Chapter 21: And an ending.

**Back to the normal Universe, with the Decepticons**

Megatron and Starscream both had started to notice Savage's sudden change of behavior, the seeker had always been so calm and level headed, now he had become short tempered and moody.

He actually snapped at his best friend Longhaul for no reason what so ever, not only that he also had gotten into a screaming match with Blitzwing which quickly resulted into a fight with Savage being the winner, while Blitz ended up in the med bay for a week.

"Savage, what is wrong with you?" Megatron demanded.

His mate was about to get into yet another fight, only this time it would have been with Astrotrain who happened to be larger and stronger then Savage.

"I don't know!" Savage replied.

Starscream saw that his shoulders had started shaking; he went over to his moody mate and drew him into his arms just as the other seeker started crying.

*What's wrong with me?* Sobbed Savage over the bond.

*I don't know,* Starscream replied. *C'mon, we'll have Hook check you out.*

*O-ok.*

Megatron led his two mates out of the Rec. Room and into the hall that would take them to the med bay.

Hook looked up when the door to the med bay opened; he raised an eye plate when he heard Savage sniffling, which was totally strange for the mech.

"What is it that that I can do for you, Lord Megatron?" Hook asked after clearing his throat.

"I'm sure you're aware that Savage has been acting strange as of late." Megatron replied.

"That's putting it mildly." Hook retorted dryly.

Savage glared at the medic but stayed close to Starscream.

"Yes, I was wondering if you could check him out, just to be sure that its nothing serious."

"As you wish, Lord Megatron. You, on the berth."

"Work on your bed side manner, wet nurse!"

Megatron sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, while Starscream looked shocked.

Hook simply rolled his optics. "Get on the berth. Please."

Starscream lead his agitated mate over to the berth, and then gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze as he sent love over the bond.

"Alright," Hook said walking over to the bonded pair. "Let's see why Savage is acting bat shite crazy."

Savage growled deeply. "If you weren't a medic, I'd kick your ass."

"Lucky me." Hook replied.

In order to calm his mate down, Starscream started to stroke Savage's wing as the medic scanned his beloved and cranky mate.

Hook checked the results of the scan once it was finished; he raised an eye plate and let out a quiet "Hmm".

"Well?" Megatron asked.

Hook didn't answer his leader, instead he looked at Savage. "Open your chest plates," He rolled his optics again at the icy glare. "Open your chest plates, please."

Satisfied, the moody seeker opened his chest plates for the medic.

Megatron's and Starscream's optics widened when the saw what was nestled beside their bond mates golden spark.

"Well, he's not crazy, he's just pregnant."

Savage blinked several time at this unnexpeted news, and his hand went to press against his abdomen, a smile spreading to his lips. He whooped, and threw his arms around the closest ofhis mate, who appeared to be Megatron. He looked overjoyed all of a sudden, and Megatron chuckled and held him back.

"I'm carrying, I'm carrying!" he chheered out loud and grinned wide, his face looking amost like it was going to split in two.

"That is wonderful, Savage!" Megatron replied and kissed his mate lovingly. He too was feeling quite pleased and his spark was swellinh with pride and joy at the prospect of having a sparkling. He looked at Hook, asking. "Can you tell how far along he is? Is there only one sparkling? Seekers tends to have them in bunch if I remember right."

Starscream joined in the hugging then and nuzzled the back of their mate's wings with a happy purr, his own wings fanning in joy and pride and protectiveness kicking in. His own little seekerlings to teach how to fly and love unconditionally... "Yeah, we usually have at least two sparklings, more often three or even four."

Hook nodded at this statement and grinned, looking at the readings for a second before putting in his own diagnosis. "He's carrying 3 sparklings. He's 3 months along, at this moment, and he should start getting out of this mood swing period. Congratulations are in order, my Lord."

He was smilling, but he was internally hoping that he and his own sparkmate could have a sparkling of their own...

Savage was so ecstatic as they left the med bay, that he passed out as soon as he hit the berth in their quarters, his snoring soon filled the room.

Megatron chuckled at his sleeping mate before turning his attention to his other bond mate before pulling him into his arms, engine purring.

They soon made love in another berth so not to disturb their pregnant mate and seconds before either overloaded, they threw open their chest plates and merging their sparks together, the sudden surge threw them both over the edge and they overloaded simultaneously calling out each others names.

They held each other as they rode out their shared overload. Starscream snuggled close to his larger mate, which caused his mate and leader to hold him closer.

"I haven't been this happy since the day you asked me to be your mate." Starscream said quietly.

