Domestic Disturbance

It's done! Thankyou for reading and all of your lovely comments! I hope you had as much fun reading this as I did writing it!

Chapter 30 : Victory


If there was one thing that Megatron had learned from his millions of years of struggle and conflict was that he should never underestimate Prime. While the first faint sounds of gun fire had startled him, true, it didn't really surprise him to see one of his lightning rods suddenly collapse.

Starscream yelped behind him as the large tower fell. He obviously hadn't expected the Autobots to brave the weather. Narrow minded mistakes like that would cost him dearly if he ever managed to succeed and gain control of the Decepticons. However, the tyrant had to push aside his sudden disappointment with the jet and take action against the intruders. He ordered all his men out of the trenches, despite the whine of protest from the creature behind him, and warned them all to take caution. They didn't know how many targets were out there and visibility was horrendous.

Megatron rose from his trench, after shoving the clinging seeker out into rain where he had transformed and tore off into the maelstrom of wind and rain. His optics scanned the dark field that lay out before him. Faint pops indicated gunfire. Splotches of light that suddenly bloomed in the inky blackness showed him approximately where the little pockets of Autobot disturbances were. There couldn't be many of them. Considering it only took a fraction of his forces a few precious seconds to drive them back. The remaining towers remained untouched as he scanned the battlefield, looking for a target of his own. He knew that Prime would come eventually. Where his air commander had failed to realize this Megatron had not and so he had certain preparations made for the occasion. Soundwave had generously offered his help. Only fitting seeing as how the blue mech had failed so horrendously the last time.

A bright flash of lightning illuminated the field just long enough for the tyrant to catch a glimpse of red and blue ducking behind the power converter.

Optimus managed to dodge a shot from of the of the jets just in time and dash behind the large converter. Skywarp, or was it Thundercracker, roared over head as he was forced to pull up to avoid colliding with the vital component to their plan. He couldn't fire at the Autobot either for fear of blowing the generator sky high. He was safe for now.

Prime wiped the rain from his optics and took the chance he had to check out the structure he was using as a shield. Feeling where he was going, more then seeing, he made his way around the structure until he found the control panel. Missile fire sounded from his right. It was close but he couldn't worry about who or what was in its path when he had a job to do. And that was to shut down Megatron's latest scheme for good. Lighting the panel with his headlights, Prime navigated his way through the various buttons and levers until he found the switch for the main power. He never got the chance to push it.


His whole body shook with the impact of a well aimed fusion blast. It skimmed across his left shoulder, taking a large chuck of exostructure with it. Prime bit back a cry as he fell to his knees, pain rocketing across his sensory net as he clutched to the injury. Trying to ignore the sudden gush of numbness in his processor, he managed to look up in time to see Megatron barring down on him. Digging his pedes into the rain softened earth, Optimus jumped clear and hit the ground rolling as the silver mech's fist imbedded itself where he crouched just seconds ago. Before he could even make it to his feet Megatron had pulled himself free and charged the semi. Prime dropped back down and struck out at the approaching mech's legs, trying to use his momentum against him and send him sprawling to the ground. However the tyrant was much quicker and leapt clear over his enemy, landing and twisting his structure to deliver a kick to the back of the other's unguarded helm. However his pede never made contact as it was snatched out of the cold air and jerked so quickly that the Decepticon lost his footing. Megatron landed hard on his aft and barely had time to even feel the pain shoot up his support column before Optimus was on him. He rolled quick enough to dodge the kick to his own head, but he wasn't quick enough to get to his feet before a very angry Autbot drove his fist into his face. Megatron shouted something unintelligible at him and soon the two were in a fist fight exchanging blow after jab.

