Well, folks, this is the last one, and it's a pairing that my Cybercat followers have been begging for. It does kinda roll from where I left off in the fic, but here's two major differences: 1) Moonstrike is shorter and Jazz is taller. Why? So that she isn't ten feet taller than Jazz. I've heard of Awkward heights, but that's over-doing it. (2) Rather than putting Megatron's spark in Socius, Vector Prime put the spark in her sparkling chamber, meaning Moonstrike actually gave birth to him. Everything else is pretty cut and dry. See all y'all on Saturday!

Happy Singles Awareness Day!

Chapter 4- Dating

This is the most UNSUCCESSFUL way to find a mate so far. There is currently a 50% divorce rate, and another 20% say that though they did not get a divorce, they are unhappy with whom they married. In the early stages of dating, when it was more successful, it was defined as a rigid judgment of a member of the opposite sex to see if they would be a suitable mate. Because there were no automobiles, men and women would have to walk long distances to see each other in between jobs. Because of the distance, dating was taken a lot more seriously. However, once the automobile was invented, dating became more lax, as people tended to go on dates for entertainment rather than to learn more about each other.

~*Moonstrike & Jazz*~

He groaned irritably as he sat up, glaring at his berthroom door. He had been having a marvelous recharge projection when the buzzing had started. At first, he had been able to ignore it. After all, his recharge and the projection was far more important to him than some bratty youngling ringing his buzzer as a prank. He had learned long ago that if he ignored it, the brats would go away.

But they hadn't. The slaggin' buzzer kept buzzing and buzzing and buzzing. He spent a breem glaring at the ceiling, simply willing the brat to leave. When the buzz continued, he decided that perhaps a verbal rebuke would be best. So he hopped down from the berth lithely and started stomping out of his room and down that hall toward the front door. He didn't have patience for this! The mission he had just dealt with had been impossible to complete. Of course, Jazz, being the mech he was, completed aforementioned impossible mission in an orn.

He could hear the light patter of liquid mercury raining from the skies, and he suddenly wondered who was at the door. Adults wouldn't let their brats out in this weather. Weather such as this was rare and dangerous. Mercury only rained down before an acid storm, something that could be fatal to Cybertronians. The acid gathering in the air caused the air in the atmosphere to freeze rapidly, which made the mercury in the air liquefy and fall. The mercury wasn't dangerous as long as a mech or femme washed it off their armor, as it could strip paint. It was the inevitable acid storm that would follow that would cause the most danger.

With a new sense of determination and worry, he sped up a little bit. His housing unit, shared with his best friend, Blaster, who was in town due to a new job, was big enough to comfortably fit two large Cybertronians. All rooms were connected to a single freakishly long hall. The large washrack was situated at the very back, with a utility closet on the left and a room on the right dedicated to their music. Beside the sound room was Jazz's berthroom, and Blaster's berthroom was right across from Jazz's room. The greeting room had been transformed into a game room, seeing as they never had any guests. A single extremely comfortable couch was placed against the back wall, facing a huge screen. Surround sound filled the room, and seven gaming systems from the various planets Jazz had visited were placed on a shelf by the screen.

Across from that gaming room/greeting area was an office. The desk was unused, but the large communications system was used every solar cycle by Blaster. Jazz could be found leaning back in the desk chair with his pedes kicked up on the desk every now and again whenever he felt like simply enjoying the silence. Most times, though, he was in his berthroom or the gaming or sound rooms.

Jazz bypassed the gaming room and office and moved to the front door. The buzzing had stopped, and Jazz was beginning to worry that whoever it was had gone back out into the rain. He jogged the last few paces and used a high-pitched signal that only he and Blaster could reach, thanks to their superior vocal processors, to unlock the door. The motion sensors caused the door to hiss open when he approached. The sight he was greeted by was shocking, to say the least.

"Moonstrike?" he questioned. She looked up at him, and he almost cringed. She had seated herself on his doorstep, her body hunched over ensure that the rain wouldn't get past her chassis armor, where Jazz knew that Megatron was likely resting in her sparkling hold. Her audio amplifiers were pressed against her helm, and her body only spoke of inner pain. "Primus, Moon, get in 'ere. Ya don' need ta be out in this," Jazz ordered in a gentle voice, worried that anything louder would break her. Moonstrike whimpered a little as she rose to her pedes. Her tail seemed to tuck limply around her legs, and her rotary blades were pressed against each other.

