It was faster now! :) Long chapter... I decided not to split it, it wouldn't have made two anyway. I'm sorry for the errors, I really should be in bed by now... And warning: I tend to be dramatic when it comes to emotions and endings. Yeah - this is the last chapter. And I hope all will be well. :)

XIII.

Starscream jerked awake when his comm. sprang to life. At first, he did not even recognise the voice that started talking frantically on the other end, his systems were too slow to reboot after this sudden call. He saw the young Autobot medic, First Aid run up to him, but Starscream waved him away. He shut his optics and mouth tight and waited for his systems to calm down before trying to stop the ranting of his former partner.

Skyfire, please... slow down! I didn't understand anything you said.

I'm sorry, Star, I'm just... alright, I'll start again. I asked Soundwave to help me get access to my lost memory files about the chemicals we brought to our expeditions and you said this was the one I made for Earth after Virida. I noticed on Virida that around some trees, roughly the same species, there were hardly any harmful bacteria and the roots were clear of fungi. I took a sample from their bark and during the distillations, one of the compounds I extracted acted as an antifungal and antimicrobial agent.

But... Starscream frowned, can it be... synthesized here? On Earth?

Oh, the humans use it, too! They have for at least a hundred years against their own microbes and bacteria. They even use it as a corrosion inhibitor on ferrous alloys! On Earth, they call it a kind of phenyl-propenal. It's extracted from the bark of cinnamon trees.

I... Is that... cinnamaldehyde? Starscream's optics widened. He had heard of it, he had researched about many chemicals found and used on Earth. As much as he despised the humans, their science was interesting and their methods not as bad as he thought, though he didn't think much about the local flora, and as such, he brushed this knowledge aside.

Yes, that is what the workers called it. I asked for a load and we have already tried it out with Perceptor and Wheeljack. Their mixture of razon gas and their stabilized ingredient had reacted well with this organic compound. I now remember why I used it. It inhibits the function of their glucan synthase enzymes and the chitin synthases, too, which–

Synthesize the monomers of their cell walls... Starscream finished his sentence with a small smile. I knew you would find it, Skyfire.

The Seeker vented deeply and offlined his optics again. No matter how happy he became over Skyfire's good news, his body still felt as if it were on fire. Pain seared through his frame and made the nauseous swirling in his tank even worse, his spark felt ready to explode out of its chamber. Starscream raised a hand shakily to his chest, and tried not to concentrate too much on his rebellious body and listen to Skyfire's voice instead.

As of the latest tests, everything seems stable, the space shuttle continued, Wheeljack tried it on... well... different subjects and all went well, fortunately. The razon still remains liquid on this temperature thanks to the bonds it makes with 'Jack's ingredient and Perceptor confirmed that it would remain so as the two keep each other from dissolving or evaporating, and the cinnamaldehyde does not interfere much with this system... it will work, Starscream. Right now, Perceptor is using his matter duplicator to make more to fill all four CR-chambers.

I take it you're still working... even though it's close to midnight now. Starscream allowed a small smile to his lips.

Skyfire chuckled a little, Yeah... well... we'll be resting now. We just wanted to make everything ready and make sure everything worked. I'll be taking the four CR-chambers over to your base early in the next solar cycle. We have already discussed everything with Optimus and Ratchet. It will be alright, Starscream. You made it all possible.

"Starscream, what do you feel?" the Seeker heard the Autobot ask quietly and Starscream onlined his optics to see First Aid lean above him. He had just noticed his hand was still on his chest, that must have been what alerted the young medic.

The air commander vented deeply and grabbed First Aid's hand, silently asking him to help him sit. Dizziness washed over him in this new position and pain stung at his chest, Starscream clasped a hand over his mouth, but he managed to make out Skyfire's words in his head.

And anyway, have things changed since we've gone home? How are you, Starscream?

I'm going to purge.

Oh... then I guess I should leave you alone a little. An embarrassed chuckle was the last thing Starscream heard before First Aid pushed his head down as choking coughs erupted from his raw throat. He clutched his mid-section at the burning sensation, blood trickled down his lips, something they grew used to over the last few days, but was nevertheless horrifying. Shaky ventilations shook Starscream's frame, his cooling fans' whining seemed to come from a far distance.

I'm here. he sent through the comm. to Skyfire and he swore he could hear a sigh of relief from the space shuttle.

I hope you'll be feeling better. Just hold on, Star. Get some recharge and the next time you wake up, you'll be better.

"Starscream?" even through his daze as First Aid carefully helped him lie back down, the Seeker heard Megatron's hoarse whispering from his side. He slowly turned his head towards his leader and they just starred at each other for a while before Megatron decided to speak.

