Hey guys! So, this is my first Transformers: Prime fanfic, and I hope you like it! You know, I really love cute, innocent Raf, but...the cute, innocent ones are the most whumpable. You know? So yeah. Shameless Raf!Whump. :3
This is dedicated to my aunt, StarBee20, who got me hooked on the show. ._.
Enjoy! :D
Disclaimer: I don't own TFP. Written purely for the enjoyment of my slightly morbid, violent, strange side. O.o
It was a normal day at the Autobot base.
Bumblebee and Raf were conversing about computer terms unfathomable to the others, Arcee and Jack were discussing homework and girls (at the same time), and Miko was attempting to show Bulkhead some of her favorite "music".
"What is that?" Bulkhead complained, covering up his audio receptors with his servos.
"It's dubstep!" Miko answered, bobbing her head happily along to the music. "It's awesome!"
"It's painful," he retorted, shaking his head.
"Oh, hush," Miko ordered, looking miffed as she shut off her iPod speakers. "You just don't know music."
"Oh, I know music," Bulkhead snorted, "and that was definitely not it."
Miko rolled her eyes as Optimus walked into the room, followed by Ratchet. "Bumblebee, Bulkhead, I need you to go on recon," he rumbled, the floor thudding underneath his massive pedes.
"Sure," Bulkhead replied as Bumblebee whirred in agreement.
"Ooh! Ooh! Ooh ooh ooh ooh!" Miko raised her hand up and down fanatically.
"Yes, Miko?" Optimus asked, looking slightly weary.
"Can I come too?" Miko begged, nearly jumping up and down in excitement.
Optimus glanced at Bulkhead, who merely shrugged. "I suppose. But you must follow Bulkhead's every order. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes sir." Miko saluted and wiggled. Recon was the best.
"Ooh! Can I come too?" Raf asked, jumping up from his sitting position.
"Sure," Bulkhead agreed. "Jack, you wanna tag along?"
"I guess," Jack answered. "Sounds fun."
"I'll see you later, then," Arcee said as she stood up. "I'm going to go offline for a while."
"Bye," Jack called as Arcee waved goodbye and left the room, doors closing with a thud.
Ratchet powered up the bridge, and the two autobots and trio of teens made their way through the green, swirling portal.
With a whoosh, they stepped out into the desert, confident all was right. The surrounding desert was completely peaceful, the only sound being a green mini-van tooting its way down the highway. All in all, a perfect, quiet afternoon.
"...So," Miko finally interrupted the silence. "This is exciting."
"Why does it have to be loud?" Raf questioned. "Can't it just be...not dubstep for once?"
"Again, with the dubstep!" Miko groaned. "Can we just drop it?"
Raf simply shrugged and turned away, deciding the leave the subject alone. It wasn't worth arguing about, anyways. He turned about and slipped inside Bumblebee, who had transformed into car mode. The others followed suit, jumping inside Bulkhead. They zoomed off, keeping an eye out for any Decepticon activity. Just a normal recon.
They paused on a plain, stopping to take in the beauty of the desert and the perfectly poised rocks. Raf sighed. "Kind of make you feel lucky to be alive, huh, Bee?"
Bumblebee whirred in agreement, rumbling idly as they drank in the sight.
"I'm going to get out a minute. Is that okay?"
The yellow transformer opened his car door by way of permission, and Raf hopped out. He whistled, hands in his pockets, as the others did the same and the Autobots transformed out of vehicle mode.
"Prettu, huh?" Jack asked. The other two nodded, and Miko snapped a picture on her bright pink phone.
"Ugh, stupid hands!" she snarled, deleting the picture and trying again.
"Why are you shaking?"
"Woah, that's weird," Raf commented.
"What?" Jack asked.
"I'm shaking too." Raf reached out to Jack to steady himself, only to find the sixteen year old was doing the same thing.
"I don't think that's us," Jack said slowly.
"What are you talking about?" A feeling of fear was slowly growing in the pit of his stomach.
"I think..." Jack swallowed. "I think it's the ground."
Raf looked at the ground with big eyes. The ground? Was it an earthquake? This was not a good spot to be caught in an earthquake. His attention was soon diverted, however, by the sound of whirring and stomping. The ground continued to shake, pounding underneath their feet.
"Uh, guys?" Miko called. "I think we should go hide." Se pointed behind them. They turned around to witness a group of about 30 Deceptions, all ready for blood.
"Oh, scrap," Jack and Raf whispered at the same time.
It was silent for a few moments, both sides staring each other down. Neither was willing to make the first move, but both knew it was inevitable. The question was only when the conflict would begin.
"Uh, Optimus?" Bulkhead said into his comm. "I think we're gonna need some backup."
