Thunderburst followed Optimus into the swirling green and blue portal. They were in the middle of the desert, with nothing in sight. No possible hiding places for any 'cons to hide, which was blatantly obvious from Megatron standing with his back to them.

He turned as the portal closed, and his optics immediately met with Thunderburst's. Her spark lurched in her chest. His optics, no longer a brilliant red, shone like sapphires. She stepped forward, but stopped when she reached Optimus' side. Megatron gave her a faint smile before he looked at the Prime.

"Optimus", he greeted wearily. "It's been a long time since we've met peacefully."

Optimus' voice was even. "And hopefully the times will continue to be peaceful."

Megatron nodded. "I agree. Now... what are your terms for the end of the war? I imagine none of my troops will be getting away without doing some time."

Bulkhead scoffed. "You got that right, Buckethead."

Optimus sent a warning glance to the wrecker, and Thunderburst had to bite back a burst of anger. She bit her glossa to keep from arguing with her friend.

"I would like to hear your reasoning behind ending the war before I make any decisions on what we should do with your followers."

"Understandable", Megatron conceded. "I have to admit, it wasn't because of anything you've done. Rather, your sister is what cleared my head of my anger. Now all I am filled with is an immense amount of guilt. I have done many unspeakable things, including killing friends and family of many Autobots and Decepticons alike. I have torn families apart, much like I did with us. Optimus, you were my brother. I hope that one day, I can be your brother once more."

Optimus was quiet. "You never stopped being my brother, Megatron."

Megatron raised his hand. "Please... that name leaves a foul taste in my mouth, as it will with any name once belonging to me. I would like to be called by a different name, one that won't remind people of my actions."

Optimus glanced down at Thunderburst, who was thinking hard. "Silverstreak", she finally said. "No one will think anything of it, but it still matches you."

"I accept", the newly named Silverstreak said with a small smile. "As I will accept any punishment you send my way."

Optimus was about to speak, but Bumblebee shoved his way forward, angrily yelling at Silverstreak. He was speaking so fast it was hard to understand him, but by the time Thunderburst realized what he said, he had already released a blaster from his wrist plate, and was aiming to fire.

Without thinking, Thunderburst leapt forward, shoving Bumblebee down. His blaster shifted to be directly against her chest. By the time he had realized what had happened, it was too late to stop his blaster from firing.

The femme cried out, managing to push herself up and stumble away from Bumblebee. She looked down at the two holes going directly through her spark. She crumpled, eliciting a scream from Silverstreak.

She was gently caught and laid to the ground. She looked up to see Silverstreak's face. His blue optics shone sadly, and he looked up to find Ratchet.

"Why are you just standing there?!" he yelled. "Help her!"

Ratchet started moving, inspecting the wound. "I need to get to a medical bay, stat!"

"Soundwave, bridge me and the Autobots directly to the medbay", Silverstreak said urgently. "Knockout, be prepared to save a life!" A groundbridge opened up, and he scooped up the small femme in his arms. Without a word, he rushed through the groundbridge, where Knockout was waiting. Thunderburst groaned as she was shifted onto the medbay, and she faintly heard Ratchet barking orders to Knockout. The two medics worked feverishly, while the Autobots and Silverstreak watched.

Soon, Silverstreak grew impatient, and began pacing, which frustrated Ratchet. He whipped around. "If you are worried enough to be pacing, you can wait outside while I tend to her!"

Silverstreak was about to spit a retort back, but Optimus placed a servo on his shoulder. The ex-warlord sighed softly, and together, he and the Prime exited the room. The other Autobots slowly trickled after.

"I don't know what I can do to help her", Silverstreak whispered. "Why is this happening to her, of all cybertronians. Primus, if you've ever existed, please, save her."

Optimus spoke softly. "Silverstreak, while we wait, we should do what she would want. Let's end this war properly."

Silverstreak glanced at his brother-figure and nodded sadly, leading the way to bridge. The Autobots followed after, thought the ex-warlord could feel that they were tense being on board the warship where they could be ambushed at any time. Every so often, he had to tell a few vehicons to stand down.

