A/N: I don't own Transformers.

Sorry this took so long, been busy and was offline for about a week or so. This one took a bit to write. Also I didn't send to beta, so if there are mistakes, lemme know.

Days turned into months and Starscream was growing quickly. He would, for lack of a better word, molt, leaving behind a shell and coming out pristine as could be, not a mark on him. Optimus watched as he grew, as he interacted and as he became more and more independent, deciding it was time to find a suitable alternate mode, since he was no nearly as tall as Thundercracker and Skywarp. He was also fluent in English, having been taught by the humans and by the Cybertronians. He had no cockpit, and was determined to find a mode that had one. The base that they were on had a few jets stationed, it is here where the other Decepticons found their alt mode, as did Starscream, picking the very one he had before. An F-22 Raptor. When he took the alt mode, he slowly moved down the runway. He had been flying only around the base as not to be detected by humans but now, he could really fly, and he wanted to show Sam why he loved to fly.

Will was hanging with Ironhide when the turbines of the jet rounded the corner of the main building and everyone inhaled sharply as they saw what form he had chosen. He started to transform, his body shifting slowly to fit into their new respective places, sliding and slightly grinding for the first time. It took a few seconds for his body to complete the transformation, and there he stood, in his previous glory. It was like déjà vu all over again when William turned and his jaw nearly dropped, "What?" He asked as he made his way into the building, looking over to Optimus and Ironhide, who got a sudden feeling of nostalgia. The Starscream they saw deranged years before. The one they watched falter right in front of them, and now he stood, proud as could be. They were all silent a long moment, "Interesting alternative mode you have chosen, Starscream," Optimus pointed out.

"I do like it, it's very aerodynamic and besides the F-35, one of the fastest jets," Starscream smiled as he looked around for Sam. How badly he wanted to take him for a ride, "Anyone know where Sam is?"

"He's out with Mikaela and Bee, they'll be back later,"

"Ah, oh, ok." He looked to the sky as he turned, Thundercracker and Skywarp moving next to him, "Wanna fly?" he asked them.

"Like you have to ask, Screamer," Thundercracker's deep voice came.

Starscream smiled, "Let's go!" he hadn't even made his way from the building before his body transformed and his boosters hit full. He was airborne, going up high, spinning and making his way well into the clouds. Thundercracker and Skywarp were almost having a hard time keeping up with the young seeker, but they stayed with him, one to protect him, the other to remember their flights.

Starscream continued to fly. He had never felt so free in his life, playing in the clouds, moving with the jet streams that flowed through the air at such high altitudes, "Just like I remember," Skywarp commented.

"Shush, 'Warp," Thundercracker chided, knowing well that Starscream had no idea what he was talking about. Starscream heard them talking, but was far too engrossed in his flight to hear or even care. The only thing on his mind was the feeling over the wind over his wings and the speed of his freedom. He never wanted to land again, "Come on you two!" he called to the other seekers who were well behind him, and he slowed down, "You're slow!"

"Slow, Screamer?" Skywarp smirked, "I will show you slow," The jet engaged his secondary boosters and caught up with Starscream then flew past him, Thundercracker behind him then coming up to the right of Starscream and Skywarp settled beside his left, leaving Starscream a nose and a half in front of them as they plowed the skies together. This is how they remembered it. They remembered their 

flights with their leader. They couldn't resist lying in their respective places besides their wing mate, it was how they wanted it to be. And there was no one out there who would bother them. Starscream felt in place where the two seekers had come to, and he led them on, turning and rolling with the wind, through the clouds and then dived, coming well over the limits of what they should but pulled back up before they hit.

Optimus and Ratchet and Ironhide made their ways out the building, looking up to see the three flying in such a formation, "Even now, they still prefer him to lead," Optimus said, watching them streak across the sky. Others joined them to watch the aerial stunt show the three were performing. They were flying with unfaultable turns and spins, "Isn't that the way it has always been, Optimus?" Wheeljack asked as he walked out, hearing his leader's words.

"He was sparked to lead, it is no wonder that he tried so many times to overthrow Megatron," Optimus replied, his voice almost nulled by the sound of the jet engines that went over them then vanished again.

"Perhaps so, but he is still young yet and has a lot to learn before he can ever be a leader, Optimus,"

Optimus looked down at the one who spoke, being Ironhide, "He has millennia to learn,"

"He will learn from the best, sir," Ironhide gazed at the sky again, smiling.

The trine of jets finally decided to come back, all transforming and sliding to a stop on the runway, digging up gravel as they did. Thundercracker and Skywarp still stayed beside Starscream as they all approached Optimus, "How was your flight?" the leader asked, watching them as they talked between themselves, still often using only the language they all preferred when alone.

"It was great!" Starscream said with great enthusiasm.

"Seeker leader needed. Starscream recommended." Soundwave spoke as he stood near the open door, looking out.

All three of the seekers looked to Soundwave, who went back to doing whatever he was doing without a another word. He was right, however. The seekers always needed a leader. The best of them all. The one who could protect each other's backs in combat and the one who could always lead them right and just. Thundercracker and Skywarp both looked at each other before nodding then looked back at Starscream, "We nominate Screamer!"

