A/N: ANd we have sadly reached the last chapter. :( I want to thank everyone who followed this story, it's been yet another fun ride! :)

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CHAPTER 29
Perfect

Kyle's eyes widened as the two robots collided to the ground. He wanted to scream Cliffjumper's name but he found it too hard, he was too terrified to do much of anything at the moment. Quickly scrambling to his feet, he felt arms wrap around his neck violently. His eyes widened, as he turned his head to see that Fred had gotten himself out of his handcuffs. "Think you're the ONLY one who can get free? That's rich!" He pulled harder, and Kyle could feel the breath being choked out of him "Don't even fight, Kyle. I'm still stronger than you." He added.

"Are you stronger than me?"

As Fred spun around, he didn't have a moment to react before he was met with Optimus Prime's fist. Kyle fell to the ground, choking out, he looked up in stunned relief at Optimus. Clearly, the mech had decided the moment he saw the fight that he was needed. "Kyle, get behind me." He told him quietly "It's okay..." He saw the fear in Kyle's eyes "He will not touch you." He added.

Carefully keeping the boy behind him, Optimus stared Fred down. Though Kyle was by far the one most damaged, Fred looked like he'd just fought a war, and that was before Optimus had joined the fight. "You think I'm scared of you." Fred laughed coldly, his eyes meeting Optimus's own "You won't hurt me beyond some stunning, I mean come on. COME ON." Fred shouted "I dare you to really try and hurt me you stupid piece of scrap metal!"

And as Fred lunged for Kyle again, Optimus made sure he was directly behind him. The blast that hit Fred dead-on and destroyed him within seconds was quick, but the gore it caused was not something to expose a child to. "Did you-?" Kyle turned to Optimus, who's gun totted arm was smoking.

Optimus stared down at the remains of Fred Rickers, which was little more than ash and blood. "He had a gun, I saw him go for it, and then at you. I would not stand by and watch you be shot." Optimus lowered his weapon, and stared over the mud covered and battered boy "Are you alright? How badly did they injure you?" He questioned.

"He beat the crap out of me." Kyle wiped blood off of his lip "I wanted to fight, but..."

Optimus understood, carefully using his holoform to lift Kyle into his arms. Though he wasn't Optimus own child, Kyle leaned his head against the chest quietly, knowing he was in safe arms. "It's alright now, Kyle, you're safe." The mech whispered "I'm going to take you somewhere safe while we take care of Knock Out and your Mother." He told him calmly "Do you trust me?" He questioned.

Kyle only nodded his head slowly, pain coursing through his body. Optimus carried him just as quickly toward the cellar area, though he hated to bring him there, it was the safest place to be at the moment. Placing him against a wall, Optimus calmly nodded at him. "Stay here, I promise, we'll be back for you." Optimus patted the boy's shoulder "Don't move." He added as he disappeared to join the fight.

When he'd finally made it towards the two fighting transformers, Optimus was stunned at the extent of the damage to each already done. Cliffjumper was trying his best to lift himself to his feet, dents and scratches littering his armor. "Come on Cliffjumper, is that the best you've got?" Knock-Out grinned wickedly "I thought you'd give me more fight than that." He added flatly.

Spitting out a metal tooth, and wiping his face of Energon, Cliffjumper groaned quietly. "I'm just getting started, Knock-Out. I won't be done with you until I beat the last breath out of you." He growled, standing to his feet and punching Knock Out hard in the jaw, nearly dislocating it "Did that hurt you enough you stupid." An uppercut to the jaw "Piece of." He kicked him hard in the face, knocking him down "SCRAP METAL." He shouted.

Knock Out had not seen that one coming, he crumpled to the ground as Cliffjumper, grabbed him by the scruff bar. Lifting him to his face, he growled lowly, causing Optimus to back up. Clearly, Cliffjumper had this more than handled, and to interfere would just put him in the crossfire. "Come on Cliffjumper." Knock Out begged, his optics widening "Show a little mercy." He added.

"Be glad I'm not throwing you in your OWN cage."

Lifting his knee, Cliffjumper grabbed hold of either side of Knock Out. His rage driving him, he had no mercy as he slammed the mech onto his kneecap, hard, breaking his spine and snapping Knock Out in half. One satisfied that Knock Out had been split into two halves completely, he took a deep breath, and dropped them onto the ground. "Where's his Mother?" He questioned Optimus "Have you seen her?" He asked.

"I believe I heard a gunshot from inside the home earlier."

Cliffjumper frowned, he knew what that meant. She had taken the cowards way out and killed herself, it made him grimace quietly. The sound of sirens in the distance brought him out of his thoughts, turing to Optimus, he sighed. "Well then, what do you say we help those humans down there, eh?" He questioned.

One way or another, coward or not, Cliffjumper was simply glad it was all over.

