-several cycles(days) later-

"Soundwave?"

The gentle, familiar voice caused Soundwave to look up from tucking Vector and Nitro in, brightening when she saw Chromia standing in the doorway, an expression of uncertainty on her faceplates that Soundwave had never dreamed of seeing on the femme before.

"Chromia!" Soundwave exclaimed, a seriously happy expression on her faceplates as she turned away from the sparkling's berth and moved over to the femme. "I haven't seen you, and I was worried for you." The ex-Decepticon stated, cocking her helm at the sad expression on the blue femme's faceplates. "Chromia?" She asked.

The usually bold and intense femme suddenly broke down into tears, arms wrapping around Soundwave as she tried to keep her sobs quiet. "I'm so sorry, Soundwave! I tried to make them go back for you, but they wouldn't! It's all my fault!" The femme stammered out, surprising Soundwave.

Soundwave guided the femme to sit on the berth, expression sobre. "Chromia… This wasn't your fault. It wasn't Ironhide's fault either." The tall, lithe femme responded.

The blue femme opened her mouth to respond when the alarms went off, blaring with urgency as the power was suddenly lost, Red Alert's voice coming over the comms as he gave the order for the emergency power to be initiated.

"What's happening?" Soundwave whispered urgently, optics wide as she turned her attention to her friend's faceplates, the blue femme suddenly grim and very dangerous looking. "Megatron has lost patience… He's attacked the Ark." She responded, turning on her heel and heading for the door.

Soundwave glanced at the twins cuddling together in their berth, worrying her lower lip component before turning to follow after Chromia, the blue femme shaking her helm. "Oh no you don't, you're staying right here." The Autobot femme SIC ordered, holding up a servo.

"I need to help." Soundwave answered with determination, servos gripped in tight fists, standing firm. "It's my fault Megatron's attacked… I need to fight." She responded, Chromia glaring at her, the two femmes locked in a staredown before Chromia looked away. "Fine." She growled out, pointing across the room. "Optimus usually keeps a blaster in the desk."

Nodding, the tall femme moved rapidly across the room, EM field drawn in tight as she made her way over to the desk, rifling through the drawers in search of the afore-mentioned weapon, turning around when she heard the door shut, followed by a soft click.

"Chromia?" Soundwave called, tensing before moving open to the door, which refused to open. "Chromia!" The femme shouted now, slamming her servo against the unyielding metal.

"Sorry, 'Wave. I can't let you put yourself in danger again." Chromia's voice was muffled by the door between them, but she sounded sincere. "I'll come back for you if anythin' goes wrong."

"Chromia, no! Chromia!" Soundwave shouted, slamming her fist against the door a couple more times, denta set in annoyance.

Nitro cried from behind her, drawing Soundwave's attention to the whimpering sparkling squirming, making distressed clicks and chirps that tugged at her spark, the femme moving over beside the tiny berth.

Hesitating just short of picking up the sparkling, Soundwave stared at the faceplates so similar to the mech that had used her for his every desire. She realized that, regardless of how similar Nitro looked to her rapist, the mechling's own sire would crush is spark if he so much as got close enough.

Scooping up the helpless sparkling, Soundwave cradled him tightly against her chassis, venting heavily. She had protected both sparklings since the beginning, even with the knowledge that they would look like her abuser, even before the moment she had fallen for the enemy leader… She wouldn't stop now. Nitro was hers just as much as any other's.

"My if it isn't the very mech I was searching for!"

Optimus stood firm in the middle of the hallway that led down to the medabay and, beyond that, the living quarters. Denta set, lips in a firm line, the Prime was a barrier on his own even without his two top officers flanking him. "Had I known you were so desperate to order a direct assault, Megatron, I would've saved you the trouble." Optimus responded, tone soft but firm.

The mech across from them, flanked by Starscream and his trine, laughed aloud. "You tire me, Prime." Megatron responded with an edge to his tone. "You're practice of taking in every bot that begs for your mercy makes me wonder how the war wasn't over as soon as it began." Here, the massive Kaonite cocked his helm, an intentional smirk on his faceplates. "How is my old toy?" The warlord purred.

Jazz gave a growl and started forwards, ceasing his movements when his leader's arm barred his path, the saboteur glaring up at his leader then across at Megatron, who looked at him with amusement. "Perhaps I was wrong! Perhaps it was your pet saboteur that bedded my communications officer… I suppose second-hand isn't your thing?"

