Its the enddd! Can you believe it? Anyway, thank you all for sticking with me to the end! You guys your reviews are what really keep me going! So, enjoy the last chapter and look for the sequel!

I don't own it.

Six days Later.

Zora really didn't want to go up in front of all those soldiers and government officials. Really, really didn't. But Ratchet had insisted she address the troops and speak for Optimus. Especially since he wasn't doing so well.

Dead? No. Alive? Barely. He was currently resting in the med bay, in some sort of coma, being repaired by Ratchet. The medic was antsy and tired after long, strenuous hours of fixing him. They had moved to another base, a fairly new one in Virginia, near Washington, D.C. Ratchet barely had any of his tools left, since most of the med bay had been destroyed in the fight, along with most of the building.

Zora gulped and looked down at her feet as she listened to the thundering sound of rain on the hangar roof. She hadn't been there to see him cut open. She was sure that she would have lost the last piece of her mind if she had.

In a way, she already had.

Drake was dead. Her best friend was dead. A pile of ashes on the ground, courtesy of her and her killing light.

She looked back up, staring around the hangar. They were waiting for Ratchet, and then, the meeting could start. The medic was regarded as a hero now, and he had earned the respect of everyone, government bureaucrat or not. He deserved it, Zora thought.

Bumblebee was with Sam and Mikaela, actually looking happy, fluttering his door wings and bouncing up and down. Zora smiled. At least he was trying to find a way to hang onto that last shred of hope.

Lennox was with Sideswipe, sitting in the palm of the silver bot's hand, looking like he had been to hell and back. Deathly pale, trembling, holding onto Sideswipes' finger, but still looking a little bit determined. Epps stood on the ground beside him, hunched over, visibly exhausted.

Arcee was practically vibrating. Zora could see her across the hangar, shooting Zora glances. Squeaking her wheels against the floor anxiously. She was even slightly gnawing on the tips of her metal fingers.

Hm, Zora thought. Optimus isn't the only one picking up on human habits.

Zora shuddered. Best not to think about Optimus right now. He was what she wanted most, but she couldn't have him. Yet. Well, if he survived. Zora didn't doubt that he would.

A tap on the back of her leg snapped her out of her thoughts. She spun, teeth bared, ready to snarl at whoever it was.

"Jeez, kid. Calm down. Fury is not a good look on you."

Simmons.

For a second, Zora had to blink to make sure he was real. But there he was, standing there, holding a cane in one hand. Healed, but not all the way. Standing in front of her with that self-righteous look he always had.

But he, too, was broken. Just like everyone else, he had that hallow look in his eyes. Barely noticeable.

"S-Simmons?" Zora stuttered. "You're alright!"

He straightened up and beamed.

"It takes a lot more than a freakin' bullet to get rid ole' Seymour," he smirked. "And you? You aren't looking to good yourself, kiddo."

Zora narrowed her eyes.

"You should. With the day you had?" Simmons barked out a laugh. "I'm not surprised everyone's losing their minds."

Zora's gaze softened, and she ran a hand through her red hair. At least he understood. She looked back up to him and gave a long, heavy sigh. It felt good.

"You heard about everything?"

"I heard about how the bugs turned Miami into a all-you-can eat buffet," he blinked, and his mouth turned down. It wasn't a normal thing, and Zora wondered how much the gun wound had damaged him. She didn't dare ask as he said, "and how you took on NBE-1 all by yourself, like a big girl."

"Who?"

"Nobody," Simmons shuffled uncomfortably. "Just thinkin' of my old Sector Seven days."

Zora stared blankly. She could have sworn she had heard that name somewhere….maybe from Drake and his crazy conspiracy magazines?

"So," Simmons continued casually, leaning on his cane for support. It seemed as if standing tired him out. "You'll have to show me sometime."

"Show you what?"

"How you do that thing…you know…with the light."

"You know about that?"

"Saw it myself, when I was lying on the ground, bleeding to death. Saw you drag me across the carpet, shooting light out of your hands like some comic book superhero. I don't remember anything after that," Simmons replied, shrugging. Then, his eyelids drooped as he thought for a moment. He laughed. It was a hallow, emotionless laugh.

For some reason, it made Zora want to weep.

The sound of rain got louder. A flash of light, then, a boom. A thin silence hung in the air.

"I guess you did see me," Zora mumbled because it was the only thing she could think of saying.

Simmons looked down at his feet, twirling the cane on one hand before sliding it back into the other. He looked as if he really, really wanted to say something, but couldn't find the courage.

"Is there something you want to say?"

He mumbled something under his breath.

"What?"

"I said thanks, kid," he looked up and gave her a little smile. "You saved my life back there. Back at the house. You and Lennox and Epps."

Zora didn't know what to say. She wasn't used to being admired as some type of hero. Since growing up in Synapsis, one of the poorest and corrupt town in Florida, she had been viewed as more of a delinquent. And to some, a slut. Especially since the mugging incident with Drake.

"Um…you're welcome?"

Simmons reached out and patted her shoulder. "You have my respect," he looked past her. "It looks like you're up."

Zora turned and saw Ratchet finally tromping into the hangar, each step causing the floor to shake.

Zora looked at him closely. He was no longer the grumpy, fearless and intimidating medic she had known before. Like everyone else, he was weak in mind, and even weaker in spirit.

