Author's Note: If the events of Chapter 9 were different and Starscream didn't get sparked, this would have been the outcome. Please read notes at the end.

Alternate Ending:

"Seeker Starscream of Vos," Optimus began. "The jury has come to a decision."

The Air Commander rolled his optics, knowing that the decision had been made long ago. He didn't even bother looking up when Hot Spot stood.

"The jury finds Seeker Starscream of Vos guilty of all charges held against him." The Protectobot leader spoke.

Skyfire swallowed, unconsciously reaching down, grabbing Wheeljack's servo, and holding tightly. Wheeljack tensed, but remained silent.

"Seeker Starscream of Vos," Optimus paused. "You are hereby sentenced to death via lethal injection. Any last pleas?"

Starscream gave the Prime a look, such arrogance still in those blood red optics. His wings hiked up, not letting any fear show. "Not that any pleas or requests would even be granted to me by you, but if I must say something, I plead that you spare my people if the war turns in your favor. And you ensure that my mate and son come to no harm." He paused. "And for Prowl to get recycled into spare waste port parts."

Optimus ignored the giggling from the other Autobots about Prowl. "I will do my best to keep Skyfire and your son safe, and will also see to it that your Seekers are given the best treatment with however the war ends." He then paused. "If that is it, the court is adjoined." He then banged his gavel.

Starscream was escorted away by the guards, his wings held high. Skyfire quickly got up from his seat and followed after them, not caring what anyone told him. The Seeker was taken to the brig and forced into his cell. Skyfire quickly stepped in, turning to the guards.

"Please, give us some time together." He begged quietly, unable to speak any louder.

The other Autobots rolled their optics. "Fine, but not long."

"Thank you." Skyfire nodded as the energy bars activated. He turned to his mate who was standing there, facing the back wall, wings lowered some. "Star?" He spoke barely louder than a whisper.

"Still think you joined the right side?" Starscream asked, not looking back.

Skyfire was about to speak, but swallowed. He was silent a moment before finally saying something. "I… I don't know…"

"I am to be executed by your friends. By the ones you sided with." He inhaled deeply. "All because I couldn't stay away from you."

Skyfire approached and turned the Seeker around. Starscream looked up at him, those blood red optics dim, filled with sadness, and betrayal. Skyfire pulled him over to the berth and sat down. He picked the Seeker up, placed him on his lap, and kissed him.

"I love you, Starscream." He said softly, hugging the jet protectively.

Starscream swallowed, then hugged his mate back best he could with his manacled servos. "I love you, more, Skyfire."

Skyfire broke down then, crying as he held his mate. Starscream's optics filled with static, not wanting to leave his people or family behind. Not like this.

Starscream was lead down the corridors the next orbital cycle, having only been giving a breem to say goodbye to his son. He kept his optics on the corridor before him, Prowl leading the way. The twins held his arms on either side of him, and Skyfire followed behind, having been granted permission to be present with Starscream.

The corridors were filled with Autobots lining the way, jeering, mocking, and laughing at the Decepticon. He ignored their taunts and vitriol, his expression unchanging, optics dim, and wings held high.

They arrived at their destination and Prowl put in his code. They entered the small room, the door shutting and locking behind them. It was completely bare, the walls all the same orange color. One wall had a one-way window, black on their side, but those on the other side seeing in clearly. It was blast proof so no one could break through it, and it was through this window that Optimus, Rodimus, Jazz, Ultra Magnus, and other high ranking Autobots watched.

A single table was in the center of the room, Wheeljack standing beside it with the equipment that would be used to end the Seeker's life.

"Restrain him." Prowl ordered.

Starscream was taken to the table and made to get on it. He calmly sat down, then lied on his back. The manacles were removed and his ankles and wrists strapped down, securing him to the table. The tri-colored Seeker swallowed, his frame tensing, the realization that this was how he would die beginning to creep upon him.

Skyfire got on one knee beside him, holding his mate's servo. Coolant trickled down his cheekplates, his optics white with static. He looked up at Prowl, trembling. "Please, Prowl… D-don't do this." He barely managed to choke out.

"Ask for this to end again and you will be kicked out." Was Prowl's curt reply.