By the time Starscream had made his way to that side of the battle field the two were locked in a close battle, grappling with one another and trying to gain that much needed blow to a vital spot to tip the scales in their favor. The seeker landed a few spans away from the two combatants, watching to see who had the upper hand. He had already dealt with Mirage on the far end of the field. The Autobot would live, but he wouldn't be going anywhere in some time. Not wanting to kill the mech, Starscream left the injured bot to seek out another target. That was when he spotted the two generals. A shiver, that had nothing to do with the cold, wormed it's way through his structure. A lingering sense of worry forced the jet to land and survey the battle. As well behaved and as true to his word as he could be, Starscream suddenly had the terrifying premonition that Megatron would not be as honorable. This was far too good an opportunity for the tyrant to pass up.

While watching the two he had noticed Prime's left shoulder had been injured. A large chunk of exostructure had been torn away. He would not last much longer with an injury like that. When Prime suddenly fell back with sickening lurch Starscream made his move. If Prime was about to lose this battle then he would make damn sure the Autobot would not walk away from it alive. He would not give the other Con a chance to break his word. If he did, then everything that had happened would mean nothing. Every time he bowed his head and every time he suffered a blow, it would all be meaningless.

Megatron managed to get a decent punch to Optimus' face. The Autobot staggered back, releasing his death grip on the silver mech's forearm. The world spun for half a second before adrenaline managed to save him. He threw up his servos in time to block another vital shot to his face. He jumped back ready to dodge another punch that never came. When he lowered his guard he saw that Megatron wasn't even looking at him. His large silver frame still tense and ready to spring, but his attention was held by another. Another mech who had bloomed from the darkness to join the fight. Prime felt his spark nearly leap clear of it's own casing.

Starscream materialized from the storm to stand at his leader's side. The two Decepticons held optic contact for a moment.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to assist you, of course." Came the reply.

"Ah, so you'll help me destroy this pathetic Autobot then?" Megatron grinned and turned his attention back to Prime who stared in shock at the new comer.

A strange expression flickered across the jet's features for a fraction of a second. A skeptical, doubtful expression.

"Yes. I'll help you destroy him."

A savage grin etched it's way across his handsome face as he turned his gaze from the tyrant to the suddenly outnumbered Autobot. Megatron, too, grinned evilly and Prime only had a split second to react to his worst nightmare come to life.

The Decepticon General and his Air Commander had finally teamed up against him. Before even a tremor of sadness could be felt, the two made their moves.

While Megatron knew that the seeker was only here to make sure their agreement was kept, he couldn't deny the sudden swell of pride that he felt to see Starscream leap at Prime with his servos hooked and ready to tear out optics. The jet was as blood thirsty as he was determined, and as proud as he suddenly felt to see his second in command keep to his word he knew he had to play this one carefully if he was to succeed. For the red and white mech's intuition was serving him well this day. Megatron had no intention of defeating Prime like he promised and even less intention of helping Starscream do it. He knew to break their agreement would terminate any remaining reasoning with the mech. Starscream would never again be the well behaved commander that he so rightfully deserved to be. He would defect and turn against his leader. And if he managed to pull this off properly and keep both his prizes alive, Megatron knew that the jet would no longer be a member of his faction, but a prisoner and a slave. A price that he was willing to pay to have his victory. He fought along side his Air commander for what would be the final time.

Prime was vastly out classed. While he was aiming quick swats at the slower Megatron, the quick little jabs that Starscream was tossing in was slowly wearing him down. When he turned his attention to the seeker, he couldn't block the silver mech's heavy blows and nail the speedy Starscream who's agility was far superior. He was in trouble as the two Cons worked with precision to effortlessly tire him out and beat him down at the same time. They were flawless. Dodging, ducking, weaving around one another, constantly tossing their target off track. It was all Optimus could do to stay on his feet as their steel fists rang off his armor and they kicked out at his legs trying to topple him. The driving wind and rain wasn't helping the situation. The slick ground beneath him only made it worse. He was losing this battle.

Suddenly Starscream turned his attention to Megatron. Where Prime thought, with vain hope, that perhaps jet had changed his mind he soon realized was really a well coordinated maneuver that the two had used millions of years ago when they were battle partners. A maneuver that never failed to overwhelm an enemy.

