"Yeah I've got issues,
And one of them is how bad I need you,"

»«

Dana leaned on the railing, waiting with baited breath for any indication that Ultra Magnus was doing okay. Ratchet had left almost an hour ago, and there was still no word.

Her mom sat on the couch while her father and brother explored a little, wanting to know how giant robots could operate in an area that wasn't much bigger an a football field or so. Agent Fowler was at the computers with Rafael, Miko and Jack with Mrs. Fredrickson, just talking.

Another hour, and Dana was beginning to worry before Ratchet finally contacted the base, his profile picture popping up. Rafael immediately hit the "receive" button, and the medic began to talk.

"Ultra Magnus has suffered heavy damages, but he has begun to stabilize." There was a pause. "Dana, are you there?"

"Yes, I'm here." She spoke as loudly as she could, the other humans gathering around to listen. "What is it?"

"I am going to tell you something that I probably should not be telling you," he sighed. "Megatron is alive, but, he is being possessed by Unicron. He almost killed Bumblebee and the others."

"What?!" Her jaw dropped in disbelief. "How? Why?"

"The how, I'm not sure. But the why . . . He intends to destroy Cybertron."

"Let me go there!" She began to argue. "Perhaps I can talk some sense -"

"Absolutely not." Her guardian interjected. "This is Unicron we are talking about. Even if Megatron is still alive in his body, he may not be able to hear you, or see you. There is no negotiating with the Chaos Bringer."

"Then why tell me this?"

There was a pause, Ratchet contemplating for a moment. "Because I thought you would want to know. I understand that you and Megatron . . . Aren't friends, or even close, but don't think I didn't notice your reaction to the news of his death. I thought you deserved to know."

Dana pursed her lips, but she knew Ratchet was right. He had warned her before, and was now warning her again: to not engage herself with the enemy. Simultaneously, however, she feared for their planet. What were they going to do to stop Unicron from killing Cybertron permanently?

She wanted to help.

"Thank you, Ratchet." She broke the brief silence that had persisted across the line. "Please keep me updated."

"I will do my best." He agreed, then shut down the comlink.

Immediately, Dana turned to Agent Fowler. "Where is the suit you gave to Jack?"

"There is absolutely no way I am letting you go to Cybertron, and get yourself killed this time!" Agent Fowler immediately shut down her plan. "You almost were last time."

"Yeah, but we still have the Apex Armor." Dana argued. "If I wear that, all Unicron would be able to do is throw me around and punch me to the moon. He won't be able to hurt me."

"How do you know he won't just shake you around like a can of sardines until you turn to mush?!" Fowler argued in return. "Or if you get thrown into the sun?"

"I wore it," Milo pointed out, "and it didn't hurt me when I was tossed around like a Predacon chew-toy."

"Not helping." Agent Fowler shot her a look.

"Dana," her mother came up to her and grabbed her elbow, "I can't let you go out onto another planet. That is too dangerous!"

"Mom, if I don't go, that planet could die." Dana gave the others a fierce look, and much to the surprise of her parents and friends, the woman seemed to have aged by several years. "I am one of the few, if not the only, person that we know for sure can talk some kind of sense into Megatron. If he's in there, he will listen to me. I'll make him."

"And if he's not?" Agent Fowler crossed his arms, not happy.

"Then the Armor will protect me." Dana let out a frustrated breath. "Look, if Unicron wins, who knows what he could do to our planet when he's finished with Cybertron? He will kill our friends, and then he will come for us. We have to stop him, now."

"And you think you can do that?" Her father sounded skeptical, looking for any excuse to prevent her from going.

"I know I can." She replied with confidence. "I just need your help to do it."

"Ratchet would send you right back the moment he knows you're there." Rafael noted.

"So we need to bridge me as close to Megatron - Unicron - as we can." Dana reasoned. "Do you think you could locate his life signal?"

"From here? No way, the distance is too great." Rafael thought for a moment. "But if I can hack into the Nemesis mainframe and use its locator beacon, then I could find Megatron."

"Do it. Agent Fowler, where is the suit?" Her green eyes blazed with determination. The Agent knew that if he didn't help her, the crazy girl would try to do something herself. He sighed, rubbing the space between his eyes. While the girl had a point, if she died . . .

"Promise me you'll be safe?" He asked.

"You can't be serious!" Her mother shrieked. "You can't be allowing her to go!"

"Mrs. Fredrickson, your daughter has a point. And even more so, if I don't help her, she will find a way to help herself, and possibly put herself in more danger." Fowler looked at the woman. "I'm doing this so she doesn't get herself killed."

"Come on, we don't have all day." Dana walked past her parents, refusing to look at them. If she did, they would try to convince her to stay, or she might even talk herself into staying. But there was too much at stake: their planet, Cybertron, and perhaps even the universe itself. She had to try.

