Okay well, I took a lot longer pulling this together than I thought I would! None the less, my patient readers, the LAST CHAPTER is finally here! So sorry to keep all of you waiting and I hope this reaches all your expectations! (though I know it won't)

So, sit back and enjoy the read...

Starry Surprise

FINALE pt2

...

This is just glorious, mused Starscream as he cut through the harsh winds, tilting his jet wings to evade as much snow as possible before coming over head of the small band of Autobots. The tracking device with Elita One's body had not led him wrong, for she was right there below. But so is Optimus Prime, Starscream thought unpleasantly. He had fought the Prime before and begrudgingly admitted to himself that he was really not the match he wished he could be. But he couldn't loose this one chance to make a weapon like no other. Halting time was something too enormous to let slip away and he would put his best efforts into recapturing that power, even if it took loosing another arm!

"Optimus Prime!" Starscream greeted through the gunfire, lowering his jet to transform and land heavily in the snow. His heeled limbs didn't support him so well amidst all the white mush, but he concealed this difficulty by putting on the most wicked of smiles and aiming it towards the Prime.

"Starscream, your days of tormenting this femme are over," Optimus declared, ejecting his sword with a loud SHUNK from his arm.

"Yes, they are! Once I obtain her life force she can rest in peace for all I care," Starscream retorted. Just then, Soundwave sailed through the air to land several paces behind his leader. Optimus stepped a little nearer to Elita One as his mask slid over his mouth.

"I'm not going to loose you," he told her.

"You won't," she promised, sounding determined. If this was the mech that had tried to capture her for her spark power, than he was going to get it. Arcee had just finished slicing down several more of the drones and now ran up along side of Elita one. Bulkhead followed, coming to Optimus Prime's side.

"Soundwave is better in combat than Starscream," Optimus murmured to his team, "But if we take down Starscream, Soundwave will be forced to surrender or retreat," he calculated.

"So who takes who?" Arcee asked. Optimus was in the middle of contemplating this when Bumblebee beeped into the team channel com-link. Through his excited chirps, Optimus was able to discern that he was informing them of more Decepticon arrivals. Knock Out had arrived on scene, along with Breakdown and the bounty hunter Lockdown.

"Just great," Arcee muttered.

"I got hammerhead over here," Bulkheaded stated readily with a grin. His matches with Breakdown were his favorites since they had been arch enemies practically since the war began.

"I'll handle the doctor," Arcee said next, picking her target. She'd fought Knock Down before, and though the mech was fast, she knew she could take him.

"Then Elita, stay by my side," Optimus commanded, "Together we will take on Starscream, Lockdown and Soundwave," he declared. Elita nodded, perfectly up for the challenge. This was what she had been wanting to do ever since she'd awoken from stasis: fight along side Optimus Prime against their enemies. She was making a difference here, in this moment, and that meant the world to her.

The fight began...

Mikko, Raf and Jack watched from inside Bumblebee's car mode, keeping their hands before the heater while taking in the battle before them.

"Go Bulkhead!" Mikko shouted as if at some sort of boxing championship, "Smash his head!" she raged, apparently forgetting that her shouts and screams were confined in a tiny space, therefore hurting every body else's ears as she screamed. Even Bumblebee, who sat quietly in the snow from afar of the fight, felt his joints cringe.

Jack couldn't say he wasn't caught up in the rushing adrenaline of the snow brawl going on before his eyes either, for he was nervous about Arcee, watching her dodge the fast swings of Knock Out's saw, and at the same time glancing back and forth to Optimus and Elita One. The pair had stood back to back, so as to protect one another's blind spots, and were moving around skillfully in the snow, lasers firing, fists and blades striking with the force and gracefulness of a dance partners perfectly in sync. It was frightening as heck to watch, but also amazingly wonderful.

Elita One was currently faced with the spiraling arms of Soundwave who continued to lash out at her with their claws, attempting to plunge into her spark and rip it right out. She deflected with well timed arm blocks and with one arm morphed to a gun, she fired several times at his direction, forcing the intelligence agent to pull away and have to dodge. Optimus was busy spinning and turning in a chaotic but perfectly executed series of cannon fire and sword slashes. Lockdown was fighting back with what Jack thought looked much like a pirate styled sword. It was at one point that Starscream decided to capitalize, and deliver a few scattered shots at Optimus when Lockdown seized the opportunity to grab Elita's shoulder from behind in attempt to yank her away. But Optimus didn't allow Lockdown to get away with touching his femme. The Prime endured Starscream's laser fire by bracing his shoulder and lifting one hand to protect his face just just before he arched down magnificently with the other, delivering a perfect slice to sever Lockdown's very arm from his body. The shock to his system sent the green and black mech screaming in pain as he fell to the snow in agony on his knees. Starscream, who had been occasionally trying to land hits and slices closer up on Optimus, had constantly been made to retreat, for Elita One would see from the corner of her optics the beginning attempts of a dangerous attack and send hot blue laser bolts the Con Lord's way. Now however, Lockdown was down and Starscream had to up his game.

