A Change of Spark
Chapter 4: Starex Part 2

"Meet me on Dinobot Island tonight, alone Starscream. Or this one faces the same fate as your son." Starex smirked cruelly at the look of fear that came to Starscream's features, but couldn't bask in the moment long as another wave of agony wrenched a pained moan from his vocalizer. Tightening his grip on his hostages, Starex ignited his thrusters and took off.

As he flew over the city, the annoying youngling spoke up, "He won't come ya know."

Starex gave the Autobot a cold stare and returned, in an equally icy tone, "He'd better, for your sake."

He balled his clawed servo into a fist then delivered a powerful blow to the yellow Autobot's face. the impact was enough to crack the youngling's right optic and knock him unconscious. Starex chuckled evilly, his pain lessening a bit at the sight of another's.

He landed in a forest clearing for a quick breather and hissed, clutching his chest as pain erupted from his spark chamber once more. "Slag it," he swore, falling to his knees and dropping the Autobot. He moaned in misery as he held himself and tried to ease the pain. "What's happening to me?" he whispered.

The Seeker remained perfectly still and took slow, steady breaths, realizing that as long as he didn't move, the pain lessened to a bearable degree. He remained there for several moments until he was sure he was sure he could continue on. Blitzwing would look him over and find the problem, and Megatron would care for him until he was fixed.

Just like when he first emerged from the incubation chamber.

He would be okay.

That thought in mind, he picked the Autobot youngling back up and stood. He would be okay; he repeated that though over and over again in his mind as he flew…

He would be okay.

XXX

After Starex retreated, the Autobots and Seekers picked themselves up from the pavement and made their way back to base. Ratchet got to work on repairing everyone as the reality of what happened set in.

They were up against a clone of Starscream that was not only completely loyal to Megatron and the Decepticon cause; but had all the Autobots abilities and had taken Bumblebee hostage.

Starscream chose to repair himself and was facing away from the others, but he could still feel their optics on him. Needing to collect his thoughts to figure out a way to stop Starex, he chose not acknowledge them for the time being. Despite having only known Bumblebee for a few weeks, Starscream had grown attached to the youngling. If anything happened to Bumblebee because of him…he had no idea what he'd do.

He hissed as he continued wrapping gauze over a jagged cut on his forearm; in his current state he couldn't do anything for Bumblebee. He needed to regain come of his strength before he could do anything.

"You know I can help you with that," Ratchet stated, getting the Seeker's attention. Starscream didn't miss the acid and fury beneath the medic's calm tone. He blamed Starscream for Bumblebee's current predicament. Unknown to the medic, so did he.

None of this would be happening if it weren't for him.

"I'm fine," Starscream replied in a distant tone. His back still turned to the others, the Seeker spoke to his teacher. "Auron, how would that glitch know so much about me?"

The older Seeker answered, "Do you remember the All Spark fragment you found; the one Blitzwing stole?" Starscream nodded. "That fragment serves as Starex's spark. It gives him life and, at the same time, balances the abilities that now rage within his being. Because you touched it, I assume the fragment absorbed a small piece of you, or your memories in this case."

"Speaking of which," Ratchet began as he finished Optimus' repairs. "You never mentioned you had a son."

Starscream's spark clenched. "It was none of your business."

"Well it sure the frag is now. So what exactly happened to your son?"

"Ratchet," Optimus snapped, "We're all worried about Bumblebee, but—"

"And that's why I think we have a right to know what happened. What can we expect Starex to do to Bumblebee, fly-boy?"

"Enough!" Auron shouted, abandoning his usual calm demure. "As Optimus said, we are all concerned for Bumblebee, but both accusing and interrogating my apprentice won't—"

"No Auron," Starscream interrupted, getting everyone to return their gaze to him. "Ratchet's right…They deserve to know, now." For the first time since their defeat at Starex's claws, Starscream face them. Only now did they see how beaten down the Seeker truly was. His optics were faded and…sad. He saw them, but at the same time he didn't.

Auron bowed his helm for a moment and thought. He knew how hard this would be for Starscream. He knew how much pain the other Seeker would be succumbing himself to by revealing his past…pain neither knew Starscream was capable of bearing yet.

But he was right. The Autobots deserved to know.

He returned his gaze to Starscream and asked, "Are you sure?"

A nod was Starscream's reply.

XXX

Megatron stood outside the Decepticons' makeshift med-bay. A short while ago, Starex had returned with the Autobot youngling and nearly collapsed. He was carried to the medical area and was now being looked over by Blitzwing while Lugnut kept an optic on the still unconscious Autobot.

Before Blitzwing began examining him Starex managed to tell Megatron everything he could about the battle. It was a good thing the Seeker got away and taken a hostage to ensure a rematch with Starscream at least. What troubled Megatron, however, was he didn't have even the faintest inkling as to what happened with the clone's spark and neither did Starex.

A mega-cycle after the clone had been brought in; Blitzwing emerged with a troubled look on his face. "Well?" Megatron began calmly.

The triple-changer shook his head then stated, "To put it simply, my Lord, we've put too much power into one body. No Cybertronian was meant to have so many conflicting abilities."

"What about the All Spark fragment?"

"It's enough to stabilize ze abilities and keep them from destroying him, but not enough to balance them and keep him alive at the same time. My Lord, I beg of you, let me take away some of his abilities. Allow me to stabilize him if I am able. He's useless to us dead."

Megatron glanced inside the med-bay where Starex had gone into recharge to regain some strength, then returned his gaze to Blitzwing and stated, "He's a disposable resource, is he not?"

Blitzwing, only partly surprised by his leader's response, bowed his head and answered, "Yes, Lord Megatron."

"Then there's no need to weaken him. Now repair him; he needs to be at full strength for tonight."

Blitzwing gave a brief nod then went back to attending to Starex while Megatron returned to his throne room.

XXX

The Autobot and Seekers had moved from the medical bay to the living area, each finding a comfortable place while Auron stood beside the couch and Starscream took a place in front of his audience. He crossed his arms and looked at the ground thoughtfully. "…I have no idea where to start," he stated.

Auron offered a gentle smile then said in an encouraging smile, "Begin when you are ready Starscream."

The magenta Seeker off-lined his optics and took a deep breath before letting it out slowly then on-lining his optics again. His gaze focused on Optimus as he began his tale, "Like I told you, Prime; at the start of the war, I wanted nothing to do with it. I went to the Science Academy in Iacon to become an explorer…that's where I met Skyfire...my mate."

Starscream paused and Optimus could see the indescribable pain in his optics as he remembered. "Skyfire felt the same as me about the war. So when we bonded, we decided to move to Kronos, a neutral city…A few months later, Sky carried our first…our only sparkling."