"Now, swee'spark, le's ge' tha' mercury off ya. I'll show ya t' the washracks," Jazz suggested. Jazz gently grabbed her hand and led her down the hall. He paused when he saw Blaster step out of his room, optics dimmed.

"Yo, mech, wha'sup?" he slurred in a tired voice.

"Nothin', Blastuh. Jus' get back ta rechargin'," Jazz replied. Blaster glanced at Moonstrike, and his optics grew brighter. He grinned at Jazz, but frowned when Jazz glared and gave a nearly imperceptible shake of the helm. Blaster nodded and moved back in her room. Jazz smiled slightly as he passed his friend's room and moved into the washracks. "Now, I know ya know 'ow these work, so…" he trailed off when he saw that Moonstrike was staring blankly at the metal floor. A single tear was making its way down her faceplates. "Moon? Baby?" he questioned gently, using an Earth term that he had managed to translate. Moonstrike broke from her trance, wiping away the tear as she looked at Jazz, not quite meeting his optics.

"Oh, baby spark, wha' happ'ned?" he asked as he pulled her into his arms. That was all it took for Moonstrike to break down. Sorrowful sobs broke from her. Jazz simply stood there, holding her helm to his chassis, rubbing her back, waiting for her to explain.

"Wha's wrong, baby?" he reiterated gently.

"He-he-he duh-doesn't want me!" she sobbed. Her vents hitched as they worked to cool her overheating frame. Jazz frowned.

"Who? Prime?" he asked. Moonstrike nodded miserably. Jazz's engine roared angrily. "Tell meh ev'rythin' that 'app'ned." Moonstrike took a few deep vents, trying to calm herself.

"He found out about Meh-Megatron," she hiccupped. Jazz's frown deepened.

"You didn't tell him you were sparked?" he asked. Moonstrike shook her helm miserably.

"Megatron i-isn't his. His spark was g-given to m-m-me when I vi-hi-hisited the Well of All Sparks in Protihex," Moonstrike said, looking away as she took shuttering vents that affected how she spoke.

"An' ya tol' 'im tha', righ'?" Jazz prodded. Moonstrike nodded despondently.

"He doesn't want to mate with me if it would make the mech that murdered his late sparkmate his creation," she whispered. Jazz froze and felt his engine rumbled angrily. "And I understand that," Moonstrike added quickly, as if she was trying to convince herself more than Jazz. "I would be like that, too, if I were in his position!"

"Is that all?" Jazz bit out. Moonstrike shook her helm.

"He doesn't want me to return to his housing unit. I didn't know how to explain Megatron to Arcee and Springer," she muttered. Jazz huffed irritably.

"I'll make room fo' ya 'ere, 'kay?" Jazz stated.

"It'll only be for one night, I swear," Moonstrike assured him quickly. Jazz shook his helm, moving her back so that she could look in his optics.

"No, Moon. Yo're gonna stay 'ere 'til ya ge' back on ya pedes, compute?" Jazz said firmly. Moonstrike looked away again.

"I don't wanna be a burden, Jazz. That's all I ever was to him, I think. A burden," she claimed.

"Well, then ya c'n pay us back by makin' us s'me a' tha' really good energon tuhmahrrow, kay?" Jazz compromised. Moonstrike looked up at Jazz, and for the first time in the last solar cycle, she smiled.

"Thanks, Jazz," she whispered. Jazz grinned as he reached past her and turned on the showering unit. Cleaning solvent washed over their bodies. Jazz stepped out of the room after a few kliks, staying in only long enough to ensure that the mercury residue left from their embrace was gone.

"You get clean'd up. I'll talk ta Blastuh. Take ya time," Jazz ordered with a smile. Moonstrike nodded as she allowed the door to hiss closed. Jazz breathed a vent of pent up frustration and anger.

