Meggy looked around at the carnage. It was all over . . . the pieces were falling right into place. The war was over. Bombshell was gone. Still . . . one piece missing.

Meggy: "What now . . . ?"

She asked softly. Soundwave walked and stood at her side, placing his hand on her shoulder.

Akane: "Cybertron is still dormant. After all this time."

He murmured. Nici came to them along with Angel, along with Jasmine. Finally, Orion walked over with Sunny, an unconscious Red in his arms. Meggy's eyes widened and teared up.

Meggy: "N-no . . . can't-. . . can't be . . . mom . . .?!"

Angel shook her head and sighed softly.

Angel: "She's alive, Sugar . . ."

Her eyes went down, then back to Jasmine, looking her over carefully. Orion shifted Red in his arms carefully to grab Jasmine's hand in his own, squeezing it. She sighed, the day's sorrow and hurt coming back full-force.

Jasmine: "We can fix it . . ."

She said quietly, though she wasn't too sure how she knew. Meggy crumpled down and began to sob. Sunny walked over and touched her head.

Sunny: "I lost my mommy too . . . I'm glad she's back so you 'an her can be together forever now."

Meggy sniffled, looking up at her.

Meggy: ". . . who're you?"

Sunny: "I'm Sunny! Your mom helped me."

The young lady laughed weakly.

Meggy: "S-she had a knack for that . . . a lot like my grampa did."

Jasmine sighed, closing her eyes briefly.

Jasmine: "Just a few more moments . . . We can wait a few more moments to break down, can't we . . . ?"

Meggy: "Sorry . . ."

She stood with another, quick sniffle.

Meggy: "What needs to be done?"

    Jasmine shrugged with a frown. Honestly, after all was said and done, she had no other plans than to lie in a dark corner for a long while.

Jasmine: "Just . . . expel the extra density in your spark . . ."

She nearly recoiled at the words. They came too easily. The knowledge of someone beyond her. The kind of knowledge only someone outside of a mortal form could provide.

Meggy: "Is-."

Her eyes glowed.

Meggy: "Oh . . . she's there."

Was all she really said. Sunny peered up at her.

Sunny: "What're ya talking about Jasmine?"

Jasmine sighed, shaking her head.

Jasmine: "The heaviness . . . The tingling density . . ."

It was aching, sliding out of her. Her head dropped as her spark exposed itself, vulnerable as a ball of energy spit from her chest, string-like remnants following it, her spark chamber open. Vulnerable as she took a deep breath and let it go. Radiated energy from the Omega Lock Keys from who-knew-when flew from her spark and into the Well. Orion held her hand tighter as his spark exposed itself in turn, the unneeded energy flying from him as it shot into the Well. Jasmine took Sunny's hand in hers, squeezing it gently.

Sunny took Meggy's, who also took Soundwave's, helping energize the spark to unknown points of power, letting her fly away. Nici watched with wide eyes, along with the Predacon sisters, Emery, Sia and Vortex. They were witnessing the rebirth of Cybertron.

A dull glow began to show inside the Well, from the core of Cybertron, but it soon began to die off, fade back into darkness. Jasmine's spark dropped as the warmth faded. Until a jolt seized her chest; until something surged inside her so strong and fast she nearly screamed.

Star's spark split from her own and dove into the well as the light began to fade. The light blue energy vanished into shadows and Jasmine fell to her knees.

That was when Star's spark, in the long-dead femme's last attempt to do right by her sistren and brethren, lit Cybertron's surface and it came to life with a new glow.

Soundwave, Meggy, Sunny, Jasmine, and Orion watched as an explosion of colour erupted from inside of the well and shot out, spiraling and sizzling. Nici also watched as The Decepticons, who were watching as well glowed, then grew in size and colour until they were once again fully Cybertronian. Her heart sank.

Megatron: "We are . . . normal . . ."

Megatron breathed.

StarScream: "My liege, now is our chance to crush the Autobots-."

Starscream began, but Megatron stopped him.