Skyfire hopelessly turned back to his lover, pressing his brow against his. "I love you. I have always loved you. You have always been my best friend and the only person I ever wanted to be with. I love you." He held Starscream's helm with his free servo, his coolant tears dripping onto his mate's faceplates.

"I love you too, Sky. I'm sorry things just didn't work out." Starscream said softly, fighting back his own tears.

"I love you, Star. I wish… I should have proposed a lot sooner. We should be joined. I should have asked you all those vorns ago."

"If you had asked me, my answer would have been 'yes.'"

Skyfire couldn't hold it in any longer after that. He began to sob, doing his best to kiss Starscream's cheekplates, his servo squeezing Starscream's. Starscream offlined his optics, beginning to tremble, not from the fear of death, but the fear of leaving Skyfire and everyone else he loved behind. He twitched when he felt Wheeljack touching his arm, moving the plating, and inserting the needle into his primary fuel line. His optics widened, intakes quickening. All his suppressed emotions coming at him at once: Fear, panic, sadness. He saw the faces of those he cared for flashing before him, Skywarp smiling, Thundercracker chiding him, his carrier, Starfire laughing, Skyfire hugging him, his Seekers playing games with him on their downtime… He saw Vos in her good time, proud and alive.

"W-watch them, Sky. Watch all of them." Starscream said quickly.

"I-I will. I p-promise." He kissed Starscream on the lip plates, their final astroseconds together.

Wheeljack reached over and turned the dial to release the poison into the Air Commander. Starscream swallowed, feeling the cold liquid entering his systems. He kept his optics on Skyfire, trembling, not ready to go yet. He had to stay for his Seekers, his son, his trinemates, and Skyfire.

"Watch them. Take care of them." He said quickly. "Tell my brothers. I love you."

"I love you. I will. I'll tell them. I'm s-sorry. I'm so sorry, Starscream. I love you." Skyfire began to cry, coolant pouring from his optics, holding Starscream's servo tightly.

"I love you, Skyfire. I'm sorry… I couldn't have saved you back… D-during our expedition." He said with a brittle vocalizer, his optics beginning to dim.

"No, don't. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you. I'm sorry this is happening. I'm sorry I didn't do so much… I love you. I'll take care of them. Don't worry about them. I'll watch our son, I'll do everything for your brothers a-and… I'll take care of them."

Starscream swallowed. "Trust no one. Not even the Autobots." He said softly, then his cycling began to increase as his frame weakened, succumbing to the poison. "Kiss me."

Skyfire nodded, leaning over and kissing his mate on the lip plates as a servo cupped the dark faceplates. Starscream kissed back, his servo tearing into Skyfire's. Then, his grip began to loosen, his optics dimming, his systems starting to shut off one by one. Skyfire could hear the engine, once roaring with life, now becoming fainter, moaning. He kissed harsher, trying to ignore the quieting systems, but the Seeker's lip plates were moving less. The blue servo suddenly went limp, the engine silent, and his frame still.

Skyfire slowly lifted his helm, looking down at the still form, the once vibrant optics now black. The shuttle bit his lip plate, trembling. Wheeljack ran a scanner over the Air Commander, read the results, then turned to Skyfire.

"He's gone." He said so softly.

Skyfire's lower lip plates trembled before he pressed his brow into Starscream's chest plates and lost all control, bawling his spark out. Wheeljack swallowed, watching his friend for a moment before reaching over and placing a servo on the shuttle's shoulder.

Skyfire suddenly jerked back and slapped the servo away. "Don't touch me!" He barked, his optics narrowed, filled with anger, sorrow, and something dark.

Wheeljack startled back, never expecting this from the gentle giant. The twins held their weapons to their chests, not sure whether to trust the shuttle or not. Prowl raised an optical ridge.

"Remove the corpse and deliver it to the morgue." The tactician said in that cold, monotone vocalizer.

Sideswipe stepped forward to do so, but Skyfire stopped him.

"GET OUT!" Skyfire bellowed, clutching the limp frame.

"The corpse is being-" Prowl started.

"LEAVE ME ALONE WITH HIM! Get out you… MURDERER! OUT!" Skyfire shrieked as coolant poured from his optics, losing all control of his emotions. "GET OUT!"

