(This is it, everyone. The final chapter that you have all been waiting for. Let us see what is to happen to Prime, and Maria.)

Chapter 21

The Power of a Fathers Love

The Autobot base on Earth was silent, the lights were dim, and no sounds of voices. All the Autobtos had came to the med bay behind the viewing glass as their fallen leader was being looked over by Red Alert, but the look on the medic was grim and forlorn. While the other Autobots, mini-cons, and human companions watched, the saw Red Alert put a hand on his fore head and wipe away nonexistent sweat, but it was clear that he was uncertain about the proceedure. The wound Optimus Prime sustained was sparkling profusely and energon was leaking heavily, even with a metal plates placed over it the energon was still coming out, but not as graphic.

"Oh man, the big bot can't leave us." Carlos whimpered as he watched with his friends.

"I know how you feel, Carlos." Rad tried to comfort his partner but he knew that it wasn't much help. Even he knew that it wasn't going to end very well.

That's when Red Alert turned to the door in the operating room and went inside. Inside was Maria, and she was sitting down on an exam table, during the period when she was operated to heal any internal injuries, but thankfully due to the X-ray, she only had some minor bruises and wasn't severely harmed. She turned and saw Red Alert approach her and turned to him. "Red Alert? Is everything okay?" she asked him, her optics begging for an answer. Red Alert breathed in for a moment before he took her hands into his and slowly spoke to her.

"Maria, I wish that I could tell you the opposite, we all wish of it. But, I am afraid that the wound he had sustained is...fatal. I've done everything that I could, but he is not improving." he then lifted her chin to look at her face. "He is not going to last any longer, nor will he live to see the next day. He is dying."

Maria went silent for a second, until she turned away to hide her building tears, but she looked back at Red Alert. "May I see him? I want to say my farewell. Please?"

Red Alert was surprised as well as proud of what Maria requested. He was hesitant to allow it for fear that she would not understand and breakdown, but then he saw that she had spoken with control in her soul and ultimately agreed. He took her by the hand and led her to the room that Optimus was in. The youngling saw the lifeless body on the table, many cables on him than there were on her the night she arrived on Earth. She could also see that his vibrant and bold colors of his armor turning pale and dull.

Red Alert could feel the hold of his hand weaken from Maria as the little femme went to the body of their brave leader. Just then, he watched as Maria climbed onto the table and gently settled herself on his abdominal armor and was almost forced to go over to remove her when he watched Maria reach to Prime's face plate and held his cheek pate.

"Oh, Optimus. I thank you for saving my life. I only wish I can repay you. Then again, you repaid me, and you did that by giving me a family, a real family. All my life, I was isolated and alone in the galaxy all because of my defect. I felt that I was the only one who had no family or friend to turn to. But then I made the decision to leave from my home and came here...and I met you and your team. Never had I felt such love and acceptance from anyone. But you know what I found that was most precious?" she asked, knowing he would not answer. Maria soon felt one streak of her tear move down her cheek plate, but she did her best to hold in her great sadness. "You were what I wanted as a father. Not one that kept you in fear, but one that understood and wanted to help me, to make me happy. You loved me, and in return I gave you mine. I don't want you to go, but that is not my choice..." her hold soon broke like a dam, and she slowly started to cry. "I pray that you will be in peace from this day forward, and that your past family will welcome you in embrace...I will always remember you, and...I promise to be brave...Oh, I love you...Father..."

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Optimus Prime, although barely function able in the world of the living, saw himself in an atmosphere that was unlike any he had ever seen or dreamed. All around him were bright specks of light, and the air was light and gravity-defying. "Where am I?"

"Optimus..."

"Who's there!" he called out, but there was no sight of anyone. But then, he saw a gaping hole, leading to a white, bright dimension. It was so bright, he had to shield his golden optics from its glare. "What is going on? Why am I here?" Optimus cringed as the light became brighter, and that was when he felt it. A feeling he had never felt in so long.

A gentle touch of a femme, an adult femme.

"Optimus, you need not be afraid." said a voice that haunted his miserable and spark-broken memories, a voice that resonated serenity, kindness, and love. Optimus felt the inside of his iron and metallic skin and armor grow weak and frail as he lowered his hand and looked to where the voice originated. A bright blue, slender femme with fin-like protrusions stood before him, a gentle graceful smile upon her lip plate.

"A...A...Aquarius?

The femme before him nodded her head and Prime was so much beside himself, that without thinking, he wrapped his arms around Aquarius and she returned the embrace. "My darling! I don't believe it! Its you! After all of these years!" Optimus almost sobbed, but Aquarius soothed her lovers excitement by holding his cheek plate, her thumb massaging it.

"Indeed it has, Optimus."

"Where are we?" Optimus finally asked in a calmer tone.

"This is the gateway to the realm of our afterlife, Prime. The Well of Allsparks." She pointed to bright opening from behind her. "That is the gateway to an everlasting world, where all past live that have shown the purity of their spark go. It is where I reside with several others besides myself, and I am much overjoyed that you are in my sight once more." Aquarious said softly to her sparkmate. "You've come here because you have been given a choice by Primus himself, after what you have done."

