this week. Thank you all so much. 3

Actually, I can only post 1 poll on my profile at a time, so I'll be making a story for you guys to vote on through comments! It will be called POLL!

w w w . fanfiction s / 12459349 / 1 / POLL)

Each cycle that passed was full of nervous tension as Ratchet and Titanium waited for news from Spinister, the scavenger remaining silent.

Honestly, their biggest worry was for Barricade to return with orders to drag Ratchet away to be reprogrammed or re-auctioned, the two holding hope in the fact that it would take awhile for any filed complaints against them to reach anyone high enough to authorize it.

Finally, Titanium received a private message in a datapad that was dropped off along with a box of spare parts, which was, in Ratchet's opinion, clever. Soundwave was no doubt monitoring comm. Links and messages, so this was the safest way.

Hangar B3, 1500 hours.

The time had come.

"I know she doesn't look like much, but I've fixed her up best I can, and she's fast."

Ratchet eyed the small freighter skeptically before looking over at the Scavenger. "Fast enough to outrun any pursuit?" He asked, the red ariel grinning widely at him. "Hopefully." He responded.

"Brilliant." Ratchet muttered under his vents as he glanced around the darkened bay, nervous and tense as he waited for the DJD to jump out of the shadows at any moment and drag them all to Megatron.

Following Titanium alongside the dark shape of the freighter, Ratchet pressed close to the only cover around as they headed for the ramp.

Spinister, reaching it first, punched a fist against the panel, a loud grating sound breaking the silence as the boarding ramp lowered with a screech.

Grinding his denta together as the noise ended with one final, condemning thunk, Ratchet glared at the copter standing next to the ramp, optics wide before giving a nervous little laugh. "Nothing too serious." He murmured, but his voice came out like that of a sparkling about to be caught doing something it shouldn't be doing, faceplates pale.

Opening his mouth to respond, Ratchet turned when he heard the sound of tires squealing, taking several steps back as half a dozen mechs appeared in the hangar doorway.

Moonlight glinted off weapons, and Ratchet felt his spark still in his chassis, servo absently seeking out Titanium's, gripping it tightly as he pulled her behind himself.

Spinister opened fire, firing round after round towards the mechs blocking the exit. "Go!" The Scavenger shouted, shoving Ratchet in the shoulder, sending him stumbling backwards towards the ramp. "You can still make it!"

Staring at the arial incredulously, Ratchet searched for a response, but Titanium beat him too it. "What about you?" She asked, voice urgent, frightened. "They'll kill you."

A sad smile spread across the other mech's lip components. "Femme, I died the day my friends did." He responded, crouching behind a nearby crate. "And I knew I would outlast my usefulness eventually… Now go. I can only hold them off so long." He murmured, rifles lighting up around them as the Decepticons fired upon them from behind crates and ships.

Ratchet gave Titanium a little push. "Go!" He ordered, turning to follow her up the ramp when Spinister grabbed his wrist, causing the Autobot to turn towards him and look into the wide, frightened optics of the Scavenger. "Come back to us… Come back for the others." The Scavenger pleaded softly, a leer taking over his faceplates. "Bring Megatron to his knees!"

The medic set his denta and gave a small nod before turning and hurrying up the ramp, punching the control to close it behind him and he hurried to the cockpit where Titanium's digits were already flying over all sorts of controls and buttons, though there was a nervous look on her faceplates. "I'm not sure I can fly this." She admitted.

Ratchet sat down next to her, his own digits working to power up the engines, which caused the ship to lurch before it rumbled to life. "I can." He responded confidently as he kept one audial on the firefight going on outside. He knew Spinister couldn't fight forever.

Slamming his fist against the console, Ratchet felt condensation collect on his brow, the Autobot pushing several levers and buttons before the ship lifted up into the air, allowing the medic a flare of relief. At least it could take off.

"Ratchet…" Titanium's voice was nervous from where she gripped the controls of the ship. "I'm going to hit them!" The seeker gasped, one servo going to gripped her lover's arm, visor overbright as she stared out the observation window at the Decepticons holding firm in the path of the freighter, still close enough to the ground that it would no doubt knock them over if not crush them entirely."I can't do that…"

"I can." Ratchet responded in a grim tone, gripping his side of the controls and shoving them forwards, setting the ship to its fastest, the freighter rocketing out of the hangar, and into the starlit sky when Ratchet jerked the controls back again.

