I do not own Transformer except in my daydreams.

I had an awful time writing this finale for some reason; this is actually the fourth version! Thanks to everyone who reads, favorites, and especially who reviews.

Epilogue

Megatron stood on the bridge of the Mission and watched as Earth receded. "Are you all right?' he asked the black and gold Cybertronian in his arms.

Changeling reached up and touched Megatron's cheek reassuringly, without taking his eyes from the screen. "I think so," he said. "It's hard, leaving, but it's time. Ready or not, they're on their own now." The ceremonies inducting a human-run Earth as a full member of the Alliance ended today.

"I never thought this day would come," Megatron admitted, as the blue and white pebble grew smaller and smaller. "But you proved me wrong."

"Like it was easy," Changeling said, looking up again, and smiling. "We fought about it often enough."

"Don't remind me," Megatron said with feeling. Remembering-

Two days after the transfer, when Ironhide and other Autobots objected to the new youngling going to Earth with the Decepticons:

"You promised Sam I would stay with Megatron!" shrilled the youngling at the top of his excellent vocal processor to Maximus Prime, as the Decepticon leader and several Autobots winced. As he spoke, he writhed in Ironhide's grip and kicked that worthy sideways in the knee. To the shock of all the gathered mechs, the experienced warrior went down as the youngling twisted from his grip and ran to Megatron's waiting arms. "I'm going home!"

Two vorns later, after Megatron and the Decepticons find that the youngling's development-and emotions-are about the same as the human teenager Sam was when he absorbed the spark and the All-Spark:

"How does he get out?" Starscream screeched, as all of them searched for the defiant youngling. "The doors were locked, the viewscreens were on, and still the next moment we look he's gone!"

"With a note that he'll come back when he's ready," Frenzy grumbled below him. "And this just when we find out those human engineers disappeared from the old factory site where they were going to set up that new equipment. Just like that brat to show out when we don't know what's out there."

"Help! Somebody help me-" Changeling's terror came over the com loud and clear, along with his coordinates. Starscream put on a burst of speed, getting there just before Megatron. The Decepticon leader found the flyer strafing a group of mechs, some who were firing back while others were hammering at something in a cliff face. Megatron transformed and waded in; soon after the would-be kidnappers were off-lined or bound while a badly shaken Changeling and the missing engineers came out of the mine shaft. Changeling was to the point of falling into stasis from overexertion. The humans could not praise him enough.

"Those mechs said something about needing us to work on some kind of machinery on another planet. Something about a fallen, but they didn't say a fallen what and they sure as hell didn't encourage questions. Then they brought in your youngster there." Together they had managed to get away from their captors before they were loaded on the shuttle the kidnappers had waiting. "I don't know how he kept them from breaking down that door," the lead engineer said, swaying from exhaustion as he spoke, "but I'm glad he did. The threats they were making-"

Megatron summoned transport and sent them to their assignment, this time with guards, before he got Changeling to Hook. Hook looked the exhausted youngling over. "You've worn yourself out and came close to burning out some of your circuitry," he said, "but some energon and a good recharge will set you straight. " He handed Changeling a cube. Changeling barely managed to finish it before he went into recharge. "What was he doing to wear himself out like that?"

" Reinforcing a closed off mine shaft they were hiding in. I know now how he keeps getting out," Megatron said.

Hook gave him a sharp glance. "How, Master?"

"He's got the same powers as the Fallen."

Hook looked at his master, then at the recharging Changeling. "The ability to move things with his mind, or the space bridge?"

"Moving things. The space bridge was a special modification. "Hook opened his mouth and then shut it. He did not have to say what both of them were thinking. It was a Prime power. The thought made Hook shake his head in wonder as Megatron left to deal with the would-be kidnappers. Who would have thought their once-human youngling could have Prime potential?

A few vorns later, Megatron left Changeling on Earth while he went back and forth making arrangements for the space colonies, returning every few years to rest. While he acknowledged that Changeling was no longer a youngling, the newly reinstalled Lord Protector of the New Alliance still did not want his beloved Changleing exposed at length to the dangers of space. He did not wonder why Changeling never objected. He thought Soundwave and Starscream were running Earth between them while they dealt with both Cybertron and the other mining in the asteroids and planets of Earth's solar system. Changeling was always on Earth, and at some point both of them realized that the relationship was changing from mentor and youngling to something more, moving slowing into closeness, and then into intimacy.

Then Megatron stayed for longer than a month and found that Changeling was running Earth, putting humans into more and more leadership positions as mechs went to space, or to Cybertron, or to the Moon. Changeling insisted that the humans were educated enough, and that their society was mature enough, that they would achieve self-rule within a short time.

"All right, I'll make you a deal. It's going to take two vorns for the space bridge to be finished. You have until I get back. If they aren't ready by then, Earth stays a client planet under my jurisdiction. If two out of three of us- me, Maximus Prime, and Rodimus- agree that Earth is independent, each of us deciding without consulting the others, then I'll petition the Council myself for making Earth a full member."

"We'll be ready."

"But no matter what, when I return, whether Earth is ready or not, you go to Cybertron for training. You've put it off too long already."

"All right. I accept the challenge." He offered his hand in the old human gesture that most species used now to seal an informal deal. Megatron shook his hand before yanking Changeling to him. A few moment later he held the eager challenger back. "And by that time you should have done some exploring and know your mind."

Two vorns after the challenge:

"He was well when you last saw him?"

"Yes, Master. We have both received regular updates. In addition, several of the Autobots and some colonists have gone by. He was fine, if very busy."

"It's taking too long," Megatron muttered, watching as the white and blue pebble grew in his viewscreen too slowly.

"Are we there yet?" pipped up a shrill sparkling's voice, and a small form darted in. He jumped up to see the screen better. Megatron picked him up. "How much longer? I want to see Changeling!"