Megatron: "ENOUGH! No one is going to harm ANYONE! I have learnt what it is like to be oppressed by someone who wishes to cause others pain for what happened in their life."

He looked down at Nici, who stared back up at them.

Megatron: "We shall leave Cybertron forever, and conquer another planet. One in which, we shall rule forever."

With that said, Megatron transformed.

Megatron: "Anyone who wishes to join me, do so now or be at the Autobot's mercy!"

    He flew off, leaving the Decepticons behind before they had a chance to react. Nici then sighed.

Nici: "Decepticons Dreadwing, Knockout, Breakdown, Airachnid and Starscream, you all are 'under arrest'."

Vortex managed to warp in stasis cuffs. Inanimate objects only to a certain size, was all he could really do. One by one, Sia clapped their stasis cuffs on. Well . . . almost. Airachnid and Starscream both escaped. Nici groaned.

Nici: "Of course . . . just . . . of course!"

She knew they'd catch them. Eventually.

    Meanwhile, Orion had helped Jasmine from her knees, but something was different in her eyes. Something old and ever-present was gone. He knew that wasn’t an easy thing to accept. Angel watched them, waiting to see, her spark beating so heavily she swore it was in her throat. Star. Star was gone.

And that meant that if Star had been the reason Jasmine had loved Orion, that JewelBlade had loved Optimus, well . . . Things were going to shift quite soon. And it would quite possibly break the Prime's spark to know that the femme with whom he'd bonded . . . Was no longer here. Instead she now embodied Cybertron. And a femme who had yet to decide where she stood with him stood in front of him. Angel bit her lip. This wasn't supposed to happen. Wasn't supposed to be possible.

Optimus: "Maiden . . ."

He breathed her name softly, almost like a prayer to Primus, a disbelief that she was still here. That she still stood with him. Angel's odd words rang through his processor. To be honest, they rang through the blonde woman's, too. If Star's influence had reached that far, then . . . A whole mess of complication would  ?  Follow all this. Her spark beat faster as she watched them. Watched them just stare and stand and stand and stare. What was wrong with her? Angel’s spark nearly stopped at the thoughts that went racing through her skull.

    If Jasmine didn’t love Orion anymore, then . . . She didn’t want to think of what would happen. A blanket of silence wrapped around the two, and Angel swore they were being pulled into another world, another era, even. Wherever it was, it wasn’t here.

    ~~~

    They’d been pulled into her mind. A trick she hadn’t used for a long while. Jasmine was honestly surprised she could still use it with Star gone. But the stillness and silence . . . Everything felt . . . different . . . numb . . .

Jasmine: “Optimus . . . ?”

    She asked quietly, examining his face, his every expression, those beautifully blue eyes. She lifted a hand, placing her hand over his cheek, sliding her thumb against his cheekbone. He turned his face just enough to kiss the vulnerable palm. She didn’t pull away. She wasn’t even sure what to think.

They were still on Cybertron, a living Cybertron, but no one else was here. They’d vanished. She didn’t want them in her mind. Wanted only to see Optimus. To sort this out, the confusion and perplexing emotions. Every emotion, thought, even the air she breathed in this mental world seemed . . . frail . . . fragile . . . like if she moved the wrong way it would all shatter.

Orion: “Yes, my beautiful maiden?”

    He asked, taking her wrist in his hand to hold her hand in place, breathing gently, taking in her smell, her essence. Something about it was . . . different . . . So much about her was different. He couldn’t place some of it. He knew most of it fell with the part about Star, the femme that had for so long been part of her, had now vanished without warning.

Jasmine: “Do you . . . Do you really love me . . . ?”

    She glanced down at Cybertron, at where it’s new life exuded from the core through it’s surface. Where Star had vanished, and would live no more. Her eyes flicked back up to Optimus, to his sapphire-colored eyes. Such wondrous, beautiful eyes. She adored them. Didn’t she?

    Her eyebrows stitched together as she tried to sort through things. Just like with the satellite when it had fallen, a thick cloud had descended, though this one existed only in her mind. It was hard to sort through all the thoughts and emotions. In the absence of StarBreak, a numbness had settled over her spark as it attempted to fill the gaps and crevices the elder femme had left open when she’d darted out to give their homeworld life again.

