Disclaimer:

You're almost free! yay you poor people.

I wanted to illustrate Starscream actually smiling, he hasn't been drawn in anythng but a scowl for most of this little story. Even sincere his smile is absolutely terrifying.

This was intended to be the last chapter of this horrible story, my mind however was suddenly on a roll so there is more to this awful travesty. However I won't be posting it unless. 1) people want me to, 2) i finish the current story arc. Having ADD i tend to loose interest in things that i no-longer find engaging.

(Chapter 7)

Airbrush paced back and forth in front of the door to the sickbay, there was little else she could do. All the while running though her head why she'd defended him, why she even cared. There was no reason to, but at the same time, he wasn't as despicable to her has he had been to them and she had a hard time imagining the Starscream she knew as a cold blooded killer. It hurt to know it was true, to feel as though she'd been tricked into seeing more than what he really was.

She sighed and finally sat in front of the door. In the end, she could only come to one conclusion. She saw him as a friend, even if it was a one-way street it definitely wasn't the pony way to turn her back on anyone.

Inside the sickbay Ratchet had finished dressing Starscream's wounds but the news was grim. Starscream was groggy but awake as Ratchet briefed him.

"Severe blunt force trauma to the chest, your lungs have been crushed. I did what I could but it really is only a matter of time."

"How long…?"

"A few days at most… Honestly I wouldn't be walking around unless you want to shorten that to a few hours. humans weren't built to sustain this kind of damage and live… I wish I could say I was sorry but you know I'm not."

Starscream sneered pulling himself up into sitting position. "I didn't expect you to be… "

"I'll go tell the friend you don't deserve to have, the news…"

Starscream's eyes widened. "NO… " He wrenched, coughing grabbing his chest before catching his breath. "no let me tell her… she deserves to hear it from me."

Ratchet's eyes narrowed and shrugged, wiping the rest of the blood from his hands before opening the sickbay doors. Airbrush sat there awaiting news but he brushed past her to inform Optimus. The pony scowled at Ratchet and then in concern trotted into the sickbay where Starscream was nearly finished dressing. "You're walking already! How are you feeling… "

Starscream looked over at her and gave her a pained smile. "Lets go for a walk. I have… much to explain to you."

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The two of them emerged at the top of the base sitting there watching the sun set, while Starscream told Airbrush everything he'd done since the war on Cybertron. The little pony was at loss for words as she sat beside him. "Why… why did you do all those awful things?"

Starscream sighed, leaning against a rock. "Because I wanted to get ahead? Wanted to prove myself to the other deceptions… the thing with Megatron was just me wanting to be a leader… "

"You don't have any friends, do you." It wasn't really phrased as a question, as she looked up at him sadly.

"I tend to work best alone." He took a deep steadying breath. He had a sinking suspicion he didn't have as long as Ratchet claimed.

"I though you and Knockout were friends."

"No he's a minion who kisses my tailpipe, he is not a friend. Given half a chance he would betray me too if it meant he could get ahead."

Airbrush looked away sadly. "Why are you telling me all this?"

"Time is short, and you showed me something I've never experienced before. Everyone I know would sooner kill me than to look at me… except you."

"Of course not… why would I?"

"I've never really had anything in the way of friends… even knowing who I was and after everything I've done, you wouldn't let me die… I don't know how your kind defines friendship but thats about as close to it as I've ever gotten. Not that it matters now… the saving my life part anyway… "

"Friendship is really important where I come from."

He winced and slumped forward his breathing getting shallow. He forced a smile and reached out to feebly stroke her mane.
"Would I be presumptuous in calling you my friend?"

Airbrush chuckled sadly a tear rolling down her cheek. "You've got some messed up ideas of what a friend is, when that definition is 'someone who doesn't want to kill you' but… yes you may consider me a friend."

"Will you stay with me? until…?"

Airbrush nodded biting her lower lip she smiled. "Everyone deserves to have at least one friend."

Starscream grinned and stroked her mane again, without warning his body was consumed in a bright golden light, when it cleared Airbrush looked up to see Starscream back in his original form looking down at her.

"Oh Thank Celestia, you broke the spell!." Airbrush couldn't stop from crying. "You're… you're going be okay?"

Starscream knelt down and picked her up. "Nothing a few repairs can't fix. Heh, seems you saved my life after all. I dare say I am forever in your debt for that."

"If what you tell me is true that doesn't tend to mean much." she gave a wry smirk.

Starscream chuckled darkly. "To be fair, almost everyone has tried to kill me at least once"

"Except me."

"Except you."

"Heh… If only Celestia knew of this."

"Celestia?"

"Heh… think of the Optimus prime of my world."

"Sounds peachy. Speaking of your world… I think it's time we got going before the Autobots find out I'm not on my deathbed… or human… anymore."

"Where are we going?"

"I'm taking you back where I found you, maybe I can… help you get home."

"Trying to get rid of me already huh?"

"No… trying to do the right thing, not the easiest, for a change."