Starscream smiled sadly then continued, "It was a mech Seekerling we decided to name Cloud."

"The name you called Bumblebee," Optimus realized.

Starscream nodded. "We lived in Kronos for nearly eleven meta-cycles. We were happy and the war seemed nonexistent, but…" Starscream's optics became hard and cold before continuing, "I went out on an assignment, and while I was gone, Megatron's first second-in-command, Windkiller, attacked Kronos. When I came home, I returned to the sight of Autobots transporting the wounded and dead out of the city."

Starscream took in another deep breath, although it was shakier than the first. When he spoke again, his voice sounded choked. "I ran home, hoping and praying to Primus that Sky and Cloud were okay; but I found Sky's body and…I found his spark had been ripped from his chest. But Cloud…" Starscream looked to the ground and mentally cursed himself as tears brimmed his optics.

He clenched his fist and continued, "Cloud was trapped inside our burning house. My son suffered and perished in the worst of ways."

Tears of anger and pain spilled from Starscream's optics. He quickly wiped them away in a feeble attempt to hide them. All the Autobots and Auron saw Starscream in a completely new light and looked upon him with sympathy. No one should lose their family in the way he had.

"What…What happened after that?" Prowl asked softly.

Starscream, after regaining his composure, answered, "I was furious. Not just with Windkiller, but with the Autobots as well. After I buried my family, I went looking for Windkiller. I found him and used Seeker Rage to kill him. Megatron was so impressed with my abilities that he offered me Windkiller's old rank and position. I took it out of anger toward your kind."

"Why were you angry at Autobots?" Bulkhead inquired a confused expression on his face.

"I learned the Autobots didn't arrive in Kronos until it was too late to help anyone. I thought if they'd gotten there sooner, then maybe my family would still be alive."

Ratchet looked at Starscream sadly, now feeling terrible for the way he spoke to him earlier. "The Kronos Massacre," he stated distantly, his processor going back to that horrible day. "A day I remember all too well…Starscream, I know it won't make you feel any better, but I think you need to know. No one, 'Bot or 'Con went near Neutral cities during the war; they weren't part of our conflict. They had no weapons or any means of defending themselves from attack. However, after suffering a defeat in a battle for an energon mine, during the retreat, Windkiller and his forces flew over Kronos. He disobeyed a direct order from Megatron and attacked. The Autobots had no idea what he'd done until it was too late. When we realized what happened, it took mega-cycles to get to Kronos to help."

"…There was nothing you could've done," Starscream's voice was soft and foreign, even to his own audios. "It was never your fault…Only Windkiller's."

As the realization settled in the Seeker's mind, a new wave of determination over came him. Starscream's expression became one of defiant determination as he stated, "I'm going to get Bumblebee back if it's the last thing I do."

"How?" Prowl asked, just as eager as the Seeker to rescue the scout, but not wanting to rush in without a plan. Doing so would result in more harm than good on Bumblebee's part.

"Starex wants me. I'll give him exactly what he wants. He'll give Bumblebee up once he gets the fight he's asking for."

"How do you know?" Optimus began, wondering how the Seeker was so certain of his claim.

"Because I know me," Starscream stated simply.

Auron shook his head at his student's statement. "No Starscream, you and Starex aren't exactly alike. He will kill both you and Bumblebee if you succumb to his demands."

"Then what do we do?" Ratchet asked, tired of their lack of action.

"Good question," Bulkhead agreed. "I mean, he has all our abilities, how are we supposed to beat him?"

Prowl sighed and stated, "None of us can take him alone. We can't even face him together."

Optimus crossed his arms over his chest and slumped slightly as he concluded, "He always seems to know what we're planning; when we think we're a step ahead, he's actually three ahead of us."

"But this time I believe we will have the element of surprise on our side," Auron stated in the same defiant tone as his apprentice. Like Starscream, he refused to let doubt claim his mind and keep him from acting. "Did any of you notice how hastily he retreated?"

Starscream and the others pondered this question before the magenta Seeker answered, "Yeah, he did leave in a hurry. He didn't even try to finish us off."

"And before that," Optimus began, "He collapsed. He looked like he was in serious pain."

"Exactly," Auron smiled a bit as he said, "The AllSpark fragment may be powerful enough to keep him alive and stop the abilities from tearing him apart; however, I believe that by using all those abilities as frequently as he did with you Starscream, caused the fragment to overload. If he had tried anything else, I don't doubt he would've destroyed himself."

"So what do we do? Trick him into using as many abilities as we can as fast as we can until he blows up or something?" Bulkhead suggested with an unsure shrug.

Auron chuckled, amused. "You're on the right track, my friend."

Starscream stroked his chin and stated in a thoughtful tone, "The second the fragment started to overload he would take off."

"You're correct, Starscream. I think we should try Optimus' ambush plan; but in a different way this time."

"Different how?" Optimus asked.

Auron smirked and began to tell the team his plan.

XXX

Starex chuckled evilly at the sight of the Autobot youngling lying on the floor in a puddle of his own energon blood. Bumblebee was covered in claw marks and electrical burns in the clone's quarters. Starex took great pleasure in the pain he inflicted on Bumblebee and even more delight at the other's misery.

The fact that he was able to cause such damage to the youngling was more than enough proof that he'd recovered from his encounter with the Autobots, Auron, and Starscream. When next he and the original Seeker met, he would claim Starscream's life.

Starex got a warm, fuzzy feeling all over at the thought. He shivered in delight as the image of Starscream with his wings torn off, beaten, broken, and covered in blood came to him. He pushed the fantasy to the back of his processor and stepped toward the yellow Autobot, enjoying the small whimper and sob that came from the youngling's vocalizer.

"Don't worry, it's time we were off, but I can't have you bleeding to death on the way there; that would defeat the purpose of taking you hostage. I also don't want you trying to run away or screaming for help; that would put a damper on my plans as well."

Starex patched up the worse of Bumblebee's injuries then bound his servos and peds with a thick line of cable and finished his task by putting a metal gag over the youngling's mouth; all the while the Seeker continued to mutter to himself. Starex didn't miss the constant look of fear that Autobot gave him nor the fierce determination just beneath the surface of it.

Starex chuckled. "He won't win, little one; don't delude yourself into thinking otherwise. I'm going to kill him, then I'll kill you too; and I'm going to enjoy every last nano-klick of it."

The Autobot's young blue optics widened in disgusted horror. Starex laughed at, what he considered to be, a comical look. "I'm a Decepticon. You didn't honestly think I'd set you free, did you?"

The clone shook his head then picked the youngling up. Night would fall soon; he needed to get to Dinobot Island.

