Author's Note: Sorry for not updating in a long time! Thanks to Riptide2 for reviewing the last chapter! I own nothing but my OCs

What It Takes To Live- Love and Decisions

"Love is like war; easy to begin but very hard to stop"- H. L. Mencken

Ratchet came out of recharger with his arms wrapped around Shadow. Anymore that was an unusual occurrence. With both Nova and Sunstorm to care for it was difficult for both of them to keep a full night's recharge. A message flashed across the medic's vision and he sighed as he opened it, recognizing from the tag that it was from Optimus. What he saw stunned him.

To all Autobots;

Starscream and I have spoken and decided to attempt to return to Cybertron.

I will need all those who intend to come with us as well as those who intend to stay to message both of us by the end of this day. By tomorrow morning those of you coming to Cybertron will be assigned tasks to help us prepare and those of you staying will receive instructions on how you should proceed with your life on Earth.

This decision is completely up to each of you and there will be no judgment passed on you no matter what you decide. Also I am to inform you that if you wish to return to Cybertron/ come back to Earth later on the treaty we have no will continue.

Respectfully yours,

Optimus Prime

"What is it?" Shadow's voice brought him out of his astonishment.

"Have you checked your messages?" Ratchet asked in response.

"Yes and I have one from Starscream but I figured it could wait for a few moments," Shadow replied, twisting in his arms so she could glance at his face. "What is it?"

"Check your message and I think you'll understand," Ratchet replied. Shadow opened her message and began to read silently. Taking in everything the message said,

Fellow Decepticons;

As you have probably already heard through rumors from the Autobot side Optimus and I have spoken about returning to Cybertron. Optimus has taken this one step further and spoken to Ale Castaneda about us leaving. The decision was made last night that we would attempt this and we are now preparing to finalize plans.

If you plan to return to Cybertron with us or if you are planning to stay it is up to you and you will not be judged for the choice. If you are Skywarp and think it will be funny to reply pretending to be other mechs and femmes DO NOT. Your choice must be sent to me by the end of the day today and you will receive your task the following morning.

Starscream

"That was a fast decision on their part," Shadow commented, standing slowly and stretching.

"It was but I think both are hoping to return," Ratchet said. There was a long minute of silence before Shadow addressed the elephant in the room.

"What will you do?" she asked.

"I'm not sure," the Autobot medic responded. "On one hand I would love to return to Cybertron but on the other hand that would mean leaving everything that I had built up on Earth and possibly leaving my comrades without a medic." He paused and Shadow studied him carefully. She may have been younger than her sparkmate but she was good and telling what others felt. Normally she could read her sparkmate like a open book but today his feelings were so confused that she had no idea what he was thinking. "I do know one thing though," he said. "Whatever you decide will be my choice as well."

Shadow tilted her head to one side, smiling almost shyly as she took in that statement. "I think that I would rather like to return to Cybertron, at least for a time," she said just as Nova tugged at both of them through her creator bond.

"Then I suspect we'll be returning to Cybertron," Ratchet said with a gentle smile before they turned and both prepared for their day.