Megatron smiled. "I know how you feel." He nuzzled his mate.

Starscream smiled as well, purring softly as his mate nuzzled him, his smile had started to fade slowly as realization hit him.

"What's wrong, my dearest Starscream?" Megatron asked worriedly.

Starscream looked Megatron in the eye before saying.

"I don't want our sparklings to be raised during a war, I want them to know peace… not war."

Megatron held him close, this idea dawning on him too as he imagined what it would be like for their sparklings to have to live in a war-torn world. He wouldn't want that either... They had to do something to make it happen now.

"Yes... I dont want this either. Something must be done to stop this war before they're here. I'm sure that the Autobots would feel quite open to discuss a peace treaty. Things had started to change already since Optimus's death." Said the silver warlord holding his mate and stroking his wings.

"Its not the same. Like... something's been missing all this time. A whole year, I cant believe it had been so long since he disappeared for good..." The seeker replied thoughtfully, petting his mate's chest in return with a low pleased purr. "I'm sure his successor Ultra Magnus is ready to discuss for peace. He's worn and tired, its obvious..."

"I'll contact him tomorrow, and we'll see what happens. For now..." He grinned and caught his mate's lips in a fierce kiss. "I just want to enjoy my dearest mate."

Ultra Magnus sighed heavily as he pinched the bridge of his nose, the paper work seemed to be endless, even with Prowl's help it was some what overwhelming.

Optimus, how did you do it? He wondered.

He looked up when the door to his office opened, upon seeing his mate Ironhide a smile appeared on his face.

Ironhide retuned his mates smile as he strolled over to his mates desk. "You look tired."

"I'm always tired. I'm not as young as I use to be." Magnus replied.

Ironhide chuckled softly. "You seemed rather youthful last night."

Magnus chuckled as well. "True."

The red Autobot walked behind his mate and placed his hands on his shoulders. "You need a break, my dear. If you don't, you'll pass out at your desk again."

"I would like to take a break but-"

"Let Prowl do it, he lives for paper work. Lets go to the Rec. Room and get a cube."

"Very well, my love." Magnus replied standing up after Ironhide stepped back.

Taking his mate's hand, the bonded pair headed for the Rec. Room, but before they could reach it, they were approached by Jazz.

"Ultra Magnus, Ironhide." The black and white Autobot said with a respectful nod.

"Jazz," Ultra Magnus replied. "What is it that I can do for you?"

"There's video message for you… from Megatron."

Magnus shared a look with his mate, and got up from his seat. SLowly because his tanks were churning that morning, for some reason... He never thought that it could be anything else then fatigue and overworking himself. But Ironhide put a worried hand onm his shoulder at his wince and slight groan.

"Are you feeling alright, Magnus?" His tune was concerned but the larger bot shrugged it with a smile and a quick hug.

"Yes, I'm merely tired. Lets go check this message, now, shall we?"

He led Ironhide to the Comm center where the message was waiting for him on a secured line. He sat there with his mate's reassuring,. protective presence at his right shoulder, and played it. Megatron's face immediately appears, and for once, it lacked its usual sneer andoverconfident smirk. Instead he looked serious and this caught Magnus's attention even deeper.

"Ultra Magnus, I have a matter of urgent importance to discuss with you. As you have probably noticed, the war had been on a standstill for the last six months at least. There is a reason to that. We have grown tired of fighting a pointless war, that had lost its meaning long ago. Cybertron is in ruin, and Earth will follow the same path if we are to keep waging war endlessly here as well. You are surprised to hear those words from my mouth?"

'You have no idea...' Magnus thought to himself and could feel Ironhide's awe and tension as well. they kept listening.

"I am not surprised. I am the SLag Maker, the one who started and fueled this war when we still were waging our battles on Cybertron. How could I, of all Cybertronians, want to talk about /peace/ you must be asking yourself. The answer is simple. Things have changed, and my priorities have been reset in the last few weeks, even months, to be honest. Since Optimus's death, in fact." The warlord on the screen let out a little chuckle and shurugged, this crooked smile on his faceplates looking more self-amused and derisive then anything else. "I want to ofer a ceasefire, and open negotiations to seal a peace treaty between our factions. One that would last, for our sparklings's sake. You can answer on this same channel, and I will be awaiting words from you shortly. Megatron, out."

ANd the screen went dark, leaving two very shocked yet madly hopeful bots to stare at it for several minutes in silence. Ironhide was the one to break the silence, saying in a soft tune. "You think its genuine? COuld it be a plot to lure us into a trap?"

