Running up that hill! (Optimus Prime Fanfic)

Chapter 12

3rd POV

Softspark was flying on Bluestrike. She then noticed Arachnid holding Arcee. "Dracaryes!" 

Bluestrike fired his blast at Arachnid and he missed. He growled as she flew off. Optimus's blaster shots fired at her and missed. Softspark sighed. 

Bluestrike landed. Optimus turned to Arcee. "Arcee you know better than to engage the enemy alone." Optimus stated. "Not her. Not after what she did to Tailgate." She growled. 

Arachnid raised her claw. "No. Please."

She then swiped at Tailgate. 

"TAILGATE!"

Arcee had a murderous look on her face. "She will pay."

"Revenge will not bring back those we have lost. Is that understood?" Optimus snapped. "Move it!" Bulkhead snarled. Softspark saw Starscream. "No need to use force." He stated. "I'll tell you anything you want to know."

"Is that right? And what do you want in return?" Bulkhead asked. Optimus walked up. "I want to be. . . on your side." Starscream said. Optimus narrowed his optics. 

"HA! Yeah, Right! And I've been lobbing with the fallen. You wouldn't betray the Decepticons." Bulkhead sneered. Bluestrike growled. "Wouldn't I? what have they done for me lately besides humiliates me, spy on me, demote me? Megatron tried to extinguish my spark in cold blood then all but replaced me with that traitorous wretch Airachnid. She abandoned me, left me for scrap. So, Why not rat them out?" He asked. 

Softspark looked at Optimus. 

Bee, Softspark, Optimus, Arcee, and Bulkhead turned in a circle. 

Starscream turned to Bluestrike and he growled barring his teeth. 

"He's telling the truth about Megatron trying to scrap him. I saw it with my own optics." Softspark told Optimus. He nodded. "You're not saying you actually trust Starscream?" Bulkhead asked. 

"Trust someone who murdered my sister who was 2 years old? Never. But this may be the one time our objectives align." Softspark said. "You're right to be wary, Bulkhead, But I agree with Softspark." He said. 

Softspark rode on Bluestrike and he turned and then he landed. She climbed off him. He chittered and shook his pelt. "What do you know?"

Optimus pulled up behind everyone. "Could still be a trap." Softspark said. "Starscream's loyalty to Megatron has always been questionable. If he has truly split from the Decepticons, our prisoner's knowledge of their agendas could make him a valuable ally." 

"You don't mean permanently, As in keys to the base and everything?" Bulkhead asked. "However unlikely that scenario, every sentient being deserves the opportunity of redemption."

"Even Bot killers? Even Starscream WHO MURDERED MY SISTER?!" Softspark snarled at the Prime. 

"Without that hope, we may never achieve lasting peace." He scolded the youngling. She scoffed. 

"Rise and Shine, Screamy." Bulkhead snapped. 

Starscream coughed as he was dragged out. "We're here." Arcee said. "Where's the ship?"

"It's through the arch, among the stones." Starscream said. "Bulkhead, Bumblebee, Bluestrike, You're with me." Optimus told the three. "Arcee, and Softspark, remain with our prisoner." Optimus told them. 

"Oh, Hell no. You are not leaving me with this piece of Sh-"

"Language!" Optimus snapped at her. Softspark looked at him. "You are staying. End of Discussion." He scolded her again. 

Softspark then turned to Starscream. "Is the clamp really necessary? I promise not to fly away." Starscream said. 

"I can throw you back in the trailer?" She offered. Starscream whined. "Aw. . ."

I was pacing as I walked in front of Starscream. "I'm not really so bad, you know. Megatron - - he's the evil one." Starscream said. 

"No, your the evil one. Megatron would never lay a digit on me or my mother. My father did. Megatron would never kill my sister. My father did."

"WHAT?! He's taking credit for scrapping her now, too? That was my doing!"

Softspark turned. "What?" She asked. "You weren't there." She stated. 

"Of course, I wasn't. I don't know what I was thinking." Starscream said. "Who are you talking about?"

"No one. Who are you talking about?"

"RJ!" Softspark said. "Uh. . . Who's RJ?" She widened her eyes. "You were the one. YOU ATTACKED MY MOTHER!" She snarled. 

"RJ?!"

Softspark put her blade to his neck. "No!, No, no, no. You misunderstand. She asked me to. She didn't want the child anymore." Starscream lied. 

Softspark shoved him off. "Okay, Okay! It was a mistake. I've made many, but I've changed! You wouldn't terminate a defenseless prisoner, would you?" Softspark threw down the keys to the cuffs. 

"What -- What is that?"

"The key to the cuffs." Softspark said. "What for?"

"My mother would have given you a fighting chance." She said. 

"No, Please! I-I don't want to!"

She pointed her guns at him. "No! No! Please! No!"

"TAKE IT!"

He grabbed it when it slipped. "You're pathetic." She sneered. She reached for the key. Starscream chuckled and sharpened his claws. Softspark felt Starscream scratch her. She looked to see blood seeping through. She dropped. "Something wrong, Softspark? I thought you wanted a fight?"

Starscream hit Softspark and kept hitting her. She kept blocking it and she then punched him. He fell back. "You're tougher to scrap than your sister -- At least, the one I scraped." Starscream said. "Was RJ weaker than your mother?"

"Just keep talking Starscream."

She then sliced at him. 

Starscream punched Softspark and then backhanded her then kneed her and then hit her with his elbow then he kicked her down the hill. "You should have finished me when I was helpless to fight, just like I finished RJ!"

Softspark tried to stand. "Now, prepare to reunite with your sister-" Softspark grabbed her blade and stabbed Starscream in the chest. 

He cried out. 

She was standing and she was was weak. Bluestrike then slid down to her. He was in his cybertrionian form. Sweetspark. . . He whispered. He helped her stand. 

Softspark was sitting in the medbay holding her side. Bluestrike was in his predacon form asleep. She wasn't listening to anyone. 

"And Softspark?" Optimus asked. 

"She's rather strong for her age." Ratchet said. Softspark was still faced towards the wall. "It is the external wounds which heal the quickest." Optimus told her. 

"I thought knowing who killed RJ would allow me to move on. The truth is just harder."