"It's going to be some time yet, Rogue," Starscream said in a long-suffering voice. "Come on, let's find those puzzles he sent you." The flyer carried his sparkling out.

"Master, Maximus wishes to speak to you," Soundwave said to his master via com. Megatron went to the bridge.

"What is it?" he growled to Maximus Prime. If the Lord Protector wanted proof that the Space Bridge was working, he now had it; Meximus was transmitting from the world Rodimus, the potential Prime –in-training, found for the humans who worked on Cybertron. The agreement was that the industries that humans worked on would move to Terra when the humans did.

"I wanted to tell you that I have been by Earth recently and I believe you will be pleasantly surprised. I was," the Prime told him. Megatron did not have a visual, but he was willing to bet the Prime was suppressing a laugh. "Rodimus went by before I did, and he was excited. I won't say more. Tell Changeling to contact me when you make your decision."

"I'll be bringing him to Cybertron before too much longer, either way," Megatron reminded him.

"Please pass on my message anyway," the Prime requested. Megatron agreed grumpily, and went back to watching Earth grow in his viewscreen.

"Master, we have contact from Earth," Soundwave said soon after, surprised.

"Put it on," Megatron said, his excitement rising. His hopes were replaced by surprise when he saw a human in a black and gold uniform on the screen.

"Greetings to the Lord Protector from the High Council of Earth," said the human admiral. The woman stood erect with a serene expression on her face. "I offer escort to Earth, either bringing your shuttle by tractor beam with us or with a coordinated flight plan if you wish to bring the ship with you to the Moon."

"Greetings to you and the High Council. I will bring the ship to the Moon and accept your escort from the Moon," Megatron said.

"As you wish, Lord Protector. Sending flight plan," she said and Soundwave acknowledged receipt. The viewscreen went back to showing space, where he could see the three ships, which proceeded to execute a perfect maneuver and lead them toward the Moon. Megatron sent a silent "Smartaft," thought to the Prime, who most assuredly was snickering in amusement at the thought of Megatron's surprise.

On reaching Earth, the Lord Protector was met by the Chief Counselor, who greeted him politely, and added, "I was asked to tell you, and I quote, 'I'll find you when you're amazed enough, ' unquote. In the meantime, I would be honored if the Lord Protector would appreciate a tour."

"Thank you, I accept." For the rest of the day, Megatron was escorted through the setup of a world government, the means by which Earth was fulfilling its obligations as a member of the Alliance, and how the resources of the Solar System and the planet were being handled. By the end of the tour, Megatron knew that the Prime, blast his nether parts to the Pit and back, was right. He was pleasantly surprised. At the end of the day, Megatron said, "I believe the one who left the message was correct in his assessment. I will want to do some investigating, but I am impressed. "

"Thank you. Your quarters have been maintained as you requested when you left, Lord Protector."

Megatron nodded and headed there. His first sight on opening the door was Changeling, who was sitting at his old desk. The black and gold mech smiled at him. Megatron drank in the sight of his beloved. At Changeling's final upgrade, he ended up about Bumblebee's size. "Well?" Earth's advisor to the High Council asked, as he came around the desk and into his lover's arms.

"All right, you can say it. I want to look around and make sure I'm not just seeing a façade, but if the setup is solid, they're ready. Maximus told me I'd be pleasantly surprised, and that Rodimus was excited."

"I told you so. Yes, they've already told me-separately- that Earth is ready. Both of them can't wait for me to get to Cybertron. Maximus wants, quote, 'those organizational skills' unquote, to work on the sparkling program, and Rodimus wants another Prime in training to take the attention off of him." Changeling pulled him into the next room and the washracks. The water started at the temperature Megatron liked, and he moaned.

"You have no idea how good that feels. The ships don't have washracks, just cleaning polish and rags." Changeling laughed and started washing the larger mech. "There are still those who have trouble believing the Cube marked Rodimus as a Prime potential," Megatron said. "No one's going to question your position, not after what happened with the Fallen-" He clutched at Changeling. "When I remember what that renegade tried to do to you, and you still a youngling-"

"Hush. He's gone to the Pit where he belongs, and I'm here." Megatron responded by putting him down and beginning the smaller mech's wash. Changeling leaned into the comfort. "You have another promise to keep. I've done what you asked. I went to Cybertron twice, and mechs have been through here steadily." He pulled back. "I know what I want. Do you?"

The answer was not in words, but satisfactory just the same.

Over the next two weeks, as Changeling worked with the High Council on the petition to the Alliance for full membership status, Megatron toured Earth, both as a holoform human and as the Lord Protector. He found problems, but most were being handled. He made a full report to the High Council with recommendations, and told them he would present the petition on his arrival on Cybertron with Changeling. In the meantime, another advisor was on the way.

Rodimus arrived two days later. "Maximus said he hopes I do have as good a job as you did," he said. As Changeling went over the systems with him and introduced him to the administrators he would be dealing with, the Prime in training watched how the once-human mech interacted with Megatron. He looked forward to the reaction when Cybertron realized that their Lord Protector and the new Prime in training were bonded. On a quiet contact with Maximus, he dropped that news and waited for the reaction.

"Finally," Maximus said, sounding relieved. Then the Prime bent over laughing at the disappointed look on Rodimus' face. "They were bonded when Changeling was still Sam," he explained. "I knew it would happen. I just didn't think it would take this long." He grinned. "I'll send you a holo of the reaction when everyone else finds out. I'm looking forward to that myself."

Two vorns later:

Bumblebee and Ironhide met Changeling and Megatron as the new mentors came from the Temple of the All-Spark. Between them walked a new sparkling, looking around him in wonder with bright blue optics. The two mechs stopped and knelt to see the little one.

"Say hello, Orion," Changeling said.