Pain.

That was the first thing I felt. A little obvious, since I did stab myself. Then the heat came. It built up in my hands and chest, so much I know they burned, before spreading through my body in a rolling wave that made me shudder.

I could feel the AllSpark dissolving in my hands and chest. I cupped the end of it in my hands and pushed it further into my body. Once my hands were cupped over my chest, an electric shock ran through me, powerful enough I arched my back with it. A loud gasp escaped me and I opened my eyes from the shock.

And I saw everything.

Maybe it wasn't everything, but it was so much. I saw the AllSpark, bringing life to Cybertron. I saw the Fallen and his brother Primes go to countless stars, and then coming here to Earth. I saw the battle between them and the hiding of the Matrix of Leadership. I saw Sentinel Prime, and Optimus and Megatron as brothers. I saw them as Prime and Lord High Protector. I saw Megatron being corrupted by the Fallen.

I saw the War. Saw Bumblebee at Tyger Pass, Ratchet in a field hospital, Jazz on a mission, Ironhide barreling into battle, Coppertone and her secret family. Saw Starscream and his trine, Barricade being entrusted with Frenzy and their odd partnership, Blackout and Scorponok working as symbiote and master, Soundwave and his family, including N-Sync and her hatchlings. All the bots and all the cons.

I saw the AllSpark being sent away from Cybertron. I saw the hatchlings left in its trail, and the Fallen collecting them, trying to preserve them. I saw the AllSpark land on Earth, in the river later to be known as the Colorado. I saw Megatron pursuing the AllSpark, and his crash on Earth, not quite what S7 thought. I saw Archibald Witwicky wake him up, just enough for the nav systems to come online. I saw him having the AllSpark's coordinates being imprinted on his glasses and his eyes, losing his sight for the knowledge of Cybertron.

And I saw me. Me as born to Ron and Judy. Growing up in Tranquility. Seeing Mikaela for the first time. Falling for her before I even knew what it meant. Meeting Miles. First getting Archibald's artifacts when I was fourteen. The full memory of trying out for cheerleading. Everything leading up to this moment, and this choice.

It seemed like an eternity had passed as I saw this, but in reality, it was barely a minute. My vision cleared and I found myself still kneeling in the destroyed street, back arched, head thrown back and hands still clasped over my chest. I was back, but also not. It was like I was a step back from everything, or like I was inside my head watching through my eyeballs. And there was someone else watching with me.

I bent myself back forward, my arms dropping to support me. I took a few deep breaths, amazed that I was actually able to take them. I also had a much higher sensory input than before. I could hear sharper, and my eyesight was crystal clear, even better than my contacts had made it. I could also sense EM fields now. And the two near me were a mix of anger, fear, surprise and a few flecks of joy.

Now that I could see, I could tell that something definitely did happen. For a start, there was blood everywhere; on my hands, soaking my tank top, and part of my jeans and flannel. But the skin where I'd pushed the AllSpark in was clear, healed over with the only indication something had happened the fact it was lighter and, I dared say, shinier than my natural skin. I also felt reenergized, like I was ready to do what needed to be done. Like I'd suspected, my hair was half out of its braid, falling all around my head and some parts of it blood soaked.

I looked like a wreck, but I could feel a power in me. I was much more than I'd been that morning, or even five minutes ago.

My hearing picked up Lennox ordering his men to load for another round of fire, and I knew I had to act.

"Stop!" I called out, standing from my crouch. My voice was different now, holding undertones like Garrus's harmonics in Mass Effect, and was almost "voice of the legion" like. It was weird, but cool at the same time. I couldn't see the soldiers, but I did see Megatron still above me, he being were the angry EM field came from, and I could feel Optimus behind me.

"Alison." He called my name and I turned to face the Autobot leader. He watched me with shock in his optics. "What did you do?"

"I did what was necessary," I said. "Megatron will not get the AllSpark now."

I felt and heard Megatron move behind me, but I jumped away, out into view of the soldiers, Mikaela and the other bots. Megatron turned and half stood to follow me, and Lennox had the men aim, but I put a hand up to them.

"No, Lennox, cease fire!" I called out, and a wave of energy passed through my arm to charge at them in an arc. It didn't hurt them, but it shocked them enough they backed away, one or two dropping their weapons. Mikaela and the bots weren't affected, but they all saw it.