"Blaster!" Jazz shouted, stomping toward the office. Blaster appeared in his doorway and immediately moved after the angry saboteur. "Contact Optimus Prime. I have a few words for him," Jazz said darkly. Blaster nodded, his faceplates showing his confusion as he moved to the communications center. He sat down in the seat that was situated in front of the five huge screens that were situated in a domino pattern, one in the middle and one screen on each corner, and he started tapping on a keyboard. After a few kliks, Blaster pulled a cord from the computer and placed it in a port just below his audio receptor. He pulled another one out and plugged it into a port at the base of his helm.

"Yo, Prime! Ya there, mah mech?" he called out. The picture of a very tired looking Prime appeared on the middle screen.

"Greetings, Blaster. How can I help you?" Prime greeted formally.

"How 'bout you explain just what you were thinking by kicking Moonstrike out?" Jazz snapped. Prime's optics rose until they were focused on Jazz through the screen. "I've seen some mechs do some slaggin' low stuff, but you, Prime, you slaggin' Pit-spawn, take the oilcake! What kind of mech leaves a femme with a sparkling out on the streets during a mercury storm?"

"Jazz, before you accuse me, take time to gather all the facts. First of all, Moonstrike left before I could call her back. I would not wish for any mech or femme to be out in this weather. And secondly, she had a mechling from another mech, because it sure as Pit is not mine. What's worse? She named him after my brother –"

"She received that spark from the Well, as she tried to tell you! She's so slaggin' in love with you, she'd never interface with another mech!" Jazz snarled. Prime frowned.

"What do you mean? Megatron is dead," Prime stated.

"Was dead, Prime! He's alive now, sent back to have a second chance, one that you just rejected! Primus, how can a mech so wise be so stupid?" Jazz asked in frustration.

"Jazz, I will speak with Moonstrike when I can find her. For now, I would appreciate it if you would not meddle in my business," Prime said disapprovingly. He had had to say that to Jazz multiple times in the past, so it didn't shock him that he was saying it again. Jazz's reply, however, did surprise him.

"It became my business when Moonstrike showed up on my doorstep, crying her optics out!" Jazz roared. Prime's optics widened and brightened in shock. "Yeah! She was just sitting out there! She had nowhere else to go! Primus, you should have fraggin' seen her! She was so devastated! Totally and completely rejected!"

"I didn't think she would—"

"No, Prime, you didn't think, did you?" Jazz interrupted, disgust dripping from his voice. There was a beat of silence. Prime was staring at the bottom of the screen, while Jazz glared at the ground. Finally, he spoke up. "Prime, a few orns ago, I said that if you didn't claim Moonstrike, that somebot else would, including me. You've officially run out of time, Optimus. I formally lay my claim and verbally state my intent to date and eventually mate her. I will not have her spark broken again."

"Jazz! You know my feelings for her, and you—"

"Prime, you forfeited those rights when you sent her crying to me. Stand down or fight me," Jazz snapped. Prime's optics dimmed in sadness.

"I see. Then our friendship is diminished," Prime said sadly, almost pleadingly.

"Prime, I can't let you do this to her over and over again. She can only get stepped on so many times before you break her past repair," Jazz said in an equally regretful tone. "I spent a trip to the Well of All Sparks getting to know her. I'm sorry, Prime, but I do not renounce my claim."

"Very well. You will report to Stealthdrop from now on. He will sent you orders and relay your reports to me."

"Very well," Jazz replied. The screen flicked off, and Blaster turned to give Jazz an open-mouthed stare of surprise.

"What was that all about?" he asked.

"That would be me protecting the one femme I fell in love with."

"Uh…huh…" Blaster said intelligibly.

"Don't worry about it," Jazz said easily.

"Don't worry about what?" a feminine voice asked. Jazz raised his optics to the door and almost blushed. Primus, she was so beautiful. Her amplifiers were perked up and alert, and her tail was swishing back and forth. Her sky blue armor was sparkling a little as the dim lighting caught in the droplets that hadn't evaporated in the drying system. As an added effect, little Megatron was cradled against her chassis, sucking on one of her digits as he recharged.

"I 'ad a convuhsation wi' Prime. I've d'cided ta lay mah claim on ya, Moon. Do ya 'ccept?" he asked gently. Moonstrike frowned a little, looking down at the sparkling snoozing in her arms. "I could give 'im a mech creator fig-yuh."