They reached the bridge, and Soundwave was waiting for them there. Silverstreak spoke to him. "Soundwave, record this and send this out to any and all cybertronians who will hear it."

The silent mech nodded, and Megatron spoke again. "I, Megatron, hand control of the Decepticons over to Optimus Prime. I repeat, all Decepticons now must answer to Optimus Prime. The war is over. Settle down, build a life where you can. And protect those you love and care for with whatever it takes."

Optimus added to the message. "Any Autobots who hear this message, I, Optimus Prime, confirm that Megatron has agreed to end the war. He will be handled accordingly, as well as any Decepticons. Do not provoke an attack, but defend yourself when needed."

Silverstreak watched as Soundwave ended the recording, before turning to Optimus. "What will you have my troops do?"

Optimus hummed. "For now, let's have any unnecessary troops remain in their barracks. If they are needed to maintain the ship, then they are allowed to be out and about, and if they are relieving someone of their shift, but other than that, they need to be in the barracks."

Silverstreak nodded, and looked to Soundwave, who showed a recording being played back all across this ship.

"The ship is yours to control, Optimus. I'm going back to the medbay now", Silverstreak said and began making his way back to the medbay. However, Bulkhead and Arcee stood in his way.

"Optimus, are we really just going to let him wander the ship?" Arcee asked skeptically. Silverstreak turned his helm to look at Optimus, who was watching him carefully.

"I do not believe that Silverstreak will cause any harm. He merely wants to watch over his sparkmate while Ratchet and Knockout do all that they can for her. However, I will ask that one of you go with him, to ensure that he is not up to any of his old tricks."

Arcee sighed. "I'll go. Come on, Mega- I mean Silverstreak." The mech followed after Arcee, though soon he took the lead as the femme did not know where the medbay was. The moment they reached the medbay, the doors opened and Ratchet came out.

"Oh, good, you're back", the medic said.

"How is she? Is she alive? Please tell me she's alive. I don't know what I'd do if she wasn't alive. Ratchet, how is she?!" Silverstreak immediately asked, causing Ratchet to hold up a servo to make sure that the mech wouldn't keep talking.