"You can't keep her from us forever!" he screeched in delight to the Prime, "You'll get tired and then one day, you'll loose your edge and fall at the hands of the Decepticons. Then who will protect your precious Elita One?" Starscream sneered. He was doing his best to unnerve Optimus to the point where the mech would start getting recklessly desperate in his attacks. However, instead of getting reckless, Optimus became more determined, and his advances were fierce enough to send Starscream jumping back several paces with nervous squeals.

Elita One was in a bit of trouble however. She had thought she'd seen an opportunity to charge forward and land a blow directly on Soundwave's helm, but he'd been too fast and before she knew it, his metal arms had sprung from his chest and pinned her down to the ground by the arms and and legs. She attempted to wrestle back but it wasn't working, as the long taloned arms were too strong for her to try and escape when she had no momentum. Soundwave loomed over her, large legs on either side of her torso as he leaned down, pointy talons stretching forward towards her spark chamber.

"Optimus!" Elita shouted hurriedly, while still glaring defiantly up at Soundwave. By far, he was perhaps one of the toughest opponents she had ever fought, and she'd fought many. Perhaps it was because he was deceiving, looking slow and completely incapable of speed or agility. But he had it all, and it had been Elita's lack of good judgement that had gotten her into this fix.

Luckily, Optimus had heard Elita's call for assistance and he turned from having just landed a staggering blow to Starscream's jaw, in order to see what the problem was. Transforming his gun from his arm, Optimus began firing from where he stood at Soundwave. The mech kept Elita One pinned only until a particularly powerful laser from Optimus's cannon had knocked him off, his taloned arms loosing their grip on her arms and legs. The moment Elita was free, she hoisted herself up from the snow. She didn't see Lockdown. Had he run away? Then, Optimus shouted the most desperately she'd ever heard.

"Elita!"

Her back was turned to whatever the danger was but Elita knew something was terribly wrong if the Prime shouted the way he had. Without thinking, Elita's spark power burst to play, sensing that she was in danger it had taken the initiative, and suddenly the world had come to a slow halt. Elita blinked, her systems venting hard as she turned in the stillness to see what the problem was. As she turned, a missile head was suspended in the air right behind her, less than an arm's reach away and aimed directly for her mid section. If the missile had hit her it would have no doubt torn her body in half. Lockdown, from the snow where he was leaking from his missing arm, had been the one to fire it, as was plain by the good arm he had lifted in her direction and the face expressing nothing short of full fury. Frightened at the look and at the prospect of nearly having been shot to pieces, Elita dropped to the floor instantly. After she was on the ground, she checked to make sure no bot else was in the line of fire once the danger missed her. No one was, but she did see Optimus, frozen in time as he had been running towards her from the side with the most terrified look in his optics. He truly loved her, and it both flattered and pained Elita's spark to see him in such fear. Slowly, she rose back to her feet, beginning to walk in his direction. How she would miss him... Even in stasis, she was sure she would dream of him. Once she stood directly before him, the femme put a gentle hand on the side of his masked face. Leaning forward, she placed her metal lips gently near the point of his mask. This was her goodbye. After her spark power drained she would fall into stasis, and depending on what happened after that, Optimus would have to fight on his own. This would be her last act to defend herself for now, and she thanked the Prime with glossy optics by that single kiss she'd placed on his mask. I will see him again, she assured herself. Then, before Elita was ready, time began picking back up. She dashed to her place where she ducked under the stilled missile and shortly after hitting the snow floor, the missile sailed to life once more at ground shaking speed, tearing just over her head.

From where Optimus Prime ran, he had not been able to tell at first if the missile had hit Elita, for it exploded in the air just where she had been a moment before. His optics had only caught the glimpse of her body falling to the floor and his spark became seized with panic.

"Elita!" he shouted, rushing forward to slide into the snow at her side. Frantically, he searched for damage, but saw none save for the few scratches she'd received in battle against Soundwave. But her eyes were closed and her body systems were deadly silent. Everything had happened so fast, but Optimus got the idea soon enough of what had happened. She'd been standing before the missile too long to have gotten out of the way without first pausing time. She had used her spark power, and she was out of energy. And she would stay out of energy, unless she was put within the stasis pod Ratchet had built, and was properly hooked up to the life sustaining plugs prepared for her. She was alive though, and that was the best Optimus could have hoped for.

Starscream meanwhile, tried to pick himself back up from the snow and looked up to see Optimus kneeling beside Elita, having the femme's body half way gathered in his arms. She was limp and her eyes were shut, her armor drained of lifely color. She was... dead...?

"NO!" Starscream raged. He needed her spark ALIVE to have obtained her spark power! Now it was gone forever! Starscream staggered to his feet and screeched out a loud,

"RETREAT!" before transforming and blasting off into the air. His chance was lost and though he was fuming with anger, he didn't want to freeze out here in these cold climates longer than he had to. Decepticons and Lockdown alike fell back, transforming as best they could in their battered positions to rev away through the blizzard like weather.