"What is it that I have done?"

"You have taken in a youngling that was left alone to the world, you opened your spark to her and have made her your new daughter."

Optimus soon figured what his love meant, but was still curious as to why Primus would give him a choice, and what sort of choice it was.

"What choice is that?" Prime asked.

Aquarius gently smiled. "You can either return to life for Maria, or you can join me in the the afterlife." she said. "The choice is yours, my love."

Optimus felt tears come to his eyes. This was a very hard decision for him to make. He wanted to be reunited with his lovely wife after missing her for so long, but then he thought of Maria, the little femmeling who wanted a father and saw him as her father. He felt so torn. He couldn't leave Maria, but he wanted to be with his sparkmate forever.

"Daddy!" called a voice, one that confused Prime since it was a young voice he didn't recognize and he looked up to see a tiny youngling mech appear from the bright opening and go to Aquarius. "Mommy, is this Daddy?" the little one asked.

Aquarius smiled gently as she picked him up. "Yes, my little one. This is your father," she said.

Prime couldn't believe it. The little mech looked just like him and then it hit him. This little mech was his unborn son, the one Aquarius was pregnant with when Megatron had so brutally killed her. "My son?" he asked in astonishment, reaching a hand to him. The little mech smiled and reached for his father, to which Aquarius handed the mech to his father and Optimus held his son for the first time and felt his son hug him.

"I've longed to see you, Daddy." he said happily, the smile never leaving his small faceplate. "But there is another youngling who is longing for you too. My adopted sister."

Optimus was a bit stunned that the mech thought of Maria as his adopted sister and smiled. "Yes, she is." he said.

Aquarius smiled too, seeing what her son was saying. "No matter what you choose, Optimus, I will always love you with all my spark." she said gently, letting him know that even if he chose to return to life, it was alright with her.

Optimus looked unsure and gazed down at his son, who smiled at him. "Go on, Daddy." he said encouragingly. "Maria needs you now. We'll be here waiting until we can all be together again. You, me, Mother, and Maria."

Marveling at how the mech was wise beyond his years, Optimus hugged his son close and then pulled Aquarius close too in a hug and gentle kiss which she returned before they parted and he handed her their son, reaching one hand up and caressing his love's face. "I know what my decision should be," he said. "Though it breaks me to leave you all after we've been reunited after so long, I know you are all safe, and that someday, all four of us will be together, as a family."

Aquarius smiled and nodded. "I love you forever, my love." she said as she walked back to the light that was getting brighter now.

"I love you, Daddy!" said the little mech, waving to his father, a smile on his faceplates.

Optimus felt peace fill him. "I love you both, my love and my son. I will see you all again in the future."

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Just at the moment when Optimus's spirit was encountered by his wife's spirit, all optics, and eyes form the real world watched with great pain as their mighty leader, protector, and father, slip away. Maria clenched at the Prime's chest plates, begging him not to leave her.

The monitor that was monitoring the mechs spark rate suddenly stopped and was now blank. Maria then watched with horror and great sadness, and helplessness as her adoptive father's armor change to white and grey. He was gone.

The little younlging cried out and held him once more, crying her spark out, while all the Autobots bowed their heads in respect. The human children shed tears of their own, as did the Mini cons. It was inevitable, the Prime was doomed to die from the brutal wounds. All of them felt great pain from inside, knowing now that they had no leader to guide them, but to Maria, this only meant that she was once again left alone. It was truly the darkest hour the Autobots had ever felt.

Or was it?

Sparkplug, Prime's Mini Con, took a peak at the monitor and beeped wildly to everyone to look at it. A few heads lifted, then more. The monitor was starting up again, and a pulse was seen slowly returning to a natural beat.

Red Alert was in complete awestruck at was was happening. He thought that this was only a dream, but it wasn't. He then turned to the body, and got another big surprise. The armor of Optimus Prime...was starting to become vibrant, and as he watched in complete silence, a hand reached up to the sobbing child, who was completely unaware of the miracle that was occurring, and it stroked her cheek plate.

Maria's sobbing was paused after she felt a hand stroke her, and she suddenly gasped and backed up. Her father's face was twitching, and the golden optics were back online, and they were looking at her lovingly. Maria was still; she was now having the most difficult time deciphering if this was truly happening. That is, until she heard the low, sweet, and noble voice of Prime.

"Maria."

The little blue, yellow and white femmeling felt herself beginning to tremble, but this was a new tremble. This tremble was not of stress or anger. It was joy.

"Father!"

The little femme leapt to him and wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her cheek plate against his, and she felt his arm wrap her body and squeezed her in a father like way, hearing him chuckle warmly. Everyone all gasped, but then exclaimed and cheered happily. It was a miracle that no one was prepared for, but boy were they glad it did.

"Oh, father! I can't believe it! I thought you were dead." Maria sobbed again, but it was with happy tears.

"I would never leave you, my child. Never in a million years." Optimus answered, and he hugged her again.

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It had ben several months since Optimus's surprising recovery; be it that he had to remain in the med bay for nearly two months so that his armor could be mended and had to do physical therapy to regain the flowing of his energon levels, and it wasn't long before he was back on his pads and ready to lead the Autobots once again.