Wheeljack grabbed Prowl's wrist. "Leave him, Prowl. Please, give him some time." He said softly.

Prowl regarded the engineer before turning to the scientist. "Very well. We will let you have some time to mourn." He turned and gestured for the others to follow.

Skyfire watched them walk out of the room, Wheeljack glancing back at him before exiting. The shuttle slowly turned back to the Seeker, his sobs renewing. Gently, he began to remove the straps that tied the jet down, first on the wrists, than the ankles. He lifted the cold frame up, carried it to a corner, and sat down. He placed his lover's body on his lap, hugging the frame. He lovingly rocked it, the helm limp and to the side with the mouth open and glossa hanging out. The wings swaying loosely, the once powerful, graceful, beautiful frame now so dull, limp, and cold.

Skyfire took Starscream's helm, lifting it up and making the glossa go back inside the mouth before closing it. He ran his digits over that once smiling, handsome visage, looking into the black optics where so much life had been. He hugged the frame, holding the helm against his chest plates, still gently rocking himself back and forth. He swallowed, feeling almost like he was suffocating on the lump in his throat. Coolant flowed from his optics, looking up at the ceiling before offlining his optics, cycling his air heavily.

"You were so perfect, Starscream. I'm sorry I wasn't able to save you… I…" He swallowed, looking down at the Seeker's frame. "You were right. I shouldn't trust these Autobots… They… They killed you. They aren't any different from the Decepticons. I should have just stayed with you. Why was I so… I should have stayed with my mate, not leave you like I did. You deserved better than this, than me. Loving me only led to this… horrible ending. Y-you shouldn't have died today. You should have lived through this war, a-and we raise Starfire together, and be happy…" He paused to cry some more, taking a bit to collect himself enough to talk. "I'm sorry, Starscream. I'm so, fragging sorry… You were so perfect… Beautiful… You were the most beautiful, and perfect, and amazing person I ever met… A-and you gave me the greatest gift with Starfire… I'm so sorry… This should have never happened… Y-you should be flying free… I should have never joined the Autobots… Th-they're sparkless killers… They killed the only mech I've ever loved." He swallowed, coolant leaking out faster again. "Why… Why did I think they were better? I'm so sorry..! I'm sorry, Starscream..!" He hugged the frame tightly once more, rocking back and forth. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry… Y-you're safe now… N-no more pain… Y-you're with your carrier now… I know how much you loved her… A-and with all of our old friends and… Y-your Seekers who fell… And… Y-you won't ever be hurt by Megatron or these Autobots ever again. Y-you're safe now, my love. I-I'm going to take good care of Starfire. Don't worry about him… A-and I'll watch your trinemates… Just… Be safe now. E-enjoy it in the Well. You are safe. I'm s-sorry… I love you…" He lifted the helm and kissed the cheekplates. "I-I remember when I first met you… Just as beautiful then as… always…" He stroked the helm, his other servo holding a blue one, feeling like loose pieces of metal without resisting his grasp. He pressed a lingering kiss to the cold cheekplates, then tilted his helm back, offlining his optics. He looked back down after a moment, and pulled the frame against his chassis, rocking the Seeker.

Skyfire spent two joors in that room with the Seeker frame on his lap. He finally was able to get himself to stand up, holding the limp frame bridal style. He exited, ignoring the Autobots looking at him, his optics narrowed and cheekplates stained from coolant. He walked down the corridors, feeling the frame's limbs and wings dangling, swaying with his walking. No one stopped him, assuming he was going to the morgue. The shuttle didn't though, going to his quarters and locking himself inside.

Starfire looked up from where he had been crying on the berth. His optics widened as his sire neared and carefully set the body beside him. The Seekerlet began to tremble, his optics filling with static.

"C-carrier?" He said softly, his vocalizer frotzing. He reached over and placed his servo on Starscream's cheekplates, pushing gently. The helm moved to the side, but nothing else. Starfire began to tremble uncontrollably, coolant pouring from his optics. He looked up at Skyfire. "H-he's-"

"He's dead. They killed him." Skyfire growled, getting onto his computer, rage, betrayal, and his sadness engulfing him.