"Somehow..." Ultra Magnus replied with a thoughtful, soft voice. "I think this is genuine. I will answer to him with an agreement to meet and of course, I accept the ceasefire. Its the best chance we ever had to stop this war..."

Before Ultra Magnus could send his own reply to Megatron's surprising message, Ratchet walked in, it was his brisk always bushiness like foot steps that caught the bonded pairs attention.

"I thought I'd find you in here." The medic said.

"Your timing is horrible, Ratchet," Ironhide replied. "I was just about to ravage Ultra Magnus."

The mostly white Autobot rolled his optics before speaking again. "I just gave Bumblebee a full body scan."

That caught both their attention, Ratchet never gave any one a full body scan unless it was important. They hoped that it wasn't some thing serious, Bee had finally recovered from losing Optimus, what had happened to the young Autobot that he needed a fully body scan?

"I hope it wasn't serious." Ultra Magnus said calmly, while on the inside he was freaking out.

"Of course not." Ratchet replied.

Both Autobots visibly relaxed at this update.

"Well, what is it, Hatchet?" Ironhide said using his best friends nickname.

Ratchet ignored the nickname and said with a smile on his face. "Our little Bee is carrying."

The two mechs looked shocked for a moment, before Ironhide broke in a wide, goofy grin. Bee was like a sparkling to him, he almost raised the little one after finding him in a destroyed youth sector at the worst of the war. Ultra magnus, feeling his mate's joy and pride, took his hand and smiled softly.

"That's a wonderul news, Ratchet! I bet Mirage's overjoyed by this news!" The old warrior said and chuckled. "It makes me wants to have one of my own."

Ironhide looked at him with an amused grin and rubbed his shoulder lovingly. "We can work on it later, love. Unless you are carrying... What were those symptoms ya were having earlier? Fatigue, neausea and purging, and also more appetite? SOunds like carrying to me."

Ultra Magnus and Ratchet both looked at the red warrior intensely and the medic narrowed his optics. "I'll make the diagnostics around here, Ironhide, if you please."

"But, could I be? Carrying i mean?" Ultra Magnus asked with wonderement.

"I'll have to examine you to find out, wont I?" Ratchet replied with a shrug. "Any time you want, just come by the medbay."

"I'll come by later, Ratchet. There's some thing I must do first." Ultra Magnus replied calmly.

The medic nodded once. "I'll see you later then." With that the white medic left, leaving the bonded pair alone.

"I wonder if you are carrying. You'd make a wonderful mother." Ironhide commented, nuzzling his mate.

Magnus smiled, nuzzling him back. "I'm sure I will be, that is if I'm carrying. Now if you can keep yours hands to yourself for a few minutes I'm going to reply to Megatron's message."

Ironhide made what sounded like a whine of reluctance and kept his hands to himself as Ultra Magnus activated his own video message.

"Lord Megatron, you have a message?" Longhaul said going to one knee in front of his masters throne.

Megatron narrowed his optics a little before standing. "Show me this message, Longhaul."

"Very well, my lord." The lime green con stood up and left the room and came back several moments later, holding a large data pad. "Here you go, my Lord."

Megatron took the data pad from the other Con and pressed several buttons and moments later, Ultra Magnus' face appeared on the screen. A small amused smile appeared on the old gladiators face as the message began playing.

"Lord megatron, I received your message, and after a thorough examination, came to the decision to accept your offer to a ceasefire. As shocking as this message was, I admit that I had been more then willing to accept and acknowledge it as true." A short pause when the Magnus seemed to gather his thoughts, and smiled then saying. "We will set a meeting in three days at those coordinates. It is neutral ground and would suit us better for the purpose of those negotiations. In hope that this would finally mean a peaceful end to this war, I bid you goodbye, for now. Ultra Magnus out."

And the screen went dark, Megatron tilting his head with a content smile. It had worked... The Autobots were all but ready to give peace a try, it seemed, and the meeting was already set. All was well, then. He turned to face his mate hovering behind his shoulder and Starscream gave him a smile in return, looking pleased.

"So it is going to end very soon, then. It feels... weird, but good, to think of peace and rebuilding. After such a long time of war and destruction..." The seeker's tune was thoughtful and he leaned closer to peck a kiss on his mate's lips. "All is well indeed. For our sparklings."

Megatron stood and took Starscream's servo on his own, giving Longhaul a nod and walking out of the room with the seeker. He opened a comm. line to his communications officer. "SOundwave, assemble everyone in the Common room in two hours. I will have a very important announcement to make."

