Disclaimer : I don't own it.

Note : Sorry about the lateness of the update, but I was trying to deal with something. Not to mention, I pulled my back, working on the sheep, so I'm in pain whenever I turn wrong. -.-' Add to that a cold, and appointments coming out the wazoo...

Anywho, on a side note: I don't mind if someone wants to borrow an idea, a character, or quotes from my story. I'd be quite flattered, actually, but I recently had someone literally copy and paste the first four chapters for her own story, only changing names of characters and the alternate mode. When I messaged her, asking her to change it, I got no reply. I will never give permission to copy my story, unless it remains unposted and for your own enjoyment. If anyone would like to borrow the idea, let me know. I'm happy to sit down and hash out ideas with you to make it your own story.

But I don't steal stories, even accidentally, and I don't condone it being done. I'm a firm believer of treating others how you would want to be treated. I don't do it to you, definitely not on purpose (accidents can happen, but let me know if they do and I'll take my story down, no questions asked), so I would hope no one would do it to me.

Anywho, back to the final chapter of the story, and thank you to everyone who stuck with me!

(Two Days Later, Normal POV)

He felt like slag.

No, scratch that, he'd felt worse.

It helped that he had his femme there, staring at him with wide optics. Never had he seen such a beautiful sight. Then, of course, he really took in what she was wearing, made a comment about the amount of skin she'd been showing, and nearly offlined when she began to laugh.

Now, it was two days later, he'd been released, after he swore to Jolt he'd take it easy. And then had to threaten said mech with a wrench. His femme hadn't left his side for an instant. Something he was more than happy with. He'd also been forbidden to run around, fixing damaged mechs in his state.

Considering none were really damaged, he was fine with that as well.

Even now, he found his internal temperatures rising, but he couldn't find it in him to complain. Sunfire had been left with her adopted family, Rika, Jazz and Moonfrost, for the day, leaving him and his mate time together, and it seemed his mate was more than happy to make full use of that time.

"Don't. You. Ever. Do. That. Again!" Each word was punctuated by a kiss to the repaired section of his chest, a few landing on rather sensitive wires. She nuzzled her face lightly along the area, sending a delicious heat through his body. "You. Scared. Me." The scolding was hard for his processor to pick up on, between the gentle yet powerful kisses to those same sensitive wires.

He opened his mouth, to say...to say... Well, ok, his processor was completely blank. All he knew was his spark was throbbing in his chest, and every kiss caused something within him to coil tighter and tighter. "Bella..." The husky tone of his own voice startled him slightly, but her hands only clutched harder at the ridges in his armor.

Then her fingers slipped in between cracks in his armor, finding and brushing against cables, and causing his back to arch as fresh heat burst through his body. "Ah!" He cried out, shaking a little as his processor seemed to stutter. "B-Bella!"

She paused, pulling away, and he mentally cursed saying anything at all. Looking down, into her large, worried blue optics, he frowned and shook his head. "You didn't do anything wrong." The heat seemed to rise once again, but this time for a totally different reason. He let out a stuttering breath, and shivered as he felt her own warm breath caressing the still highly sensitive panel over his spark.

She opened her mouth, then tilted her head. Trailing her fingers over the panel over his chest, she stared into his optics, watching his reaction as he shivered and seemed to vent harder. Suddenly, a new look came to her optics, and her lip plates twitched upwards. She reached for the panels, where her fingers had slipped in between, before, and allowed them to do so again.

Feeling around, she found a small bump hidden just under the edge of his armor, attached to his protoform. She ran her fingers over it lightly, and was rewarded with Ratchet arching into her touch, a strange, garbled sound emitting from his vocalizer.

Instantly, he knew he was in trouble, as a new mischevious look crossed her features. "Bella..."

She giggled and leaned down once again, pressing her lip plates to his armor.

(Bella's POV)

At first, I didn't know whether to be angry or happy. When Ratchet woke up, a small part of me was afraid to believe it. I almost pinched myself, to see if this was a dream. Seeing his eyes on me, shining dimly but shining all the same, I felt the relief swell up inside me. As much as I wanted to, I couldn't be angry at him.

Instead, I settled for following him everywhere he went, making sure nothing happened to him again. And I was one of the ones who forebade him from doing any medical work until he was stronger, much to his...surprising acceptance.

Now, here I was, cherishing every inch of him before me. I was lying on top of him, in his private quarters, careful to keep my weight off his chest -which Jolt had warned me would be exceptionally sensitive for a few weeks- and I was kissing him lightly, over and over, and thanking Primus he was alright.

I didn't think much of my actions, so when it struck me his body was burning hot, and he seemed to be nearly writhing beneath me, I hesitated. My fingers slipped into a crack on his armor. I didn't think much of that, either. I saw it like playing with the hem of a shirt, and toying with the strip of flesh underneath it, to put it in more human terms.

So when he cried out, I very nearly stumbled off him in shock.

