Epilogue

The ceasefire was finalized. It was a simple document with simple concepts, despite its importance. The Autobots would stick to their territory, as would the Decepticons. No altercations were permitted and would be severely punished. Energon synthesis technology would be shared and used only as fuel and to restore Cybertron. Shockwave was, apparently, out of the picture, though rumors remained vague as to how.

Of course, as soon as the ceasefire was official, the criticisms multiplied.

"It won't last a week," was the general consensus. Weapons were kept at the ready, though the 'Cons were no closer than before their tentative agreement. They stayed in their ship, even moreso than they had before without regular raids. They left to collect energon and, as far as anyone could tell, nothing else.

An orn passed. The 'Cons stayed in their ship, the Autobots in the Ark. The Coneheads and remaining Stunticons were released, to at least one tearful goodbye—Fireflight, of course, though none of the younglings were unaffected. On one of his flights, Skyfire swore he saw the young Flyers playing in the distance with distinctive dust trails swerving below them.

"The 'Cons'll attack soon. They'll get bored without a battle." was next. It lasted about a month before petering away as more and more 'Cons abandoned the Earth for Cybertron. There were, of course, mutterings about the 'Cons reclaiming Cybertron to launch a surprise attack, but they were half-sparked predictions at best. Making a stronghold out of what little remained after both the war and centivorns of neglect would take vorns and be impossible to hide.

Without the regular battles, life in the Ark grew tedious. Soon enough, mecha started clamoring to return to Cybertron themselves. Earth was a pleasant diversion, yes, and a good spot for a military outpost, but it wasn't home. Grapple and Hoist led the charge with fully formed schematics for rebuilding Iacon, and they had a sizeable following. It was an interesting mix, composed of Frontliners bored by the sudden peace and former Civilians aching to pick up their former craft.

As it turned out, half a planet was the perfect amount of distance separating the two factions. Maybe someday that would change. In a decavorn or ten, when trade became more important than old grudges.

Life continued on.

…

With more and more mecha leaving Earth, the Ark was just a shadow of its former self. Empty. Half-abandoned. Some mecha had renewed their attempts at making the Ark space-worthy again while others cemented their alliances with the Organic governments, but that left Skyfire with little to occupy his time.

So he explored.

Occasionally alone, usually with Starscream, sometimes with all four of them. They had an entire planet and nothing but time, at least for now. Starscream was ecstatic about getting back to his real work, now that the unpleasant interlude of the war was over. Skyfire couldn't let it go so easily, much as he tried. It was easier with Starscream around, reminding him of how it had been before the war. His Trinemates… They struggled.

So when Thundercracker suggested a visit to a nearby shore, Skyfire barely waited until they'd arrived before questioning him.

"You've been acting strange since we left," he said. His optics slid to Skywarp. "Both of you. What's going on?"

Thundercracker sighed. He walked towards the cliffs, sitting down on an outcropping before he answered. "Soundwave sent me a message yesterday. A… proposition."

"Soundwave? Really?" Starscream asked, split between suspicion and interest. Curiosity, of course, won out. "What did he want?"

"He offered me amnesty. A position back on Cybertron with other Seekers again." He didn't look at them while he spoke, just out over the water. Skyfire stepped beside him. After a moment, he joined him atop the stone.

"You're tempted," he observed.

Thundercracker nodded. "Of course. With Soundwave leading the Decepticons… maybe it'll be like it was before. Back in the beginning, when being a 'Con still meant something."

Skyfire had gotten good at reading Thundercracker over the vorns. He was confident when he said, "You've decided not to accept it."

Thundercracker smiled at him. It was a weak thing; sad, almost. "No. I won't."

"'Warp?"

Skywarp jumped at his name. Skyfire didn't miss how he hadn't looked surprised at Thundercracker's statement. "Course not," he said. "It'd be weird to go back now, after everything that's happened." His expression softened, and he looked down. "Would be nice though, ya know? To head back home. Be part of the rebuilding."

Starscream watched them, optics narrowed. Trepidation echoed across the bond as, instead of sitting, Starscream marched over to loom over his trinemates. "You didn't bring us out here just for that," he accused. "There's something else, isn't there?"

A nod. A moment of hesitation. Then- "Prime made his own offer. They could use Flyers to rebuild Iacon. And, later, as a… mediator with the Decepticons." He hesitated, then continued. "I'm tempted to accept."

Indignation spread across the bond, and Skyfire glanced over to find Starscream glaring at his trinemates. "It feels like you've already made your decision," he accused. "Why bother telling us now? Does it even matter what we think?" His voice had grown harsh, ugly, with something that was as much hurt as anger. The others jumped to calm him.

"Of course not!" Skywarp said, leaning over to pet Starscream's tense wings. "I mean—yeah, I want to go home, but not if you guys don't agree. Family comes first, right?"

Starscream's wing twitched into his touch. Starscream's ire subsided, though hints of it remained. "Fine," he muttered. "If that's really what you want, do it. I won't stop you."

Surprised pleasure radiated across Skywarp's face. He hesitated. "If you don't want-"

Starscream smacked him. "Stop that! I can feel how important this is to you. I've been feeling it for the past orn!"

They both winced. Skyfire had noticed they'd been somewhat out of sorts; he could only guess what must have been leaking through the bond. "'M not used to being bored," Skywarp admitted ruefully. "It's weird. And annoying."