...

The sirens, and the ambulance were not an odd sight for Kyle. He had remembered them from when his brother had died all too well. Yet, that night, there was a different air surrounding him, far different than the other night. It was as if there had been a certain calm that had never been there before. A blanket was around his shoulders as a paramedic calmly looked over his injuries. "Son, I think you'll be just fine with a bit of rest." The man told him calmly "So long as you don't feel dizzy or anything." He added.

"I'm feeling okay, sir." Kyle smiled genuinely, nodding his head a bit "Just a little weak." He added.

The paramedic nodded, and the police officer had already moved onto his next victim. It was at this point that Cliffjumper and Ratchet's holoform's had joined him on the back of the ambulance. Kyle could tell they knew that he was nervous, he could even feel himself shaking. "Hey, squirt." Cliffjumper wrapped an arm around the boy "It's okay, you're safe now." He added.

Kyle leaned into his Father's body calmly, he was still shaking but it had helped. "I know I'm going to be okay. But all those other people my parents sold." His throat went dry slightly "You only got three of them." He muttered.

Ratchet and Cliffjumper exchanged a glance at one-another. "We'll find the others, Kyle." Ratchet rested a hand on his shoulder reassuringly "They won't... Get away with what they did." He added.

"They already did, they got off easy." Kyle muttered.

Cliffjumper wished he could have disagreed with the boy. They had gotten away with it, in a way, though both were dead, they would never face charges for the crimes they committed. But even then, they still would find themselves facing judgement of a far worse, and much more evil kind. "I think your "God" will deal out punishment enough." He noted, smiling a little "What matters is they didn't get to you." He added.

"And we love you and all, but we heard that you didn't follow our rules." Ratchet noted.

"You're grounded for a week, especially for scaring us like that."

Kyle smiled, it was fair enough, he couldn't have imagined how afraid either one of them had been, after all, he had gone without telling either one of them. Even then though, Kyle still wished things had gone differently. Inside however, he knew it was now time for him to move on. "Dad, Ratchet..." He muttered "I wanna go home." He noted.

The two mech's smiled brightly, Cliffjumper helping him to his feet calmly. Kyle allowed Cliffjumper to gently lead him away, his smile broad. "Alright then, let's go home." Cliffjumper noted.

And for the first time in his short life, Kyle left his parents and never looked back.

...

Ten years seemed like twenty years for Kyle Clifford. But in all that time, the town of Jasper had not once changed. Life had moved on from the Rickers Scandal long ago, it was now just whispers, if it was ever talked about. He had gone on to become a successful police officer, alongside his Father, and neither Cliffjumper, nor Ratchet could have been more proud to say that. College under his belt, a successful career ahead of him, yet, he never forgot his roots. The nightmares and memories remained the same, but he had moved on.

Cliffjumper and Ratchet remained roommates and close friends. Though Kyle had long ago moved out of the house, he came over over and stayed on the weekends. Cliffjumper had remained a Foster Father, much to his surprise, and most recently had fostered a young girl. He'd never connected with anyone like he had Kyle, but he loved what he did. Ratchet had even adopted a human in the years that followed, a young boy, even younger than Kyle was. It had turned out that in the end, he'd come to love having Kyle around too.

Life was good, there was no doubt about that. Yet sometimes, your roots did come back to haunt you.

As he made his way from the station one night, heading toward his car, Kyle noticed a familiar sight. A young boy, perhaps fifteen years old, but not a day older, in the shadow of the night. His clothes torn, his body thin, and he wreaked of sewer. He tried and failed to pick the lock of one car, but to no avail. For a moment, Kyle had moved to open his own car and leave. But he stopped himself mid-way.

With a smile, he looked over, and nodded. "Hey kid." He called out, the boy froze in his tracks, and appeared ready to run "Hey, hey, I'm not gonna hurt you. I'm a cop." This seemed to ease the boy, even slightly "You look like you could use something to eat, huh?" He asked.

"What's the catch?" The boy asked, hesitating.

For a moment, Kyle thought that over, what was the catch? Yet, as he thought it over, Kyle knew there wasn't one. There had never been one when Cliffjumper and Ratchet had taken them into their home. And there wouldn't be one there. Making his way to the passenger's side of the car, he slowly opened it. "No catch, let's just say..." He smiled "I know what you've been through." He added.

For a moment, the boy looked like he may just run. But within a few moments, the boy made his way toward him, getting in the passengers seat calmly. Kyle smiled as he closed his door. For everything Cliffjumper and Ratchet had done for him, for all he went through, Kyle could, and would do this. And as he thought it all over, he came to a realization that life wasn't just good...

It was perfect.

...

A/N: And so ends our little story here. :) I hope you all enjoyed it and are satisfied with the ending! :D