Oh God, did I hurt him? I stared down at him, frozen solid and unable to move. I watched as he blinked, his bright, ocean blue optics shining far brighter than usual and way more intensely, I felt my own body heating in response. Even being an Autobot, I could by now recognize a look of lust in his features. Realizing that I hadn't hurt him, I began to experiment, trying to figure out what felt good to him.

He seemed to like it when I kissed his chest lightly, so I leaned down, trailing my metallic lip plates over the surface, and pausing when I felt a strage...almost magnetic electrical pulse. It zapped at my lips, like warm, soft static, almost pulling me down to him. Right in front of my eyes, I watched the newly made catches to his chest plating as they seemed to snap open, a bright light issuing forth from his spark.

"Bella..." Ratchet was breathing heavily, and his hand came up to catch mine, which I hadn't been paying attention to.

Turning to look, I pressed my fingers against that bump I'd felt earlier, and almost caressing it, causing him to buck almost right off the table. His chest plates began to part, and I became aware of a heat in my own chest. An uncomfortable pressure. Giving in to the desire to release that pressure, I looked down as my own chest plates parted.

"If we do this...we will be sparkmated. It is forever." The warning had me looking up, seeing a wary look in Ratchet's eyes. I must have been frowning, because he closed his eyes and seemed to struggle to word himself properly. "Sparkmating...is for as long as we both exist. There is no...separation...or 'divorce'." He clicked and whistled, only a couple of words I really understood.

"So...do you not want me forever?" If I really stopped to think about it, true love? Love that lasted forever? It was an intimidating concept, but I was more than ready to give my entire being to Ratchet. That thought alone, and my protective cover over my spark popped up, and slid to the side.

He frowned a moment, and opened his mouth to say something. Then his eyes locked on my chest, and he just stared. I couldn't help but giggle, causing my chest to heave with the huffing breaths, and causing his stare to grow even more intense, before he snapped his eyes shut. "Bella, that's not what I meant." He then grimaced. "I just... Humans are not well known for their track record in relationships."

I frowned now, my spark retreating back into it's chamber as hurt filled me. But I'm not human anymore. However, as true as that statement might be, I knew it would do little to reassure him. "So you don't think I wanna spend forever with you." It wasn't a question. I couldn't blame him. I mean, humans weren't known for their ever lasting relationships. It was sad, it was painful, but it was damn true and I wasn't going to ignore it.

I mean sure, I understood that some people believe in true love, and that they can love someone forever. Hell, I was one of those people. Yet everywhere I looked, people were arguing, breaking up, falling out of love it seemed. No, I didn't blame Ratchet for his words, his thoughts.

But that didn't mean it didn't hurt all the same.

His chest was open only slightly and I leaned back down, pressing my lips to the newly painted armor as I sighed, feeling his shiver. "We're not all like that, Ratchet." Fingers pressed along the seams of my chest plates, keeping them from closing, and I jumped at the unexpected touch, looking down in surprise. "Ratchet...?"

"I am not rejecting you, Bella." His eyes were fixed firmly on my face, even as his fingers trailed over the sensitive edges in my armor, causing me to shiver and press against him in reponse. "I was merely making sure this is what you wanted."

I stared into his eyes a long moment, before leaning up, making sure to drag my body against his, and capturing his lips. I heard and felt the hiss he let out, even as he kissed me back, and one of his hands wrapped strongly around my waist.

Suddenly, I began to giggle hysterically. Even as Ratchet pulled back and gave me an odd look, I was shaking my head, my body vibrating against his from the force of my laughter. "I'm sorry...!" I gasped and laughed again, biting my lip when he groaned and his hold tightened on me. "It's just..." A few more giggles erupted from me, and I sank down, shakily kissing his chest again, and toying gently with the open clasps. "I kinda feel like Mikeala." He frowned, and I busted up laughing again.

"No!" I shook my head, tracing around the edge of the clasp. "At the end of the first movie, at the lookout? Mikeala was laying half on Sam, on Bumblebee's hood?" A look of recognition flashed across his eyes and I nodded before exaggeratingly glancing down at our intertwined bodies. "Does this position look familiar to you at all?" I slid up his body again, kissing him gently.

"I find..." He was breathing heavily, holding me to him tightly, with a rather heated look in his eyes. "My processor is otherwise occupied." Blinking, he reached up and pulled my face to his, pressing his lip plates against mine and kissing me so deeply, all thought fled.

As I gave over to the kiss, I felt my chest plates parting once again, and my spark easing from it's chamber. I felt the subtle resistance as it brushed against Ratchet's chest, and jolted as the heat and same magnetic electrical pulse shot through me. I gasped, even as Ratchet threw his head back, inhaling sharply. Beneath me, I could feel his chest plates separating.

"This will-ah!" Ratchet shuddered sharply, his intakes working overtime to bring enough oxygen into his systems to keep him online. His eyes were glazed and bright with desire and his voice more throaty and rough. "This will be...intense."