"As you Command my Lord." The emotionless voice replied and Soundwave already was on to his task. He hadn't told anyone but his bondmate that he was carrying, and for peace to finaly be reached... it was a great news.

Megatron and Starscream returned to their quarters and found Savage sleeping like the dead with a data pad over his face, neither Decepticons couldn't help but chuckle softly at the sight.

*We can tell him later, let him sleep.* Starscream said over the bond.

*I'm not the least bit tired.* Megatron replied.

*I can help you with that.* Once that was said the Seeker sauntered over to the bathroom that held the showers.

Megatron smirked liking the idea and followed his second in command into the bathroom.

"Can we see if you are carrying now?" Ironhide asked, sounding like a excited youngling.

Ultra Magnus chuckled before replying. "Yes, we can go. But don't be disappointed when we find out that I'm not carrying."

"I won't, now lets go."

Ultra Magnus chuckled again before rolling his optics and following his excited bond mate out of the control room and toward the Med bay.

Could I be carrying? Or is it just my age finally catching up with me? He wondered.

In the medbay, ratchet greeted the couple with his usually gruffness, but he was slightly smiling at Ironhide's excitement. He motioned for a medical berth and said, his voice holding some amusement. "Get on the berth, Magnus. I'll scan you and you'll finally know what's going on."

"Of course Ratchet. Ironhide here cant wait to know if I'm really carrying or just glitching from old age." he chuckled lightly climbing in the berth and laying down.

"I never said you were glitching, Magnus! I'm just excited, that's all." Ironhide replied slightly insulted but amused nonetheless by his mate's comment. "If Optimus were here, he'll probably say that you should never lose hope on the future, or something like that. So I'll keep being excited until I'm 100% sure you're carrying, or not!"

Magnus grinned at his bondmate and laughed, the good memories of Optimus now being more present then the sadness of his loss for everyone in the base. Magnus had stopped some times ago trying to be Optimus, because he could never be him. He was just being himself, and it worked wonderfully. He had given up trying to fit Optimus's shoes, as the human says, but instead made his own to wear and give exemple from. That's the way things should be... and now the war was finally over. They can built again and have families of their ownand maybe even return to Cybertron and return their homeworld to its former glory. It would be a long, harduous work, but it could be done with the help of Earth ressources.

His train of thoughts was broken when the scanner beeped, and he suddenlyfelt a wave of real excitement, impatience, wash through him. Ratchet looked at the results, and has a slight frown, but his optics were glinting in a way that still was encouraging.

"So, what's the verdict? Are we gonna have a little one?" Ironhide finally asked, unable to wait much longer.

"For one thing, yes, you're going to be parents. Congratulations! But!..." He cut when Ironhide gave a loud 'WHOOPEE!' of excitement and hugged his bondmate.

At Ratchet's tune, Magnus felt a little worried, and asked cautiously. "Is it something wrong with it, Ratchet? Tell me its alright, please!"

"THEY are fine, Magnus. All three of them." Ratchet replied, and couldn't help the smirk on his faceplates at the two parent's to be shocked expression. "You two must have gone at it like petro-rabbits! Its rare for grounders to have more then 1 or two sparklings at a time."

Ironhide didn't hear the last part as he had suddenly grabbed his mate and gave him a huge wet kiss, filling the bond with love and excitement.

*I have to brag about this!* Ironhide said over the bond.

Before Ultra Magnus could say anything the red Autobot had bolted from the med bay, moments later his mates gruff voice was heard over the intercom.

"This is Ironhide, mate of Ultra Magnus. I have great news, Ultra Magnus and I are having sparklings! Not just two but three!"

"Well so much for keeping it under wraps." Ultra Magnus said with a small chuckle.

Ratchet shrugged. "He just found out he was a father, that kind of news is hard to keep to yourself."

After that announcement, Ratchet sighed a little and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Ho well, since we have a moment of silence and quiet before this plce become crowded by mechs wanting to congratulate you, there is a few things that you need to know Magnus." Ratchet tune was serious and concerned as he went to fetch a datapad, and typed some things in it. "That you're going to be a carrier at your age is already quite a feat, I wont lie to you. And also, there can be complications due to the fact that you're not in your prime time anymore. The fact that you are having triplets to top it all worries me... I dont say Ironhide wasn't in his right to be so happy about it, but this will be difficult, especially for you."

Ultra Magnus frowned and his expression turned from happy to slightly worried, and he pressed a hand over where his reproductive chamber was. "Complications? WHat kind of complications? DOnt hide anything to me Ratchet. I know I'm old, I'm even surprised that I can still carry at all. So the fact that I am amaze me... and frightens me."

