Epilogue

Sunlight stabbed into my eyelids, I'd forgotten to close the drapes over my window last night. I honestly couldn't think of a better alarm clock. I rolled out of bed, but my blankets were tangled around my legs and I fell on the floor with a heavy thud.

I kicked free, and after muttering a few choice words, pulled on some clean clothes (I hope) and went downstairs. I took the steps two at a time and snagged a box of cereal out of a cabinet, pouring myself a bowl. But the box was almost empty and didn't yield nearly enough to fill it, woe is me. I threw it away and grabbed a couple different kinds of cereal, deciding to treat today's breakfast like it came from a Coke Freestyle machine.

I spooned a bit of it into my mouth and after a second of deliberating if Fruit Loops went with Cocoa Puffs or Cheerios, began to wolf it down.

"Morning!" Melody exclaimed, followed by something that sounded unmistakably like she was sliding down the banister.

"Mom said you're not allowed to do that," I gave her a look over my shoulder.

She pouted at me and swung her legs over the edge of it far more gracefully than I had gotten out of bed. "Mommy isn't here."

Then where is she?" I asked behind a mouthful of food.

"That's disgusting."

"So are you."

She gave me a superior look, "Now I won't tell you where she is."

I sighed and dropped my spoon into my bowl with a splash of milk that somehow reached my face. "Mel, is she at least on Earth?"

She crossed her arms and looked the other way. "She's going shopping. Someone's here to see you."

"I'm sorry I said that you're disgusting," I apologized reluctantly, picking up my spoon again. "You know I didn't mean it."

She turned to face me, a sly smile playing across her mouth. "Sorry enough to gimme a sucker?"

I smirked playfully, "Maybe a sucker punch. C'mere, you!" I pushed my now-empty owl away and ran after her as she giggled and whipped around a corner. She took a wrong turn and ended back up in the living room again, which was connected to the kitchen. "I've got you!" I exclaimed, and caught her, tickling her sides. She shrieked between frenzied giggles and tried to jab my sides with her fingers, but I twisted out of her reach.

My dad suddenly walked into the room and I let go of Melody in surprise. "Dad?" His brown, greying hair glinted in the light from the lamp across the room and he pushed his glasses back up his nose, straightening his shirt like Jean-Luc Picard from Star Trek.

"You're under arrest!" he drew two finger-guns and joined us. This time, embarrassingly, I was the one shrieking on the floor.

"Dad, cut it out!" I gasped, "I'm a lot older than Mel, too old for this!" he let up, grinning boyishly. "When did you get home?"

"Late last night," he stood and offered his hands to help me and my sister up. We took them, and by some unspoken agreement, pulled him down with us. Melody climbed on top of him, her hair getting into her mouth. "Ha! I win! Take me to the kitchen for breakfast, noble speed!"

I poked her, "It's noble steed, genius."

She blew me a raspberry as Dad crawled toward the kitchen with her on his back. "This is the best ride ever!" she squealed.

"Try riding in a jet. He's really, really fast." I grinned, expecting my dad to ask about what I was implying.

He didn't, and gave me a knowing look instead. "Your mother and I talked last night, and she brought me up to speed with everything that's been going on of late."

"Were you up the whole night?" I asked dryly.

"Something like that," he pushed his glasses up his nose again.

"I almost thought it was all a dream," I breathed. "You know what? I'll go get yesterday's mail while I process this."

"Sure thing."

I went and got the mail, then went back inside and began to leaf through it.

"What came?" my dad asked, glancing over at me.

"Nothing much, spam, a letter from our insurance company—looks like premiums are cheaper, that's great," I sifted through the envelopes in my hands, "more spam, jeez, haven't these people ever heard of email?" Let's see…" I trailed off as my fingers found a work package at the bottom. I set the other mail down on the kitchen countertop and looked more closely at the package in my hands.

It had my name on the front of it in sloppy English, like it'd been written by someone who had been rushed when learning how to write it. I carefully turned it over, weighing it in my hands. It was heavier than our normal mail, maybe two or three pounds—four at the most. There was no return address.

"Whatcha got there?" My dad asked, his glasses slipping down his nose as he leaned over.

"Not sure yet," I replied absently.

Piqued, I tore open the top, sifting through its contents. My fingers brushed something smooth and I pulled out a thin, unmarked envelope. I tore its top open as well, and a picture fell out into my hands. I gazed at it in wonder, my heart soaring.

It depicted Will and I standing and grinning at the photographer (thanks, Mom) in the palm of a silver Seeker: Starscream. Seven stood on his left. I could tell the twins apart by the telltale red stripes on the clone's wings and the streak of black down Starscream's right side, as well as his newly blue optics. Other than that, they were identical, both grinning in the same impish way with their helms cocked slightly at the camera. I chuckled softly to myself, remembering my reaction. Because they had put the shrink ray to use, I was able to tackle Starscream on my front steps. Seven got a kick out of that and practically had to drag me off his flustered twin once he'd managed to stop cracking up at his happy predicament.

On the right of Starscream stood Optimus, Ultra Magnus, Bumblebee, and then Smokescreen. On Seven's left were Knock Out, Ratchet, Bulkhead, Wheeljack, and last but not least, Arcee. Everyone was smiling, including the Prime and Magnus, but the corners of their mouths were only turned up ever so slightly. Jack, Miko, and Raf waved from Arcee, Bulkhead, and Bumblebee's servos. Their hands were blurred streaks, frozen in time. The entire photo was such a perfect scene of camaraderie, it was impossible for me not to grin with them.

I eagerly flipped it over, hoping to find a message of some sort like a postcard, but there was nothing. I slipped it back into its envelope and retreated with the picture and the rest of the package to the front steps outside my house for more privacy. I closed the front door behind me and plopped down onto the top step.

Impatient, I upended the package and shook it, making sure everything came out. A strange device with slightly dented sides clasttered to the cement. I picked it up, running my fingers over its smooth surfaces and the seams where they met. The space bridge remote, I realized with shock. Ratchet and Knock Out had enlisted Shockwave's help and together, the three of them had converted the ground bridge remote into a space bridge remote with the readily available Decepticon technology in their spare time, or so I had heard.

I pressed a button on the side to turn it on, and a message flashed on the screen in bright letters. It read:

Keep in touch, kid.

-SS

Elated, I hurriedly stuffed it back in the package and bolted into my house. My dad looked up, sensing my excitement. "Oh, what was it?" he smiled.

"A letter from my friend, you know, the one who moved?" I said breathlessly, grinning ear-to-ear.

"I think. What's his name again?"

"His real name or nickname?" I simpered.

My dad cocked his head at me for a second in thought, "Nickname."

"Star."

"Why?"

"Why not?"

"No, why did he send a letter?" he asked.

I gave him a knowing look, "Well, he wants me to visit."

My dad took his glasses off and closed them with a flick of his wrist. "And what are we thinking?"

"Is that even a question?" I shot back.

"How far away does he live?"

"I have a phone number for NASA."

"Oh, that friend," he grinned, suddenly understanding.

I pulled out my cell, selected one of my contacts, and put it to my ear. "Hey, Will? Tony? I've got great news."

A/N: And so it ends. It was quite the ride for me, nearly a two-year-long roller coaster. I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did, and if you do, let me know in the reviews. Because it really, really was a blast. So thanks for reading it, and maybe check out the prologue again. ;)

Also, a cool song to listen to that sometimes makes me think of this story is "One Foot" (the Captain Cuts remix) by WALK THE MOON. "I got your back if you got mine..."