The jet clapped his servos together to create a loud crack that signaled his approach. Megatron heard the familiar sound and braced himself for his partner's next move. Instinct telling him exactly what it was that the smaller mech was doing. With one well placed pede on the other's right hip, Starscream scaled his master's structure. Prime couldn't track what was to happen next. It looked as if the seeker had climbed up onto Megatron's shoulders, but before he found his footing there the tyrant's servos caught his pedes and with a mighty grunt, he shoved the Air commander straight at Optimus. Starscream used the momentum and sprung at just the right time, doubling the speed and force in which he dove at the semi. His fists straight out, his shoulders locked. He was like a battering ram. He broke through the semi's defenses and straight into his face.

It struck Optimus like freight train. His optics blacked out and his entire sensory feed died in a gush of static. He struck the ground hard and didn't move.

Starscream hit the ground a few feet away and tucked in for a roll. He grunted in discomfort as he didn't make the landing as gracefully as he did in the days of old, but shook it off. Now that Prime was down he didn't have much time to finish the job. Where he couldn't destroy Mirage earlier, he could destroy Prime now. Before he had time to regret it, before he had time to question his intuition, he would do it and end this all now. He advanced on the broken Autobot before Megatron could. Once he was destroyed he would be safe. It was the only act of loyalty that Starscream could offer.

He was knocked clean off his pedes before he even heard the blast from the fusion canon, hitting the wet ground with a dull thump. The sensory feed finally caught up to him and he shrieked as pain seared at his side. Starscream's digits fumbled at the injury, prodding into the tear in his plating clumsily before a whole new wave of pain crunched down on his leg. He thrashed in confusion and anger, trying to find the source of his agony. Little surprise that the silver tyrant stood over him sporting a wicked grin.

"You...you lying bastard!" He screamed, clawing at the ground vainly, trying to pull as far away from the other Con as possible.

"Are you really that naive?" Megatron practically purred as he ground his pede down on the trapped limb beneath it. "Did you think that I would let you save him?"

The seeker struggled to bit back another cry. Gritting his dentals together, he snarled.

"I kept my word! I was loyal to you! I gave you everything you asked for!"

"Yes you did." The tyrant said in mock sympathy. "However, you seem to think that means something to me. I already told you, Starscream. Your loyalty isn't worth the dirt on my pedes."

The jet make a wounded noise, forehead falling to the wet ground with a squelch.

"Somehow I knew." He muttered. "I always knew, even when I slept by your side night after night, I knew you would do this."

"You were a fool to believe otherwise." Megatron agreed. "You shouldn't have tested me the way you did. Fighting along my side and expecting me to just stand by while you finished him off. You had plenty of opportunities to sneak up behind us and take him out. Why didn't you?"

"Because I wanted to believe you would keep your word!" Starscream's fists beat into the ground in his fury. "If I had to give him up and I had to remain with you, I didn't want to loath my existence! I wanted to be able to live with myself knowing that at least you could keep a promise. That everything that had happened these last few days wasn't complete lies! That I didn't just sell myself to you for no reason!"

He glared up at the silver mech with more rage in his optics than Megatron had ever seen.

"I hate you! I hate everything about you! And yet I wanted to give you a chance! All I ever wanted was to give you a chance! You couldn't keep your word! You could NEVER keep your word! You say I always fail you?! I have given you everything I could possibly give and yet it's never enough! If anything, Megatron, you're the one who's always failing ME!"

The silver tyrant stared down at his furious Air commander. He stepped back from the injured mech, clenching his fists and trying to contain a sudden rage that deep down he knew he didn't have the right to feel. Starscream was justified in what he said. Megatron was a constant disappointment to him. He had caused so much misery and pain and had treated him far worse then any mech deserved. So much so that he suddenly wondered if perhaps that he owed the seeker so much more then just the chance to take his life. But then again he was Megatron and he didn't have to answer to anyone. He had won. Optimus Prime was defeated and lay just a few feet away, waiting for him. Starscream was once again, broken at his feet and unable to rebel. All that remained in his way was the simple fact that he still owed his second in command something that he could never have paid.