"You were receiving a comm... didn't you?"

Skyfire... he answered him and took a deep vent. His energon pump's beats were becoming erratic and his vision kept blacking out. He started shivering, but gathered his strenght to answer, they are ready.

Megatron's frame slumped in relief and he turned back to his second, "He was right... you did... you did well, Starscream."

As if that was all he had been waiting for to hear - a tiny, weak smile flickered to the Seeker's lips and a klick later, his optics darkened into blackness and his whole frame became still.

"His spark... Ratchet, his spark is fading!"

Perfectly still.

"Jumpstart him, quick..."

"Don't just stand there!..."

Starscream?

"Starscream!" Megatron pushed himself up, his optics wide. His air commander just laid there, beautiful like a porcelain doll.

"Still the same..."

"...pressure dropped..."

"Don't you dare..."

...STARCREAM...

It took too long for Starscream's liking. He tended to get impatient quickly when things didn't go the way he wanted them. Rebooting his processor was harder than he thought, and he hated being aware yet unable to even online his optics. He felt that he was floating, his body weightless and everything was easy. Simple and easy.

I am Starscream.

Skyfire smiled down at him, the Seeker could see his reflection - his pouting frown - in his bright blue optics. He did not receive the scientific award for the best of the year and neither did Skyfire, but his friend reassured him that the expedition was still theirs. And maybe their findings would bring them an award the next stellar cycle. Though, Starscream knew Skyfire wasn't doing this for any award, he simply enjoyed being out there and research. An enthusiasm they both shared. It was him who was always unsatisfied.

Elite Seeker of Vos.

The uprisings grew more and more serious. The one named Megatron seemed invincible. Starscream had listened to one of his speeches... he seemed rather charismatic and inspiring - at least for someone so uneducated. He was fighting for something he believed in, and the crowd made him a hero. And where was he? He had been working and researching for stellar cycles, and the Scientific Division was just starting to give him some credit. Only Skyfire could make him see that it was all worth it, that they too lived for their passion.

Starscream cursed as he dropped a vial, the weak glass shattered on the floor in billions of shining diamonds.

Astrobiologist of the Iaconian Aerial Academy.

His fist left a dent on the metal wall of his room, his body shook with unsuppressed rage. Thundercracker put a hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him down, but it was no use. Nothing worked. No amount of convincing himself it was just a nightmare. Nothing would bring back Skyfire. The older Seeker enclosed him in his arms, but he broke free and ran to the platform to transform and fly away. Skywarp's worried optics were the last thing he saw.

Air Commander of the Decepticon Army.

Strong digits closed around his neck cables, choking him while the hand held him high. One of his optics was shattered and blinded, but he could still see and sense the fury radiating from the grey mech before him. Many of their men had been lost in the last battle, and, of course, the blame was on him. Who else to vent his frustration out on? Starscream pleaded to him to let him go, pleaded to see that charismatic mech he once dreamt of following and wanted to become like. Where was he? Who was this angry, blinded tyrant?

Second-in-command only to Megatron.

He was the one who woke him up. They were still in the Ark, all the Autobots were in stasis around them. Thundercracker and Skywarp were standing behind him and the Gunformer stood up, too, pulling Starscream to his feet. They looked... different. But at least they survived and order was slowly made. Plotting, obeying, betraying, bowing, and all was well in the world.

"Starscream... die again... kill you..." the voice was muffled and hardly understandable, but sounded suspiciously like Skywarp's. Starscream wanted to online his optics, but did not have the strenght to do so. As if his body couldn't obey any of his commands. What he felt was a strange, strong taste and fluids all around him, slightly cold, but not unpleasent. Buoyancy pushed him up a little, but his wrists and legs were restrained, a loose belt around his middle did not let him float too high.

Now that he thought about it, it was quite peaceful. Recharge came easier than ever.

Starscream guessed it must have been quite some time since he first regained consciousness. He now felt he was kept in a rather small space, yet his claustrophobia did not kick in. His whole body was itching, but it didn't hurt. He wasn't overheating anymore. He was hearing voices outside his confinement and found the strenght and will to online his optics. Dull, orangish colour surrounded him. He tried to turn his head in the direction of the voices. Hazy figures stood on the other side of the glass. One of them had wings like him.

"Starscream...?" he could make out his name in the deep, gruff voice. Thundercracker.

"...he... awake... spark is... not yet..."

"Wait... just two cycles..."

Right. He just had to wait more. His optics closed.

His awakening was rather rude.

