Author's note: This story will go through the original movie, series three and beyond, but I'll be twisting the canon a little in places. As this is the last story in this series, and I'm hoping to tie up all the loose ends, I'll be more than happy to hear from anyone who wants to see a particular thing happen.

It's only fair to warn you all that I have nearly reduced myself tears with bits of this, so you might want to grab some tissues before you start reading, and I'm still beta-less so there maybe the odd error, I'm hoping that I've caught them all. I'm also well aware that other Authors have done this before, and probably done it better than me, but after all I've done to give my characters a back-story it seems only right to give them a future too, I only hope that I don't disappoint anyone. Enjoy. FB.

For the Promise of Peace

Chapter 1

As his second in command entered his office Optimus Prime paused in his work to gather himself together. Things hadn't gone his way for sometime; relocating over half his army to the moons of Cybertron had been a logistical nightmare, especially as his unit included the Dinobots, and the fact that several of his most trusted warriors seemed to be sulking for some reason didn't help either.

For the last few cycles only a select few dared go within 'wrench-range' of Ratchet, he didn't even want to think about Sunstreaker, and to cap it all Prowl, the most logical and rational of all mechs, had developed a stubborn streak a mile wide.

"The supply run is essential," he stated tiredly. He'd already tried to organise it already, but Prowl had knocked it back in favour of a raid on Decepticon energon stores, which had ended in disaster. Megatron's spies had warned the tyrant and nearly every mech on the mission had been forced to return to Earth for repairs, the only exceptions had been Ratchet who had miraculously escaped serious injury, and Jazz who should have gone but had refused point-blank to get on the shuttle, acquired the parts he needed from 'somewhere' and returned to duty.

"I'm well aware of that, but the Decepticons know that we're almost out of options," Prowl argued, "They know that energon is in short supply here, and it can't have escaped their notice that some of our soldiers are on Earth. They're expecting us to run there."

"The shuttle will be well guarded, our best warriors will go; Sunstreaker, Brawn, Ironhide and Grimlock," the Prime responded.

"And if they are intercepted and defeated we stand no chance at all in battle," Prowl retorted, "A smaller shuttle is less likely to be detected. Jazz and I can handle everything between us."

"Negative," Prime said dismissively, "Jazz is the only mech here that can make sense of the Comms, and you still have battle strategies to prepare."

"So let me go," Prowl snapped, his usual even tone slipped slightly and indicated his annoyance, "I can run the simulations en-route and relay them through Jazz."

Optimus Prime couldn't understand what had gotten into his tactician, Prowl was calm, Prowl was reasonable, but the mech stood in front of him didn't seem to be either. "Fine," he sighed, "Take Sunstreaker, Brawn, Ironhide and Ratchet with you,"

"I can do it alone," Prowl disagreed, "I'll start getting things ready."

"Repairs will be needed after the battle and Ratchet doesn't trust anyone else to retrieve all the parts he'll need, and if you are ambushed you'll need back up. That's an order Prowl; I'm done arguing with you."

"Frag it, can't he see what I'm trying to do?" Prowl thought vehemently. "Sunstreaker stays here," he barked, "There's no sense in endangering anyone we don't have to," and with that the black and white turned on his heel and stormed out.

Jazz fell into step with him before he had taken two strides along the corridor, "I take it things went as you thought they would?" he asked sadly as he slid an arm around his lover's waist in attempt to calm the furious tactician.

"Pretty much," Prowl agreed, his mood softening in the presence of his bond-mate, "he's adamant about this energon run, and he's right, without the energy and the re-enforcements we don't stand a chance, and all our shuttles are here. Hopefully the autopilot will make it to Autobot City even if we don't. At least Sunstreaker will be staying."

Jazz nodded, "Sunny ain't going to like that, you know he's desperate to see Sides and Blue again."