Well, not for long.

"You're right, Starscream." He knelt down and reached out to lay his servo on his former partner's wing. The jet lurched away from the touch, but couldn't escape it. "I've failed you. However, I've long ago stopped believing that you were my equal. You've always been a slave and any freedom that I've allowed you was only a farce to keep you from defecting. I've kept you alive all these years for myself, trying to pretend that I owed you a chance to take back your freedom. However, I never had any intention of allowing you to destroy me. You never had a chance in Hell of defeating me."

It was lies. Of course it was lies. Deep down they both knew it wasn't true, but the impact was enough to break the jet's processor in two. And that was all that mattered.

"You're mine, Starscream. And you'll live the remainder of your useless life locked away until I feel bored enough to drag you out. And the Autobot? He'll spend the rest of his life in chains, serving my every need and desire."

Megatron could feel the jet wind up for a scream. His whole being spasmned with the force of it tearing itself from his very core. A long painful howl filled with millions of years of misery and suffering. His very support column creaked as he curled in on himself, servos clawing at his very dermas as if he were trying to rake away the lingering sensations of the tyrant's touches. Sparks sizzling against his wet armor as he gouged at himself. He continued to convulse for a few agonizing seconds before his vocals shorted to static and his entire being gave in with a final whimper. Defeated.

The Decepticon general stood, prodding the broken mech with his pede once before he was satisfied that all the damage he could do was done. Starscream lay there, curled in on himself, aspiring lightly and gazing off into the distance. Face a blank page. His side bleeding out and onto the wet ground with new founts of energon. His little hissy fit had tore open some fuel lines. He wouldn't be going anywhere. Opening his comm. line, he hailed Soundwave to bring the restraints that he had stashed in one of the trenches. The blue mech, all too eager to redeem himself, responded.

He glanced back down to the pitiful mech at his feet. Part of his processor crashed to see his former partner to utterly destroyed, but he could not longer concern himself with such trivial matters. His prize was just beginning to stir from his stasis lock.

Megatron turned from his broken slave to the Autobot who had just sat up in a daze, gazing around as if he had just woke from a bad dream. His bright blue optics suddenly saw him, and widened. The silver mech's smile bared fangs as he advanced on the delirious Prime. He barely made it three steps before he heard a bone rattling shriek from behind him. He managed to turn and catch a glimpse of red and white before the world spun a full 180 and died away before he could even scream.

Prime had managed to sit himself up after just waking up on the cold ground. The rain had stopped and the storm fading off into the distance. He was alive, that much he knew. His processor suddenly recalling the two Decepticons, he glanced around in a panic to see Megatron advancing on him. Before he could react a terrible audio piercing shriek filled the air and Starscream seemed to leap out of nowhere. Megatron turned just in time to see a pair of furious blue servos wrap around his helm. A hideous snap and suddenly the silver tyrant's head was on backwards, staring blankly as his mouth fell open in a soundless scream.

He crumpled to the ground, a lifeless shell. Prime's core did a sick flip as he took in the sight. His spark pounding in his chassis like it was about to burst free. And then his optics fell on Starscream.

The jet knelt by his master's side, servo laid gently on his chest, feeling for any sign of life. His face a cold mask as he examined the other mech. His crimson optics widened slightly as a pulse beat against his digits. Some how the bastard was still alive. He stood and aimed his cannons preparing to finish him off.

"Starscream! Don't!" Prime called as the seeker took aim at the Decepticon's spark chamber.

"Why not?" He muttered. His voice as cold as his expression. "He deserves it."

"He deserves to be taken back to Cybertron where justice will be served." Optimus stood and slowly limped his way over to the Decepticon.

"This is justice!" Starscream spat as the Autobot drew near. "This is what he owes me!"

"But this isn't the right way to do it. You're better then this."

"I'm a Decepticon, Prime." He muttered and kept his cannons steady even as the other mech was now close enough to touch him. "I don't share your Autobot sense of morality."

