Author's Note: I LIVE! I apologize for the insanely long wait, but all my muses decided to up and run away! So, I am exceedingly happy to get back to writing!

I am back with the next chapter! Now, I'm sure you're all wondering about the fight between Megatron and Nova. I would like to put some of your fears to rest in advance…but what if I was lying? Will she live? Will she die? You're gonna have to find out! Read on, my lovelies!

Chapter 11

Nova lunged forward, bringing her right sword down in an arc. Megatron side-stepped the blade, grabbing her wrist as he did. Optics flashing in anger, she brought her left blade up, slicing across his chassis. The cut was shallow, but it was enough to make him let go. He glared at her, his red optics burning.

"You've improved since I last saw you," he sneered. "This might actually be a challenge for me."

Nova didn't give him the satisfaction of an answer. Instead, she continued to drive him backwards. He was barely defending himself, but that was because she wasn't really trying to kill him…yet. Nova was waiting for the right moment. She smirked under her battle mask as she heard what she was waiting for.

Turning around, she snatched the missile out of the air and pointed it at its new target: Megatron. The Decepticon warlord was blown back about 70 yards, dropping to one knee.

Nova readied her swords again. "I learned that trick from my mother," she snarled. Megatron glared and brought out his sword. The fight was about to get interesting. They charged at each other, weapons ready. However, a honking horn made them both stop and look up.

A red and blue Peterbilt semi rolled up and transformed into the towering figure of Optimus Prime. "Megatron," he growled, taking his stance.

"Prime!" Megatron responded, sounding almost gleeful.

"Nova, stand aside," Optimus ordered.

The blue and silver femme shook her head. "Not happening, Dad. You either fight him with me or you don't fight him at all."

"As your commanding officer, I am ordering you to stand down!"

Nova rolled her optics. "You can court martial me later! Right now, I'm taking down Shark-face with or without you!" She joined her blades together into a broadsword and swung at Megatron with all her might. Megatron twisted and jumped backwards to avoid her swing.

As he landed, Megatron transformed into his jet mode and took off towards his opponents. Optimus jumped up and latched onto the front of the jet, while Nova managed to cling to the top as Megatron flew into a building. In the process, Nova dropped her swords, so when they came out the other side, she pulled back her arm and drove her claws into the top of the jet.

Megatron transformed and knocked her off as he wrestled Optimus to the ground. "Humans don't deserve to live," he snarled.

"They deserve to choose for themselves!" the Prime retorted, punching Megatron in the chin. The Decepticon leader sneered down at his adversary.

"Then you will die with them!" he cried.

"Over my sparkless husk!" Nova roared, tackling Megatron and forcing him off her father. She pushed herself off and flipped in the air, landing in a crouch while Megatron regained his footing.

Megatron fused his arms together into his trademark fusion cannon. "Join them in extinction!" Optimus transformed his right arm into a blaster and fired, but it only caught Megatron on the shoulder. He pivoted on his knees and returned fire. Nova grunted as she took the shot in her middle. The force of the shot was enough to ram her into Optimus, who in turn was thrown back against a building.

"Nova, are you all right?" Optimus asked in concern. He placed a hand on her shoulder to hold her still as he examined her.

Nova shrugged off his hand. "I'm fine, Dad," she replied. He forearms opened as her blasters came out. "Better than Megatron's about to be." She jumped up and chased after Megatron, who had run into a white building with statues on top. She began climbing a nearby building to try and get to the roof before Megatron. The All Spark was inside; she could sense it.

Just as she reached the top, an explosion made her look up at the adjacent building. A helicopter was going down, its rotors in flames. A human was huddling on the roof, and her spark lurched as she recognized him.

"Sam, hold on!" Nova called as she began running across the roof of the building. She had to get to him. She had to. Not just for the Cube, but for her brother. Nova managed to position herself over a small alley, bracing her feet against Sam's building and her back against another. Just as she got into position, Megatron swung his mace down onto the corner of the roof, sending Sam plummeting to the pavement below…but not before Nova stretched out her servo and caught him.

"I've got you, bro," she said softly as she cradled him against her chassis. She smiled at his astonished and relieved expression, not that he could see it under her battle mask. "Whatever you do, don't let go of that Cube!" she instructed. Nova began sliding down the buildings as she dropped to the street. However, about halfway down, Megatron grabbed onto her back and threw her down into the road.

Nova instinctively curled protectively around Sam, shielding him against the impact and the falling debris. When she opened her servo, Sam was sitting on her chassis, staring at her with a mixture of wide-eyed fear and determination.

"Sam," she began. Her mask unfolded as she continued. "You risked your life to protect the Cube," Nova murmured, her voice laced with awe and disbelief. He'd almost gotten himself killed for a war that had nothing to do with him.