It did not occur to her that the Autobots might have had a plan, or a way to defeat Unicron, until she was putting on the suit. But by that time there was no turning back. She was willing to take the risk of everything being okay instead of passing up the chance to perhaps make a difference in the battle that had to be waging on Cybertron.

"I've found Megatron's coordinates." Rafael stated as she walked to the Apex Armor. "And judging by where the Autobots are, they are already in the middle of a battle." The boy turned pale. "I'm picking up a surge of dark energon - "

"What is that?" Her mother demanded.

"Something we don't have to worry about as long as I'm not exposed to it." Dana reassured, stepping into the Apex Armor and watching as it formed up around her, making the woman slightly taller than Arcee. "Raf, fire up the Groundbridge. I'm going in."

»«

Unicorn yelled out in rage as his weapon continued to be inhibited by the insect's polarity gauntlet, finding the strength to finally throw him over his back, and slam him to the ground. Bumblebee was the name that came to Megatron's mind, a name he would never forget, not after he damaged the scout seemingly beyond repair.

The Chaos Bringer snarled as shots were fired in his direction, blasting at the Autobot who dared to try and attack him from behind, the other wisely jumping out of his way. He could see another Autobot in the distance, caring for a wounded Cybertronian, but he did not perceive them as an immediate threat.

Satisfied with his work, Unicron turned to pursue Optimus Prime and destroy the Allspark. Before he was able to take off, a Spacebridge opened not too far from him, and he paused, assuming a defensive position. The god almost laughed when a tiny insect stepped through, wearing the Apex Armor - as if that would protect it from his wrath.

"Megatron!" She shouted.

"No. No. No." Megatron spoke within his own mind, watching as the human approached.

"You know this worm?" Unicron sneered.

"Don't hurt her!"

The villain laughed, mocking the mighty Cybertronian. "I will squash it like a bug."

"I know you're in there," Dana took a step forward, taking in his new, upgraded armor. Truthfully, she thought it looked awful, but she doubted either Unicron or Megatron would want to a comment on their appearance. "Megatron, talk to me."

"Dana!" Ratchet's bay of terror echoed across the plain, every one frozen in shock as the small human stood up to Unicron. Ratchet transformed into his ambulance mode, panic overriding coherent thought. Dana was going to get herself killed.

"Megatron may hear you, but he cannot speak to you!" Unicron stood as tall as he could, Dana barely coming up to even his knees. "For I, Unicron, am in control! And you, worm, will understand my full might!"

Dana didn't flinch as his hand formed into a purple crystal, knowing full well he was going to use it to crush her flat. She prayed the Apex Armor would stay true to its name.

"You won't hurt me." She stated, swallowing her fear. Now was not the time to be afraid. "Megatron won't let you hurt me." Her green eyes gazed up at the glowing purple of Unicron, but this time, she seemed to see past him. "Will you?"

"Please. I beg of you. I will give my whole life to you in servitude if you just spare her!" Megatron had never grovelled so much in his life. But, Primus rest his spark, he would not allow this monster to kill the one person he truly, fully, cared about.

Care. Unicron sensed it within him, strong and piercing. It had been something the mighty, sparkless Megatron had denied doing for so long. But in this moment, he had fully accepted it. He lowered himself to the level of the human, that parasite, and admitted he could not bear to see any more harm come to her.

Unicron looked at his former disciple, finding demented pleasure in making him beg. "You will serve me regardless if the human lives or dies."

"The Apex Armor will protect you." Unicron spoke directly to Dana. "Megatron has nothing to fear, not while you can remain unharmed."

"Then what if I took it off?" She quipped back. Megatron watched with horror as her hand went to the center of armor, and she shrunk down to her normal, petty size. Stepping off the Armor, it was revealed that she had a second suit, one which protected her from Cybertron's toxic atmosphere.

But not from Unicron.

"Foolish pest! Now you will be crushed!" Unicron raised his crystallized weapon, Dana staring up at him with a pleading expression.

"Megatron!" She shouted.

"Dana, move!" Her guardian screamed.

"No!" Megatron lunged forward, and as the weaponized Dark Energon came down on Dana he felt his body once more become his, the warlord jerking his arm just in time to miss her, a cloud of dust kicking up around them.

Dana felt her heart pounding in her chest, sweat on her forehead as she stared at the energon to her left, within arm's reach of herself. The mighty Cybertronian before her hand lost his balance and landed on his knees and free hand, venting heavily as he looked at her.