Thundercracker nodded along, and Skyfire found himself agreeing as well. They were all grateful the fighting had stopped, at least for now, but he was at a loss without anything else to focus on.

"I would enjoy seeing how Cybertron has changed in our absence," Skyfire agreed. Last time he'd seen it had been in the thick of the battles. He wondered how the Decavorns with both factions' Command Staff in stasis had caused.

Starscream shrugged with a noncommittal hum, and Skyfire suddenly realized how far he'd withdrawn from the bond. Starscream should be agreeing with him or pointing out problems. He always had an opinion to offer.

Before he could say anything, Thundercracker beat him to it. "You said you wouldn't stop us," he said slowly. "Not that you would be coming with us."

Skywarp stiffened beside them. He twisted closer to Starscream. "Of course you'd come with us, right?" he asked, hesitance creeping into his voice.

"… I'd think about it."

And, no matter how much his Trinemates pestered him about it, that was all Starscream would say on the subject.

…

The stars were beautiful on Earth.

They glimmered in the darkness, forming patterns so very different from the constellations near Cybertron. A handful Skyfire recognized; some he'd even visited, so long ago the memory files were starting to unravel.

Starscream shifted beside him, uncharacteristically silent. His optics were focused skyward, but they darted restlessly across the constellations. Something was on his mind. Skyfire waited for him to speak.

Then, breems later, Starscream broke the silence.

"I'm getting tired of this planet," he muttered beside him. He stared up at the night sky. His wings were drawn up tight, and his touch across the bond was surprisingly tentative.

"It's a pleasant enough world," Skyfire offered. "Interesting. It's-"

"-got too many memories."

Skyfire fell silent. Agreement leaked over the bond. "Good as well as bad," he murmured. It was true. Yet, no matter what he'd regained or discovered, recent memories couldn't erase the vorns this planet had stolen from them. The planet had changed dramatically since they'd first discovered it, but he'd never forget.

"Your Trinemates would be ecstatic if you joined them in Iacon."

It was the wrong thing to say. Starscream tensed beside him with something like guilt hiding in his spark. "They can survive without me for a while longer. S'not like they don't badger us with messages"

Thundercracker and Skywarp had left a mere orn before, but they'd already received complaints about tying up the communication arrays. Skyfire frowned, turning to face him.

"Star? What's wrong?" he asked.

Starscream hesitated. He pulled back from the bond but, when Skyfire chased him, he didn't block him out.

"Last time I saw Cybertron, the Academy was still standing. The spires of Vos and the crystal gardens." His lips twitched in what might have been a smile. "You always said you wanted to see the gardens. Did you ever go?"

Skyfire shook his head. "With the war, there was never a chance."

"'Course not," Starscream grumbled with a sigh.

Skyfire reached out, with his frame and his spark. The loss of the Cybertron-that-was would always be a painful one. Time had barely dulled the ache for him; it hadn't had the chance to touch Starscream yet. Rebuilding would help, but it wasn't the same.

Silence surrounded them, broken only by the strange sounds of an organic world. Skyfire only hesitated a moment before continuing. "If you had a choice," he asked, "where would you go?"

Starscream shrugged, the motion careless and hampered by his position, but a kindle of yearning burned in his spark. "Someplace new. Anywhere."

The thought made Skyfire pause. To get off Earth, away from Cybertron, and go somewhere completely new… He wasn't the same mech he'd been last time they'd set off into uncharted space. Yet, it had been among the happiest times of his life.

"You're Trinemates won't like it. Not after—last time." He couldn't quite say he approved either, considering how dangerous exploration could be, but he was sorely tempted.

"They'll deal with it. Doesn't even have to be deep space; there's plenty of planets within easy communication distance of Cybertron." It was as much of a compromise as he ever offered.

"Nothing uncharted," Skyfire warned. "Nothing dangerous."

Starscream grinned at him. "That still leaves plenty of options."

He was right.

Cycles later, before the late hour and night chill chased them back inside, Starscream turned to him one last time.

"I'll head back eventually," he said. "Just…" not yet. Then, pasting a smile on his face, he looked up at Skyfire. "There's still plenty more galaxies out there for us. Why rush?"

Skyfire laughed. To his surprise, the sound was bright and honest. Happy.

The fighting was over, at least for now. Maybe forever, if they were truly lucky. He'd survived. His Seekers had survived. And somehow, against all odds, he had his bondmate by his side again. It was more than he'd ever thought he'd have.

The future stretched out before them, full of potential. Maybe they'd find someplace new, explore until they were ready to stop. Maybe they'd stay on Earth a while yet, or visit whenever the whim took them. And someday, when they were ready, they'd return to Cybertron again and see what peace would shape it into.

For now, Skyfire smiled and followed Starscream inside, content.

~.*.~

AN: And… that's that. After almost four years and 200,000 words, I have nothing more to say. Thanks to everyone who's stuck with me for so long and everyone who's read this monster through. It still awes me how many strangers think this is worth reading, and I treasure every review, favorite, and view I've received.

I'm still editing, so more might crop up in the future. Nothing major is going to change, but I'm definitely going to smooth out sub-plots. I'd like to add more defined character arcs, take out tedious/repetitive scenes, and more along that line. I also have another, much shorter Skyfire/Starscream story I'm about ready to start posting, if anyone's interested.