Starscream gave them a pitiful dumb look, "Me? Why me?"

Neither wanted to admit he had been their leader before, hoping to avoid the possibility of bringing back memories. They liked him this way. He wasn't mean to them and he respected them as much as they had grown to respect him, "Because you're the fastest, Screamer," Thundercracker supplied gently.

"I'm not nearly as old as you guys are," Starscream tried to contradict.

"That doesn't matter, you have what the seekers need. Who knows who all is still on Cybertron, and any that may someday arrive will need a lead seeker to look up to," Skywarp responded as he moved himself to a kneeling position, looking up to Starscream, who he considered almost as regal as Optimus.

"Bu – but I am not nearly as qualified,"

"Screamer, you have the leader of the Autobots to teach you everything, and leadership comes naturally to you. Remember what we did up there? You lead us the entire way,"

"You just hung back,"

"No Screamer, we were following you. We respect you."

Starscream wasn't sure about this new idea and thought hard about it as he looked to the other seekers and to Optimus who was smiling at him, "I will try," he finally said.

"Very well, Starscream," Optimus agreed, nodding, "you will be the leader of all seekers," he paused watching Starscream process all of the information, "I will gladly teach you all you wish to know, and I am sure your trine will be more than glad to help. They helped raise you, you are like a son to them,"

Both Thundercracker and Skywarp beamed as Optimus admitted that, looking to each other then to Optimus, "We will train him well," they both said in unison.

Wheeljack and Ironhide stood and watched as Starscream was given his new duty. Both seemed slightly skeptical, but did not argue. They only hoped his memory would not return to him, that he wouldn't remember how mean of a seeker he used to be, or try to overthrow Optimus himself.

Starscream suddenly leapt and took off for the sky, leaving the other two seekers standing there. He needed time to think. This was all so new to him and he wasn't sure if he could actually do it, but something in him told him that this was his destiny. This was his sparkright. This was him. Both Thundercracker and Skywarp watched him, feeling his need to fly alone for a small bit, plus both wanted to rest a little. That flight had taken a little out of them, "You think he will be alright?"

"Of course he will, 'Warp, he was our leader before, he will be again. This time he will be raised correctly and not through fear and hatred, but gentleness. Hopefully he will keep those qualities,"

My grubby halo, a vapor trail in the empty air…

Starscream disappeared into the clouds, his boosters on full. For the first time since he had come back online, he felt the wind over his wings in a way he could not explain. As if something was growing in him.

Can't keep my eyes from the circling skies…

In the air was the freedom that all seekers desired. Free from gravity as he went higher and higher, his altimeter telling him that he was about 45,000 feet from the ground and climbing. He wanted to see just how high he could go and his nose went up as the stars came into view clearer and clearer.

Across the clouds I see my shadow fly…

He watched as the earth started to get brighter under him and the light of the sun beat on his body. The feeling of space was something completely new to him as he flew, he made his way to the outside of the atmosphere and found himself feeling light as a feather as he moved in the vacuum of space quietly. There he experienced the sensations of something totally new. Not only the weightlessness, but the freedom of open space. He knew he couldn't remain up here, but the time he could spend alone was worth the extra energy as he thought. He could do this. He could lead the Seekers. He could teach them as he was taught.

Above the planet on a wing and a prayer…

What he hadn't expected was the beam of energy that flew at him from one of the supposed cannons that were on earth. He had no idea about them, so therefore never gave a second thought that going into space would be so dangerous as he came around, passing the International Space Station and a Space Shuttle with people staring stupidly out at the F-22 that whizzed by them.

"Did you guys just see that?" The captain of the shuttled asked, thumbing to the small window. His crew members nodded, still staring at the window, "That was a jet, wasn't it?" Again they nodded. Quickly, without thinking, the captain hit the radio, "Unidentified aircraft, please indentify yourself."

No answer. They didn't know the jet was an Autobot, considered off limits to shooting.

"Unidentified Aircraft, please indentify yourself immediately, or be fired upon!" The Captain pressed on, feeling that this could be one of those 'Decepticons' they had heard about, after no response the second time, he signaled earth that there was an unidentified flier outside in orbit that had gone by them. Earth then took things into their own hands.

Unheeded warnings, I thought I thought of everything…

That is when they saw the orange flare fly from the planet and it beamed right at Starscream, catching his left wing and causing him to tumble. Being only in Earth's orbit where satellites circled, he was close enough to get pulled back to the planet. He had been knocked out by the hit, the shock to his young systems too much for him to bare and he started falling back to Earth, and hard. His body was bright red and the heat from re-entry startled his systems as he sent an SOS to Optimus.

"Starscream!" Optimus suddenly cried out in panic, looking to the sky, he then looked to Skywarp and Thundercracker, "You two, go get him! He's been shot!" Both of them feared for the young seeker, and headed to his location as soon as they did, breaking the normal jet speed by going about mach 9, it was depleting their energy fast, but he was worth it.

Starscream was coming in hard and fast. He tried to control his decent, but it was nearly impossible missing a wing, and he tumbled uncontrollably to the ground.

Not a lot left for this story. 2 maybe 3 chapters left.