XXX

After hiding Bumblebee, just in case Starscream didn't follow his demands, Starex landed in a small clearing on the island. He made sure the youngling's com. Link was off-line and his energy signature was masked, so that there was no chance of him being stumbled upon. Now all he had to do was wait patiently; thankfully he didn't have to do so for long.

Shortly after increasing his energy signal to make sure he could be found, he heard the rumble of a harrier-jet's engine. Starex's lips curled into a malicious smirk as Starscream hovered over the clearing in alt-form.

'The fool actually came alone!' Starex thought gleefully.

The black Seeker watched as Starscream transformed a short distance away from him and for a long moment only glared hatefully at him. "Where's Bumblebee?" the original demanded.

Starex chuckled and smiled amusedly. "He's somewhere safe, out of your reach. The only way you'll find him is if you beat me."

"You said—"

"I said he would suffer your son's demise if you didn't come. I didn't say I would give him to you once you were here."

Starscream growled, cursing himself. He should have expected something like this. It's exactly what he would've done if the positions were reversed.

Starex laughed at the original's angered expression then stood inan attack stance. "Whenever you're ready Screamer."

The magenta Seeker, still weakened from his first encounter with his clone, knew he didn't have a choice. He would either fight or leave the Autobot youngling to his fate. However, there was no doubt in his mind that if he lost, Bumblebee wouldn't last the night. Starscream took a defensive stance and waited for Starex to make the first move.

The clone was more than happy than to oblige him. He transformed one servo into a stinger and fired at Starscream. The other Seeker quickly fired a null-ray to counter the electric attack, the two bursts of energy meeting and causing a small explosion that knocked both Seekers back.

Starscream ignited his thrusters and flipped back, recovering his balance quickly in the air and landing on his peds. However, the moment his peds touched the ground a fist collided with his face. Starex, instead of riding the explosion, as Starscream had, had fought through the powerful winds toward the magenta Seeker and used his temporary loss of bearings to attack.

Starscream stumbled back as he was punched on the other side of his face then kicked in the abdomen, hissing painfully as the glass of his cockpit cracked under the force of the blow. Starex returned to his stance, a cocky smirk on his face as Starscream clutched his abdomen and panted for breath.

"We haven't even begun and you're already out of breath?" he mocked. "How sad."

Starscream said nothing; his response coming in the form of his ped meeting with Starex's chest. His sudden attack caught the black Seeker off-guard and had him on the ground. Starex grunted as his wings hit the hard earth then did a back roll and once again was on his peds. As he rolled, Starscream lunged forward and, while Starex was still crouched, kicked him in the face, hard.

The clone screamed indignantly as he landed on his back once again. He could feel that his lip had split and energon was oozing from the wound. He reached up and touched the cut with a single digit and looked at the blood on his claw.

"You hurt me," Starex snarled.

Starscream smirked. "What did you think would happen? That I'd let you win? You don't know me very well if you thought I'd go down easy."

Starex mimicked the smirk as he leapt back up and said, "I know you better than you think, Screamer." The clone's next move was as swift as a cobra's strike; his claws lashing out and leaving a perfect set of cuts on Starscream's upper arm. The Seeker hissed then cried out as Starex's other servo punched him in the stomach. Starscream lurched forward and Starex put his arm around the other's neck to him in place, hunched over.

"You played Seeker Ball for most of your vorns in the Flying Academy." Starex punched Starscream in the abdomen multiple times before releasing the original's head as his ped came forward, hitting him in the chin. Stunned, Starscream stumbled backward. Starex rammed him into a giant of a tree then grabbed him by the neck and used his strength to hold him there was he continued, "Megatron tore your wings clean off your back the first time you defied him."

He slammed him against the tree, the trunk groaning and cracking under the intense pressure, then his clawed servos gripped Starscream by the shoulders, digging into the armor as he effortlessly picked him up and threw him half way across the clearing. The magenta Seeker rolled several times before he managed to at least get into a crouch.

Starex smirked at the other as he stood back up.

Starscream scoffed. "Is bringing up the past the best you can do?" he asked coldly. "It's nothing but memories and words, it can't hurt me."

Starscream shot a null-blast that hit Starex in the chest. The clone jerked and howled at the sudden pain, but fought off the paralyzing effect of the null-ray. Starscream ran toward his opponent and punched one side of Starex's face then the other. He hit the clone in the throat with the brunt of his arm, causing him to gag and cough, then kicked Starex in the abdomen as he felt to his knees.

Starscream did not leave his stance even after Starex fell. However, he was surprised when the other started laughing. Starscream raised an optic ridge as Starex shook his head then looked into the other's scarlet optics. "You're wrong Starscream," he stated knowingly. "The past has hurt you, and it continues to do so."

Starscream's gaze became hard and steely. "What are you talking about, Starex?"

The clone only continued to laugh. When Starscream raised his ped to kick him, Starex suddenly said, "Skyfire was a handsome mech." Starscream's ped froze and his spark clenched painfully at the mention of his deceased mate. "He was also very kind. A spark to match his looks," the clone continued. Starscream's ped slowly lowered back to the ground and his optics became sad and distant as he remembered his mate's handsome, smiling face.

Starex's servo transformed into a stinger, going completely unnoticed by Starscream, so lost in his own world. A world where he still had his beloved. "You both hoped to escape the war by hiding in Kronos…Too bad the war found you!"

Starscream shrieked painfully as he was electrocuted.

"Poor Skyfire," Starex stated before he lunged, kneeing Starscream in the stomach. The black Seeker took advantage of the other's hunched form and elbowed him between the wings, earning a scream of agony. The magenta Seeker fell on his front and gasped for breath as he recovered from the assault.

"Poor Skyfire," Starex repeated. "Such a kind and gentle soul that met with a violent end." The clone snarled then kicked the other Seeker, turning him over onto his back. "But his death was swift and painless…Cloud's ending however…"

Starscream's spark wrenched in his chamber and tears pricked at the edges of his optics. Starex feigned sadness as he went on. "And what's worse? Poor little Cloud was only a youngling. He had just turned ten meta-cycles old when it happened. He hadn't even begun to live when he died…How very, very sad."

Starscream tried to get back up but Starex slammed his ped into his chest, forcing him back to the ground. "You've blamed yourself ever since then. The pain of that day has haunted you ever since you joined the Decepticons. You tried to think of your mate and son as little as possible; because if you didn't think of them, the pain stopped. You hid all the holo-scans and vids you saved and haven't touched them in vorns. But still, your spark aches."

Starex sighed and shook his head. "Not to worry though," he stated sympathetically, as he aimed a null-ray at Starscream's head. "You pain ends now."

Starscream smirked up at the clone. "I'm not going to the Well of AllSparks today, Starex."