"They'll be returning with the shuttle, he'll see them soon." Prowl stopped suddenly, his optics met the blue visor of his bond-mate as he steeled himself for what he had to say, "I love you my Jazz, I never said that enough…"

Jazz flinched, they had discussed what would probably happen well before Prowls latest meeting with their commander and accepted the consequences, but he had never stopped hoping that another alternative would present itself. "Neither of us did," he whispered, "but this ain't goodbye, it's one mission and one battle, one way or another we'll be together by the end."

Prowl nodded and bent his neck so that their helms touched, nothing was said for a moment as the pair of black and whites allowed their emotions to flow freely through their bond, "Love you Prowl," Jazz sent as he couldn't trust himself to say another word.

Prowl lifted Jazz' head back up with a tender touch, "Be brave my Jazz, it won't be long before we're together again," with the gentlest of kisses Prowl said the goodbye that neither of them could bring themselves to say and moved on.

Jazz watched him go for a moment before he too returned to his duties and forced the grin that everyone expected to see onto his face, there would be time for anger and retribution or joy and love later, but for the time being he had to be strong.

A few short minutes later he was back at the communications relay, he settled into his seat with a sorrowful sigh that he couldn't hold back and resumed his task of giving Prowl and the others the best chance he could.

His optimistic nature told him that there was a chance, but he knew it was slim. The Decepticons would be watching the same skies he was, and be expecting them to make a move, but there was nothing else that could be done.

Jazz found himself remembering one of the few chess games he had ever played with his lover, about halfway through the game Prowl had made a comment about his reckless style of play, "Once all your pieces are in play all you can do is trust and pray," he had replied, Prowl had laughed and the game had ended in a stalemate.

"If we make it through this I'll play chess with you more often," he thought as he watched the shuttle take off, "I don't care if I lose, so long as I get to hear you laugh."

Once his duties were done Jazz returned to his quarters, he was too restless to recharge and an almost constant data stream from Prowl that contained all the plans for the up coming battle would have kept him on-line anyway, but at least he was away from the others and he could let the mask slip.

With a grim expression that would have made his friends nervous he took out his weapons and started cleaning them. As he worked he opened the bond and allowed the gentle drone of Prowls thoughts to soothe his mood, he didn't listen hard, Prowl was busy, and trying to make sense of all the tactical data that he was relaying to the Moon Base's master computer would have sent his processor into a lock, but it was a lot better than oppressive silence.

"JAZZ!" Prowls desperate voice shattered his concentration completely, he was on his feet before he realised that he wasn't the one being attacked, and in the next instant he was driven to his knees as the bond was ripped away. There could be no mistake; such a thing could only happen for one reason, Prowl, the love of his life, the mech that had completed him, was dead.

He had no sense of time, all he could do was keep his vents working and allow the sorrow to flow through him. Without Prowl there was no point, no reason to live, except for his duty.

After what seemed like an age one thought emerged and engulfed all others, One more battle, the finality thought calmed him, and he hauled himself to his feet. "Primus, I ask you to care for the mech I love until I can join him, let him know the peace that we fought for." with his brief prayer said he turned to face his mirror, "One more battle," he told his reflection, "I'll see my friends safe, then I'm done."

The saboteur left his quarters and headed back to the control room, the base was eerily quiet and only Cliffjumper was in the command centre, "Where is everyone?" the black and white asked.

"Earth by now," Cliffjumper answered, "Blaster sent out a mayday. Prime tried to rouse you but didn't get an answer and there was no time to waste, so now it's just us."

With a heavy sigh Jazz sat down at his console again, a brief thought flickered through his processor, how much has changed since I last sat here? Before another question surfaced and eclipsed it, "Cliffjumper!" he called, "What's that?"

The red minibot peered over his shoulder, "No clue," he admitted.

Whatever it was, it was huge, almost the size of the moon they had called home for the last couple of months, moving at a tremendous speed and apparently on a premeditated course, "Where'd that thing come from?" the saboteur asked.