The liquid around him was drained away slowly, leaving him shivering and feeling stuffed. His optics shut tight, Starscream felt light-headed as strong hands pulled him out of the CR-chamber slowly and carefully and he landed in thick, massive arms. The Seeker coughed hard, the fluids still filled up his filters and tanks. His back was pushed to a broad chest and he was held securely as the chamber's liquids poured from his seams, ports, mouth and olfactories, it took awfully long till he purged everything he could from his insides. He was left trembling in those strong arms that picked him up and soon hauled him onto a berth, frame still dripping and vision hazy.

His first breath was heavy and gurgled and he felt terribly weak, but it was finally over. It would be a long time until his body could fully recover, but the hardest part was behind him now. When his optics cleared enough, Starscream raised a hand shakily up to examine it and smiled a little at what he saw - the holes and cracks still remained, but the rust was gone. Everything was clear.

"It's alright, Starscream." the Seeker turned his head in Hook's direction. The Constructicon was not wearing the protective coverall and mask anymore, "You're okay now. You're quite a fighter."

Starscream still couldn't say anything, but he didn't feel strong enough for that anyway. Tubes and sensors were attached to him, and he knew they would have to pump him out to get rid of all the liquids and nanites from his systems. But it didn't matter now.

Skyfire was standing by his side and smiling. "You gave us quite a scare. Skywarp still hasn't forgiven you for daring to die, you know."

"Though maybe you can convince me to do so." it was just then that Starscream saw his grinning trine mate a little further away, Thundercracker behind him, his fiery optics shone like glass in the sunlight.

"Your replacements will arrive shortly." it was Bombshell, talking from next to another, still empty berth, "Shockwave will be transporting them as soon as they're checked and ready."

"Hopefully, with your new vocoder, your voice won't be as screechy anymore and we can all relax." Starscream turned his head to the other side when he heard Megatron's voice. The ventilation tubes were still attached to his chest and he, too, had all the holes on his frame, but he was otherwise crystal clear, sitting and smiling at him with an amused expression. He must have been taken out of the chamber earlier.

"The new parts will adjust to your genetic coding, therefore, with some time, his new vocoder will produce a voice like his old one." the young Protectobot, First Aid spoke up this time, from where he was tending to Megatron, "Sorry to crush your hopes."

"I never imagined I would say this," Skywarp chuckled, still wearing that goofy grin, "but I'm looking forward to hearing that screeching again."

"Let him rest a little." Scrapper said, "We'll clean you properly. You can calm down now."

"Next up is Rumble." Starscream heard Ratchet say and he turned to him with a questioning look, hoping the old medic would understand. He did; smiling a little, he added, "And then Astrotrain."

Starscream breathed a sigh of relief and finally let his frame relax. He offlined his optics and allowed his weak body to fall into recharge once again - but this time knowing that he would wake up to see that all went well. That it was alright to drift away. That he would come back.

It took several solar cycles until he could finally leave the repair bay. His new internal parts, that earlier had to be taken out, were now installed and working fine. His frame still needed some patching up and he was still waiting for a leg and a wing, but he was feeling much better now. Weak, but alright.

It was Thundercracker who pushed him to their quarters in a hoverchair, Skywarp was walking next to him, almost leaping in poorly contained joy. Starscream couldn't find it in himself to stop him. He was, for now, simply glad he was missed so much and that things finally turned for the better. He opted to just listen to his younger trine mate's chatter now, knowing that Thundercracker was probably smiling above him at the teleporter's happiness and it was just how he imagined it would be like to return to the real world.

How long had it been since he had last recharged in his own berth?

Thundercracker helped him onto the berth while Skywarp fetched him a cube of energon. The older Seeker caressed his wing fondly and Starscream leant into the gentle touch until Skywarp returned with his cube, now strangely quiet and his optics were a little wide.

"Starscream," he began, "there's someone who'd like to talk to you."

With that, he stepped aside to let Soundwave enter the room. The communications officer stopped and looked at Thundercracker, who nodded shortly before getting up, "We'll leave you alone." he said quietly and grabbed Skywarp's hand to pull him out of their quarters and give the two mechs some privacy.

Soundwave walked closer and sat down on the edge of the berth upon Starscream's invitation. They sat quietly for a while, Starscream dared take a sip from his energon, but stopped when he saw Soundwave's mask retract. The tape decker did not wore any expressions and he gave a curt nod before he started talking,

"First of all, I would like to thank you for your hard work and taking care of Rumble. This means a lot to me."

Starscream nodded in return, "I just... did what I could. I thank you, too, for taking all the responsibility of running the base and calling the Autobots."

