Author's Note: Thank you, everyone, for your kind reviews on the last chapter. There were two reviewers who posted a review, but I wasn't able to respond to them privately for some reason. I won't call them out, but your words were moving and heartfelt. Thank you.

Also, I'm fucking around with continuity a little. You'll see why.

.o.

Sam couldn't move. Couldn't think. Couldn't do anything but watch as Shockwave commanded the death of Que. The soft brush of that bright Spark as it passed through him shocked him to tears. Guilt rushed through him because all he could think about was that his Bumblebee, his brother, his closest friend, was staring right at him. He couldn't even be bothered with Que's death, even as Ratchet mourned.

~Sam. Don't. Move. Don't give yourself away.~

Barricade was working swiftly to find a way to make this work without killing his beloved, all while reassuring Sam and Bumblebee.

~In position.~

Barricade shoved Bumblebee to yellow knees, leveling his rifle to the back of the mech's head.

~Take the shot.~

Sam shoved his knuckles against his mouth to keep a scream, a shout, a sob from escaping.

~Shit, if you'd stop moving for half a minute then we can!~

He couldn't tell who was talking to who anymore.

~I don't care if it's messy; take the Primus-slagged shot! We're out of time!~

Barricade's optics exploded in shards of red and small flames. He roared in very real and unfeigned pain, stumbling to one side while flinging stubby doorwings out to gain an idea of what was around him.

Hell broke loose, with snipers taking mechs out left and right at the weak points. Bumblebee turned and incapacitated Barricade at the knees, keeping him down and out of the fight. And if anyone saw him turn off sensors to kill the pain of four optics taken out by two very well-placed shots from an unknown weapon, it was left unremarked upon.

Shockwave and Soundwave led a swift retreat with a handful of grunt-level Decepticons that remained mobile. Most of the mechs who had been able to enjoy a public execution of one of the most effective Autobots were taken out by more shots from above, some with heavy ordnance from a plasma cannon that ripped through armor. A seeker dropped to the ground with dark wings folding carefully out of the way of return fire, getting a few good shots in at the Decepticon general, green optics narrowed while he took a heavy scan to ensure that they were safe for the moment. "Sam!"

"Faustus!" Sam and Carly crawled out of the upended vehicle, gathering with the young Seeker Protectorate around Barricade and Bumblebee. Lennox and the NEST operative that had berated Sam's use of Will's first name were also standing close to the yellow scout. "Cade, you look like slag. Think your cover's blown?"

The NEST operative was staring at Sam's nonchalance around what had been a mech that caused countless problems for the Autobots. According to the documents that he had read, Barricade was often painted as a raging (if high-functioning) sociopath.

"Entirely possible, boy. But if the end of this Primus-forsaken war is at hand, I couldn't give a single slag."

The human Prime made a noise of agreement before taking another couple steps closer, letting the energy of his Matrix soothe Barricade's frazzled field. "I think we're all pretty damn tired of this war."

"So. Officially, before my self-repair takes me offline, I'm requesting sanctuary until all the bullshit is sorted out."

Sam grinned, reaching up and gripping the edge of one deadly hand. "You got it, big guy. Rest up, we'll see you when you online again."

The hand gently squeezed around Sam's before relaxing into stasis. Bumblebee folded his lover's limbs close to his body, carefully restraining him for an easier transport back behind lines. It was a maneuver that most NEST operatives had seen the Autobots do for each other out of habit, and it confused the man standing beside Lennox.

The young Primes saw the confusion, and Sam took a half-step forward. "So. Before you go running off, what's your name?"

"Lieutenant Joel Carver."

Sam grinned and nodded, thumbing towards the downed 'Con. "That's Bee's boyfriend, Barricade. Long-time mole for the Autobots." He looked to Lennox, who grinned broadly.

"Carver, you are a witness to his plea for sanctuary; I'm assigning you to ensure his safety behind lines and as interference for any non-Cybertronian inquiries about his origins."

"Non-Cybertronian . . . not non-Autobot?"

Still grinning, resettling the backpack, Sam began moving again. "He's quick, Will! Keep him alive!"

"Yeah, and where are you going?"