The clone was confused by the other's statement for the briefest of klicks until the wrecking ball made contact with his back. He flew several feet forward and rolled to a stop. He snarled as Starscream got back to his peds and smirked at him.

Before he could make any move to attack the little glitch, the same wrecking ball launched from the forest and hit Starex in the face and, once more, knocked him on his aft. The clone was stunned and was sure he saw stars dancing in his vision.

When he could finally see again, he was looking up at Prime, whom had a cocky grin on his face. Starex growled then shrieked in anger and pain when he was kicked in the face right between the optics, temporarily blinding him. As his servos flew to his face, he heard Prime step around him and run toward Starscream, then more thunderous ped-falls that tuned everything else out.

Starex got up into a crouch as he rubbed the area he was kicked, hoping his optics weren't damaged. When his vision cleared again, he snarled at the sight he was met with. Starscream was smirking, arms crossed over his chest, and the Autobots gathered around him.

"You…tricked me!" Starex shouted, enraged. All this time, the Autobots had been there, waiting for just the right moment to attack. "I'll kill you!" Starex ignited his thrusters and flew toward the other Seeker, the Autobots doing nothing to stop him strangely enough. He soon found the reason for their lack of action.

He flew through Starscream and was met with a silver-clawed fist to the face. Starex spiraled backward out of the group, realizing he had just attacked a holo-projection…But if that were the case, what had hit him?

Starex shook his head and looked again. He watched as Prowl's perfect holo-projection of Starscream disappeared and revealed Auron; the older Seeker smiling coolly as he stood in an attack stance and the Autobots back away. Starex glared daggers at him and acidly inquired, "Where. Is. Starscream?"

Auron shrugged and answered, "Somewhere safe, out of your reach."

Starex felt his energon boil at hearing his own words thrown back at him and the tone in which Auron spoke—like he knew something Starex didn't—only infuriated him more.

"That's fine," the black Seeker stated coldly. "I'll kill you instead."

Auron chuckled, "You can try." He flexed his wrists and his blades slid from their sheaths. Auron made the first move and lunged forward, attempting to keep Starex busy while the Autobots moved to different positions around the dueling pair.

Starex was furious at the fact that he'd been denied the victory that was rightfully his. He had been so close to ending Starscream; but of course the sneaky glitch had some sort of plan. Starex was so consumed by his anger that he became careless.

While he didn't know what exactly caused his sudden spark attack during his first battle with Starscream, he knew it had something to do with his abilities; so he'd planned to only use a few of them a little at a time. Now he unleashed his full strength on Auron, giving the elder Seeker no quarter whatsoever.

During the duel, Starex managed to grab Auron's arm and broke it effortlessly. A loud snap and a sharp cry of pain echoed around the clearing, indicating to the Autobots what the clone had done. The appendage dangled uselessly at Auron's side, but didn't impede him. He continued to fight with great grace and agility, much to the annoyance of Starex.

The clone grunted as Auron's ped landed on his chest and pushed him back, causing him to stumble. The older slashed with his remaining arm, cutting into Starex's side. Energon blood spilled from the wound, enraging the clone further. He lunged forward and punched Auron in the face and watched as he fell on his back and looked up at him.

"Why not just give up, old mech?" Starex inquired smugly, feeling slightly better at seeing the other's state. "It would be so much easier to give in."

Auron smirked. "It's not in my nature to just give up, Starex."

At that moment, Optimus fired his grappler and the gadget wrapped around Starex, restraining him. The clone glanced at the Prime, then chuckled. "You never learn do you?" His servo transformed into a stinger. Starex compensated for Bumblebee's absence and electrocuted himself. However, as he had before, he used his body as a conductor and channeled the electricity toward Prime through the grapple line.

What he didn't expect was for Prowl to cut the line with his shuriken, leaving the energy with nowhere to go but back. Starex shrieked when the electrical current returned and began to fight against his restraints. Before he could break the grapple line, Bulkhead rammed into him, forcing him to the ground on his front.

Starex ignited his thrusters before he could hit the ground and became airborne. Using his strength, he broke free of his bonds then launched himself toward the large Autobot. The ninja-bot intercepted him and ran into the flyer before knocking him toward Ratchet, who caught the Seeker with his magnets.

Starex struggled for a moment before being slammed down to the ground multiple times. "Not so fun when it's done to you, is it?" Ratchet questioned venomously before releasing the Seeker from his magnets. Starex lay on his back for a nano-klick before getting back up with a snarl; he activated his own magnets and pointed them at Ratchet.

"I agree. Let's see how you like it, hmm?"

The medic attempted to get out of range but was soon caught in a magnetic bubble, then thrown toward Prowl. Auron took to the air and caught Ratchet, but because of his broken arm, the two landed on the ground ungracefully. As Prowl went to help the medic and Seeker, Starex fired a net, trapping the three mechs.

Starex transformed his servo into a stinger again and fired it at the group, greatly enjoying their shouts of pain. However, the black Seeker sensed someone behind him. He turned in time to see Prime swing his ax at him. Optimus had used the distraction to sneak up on Starex; however his effort was futile. Starex knocked the battle ax out of its owner's servos before lunging and pinning the Autobot to the ground.

"You worthless Autobot scum!" the clone exclaimed, raising his servo to slash Optimus across the face. Before he could strike, the smaller mech kicked him in the cod-piece. A piercing scream escaped Starex's vocalizer as a crippling pain surged throughout his body from his throbbing cod-piece. Optimus took the opportunity to free one of his arms from Starex's death grip and sprayed foam in the other's face.

Starex didn't get a chance to scream in rage as Bulkhead knocked him off Optimus.

The black Seeker landed on his side, but was quick to get back on his peds and wiped the foam from his optics. Once his vision was clear, he saw that the other three had freed themselves from the net. The Autobots and Seeker now all stood together, ready for more, and Starex was more than ready to deliver.

Unfortunately for him, at that moment his AllSpark fragment began to overload.

He cried out and clutched his chest once again and glared when he saw the looks of triumph on their faces. However, an evil smirk from him wiped the smiles from their lips.

"You all think you've won?" he chuckled weakly. "I've still got Bumblebee!" he shouted acidly.

Starex ignited his thrusters and took to the skies. He might not have claimed Starscream's life, but he would have someone's blood—and Bumblebee's would do nicely. He didn't bask in that thought for long however, as he was attack once again.

Starscream snarled at his clone and glared icily at him as his clawed servos grabbed him and sank into his upper arms, drawing blood. "You won't have him for long," he stated in a low, calm yet cold voice.

Starex hissed at him. "You failed to save your son, what makes you think you can save Bumblebee?"

