Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers.

A/N: My first Transformers story, set in G1 at some time. An idea that settled in and wouldn't leave.

Enjoy

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Megatron lifted his arm, cannon firmly centered on Optimus. The other mech was on his hands and knees in a pile of rubble, struggling to stand. Leaking energon sheened red and blue armour and despite the distance separating them Megatron could hear Optimus' overworked systems.

Smirking Megatron watched as his opponent finally managed to get to his feet, swaying slightly. Finger stroking over the trigger he ran his eyes over Prime. Paint was chipped, windshields cracked and his grille was dented. Sparks shot from his shoulder with every movement and Megatron knew that Optimus was finally his.

"You are mine Prime."

Megatron fired, focused only on Optimus. He didn't hear the ear shattering scream of a fighter engine at full throttle, the yells of surprise and the sounds of combat falling off.

Seconds before the blast hit Optimus Starscream transformed and landed in front of the Autobot. His cockpit shattered under the blast, armour from his chest blown away.

Shocked Megatron watched as his second in command took the killing blast meant for Optimus Prime. Watched as Optimus caught Starscream's broken form and knelt with the Seeker clutched to his chest.

One of Starscream's hands came up, frozen fingers touching Optimus' mask before dropping away.

An unearthly, grating undulation of sound rose in the unnaturally still air.

It took Megatron a moment to place the sound and when he did he felt his optics flicker like stasis lock was imminent. He had never thought that he would hear it again, with the war raging.

The eerie sound rose and Megatron felt his body lock up. Millennia had passed since the last time he had heard such a noise, on Cybertron just after murdering a neighborhood of older Autobots before the war had gotten so out of control.

The dirge of a mech who had lost their spark mate.

Megatron watched as the colour faded from Starscream and he could almost feel the Seeker's spark flutter and die.

Electricity crackled over Optimus and under the flickering light Megatron could see grey slowly creeping over blue and red.

Optimus slowly lowered his bonded to the ground and stood, turning to face Megatron. His optics were turning white, shot through with lingering blue. The grey swirled around his legs and higher.

Fixated on his opponent Megatron failed to notice his forces and the Autobots forming a circle around he and Optimus, weapons lowered.

Again the dirge rose, low and thrumming in the air. Megatron's optics flickered to Starscream's empty shell. Anger welled in his system and he mentally raged that he hadn't gotten to spend more time dismantling the Seeker with his hands. He had always been paranoid about Starscream, never trusted him and now his paranoia had been vindicated.

Bonded to the Autobot leader.

Raising his arm Megatron again sighted on Optimus. Slowly dying from the loss of his bonded Optimus would be to weak to fight effectively. This war would end.

Before he could fire Optimus was in front of him, so close he could feel heated air being vented all over the other mech's body. A strong hand landed on his shoulder, fingers squeezing hard and he could feel the plates denting. Optimus' other hand grabbed his cannon barrel and jerked, easily ripping the cannon off and tossing it aside.

The electricity surrounding Optimus danced over him and it sent his sensors flickering against the surges frying his circuitry.

Megatron couldn't keep his scream completely suppressed when he felt Optimus rip his arm off and toss it aside like garbage. The other arm quickly followed suit and the only thing keeping him online was the energy coming from Optimus.

Milky optics met his and it took Megatron a moment to realize that Optimus was blind.

"The arms are for every Autobot your madness has killed."

A hand dropped to his hip, fingers digging behind armour to find servos and cables. Megatron bucked against Optimus, trying to force him back but it was useless. Dying or not Optimus Prime was a force to be reckoned with.

Fingers tightened, cutting easily through cables and metal and Megatron teetered as his leg dropped away. Warnings flared across his optics and again the darkness was pushed aside by the energy swirling around Prime.

"The leg, for every planet you have destroyed."

A grunt of pain escaped as Optimus' hand pushed through the armour over his Spark and he jerked when unrelenting pressure tightened around it. He felt it crack under the force and knew there was little hope of surviving.

"And your spark for Starscream."

As suddenly as Optimus had appeared in front of him he was gone and Megatron slammed hard into the ground, unable to stand with only one leg. He looked to Soundwave, hoping for rescue, forgetting that none would be coming. Cybertronian laws forbid helping the murder of a sparkmate, even during war.

Looking back to where the Autobots were gathering around their leader and his fallen sparkmate Megatron watched as Optimus knelt and drew what was left of Starscream close.

Vision edged in black as his systems continued to shutdown from trauma Megatron saw Optimus' chassis open. A hand lifted from Starscream's body and reached inside.

Blue light danced over grey as the Matrix was drawn into view and gently passed to Ultra Magnus.

As his system shut down Megatron saw Optimus' hand drop motionless to Starscream's chest, grey head bowed.