Starfire looked down at his carrier, then offlined his optics before hugging the frame, screaming and bawling into it. Skyfire swallowed, coolant beginning to leak out again at the sounds of his creation. He typed at the computer, getting into the frequency that he and Starscream had been using to communicate with. He wrote out a message and sent it. Then, he stood up and faced his son.

"Pack your things. We're leaving."

Starfire looked up at him. "Wh-where a-are we g-goin-ng?" He managed through almost hiccupping sounds.

"Away from these Autobots, this damn war. I've had it! I've had it with all of them!" He roared. "We are finding a colony that is not involved in this death match and living there away from everyone else."

Starfire started to renew his bawling, scared by his sire now. Skyfire ignored him, suddenly flipping his desk over, kicking it, then dropping to his knees and crying into his servos.

Skyfire walked through the Ark late that night carrying Starscream's corpse. Starfire trotted behind him dragging along his stuffed turbofox toy. They made their way to the hangar and boarded a small ship. The shuttle placed the Seeker frame on a seat and strapped it in to ensure it didn't fall. He then sat at the controls, glancing back to see Starfire sitting beside the lifeless frame, still holding the blue servo of his carrier.

Skyfire messed with the controls and soon got the ship to activate. He pressed the button to have the bay doors open, and lifted off. Just as he was flying out of the Ark, several Autobots noticed, running around to figure out what was happening. Skyfire didn't care. He flew the vessel quickly away, going to his destination.

Thundercracker and Skywarp perked their wings when they saw the ship land by the tryst where they were currently standing. They tensed not sure what was happening until they saw Skyfire step out. Thundercracker glanced at Skywarp, then they made their way over.

"What's going on, Skyfire?" Thundercracker inquired, his wings hiked. "Do you have Starscream with you or some plan on how to get him out that requires this?"

Skyfire didn't answer immediately. "I'm sorry… Go inside… I failed him…"

Thundercracker's optics widened, suddenly grabbing Skywarp's servo and running inside of the vessel. Skyfire didn't move, not wanting to see. His optics offlined when he heard them scream. The most gut wrenching cries to ever leave someone's vocalizer. He covered his faceplates, crying once more over his loss.

Skyfire piloted the ship as it flew in the cold vacuum of space. Starfire sat beside him, holding his stuffed turbofox, his cheekplates stained with coolant.

"I love you." Thundercracker said softly, in the back of the ship with his trinemates.

"I-I love you." Skywarp said in a brittle vocalizer, trembling so hard.

Starscream's frame lied on the floor between them as they sat in the seiza position. The Air Commander's frame was set to look so peaceful, his servos resting over each other on his cockpit.

"W-why did it have to end like this?" Skywarp chocked out, stroking Starscream's cheekplates.

"I don't know, 'Warp…" Thundercracker swallowed, coolant running down his faceplates. "R-ready?"

"I'm scared."

"I am too."

Skywarp looked at his still living brother, then slowly nodded. "I can't leave him."

"I know."

Skywarp held up the pistol to his temple, his frame trembling. Thundercracker held Skywarp's free servo in his, squeezing it as it was squeezed back. He held up his own pistol to his temple, never breaking optic contact with the black Seeker.

"Till the bitter end."

"Till the bitter end." Skywarp choked on a sob.

"Okay, l-love. " Thundercracker was fighting back breaking down again into sobs. "W-we go on one. Okay? We'll be with him, a-and with our families, a-and everyone else." More coolant leaking out as he trembled hard himself.

Skywarp nodded, crying as he tried controlling himself. "I love you, Thundercracker. I love you both." He cried harder, trying not to just scream out his sorrow.

"I love you too, Skywarp. I love you two, a-and I wish I could have been a better trinemate."

"You were perfect."

"You both were perfect. I love you."

"Love you more."

"Okay… Ready?"

Skywarp quickly gave small nods, looking Thundercracker in the optics. "Till the bitter end."

"We'll meet up in the Well and never be separated again." He swallowed. "Three."

"Two."

Skyfire startled when he heard gun shots go off from the back of the ship. Starfire's optics widened, looking up at his sire.

"What was that?" He asked.

Skyfire feared he knew. "Stay here. I'll check." He then got up and walked to the back.

The sight he saw tore through his spark.