"Please." The semi placed a servo on Starscream's shoulder carefully. "Don't do it. For me. Let's take him back to the Ark together. We'll lock him in stasis and find a suitable punishment for him there."

"You won't have the guts to end his life. As long as he lives he will be a threat."

"Starscream." Optimus gently moved to wrap his arms around the seeker's neck, resting his helm against the side of the other's in a small nuzzle. "Please."

When the Autobot's warm embrace enveloped him, Starscream hesitated. It had been so long since he felt the other's comforting touch that all his anger suddenly drained away and left him aching and empty and longing for more then a simple hug. Giving in to the other mech's wishes, he lowered his weapons and allowed the Autobot to lead him away from the fallen Decepticon General. Once they were at a more comfortable distance he and turned to fully indulge the other's affection. He wrapped his arms around the large red plated shoulders as the Autobot looped his own around his waist, pulling him close. Prime held the jet so closely that for a moment he worried that he would snap him in half. But Starscream held back just as tight.

"Primus, I missed you." The semi sighed as he nosed his battle mask into the crook of his lover's neck.

"I missed you too."

Their reunion was short lived as several other mechs from both factions suddenly arrived. Bumblebee, Hoist and Prowl drove up behind them and transformed just as Soundwave, and two of the Stunticons, Motormaster and Dead End, landed opposite. Everyone seemed to freeze as they took in the sight. Slowly the pair separated, both turning to face their allies. Neither mech present knew what was happening or what they should do. Until Soundwave moved. He dropped the restraints that he carried and ran to Megatron's side, optics narrowed and a furious shade of garnet as he gazed upon his broken master.

"Traitor!" He yelled and pointed at Starscream. "You killed our leader!"

The tension snapped as the Autobots and Decepticons drew their weapons. Both factions began shouting and cursing at one another, names being tossed back and forth as chaos erupted. Soundwave advancing on the pair, optics locked on Starscream who aimed his own cannons at the blue mech, screaming his own choice words. Motormaster and Dead End followed suite, both frantically aiming from one Autobot to the next. Prowl and his fellow Autobots shouting for the Cons to get back and away from their leader. Prime torn between shielding Starscream from both his allies and enemies. It was a stand off that none could win. And it was about to get very ugly.

The roar of jet engines sounded over head as the remaining seekers joined the fray. Both landing between Soundwave and their brother. The battle field grew silent as the two new comers took in what was happening. They glanced from Decepticon to Autobot, from Megatron's still frame to Prime and Starscream, piecing together what had gone down. The red and white jet stepping between his brothers and Prime, arms wide as if to protect the semi. The now outnumbered Autobots shifted from pede to pede nervously as their distress spiked the very air with hostility. They didn't know who was the bigger threat. The Decepticons who seemed more interested in Starscream than Prime, the seekers who had just arrived and who stood eerily placid despite the situation they had just landed in, or the air commander who strangely enough seemed to be on their side.

Soundwave would have grinned if he could. The seekers had arrived just in time to tip the scales. The Autobots were vastly outnumbered and seemed confused by their leader's cooperation with a Decepticon. However he could care less what liaison the two had. It was a weakness among their ranks that he could exploit. It was also grounds to move against their second in command.

"Skywarp, Thundercracker, restrain Starscream." He ordered. " That traitor will pay for what he has done."

The two jet's exchanged knowing glances before turning to the blue mech with odd smiles on their faces. The communications officer felt his very core drop as they raised their weapons and aimed not at the treasonous Starscream but at Soundwave himself.

"No. I don't think so, creep." Skywarp grinned.

"You come near our brother or the Autobot and we'll slag you." Thundercracker growled and advanced menacingly at his comrades.

Soundwave, Motormaster and Dead End suddenly found themselves vastly outnumbered as every weapon present was drawn and aimed straight at them. Prowl and the other Autobots didn't seem to care what the two jet's reasoning was, but took their chance to dash forward between their leader and the enemy, backing Skywarp and Thundercracker.