The decepticons, hearing Bulkhead call for backup, apparently decided to try and kick as much butt as possible before Optimus showed up with Arcee. They pulled out their guns, purple lights blazing, and the kids just barely had time to duck behind the Autobots before they fired.
"Run!" Jack screamed as the first bullets flew, pelting the sand. It flew up around their legs as they ran away, heading for a small cluster of rocks to hide behind. A whirring sound was heard, and soon they saw Optimus and Arcee step out of the ground bridge, guns already out. They quickly stepped into the fray, Optimus taking down two and three at a time alone.
The conflict slowly made its way toward the kids, however unintentionally. The battling bots simply had no control over where they put their pedes, leading them slowly towards the trio hiding behind the rocks.
"Miko, get back here!" Jack ordered as he grabbed her shirt to drag her backwards.
"Aw, but it's cool!" she pouted, jerking herself free to peer around the rock again. "Woah!" She ducked as a splinter of metal flew over her head, wedging itself in the sand about ten feet away.
"Great. Yet another thing to add to the list of thing that could kill us," Jack grumbled, pulling her back once more. "Miko, I'm not kidding!"
"Jack, we might need to move soon," Raf told him, looking slightly worried. "The fight is coming this way, and I'd rather not be squashed."
"Me neither," Jack agreed. "Where should we go?"
"What about over there?" Miko suggested, pointing to a large cluster of rocks.
"Miko, that's too far away," Jack argued. "We need somewhere closer."
"It's the biggest, most protective group here," Miko countered, hands on her hips. "You want protection, and I give it to you."
"Yeah, but to get there, we have to go all the way around a raging battle." Jack sighed and ran a nervous hand through his hair. "There's a hefty chance to get caught."
"Well, if I may, we can stay here and almost certainly get caught," Raf interjected, "or leave and possibly get caught, but probably get to certain protection."
Miko smirked and looked at Jack. "Well?" she pressed. "What's it gonna be?"
Jack groaned. "Well, when you put it that way..." He pointed a finger at Miko. "But if I die or get captured by Decepticons, I'm blaming you."
Miko laughed. "Deal."
Jack studied the ensuing battle from behind the rock, letting the others join him. "When should we go?"
"Well, if we time it right, we should be able to duck around legs and rocks," Raf said. "Hopefully we make it."
"I guess..." Jack answered, still not sure. "I have a bad feeling about this, guys."
"Oh, whatever," Miko blew him off. "Stop being such a girl."
Jack gaped. "A girl? You think I'm being a girl?" he sputtered. "Listen-"
"Nope!" Miko laughed. "Let's go!" And she ran out from behind the safety of the rocks.
"Miko!" Jack shouted, trying to grab her.
"Come on, it's no use," Raf told him. "Let's go."
Jack grimaced, grabbed Raf's hand, and started pumping his legs after Miko.
It was slightly tough work, trying not be smushed on the battlefield. They had to dodge flying bots, bullets, metal, sand, rocks, and pedes, all while making their way to the other side of the field. It was fine for a little while, but the closer they got to their intended desitination, the worse the battle became.
"Why did I ever let Miko talk me into this?!" Jack snarled, pulling Raf out of the way of a rock. "Move, Raf!"
"I'm trying!" Raf snapped. "My legs aren't that long, you know!" He stumbled over a rock and fell, accidentally letting go of Jack's hand. "Nngh!"
"Come on, Raf! We're almost there!" Miko called. "Just a little furthur!" She sprinted and dodged behind the rocks. "Yes!"
Jack dashed backwards and pulled Raf upwards. "Come on!" The two boys pumped their legs, willing the appendages to move faster. They huffed as they approached the rocks. Almost there...almost...
"Jack, watch out!" Raf cried out as a piece of metal hurtled towards the teen, threatening to slice him open. Without thinking, the small boy jumped and shoved him out of the way, the metal embedding itself in his stomach instead. His scream of agony echoed throughout the field, catching Bumblebee's audio receptor. He turned towards his charge with a concerned whirr, but was distracted by a Decepticon. He would have to get Raf in a minute.
Jack scrambled up from where he had stumbled and fallen after Raf pushed him. He couldn't move; couldn't breath. It was as if a 5,000 pound weight of shock had settled on his chest and wouldnt leave. He looked at the crumpled form on the sand; Raf had fallen into a fetal position and was clutching at his wound as blood spilled between his fingers.
It was the blood that caught his eye. It was quickly staining Raf's brown sweater-vest a dark red and coloring the sand around him a lighter shade. That was what snapped him out of his stupor.
"Oh, my gosh, Raf!" he screamed, running and kneeling by the fallen boy. "Can you hear me?" he questioned, noticing Raf's squeezed shut eyes.