"To stop that asshole from bringing a second planet into our orbit!"

Of course, that was when the goddamned mother ship right above him decided to do a gravity check.

.o.

Soundwave dove around the side of the building furthest away from the control pillar, away from the gunfire that had herded the Decepticons back to this location. :Lord Megatron.:

:Do it.:

He uplinked with the control pillar, thankfully having had his hands on it for enough time as it took to hand it from its case to Sentinel. It had been enough time to code a backdoor into the quantum machine. Carefully and skillfully avoiding the fallen Prime's connection with the pillar, Soundwave began the hack. Just a minor adjustment here . . . the normal burnt relay there, when the relay was actually in perfect working condition . . . forcing inch by inch his hold closer to his goal.

If Sentinel found him, the wily old mech would destroy his mind.

Soundwave had better not get caught.

Sudden gunfire almost drew him out of the hack, but he pushed his hands against his audios and shut off his visual sensors. The former Enforcer used Sentinel's distraction to the battle at street level to make his push, take control, and code.

He had almost fully succeeded.

Until Sentinel realized with a roar that he was in the pillar.

Soundwave curled his body around Spark and Processor, his back to the wall of the building to protect that avenue to his life-force. He focused every ion of his being to defending himself, his very coding, from Sentinel's wrath, continuing to distract and recode as an instinctual subroutine. He could feel Sentinel reaching for the coding handholds that Shockwave had created, then falter when there was nothing there to hold. He struck in that moment of confusion, going right for the optic nerve coding and ravaging it. Sentinel had reverted the coding before a sparkpulse passed, but Soundwave was already at his next target: gyros.

And so the battle of minds went until Optimus came crashing in, shooting at the cupola that held the control pillar.

Leaving Sentinel to focus entirely on Soundwave.

With a keen, the mech realized that he had lost.

.o.

"Decepticons, restart those pillars!"

Sam was already running to keep that very thing from happening, leaving Carly behind the lines. She knew that he was more capable of handling parts of this situation. Laserbeak moaned by her ear, the sound soft and forlorn.

"What? What is it?"

"My master, Soundwave . . . I can't feel him!"

Carly had started moving before the wail had finished, scrambling over and around the debris of a warzone. She knew who could help or signal for more help to come their way. "You! Sentinel's bitch!"

Megatron tore his gaze away from his homeworld above, movements exhausted and pained. "Oh. Come to beg for mercy?"

"Soundwave's down."

Roaring into the Prime Cloud, Megatron made a query, saw the result, and outlined a quick plan, getting instant approval from Prowl of all mechs! "Not for long! With me! We may need Laserbeak!" He reached down, then realized what it would look like if he was seen carrying her. "Run. I'll follow you. I will not hurt you, Prime's Consort."

"Better not. Sam will kick your ass." And with Laserbeak's guidance, they were running, Megatron playing up the weary, wartorn mech as he stumbled and made false grabs at the little human. It was pathetic, and he didn't care who saw it. Optimus had Sentinel's almost-full attention, which gave them cover to rescue the Decepticon officer.

When they found him, it was almost too late. Megatron put a geo-marker into the cloud with visuals for when backup arrived, then looked around for anything that could help them. "He's locked in his processors; Sentinel most likely trapped him while they were battling for the control pillar. I do not have the mind to break him out."

"He'll die! I can hear his fans, and I shouldn't hear those!" Carly screamed.

Megatron reached down to brush his rusting fingers along Soundwave's arms, which were protecting his helm. "It is an unfortunate side-effect of war, youngling. I am sorry I will not have him at my side when Cybertron is reborn. He was a good friend."

Carly sank to her knees, unbinding Laserbeak from her back. He hobbled over to his master, his carrier, keening the entire time. Carly couldn't help the tears that fell from her face at this. She had only started to get to know the mech, and even if he was an evil Decepticon, he had shown her kindness and consideration. He had protected her. He had helped Sam and Optimus and the Autobots.

She reached up, resting her hand upon the back of one of his own. "I wanted to know him better."

"I assure you, he wanted the same," Megatron murmured, soul-sick of this war. He looked up at his planet again as a noise hit his audios. "The pillars have been reactivated."