"I will accept, but Jazz…" She looked him in the optics. "Are you sure? I mean, I'm not even good enough for—"

"Don't finish that statement," Jazz interrupted with a mild glare. "You are too good for Prime. That's why you're here with me, instead of resting in his spare room." Moonstrike gave him an amused smile.

"So you're good enough for me? Even more so than the Prime?"

"'Course I am! I'm the Jazz-man. Ain' no othuh mech good uhnough fo' ya," he said with a cocky grin.

"Riiight," Moonstrike said with an optic roll. "Whatever you say. So I'll take the couch?" she offered, moving from the office.

"Slag no! Moon, you take mah berth. I'll recharge on the couch. 'Least 'til we get a spare berth," Jazz stated, catching up to her and steering her to his berthroom with a single hand on her elbow joint. He gently took Megatron from her arms as she moved to the berth.

"Thanks, Jazz," she said as she hopped onto the berth.

"Ain' ya afraid a' wakin' 'im up wi' the noise?" Jazz asked as he handed Megatron back to her. The mechlet didn't even stir at the change of hands.

"No. He recharges like the dead," she replied with a grin. Megatron gave a small squeak as he resituated himself over his danniluk's chassis, moving so that he could hear her spark.

""E's kinda cute," Jazz commented. Moonstrike smirked.

"Of course he is. He is my sparkling, after all."

"Yeah, yeah. Recharge, my femme. I'll see ya next soluh cycle," Jazz stated. He ran the back of his claw down the back of Megatron's helm. The mechling subconsciously leaned into the touch, causing a gentle smile to rise to his lips. "Good projections, my sparklet."

"May your recharge be pleasant," Moonstrike said to Jazz when he looked back at her.

"You as well." With that, Jazz left the room.

Two orns later

Moonstrike giggled at Jazz.

"This ain' funneh!" he cried, desperately wiping his ped on the metal floor of Cybertron. They were at Megatron's favorite café, the only one in Iacon that served oilcakes. Jazz had been bringing his femme and youngling their two oilcakes when he had stepped in something squishy. He placed the two metal plates in front of the two members of his family unit and lifted his ped to look at the squished oilcake there. Megatron, who loved watching his opi's antics, immediately announced in a loud voice that his opi had stepped in thickened lubricant. Now, everybot was staring and laughing.

"Yes, it is. You stepped in oilcake! Do you not take any consideration into where you walk?" Moonstrike replied as she hid her laughs behind her hand. Megatron had no such desire to hide his laughter and was not quiet in the least with his giggles.

"Jus' you wai'! I will ge' mah revenge!" Jazz announced.

"Oh, sit down and drink your energon," Moonstrike ordered with a grin. Jazz huffed theatrically as he dropped into his seat and picked up his energon.

"Opi's funny!" Megatron said with a giggle.

"I try, my mechlet. I try," Jazz replied.

"I wanna be funny, too. I be funny, Opi?" Megatron questioned.

"You bet! Yo're mah mechling, ain' ya?" Jazz asked with a teasing smile, reaching over to tickle the mech. Megatron squealed when Jazz grabbed him up and attacked the sensitive plating in his sides. He broke into fits of laughter as his opiluk continued the attack. Bots around them looked on with amusement.

"Primus, Jazz! I can't take you anywhere!" Moonstrike said with a dramatic sigh. Jazz's bright optics turned to her.

"Slag no, you can't," he replied. Megatron gave a horrified gasp.

"Opi say bad word!" he announced to the world. Chuckles rose from their crowd.

"Perhaps I should punish him?" Moonstrike offered. Megatron nodded, glad that his opi would be getting in trouble. After all, whenever he said "slag", Danniluk put solvent in his mouth. It was yucky. To his dismay, though, Moonstrike simply leaned over and gave Jazz a peck on the lips. "I think that's sufficient punishment," she stated. A low growl rose from Jazz's engine.

