Author's Note: LOOK! XD Its here! YAAAAAAAAY. There is going to be a linking plot throughout this story and there will probably be another chapter or two about the main pairings within this story. I have to say Megatron was difficult at first, but I think I really like the character he became in this. I think there is a lot to him than I've gotten to see before. Just wait until he has to watch his Velocity 'give birth'. XD

Disclaimer: I own Velocity ^^ Lucky me!

Memorial Of The Great War, Iacon, Cybertron

Darkness lurked around him like a shroud, clinging to his frame and his senses like a wet blanket. Claustrophobia struck him like a knife deep within his spark, despite the fact that the space was huge, it felt like the massive walls were slowly beginning to cramp inwards, pressing in and squeezing him until the air slipped out of him with a rush. His footsteps sounded like gunshots in the early morning silence, ringing in his audios, deafening in its intensity. If anyone saw him there, it would more than likely end with his fluids sprayed across the highly polished floors and massive pillars that rose up on either side of the Matrix Flame.

A hand rested lightly against one of the massive columns, his fingertips brushing against the warm metal, his optics shuttering against the surge of emotions that struck him so hard that he almost dropped to his knees right there. When he managed to catch a glimpse of himself in the highly polished metal of the column he almost didn't recognize himself, the face that stared back at him. His own face. One that had been changed over the vorns, turned into the features of a monster.

He was once more the miner, the mech who Optimus Prime had helped escape the mining camps, the riots… the death… And what had he done? He had become the tyrant he had loathed so bitterly. It had been a relief when they had allowed him this, to shed upgrades, weaponry… and the servos of a monster. He was… nothing once more. A meaningless being who had caused so much destruction, all because of his own grief.

Would it have been better if he had remained gone? If Primus hadn't shown him mercy… What had Primus seen in him that would have made him worthy for life after he had been the cause of so many?

Velocity…

A choked sound escaped him at the mere thought of his beloved. His body jerked forwards as he made it to the alter, knee joints instantly gave out beneath him as he sank to the floor before the Matrix Flame, his helm dropping forwards, unable to lift his head to gaze into the sparkling flame that now burned once more as a reminder of what a war could do. A reminder of what evil could live just beneath the surface. An evil that had existed so powerfully within him. The Fallen. Shockwave. There had been others. Other voices that had filled his processors with such things that made him now honestly nauseated to his tanks.

Weakness spread like a virus throughout his limbs as he felt the weight of what he had truly done settle across his shoulders and truly dig its claws into him. Reality had seeped in at first, a trickle and now it was a full on flood, pouring into him and tearing him apart as if he was nothing more than a fragile glass vessel.

Megatron. Leader of the Decepticons. Slaughterer of thousands. Shattered.

His hands rested against the first step leading up to the Flame, the rough sounds of grief stirring from deep within him. The cavernous space was suddenly echoing with the twisted noises slipping from his vocals. And the first droplets streaked down his cheekplates, hot and searing him like acid to splash down on to the cool metal just beneath him.

He had betrayed everyone in his life. From his brother Optimus Prime, to those that had believed in him… Soundwave… Cyclonus… others… to the memory of his own beloved Velocity. The words… the denial… the look in Velocity's optics when his beautiful lover had learned what he had done and hadn't believed Megatron was capable of it.

Capable of almost killing his own race down to the last sparkling.

A great howl of anguish was torn from Megatron, his body crumbling against the cold floor before the shrine that had been dedicated to the memory of the Great War and to everything that had transpired. Guilt swallowed him whole, eating him away until there was nothing left of him but silence.

Megatron did not deserve this. What could he offer Velocity? What could he offer to the sweet mech who loved him despite all that he had done? What could he offer to his sparkling? What could he offer anyone?

The cold of the metal beneath him was slowly seeping into every inch of his frame, numbing him to the world as he lay curled on his side, tears still slowly trickling down across his cheekplates, his spark fluttering wildly. The guilt swamping him down until he could barely draw in any air into his too tight chassis.

"D-16."

Megatron jerked at the sound of what had once been his name. But it was the voice that curled invisible fingers around his spark and twisted painfully. He did not need to turn to know that the beautiful flame coloured Cybertronian would be sitting on the steps only a few yards away from him, those vivid optics burning into his back.

"You know I actually expected more of you."

Physically flinching from the words, he felt the burn of tears continue across his cheekplates, his hands not willing to brush away the evidence of his guilt. For once, he was glad for Velocity's ability for finding him no matter where he went or what he did, his little spy was too clever than him sometimes. It was what had first attracted him in the first place to his Velocity, the fact that no matter what he could do to the smaller mech, there had never been any fear in those bright optics.