"Who cares?" Cliffjumper muttered, "I'm more worried about where it's going," and he gave the diagnostic equipment a swift kick as it refused to give a satisfactory explanation.

Percussive maintenance, Jazz thought idly, Perceptor would be proud, but as the thing grew closer he couldn't help but think thatwhatever was heading for them was certainly not in any of Prowls plans.

"We have to call the others back," Cliffjumper stated, "We can't do much alone."

The saboteur nodded and schooled his vocaliser into what he hoped would pass for his usual optimistic tone, "Talk to me Earth, we got a situation up here," for a moment there was no response, "Roger me, wilco me, hello, hello Earth. This is Jazz. A ginormous, weird lookin' planet just showed up in the suburbs of Cybertron…"

"And it's attacking Moonbase One," Cliffjumper interrupted as the deafening shriek of metal on metal reached their audios.

Any response from the earthbound Autobots was lost in the din and without looking at each other the two mechs turned and ran.

The last shuttle was their only chance and they both did the best they could, but their struggle was futile and as the small craft was engulfed by the monster oblivion claimed them.

He came back on-line slowly, becoming aware of the sense of loss first, before the dents and scrapes, the fear and the worry was the simple, broken emotion of being alone.

How do I carry on without you? He thought, but he knew that his partner wouldn't answer, you are my world, my happiness, my Prowl. How can I live in a world that you aren't part of?

Through the agony a memory surfaced, a moment that already seemed a lifetime ago, a gentle embrace, Prowls optics bright with pent up emotion and clear blue as the cloudless Earth sky, and his earnest voice, "Be brave my Jazz."

"Jazz!" another, less gentle voice echoed, "Jazz!"

Somehow I doubt that this is what you had in mind Prowl, he thought, but here goes nothin'.

He forced himself back into the lonely world and looked up at Spikes worried face.

Spike let out a relieved sigh, "We were starting to think that you weren't going to wake up," he admitted, "We checked you for damage, but couldn't find anything too serious."

"Nothin' to find," the saboteur snapped, "Where are we?"

"The belly of the beast," Spike answered dramatically, "We've already been attacked by… claws I guess but that doesn't really do them justice. Bumblebee and Cliffjumper managed to drag you in here and we seem to have given them the slip, but we're a long way off safe."

As Spike brought him up to speed the two minibots returned from what he guessed had been a quick re-con mission, "It doesn't look good," Bumblebee muttered as he sank back against a wall, "We've got no comms, minimal weapons, no energon and those claw things are everywhere."

"Energon and weapons I can help with," the saboteur informed the yellow minibot, he snatched a couple of emergency rations and pistols out of his subspace and handed them out.

"Thanks," Cliffjumper said in a slightly surprised tone, "But how…?"

"I was a boy scout in a previous life," the black and white answered sarcastically, "Special Ops, remember?"

Cliffjumper smiled sheepishly, downed his ration and checked the pistol, "What about you?"

"I'll get by," he answered.

"If you go into stasis again Bumblebee and I can't carry you far," Cliffjumper snapped, "Drink!"

Reluctantly he brought out another ration and did as he was told.

"Any ideas?" Bumblebee asked.

"If we can get to the outer hull I should be able to make us an exit," he answered.

"Jazz, Bumblebee and I blew up Moonbase Two and didn't even make a dent," Spike informed him.

"Got to be a weak spot somewhere," the saboteur countered, "Nothin's indestructible,"

Spike eyed him dubiously but nodded.

The black and white unspaced a considerable hoard of Wheeljack's best explosives, and quickly divided them into three piles before pushing two of them towards Bumblebee and Cliffjumper, "Gives you a chance if somethin' happens to me," he explained.

"We don't stand much of a chance without you," Bumblebee said matter of factly, "'Jumper and I will fight to our last but you've got better weapons and scanners than both of us."

"Better some of us than none of us," the visored mech answered flatly before he hauled himself to his feet and took point.