Everyone was very pleased to see their leader was back in the swing, especially Maria. Ever since that moment she poured her spark out to him, she had been pondering about all that had happen leading to that particular moment. Who was the voice that sparked her to fight Megatron and save her father? Why did he suddenly return to life as his colors faded? What was it? She really needed to know why, and she had to talk to Optimus about it. She had hoped that maybe he could know.

So, one night, as everyone was turning in for the night, Maria had found Optimus Prime and stopped him. "Father, is it okay if we head to my comforting place?" Optimus was wondering why and was about to ask when she added. "I want to talk to you about something that has been bugging me. Alone." She had a very serious look on her face, and Optimus decided that they could go there. As the went to the warp station, Optimus had assigned Jetfire to watch the base while they were gone and to report if anything bad was coming to their location.

The second in command node chis head and activated the warp station, and Optimus and Maria were transported to the lush, lovely acre of land that Optimus called "Yellowstone". It was the middle of the night when they arrived, and all around fireflies flew about, a howl of a wolf could be heard in the distance. All and all, it was peaceful and no one was around.

Maria found a place and sat herself down, and patted the ground next to her side, beckoning Prime to sit next to her. A he did, Prime then asked her. "Now then, what is it that you wish to all about, Maria?"

"It's this, father. All out has happened to you and me, and there are some things that I cannot explain to myself. I keep asking myself the same questions everyday, and I still get no answer. So I must know. I remember hearing a femme's voice in my head when I was watching Megatron choking you, and it made me attack Megatron so you could survive. Then, when you died on that exam table, you suddenly came back to life while no one was looking." She then looked up at his face, her optics pleading for answer. "Father, who was that voice I have heard? How did you come back to life?"

Optimus never heard a question such as that, but it was something he did have to think about before she answered. He remained silent as he pondered what she told him and then he realized who it had been. "Maria," he said. "That femme's voice you heard was the voice of my dear sparkmate, Aquarius." he said. "While I was on the exam table, I saw a very bright light that was the Well of Allsparks and both Aquarius and my son were there. They told me Primus was offering me a choice to either join them in the Well of Allsparks or to return to you. I was very torn between choosing and my son admitted he had always wanted his mother and father together again, but saw that you needed me just as much. Seeing he was right, I made my choice and returned."

Maria was a bit speechless. "You chose to return to me over being with Aquarius and your son?" she asked. "But why?"

Optimus picked her up and cradled her in his arms tenderly. "Because you're my daughter, Maria," he said comfortingly. "Aquarius and my son knew that you needed me as did I and they agreed with my decision and even said that someday, all four of us would be together again. They wanted you to be a part of the family."

Maria began to cry a bit, but it was tears of happiness at being accepted not only by Optimus, but by the femme and little mech she had never met. She hugged him back. "I don't know what else to say, father. But, I am glad that you are back, and I hope to meet my new mother someday." Maria then stopped and thought about something before she spoke up. "So, it was your love for me that made Primus give you those choices?"

"Yes." answered Prime.

"Do you think that Love could bring Starscream to us? He originally did not care for me, but then when he got to know me while I was locked away, he changed. He started to care for me. If he hadn't he sou;don't have sent his mini con to tell you where the Crest of Primus was, and you wouldn't have freed him from his cell when you came to me. And, he would have never held off Megatron long enough before you had to fight him. Do you think that it is possible for a Decepticon to change into an Autobot because of Love?"

Optimus was very perplexed, but then saw that Maria did have a point. Starscream had indeed aided them in finding that artifact, and had helped him and Maria escape. "Maria, Love can change ones perspective of everything around them, but for a Decepticon, change is hardly likely." He then saw her frown a little and he tickled her stomach to make her smile and said. "But, that does not mean that Starscream might stay a Decepticon forever. I believe that he will change, but change takes time to happen."

"So, he will come back?" asked the femme as she looked up at the moon.

"He will, but not tonight. It might take days, week, or months. But, I am certain that he will join us after what he has done for you. Love will lead him to that moment, but we just have to wait and see." Optimus cooed as he looked up at the moon with his daughter. Yes, Love was a strange power; it can appear from unsuspecting places or people, but one thing was for certain, Love can be the greatest force in the galaxy; bringing to halves together as one, for better or for worse. And that was what Love had done for Maria and Optimus Prime.

*Authors Note*

(WHOO HOO! I FINISHED! IT IS DONE! I cannot believe that it had taken me almost an entire year to finish, but it is definitely a triumph I will treasure forever. However, this story could have never gotten this far without all of your help. Your comments have encouraged me to continue on and on until this very chapter. So, I thank everyone who has read this story form the very moment it was posted. I would also like to thank my friends GoldGuardian2418, newbienovelistRD, EmeraldMoonGem, MissCHSparkles, and BBPRIMEFAN101 for aiding me in this story that all of you have come to adore. However, don't think that this is the last time you have heard of Maria, because she will still be around in some short stories that I've go planned for her. Once more, I thank all of you for your un-ending support. Sparkling Lover out!)