A/N - This fic is part of no particular universe, just something I was inspired to write after seeing the idea of "good guy Megs" being portrayed in the new show, Earthspark. As for character designs, I really like the designs from the IDW/MTMTE comics, so that's what I'll be going with as I write.

I hope you enjoy!
•••

Amelia Harris sat patiently at the head of the table that was situated in an empty hangar. As the representative for mankind, she was responsible for maintaining relations between herself and the Cybertronian representatives—both of which had yet to arrive for the briefing—as well as identifying threats to Earth.

Upon the creation of the Human-Cybertronian Pact, it was made clear that any threat too large to be dealt with by mankind was to be investigated by the Cybertronians. The Autobots—led by Optimus Prime—often handled negotiations and diplomatic situations. The Decepticons—led by Megatron—took care of fortifications and intimidation tactics when needed, as well as extinguishing potential violent uprisings.

The transition from no human interaction to working alongside humans was a difficult one for the newly forged Decepticon faction. All of the issues had yet to be worked out, but the pact held strong for now.

The red-haired woman glanced up from her computer when she heard the distant roar of jet engines. Seconds later, a gust of air rushed through the hangar doors as a Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk pivoted sideways upon approach and began to fold in on itself. Fully transformed before he even hit the ground, Megatron landed heavily on one knee in front of the hangar and rose to his full height.

Amelia pushed her glasses back down and smoothed a few bits of hair that had blown out of place.

"Enjoying the new alt-mode, I see." She commented in a playful tone. "Is there a way for you to land that won't blow me away?"

"My apologies." Megatron said as he ducked into the hangar. "And yes, this alternate mode has proven to be quite enjoyable. I'm impressed by the sleekness of the model."

Amelia chuckled. "That's a stealth fighter for you. Sleek and effective." She leaned over in her chair to peer around Megatron's legs. "Where's Optimus?"

"He's coming. Slowly but surely in that outdated alt-mode of his." Megatron remarked with a grin as he glanced over his shoulder.

Optimus pulled up not too long after, still sporting the same Peterbilt 379 model that he scanned as a disguise upon first arriving on Earth. He'd grown quite fond of it over the years and didn't see any reason to change it.

"My audio receptors are burning. Were you talking about me?" He asked, smiling under his faceplate as he strode into the hangar.

"Perhaps." Megatron answered, unable to disguise the cheekiness in his tone. He bumped shoulders with Optimus as the Prime came up beside him.

"Good to see you, Optimus." Amelia greeted. "I see you've gotten better at using human phrases."

Optimus sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. "The children have been trying their best to teach me. It can be rather... confusing at times."

"Precisely why I don't fool around with such language." Megatron chimed in with an assertive snort.

"It wouldn't hurt to try!" Amelia suggested while shrugging her shoulders. Ignoring the eye-roll that Megatron gave her, she returned her attention to her computer and shuffled a few papers on the table. "Alright. Let's get started with the briefing, shall we?"

She slid a small, rectangular object onto the table and pressed down on the top of it. A hologram flickered to life, showing various locations marked with red dots on a map.

"Activity has been reported in these sectors over the past few weeks." She explained. "The most notable report occurred in Aurora, Colorado."

"What makes it so notable?" Megatron asked.

The map expanded and zoomed in on the aforementioned location. Reports filed by police and other officials also appeared on the hologram.

"Shortly after the activity was detected, there was a massive power surge that overloaded the city's power grid." Amelia expanded one particular report using her fingers. "It left them in the dark with no means of communication for twelve hours. Then, everything suddenly came back on as if nothing had happened."

"And that wasn't achieved by the human electricians working to restore power?" Optimus inquired.

"No. They were still trying to do damage control."

Megatron crossed his arms over his chest. "So let me guess. You want us to go to that location and investigate what caused this 'power surge'."

The hologram flickered out of existence and Amelia smiled. "You're getting good at this, Megs!"

"Please. It's because I have eons of experience." Megatron snorted.

Optimus leaned over and brushed against the former warlord's shoulder. "You never were very predictable." He chuckled.

"Precisely why I always had the upper hand."

"Alright, you two. Save your bickering for later." Amelia said while trying to stifle her giggles. She checked her watch as she started to pack up her things. "Get some rest. I'll see you first thing tomorrow morning."

"Safe travels, Amelia." Optimus bid her farewell, while Megatron simply dipped his head.

•
•
•

Lately, Optimus had taken up the hobby of watching sunsets. While they were nothing compared to Cybertron's sunsets, the sunsets on Earth had their own beauty. They brought him great peace, but also great sorrow, as most things did nowadays. Everything seemed to remind him of home, and his homesickness grew with each passing day.

Although he tried to hide it, Megatron knew him too well to simply ignore it. He knew how he felt, as he dealt with his own issues and emotions on a daily basis.

Tonight, Optimus stood in the gaping doorway of a hangar and watched the children play in the dwindling sunlight. The sky had begun to shift. Fiery reds and oranges were slowly replaced by cooler pinks and purples. He sensed Megatron through their bond long before he heard him approaching and thus made no move to even feign surprise.

"Something's on that mind of yours." Megatron rumbled softly, sliding an arm around Optimus's midsection. "I can see the gears turning. Is it the mission?"

Optimus absentmindedly leaned on Megatron's shoulder. "Yes... and no." He sighed.

"Tell me more." Megatron said, his gaze drawn to the children for a moment as they ran around and shouted at each other. They were playing a sort of game that he didn't quite understand.

"The activity that Amelia spoke of... it worries me." Optimus lowered his gaze. "We've hardly faced any real threats since the founding of the pact. I fear that this is something we are not prepared for."

"Come now, Optimus. At this point in time, we are the strongest we've ever been, and that is due to the alliance we have built. We are more than capable of handling any threat that faces us." Megatron explained, looking over at his conjunx.

"I know. That doesn't keep me from worrying, though." Optimus muttered.

Megatron's features softened and he chuckled. "A natural response. You of all people should know that."

Optimus chuckled as well, though it was a tad bit forced. "Yes, I'm aware. Ratchet makes sure to remind me of that every time I visit him."

"As he should."

The pair stood in silence for a while, simply enjoying each other's company while they watched over the children. Eventually, a voice beckoned the children towards a farmhouse on the outskirts of the base. The three of them clambered up the front porch stairs and disappeared into the warmth of the interior, still arguing about their game's result.

"So what else is bothering you?" Megatron asked, choosing to break the silence.

Optimus lingered in Megatron's comforting embrace while he thought for a moment. "A lot of things on Earth remind me of Cybertron." He said, gesturing to the fading sunset. "I find myself longing for our homeworld and I often have dreams where I'm standing in the midst of the Golden Age, only to wake up and realize that it was only a fantasy."

Megatron's expression fell. He pulled Optimus closer with his arm, a deep rumble of acknowledgment rising in his chest. He couldn't help but feel partially responsible for the painful memories that plagued his poor conjunx—memories of a past he no longer wished to remember.

"I understand the feeling all too well." He spoke solemnly. "In the beginning, it was... hard to accept that Earth was to be our new home. We had something special on Cybertron, something that—despite its flaws—was a crucial part of our history. Perhaps we'll find something like that here."

Optimus felt himself smile a little at Megatron's hopefulness. He leaned his helm against the former warlord's and sighed. "One can hope."