Orion: “Of course I love you, Maiden . . . With all my spark . . .”

    His large hand came to her cheek, cupping the side of her face. She closed her eyes, breathing slowly as she leaned into his touch. She turned her head just enough to kiss his palm, loving, absolutely adoring the warmth his touch brought her.

Jasmine: “I love you, too . . .”

    A mischievous smile crept across her lips, ones he suddenly wanted very much to kiss. Ones he wanted to press against his in a flurry of passion. A body he wanted to hold long into the night until he woke just to see her there. Still there with him.

Jasmine: “I love you more, actually . . .”

    She told him, the smile growing slightly. Had he not been so in tune with his bonded, he would have overlooked the pang of hurt that stung her eyes. He knew today had still been hard. He knew it had been far from easy. But here they were.

Orion: “We’ll get through it . . .”

    He kissed her forehead, and she breathed out, nodding slightly. The cloud in her mind was beginning to settle. She loved Optimus. Always had, always would. She couldn’t imagine a better mech in the world, her native one or his native one, that could possibly put up with her. A small laugh escaped her, pained, but with a touch of genuine happiness, as she thought of it. As she thought of how Optimus, a Prime, was probably the only one who could possibly stand up to the task of being with her romantically. She was a handful for herself most days, and he handled it all in stride.

Orion: “What’s so funny?”

    He asked as he looked down at her, and her emerald eyes opened to meet his gaze. Her pained smile soothed a little bit looking at him, and she gave a small nod.

    ~~~

Jasmine: “I’ll tell you later.”

    She whispered, kissing his cheek as she closed the mental world around them and brought them back to the present. He simply smiled and nodded, shifting Red, Cellina, in his arms carefully. Red groaned and came around.

Red: "Whut . . . whut 'appened . . . ?"

She opened her green eyes, looking around, seeing the Decepticons being arrested, the Well producing new life, everybody standing together and watching.

Red: "Aw swee' niblets! Why am ah always knocked out cold when 'th good stuff 'appens?!"

Orion looked down and raised a brow, but his smile grew seeing her awake and obviously well.

Orion: "You were weak and exhausted. It does not surprise me you were unconscious, Cellina . . . Red . . . I'm just glad you're all right . . ."

Red: "Wha- O-Optimus?!"

She looked around quickly.

Red: "Good grief . . . ah-. . . well."

She had no clue what to say, given the odd situation.

Red: "G'morn'n?!"

Orion chuckled, nodding, setting her back on her feet carefully, cautiously.

Orion: "Good morning to you, too, Red.

She wobbled a little but was quickly standing without any assistance.

Red: "So . . . this is . . . gosh. Could this day git any more mind blown'?"

As she spoke, out of the glow of the new life expanding from the Well stepped out three glowing forms. One was a young woman with short pink hair with purple bangs, bright blue eyes twinkling mischievously. She was holding the hand of a man with rusty red hair and matching blue eyes, but the third party Jasmine didn't recognize. She had extremely short, spiky red hair and slanted purple eyes, grinning madly.

Elita: "Orion . . ."

The woman smiled, and Red's spark leapt into her throat.

Red: "Mama . . . ?"

Jasmine frowned, glancing at Orion and backing up a few steps. Optimus's old lover. Elita-1. It always felt . . . more than a tad awkward when she thought about this. About how she hadn't been his first like he'd been hers. And how his old lover's spark was still around, and once he perished, she was here . . . on Cybertron. His home world. And she was . . . well, she didn't know where she'd go when her time came.

But Jay, JumpStart caught her eye. He moved just slightly enough that Jasmine's gaze drifted down and say where he clutched Elita's hand. She looked up again and saw that glimmer in his eyes. He and Elita were in love. They'd probably bonded, if that was possible after offlining, and that meant . . . Jay expected nothing of her as far as affection. And Elita expected nothing of Optimus, either. A tremendous weight fell of her chest and her eyes began to water a bit. There would be no awkward reunions in the well. They would all be happy, albeit with different mates than some of them had thought. But it was okay.