For a few minutes the four friends walked in silence, each of them looked around and tried to work out how much of a chance they actually had, looks like I'll be with you soon Prowl, he thought grimly.

"What's going on Jazz?" Spike asked when the silence became unbearable.

For a moment the saboteur just looked at him and couldn't help being reminded of a young mech who never knew when to keep his mouth shut, please let Blue be safe, he thought, "I'm fine," he answered.

"You've been sullen and distant since you came back online and that's not like you." Spike persisted.

Time to drop another bombshell, Jazz thought, and he fought to keep his voice even as he spoke the words that he had feared more than any others since the war had begun, "Prowl's dead."

"What!?" Bumblebee blurted out, "When? How?"

"What about Brawn and the others?" Cliffjumper demanded to know.

Reluctantly Jazz recalled the last moment before his bond had been torn away, there was no way to keep Prowl's emotions out of the memory and he almost lost control of his own systems as the scene unfolded, Prowl's fear, anger and regret almost burned away the last of his already depleted determination, but he pulled himself back and focused on his friends, they needed answers and he was the only one who could give them.

"The shuttle was ambushed," he informed them in a near whisper, "and I'm sorry. Prowl was relaying tactical data to me, and Brawn was gone before he realised what was happening, there was nothing he could do. Ratch and 'Hide were alive when Prowl…" he couldn't say the word so he skipped it out, "but I don't know if they made it."

"We can hope," Spike said with forced optimism, "I'm sorry for your loss Jazz," he added quickly, "I know this must be hard for you but please try to remember that we stand a better chance with you."

Try impossible, the saboteur thought brokenly.

"No one could have known this would happen," he heard Bumblebee say as he pushed his grief aside again.

"Prowl knew," he said quietly. Suddenly he was furious at the unfairness of it all, but he hid his feelings as best he could and used them to keep himself going. His statement earned him shocked looks from the other three, "He knew the shuttle mission was almost certainly doomed as soon as Prime mentioned it."

"Then why did he take it?" Bumblebee asked.

"So that other mechs wouldn't have to," he answered shortly, "Prowl and I have lived long and happy lives together, there are others that deserve that chance."

"You mean Blue and Sunstreaker," Bumblebee guessed.

The black and white nodded, "But don't you dare tell them," he warned, "Sunny would use my armour as a chew-toy if he found out, and I dread to think what it would do to Blue."

Bumblebee agreed, "I'll make you a deal, if we get out of this I'll never tell a soul."

"We can hash out the finer points of that arrangement later," the saboteur nodded, "We got incoming." He turned to face the threat that his scanners had picked up and gasped, Spike had been right; the word 'claws' didn't do those things justice, but he didn't have time to think much more than that before he opened fire.

Despite their best efforts the same group were soon surrounded, and caught in a tangle that seemed inescapable, I'm done, the black and white thought grimly, I can't…he watched in horror as the almost snake like bonds tightened around Spike and started to crush his Exosuit, but if I give up what happens to them? How can I go into the Matrix knowing that I left my friends in danger? Oh Prowl, I'm sorry.

With an agonised, defiant scream Jazz wrenched his weapon hand free and fired at the vicious restraints. He got lucky, the claws fell back and they ran. Jazz felt as if his spark might shatter with every footfall, and he didn't get far before the pain of it drove him to his knees.

"Jazz!" Spike shouted to alert the others to his distress, and before he could push his emotions down again his friends surrounded him.

"Where are you hurt?" Cliffjumper demanded to know.

"It ain't that," Jazz forced himself to say, "I couldn't…" he broke off, not knowing how to explain what he had done, Prowl, forgive me, his processor begged. "I just need a minute," he said aloud.

"You seem to have one," Spike assured him, "Those things aren't following us. Jazz, thank you, we'd be dead if it wasn't for you."

Jazz smiled weakly, his friends were safe for the moment and that was some comfort to him, but he couldn't help regretting what they had cost him, he'd never felt so alone in his life.