What Needed to be done

By Firebird234

Author Note: While watching Dark of the Moon I heard Sentinel say "needed to be done" in one form or two at least 3 times so I decided to write this based on that and if you look at Optimus' form in the smoke after he shoots Sentinel twice you can see him sag his shoulders. This story is from near the end of Dark of the Moon were Optimus goes Rambo on Megatron and Sentinel. This is in Optimus' point of view and is a mix of his thoughts and his point of view.

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers, Hasbro does.

"You couldn't do what needed to be done…You could never make the hard decisions!"

That is what Sentinel has kept repeating to me since he revealed his true colors as a traitor. I slowly get to my pedes, he is right I have not done what needed to be done, that is why we are here I just couldn't make that hard decision to kill my brother. I kept hoping he would stop this senselessness. Especially after the death of the Fallen, I had thought that being freed from that influence would bring my brother back, I have given him many chances to do so before and after.

"Now, we need a truce…" Megatron says

What! This again, how many times has he offered and in the end went back on. I turn to my left and freeze as I feel Cybertron vanish from my senses, it hurts. Sentinel and Cliffjumper were right, I have not done what needed to be done, I have not been able to take that final step make that final decision, but not this time. My brother has gone too far this time, he has now crossed a line.

Ironhide told me on several orns, especially after Prowl had kept presenting me with a plan that would have ended the war but it would have resulted in large casualties and after several battles with my brother when I had the chance to strike him down and never did and he would berate me for not taking that chance and causing the war to continue, that I would be able to make that hard decision, that I would be able be to do what needed to be done. But because I didn't he is dead, shot in the back by Sentinel and all that is left of him is a rusted body, and Skids and Mudflap, they may have been annoying pains in the aft but they didn't deserve what happened to them nor all the poor humans of Chicago. As well as large numbers of my mechs and femmes.

"…besides who would you be without ME, Prime." Megatron says.

How dare he, I look at him, this thing is not my brother not anymore I finally realize, he hasn't been my brother for so long. Now I make that hard decision, I can't let this continue any longer. Now I do what needs to be done. It's time to end this.

"Time to find out!" I declare in a growl and activate my mask, I shoot forward grabbing my ax and slam it into Megatron's chest surprising him causing him to drop his shotgun rifle, I suppose he expected me to agree just like all the other times, I twist around him while pulling my ax out and kick him sending him to his knees and swing my ax forward then back right into the wound I made 2 earth years ago and use every ounce of my strength and pull back yanking his cranium and spinal strut out.

I drop my ax to the ground as I feel my bond with Megatron vanish, it hurts but I can't think about it right now I am not finished. I turn to Sentinel who is on his knees moving slightly and I move a little to the gun Megatron dropped, Now I make another hard decision and do what needs to be done.

"Optimus all I wanted was the survival of our race…" says Sentinel

Is he actually trying to explain himself, not this time, especially not after what he did to Ironhide. I stoop and pick up Megatron's gun and walk closer.

"…You must see why I had to betray you." finishes Sentinel.

No Sentinel you didn't betray me you betrayed yourself and everything a Prime stands for. I pump the gun and point it at Sentinel's back even as I feel my spark crying 'no, give him a second chance' No I do what needs be done, I make that hard decision.

"You didn't betray me. You betrayed yourself." I tell him and point the gun at his back.

"NO Optimus." He cries.

I can hear the shock in his voice. No Sentinel, I'm doing what needs to be done, I'm making that hard decision. This is for Ironhide and all the humans that died because of him, for all the femmes and mechs that died because I couldn't make the hard decision. I force myself to pull the trigger as I go against everything I feel and believe, this has to be done. I shoot him and it sends him into the side of the bridge. I shoot him again and his body turns gunmetal grey as I feel him die.

It's done I did what needed to be done I made the hard decision, I think as I sag my shoulders. I then turn to the side while tossing the gun aside and I look out at the river and the destruction of Chicago. but it had to be done.

Even though it hurt to do it and I feel disgusted with what I did, I did what needed to be done, I made that hard decision.

The End