There would be no sharing, no fights over mates, because Jay was happy with Elita, and Elita was happy with Jay. Another weight fell off as Jasmine realized Jay could finally be happy, for the first time since he'd lost Star all those vorns ago. Without thinking, she ran over and embraced him, his form hardly solid but enough that she could feel his arms wrap around her.

Jasmine: "I'm so happy for you.”

She murmured against him, meaning every word. He was at peace after all this time. Daughter and mother, long separated by death flew into each others arms. In several ways, Red took after her mother. Red began to sob, clinging to her like her life depended on it.

Red: "Oh mama! Mama!"

Elita: "Don't cry Cellina . . . I'm here."

She looked up, meeting Orion's gaze.

Elita: "Oh stop staring you big Scaredy Cybercat, and get over here and join in!"

Same old Elita. Orion gave a weak smile before striding over. Jasmine glanced at them; that would be something they could never change . . . Optimus had a family aside from their broken one. He had a living child. She felt a pang of guilt as he embraced Elita and Red. She bit her lip, trying not to think about it too much. Elita hugged them, but that was it.

Elita: "Now, I came to just give a proper goodbye, since I couldn't before."

Red: "G-good bye?! Yer . . . not stay'n?"

Elita: "Whaddya think! I'm as dead as dead can get!"

Elita exclaimed with a laugh.

Elita: "Now . . . I just wanted to let you also know that we sorted out the . . . predicament that Jewel was worried about!"

She hollered over at the auburn-haired woman.

Elita: "Hope you don't mind but I stole him!"

Jasmine gave a slight nod, walking over to them with Jay.

Jasmine: "So . . . What about her?"

She nodded to the small girl, the imagery of a young femme actually painful. She was just grateful there wasn't a young mech around, too. Red's eyes rounded, seeing the young girl standing idly by and watching them.

Avalon: "Heya Ma . . ."

She said with a small wave to Red.

Red: ". . . Ava . . ."

She whispered, swallowing hard at the sight of her miscarried daughter.

Red: "Is . . . is tha' ya?"

Ava: "Yep."

She grinned. Red quickly took her into her arms, tears flooding down her face again.

Red: "Avalon . . . !"

Ava: "H-hey Ma, don't start cry'n or you'll make ME cry!"

Jasmine's spark stung and Orion took her hand, knowing the question that was on her mind before she had a chance to ask it.

Jasmine: "I-If her lost child is here . . . Then . . . Where are mine . . .?"

Jasmine slowly turned her gaze to Elita, attempting to will the tears in her eyes to go away as her voice dropped low.

Jasmine: "Where are Jade and Blaze?"

The pink-haired woman laughed softly, a light in her eyes as she looked Jasmine over.

Elita: "They're closer than you think."

Ava grinned, winking at Jasmine.

Ava: "So you're my Gramma huh? Y'know something, you worry too much!"

Red: "Ava-."

Ava: "I mean really! Loosen up a little! I thought Gramps was uptight!"

Red: "Avalon-."

Ava: "You're gonna get wrinkles before ya know it-"

Red: "Avalon Elita Botson!"

Red warned. Jasmine frowned, shaking her head at the girl.

Jasmine: "So they're lost . . . And we'll never know what happened to them . . ."

Angel walked up, placing a hand over Jasmine's abdomen lightly.

Angel: "Sugar, I think we need to talk about something."

    Jasmine tried to ignore Angel’s hand; not that it was hard to. In her grief, the touch hardly registered in her mind.

Jasmine: "Like what?"

She retorted, raising a brow. The wounds were still too fresh to contemplate much of anything. Her babies had vanished this morning. How had so much happened since then? How had the world kept turning? Angel sighed, glancing at Optimus, knowing full well both of them were in the dark about this.

Angel: "You're pregnant. It's the twins."

Jasmine blinked, freezing where she stood.

Jasmine: "You're lying."