Terrified green eyes looked at him, Megatron. He watched as her breath fogged up part of the mask that allowed her to see, her let's were shaking, but he didn't know if it was from exertion or fear. Her hair, once a bright blue, hand turned grey there, almost silvery. He thought it fitting, for a human as cunning and keen as herself. The Decepticon began to lose feeling in his limbs, and he realized Unicron was going to take control once more.

"Dana . . . Run." He rasped.

Megatron screamed as Unicron punished him severely for his insolence, a hand closing around the fleeing human, and suddenly she was thrown into the driver's seat of an ambulance, the Apex Armor in the passenger's side.

"By the thirteen Primes and the Allspark, Dana, what were you thinking?!" Ratchet roared through his radio, speeding away from Unicron as the Chaos Bringer became distracted by something more necessary: Optimus Prime and the Allspark.

"I was trying to help!" She replied, Ratchet able to feel her body physically shaking. "I thought that if I could talk to Megatron - "

"There is no talking to him!" Ratchet made it back to the other Autobots, transforming again and putting Dana in his palm. "I told you, Unicron was not to be reasoned with. You almost died. That was a stroke of luck that I never want you to test ever again!"

"I did it because I wanted to save your planet!" She snapped back, feeling tears prick in her eyes. "I risked my life because I thought I could do it!" She sniffed, frustrated she wouldn't be able to wipe her nose. "You don't think it scared me too?"

Ratchet paused, his shoulders slumping as he let go of his anger and relaxed. "I'm sorry," he gently ran his digits against her, letting her latch on to one of her choosing and hug it, "I genuinely thought you were going to die."

"I'm okay now. I'm okay." He didn't know if she was saying that to reassure him or herself. Regardless, the medic continued to comfort her the best he could.

Not a few moments later, Unicron was defeated, his essence sucked into the container that had once held the Allspark. His vessel, Megatron, collapsed onto the ground, drained of energy and needing time to regain his body.

Ratchet immediately went to the seemingly injured Optimus to make sure he was okay, Dana in hand. He set the woman down only so that both servos could be free as he checked out the Prime, making sure nothing was permanently damaged or broken. Wisely, Dana stood to the side in order to avoid an accidental step.

"Thank the Allspark! Master! You're alive!" The throaty and truly obnoxious voice of Starscream cut through the silence, all optics and eyes turning to see Megatron had partially sat up, slowly rising to his knees.

"Indeed, so it seems." Megatron rumbled in return, looking at his own servos, truly feeling free once more. Unicron was no longer in his body -

"Your armor upgrade will take things to the next level, my liege. Together, we can bring back all Decepticons and -"

"No!" Megatron snarled, cutting the Seeker off. "No more." The Decepticon leader dropped his servos, turning away from his second in command. He noticed all Autobots were turning to look at him, the medic in an odd sort of defensive position. The warlord soon noticed the human at the Autobot's pede, and he realized why. A small wave of relief, and guilt, passed through him, yet he only acknowledged it before pushing it aside.

"But, my lord, why not?" Starscream asked, his wings down in an act of submission.

Megatron simply began walking away from him, away from the Autobots, as he threw his explanation over his shoulder.

"The Autobots have won, Starscream, can't you see? They have revived our planet, restored it to the point of rebuilding and inhabitation. To continue this war, and tear it asunder once more, would be pointless."

Starscream paused, not really sure if he should continue. "Ah, my lord, I'm sure you're just traumatized. But no worries, a little power down and a walk around the smelting pit will put your mind-"

"I said enough!" Megatron snarled at the Decepticon, who cowered at his words. "The Decepticons are no more, and that is final!"

Dana watched as he began to walk away, realizing what was happening. So, he's going to just leave . . .?

"That's it? You're leaving?" Ratchet snapped.

Megatron paused in surprised, looking at him with the confused and shocked expression the Autobots were giving him. "I am. Were you expecting more of a fight, medic?"

"I was expecting you to at least acknowledge the one person who tried to save you." Ratchet gestured to Dana, who was staring at Megatron, unsure what to say.

Megatron gazed at her, equally unsure, before he turned away. "I was not worth saving. So perhaps I should apologize for the wasted effort."

"If you break her heart," Ratchet growled, "you will not be seeing the last of me."

Red optics glanced over his powerful shoulder. "Then I suppose I will be seeing you again, doctor."

The sound of transformation was Dana's only indication that he had left, the human woman averting her gaze from the others, as if to hide her pain. Optimus frowned at the noticeable hurt Megatron had inflicted on her, speaking gently.

"Ratchet, I think it would be best to space bridge her back to Earth."

The medic nodded, quietly contacting Rafael for one. As the bridge opened up, Dana took a few quiet steps toward it before she turned around, looking at her guardian.

"Promise me you will come back to Earth?"

Ratchet nodded, his expression serious, speaking only the truth to her:

"I will come back to you. I promise."