Starscream punched him in the face, causing him to spiral backwards. Once Starex regained his bearings he glowered at Starscream then smirked cruelly. "No one to help you up here, Starscream. I'm gonna kill you, then Bumblebee. But I won't end his life as quickly as yours. Oh no, his death I'm going to draw out and savor for as long as I can."

A shriek of rage slipped past Starscream's lips and Starex felt a cold shudder travel up and down his spinal column. Starscream emanated pure, unadulterated rage…and power; an incredibly dangerous combination. The magenta Seeker's optics narrowed into slits and an animalistic snarl tore itself from his vocalizer.

Starex suddenly felt…fear.

He had no idea what was happening.

With speed the black Seeker had yet to witness in his short existence, Starscream rammed into Starex and began beating the slag out of him. Starex tried to flee, but every attempt ended in failure and pain. Having no choice but to remain and defend himself, the black Seeker dodged and blacked to the best of his ability; but he wasn't fast enough to move out of the way Starscream's assault and every block earned him claw marks, several severed cables and wires, sprains, and broken fingers.

Starex screamed in fear and desperation as he continued trying to escape Starscream and his wrath. While Starex had no idea what was going on, the others below them did. They knew Starscream had just entered Seeker Rage.

Starex, in a desperate attempt to cripple the other flyer, kicked Starscream in the abdomen with as much strength as he could muster. His kick had the desired effect and caused Starscream to falter long enough for him to make a quick escape. However when he turned to escape he was met with Auron.

The elder Seeker was holding onto Optimus with his good arm and the Autobot had his arm raised. Without warning, Optimus sprayed the clone from helm to ped with foam, extinguishing the fire coming from Starex's heels and shorting out his flight systems.

Starex screamed as he fell toward the ground with Auron and Starscream diving after him. Before could hit the unforgiving earth, Ratchet activated his magnets and caught him. He brought Starex to the ground and Bulkhead assisted the medic with keeping the Seeker from getting away by wrapping his huge arms around him and holding him against his chest. When he realized he was no longer in danger, Starex hissed and snarled as he fought against the magnets and Bulkhead.

"Nice job Autobots and Seekers," Optimus congratulated as Auron and Starscream landed and his peds met the ground again.

Starscream, who had been brought out of Seeker Rage when Starex kicked him, walked the short distance to the black Seeker and demanded, "Where is Bumblebee?"

Starex smirked evilly as he said, "Like I'm telling you."

Starscream glared at him and raised his clawed servo to slap that damned smirk off the clone's stupid face, but was stopped by Auron. The older Seeker grabbed his wrist and cleared his throat, getting everyone's attention.

"I may have a suggestion, Starscream," he stated, releasing his apprentice and cradling his broken arm.

"Very well, Auron, what do you have in mind?" Starscream inquired.

The silver Seeker looked at Starex then said, "He has your memories because you touched the AllSpark fragment. Perhaps it could work vice-versa?"

Starscream smirked and returned his gaze to the clone, who had suddenly gone pale. "Perhaps so."

Starex hissed angrily and spat, "Good luck getting to it!"

The original Seeker chuckled before stating, "I don't believe in luck, clone. Besides, I don't need it; all I need is him." He glanced over his shoulder at Ratchet. The medic understood what the flyer wanted and raised his free servo as his activated his second magnet. The clone's chest plate easily came off, however, forcing his spark chamber open while he fought against the medic proved to be a challenge. After a few trying klicks, Ratchet finally opened Starex's chest and revealed the spark chamber.

Once the protective glass was out of the way, Starscream stepped forward and reached in. His fingers wrapped around and effortlessly encompassed the tiny fragment in his fist. Starscream tensed up then his optics rolled back as his body began to spasm, causing everyone to worry.

Optimus reached forward to free Starscream from the, what appeared to be, extremely painful experience, but was stopped by Auron. The silver Seeker grabbed his shoulder and shook his head at the Prime. If they wanted to find Bumblebee, Starscream had to suffer through this. Knowing this, Optimus and the others had no choice but to stand by and watch as Starscream continued to endure the seizure like sensations.

For what felt like mega-cycles, memories of Starex torturing Bumblebee assaulted Starscream's processor; but he didn't release the fragment from his grip. Instead, his hold on it increased, causing the flood of memory to increase and worsened the painful spasms traveling throughout his body. His knees grew weak and his helm tossed back to release a pain filled yell.

Once again, Optimus moved to help Starscream but was stopped by Auron yet again.

When his cry died down, Starscream began to pant unsteadily. Finally, after several more nano-klicks of mental and physical pain, Starscream found the information he needed. Bumblebee was in a cave on a mountain side that could only be reached by a flyer.

He released the fragment and, despite how unsteady and weak he felt, took off, Starex's how of rage reaching his audios as he did so.

The cave Starscream saw in Starex's memory wasn't hard to find, even in the dark. He landed at its mouth and saw Bumblebee's small form on the ground and his wide, baby blue optics staring at him fearfully. The small mech began to jerk around and Starscream could hear muffled cries and sobs.

Realizing that the youngling thought he was Starex, Starscream kneeled down and, in the softest tone he could manage, said, "It's okay, Bumblebee. It's me, Starscream."

Bumblebee stopped struggling momentarily and looked more closely at the Seeker. After activating his night vision, he saw that the Seeker was indeed Starscream. The older Cybertronian slowly got up and walked the short distance to the youngling, then knelt down again. He carefully untied the thick cabling around the mini-bot's servos and peds, so as not to aggravate the sloppily patched up wounds, then removed the gag covering his mouth.

Free from his restraints and the gag, feeling began to return to Bumblebee's limbs and his sobs were more easily heard. Gathering the younger mech in his arms, Starscream held him close to his chest and felt his arms wrap around his neck and cling to him as he continued to weep. Bumblebee's whole body shook as he sobbed and he couldn't stop trembling.

Starscream gently stroked the younger mech's back and slowly rocked him back and forth. "Shh, you're okay now," the Seeker whispered in a tone foreign to his own audios. He couldn't remember the last time he had sounded so caring and compassionate; but it was calming the youngster down and that was all that really mattered.

It broke Starscream's spark to see Bumblebee so hurt and scared…just like if it had been Cloud.

He cared about Bumblebee the same way he had cared for his son, he realized.

Starscream continued to whisper caringly to the younger and held him close until he eventually cried himself into recharge. Still cradling Bumblebee to his chest, the Seeker stood up and walked to the cave's exit. After making sure he had a firm hold on his charge, he took the skies and made his way back to the clearing.

He returned to the waiting group of Autobots and saw their face light up at seeing their youngest member in his arms. Unfortunately, Ratchet's attention went from holding Starex in his magnetic bubble to Bumblebee, and Bulkhead's hold on the clone wavered. Starex seized the opportunity of escape and ignited his, now dry, thrusters. He fought his way out of Bulkhead's grip and a few fast spin in the air freed him from Ratchet's magnets. He grabbed and replaced his chest plate before transforming and flying away.