Thundercracker and Skywarp lied over Starscream's frame, energon gushing from the gunshot wounds to their helms, knowing exactly how to kill themselves instantly. They were still holding each other's servos, the guns still in their other servos. Beside Thundercracker was the red datapad Starscream kept filled with the information on all his Seekers, and another one that had belonged to the blue jet.

Skyfire approached his intakes quickening. He knew Seeker trines would do this but to actually see it… He picked up the datapads, onlining Thundercracker's. The wills of the three Seekers appeared, with the rest of the datapad filled with all their memories. Pictures, videos, and everything else showing what the trine had done in their life together. With that was a document titled, "Skyfire, please read."

The shuttle opened it and did so.

"Skyfire, this is Thundercracker. I'm sorry about all of this. I wish I had been able to save him sooner. I was doing everything I could, but Megatron… I'm leaving this here so you have something to remember us by and to show to Starfire so he doesn't forget his trine who loved him so much. I know you will take good care of him. Just don't let him forget who his carrier was and his heritage. He had the most incredible, brave, greatest warrior and leader as a carrier, and I know he will become just like Starscream.

"Skywarp and I can't live without Starscream. I'm sorry, but… Letting him go is impossible. He was and is everything to us. We will follow him into the after life and keep him company there. Please, forgive us for this, but we see no other way of handling this loss.

"Give Starscream's datapad to Starfire. It has everything in there that he will need. He is the son of the Alpha, and deserves to have handed down to him what is rightfully his, if his battle skills prove him worthy.

"I know I never said it before, but I did care for you, Skyfire. So did Skywarp. Starscream loved you for a reason, and I think I finally see why. Thank you for everything you gave him. He loved you more than you probably would ever know.

"Goodbye, Skyfire. I wish we had spoken more in life. And tell Starfire that his uncles love him and will miss him. Keep him safe. Till the bitter end."

Skyfire looked over to the Seeker, exhaling heavily before sobs and coolant returned to him in his unending crying. He suddenly looked up when he heard a scream. Starfire ran over, shrieking and wailing, hugging the frames of his uncles. Skyfire didn't try to stop him or say anything. He just couldn't, letting himself just cry out his spark over the new losses.

Skyfire landed the shuttle in the colony, finally arriving after traveling for so long. He stood up, picking up his son and walking to the back of the ship, trying not to look at the Elite Trine lying peacefully beside each other. He stepped off the ship, his tired creation wrapping his arms around his neck, exhausted from crying.

Skyfire stopped when several guards approached him.

"What are you here for, Autobot?" One of them demanded.

Skyfire looked at him. "I'm no longer an Autobot. They murdered my mate. I come here seeking to escape the war and raise my son." He paused. "I am no longer a part of those murderers and psychopaths."

"Drop any weapons you have."

"There are a few guns on the ship in the cargo hold. Take them. I don't want them."

"Anything else on the ship we should be aware of?"

Skyfire paused. "I need three caskets… For the bodies of my mate and his brothers… They were all murdered by the Autobots and that damn war. I need somewhere to let them rest until I can fulfill the requests on their wills. "

"Which is?"

"They wish to be buried in Vos on Cybertron."

"We'll see what we can do." The guard unsubspaced a datapad. "I need your designation and that of your son's. We'll find you somewhere to live, but you need to remove that insignia and so some paperwork after speaking to the council."

"I am Skyfire of Vos and this is Seeker Starfire of Earth… First and only son of Seeker Starscream of Vos… Keep that on his records."

"Very well. Welcome to your new home, Skyfire and Starfire. You will find no war here."

"Thank you." He swallowed, turning to Starfire. "We're safe now."

"What about carrier and Uncle TC and Uncle 'Warp?" He asked softly.

"They're around… Watching over us. They are safe where they are, don't worry."

"I'm not." Starfire was silent a moment. "I'll become the next Alpha… And I'll avenge carrier. I promise him that. No one kills my carrier and uncles and lives."

"Revenge is never the answer."

"I'm a Seeker. I will avenge my trine, and woe be to whoever gets in my way." Starfire said sternly, his optics narrowing.

Skyfire wasn't going to argue. He hugged his son, the only one he would ever have for he knew he would never love anyone after Starscream. The shuttle looked over as he saw some of the guards carrying caskets to his ship. He turned and walked that way, wanting to oversee them handling the Seekers.