She approached the medic cautiously. She looked up and said, "are we ready?"

He glanced down at nodded. Didn't speak, just nodded and stepped over her so he stood behind her.

The room suddenly went quiet. All eyes swiveled to look at Zora. Each look was different. Some filled with despair, other curious, some shaken, some angry. Some full of respect as they stared at her. Other were accusing, but Zora couldn't tell if they were directed at her, or the CMO standing behind her.

"I think we all know why we're here…" Zora began, her face already beginning to heat. Optimus usually did the speaking, not her. He was usually the center of attention, not her. She gulped and found herself toying with the hemline of her shirt.

"I know that the last few days have been a little…..hectic. For all of you." She shot Sam and Mikaela a look. In the back, Arcee stared at her worriedly. "Listen, I'm not really good with the whole public speaking thing."

A few coughs. Blank, tired faces stared at her.

"Drake is dead," she clarified. "but we still have a war to win. A war that's a whole lot bigger than any of us. And I'm sticking with it. But I don't know about you."

She paused for a moment and took a breath.

"You can choose to stick with it now, or turn away. If you choose to stay, there's not turning back. No one will stop you. I doubt anyone will blame you, after what you've all seen," she gave a dry laugh.

"What about da bugs?" It was Mudflap, the red bot having stood up. "I ain't playin' with those things again. No fraggin' way."

Zora sighed and squeezed her eyes shut. She didn't want to have to mention those monstrosities. It would lead to a discussion about Drake, and he was the last thing she wanted to talk about. She still had his mad, dying face stuck in her mind.

Ratchet stepped up and saved her, surprisingly.

"I've examined them. They were a mix of Cybertronian and organic material unlike anything I've ever seen before."

"….And they aren't coming back from the dead, right?" Zora asked. The thought had just dawned on her, then, and she needed clarification. For the sake of her, and all the other soldiers.

"Drake was their master. Drake is dead, therefore they ceased to exist."

Almost everyone in the room breathed out a sigh of relief.

Zora sucked in air and continued. "So, there you have it," she couldn't help but stare at the floor when she murmured, "we lost a lot of good guys out there…"

Jolt. Maggie. Galloway. Hank. Quinn. Sledge. Dex. Barricade.

Almost Optimus.

Drake.

All casualties. Some good, most bad. But it still clawed at her heart to think about any of them, even if she hadn't known a minority of them personally.

She held back a sudden, uncontrollable sob, and turned away, walking towards the med bay.

Down the hall, around a corner, listening to the sound of rain splashing against the ceiling. She reached the med bay, surprised to the that the room was dark except for a few dim lights hanging from the ceiling. In the corner, tools sat on the huge table that Ratchet used. Laying on the berth was a huge, blue and red hulking figure.

She looked around and didn't see Ironhide. He was probably in his own quarters. It seemed fixing legs and arms took less work than fixing someone who had been split open.

"You up?" She asked.

The figure shifted, joints creaking. Two large, glowing blue orbs blinked to life.

"Z-Zora?"

She cringed at the static lacing his voice.

"Yeah. It's me. How you doing, big guy?"

"Stable," Optimus grunted. It seemed like talking hurt. "Still broken inside."

Zora twisted her fingers together and looked at him. "I heard Ratchet say that you would be able to walk by tomorrow."

Optimus made a noise and pinched the bridge of his nose. Out of disgust or relief, Zora did not know. Maybe a mix of both.

In the flickering light, Zora saw his chassis rise and fall.

"I can't manage this anymore, Zora."

Zora froze. His tone was serious.

"Yes, you can," she said. "You're a leader."

"Someone once told me…." Optimus sighed, "that the world would no longer need a hero. And that a true hero would know when to walk away."

Zora huffed and crossed her arms. "The world still needs you. They still need us," she shook her head. "Look, you know about multiple choice questions?"

He shifted his head, and Zora interpreted that as a nod.

"Well, sometimes they have A, B, C, or, 'all of the above,'" Zora said. "Well, sometimes you have to choose 'all of the above.' The world needs all of the above. They need you, and Sam, and Mikaela, and Lennox, and Epps, and Ratchet, and Ironhide, and Bumblebee, and everyone else. Remember that."

"You are wise beyond your years, Zora Grace Parker," Optimus said, smiling.

"You know you love it," she teased. "And you know that I love you."

The large bot' shifted, and suddenly, Zora felt those pair of human arms around her. That black hair tickled her cheek as he leaned down to whisper in her ear.

"As you know, I also enjoy nice, long drives with my mate."

Zora turned to face his, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him close.

"I know."

She kissed him. Hard. Gripping his shirt and pulling her forward, loving the feel of his hands tangled in her hair.

She loved him, she loved him. She could care less what anyone else said.

She had pulled away to let him nuzzle her throat when it hit her.

"You know, I'm really glad that I went to that party."

She pulled away as he deactivated his holoform. She let his large fingers wrap around her waist to lift her up so she sat on his chest. As she traced the smooth designs on his armor, she noticed that he was almost fully repaired.

She smiled and let her head rest against the metal of his chest, and they both listened to the dull sounds of rain against the roof.

Like tears. To some, tears of sadness, but to her, tears of absolute joy.

She cried and the world cried with her.

~ End ~