"I never pinned you as a coward."

Fingers clenched sharply at the word, his body shivering slightly, but slowly pushing himself upwards, managing to half sit up, his gyros spinning wildly. His crimson-indigo optics shuttered tightly, knowing that he deserved the words from Velocity, he had almost expected anger… not this.

"Running away."

"I…"

"No!" Velocity snapped sharply. "No excuses."

"…Love…" Megatron breathed, not being able to lift his head and gaze into those beautiful optics, his guilt keeping his head down. His fists were actually trembling, his back bent and he felt barely a foot tall right at that moment. He deserved it all.

"I've had it up to my optics with you."

His spark stilled as if he had been shot. The thought of being without Velocity tore everything out of him… of this beautiful mech leaving him. But… he had every right to do so. What…

"Are you crying?" Hands suddenly jerked Megatron's jaw upwards, his features being illuminated by the Matrix Flame and the damp trails running down his cheekplates, several tears still streaking the warm metal to drop onto the slender wrists of the mech before him. "Is that guilt you're feeling or self-pity?"

Even with his jaw gripped like that, Megatron couldn't look up, couldn't look into those bright optics and see the disappointment there. The pain glittering in those jewelled depths.

"What good does it do for them?" Megatron's face was turned upwards again, the mech attempting to force him into looking at him, but he couldn't. Another soft sob escaped him, hot tears running down over the firm but gentle fingers that touched his face. "I'm not going to stand by and watch you extinguish your spark. I wont!"

Surprise jolted the silver and indigo Cybertronian, his optics widening as he did glance up and stared into those beautiful golden optics that watched him with such concern and love. "Velocity…" He whispered softly, voice rough from earlier, vocal components protesting a little at his attempt to speak.

"I'm selfish, okay?" Velocity's body trembled, his fingers starting to rub at Megatron's tears like he had wanted to the moment he had seen his lover like that. "I'm so selfish when it comes to you. I didn't know what to do… I've lost you once… I couldn't bear it a second time."

Megatron's strong arms coiled around the lithe fiery frame, drawing Velocity into his grip and burying his face against the warm helm, rocking them both quietly. Their emotions were chaotic and screaming for some way to be let out. "I'm not good enough for you, Velocity. The things I've done… I am the monster they call me. I almost damned us all… I…"

"What do you feel?"

Confusion flickered through crimson optics, optical ridges pressing together as he gazed down at the mech who was cradled in his arms, his arms tightening a little more, his large frame soaking up the warmth of that slender body, feeling doorwings twitch ever so slightly against his arms as they trembled a little.

"Answer me!" The mech demanded, jaw set in a stubborn set, lips pressed into a firm line, practically demanding that Megatron answer him or risk his anger.

Megatron almost wanted to smile at that beautiful sight. Spark warming at the presence of his lover, who more than likely had followed him all the way from their home. "Guilt." He breathed the word, optics shuttering tightly at the burning sting of the agony that lanced through him that he had done so much… "Regret. Shame." There were so many more that flickered through each and every one of his circuits, flowing through him like that raging river that had overtaken him what seemed like hours before. "Self-hatred."

"What good are these emotions if all these do is take one more life? Yours." Hands lightly brushed across Megatron's face, drawing it down as he shifted upwards so that he could press a tender kiss against unresisting lips. Their foreheads touched lightly, gold meeting crimson. "You've paid the price, Megatron. You gave your life for our people, you gave it for them… why not live it for them too?" Reaching down his servos caught the large hands in his own, lifting them upwards so that they were caught between their chassis, his thumbs sweeping lightly against the inside of Megatron's palms. "You can still make a difference."

"Love." And Velocity showed him in that moment exactly why he had done all the things he had in an attempt to get him back. The mech had touched something inside him that only Velocity had truly been able to reach.

"I once heard of a mech, who fought hard with his bare hands to make sure that every miner had his rights acknowledged. I heard he fought hard and long for the good of those he didn't even know. He was a mech who still exists, right here." Gently pressing Megatron's servos against his chassis just over his spark, Velocity offered his lover up a gentle smile. "That miner seems to have lost all his fight." Golden optics sparkled with challenge, knowing that he had finally found the way in. "Is that true?"