"W-We made it." Titanium murmured, optics wide behind her visor, servos and wings shaking with the realization, but Ratchet shook his helm. "We're not out of the woods just yet." He responded softly.

Spinister grunted when the turbines of the freighter knocked him from his pedes, the red mech grinning widely as it moved, slowly at first, then faster and faster until it was shooting into the sky. "There ya go, mates!" He grinned, waving his blaster and letting out a howl of glee, opening fire again on the Decepticons closing in around him.

If there was one thing he did have control over, it was that his former "colleagues" wouldn't ever get a chance to bring him in alive. He would offline a warrior, better than any Decepticon could claim in the present world he had found himself suffering in.

"There's still hope! They'll get the others scattered around the universe!" Spinister screamed at the Decepticons around him, tossing aside the now-useless rifle, roaring in the built up hatred, bitterness and guilt, striking the first across the faceplates.

The Decepticons descended on him, screams and cries of pain peppering the air, the occasional shot being fired as the last Scavenger fought with denta, fists and talons, a wild gleam in his optics.

Spinister's frame burned with pain and exertion, condensation running in rivulets down his armour plating, energon and sparking wiring scattered around his frame as he fought with the desperation and hatred he had never known he had been nurturing.

He knew he couldn't last forever. But the blow that finally dragged him to his knees was unexpected, the Scavenger collapsing, gyros askew as he attempted to balance, one servo against the steel floor of the hangar beneath his knees. Slickened with the energon of both himself and his enemies, one servo clasping the Decepticon symbol over his chassis.

Venting heavily, Spinister forced his golden optics upwards as a mech approached him, blaster held tightly in an energon-soaked fist.

Spinister knew that he would fall, but he welcomed it. Welcomed the chance to see them all again. Their faces flashed through his processor as he watched his demise approaching… Krok, all authorative and mostly confident, always so wrapped up in being a good leader. Crankcase, griping and snapping at pretty much everything. Silly Flywheels, racing with the clouds in the sky… Fulcrum and Misfire, the two such an odd match, playing with little Nitro.

Feeling a warmth settle into his lines, Spinister took a deep vent, the scent of smoke, energon and ozone filling his sensors. The scent of revenge and desperation. Hope.

Golden optics opened as the Scavenger straightened upright, squarely looking the mech before him in the optics. "You think you won." Spinister coughed out, grinning almost madly up at the Enforcer standing before him. "But they'll come back. They'll make you suffer for what you've done." He murmured, smirking.

"They will be caught." Barricade responded, anger and a sadistic sense of amusement in his voice. "Then the universe will see what happens to those that defy the Decepticons." The Datsun added, lifting his blaster level with the Scavenger's helm, the kneeling mech remaining unflinching as his optics travelled up the length of the weapon to Barricade's. "Perhaps. But the seed has been planted. Megatron cannot hope to hold onto what he's created… Unless he kills us all." Spinister responded calmly.

Barricade snarled down at the wounded mech, denta flashing in the light from the moon. "Then I'll start with you." He hissed.

The hangar rang with the sound of a blaster discharging, followed by the soft crash of Spinister's rapidly-graying frame.

But there was also a whisper… A whisper of hope… Hope for a better future.

"They killed Spinister."

Ratchet glanced sidelong at Titanium as he navigated the ship through the open depth of space. "He did not wish to come." The medic responded gently. "There was no way we could've convinced him to come."

The seeker nodded, playing with her servos as she stared down at her lap. She still blamed herself for what had happened. Had it not been for her, the Autobots might not be enslaved. The Prime still online and fighting… Ratchet-

The feeling of a servo capturing her own drew Titanium from her thoughts, the femme looking up quickly at the Autobot beside her, smiling gently. "I wouldn't have met you." He stated softly, giving no explanation, but the former Decepticon knew what he meant.

Titanium and Ratchet stared at each other now, servos joined, optics, both covered and uncovered, locked as if by a physical force. "I love you." The seeker finally broke the silence, her voice a near whisper.

A soft smile spread over the Autobot's faceplates as his free servo moved up to cup the younger bot's chin, drawing her closer, gently. "I love you too." He murmured, just as their lips touched, the two giving into the kiss. Giving in to the full extent they had been too afraid to explore while on Cybertron. Lips moved against each other with a sense of urgent need, optics dimmed as servos ran over plating, tweaked wiring….

It was then, for the first time in a long time…

Titanium knew everything would be alright.