"How dare you!?" The Decepticon semi shouted at the jets. "You are both traitors to your own kind! Those two killed Megatron!"

"He's not dead yet, glitch head!" Starscream called from his place at Optimus' side.

"There you have it." Skywarp sneered at the black and purple mech. "You have no grounds to kill my brother. So why don't you three put the boom sticks away and get the fuck outta here before you really tick me off."

"I always knew you were traitors." Soundwave slowly lowered his weapon and dropped it to the ground. The other's following his example. "You will pay for this. All of you. Our leader will be repaired and he will have his revenge."

Quickly, the two Stunticons gathered Megatron up and took off into air before the Autobots or seekers could protest. Soundwave giving a final lingering and evil glare before he too took off and out of sight, ordering a retreat. Even with the three of them gone, the tension had hardly left the field as the remaining Decepticons faced the confused Autobots. The two seekers lowered their canons and tried to look benign as the other mechs jumped back and away from them, moving to Optimus' side. They nervously aimed at Starscream, who frowned at them for their stupidity. Not wanting to bother with the explanation, as Optimus was already trying to soothe the situation, he pushed past Prowl, who was particularly in his face.

"Don't you move!" Prowl shouted as the red and white jet ignored him and rushed to his brothers where he embraced them both.

"Prowl, calm down." Optimus placed a hand on his shoulder. "If they were going to cause us harm, they'd have done it by now."

"But what is going on?" Hoist asked, his weapon still trained on the three Cons.

"It's a long story." The semi replied. "But I can assure you that we have nothing to fear."

"So we're just supposed to trust them?" The strategist growled, not daring to drop his guard for a moment.

"I'm asking you to trust me. Please, Prowl. I promise all will be explained once we are safely back at base. Right now I need you to gather our forces. We must make sure that everyone who was injured receives medical attention, and those who are still fit for duty to remain here to help the humans. The storm may be gone but the damage is not."

Prime turned to Bumblebee and gave the little bot his orders. Hoist went with him to help find Mirage and Grapple. He then turned to back to Prowl who he left with strict orders to gather himself and take charge of the rest. He would leave the clean up and recovery duty in his capable hands while he attended to some diplomatic issues. With a mistrustful frown on his face, the police car accepted his orders and transformed. He drove off with an annoyed roar of his engine, leaving his friend and leader with the three jets.

Starscream embraced each of his brothers one more time before he turned from them and strode back over to Prime. A weary, yet relieved smile lit his features as he closed the final few steps with a run and a leap, tossing his arms around the semi's neck and kissing his battle mask so hard his lips ached. Optimus could only managed to stay on his feet for a few seconds before he collapsed to his knees, the seeker falling with him as they both ended up practically rolling on the ground, holding one another and laughing as relief flooded their sparks and pure unbridled joy over took them.

Skywarp and Thundercracker looked on with slight embarrassment as their wing mate and the Autobot made a scene worthy of the cheesiest romance movies that they had ever had the displeasure of coming across.

"So. I guess that means we're Autobots now." The purple jet rolled his optics with good humor.

"Guess so."

"So how do you think they'll all take it when they find out that squeaky clean Prime has been playing with a nasty Decepticon the whole time?"

"Probably the same way that they receive any other shocking news." Thundercracker smirked as Starscream managed to pin the red and blue mech to the soil where he playfully declared his superiority. "With that same insufferable Autobot nobility."

"Uugh. I don't know if I could handle being that soft and trusting."

The blue jet smiled and looked up to the sky where the grey clouds broke and blue sky peeked through. What had promised to be a terrible day had suddenly become much more pleasant with promises for the future.

"Better get used to it."

He nudged his brother's shoulder and started a leisurely stroll towards the pair still making a very public display of affection that had gone on just about long enough. He shouted at them to stop acting like a bunch of protoforms and to get their injured afts off the muddy ground before they ended up in stasis. After all there was so much to do. A whole new life had begun for them all. There was time for the mushy stuff later.

Preferable when Thundercracker and Skywarp didn't have to bare witness.

END