"He's getting away!" Prowl exclaimed, grabbing his shuriken as he and the others were about to give chase.

Auron grabbed the ninja's shoulder and stated, "He's beyond our reach now Prowl."

Optimus nodded in agreement. "Let him go guys. It won't be long before we have another chance at him."

Starscream growled. He'd hoped to put an end to that wretched clone; but, as it stood, Bumblebee was more important. He looked down at his current burden and said, "He needs medical care."

Ratchet took one look at the youngster and said, "There's nothing I can do for him here. I'll be better able to treat him when we return to base."

"I'll get him there," Starscream stated.

"I think that's a good idea," Optimus began as Ratchet opened his mouth to, most likely, disagree. "Salt water will probably do him more harm than good." After that was settled, the Seekers took to the skies and flew back to Robot City, while the Autobots transformed and drove through the sea.

XXX

Starex, now feeling all the wounds he'd received as well as the ache in his spark chamber, stumbled into the Decepticon hideout. He made his way to his master's throne room and soon found him sitting in his usual seat. The Decepticon Lord looked up from talking with Blitzwing and eyed the black Seeker critically before stating, "Judging from your current state, you've failed."

Starex's optics hardened before he answered, "He didn't come alone. He brought those blasted Autobots along and teamed up with them."

"And your prisoner?"

Starex looked down shamefully before answering, "Starscream…rescued him, my Lord."

Everything became silent at the clone's admission. He began to feel nervous as the nano-klicks ticked by and Megatron still said nothing. Finally, after several agonizing klicks, the Decepticon Lord spoke, "How disappointing. I had hoped for more, Starex."

The clone's optics grew hard with determination as he said, "Lord Megatron, give me another chance. I swear I won't fail you again."

"No," Megatron stated coldly. "You won't." He pulled a remote from his subspace and glared at the Seeker angrily while the winged-mech stared at the device.

"What is that?" he asked hesitantly.

"It's a detonator."

"…For what?"

"For the electrode planted at the base of your helm."

Starex was shocked and instantly reached back to touch the area Megatron spoke of. "What?"

"Allow me to explain," Megatron began in a slightly bored tone. "When I push this button, thousands of volts of electricity will fry your processor and kill you."

"You would kill me for one failure!?" Starex exclaimed, not believing what he was hearing. As he realized the silver mech was serious the Seeker's optics hardened and grew steely.

Megatron didn't even flinch at the murderous gaze as he continued, "It's quite obvious that this clone project is a waste of time. You're nothing but a failed experiment, Starex; and I no longer wish for you to offend my sight."

"You lying son-of-a-glitch!" Starex raised his null-ray to shoot the Decepticon Lord, but a sudden sharp pain in his processor prevented him from doing so. He cried out and his servos flew to his helm and Megatron only chuckled.

"That's another precaution taken. You have a chip in your processor that, even now, initiates a program. This program won't allow you to directly harm me. Every attempt will result in pain."

Starex snarled at the tyrant and exclaimed, "Fragger!"

Megatron only smirked evilly as he pressed the only button on the remote and watched as the electrode killed the clone. Starex screamed in pain and grasped either side of his helm as electricity surged into his processor and down his spinal column, soon falling to the ground and beginning to jerk and convulse spasmodically. After a few klicks, the clone grew still and his cries died.

Megatron looked at Lugnut and Blitzwing. "Get that thing out of my sight," he ordered cruelly. Without a moment's hesitation, the two went to the black Seeker and picked him up; Lugnut taking him by the arms and Blitzwing getting the legs. They carried him to the mouth of one of the many cave entrances then tossed him out as if he were nothing more than trash. They watched as he fell several feet before landing in the stream below, then they returned to their master.

XXX

Bumblebee moaned as he slowly came on-line and opened his optics. He was not able to describe how thankful he was to see the roof of Ratchet's too-white med-bay instead of the rocky surface of Starex's room. As he woke up a bit more, he heard someone stir beside him.

He looked to see who it was, expecting to see Ratchet, but, surprisingly, he was met with the sight of Prowl sitting in a chair next to the yellow mech's berthside. As the ninja woke from recharge, it occurred to Bumblebee that Prowl must have stayed in the med-bay with him all night. The idea that the stoic mech had been so concerned about to the degree of staying by his side while he recovered caused the scout's spark to warm.

Prowl's visor flickered on-line and a relieved smile worked its way onto his features as he met the younger's baby blue optics.

"Bumblebee," he began, getting up from his seat and walking to the berth. "You're awake…How do you feel?"

Bumblebee made an attempt to get up, but quickly found that his body hadn't fully recovered from Starex's abuse. Seeing the pain on his teammate's face, Prowl assisted him.

Once the mini-bot was situated, he answered the ninja-bot's previous question. "I feel better than I did…How bad was I beaten up?"

The last thing Bumblebee remembered was crying himself into recharge while being held by Starscream, and so had no idea how serious his injuries were. Minute shudders traveled up and down Prowl's spinal column and he shook his head before answering, "I'd rather not talk about it."

"That bad, huh?" Bumblebee offered the other a tired smile and said, "Thank Primus for Starscream." His processor stalled for a moment. He couldn't believe the words that had actually left his vocalizer.

Prowl chuckled at the shocked expression on the younger's face then said, "Yes…he's the hero of the day…He hasn't said a word since we returned."

"He hasn't said anything?" Bumblebee asked in disbelief. Since the first day he had met Starscream, the Seeker had never stopped talking. So it was very hard to imagine an instance where the flyer would remain silent for any length of time.

Prowl shook his head. "Nothing…I can hardly blame him with what he had to face."

At seeing the confused look on his face, Prowl quickly explained and watched as Bumblebee's features morphed to that of shock once again. The mini-bot had already guessed that the Seeker had a family, based on what Starex said when he kidnapped him…but he had no idea the former Decepticon had lost them in such a horrible way. He couldn't even find the words to describe his horror, other than, "Primus…"

Prowl nodded, understanding the mini-bot's shock and said, "Starscream had to face his worst demons today…and I believe he did well."

Bumblebee rubbed his optics and looked down at his lap as his processor continued attempting to understand all this new information. It was then that he saw that Prowl was holding his free servo and he realized, a bit belatedly, that the ninja had been doing so this entire time. He stared at their joined servos for a long moment before slowly looking back up at the other mech.

"Prowl?"

The Cyberninja looked down at the ground and physically shook before returning his gaze to the mini-bot's optics. "Primus, Bumblebee, I was so worried about you."