Sam gave her a half-smile. "No sacrifice," he started.

"No victory," they finished together. Nova gave him a brief smile, but then she grew somber. "If I can't beat Megatron, you have to push the Cube into my chest," she ordered. Her spark shattered at the horrified expression on his face, but she had to continue. "I will sacrifice myself to destroy it…so my father won't have to." Just then, she noticed Megatron rising to his feet. "Get behind me," she growled.

She pushed herself onto her pedes, her arm cannons unfolding. "It's just you and me, Megatron," Nova snarled, her mask folding into place.

"No, it's just me, femling," Megatron corrected with an arrogant smirk on his faceplates. "And do give Elita my regards when I rip out your spark!" Nova roared and charged into him, her fists connecting with his abdominal area. Megatron doubled over in pain, and Nova brought her knee up into his face. As he fell backwards, he kicked out towards her chassis, causing her to lose her balance and topple over.

Megatron grabbed her and threw her against a building. "You and your father still fight for the weak! That is why you lose!" he exclaimed, tossing her over his shoulder. Nova forced herself up and rushed him, putting her karate lessons on Earth to good use.

However, she was tiring, and eventually, Megatron took advantage of an opening in her defense and knocked her to the ground. Nova managed to get herself onto her servos and knees before getting kicked in the face, causing her to roll across the street. While she tried to get up, she received some unexpected aerial assistance as a squadron of F-22s fired round upon round at Megatron.

Nova, where are you? Optimus asked over their bond. Break off your fight with Megatron until I can get there! He's too dangerous for you to take on alone!

Nova shuttered her optics, knowing her response would crush him. Better me than you, Daddy, she replied. I'm sorry. She blocked him out before he could protest, not needing his voice distracting her from the fight.

Megatron tried to chase Sam, but Nova stuck out her arm and tripped him, holding him back. She would not allow him to harm her brother! Unfortunately, he flipped, and managed to wind up on the other side, with Sam on his back between the two Cybertronians.

"I'll kill you!" he snarled, hauling himself forward by his claws. "Mine! All Spark!"

Nova gasped as she saw how close to Megatron Sam was. "Sam!" she cried. "Push the Cube into my chest now!" To her horror, Sam got to his feet and ran toward Megatron. "Sam! No, Sam!" she screamed.

Sam held the All Spark above his head, which was directly below Megatron's spark. He yelled as the Cube was absorbed into Megatron's chassis. Megatron gasped and choked as he fell onto his back. He thrashed for a moment then he finally lay still. Nova crawled over to Sam, transforming as she did. Nora's hair was in a tangled mess, her clothes were covered in dirt, and she had a large burn on her thigh.

Sam pulled his sister close, and she wrapped her arms around him. Tears of relief poured down her face, because not only was her brother safe, but Optimus had just come around the corner, and he was alive and well. In fact, all the Autobots were. She hadn't lost a single member of her team.

Nora broke away from Sam's hug and ran toward Optimus. He scooped her up in his servo and cradled her against his cheek. "Don't ever do that again," he rumbled. "I don't think my spark can take it."

She chuckled as she kissed the warm metal of his face. "What's wrong, old man? Years finally catching up to you?" she joked.

He smiled at her. "I'm just glad you're safe," he replied. Optimus carefully placed her on his shoulder as he bent down to Sam's level. "Sam, I owe you my daughter's life. We are in your debt."

Sam smiled shyly up at Optimus. "She may be from a different planet, but she's my family. And family looks out for each other."

As Optimus stood, Mikaela pulled up in a tow truck with Bumblebee attached to the back. She immediately went over to Sam and embraced him.

Prime turned and addressed the soldiers gathered in the street. "Thank you, all of you. You honor us with your bravery."

Bumblebee turned his head to Optimus. "Permission to speak, sir?" he asked warily.

"Permission granted, old friend," Prime replied. Nora let out a laugh of sheer joy.

"You speak now?" Sam asked, incredulous.

Bumblebee continued, "I wish to stay with the boy."

Prime turned to Sam. "If that is his choice." Nora didn't need to hear Sam to know what the answer would be.

Suddenly, Optimus bent down over the hole in Megatron's chassis. Cautiously, he reached in and pulled out a shard of the Cube that was about four feet long. Reverently, Optimus clutched it in his fist. Nora placed a hand on her father's cheek, knowing how hard it was on him.

"I have a request, Dad," she said softly. Optimus nodded to indicate he was listening. "I'm glad you're here, and I want to spend time with you now, but…I have a life here. A family. And I want to stay with them."

He nodded again. "I understand. You may stay with them as long as you desire. After all," he said, glancing at Sam, "family looks out for each other."