"Ewwww! Nasty!" Megatron said in disgust. The two adults simply laughed. Moonstrike looked at her family adoringly, thinking of the sparkling resting in her hold. They had been blessed with little Limelight only three solar cycles ago. As such, she was in recharge more than she was online, something that irritated Megatron to no end. Not only had Limelight had the audacity to be a femme, but she also had the nerve to sleep instead of play with him! What a terrible sibling she was! He assured his creators that this was okay, though. Once she started playing with him, he was certain she would stay online more often. After all, who wouldn't prefer playing with him over recharging?

"Optimus Prime, sir!" a mech called out in excitement. Moonstrike stiffened and slowly turned in her chair to see the navy blue mech shaking Optimus's hand enthusiastically. She scowled when their optics met. She turned back around to face her family. She knew that Optimus was approaching because of the increasingly dark look on Jazz's faceplate, and the increasingly excited one of Megatron's.

"Greetings," Optimus said as he stopped by their table.

"Hi, Optimus Prime! I read all your datas, an' Opi telled me 'bout all you're trips frim Cybuhtron!" Megatron burst out. Optimus couldn't hold back the smile at the child's enthusiasm.

"Really?" he prodded. That was all the child needed to continue.

"Yeah! I wanted ta be Prime, too, bu' then Opi telled meh wha' he did. I wanna be jus' like mah Opi!"

"I see. A wise pursuit," Optimus replied.

"Greetings, Optimus Prime," Moonstrike broke in coolly. "I don't believe you two have been introduced. You know my sparkmate, Jazz. This is my mechling, Megatron." Prime's optics widened, and he fought back a frown at her words. This mech would have been his. The mechling would be wanting to be just like him had he not made that terrible and life-changing mistake. Moonstrike's chassis opened slightly, and Prime was shocked when she retrieved a small femling. Megatron's interest was immediately moved from Optimus to the femling.

"Is she awake?" he asked. Tiny blue optics met with Megatron's red ones, and Limelight gave a small click and chirp. Megatron looked back up at Prime, pride in his little red optics. "This's mah li'l sistuh, Limeligh'! She doesn't do much."

"I see…" Prime said slowly, loss showing in his voice. "It was nice seeing you again, Moonstrike."

"Yes, Optimus. I would say that I wish this were different, but I'm happy here. I'm sorry," she replied, looking down at her sparkling as she looked around at her new surroundings with interest.

"Of course. I suppose I will see you later, then," Prime said hopefully.

"Perhaps. Until all are one," she said in farewell. Prime nodded before turning and walking away. Moonstrike stared after him for a few kliks before turning back to her family.

"Now, where were we?"

Jazz grinned as he watched Limelight and Megatron sleep. Both were atop their mother, and their helms were touching as they both strove to hear her spark. Moonstrike herself was cuddled close to Jazz's side, venting softly as she recharged. Jazz's grin turned into a fond smile as he watched over his family unit.

"Mine," he muttered gently, cuddling his mate closer as he slipped into a peaceful recharge, knowing that tomorrow morning, they would all greet him with a smile. It was hard to remember what his life was like before Moonstrike mated him, but it didn't matter. Now he had a whole family that was worth living for.

Exactlywhat: Yeah, Fanfic wouldn't let me log in, either. They were probably updating the site or something. Thank you for your compliments! Optimus's and Starscream's were my favorites too. No clue why. :) Hope this one was up to expectations.

Angel897: Glad you enjoyed it! :D

Amai Seishin-Hime: Yeah, Fanfic wouldn't let anyone log in. They were probably updating the site or something. Marriage customs are so cool, mainly because they are so different than those in American culture.

Mercury and Starscream do actually have a story. It's a songfic called "It's a love story. Baby just say, yes." Check it out. :)

Leonixon: I concur. It was so hard to write it in a fashion that wouldn't be creepy, because, well, nonconsensual marriage is creepy, and in captured, very rarely was marriage consensual. -.- So I had to find a way to make it love, rather than a form of rape. I found the way to make it consensual, but the creep-factor was still there. But, hey, what can ya do?

Vivian Hale: Thank you! Glad you like them!

Tali T-Rex: Optimus's and Starscream's were my favorites too. Dunno why, because Sideswipe's is just as cute, but these two seem cuter, somehow. Huh. Who knows? ;)