Bumblebee's optics widened at Prowl's confession and his spark did summersaults in its chamber. "You…were worried…about me?"

Prowl smiled softly at the young mech and nodded. "I was afraid that…" He became hesitant; unsure if he should admit his feelings to the younger Cybertronian. What if the feelings weren't mutual? What would he do if Bumblebee rejected him?

The ninja-bot clenched his free servo at his side as he remembered his fear of losing Bumblebee; of him never knowing how he truly felt about him. He would never face that fear again. Mustering up as much courage as he could, Prowl took a breath then said, "I was afraid that I would never be able to tell you how much I care about you."

Prowl smiled as a new expression of shock immediately came over Bumblebee's features at his confession. However, there was also a tiny flutter in his spark at the gleam of hope he saw in the younger's optics. Feeling more confident, he raised his free servo to caress the side of Bumblebee's face and was pleasantly surprised when the smaller mech leaned into his touch.

His spark sang a joyous song and urged him to continue. "I really care about you Bumblebee…more than I've cared for anyone else in a very long time." Prowl found the light blush and shy smiled that worked their ways onto Bumblebee's face beyond adorable. However, the young scout's next words caused the ninja's spark to explode.

"I…care about you too, Prowl."

Bumblebee suppressed a laugh at the completely, un-Prowlish grin that now decorated the older mech's face. Prowl's smile softened and he leaned forward in order to touch his forehelm to Bumblebee's.

This wasn't love; they both knew. It was too soon for such an intense, powerful, and pure emotion. However, what they did feel left plenty of room for love to grow and blossom in their sparks.

Prowl turned his head and placed a soft, gentle kiss on the mini-bot's lips, catching the young mech off guard. After recovering from his shock, Bumblebee off-lined his optics and leaned into the kiss. It was a simple kiss, but held many promises.

When they parted, Prowl chuckled at how flushed his new lover's face had become and moved in to nuzzle him.

"Prowl?" the mini-bot began in a soft tone.

"Yes, little Bee?"

"Do you know where Starscream is?"

Prowl moved in order to look Bumblebee in the face, an optic ridge cocked as he answered, "He's outside. Why?"

"Can ya help me out? I want to thank him."

Prowl understood that; however there was a certain obstacle preventing him from following out Bumblebee's request. "Ratchet won't be happy about you getting up before he gave you the okay."

Bumblebee looked at the ninja pleadingly and gently pressed on with, "Please Prowler."

"…"

Prowl sighed as Bumblebee gave him, what humans would call "puppy eyes"; the mini-bot even pouted and allowed his lower lip to tremble. It was a bit overdone, but it had the desired effect.

"Ratchet's going to kill me," Prowl concluded as he helped the younger mech up.

XXX

Starscream stood outside the Autobot base, watching as the sun began to rise above the horizon and the city began to stir. It was strange to him. He knew that this battle between him and Starex was over; but he had a feeling it was only the first of many confrontations. However, the fact that he may see Starex again wasn't at the forefront of his processor.

At the moment, he was contemplating some of the things Starex had said during their fight. As much as he hated to admit it, the more he thought, the more he realized that the clone had been right about one thing: Starscream had tried to forget his family.

In a desperate attempt to escape the pain of losing them, he attempted to erase them. All the holo-scans and vids he'd managed to salvage from his home, he hid in a compartment in his room aboard the Nemesis. It was only now that he realized what a disgrace that decision was to them and their memory.

He had very nearly allowed his grief and pain to consume him and had almost allowed the best part of his life to be erased. Well not now, or ever again. He was finally ready to face his pain.

Starscream was brought out of his thoughts by the sound of ped-steps. He looked over his shoulder and a small smile came to his lips when he saw Prowl helping a newly repaired Bumblebee walk toward him. He fully turned in order to face them then asked, "How do you feel?"

Bumblebee shrugged before returning the Seeker's smile and answering, "Good, and you?"

The Seeker sighed and answered, "I've been better."

If he were honest, he was still exhausted, both mentally and physically, from the battle. He'd heal soon enough, however.

Starscream glanced down at the couples' still joined servos and stifled a chuckle. So they were together now? He smirked to himself as he remembered feeling that the mini-bot and ninja liked each other more than they let on. Which was also why he thought they would make a good couple.

Noticing that the Seeker was staring at his and Prowl's servos, Bumblebee coughed to get Starscream's attention. As those ruby red orbs looked into his baby blue ones, the yellow mech rubbed the back of his helm nervously, not knowing what to say to the Seeker. Deciding that the simplest approach would be best in this situation, Bumblebee smiled up at Starscream and said, "Thanks for saving me."

The large mech chuckled amusedly and returned, "Don't mention it."

Bumblebee's smile morphed into a sad frown as he continued, "And…I'm sorry about your family."

Starscream, not for the first time that cycle, felt his spark ache. Knowing that Bumblebee's new lover had filled him in on the Seeker's story, Starscream shook his head and stated, "It wasn't your fault."

He smiled to himself as he said this. He couldn't explain why, but it felt good not holding an Autobot accountable for what happened in Kronos. Somehow it caused the ache in his spark to lessen.

Bumblebee rubbed his upper arm nervously and fidgeted a bit before asking, "What was your son like?"

Starscream smiled sadly and sighed before answering, "He was a lot like you…Full of life and energy. Carefree and fun loving. And a bit impulsive. But always happy…always happy."

Another, heavier sight escaped Starscream as he looked toward the sky. Neither Prowl nor Bumblebee were completely sure, but they thought they saw a bit of moisture lining the edges of Starscream's optics.

The sky was beautiful when the sun was rising, Starscream realized. He smiled, knowing that both his son and Skyfire would've loved to have seen this. A single tear slid down his face and plopped to the ground; and for once, he wasn't ashamed of that tiny display of weakness.

"Tell Auron I went back to the Nemesis," the Seeker stated as he returned his gaze to the staring Autobots. He chuckled at the baffled expressions the two had on their faces, then said, "See you two around."

With that said, Starscream flew up into the beautiful, multi-colored sky and toward the slowly fading moon. When the Seeker was no longer within visual range, Bumblebee and Prowl returned inside and passed by Optimus, who was staring up at the moon.

The Autobot leader had been wandering around the base, no real destination in mind, when he spotted Starscream outside. He'd been making his way to the Seeker in order to speak with him, however Bumblebee and Prowl were already with him by the time he arrived. Not wanting to interrupt, he stood at the entrance, allowing him to see and hear the interactions between his scout and Starscream.

As the new couple walked passed, Prowl nodding at him and Bumblebee mumbling out a "Good morning," Optimus remained outside and watched the still changing sky.