I laughed a little, the sweeping pulsating pleasure carrying me off in it's embrace. "Everything with you...is intense." I gasped, arching down, as red hot fire coursed through me. I couldn't help but groan, shaking, my body feeling electrified and weak, a strange hazy feeling filling me.

He pulled me towards him, claiming my lip plates with his own, and the first brush of our sparks hit me, causing me to gasp and arch into the brushing sensation. Leaning into him, I heard Ratchet groan deeply, and watched his head tilt back, bearing his neck cables to me. With a smirk, I leaned in and gently bit at them, causing his body to buck, and our sparks to press even closer together.

As they merged, everything faded away.

(Two Months Later)

I giggled and hopped up onto the berth, before sticking my tongue out at Rika. Watching as she grimaced and awkardly tried to hold onto the sparklings, I found myself laughing.

"Yeah, yeah, yuck it up."

"Don't mind if I do." I giggled again as Sunfire tried to climb over her shoulder, and Moonfrost was half sticking out from under her armor. "It's not my fault you're practically the Cybertronian personification of a harried babysitter." I giggled at her face. "Better than the snow hoe look."

"Snow hoe?" Sunfire turned to me, her voice soft, sweet and high, as she tilted her head a little.

"No, hun, that's an adult thing." I shook my head at her, and she nodded, already grasping the concept of what was for children to know, and what was for adults. I love sparklings. They make raising babies seem so easy. I bit my tongue hard to keep back a bark of laughter as Rika yelped and jumped, and Moonfrost whistled with wide optics. Well...depending on the sparkling.

She shot me a warning look, a furious glare on her features, only to be marred by the sparkle of amusement in her eyes. Even with how much babysitting took out of us, we both readily admitted we adored the sparklings, and did it happily.

"Any word on Punisher?" Ironhide and Chromia's sparkling had been a surprise. When the purple triplet wandered into the med bay with her hands over her spark and murmured about carrying, Ratchet had accidentally sawed off two of his fingers. Hence, why he was currently not here for the examination. Wheeljack had him secured somewhere while they reattached the digits.

But yeah, the sparkling was definitely a surprise. The name...? Considering who named him? Not so much.

"Who the hell names their sparkling 'Punisher'?" Rika tilted her head a little, before catching the look in Jolt's eyes and giggling. "Right, don't ever ask that in front of Ironhide."

"Puni!"

I cracked up laughing, and Jolt and Rika joined me. Both of the girls had taken to calling Punisher 'Puni' for short. They even pronounced it Pew-knee. That poor little mech. Even worse, poor Ironhide when he realized what he'd set that poor itty bitty mech up for, looked ready for a literal 'facepalm' moment.

"Alright, if you'll open your spark chamber, please."

I smirked at Jolt, who seemed to be a little awkward when peeking into femme spark chambers. "I'm flattered, hon, but I have a mech I'm very happy with." I joked, giggling as his eyes widened and he shook his head violently. I rubbed lightly at the ring on my finger, that Ratchet had given me, still perplexed on how he got it. Then I thought of Primus, and smiled. Thank you. "Relax, I'm joking." I willed open my chest plates, even as I lost myself in thought. Actually, I'm only half joking. The truth of the situation was I had a mech I did love very much. A mech I was happy with.

The bonding was new to me, but the sense of completion, of happiness... Those were easy to get used to. I always knew when he was calling for me, or what he was feeling, which also took a lot to get used to. At least, on the upside, I wasn't the only one.

That was a nice feeling. I mean, sure, things weren't all smooth. The Government was still on about the human-turned-Cybertronians, especially when they learned one of the Decepticons had been a male, before one of the Autobots offlined him in the Egyptian battle. Likewise, Decepticons were still out there, including Soundwave. And let's not even get into the fact that there was speculation about a third movie up and coming in my universe.

Who knew what the future would bring? But...As long as I had my mech, my family, and my friends, I knew we'd find a way to get through it. There was nothing we couldn't handle.

"Congratulations. You're carrying." Jolt's eyes were wide as he leaned back.

Except...maybe that.

Note :Yes, this is the end. My muse is fluttering in the wind and has been for some time. At least I finished this freakin' story, and it's even better than the last attempt (The Shards). At least, in my opinion. Yes, I realize I left it open. What about Barricade? Soundwave? The Decepticons? The sparklings? The third movie?

We'll see some other day. Right now, I have my Sunstreaker-centric story I'm working on, and it's going to be a fairly long one, I believe. I could probably start posting it at any time, but if my muse dies out on me while I'm still writing it, I'm gonna peeve off a lot of readers. -.-' I'm in the 50-something chapter range so far, and it's looking good (and vaguely reminiscent of 'Science and Fiction', which I don't own.), but I still have SOOO much to dooooo...

So, should I post the first chapter? Or shouldn't I? That is the question.

Written : Feb 21, 2010

Hope you like it.

R+R Please

Thank you

Tenshi