Ratchet was tyîng furiously and when he was done, he handed the pad to Magnus with a little sigh and a huff of annoyance. "You're nt that old, but you're older then is good to be carrying sparkling, is what I say. However, I can make sure nothing bad will happens to you or the little ones. First thing is, you need to come every day for a check up, and I dont want to hear any excuses! You and your hard headed mate will be here every morning for that chjeck up up or I'll go and drag you here myself! Understood?"

"Yes Sir! I'll be there, and Ironhide too, you have my word." Magnus replied with a slight chuckle at the medic's tune.

"I'm not finished! The complications I mentioned are serious, magnus! It includes self-aborting, early delivery, pump or spark casing malfuntions, High energon pressure, and this is only for you. For the sparklings, there is chance they will be underdevellopped, have difformities, weaknesses, or illness at birth that are impossible to predict." Ratchet described the list of things that could go wrong with this pregnancy, and saw Magnus paling as he went on. he sighed, he didn,t wanted to scare the mech to deactivation, but he had to know.

What Ratchet had said greatly disturbed the older Autobot, there was a risk of losing the sparklings because of his age, he wasnt sure if he should tell Ironhide this.

No, I couldn't do that to him. He's so happy to know that he is going to be a father. Ultra Magnus decided.

Ironhide strolled back into the med bay a few moments later, a big goofy grin on his face. "Prepair to be swamped," He warned. "The others should be here soon."

"I'll get the prod then." Ratchet said. "I don't want my med bay to become crowed to the point where no one can breathe."

And as predicted, not even 5 minutes later, the Medbay was invaded by mechs that wanted to see the new parents to be to congratulate them. But Prowl being there, it was done in an orderly fashion so the prod was not necessary, to ratchet's great relief. The second in command was making sure that only two or three mechs at a time went in to speak to Meganus and Ironhide, but nonehteless, it lasted a couple of hours. the last to come were Bee and Mirage, and the small scout squealed happily and hugged the two of them fiercely.

"I'm so happy for you! You,re going to have sparklings! Three sparklings! At least my little one wont be alone and he'll have playmates!" he beamed and grinned wide, pressing a hand to his own already showing round belly.

Mirage just smiled and shook their hands, as aristocratic and reserved as ever. However, he was clearly very pleased, and he wrap an arm around his mate's shoulder possessively. The regal mech had always thought he was never going to have sparklings and here he was with his carrying mate... Fate always have strange ways of working it seems.

"I am sure you will make good parents for the little ones. That base is going to become a lot more lively in a short while."

As planned the leader of the Decepticons meet Ultra Magnus on neutral ground and proposed a truce, that way they could not only co-exist but also be able to raise their offspring without the threat of war.

Megatron grasped Magnus' hand and shook once to seal the truce, seconds later both sides erupted with joyous shouts, finally this war was over.

Everyone in the room agreed that those words were true, and that if the truce could hold, the future would indeed be bright. For all of them, be there Autobots or Decepticons. No more war, no more conflicts, just families and sparklings to be raised in peace. A paradise to everyone finaly come to life...

And it had taken Optimus's death to bring it to them. Optimus who would now be so proud of them all.

After the ceremony ended finally, Ultra magnus went alone to the statue memorial of Optimus prime, and stood in front of the statue. In silence, he looked at the Noble leader's regal face, carved with so much details that in the dim lighting of the moolight, he looked morealive then ever. A lonely tear and a smile appeared on the elder mech's faeplates, and he looked up at his once best friend.

"You,ve done it at last Optimus... It is your death that, ironically, sparked this and brought the end of the war. Wherever you are... I just hope that you can see this and enjoy the peace that finally came into existence."

Kneeling, he put at the feet of the statue the one thing that he knew would be most important the optuimus if he was still there. Not a weapon or a relic, but something much more simple. A small rose tree, that he planted there carefully so not to damage it. Ahen he was done, he stood again and smiled.

"May this tree symbolised the renewed life brought to our people by your devotion, your spark so big and great that never did it cease to hope even for the worst of the Decepticons. Rest in peace my old friend... Your dream had finally come true."

He left a moment later fter a last look at the statue and returend to his mate, his poeple, now united again into a single entity. Celebrations were well in place and up to stay all night and probably for days.

But it was for the best. They all needed it, to feel joy and comradship again without any factions in the way.

One people. One Spark.

Now and forever.

-The End-