"Alison," Mikaela asked. "What happened?"

"I merged the AllSpark with the pacemaker on my heart." I explained. "It is a part of me now." I turned to Megatron, who'd stopped his advance at the energy wave. Behind him, Optimus was getting up in a half crouch. "I know your true mission Megatron. Allow me to finish it."

I closed my eyes and concentrated. Make a cube capable of producing energon. No creation, just energon. Almost subconsciously, I started gesturing, and though my physical eyes didn't see it, my mind's eye showed a cube forming in between my hands, some materials coming from me, the rest coming from the ground around me. When I opened them, a cube about twice the size of the AllSpark I'd carried floated over my hands, glowing briefly before the light faded and it dropped down into my hands.

I presented it to Megatron. "Take this Cube, and return to the Nemesis. Use it to feed the hatchlings, and save as many as you can."

I wasn't specifically pitching my voice to carry, but everyone had fallen silent when I was creating, so it did. Optimus's optics widened and I could feel the other bot's shock. Megatron stared at me for a moment, then narrowed his optics.

"How do you know of them?" he asked me, a growl present in his voice. He came closer to me, but didn't take the cube.

"All the AllSpark's knowledge is in me, and she remembers all her children." I held the cube out to him. "The ability to create pure energon is in this cube. The AllSpark refuses to see more of her children die before they have a chance to live. This will save them, but only if you take it, now."

"Alison, you can't be serious!" Ratchet called out and I turned my head to look at him. I saw he was carrying Coppertone, and she didn't look good. But I couldn't focus on that now.

"I am, Ratchet." I didn't realize until then that my commands to the AllSpark had been in Cybertronian. I never even heard it before, how did I know it? I ignored it for the time being, plenty of explanation time later.

"The hatchlings are no trick, and they are innocents. Innocents should be protected at all costs. Surely you cannot condemn the lives of thousands of hatchlings; of Cybertron's last generation."

I turned back to Megatron and held the cube out farther. "Take the cube and go! At the least, you can punish Starscream for the pot shot he took at you."

Megatron held back for a moment, then snapped forward, grasping the cube and transforming right in front of me. Surprisingly I was not blown straight off my feet by the force of his takeoff. Even so, I still had to cover my eyes to shield them from the debris blown into the air around me.

When I uncovered my eyes, I saw Optimus kneeling down to me. "Alison," he started. "You saved my life, and have done perhaps the bravest thing I've ever seen done, but do you know the consequences of allowing Megatron to leave."

"I didn't see any of you try to stop him," I told him, then looked to the other bots. Bee was still on the back of the tow truck, Ratchet carrying Coppertone and Ironhide supporting Jazz, who was carrying a leg in his servo.

"How is Coppertone?" I asked, walking to them.

"Not good," Ratchet said. "Megatron heavily damaged her when she tried to save Jazz from him. She'll be joining the Well soon."

"No she won't." I gestured for him to kneel. "Hold her down to me."

Ratchet looked like he wasn't going to obey for a second, but knelt down. Coppertone's head lolled to me, her optics faint as she looked at me. Her chassis was a mess, her chestplates were torn open, parts missing and energon leaking. The damage went all the way down to her spark chamber, with quite a few slashes in the casing, faint light peeking through two of them.

I tilted my head at the damage, then put my hands on her. "Strong spark, beat strong. Take this strength to keep you whole, until the bond is reunited."

A wave of energy left me and swept over Coppertone, centering on her spark chamber, and the gashes all closed up. Energon lines sealed and some parts regrew. Another wave solidified those repairs, while starting some others, and a third wave would have come had I not drawn my hands away. I left behind bloody handprints, but I don't think anyone cared.

I took a step back and wobbled on my feet, but someone steadied me. I looked up and saw it was Epps. I nodded my thanks and straightened up, looking at Coppertone. Her optics were brighter and she looked at me with a bit of surprise before looking at herself. Her servo slowly moved over her spark chamber, inspecting the repairs, which barely even left scars. "How?" she asked before I put a hand on her again.

"Rest now. Save your strength." A small energy burst and Coppertone's optics powered down and she sagged slightly in Ratchet's grip. However, the beat of her spark and the calm of her EM field easily showed she was alive, at least to the bots. I looked up at Ratchet. "She'll be okay. Repairs and bedrest, certainly, but she'll live."

