DMK: *long and tired sigh* FINALLY! IT IS COMPLEEEETEEEED! This is the LAST chapter people, and after that, There might be a sequel! :D If not…I dunno… but ENJOY! …it's just a little finale thing… I don't know why I did this, it's not really a plot point…

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Chapter 16

            "Come on Optimus! We're running out of time!" Hotshot shouted as he rose from his seat, slamming his hands down on the desk in front of him. "Cait needs our help!"

            Optimus nodded slightly, still thinking about this deeply.

            "Prime… we really must go and get her… She doesn't stand a chance on the moon by herself," Scavenger said off to the side, slightly worried.

            "Scavenger's right!" Hotshot agreed. "I couldn't even hold my own up by myself, how would she?"

            "Wow, I reeeeeeeaaally feel the love here, guys," came a voice from behind them and in the doorway, one with friendly sarcasm. Turning quickly, all of the Autobots and humans present saw Caitlin, who was leaning up against the wall. "I'm SO glad you all have such faith in me…" she added with just as much cynicism.

            "Sis!" Sideswipe exclaimed, running at her full gallop and throwing his arms around her tightly. "I-I don't believe it! You made it back, safe!"

            She smiled weakly, more because her oxygen filters were being badly constricted by her surrogate brother. "Yeah…I'm just fine… Wheeljack had to save my butt, but I'm alright…"

            Hotshot stared. "HE SAVED YOU!?"

            "Yeah…" she responded in a strangled tone, at which Sideswipe let her go. "Believe it or not."

            Scavenger looked over at Optimus a bit dumbstruck, wondering how he saw this coming, but the Autobot leader didn't seem to notice. "Well I'm glad you've mad it back safely, Caitlin," he said kindly.

            "Yeah!" Smokescreen agreed. "We were just about to storm the 'Cons' base when you showed up!"

            "Aww, that would have been fun to see," she said a bit playfully. "Cyclonus seriously needs some more butt-kicking…"

            "You alright though?" Jetfire asked his friend. "Must've taken a bit of a beating up there, right?"

"N-no, I'm fine. Nothing I can't handle…"

            RedAlert furrowed his brow underneath his visor curiously. "Are you sure…?"

"Trust me, Red, I'm in once piece and as healthy as can be." Then, she wavered a little bit, her systems shorting out for only a millisecond.

            Unfortunately for the femme, the said medic picked up on this. He stepped forward, grabbed her arm, and started to lead her to the medbay. "Come with me," He said seriously.

            "Hey! I ain't damaged! You can't do that t' me!"

            "Oh, don't give me that," He smirked back playfully. "I can tell what's wrong when even you can't…"

            She looked back to Optimus. "Gah! Prime! Help! I don't need any tech support!"

            Her leader looked her over from a distance. "You look a bit burnt…"

            "Aw man! I'm FINE!"

            "No you're not! Now at least let me see what happened and then I'll let you go."

            "Tch… Fine." She stopped resisting and slouched over, following RedAlert meekly to the medical bay.

            An hour later, she walked out of the medbay, after Red had to repair numerous circuits that had blown from the high voltage she had coursing through her body, muttering a sore but grateful thank you to him. She took one step forward-and ran smack into Scavenger. He looked down on her with his stern optics as usual.

            "Oh yeah, training. I'll be there in five," she said to him casually, brushing past him.

            The mercenary stared after her. "I never said you had to train, you know…"

            Turning around, her look puzzled, she only asked, "What?"

            "You don't have to, today anyways. I'm giving you the day off."

            "Ooookay… who are you, and what have you done with the REAL Scavenger?"

            He didn't blink an optic. "I can assure you, I'm the original. Now go rest…"

            She gave him a searching look, trying to gather what was going on. "What gives? You're never this nice to me…"

            "I'm not a completely heartless being, you know…." He said a tad defensively. "Contrary to popular belief, I do know how to be kind…"

            Not able to shake that odd feeling, she couldn't help but stare at him funny. "You're serious?"

            He nodded. "I think I speak on behalf of the rest of us, but I'm just glad you're safe."

            "Aww… don't get mushy on me, dude." She started a bit gruffly. "…But thanks. Aside from the fact that you pummel me daily, you're a great friend."

            He grinned in a soft manner, then nudged her forward. "Go already. I'll be seeing you later."

            "Alright." And with that, she walked off, looking for a place to think.

***LATER***

            Sideswipe walked alone inside the cave that lead to the look out which observed the canyon and the sunset. It surprised him that Caitlin was already there. "Hey… Caitlin.……? Are you alright…?"

            She turned her head to look at him. "Me? I'm alright… I'm just thinking about what happened to me today…"

            "He didn't do anything to you… did he?" the young mech asked as he sat down beside her, concerned.

            "No… I got away before he could. I just wonder what the heck is up with Wheeljack and all…"

            "Oh." He looked down, also thinking. "Him. Well I don't know much about how he thinks…He might be coming around though…"

            "Yeah… Possibly…" her mind then drifted to other things. "You know… I really haven't given a Transformer name a thought…"

            Sideswipe looked up at her. "Hmm… what would you like to be your name?"

            "I don't really know…" She looked up to the stars, thinking again.

            "…Starwind? Starsong? Windstar?" Sideswipe began, following her gaze up to the sky.

            Her head shot up. "Wind…wind… Hey! Windracer!"

            Sideswipe grinned. "Yeah! I like that!" he said contentedly, thinking about it. "That really does sound like a good name…"

            "Yeah… Windracer…"

            "Okay…I don't know what the future has in store for me, but I have to say that it isn't as bad as it could be. Being a Transformer has its perks… and its downsides. Yeah, I'm scared about what sort of stunts Cyclonus will try to pull next, and not happy about how badly Scavenger beats me when I train, but hey- it's life. I have to get used to it. Maybe I'll be lucky enough to become a human again… but I doubt that. Also, there's one thing that's getting me to think… Wheeljack. What's his game? Why did he show me, of all people, compassion? Maybe he's turning a new leaf, or maybe he's not as evil as Hotshot makes him out to be…I owe all the Transformers for me being here right now, and not dead or in Cyclonus' evil and rather demented grip. I miss being a human, of course I do, but it might not be that bad…I'll just have to wait and see, won't I?"

The End…

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DMK: ha! I'm DONE! THANK THE MERCIFUL GODS! Hoo, sorry, that wasn't supposed to be so long… really it wasn't… Oh well. Now, I'm going to work on SOMETHING… probably "Heavy Metal War: Future Century", OR reach back into my memory and finish "A New Bot In Town"…one can only wait and see! I leave you now with smiles! :D :D :D :D :D :D :D