A/N: And finally, the original chapter 13, now moved to 14. The biggest change to this was dealing a bit more with Jazz – in the original, it didn't play out urgently at all and he was saved way too easily. So with that, the edit is completed! Hopefully everyone enjoyed the changes and I didn't take out anyone's favorite moments or something. Review and let me know what you think!

Chapter 14: Aftermath

Shaking slightly, Riella clung to Prowl, watching as Optimus looked down at Megatron with sadness in his optics. "You left me no choice, brother." Behind them, Riella could hear the other Autobots approaching cautiously, and the sound of human soldiers talking. There was a human car, too. She didn't turn to look, watching as Optimus knelt to look Sam in the eye. "Sam, I owe you my life. We are in your debt."

A car door opened, and Riella finally turned to glance at it. What she saw made her jaw drop. It was a tow truck…with a very battered Bumblebee, still in robot mode, strapped to the back and looking rather satisfied with himself. Mikaela had apparently been the one driving, since she was climbing out of the truck to stand beside Sam.

"Bee?" Riella's voice sounded rough, even to her. "Are you…"

Not gonna die tonight, his radio played. Riella cycled her vents and closed her optics in relief. He's okay.

Thank Primus. Prowl touched Bumblebee's shoulder lightly, letting Riella test her ability to support her own weight. She could. For a moment, it seemed like everything might be alright.

Then Ironhide made his way forward, holding what was left of Jazz's body, and Riella's spark broke all over again at the weapons specialist's soft words. "Prime...we couldn't save him."

Optimus shook his head slowly. "Oh, Jazz…" Ironhide set the body down gently as the Prime continued. "We lost a great comrade. A warrior. A friend."

Tears spilled over as Riella knelt beside her old friend's body, Prowl resting his hand on her back. "Jazz…" She wanted to say something, anything, to honor him, but as had happened the last time she lost a friend, her voice broke and she found herself lost for words. Slowly, she reached down and brushed her fingertips against his spark chamber, remembering all the times he had saved her, or Prowl. And he had done it again, refusing to allow them to sacrifice themselves to rescue him. Their closest and oldest friend.

Then all her thoughts stopped as she felt a slight warmth under her hand, and she drew a sharp breath. That was a familiar sensation, and not one she'd ever found on a corpse! "Ratchet!" She jumped back, clutching at Prowl's hand.

"What? Are you - " The medic rushed to her side, optics scanning her rapidly.

"No, no, it's not me –" Riella pointed, her hand shaking. "His spark. It's still there. Ratchet, do something! He – he's…."

Ratchet pushed past Prowl, reaching for Jazz with quick, precise movements. "Primus, Riella, I don't…" His optics snapped wide. "She's right. She's right! I need jumper cables, stat!"

Ironhide was right beside him, holding out two he'd found somewhere. "Will these –"

"It'll stabilize him. If there's enough left…" Ratchet gestured, already attaching the cables. "Get back, all of you!"

Riella stepped back, desperate hope flaring in her spark, and huddled against Prowl. It has to work…it has to…They weren't sure which one was thinking it, but when the cables activated once, twice, and then Jazz's visor flickered blue on the third one, their relief was completely mutual.

Ratchet snapped his fingers. "Plating. He's stable. Lost a lot of energon. The jump was just in time. Ironhide! Find me a vehicle – no, I don't care what it is as long as it'll weld to him!" The medic glanced at Prowl and Riella, still tense with worry, and growled, "He'll live. We caught it not a second too soon."

He'll live. He's alive. Riella looked up at Prowl, a smile breaking across her tear-stained face. We're all online...we won. We won.

It's over. Everyone is okay. Prowl wrapped his other arm around her, pulling her into a hug. She twined her arms around his neck and stood on tiptoe as they kissed gently. Leaning her head against his chest, she looked back over at Ratchet, still working, and listened to Optimus, speaking to the humans.

"Thank you, all of you. You honor us with your bravery."

"Permission to speak, sir?"

Riella and Prowl both looked up in shock at a voice that they hadn't heard in a long, long time. "Bee!" Riella gasped.

Optimus actually smiled, a rare sight. "Permission granted, my friend."

"You speak now?" Sam looked as surprised as everyone else, looking from Bumblebee to Mikaela and back.

"I wish to stay with the boy," Bumblebee rasped. It sounded like speaking hurt, but Riella couldn't bring herself to scold him. Her sparkling – her son – had his voice back.

"If that is his choice, and if your commanding officers agree." Optimus looked from Sam to Prowl and Riella. "After all, you are still one of their scouts."

They didn't even have to discuss it. "We have no objections," Prowl started. Riella finished. "We're proud of his loyalty. And his courage." Bumblebee lowered his head slightly, a gesture of embarrassment, but smiled.

Sam looked at Mikaela - a gesture which made Riella smile internally, knowing exactly what he was thinking – before answering. "Y-yes. Yes, of course."

Optimus nodded, before bending over Megatron's body and carefully removing a shard of the AllSpark from the now-destroyed spark chamber. "I will take care of this."

Ratchet straightened up. "Prime, sir, we need a safe location to move Jazz to so that we can get him on spark support. He'll survive for a while like this, but not if I don't get him to some kind of shelter."

Optimus looked at Lennox, who nodded. "I'll contact the government. I'm sure they'll arrange something."

Sure enough, 'the government' managed to find several empty warehouses surprisingly fast. Probably not Simmons, Prowl remarked dryly on seeing the buildings. Riella had just smirked at him. Better than a cornfield…

Five hours later, Riella perched quietly in organic mode beside Jazz inside the smallest warehouse; the other Autobots, with the obvious exception of Prowl, had gone to escort Sam and Lennox back home. Ratchet had gone only on the condition that they let him treat their injuries and then agreed to stay put, monitor Jazz, and contact Ratchet immediately if there were any changes in anyone's condition. Of course, both Prowl and Riella had seen no problem with that arrangement.

Prowl turned away from the open door, walked back to the side of the makeshift medical berth, and sat down beside Riella. "So. Megatron gone. Autobots on Earth. Quite the week."

Riella climbed into his lap and leaned back against him. "Agreed. Has Prime sent out the message yet? To bring other Autobots here? Maybe…maybe the Twins and Blue?"

Prowl smiled, as did Riella, at the thought of their three other sparklings: the twins, Sideswipe and Sunstreaker, and the youngest, Bluestreak. "I believe he will be sending it tonight. And those three? Well, you know they never stay gone for long. Count on it, they'll be here. And we'll be waiting for them."

With the AllSpark gone, we cannot return life to our planet. And fate has yielded its reward: a new world to call... home. We live among its people now, hiding in plain sight... but watching over them in secret... waiting... protecting. I have witnessed their capacity for courage, and though we are worlds apart, like us, there's more to them than meets the eye. I am Optimus Prime, and I send this message to any surviving Autobots taking refuge among the stars: We are here... we are waiting.

The End