"Oh Starscream," he began in a soft tone. "You poor thing." Optimus could tell the Seeker was in serious pain. He may have been able to put on a smile and make everyone else think otherwise, but Optimus knew better.

He felt a clawed servo on his shoulder, disturbing him from his thoughts, and turned to see that the appendage belonged to Auron. The Seeker's broken arm was in a sling (until Sari could repair it with her key) and he had an understanding look in his ancient optics. "You should go after him," he stated gently.

Optimus gave the old Seeker a puzzled look before asking, "I thought you said sometimes it was best to just leave him be?"

"I did," Auron agreed with a slight nod, "but this is not one of those times. Starscream needs someone, Optimus. He needs you."

Optimus looked away from Auron and back up at the moon. "Why me?" he asked, not understanding what made him so special.

"Because I see you care for him," Auron answered. "You are one of the few beings he has actually opened up to besides myself…and I believe you are the only one who can heal his wounds."

For several long moments, Optimus said nothing and only processed Auron's words. Finally, he returned his gaze to the Seeker and asked, "I can't fly, how am I supposed to reach him?"

Auron smiled knowingly and answered, "The same way you got to Starex."

XXX

Auron flew Optimus to the Nemesis crash site, then, after telling the Prime how to reach Starscream's quarters, returned to the Autobot base. He knew the two would need some privacy.

As Optimus wandered through the dark, empty corridors of the broken ship, he couldn't help but feel uneasy. Even crashed and destroyed on the moon, the Decepticon battle ship was still a menacing sight and held an aura of foreboding. The young Autobot felt as if he were behind enemy lines. However, he did not allow his unease to keep him off track and continued walking toward Starscream's room.

Thanks to Auron's detailed instructions, Optimus soon found himself in front of an open door and saw Starscream sitting on his berth, watching a home holo-vid on a large screen. Hearing someone enter his personal quarters, the Seeker tore his optics from the screen and looked to see Optimus.

Guessing that Auron brought him there and knowing the Prime wouldn't do any harm, he returned his attention to the holo-vid and smiled sadly as a tiny voice exclaimed, "Father! I'm doing it! I'm flying, Father!"

Optimus heard a laugh, then Starscream's voice say, "Yes you are, Cloud. You're a natural."

The Autobot closed the remaining distance between him and Starscream then looked at the screen. He felt his spark shudder in its chamber when he saw Starscream and a young Seekerling. The youngling was holding onto his creator's servos and was laughing happily as he hovered several feet above the ground.

In the holo-vid, instead of his armor, Starscream had on casual wear. Humans would describe him as wearing a black turtle neck and jeans. The Seeker's scarlet optics were alight with happiness and pride; and he was smiling in a way Optimus had yet to see. His gaze went from the adult Seeker to the younger one and his spark warmed.

Cloud had a white version of Starscream's helm, a pale face, and cobalt blue optics. His protoform was completely white, giving Optimus an idea of how he earned his name, and the tips of his fingers were pointed like his father's. Cloud had on casual wear similar to Starscream's, only his shirt was whitish-grey, his pants were darker, and he had on a light jacket…

The Seekerling and his parent were both so happy.

"You son's beautiful, Starscream," Optimus stated in a soft, unsure tone.

The Seeker released a sad chuckle, finding amusement in the younger mech's nervousness. He wiped the corner of his optic as tears began to fall, causing Optimus' tanks to turn in knots. To him, it was a complete shock to see such a powerful being, a former Decepticon no less, appear so vulnerable.

In that moment, Starscream was just a mech. Not a Seeker warrior or a Decepticon turned traitor…just a normal mech that was hurting and had been hurting for Primus only knew how long.

Slowly, giving Starscream the opportunity to turn him away, Optimus sat beside the Seeker. When he was seated and the larger mech still said nothing, the Prime felt a little braver. Having heard that stroking the surface of a Seeker's wings was a show of comfort, Optimus reached out and carefully ran his fingertips over the appendage.

At his touch, the wing flinched and Starscream gave Optimus a distrustful look. The Prime had an idea why, Megatron's cruelty being legendary. Despite this, however, he continued his gentle stroking much to the Seeker's surprise. After a few tense moments, the wing slowly returned to its original position and Starscream relaxed into Optimus' touch.

A few klicks after they had settled, Optimus saw Starscream's mate on the holo-vid. Skyfire was a very large, handsome shuttle-mech with a gentle face and kind cobalt blue optics. In the vid, Skyfire was laughing as he tossed Cloud up then easily caught him in his large servos, the Seekerling squealing with delight as he did.

The sight of his mate and sparkling together, and the gentle treatment his wings had been denied for so many vorns caused something to break within Starscream. Optimus felt his spark leap in amazement when he heard soft, barely audible sobs emanate from the Seeker's vocalizer. However, he did not allow his stroking to falter; in fact his fingers became firmer, while remaining gentle.

He tried to let Starscream know, through his touch, that he was there for him. No words were said as Optimus allowed Starscream to cry, releasing and sharing the pain he had kept within his spark for so long. The Seeker wept for nearly a mega-cycle before he managed to regain control of himself.

Though he wouldn't admit it for a while, it felt good to cry. Letting out everything he had kept inside was liberating…and Optimus' comforting presence had made it easier to let go. Returning his attention to the vids and the Autobot's gentle petting, Starscream allowed himself to fully the enjoy the wonderful memories of his family.

For the first time since Skyfire's and Cloud's deaths, Starscream's spark wasn't cold and empty. Instead, the Seeker felt…truly happy…he felt free.

And he believed this feeling was because of the mech sitting beside him.

He turned his attention away from the holo-vid screen and to Optimus. When their gazes met, Starscream was a bit surprised to see tears streaming down the Autobot's face. He became even more so when the much smaller mech wrapped his arms around him and hugged him, the younger's helm resting on his chest plate.

At first, Starscream had no idea what to do. As a Decepticon, he should've pushed the mech away and asked what the frag he was thinking…Instead, he slowly brought his arm around Optimus and returned his embrace.

Starscream smiled when he felt the mech's hold on him increase, causing something within his spark to flutter. He could feel something beginning to form in his spark for Optimus. Something warm that made him feel…content.

There were still hardships ahead—both for the Seeker and the tam he found himself apart of. But he knew they would conquer every obstacle they encountered and become stronger for it.

And who knew?

Maybe Starscream would actually find something new to fight for…or someone.

The Seeker suppressed a chuckle. It was strange how destiny worked.

Hey guys, I'm sorry it took so long to update, but here's two chapters for you :) Figured you guys might linch me if I only gave you a "to be continued" chapter after such a long wait. Hope you guys enjoy. I can't promise I'll update any faster, but I'll try hard to get this story finished. :)