"Earth will . . . it will be destroyed?"

"No. But it will never be the same."

"Y'c'n say that again! Megs, move!" A silver form darted in from the alleys, careful not to be seen.

He was followed by a green mech that threw arms up. "Hologram in place, sir!"

"Hound!" Carly gasped. "But you were on Mars!"

"And miss this? Bullshit! Bondmate's incoming, Jazz!"

Prowl, never far behind his Prime, grinned and began pulling medic-grade hardline cables from his subspace. "Good! Megatron, keep guard! Jazz, Mirage and I are going to daisy-chain to get Soundwave's mind free."

"You . . ."

"We've got The Cure," Jazz growled, face splitting in a broad grin. They had finished the programming to extract the last hold of Shockwave's nasty creation from any mind, no matter how deeply the programming had penetrated. "Carly, Laserbeak, need ya two ta back up. We dunno how this's gonna affect Sounders."

"He's my master! I won't leave him!" But the bird was weak with grief, and he was easily bundled into Carly's arms. She kissed his helm, stroked along sensitive nares and beak, taking slow steps back while Jazz and Prowl moved in, unlocking the medical port under Soundwave's arm, glad that he had left that point of his frame unguarded. Perhaps even he hoped that he would not die today.

Mirage skidded through the hologram, under Megatron's cannon, and paused only long enough to put out a flame on his arm and to kiss his Bondmate's cheek. "You."

Hound grinned. "Me."

It seemed to be a greeting that they had done many, many times, and Carly smiled at her new Guardian. "Bring back Soundwave."

"Happily, Lady Consort." He winked and took the outstretched cable, plugging himself into the daisy-chain and assisting Prowl and Jazz.

Carly didn't see much more of the fight from that point, knowing that it would be safer here while they retrieved Soundwave from his own mind. Megatron's gasp as he stared up froze her and Hound as they followed his gaze. Cybertron was entering a second bridge.

Soundwave onlined with a roar, thrashing and startling, looking around and seeing Megatron, Laserbeak . . . "Prowl. Jazz. Mirage."

"You're going to need a full code defrag and a medic to look at some of your fragged codes later," Prowl replied, voice soft as he, too, was staring up at the double-bridge.

"Where's it going?" Megatron moaned, weakly leaning against a building in shock. "Home! Where's it going?!"

Soundwave exvented, leaning heavily against the building. "It worked."

Whirling on his second, Megatron roared into the tired face, "Where did you send Cybertron?! How?!"

Soundwave pulled up a hologram, projecting it from his wrist. "Halfway between Earth and Mars. Cybertron is safe, Lord Protector Megatron. Cybertron is safe!"

But Megatron wasn't listening.

He could feel Optimus losing. His need for Cybertron had paled against his need for his brother, his Prime.

Barreling out of the alleyway, startling many of the fallen and incapacitated warriors, Megatron aimed himself towards where his brother lay on the bridge. One blue and red arm had been entirely ripped off, with massive damage done to his other shoulder cause pain and limit his motions. Slowing to aim his cannon, he got one shot off to Sentinel's torso.

A silver blur to his right startled him, but he grinned as his battle-computer tagged the mech as a friendly.

"Sentinel!" Terratron roared, drawing his mace and sword without pausing in his charge. Humans were scattering, shocked yells warning everyone back. "Your reign ends now!"

Megatron continued to lay down cover fire, keeping other Decepticons out of the fight and away from his brother and mentor. He came to a stop between Optimus and Sentinel, gun aimed carefully at the red plating. Jazz came to a roaring halt beside him, tossing him a fresh plasma pack to charge his weapon, covering while he reloaded.

Prowl was a blur of deadly motion as he danced into the fray, face a placid mask while he and Terratron began the process of taking Sentinel down. Every motion was reciprocal between the Lord Protectors; where one paused or stepped, the other followed through with a new attack.

Two mechs whose very Sparks were broken by the actions of this one mech.

"Jazz. Are you broadcasting?" Megatron asked softly, turning on his heel and firing over Optimus' helm to take out a mech who tried to come at them from the water.