Soundwave slowly cast his head to the side and Starscream felt that he still wanted to say something. And, knowing the third, he had a wild guess what it was.

"You planned it all along, didn't you?" Soundwave finally asked, "You coaxed me into calling the Autobots. That is why you wanted me to read all the datapads; to be able to give them all your findings so they could continue where you left it."

Starscream put away his cube. He remained calm and expected this conversation, "Yes, I did it. I knew you would eventually decide to step in if our situation got out of control, and you were the only one who could call the Autobots."

"Shockwave could have called them, too."

"He could have, but he would've never done it. He's even more loyal to Megatron than you are - he would not have disobeyed him. But you are a creator, and I knew your creation's life would be more important to you than any order."

"Then why didn't you propose the idea to call them to Megatron yourself? You could have done it sooner than me... Megatron would have eventually listened to your reason."

Starscream cast his gaze downwards, "I guess... my pride was bigger. I wanted to be the one who found the solution. I refused to give up my place until I had it. Simple as that - I was too proud to let anyone else make it instead of me."

"But in the end, it wasn't you who found the cure."

"I cleared the path for them. And I trust Skyfire. He is someone I wasn't afraid to share it with. I'm not trying to defend myself. It might have been ended much sooner, but you must understand... it had to be me."

Soundwave stayed silent for a while, observing the Seeker with seemingly no emotions before talking again, "Knowing you for all these stellar cycles, I do understand your reasoning. For now, I am just glad it ended well for all of you." with that, he stood up and made his way over to the door, but before he left the quarters, he turned back to Starscream one last time, "But if you play with my creation's life ever again because of your pride, I'm going to kill you."

Noted, Starscream thought without any anger or offense whatsoever. Soundwave left his quarters and he picked up his cube again, expecting his trine mates to come back, but the steps that followed the whoosh of the door weren't those of Seekers. They were alone and heavier and Starscream's optics widened when he finally looked up.

Skyfire quietly made his way to his berth and sat down in front of him. Starscream leant into his palm when his big hand came to stroke his face gently and he reached out for the larger flyer. Skyfire complied and their frames soon came together, lips brushing together in a gentle kiss that left tingling currents running down Starscream's backstrut. His wing trembled a little at the tender touch of his long-lost lover and he wished, at that moment, for nothing more than to be able to stop time for a few klicks.

"Aren't you disgusted?" he whispered and felt a chuckle vibrate through the shuttle's massive body.

"Of what, Starscream?" he asked back and folded his arms around the Seeker, "You're healthy and beautiful as ever. It's still you. This... won't change."

That was all he needed to hear.

Megatron wanted them in his quarters.

Starscream was still a little unstable on his new leg and had to use crutches to be able to walk, but he could make it alone all the way. Rumble soon came after him, Soundwave pushed him in in a hoverchair. His severed backstrut had been reconnected by Bombshell, but he still needed some time until he could stand on his legs again. His optics were clear and bright now and he had already taken his first sip of energon in several solar cycles. He looked quite healthy and he gave Starscream a small smile when their optics met.

Astrotrain came last. Blitzwing helped him, also in a hoverchair, into Megatron's quarters. His limbs would have to be replaced and he still wore a small spark monitor on his chest. He was the last one to leave the repair bay and needed to go back ever so often, but mostly for routine checks and replacements now. Thhe fact that he could be there with them was a miracle in itself. And after he arrived, Soundwave and Blitzwing left the room to leave the four mechs alone.

Megatron did not know what to say. He had given glorious speeches before, made entire cities rise up with his words - and now the words left him. He just looked around his men, neither saying anything, and found that the heaviness soon evaporated from the silence. They were looking around each other, content in each other's presence without worry or fear for the other or themselves, without the anxiety of what tomorrow would bring.

They lived. Lived again.

Megatron did not know what to expect from the next cycle. All he knew was that he was calm now. Whom he wanted were there with him now, all four that he wanted to share this peace with. Peace... what a strange concept it had become over the stellar cycles... Yet, that was undeniably what he was feeling now. Starscream offered him a rare, quiet smile and touched his hand, just for a moment, just to reassure him that it was alright.

Megatron did not know what would happen. He did not know what changes it would bring with the Autobots... He didn't know what the future held. But they were there.

That was all that mattered.

THE END.

Thank you for everybody who have been with me till the end. Thank you for all the support you gave me. It had been wonderful to write this story. And I hope you'll be with me through other stories, because you certainly didn't hear the end of me! :)

Have a good night and nice day everyone! Thank you again! :)