He paused to look up at the stars above, thinking about his Star, the Seeker who had stolen his spark and changed his life. Maybe one of those stars was his spark, looking down on his family, with Skywarp and Thundercracker beside him. It may sound foolish, but the thought made him feel a little better, believing that his beloved was still there in some way. He turned to his son, looking at those dark faceplates. No, his mate was still with him. 50% of him at least, in the beautiful son they had created together.

"Thank you, Starscream…" Skyfire said barely louder than a whisper. "Thank you for everything." He then kissed Starfire on the cheekplates and continued on, preparing to face this new life with all he had left in the world.

The End

You guys must really hate me now. :)

So, I decided to write this bonus because I felt like wanted to kill Starscream off because, well, I probably never would in the "canon" fanfics! XD Don't worry, the first 22 chapters are how the actual story goes. This was just done to show I can be heartless and to write something truly depression in the fictional world.

Now, I think this one hit very close to home because a lot of the emotions and how Skyfire reacted was similar to when my cat passed away from cancer earlier this year (April 6, 2016, at 1:03am). Feeling her go limp in my arms, how her body just... hung like that. The emotions and things I said to her. Just, so filled with all this overwhelming sorrow you find yourself muttering the same things over again and lose it kind of. And I don't ever really see people writing about death like how it really is. As an activist, I see death a lot. From the animal agriculture and horribly killing innocent animals, to children being bombed, and just... Death is not like what movies and games make it out to be. It's horrible. It's not romantic, dramatic, or poetic in anyway. It's just horrible.

So, going off that, I don't ever see people writing or having the body so loose, the tongue hanging out of the open mouth, the feeling of the cold body, just... It's horrible. And I think people become so distanced from death with how the meat industry hides the fact the corpse you are eating, if you're a carnist, is actually a corpse. They hide it and make it look COMPLETELY different so you don't socialize it with death or a body. Because if you look at the dead body in full instead of tiny pieces with seasoning and breading, it is truly horrifying and terrible.

ANYWAY, that is the end of this fic! I REALLY hope you guys enjoyed it! And this final bonus chapter was ten pages long. Please, let me know your thoughts and tell me how much you hate me now! XD

So, I will take a break from fanfic writing for... Who knows. I have about 50-60 drawings I need to do for my own stories and then I will be done with this list, FINALLY. After that, I will rewrite Nightfire and get it published. When that is done, I am not sure what I'll do. By the time I get those things done it might be a year or two depending how how college is. Goal is to graduate in May 2018! Five years of college! Needs to stop getting in the way...

But, when I get those drawings and story done, I may do some fanart, maybe of Transformers even though I suck with robots, but I want to get better. And if I do write any more fanfics the ideas I have are these three: A Megastar fic that would be pretty dark and realistic. Not all sweet and cute like some... A sequel to this alternate ending where Starfire returns to the Seekers to claim the Alpha position and avenge Starscream's death. And, maybe a story where Autobots win the war and Starscream is taken as a slave by a cruel Autobot off the grid and horribly mistreated.

Those are just possible ideas, but feel free to vote and tell me your thoughts! :)

GO VEGAN! I am off to take a break and play videogames before I go back into working hard! Please, follow me on my deviantART account (Ga-Maleven on deviantART) and keep up with me! Message me here, I WILL reply! And share my fics, draw fanart and share with me, and tell me your favorite parts and how much you hate me for abusing Starscream! XD I love that bastard...

Bye for now! 3 ^_^

Till the bitter end, may your wings be true, and the wind always to your back. Fly quickly, and never fear the shadows beneath you.

EDIT: Okay, so my "vacation" from working is failing... Since taking it I already drew like 10 of those artworks I mentioned above and wrote 7 pages of the next fanfic. My "vacation" started 2 weeks ago since writing this little note... It started November 28 and now it's December 16. Yeah, 15 hours of Skyrim is such a vacation...

ANYWAY! The next fic is "Legitimus Heres," which is a sequel to this alternate ending. Starfire will return to take the throne of his carrier and become the next Alpha of the Seekers. But, he must prove he is worthy and take on the Seeker who took the Alpha position in his absence.