"How'd you do that?" one of the soldiers, Burke, asked.

"The AllSpark not only give Cybertronian life, but can heal and restore life," I explained, pointing at Bumblebee. "It fixed Bumblebee's voice earlier, we just haven't heard him speak."

Bumblebee put a hand to his throat. "My voice." He looked down at me. "How'd you know?"

"The AllSpark told me. That is likely the answer to every question you'll be asking me for the next few days." I looked around the area and noticed the rescue crews and everyone coming out. "Optimus, Lennox, the civilians are coming out. We'd all better move out."

"She's right," Epps said, looking around us as well. "Gonna be a hell of an explanation for all this though."

"Leave it to Keller to figure out," Lennox said looking around his men. "We need trailers for the bots. Burke, take some guys and scout the west side of the city. Epps, you take east. We'll hold down here and deter the public. Meet back here in an hour tops, whether you find any or not. Optimus." He looked up at Optimus. "I could use your bots' help."

Optimus nodded. "Ironhide, accompany Epps. I will go with Burke. Ratchet, make what repairs you can before we return."

"Wait a second." I say, before walking over to Jazz and Ironhide. I pointed at the saboteur. "Set your leg back in place and try to rest weight on it. I'd still keep a grip on him Ironhide."

The bots looked questioning at me, but complied. I placed my hands on Jazz's leg. "Fix what has been broken. Reconnect what has been torn apart, and save pain for a later time."

A wave of energy came, focusing on the hip joint where the leg had been pulled apart. While the damage wasn't as severe, it was significant enough that we could easily see when the healing started. It was only two more and his leg was as good as new. I was steadier on my feet as I stepped back this time, making sure to leave room for Jazz to test.

Ironhide slowly let go of Jazz and the saboteur slowly put weight on his leg. It held and he tried balancing on it. "Hey!" He grinned, giving a small kick. "Not bad, little lady. Not bad at all."

I smiled. "I'm glad. Just don't be too rough." I turned back to Optimus. "Jazz can help out now. Maybe go himself and find trailers."

Optimus nodded. "Jazz, you accompany Burke and his men. Contact us over the coms if any trouble arises.

"You got it, boss bot." Jazz gave Optimus a finger point and snapped down his visor before looking at the soldiers. "Let's roll, little bitches!"

Jazz, Burke and a few of the soldiers headed out west, while Epps, Ironhide and a few others went east. Lennox and the last few stayed behind, and a couple went over to the rescue crew to deflect any questions and the like.

The feeling of looking through my eyes like a screen and the other presence left me, and I sagged down, exhaustion hitting me. I saw Mikaela standing by Bumblebee and made my way over to her.

"Mikaela," I said when I got close. "Are you okay? You're not hurt or-"

I was cut off by her throwing herself at me in a hug. Her force made me take a step back, then I wrapped my arms around her tightly. I'd ask about her clothes, but she clearly doesn't care about that as her tears soaked my shoulder. We just held each other, and it finally sunk in that I'd nearly died that day. Tears of my own started and I bowed my head to her shoulder. Just two very scared and relieved girls crying it out in the middle of the street. Nothing unusual for a day like today.

Mikaela made the first move to pull back and I let her, though I kept hold of her hands. She looked up into my face and her eyes widened. "Oh God, your eyes," she said.

"What is it?" I asked.

"They're- they're-" She pulled me to a car mirror and I saw what she meant. Where my eyes were once pure hazel green, around my pupils was a ring of electric blue. It was rather jarring, and I reeled back.

"Wow. That is- Wow." Then I smirked and turned to her. "Out of my whole appearance, my eyes were what threw you off?"

She punched my arm and I laughed. It felt good. Then I remembered the third member of our little group, and turned around to see Bumblebee.

He was still hooked up to the tow truck and his legs still missing, but he was okay. Nothing of his condition was any different from the end of the movie. I walked up and put a hand on his leg. "Are you okay, Bee?" I asked.

Bee nodded. "Ratchet can repair my legs and my voice is back. Are you alright? You're all bloody and look like you're about to fall off your feet."

