Standing Outside The Fire

Part Two: Matches

By Silverwolf

You call them fools

Who have to dance within the flame

Who chance the sorrow and the shame

That always comes with getting burned...

Chapter One

Something was wrong.

Wheeljack paced the lab, trying to pinpoint to source of the feeling. Had he forgotten something? It was possible, but something told him that wasn't it. Pix seemed to sense it too, and uttered tiny worried squeaks as he watched his owner. What was it? What was it!

He sighed, it was no use. If it was important he would remember it later. Might as well go back to work and hope it came to him.

Just then Pix hissed and flared his wings, Wheeljack jumped in surprise and followed his pet's gaze. In the doorway was Blaster, looking uncharacteristically solemn. "We got some bad news 'Jack my man. Ari's in the hospital, got beat up and robbed by some punk while she was walkin' home."

He froze. "Is it bad?"

Blaster shrugged. "The reports say he roughed her up pretty good. 'Least four broken bones and a concussion so far, thought you might wanna know."

Wheeljack nodded. "Tell Prime I'll be at the hospital if he needs me. Have ya told Jazz?"

"He got it first hand when it came in over the comm., already left."

"Alright, Pix? Let's get goin'." He surprised himself with how calm he was, but he got the feeling reality would set in soon. Traffic was bad, and it took longer than he would have liked to reach his destination..

"I'm sorry, but you're simply too big to fit within our facility." The secretary explained, blocking his path. "I just sent another one of your kind away for the same reason. You will have to wait until your friend is well enough to come outside."

"Oh all right, but can you at least tell her I came by?"

"Of course, what was your name again?"

"Wheeljack."

"I'll be sure to tell her, now please, you're blocking the main entrance." He stepped out of the way and stared determinedly at the hospital building, there had to be some way...

His optic caught faint movement outside the south wall.

"Jazz?"

Jazz looked up from where he was crouched, peering into one of the windows. "Hey 'Jack! Just tryin' ta find our friend Ari, already checked the east wing."

Good ol' Jazz...

"I'll start on the north end then."

"Gotcha, holler if ya find anythang!"

"Cross my wires and hope to deactivate."

Jazz glanced at him out of the corner of his optic. "I ain't even gonna ask.."

"Eep?" Pix asked.

"You don't wanna know either." Jazz answered for him. Pix whistled what sounded like an agreement and chirped again.

"You can check floors too high for us to reach."

"Eee-ep!" The dragon chirped in a way that sounded disturbingly similar to 'Yes sir!', and flew off. He could almost swear the creature was whistling That Infernal Song as he searched the upper levels. Sometimes he wondered just how smart that dragon was..

"Hey, why don't I just crank up some tunes and find out which room's yellin' the loudest?" Jazz suggested with a grin. He and Ari never could agree music-wise. Wheeljack chuckled.

"Yeah, then you can have the bed right next to her once she's through scrappin' ya!"

Jazz laughed and went back to searching windows, while Wheeljack moved to the north end and mimicked the procedure.

A couple of hours had passed before they got any results.

"Hey! 'Jack! I think I found her!" Jazz yelled, Wheeljack bolted around the corner to see him peering into one of the windows on the second floor. He glanced at him and winced. "She don't look too good man. 'Course, ya can't see much what with all them bandages."

He edged over next to him and peered in. Luckily, she'd gotten a bed by a window. Unfortunately, she looked terrible. The left side of her face was covered in bruises, and there were bandages and casts everywhere.

She appeared to be sleeping or unconscious, he couldn't tell which.

He counted bandages. "Looks like a broken right arm, I'm guessin' three or so cracked ribs, somethin' nasty on her left shoulder, and one heck of a headache."

Jazz chuckled. "What about that big lump 'o somethin' under them sheets?"

Ari opened her eyes. "It's called a cracked pelvis." She groaned and looked around the room. "Can't a girl get some peace around here?" She managed a weak smile to show she was kidding, then seemed confused. "Where are you guys?"

Jazz tapped on the glass. "Over here 'Ri, how ya doin'?" She turned her head painfully in their direction and chuckled softly.

"Two goofballs outside my window, what a view." Pix flew up to join them. "...Make that three, two goofballs and a nutcase."

Pix chirped and affirmative and settled onto his usual perch on Wheeljack's shoulder. "I'm alive...I think...it's hard to tell with all this junk they've got all over me." She moved an arm and winced. "You?"

"Wishin' we were small enough to actually go inside and visit you." Wheeljack told her. "Did...the guy who did this...did he get away?"

"Yeah, but I left him a few things to think about. Nobody mugs me and gets away in one piece!" Her eyes were slowly closing, either the effort of talking was exhausting her, or the medicine was kicking in.

They both chuckled appreciatively. Everyone at the Ark knew not to anger the little redheaded female lying on the hospital bed.

"We'll let ya get some beauty sleep, looks like ya might need it!" Jazz prodded.

Ari pretended to pout. "You're just saying that 'cause you know I can't get up and beat the slag outta you for it!"

He grinned. "'Course I am! Get some sleep girl, we'll be back later ta check up on ya."

Wheeljack nodded. "Heal up fast, I can't go gettin' myself blown up without somebody to yell at me and go get Ratchet."

She laughed weakly and was asleep in seconds.

Weeks passed, Jazz and Wheeljack alternated visits, while Pix took up residence on the hospital roof. Whether he was keeping vigil, guarding her, or just playing informer no one was sure. They'd found out that if asked he would give a report of Ari's current status: A whistle meant she was awake, a chirp meant she was feeling better, and an annoyed hiss meant she was asleep or otherwise unavailable. Lee had begged and pleaded, then later ranted and yelled when given a negative, to be placed in the same room. He'd had to settle for limping down the hall on crutches to see how she was doing.

"I know your plan, and you're not getting away with it!" He declared, hobbling through the door.

Ari smirked. "And what is my 'plan'? I've been so busy getting myself beat up and subsequently fussed over I forgot."

"Don't act all innocent with me!" He wagged a finger at her. "You are trying to upstage me and you know it!"

She laughed and wriggled into as close a sitting position as she could manage. "Yep, caught me red-handed."

"Confessions won't help you, noooo. You're not getting away that easily! I'll get even, just you wait and see!"

"Oh?" She cocked her head. "And how will you do that?"

He puffed himself up proudly. "By healing first! Then you'll be stuck in bed while I get to go back to racing!"

Ari smirked. "Back to wrecking, you mean."

He shrugged. "To-mate-to, to-maht-to."

Pix, perched just above the window, peered in at them upside down and whistled in a way that mimicked the human driver.

Ari beamed. "Awww, look! He likes you!"

Lee shook his head. "I swear that thing is smarter than it looks."

"Unfortunately the same can't be said for you..."

"Hey!"