"No. Blaster is."

"Blaster?"

"Mech can still be on another planet and hack in to this planet's media, but I'm not asking questions. He's not our most lawfully-good of our operatives. Optimus?"

"I'm out," the mech grunted, managing to lever himself to a wobbly half-sitting position. Several of his gyros and proprioception sensors were entirely fucked from the fight. Megatron gave a careful tug to get him balanced, hardly glancing down while he kept an eye on their six. He didn't have to watch the death of the mech who had caused the very war that would soon be finished.

"The boy?" Megatron queried.

"Safe, with his Protectorate," Jazz replied.

"Good."

He felt the mood of the battle shift and change. Turning, he caught the sight of Prowl decapitating Sentinel with a clean sweep of a vibroblade, his other hand crushing the sparkchamber. Shocked silence fell on the battlefield. It really shouldn't have left the minds of his Decepticons that Optimus' second-in-command was fully capable of every form of death and dismemberment that their culture had to offer. He stayed behind lines to help direct the flow of battle, because his mind was his primary resource, but that did not mean that he was useless when in the thick of battle.

Letting the frame fall to the bridge deck, he took two steps back, turned in a military formation, and saluted to both Megatron and Optimus, his voice carrying. "My Lord Prime and Lord Protector. I have returned the dissenter and fallen Prime to the Maker. His influence in our war as originator and instigator is over."

"You have our gratitude," Megatron growled, putting his weapons away in a show of peace. "Where is Shockwave?"

"Terminated," a human voice called as they arrived with Bumblebee. It was the other human Prime. "My team personally saw to it."

"Well met, Colonel Lennox," Megatron nodded to the man before turning and hauling Optimus to his feet, keeping a steady hand around the wavering mech.

Optimus took a moment to gather himself, optics only for their teacher. "Terratron, Lord Protector."

"Yes, my Lord Prime," Terratron knelt gracefully, bowing his head.

"I charge you with guarding Sentinel's Matrix until the next Prime rises."

"It will be my honor."

"Samuel, AllSpark Prime. Retrieve the Matrix."

Sam strode forward from Bumblebee's side, fearless as he stood beside the fallen frame of a mech who had very nearly brought Earth to ruin. He reached his hand forward, calling the sand-form Matrix from its vessel. He felt its tug towards its new Bearer, and he gasped. "Oh, fuck me."

Surprise ricocheted through the Prime Cloud to echo his own as he turned, Matrix glowing in hand, raising it to his chest level and bowing his head over it. They hadn't heard the whisper, just felt his complete shock. ~Are you certain?~

~Yes. Our new world will need him, will need to show balance.~

Sam turned to the still-gathering mechs, Autobot and Decepticon alike.

~Who shall be his Protectorate?~

With a burst of love from the Source, Sam knew.

He smiled, curled the Matrix to his chest for another embrace, and called out in a voice that carried over murmurs from tired soldiers, "The Matrix has chosen its next Bearer and Protectorate."

The murmurs died away. Faustus made a careful landing upon the curved arch parapet, standing to Sam's left. Optimus leaned a little more on his Lord Protectorate, weary Spark finding solace in Megatron's energy field. He could feel where the Matrix was reaching but didn't dare give it away. No, this was strictly Samuel's responsibility as the AllSpark.

Sam raised his hand with the Matrix in it, holding it out. "Soundwave, the choice is yours to make. You are chosen as Prime-elect; do you wish to take up the duties and office of Prime?"

.o.

Closing Note:Dad's death retriggered a deep PTSD and Depression resurgence, which has made life very difficult. My husband has been unfailingly supportive in my recovery, which has included a little dog named Freja, who is in training to be my PTSD Service Dog. You can follow us and our training on Instagram at . while my regular IG is SineadRivka, as usual.

Be aware, I'm a legal medical marijuana user, so if you don't like cannabis usage as medicine, you're either going to have to just deal with the occasional pictures of weed, or choose not to follow me. It's the only medication that is effective that still lets me feel emotions instead of giving me brain fog and dulling all emotional responses.

Song is: Propane Nightmares by Pendulum.