"I'm fine," I waved a hand and saw the blood was already drying on it. I wiped it off best I could on my jeans and did the same to the other hand. "The AllSpark took care of all of my injuries, and I'm just tired. I'll be fine once I can rest."

"How did you merge with the AllSpark?" Mikaela asked, coming up to me. "Why did you even think of doing that?"

"Optimus told me to sacrifice him to keep the AllSpark from Megatron," I explained. "But I couldn't let him die. Then the AllSpark shifted into a stake, and all I could think was to use it on my pacemaker to turn it or myself into a Cybertronian, and just acted on it." I'd considered lying, but Optimus and Megatron saw what I did, so I figure it'd be easier telling the psudeo-truth.

Mikaela and Bumblebee stared at me, obviously surprised by my story. Then Mikaela though and asked in a whisper, "Did you see it?"

Bumblebee let out a confused sound. Obviously he heard, so I just spoke normal. "Yes, I did. Didn't see myself living, but I saw my sacrifice, or Optimus's. I just felt my life was worth less than his, so I chose that path."

"What do you mean 'saw'?" Bumblebee asked, keeping his voice low.

"I'll explain later, Bumblebee," I said. "Away from all this hubbub."

Bumblebee nodded affirmative, and we kinda stayed in silence a while. Mikaela and I sat on the truck bed, her leaning against me, I against Bumblebee, and we soaked in the not-quite-quiet of the war zone.

After maybe a half hour, Lennox came over to us, carrying a bundle of something. "Here," he held the bundle out to reveal it was clothes. "Figured you would want something to change into."

My hands were still bloody, so Mikaela took the bundle and I gave a grateful smile. "Thanks, Captain Lennox," I said.

"Just Will's fine," he said. "Keller has been informed that the situation here's cleared up. He wants us to go to Felix Air Force Base and rendezvous with the Cube."

"But we don't have it," Mikaela said, but I picked up on what he meant.

"He means me," I said.

Will nodded. "For all intents and purposes, you are the AllSpark, and that means we've got to protect you. Optimus has agreed to carry both of you to the base."

I smiled, then looked around. "Um, anyplace we can change?"

Lennox pointed behind him and we saw someone had placed a couple tarps over the back of one of the jeeps. "Not a stylish place, but better than out in the open. Also got a bucket of water so you can wash off most of the blood."

I nodded and hopped off the truck bed. Mikaela and I walked over to the tent and Mikaela gestured for me to go in first. "I'll stand guard," she said.

I nodded and went in. Sure enough, there was a bucket of water with a towel, lukewarm and a little dirty respectively, but enough for my needs. I pulled off my shirts and used the flannel to wipe most of the blood off myself, then soaked the towel and washed the rest of it off. Once done, I reached my clean hand out of the tent and Mikaela handed me the clothes. It was a tank top and a jacket. The tank was a size too small, and the jacket a little big, but they were better than nothing, so I just slipped them on. I also pulled my hair back again in a loose bun at the base of my neck.

I came out and me and Mikaela walked over to where Optimus and Lennox were standing. Epps and Burke were back, and Ironhide and Ratchet were transferring Bumblebee and Coppertone onto trailers. The rest of the soldiers were collecting supplies and preparing to move out.

Optimus saw us as we approached and looked away from his conversation with Lennox. He turned and looked us over. "All set?" he asked.

I nodded. "All set.

"Then it is imperative that we leave as soon as possible." Optimus stood to his full height and transformed. We watched, Lennox and Mikaela still a little awed, but I just smiled. When he was in truck form, Optimus opened his door. "Climb inside, Alison, Mikaela."

We did and I watched from the window how Bumblebee and Coppertone's trailers, now with tarps partially over them, were hooked up to different jeeps and the other Autobots transform. Once the soldiers were loaded up, we moved out, Ironhide and Ratchet taking point, then Lennox's jeep, then Optimus and the rest behind us.

Mikaela turned to me and I could tell what she was about to ask. I shook my head no, and though she seemed surprised, she nodded and leaned back against the seats. I leaned against the window and must have been more tired than I'd felt, because I fell asleep.


Sorry this chapter is late, I went to my sister's house this weekend and only opened my laptop to work on story stuff with her. The next chapter will come out as scheduled for Saturday, provided nothing happens to prevent it.