"No." It was a raw croak from Megatron, gazing down into those golden optics and knowing right at that moment that no matter how hard the struggle, he couldn't and wouldn't abandon his family. "This miner hasn't given up." And he managed a small smile of his own. "Not even close." Velocity always did know what to say to him.

"Now… let's do the whole ritual at the shrine thing properly and go home." A shiver rippled through the slender frame as he dropped a soft kiss against Megatron's tear dampened cheekplate. "I never did like these places. Too… morose."

"As you wish it, Love."

Snorting softly, Velocity shook his head as he slipped from Megatron's lap and offered the large mech a servo up. "Don't you be too placating… or I might think you're up to something."

The smile that had started tugged itself upwards and he couldn't help but smirk a little at his beloved, warmed all the way to his spark by the bright presence that had always completed him. "What ever would give you that idea?"

Megatron And Velocity's Apartment, Iacon, Cybertron

Dawn's gentle light seeped in through the tinted transparent steel that lined the massive wall alone one side of their apartment home, the faint illumination casting a few shadows over the furniture and personal items that Megatron had managed to recover for both of them from what had once been the Decepticon Headquarters in Kaon. Gazing over the expanse now seemed… oddly surreal in its own way. It was nothing like the quarters he had once kept that Velocity had frequently inhabited at night, this place had been decorated by Velocity during the long orns Megatron had spent being questioned and… finally rebuilt.

It was the first time… he had a life that was his own. No armies to command. No battles to fight. No duties pressing. No mines to be excavated. No more meetings.

He could be… anything. A fresh start for him and his family. He didn't want power, there was no driving ambition in him, no overwhelming need to command all that he saw.

Megatron wanted to be someone that his sparkling could look upon with affection and not revulsion. He wanted to be worthy of Velocity's love and trust. He had been grateful when Velocity had been offered a position with the Intelligence Section of the government that was slowly being formed from all the factions that still existed on Cybertron. This time they would do it right. The power rested with the people, not the government.

He remembered the vision he had been given by Skyspike, the glimpse at a future and he decided he liked this one far better than the one he had seen. Here… here felt truly like home. Now he just had to figure out what exactly to do with himself and how to help fix the damage he had done for so long to his people. Hopefully Optimus Prime would be willing to allow him to do something, even minor that might help the life of even one person.

"What are you thinking about?" Velocity rolled slightly, stretching lazily amongst the thermal blankets and his doorwings twitched against the softness of the berth, looking utterly adorable half asleep and clearly pleased to find that Megatron was still present in the berth. "I can hear the little cogs working in your helm."

A deep rumble of laughter escaped Megatron at that, a hand running a touch possessively down across the beautiful frame that was sprawled out beside him on the broad berth. Fingertips teasing and stroking over seams and tracing patterns across the heated metal and felt the strong flutter of their sparkling, the life that existed so close to his beloved's, the tiny spark that they had been gifted with that Primus had returned to them.

Velocity relaxed under the slow lazy caresses, golden optics darkening blissful over the fact that he had what he wanted right there beside him. The night before had been something both of them knew had been coming, but the fact that both of them had returned was definitely something to be celebrated.

"Clear." Velocity called out, and the wide windows were slowly beginning to become translucent once more, or at least from their side, the one way nature of the windows definitely making life easier. Warm sunlight spilled across the bed and the mech let out a rather pleased sigh as his slender body was suddenly enveloped by the embrace of the sun.

"Lovely."

Golden optics flickered in surprise at the tone of that deep rich, surprisingly husky voice that sent shivers skittering down across his spinal plating and made him want nothing more than to squirm, while those fingers continued to stroke slowly.

However both were interrupted when there was a soft chime at the door to their apartment. Velocity and Megatron shared a look, before Velocity scooted off the edge of the berth, searching for the armour Megatron had already found and was grumbling about replacing on the sweet curves of his lover's form. Though he was rewarded by a rather heated kiss that lingered on his lips long enough to draw another chime from the door which spoiled the mood completely.

"Stay here." Velocity breathed softly. "Hopefully I can convince whoever it is to leave us alone for a while longer…"

"Love." His protest was cut short with another kiss that practically devoured every sense that he had with its intensity, leaving him staring for several moments at the spot where his loved had been only to release he had gone to answer the door.

"Velocity."

The deep rumble of a painfully familiar voice echoed through their sitting room and making Megatron jerk upright, his jaw gritting tightly as he swallowed around the painful lump that seemed to lodge itself firmly in the mech's throat. Optimus Prime had come to their home. Had he found out about where Megatron had been the night before? His emotions were raw, a nest of vipers hissing back at him if he dared to clamp down on them.