Now it was Optimus' turn to growl, the sound beginning as a rumbling deep in his core, though it rapidly built up until it was similar to the sound of distant thunder, the usually cerulean optics now a deep shade of blue, the anger in the Autobot's field lashing out at the other.

Megatron, covered in dents and scorch marks, chuckled. He had obviously had to fight his way quite a ways into the Ark, but so had Optimus had to fight his way to intercept his nemesis from reaching the living quarters, and, ultimately, Soundwave.

Thought both mechs stood tall and proud, both were no doubt slightly worn down, and Optimus ground his denta together. "Walk away, Megatron. You might still live a survive another cycle." The Prime ground out.

The Decepticon leader roared with laughter, though Starscream began to realize that Optimus was angry… Angry as in the sense that he had never seen, or even heard, of before. And he took a step backwards, glancing to his trinemates, both of which looked uncertain, then to his leader. "My lord, perhaps it would be in our best interest to retreat. We have casualties on both sides, and Barricade has raided the energon stores." The seeker spoke up in a nonchalant way, though he still cast nervous glances towards the Autobots standing a short section of hall before them. Optimus was angry, but Jazz was angrier. Prowl… Well, was Prowl. Unreadable.

Megatron snarled and rounded on his second, grabbing him by the throat, leaning in close. "We aren't leaving without my femme. Or the sparklings." He growled, the seeker's wings drooping in deference.

Hearing the threat to both his mate and the sparklings he had loved the moment he had set his optics upon the tiny frames cuddled closely in their berth, Optimus roared and charged.

The Decepticons looked up in surprise, though none held the expression of Megatron, watching his usually calm and honourable nemesis barreling towards him.

Shoving Starscream aside, Megatron's sword rasped from it's place beneath his cannon, the warlord shifting his stance to meet the Prime shoulder to shoulder.

The sound of the two crashing together, the sound of angry titans, reverbrated through the ship as Decepticon and Autobot alike attacked with renewed vigour. Shots were fired, talons ripped out circuitry and tore plating from the frames of enemies. Mechs screamed and roared with pain and anger, the walls were tainted with energon as the battle rapidly became one of the fiercest in the long history of Cybertron's war.

Optimus was the fiercest of them all. He grabbed Megatron's blade and twisted, ripping it from it's foundation, the warlord's howl of pain echoing through the corridors as his talons tore into red plating, ripping at protoform and circuitry.

Energon ran freely down both frames, fields lashing out just as fiercely as their fists and pedes did. They fought like animals, snarling and raging at one another, Megatron still taunting the Prime as they each struggled to get the upper servo.

"She called for you." Megatron hissed as he was kicked aside, stumbling but catching himself against the wall, blood stained lip components spreading into a wicked smile. "She wanted you to help her. But I had already taken care of you, hadn't I?"

Optimus snarled, fist connecting with the warlord's faceplates and sending him reeling, the Prime following after him where, in the beginning, he would've waited for Megatron to regain his pedes.

"The sounds she made!" The warlord laughed, pede glancing off of a red hip, crimson optics alight with glee and sadistic pleasure. "I dare say you made her more entertaining with all of your coddling!" Megatron chuckled, reduced to all fours, Optimus having backed off as he tended too, waiting for his enemy to regain his footing. "You saved her before I could fully enjoy her. However, I'm sure that can be remedied in short order."

Optimus saw only red as he screamed with anger and hatred that he had never felt before. That he had never thought he could feel, descending upon the ex-gladiator with a rage never before seen in the usually calm and fair Prime.

Megatron's optics went wide as he scrambled in an attempt to escape from his enemy's rampage, blunt digits tearing into him just as easily as if Optimus had had talons. Plating was ripped loose, and every bot close enough to see forgot to fight as they stared in shock as purple spark-light lit up the space between Prime and Warlord.

Optimus could see the shock and genuine fear in Megatron's optics, but all he could think about was how Soundwave had most likely looked up at the warlord with that same look. But Megatron had never given her mercy, and neither would he.

Snarling like a feral beast, Optimus reached a servo into the bigger mech's chassis, servo closing tightly around the frantically-pulsing orb, holding it for a moment before applying pressure.

Megatron bucked and thrashed, screamed and even pleaded, there in the end. But then his spark shattered, and all resistance ceased, the bright crimson of his optics darkening as the Prime stumbled to his pedes, optics wide and venting heavily. Leaking energon and other mecha fluids as he stood above the graying frame of his enemy.