"She's alive", Ratchet said, a trace of annoyance flashing across his facial features. "But she's hooked up to life support. Thunderburst was hit directly in the spark, which as we all know is almost always fatal. We managed to get her here quickly enough however, and repaired what we could. However, her spark is still struggling and she is in a coma. Only Primus knows what will happen to her now."

~~~~~~

Thunderburst wandered around a pitch black sea of darkness. There was nothing here, and she couldn't see anything. It barely seemed like she was even moving, since everything was black. The floor, wall, ceiling- if there- was all black. Perhaps she was just floating.

After a while of walking, a small pinprick of light appeared in the distance. Thunderburst immediately angled herself towards that, and as she walked, the light got bigger and brighter until it was blinding.

Finally she was in front of the light, which stretched up so high she couldn't see the top. It wasn't terribly wide, and she could walk around it the entire time.

"Welcome, Thunderburst", a soft voice said from behind her. She turned around, and a tall mech stood behind her. He was shone such a bright silver that it almost appeared white. She immediately got into a fighting stance.

"Who are you?" she snarled. "How did you sneak up on me?"

"Relax, my child", the mech said, kneeling down in front of her. "I am Primus. I greet all those who approach and enter the allspark, including your dear friend Skyquake."

Thunderburst's optics widened, and she stared at the mech. "You're Primus?" she asked. "I thought you'd be taller."

"This is merely a smaller manifestation of my true form. Many Cybertronians die daily, but few manage to get here."

"Where is here?" Thunderburst said. "There's nothing here but this beacon and you and me. Also, what is that beacon?"

Primus sighed. "This place is called the in between. It's where Cybertronians go when they are close to entering the allspark but have the choice of returning to life, or joining me in the Allspark. The beacon, as you put it, is the entrance to the Allspark from the in between."

Thunderburst frowned. "So I'm close to death then? What... what even happened?"

"Your memories will return in time. I suspect you will want to remember everything before you make your decision."

Thunderburst hummed, and turned to look at the beacon of light. It beckoned her, warm and peaceful. But something nagged at her, something almost tickling her in the back of her mind. There was someone she needed to spend more time with. She just didn't know who. Not yet.

Minutes passed, and Primus stayed with Thunderburst the entire time. Still, she could not remember, the thing that was tickling the back of her mind. That is, until Primus started talking about the war.

"I have to admit, I am proud of you for overcoming your fear of Megatron", he said softly. "Even going as far as to give him a new name so that all those who meet him will not be reminded of the mech who destroyed their planet."

Everything came rushing back. "That's what I'm forgetting!" Thunderburst yelled. "I'm forgetting my sparkmate!"

She stood, and looked down at the godly being who had been sitting beside her. A smile appeared on his face. "I see you remember now."

"I wouldn't have if you hadn't said anything. How do I get back to my life?"

Primus sighed softly. "It won't be easy. Time passes differently here. You missed quite a bit, so things will be different when you wake up."

"I don't care", Thunderburst said. "I need to wake up. How do I do that?"

"It has simply been a matter of willpower", Primus answered. "You're already beginning to wake up."

At the moment, the femme began to hear sounds coming from things she couldn't hear. Lots of voices talking over each other, as well as beeping coming from some sort of machine.

"I wish you luck in your life", Primus said. "Silverstreak will be waiting for you when you wake up."

"RATCHET!" a loud, higher pitched voice shouted from beside Thunderburst. "I think she's waking up!"

"Move aside, let me see", a familiar gruff voice sounded.

'Ratchet', she thought. 'Ratchet, where's Silverstreak?'

Of course, there was no answer, except for a deep and gentle voice talking to Ratchet. "Is she right, Ratchet? Is Thunderburst waking up?"

Thunderburst almost didn't recognize his voice, but it suddenly clicked in her mind. That was Silverstreak. That was her sparkmate. She tried with all of her might to open her optics, but they were heavy, and would not budge. 

'Primus, what must I do to return to them?'

There was no response, and she silently cursed the deity.  She attempted to reach out to her brother, but there was just shooting pain across her chest. She arched her back, her eyes shooting open.

She was surrounded by metal walls, unfamiliar metal walls. Thunderburst looked around rapidly, trying to understand what was happening. 

"Her spark rate is getting too high. I need to sedate her", Ratchet said urgently. Thunderburst looked over at him, recognizing the orange and white plating as he turned to grab a needle. 

"Wait!" Silverstreak shouted. "Let me try something first!"

Thunderburst looked to her left, and there stood her sparkmate. Without thinking, she moved her servo, reaching out for him. He didn't hesitate to take her servo in his. As soon as Thunderburst could make contact with him, a rush of calmness came over. The femme relaxed, and she took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a brief moment. When she opened them again, Silverstreak was closer to her, his optics shining with worry.

A weak smile crossed her face. "Silverstreak", she whispered, before coughing vehemently. As soon as the cough went away, Ratchet handed her a cube of energon. She downed it quickly, the cool liquid easily sliding down her parched cables.

"How are you feeling? Does your spark hurt any?" Ratchet immediately asked, gaining Thunderburst's attention. She stared at him blankly for a minute.

"My spark feels fine. It hurt briefly earlier, when I tried to feel for Optimus. That's why I woke up. How long have I been out anyway?"

The two mechs shared a glance, neither one of them wanting to say anything. A peppy, feminine voice spoke.

"It's been five years, Thunder!" The femme turned to see Miko in a spacesuit, a grin on her face. Thunderburst's eyes widened, before she looked back at Silverstreak. 

"I've been out for five years?!" she nearly shouted. "What happened in those five years?"

Ratchet sighed. "I'll let Miko and Silverstreak do the explaining. I've got other patients I need to check on."

With that he left the room, allowing the sound of loud voices to enter the room briefly. As soon as the door closed, Thunderburst turned back to Silverstreak. "What happened?"