"Is he here?"

Finding some of his own armour, he was hurriedly reattaching it, his pedes barely seeming to support his weight as he stumbled to the doorway of the bedroom, his frame flashing silver in the bright sunshine, the intricate indigo markings running across his plating, the finely etched Cybertronian Glyphs running across it, each a silent reminder of what he had done and of his pledge to not again be the monster that had shattered so many lives.

"Broth… Optimus…" Crimson optics took in the sight of the tall Prime who stood in the front entry way and he could see the surprise flash in those azure depths when they traced the markings on Megatron's frame. "I…"

"No need to stand in the doorway." Velocity huffed softly, actually beginning to herd the Prime towards the couches sitting facing the wide vid screen that ran the length of one sun-streaked wall. "Sit."

And Optimus flashed Megatron a slightly bemused smile at the fact that he was being practically ordered around by the slender mech before him, but did as he had been instructed, sitting down so that he could see the beautiful cityscape that could been seen out of the wide windows.

"What brings you to our home, Brother?" He strode across the space, dropping into a seat with his back to the view, feeling the warmth of the sunlight spreading across his still emotionally weakened frame. "Good news I would hope."

The Prime just sat there for a long moment, taking in the mech before him and looking as if he couldn't quite believe what he saw. Gone was the snarling mech who had been quite willing to tear out his spark and in his place was the familiar mech he had met so long ago in the Mines of Cybertron. Though crimson optics were shadowed, there was still something changed about the mech, as if he had truly began to grasp what had been given to him by Primus. His brother had truly returned to them.

"Brother?" Worry drew Megatron's optical ridges together and had him leaning forwards slightly, clearly attempting to read into Optimus's mood.

"I wished to see how you were." He wanted to see Megatron with his own optics, he had heard things from others that had seen the former Decepticon Leader after he had gone through a change in his physical appearance, but what he found was nothing like he had truly expected. The mech wore his guilt and shame on his body, willingly returning to the form of what he had been, to a bot who was not designed for war, but for heavy labour in the mines.

"You never gave up on me, did you Optimus?"

Azure optics clouded at that question and considered the answer he would give Megatron. "A small part of me never gave up hope that somehow I would change your mind."

"A little faith goes a long way." Megatron mused softly, while his optics turned from the Prime sitting across from him to the beautiful mech who was busy in the kitchen, doorwings fluttering as the radiant glow around his lover seemed to outdo even the warm morning sunshine with its luminosity. "And love goes a lot further."

"It does indeed." Optimus found himself relaxing, the tension slowly draining out of him as he felt some of the old friendship he had prized so highly edge its way back in between them. Seeing Megatron… almost contented like that warmed his spark in a way he couldn't quite explain to anyone. This mech had fought hard for everything he had ever truly owned, he had seen the squaller the mech had been forced to exist in before they had met, the conditions that had been all Megatron had ever known. The ceaseless, tireless labour in the sweltering heat of the mines.

"Brother." Voice soft, his expression revealed the depth of Megatron's true emotions as he gazed at Optimus with guilt and remorse etched into every feature. "There is nothing I can ever do to change what has happened between us. If I could… I would." Swallowing hard, he wanted to be able to say the words to the one he had been permitted to once again call brother. "There are no words that can truly express my remorse for all that I have done to you and to our people." His fingertips rubbed across his optics and he forced himself to continue, remembering the words he had spoken to his lover the night before. He would not run from this. "But… I would ask one favour, Brother. If there is anything, anything I can do to aid you in any way, please do not hesitate to tell me. I do not know where to start… I don't know quite what to do… but…"

He felt golden optics on him, his head twisting to find Velocity leaning against the doorway into the kitchen and felt a rush of warmth flood into him at the approval he saw in that gaze, the encouragement.

"I want to do all I can to make sure this paradise we have been given flourishes. I want Cybertron to be a place safe for our children… safe for all those that will come after us. I want… I want my son to know none of the hardships I faced after I was given life by the Allspark. I want to be someone he would be proud of to call his creator."

"As Sky would say… Wow."

Velocity laughed, sauntering back across the space, handing over a cube of energon before coming to stand behind Megatron's couch, his hands dropping to rest against his lover's shoulders squeezing them. A loving smile touching his mouth at the slightly wide-eyed stare they were both getting from the Prime across from them.

"I will consider your offer, Brother." Optimus nodded. "I am glad, Megatron, to have you back."

Who would you people like to see next? XD Suggestions? What would you like to see?