Just like that, millennial of war had been ended.

The shock quickly exchanged into a torrent of different emotions in the fields surround him. Shock, anger and distress from the Decepticons. Shock, confusion and then joy from his Autobots.

Optimus vaguely heard Starscream calling for a retreat, Autobots rushing past, shouting with triumph and glee as they pursued their enemies.

"Optimus? Optimus are you alright?"

The Prime turned to look down at his second, the Praxian looking up at him with an unreadable expression, but when Optimus tweaked his field he found worry and nervousness there. Which he was grateful for.

"I-I'm not sure, Prowl…" Optimus' voice wavered as he stared down at his servos. "Is it really over?" He dared to ask, clenching his servos into fists.

Prowl was silent for a moment, staring down the smoke-filled hall that the Decepticons had fled down. "Starscream still functions. He will attempt to take control of whatever Decepticons remain." He finally answered, glancing up at his leader. "But Megatron is gone… And I dare say, Starscream may be easier to negotiate with." A twitch of a smile. "But yes. We've done it… It's over."

Soundwave shook where she crouched in the corner furthest from the door. She could hear the sound of a firefight outside, but with Laserbeak docked and no doubt unable to get out of the room, she had no optics on what was truly going on.

Glancing over to where she had hidden her sparklings, Nitro and Vector hidden beneath the desk, wrapped up in all manner of thermal blankets to cushion them, the berth pushed up over the opening to keep them from being easily reached and out of sight.

Soundwave vented softly as she tightly gripped the blaster in her servo, attempting to still the shaking as she waited for… She wasn't sure what she was waiting for. Megatron to come barging through the door, intent to offline her sparklings and drag her back off to the Nemesis? Optimus, frantically searching for her to make sure she was alright? She didn't know… Either way, she wanted to make sure Nitro and Vector were safe. Regardless of what that meant to her.

Pedesteps rapidly approaching jerked Soundwave back to the present, the femme's optics widening as she stood ready, blaster clenched tightly in her servo, frame in a defensive pose before her sparkling's hiding place.

When the door opened, Soundwave aimed the blaster, but it was knocked aside when she was suddenly enveloped in strong arms, crushed tightly to her Prime's chassis.

"Soundwave! Soundwave, are you safe? Where are the sparklings?" The questions rambled on, and Soundwave decided that, at the moment, Optimus wasn't searching for answers… Just to make sure that she was alright. In answer, she wrapped her arms tightly around the bigger mech, optics shutting as she fought coolant from pooling in her optics. "I'm fine. They're fine… It's all fine." She murmured.

Optimus finally pulled away, searching the room as if to make sure there was no one else there, his attention drawn back to the femme in his arms when Soundwave gripped his shoulder tightly. Wide, frightened optics met his own. "Megatron?" She choked out.

Enveloping Soundwave in another tight embrace, Optimus held onto her tightly. "He's gone. Forever, Soundwave." He murmured. "Megatron can't hurt us anymore." He whispered.

It was in this moment that Soundwave finally relaxed, going limp in her lover's arms as she cried, holding onto the Prime as if her function depended on it, optics squeezed shut as coolant rolled down her cheeks.

Gone? It was all over? The war, Megatron? It was almost too good to believe, but Soundwave did anyways. Optimus wouldn't lie to her. It was truly over.

Soft clicks and chirps finally gave Soundwave the incentive to disentangle herself from the Autobot leader, the femme hurrying over to move the berth out of the way, revealing the two sparklings, swaddled in blankets, nestled in a nest of blankets.

Optimus smiled faintly. Soundwave had no doubt been frightened, but her first instinct had been to protect the sparklings as best as she could. Crouching beside her, the Prime wrapped the femme in his arms, drawing her into his lap. "You'll be a good carrier." He murmured gently, caressing the femme's faceplates.

"Soundwave… Will you let me take care of you? Take care of Vector and Nitro… Forever?" The Prime murmured softly, the ex-Decepticon looking up at him with wide optics, though they no longer carried the fear he had seen earlier. "Yes." She murmured, pulling him down into a kiss.

Optimus allowed himself to fully relax for the first time in as long as he could remember, smiling into the kiss as he heard the surprised squeak of one of the sparklings… One of their sparklings.

It was over…

Everything was alright.