"Optimus!" Arcee shouted upon having seen Elita limp in the Prime's arms. Once Knock Out had taken off, the blue femme rushed forward towards the Autobot leader, stopping several paces away to look somberly down at the lifeless femme commander before her.

"Is...is she..?" she couldn't even finish the question, but thankfully she didn't have to.

"She is alive. Her body has gone into instant stasis shut down. She used her spark power in order to save herself," Optimus explained quickly, lifting the femme in his arms, "We have to get her within the stasis pod soon though, her life force needs to be sustained or it will run out and offline her," he informed, walking quickly through the snow. Bulkhead was now shuffling over.

"Is she okay?" he asked hopefully, also worried.

"Yes, she is fine," Optimus repeated, "We need to get her to the pod," he stated, now breaking into a brisk jog for where he'd left his trailer on the ice covered road not far from their position.

Meanwhile...

"What's going on? What's happened?" Mikko asked rapidly, grabbing her pig tails anxiously, "Why are all the cons running away?"

"Elita must be alive, she has to be," Jack said, "They are going back to the trailer,"

The kids watched as the snow covered forms of the Autobots in the distance jogged through the snow.

Bumblebee rolled forward along the road quickly to rejoin them and better understand what was going on. After a minute or so, Bumblebee arrived by the trailer side where Optimus had lay Elita One's body into the pod.

"Ratchet," Optimus was speaking into his com-link, "Instruct me now on how to hook Elita One in properly," he requested. Ratchet answered immediately and began streaming out a set of long instructions that Bumblebee nor any of the kids really understood as they hopped from the car to shiver and watch.

"She's going to be alright isn't she?" Raf asked carefully.

"Yes, Optimus says she'll be fine," Arcee said assuredly, walking over to the kids to kneel beside them, "She used her spark power during the battle to avoid a missile. Her body goes into instant stasis afterwards to preserve power but it has to be sustained. That is why Optimus is hooking her into the stasis pod now," she informed them.

A few minutes passed and finally Optimus finished hooking Elita One up perfectly to preserve her within the pod. Just before closing the lid though, he ran a hand gently down the side of her face. He beheld her still, calm, but peaceful form and imprinted her image firmly in his memory.

"Goodbye for now," he murmured, then sealed the pod tight.

"Autobots, roll out," he commanded, shutting the trailer door and transforming into his semi-truck mode to lead the way. The kids piled back into their Autobot guardians, and off they went once more.

...

As he drove, Prime considered why Starscream had called the Cons off. No doubt he had thought Elita One was dead and therefore not worth trying to recapture. Her spark power would have extinguished along with her had she offlined, and this was probably what Starscream believed to have happened. If so, then Elita was free to be left alone, un-pursued and unsuspected, for many many years to come. At least that thought was a comfort.

The trek through the rest of the ice slicked roads was slow, but unhurried. Eventually, Optimus found himself near the mountain peek he had in mind. It would be perfect, since he distinctly remembered having found a cave on the far side that was untouched and well disguised. He had found this mountain peek while once on the look out for one of the first relics after landing on earth. He had been misguided in where he'd thought the relic was, but had found this cave in the process. Now, as he transformed and prepared to make the trek upwards, Bulkhead did so too.

"I'm comin with ya boss," he said, "You'll need help carrying the pod up there. Optimus nodded his agreement, telling the others to stay down by the road. Then, he and Bulkhead carefully unloaded Elita One's pod from the trailer, and began their walk through the snowy mountain side.

It took them a good hour to reach the spot Optimus remembered, and their joints were mostly frozen by the time they reached the top with their load, but Optimus was satisfied when he found the same cave right where he'd left it, perfectly void of life. Until now. Now, this mountain side would hold one of Optimus Prime's most dear treasures.

"Cozy little place," Bulkhead commented.

"It will serve its purpose," Optimus agreed. He walked with Bulkhead back further into the cave before specifying where he wanted the pod set. With a few grunts the pod was placed and Optimus and Bulkhead both stepped back. Silence enveloped them for a long moment, the only sound being the wind whistling outside the cave entrance.

"You really love her, don't you?" Bulkhead said suddenly, looking curiously up at his leader. Optimus nodded, resigning himself to the fact that there was no point in hiding it. He was proud. Proud to love and proud to be loved. Proud to feel the pain, proud to feel the sorrow, proud to pay any cost life could throw at him, because love was worth it. If he never saw Elita One again, it would have still been worth it. If he came back and found her and they lived the rest of their lives together, it would be just as worth it.

The slight nod was enough answer for Bulkhead and after another moment they both turned out of the cave to head back down the mountain side. They still had a war to win, and they would win it...

THE END

Omg I'm going to cry. Do any of you ever read or write something and then it makes you all emotional? Lol, I don't make myself cry often, but this was just so tender and sweet.

I hope you all were satisfied with the final ending, and I want to thank each and every one of you for having clicked and read through the roller coaster that was the "Starry Surprise".

-Stokin D Embers