Raf moaned and opened his eyes, to Jack's immense relief. "Yeah," he managed to choke out.
"Okay, we need to move you, okay?" Jack said, heart racing. This wasn't good, not good at all. How was he supposed to move Raf AND keep him alive? He tried to reach out to touch the wound, but Raf shrunk away and moved Jack's hands back.
"Hurts," he groaned.
"I know, but I need to see it," Jack answered. "Miko!" he shouted back to the rocks. "Get over here!" He turned back to Raf as the Asian girl ran to them. She sucked in her breath as she kneeled.
"This isn't good," she said worriedly.
"Really?" Jack asked sarcastically. "I would never have guessed that a stab wound in the stomach was bad!"
"No need to get mad, I was just-"
"Miko, please be quiet!" Jack snapped. When she shut her mouth with a hurt air, he continued, "We need to get him over to the rocks. I need you to take off your tank to help staunch the bleeding."
Miko nodded and obliged, stripping off her tank top and handing it to Jack, leaving her in her t-shirt. Jack grabbed it and placed it around the metal. Raf shuddered in pain, face turning a shade paler. His blood-stained hands made fists.
"All right," Jack said, "I'm gonna pick him up. You hold that shirt in place and run with me. Got it?"
Miko nodded and placed her hands on the shirt. "Are you ready?" she asked.
"Get set, go!" Jack ordered. He scooped up Raf bridal style, letting his arms hang down. Raf cried out as his wound was jolted, but Jack had no choice but to grit his teeth and move on. He tried to run as fast as he could without leaving Miko behind, while getting to the rocks in a timely manner. Sure enough, they reached them quickly, and Jack laid Raf down as gently as possible.
"Raf, are you still there?" he asked, worry etching into his voice.
Raf groaned. "Yeah." His voice was tight, and his eyes squeezed shut again. His face was even paler now, causing Jack's stomach to twist.
"I gotta look at the wound, okay?"
"No, please," Raf answered, holding his hands around the quickly-turning-red shirt.
"Miko?" Jack asked, staring pointedly at Raf's hands.
Miko sighed and gently moved his hands away. "Sorry."
Jack sucked in his breath at the sight of the injury. The piece of metal was, as far as Jack could tell, about the size of a hand from fingertips to the bottom of the palm. It was embedded solidly in the stomach, just below the navel, and was causing a good deal of blood flow. The edges were serrated, the result of being torn from the bot's body. That would make some trouble coming out, he had a feeling. Blood came welling upwards again, so Jack replaced the shirt. He put his head in his red hands, trying to think of a good course of action.
"What do we do?" Miko asked.
"I don't know," Jack answered. "I really don't."
"Shouldn't we take it out?"
"I don't think so. That might cause more harm than good if there's internal bleeding." Jack studied the blood soaked cloth. Scrap, there was so much blood. So much blood.
"Yeah, but that's with earth weapons. I don't think we should leave anything from a Decepticon in his system. You never know what might be on it," Miko pointed out.
"We can't take it out, Miko, it might kill him," Jack countered.
"Well, he might die with it in his stomach as well," Miko snapped.
"Hey, don't get snippy with me," Jack ordered, "it's not my fault we're here right now."
"Oh, so it's mine?" Miko argued.
"Well, I said we should stay back at the rocks over there!"
"Yeah, and get squashed!" Miko's voice started rising.
"And look where coming over here got us!" Jack's voice rose to match hers. "Raf might die!"
"So get the metal out!"
"I can't do that!"
"So let me!"
Their argument was interrupted by a moan from Raf. They looked down at him. He was a truly pitiful sight.
"Jack, please?" Miko whispered. "You need to take it out."
Jack exhaled. He was surprised to feel tears at the back of his throat. "Miko..."
"We have to," she told him. "Who knows what a Decepticon metal could do to him? It might have dark energon on it or something."
"Alright." Jack's voice was grim as he remembered an earlier time, when Raf had been affected by dark energon. "Let's do it. Raf?" he called. "We need to take the metal out."
"No, please don't," Raf begged, pushing Jack's hands away. Tiny, crystalline tears leaked out of the edges of his eyes as he opened them.
"Sorry, but I gotta do it," Jack answered.
"No," Raf pleaded, gripping the shirt. "It hurts!"
"Raf," Miko interrupted. She held the sides of his head in her hands, turning his gaze to meet hers. "You gotta be strong, Raf. Okay? Bumblebee is strong. Optimus is strong. Jack's strong. You need to be strong too, okay?" Her stare was gentle, yet firm. "It's going to hurt, but it's for the best. If we leave it in, it might cause a lot of damage. And we can't have that. Okay?"
Raf hesitated before he nodded. Miko glanced at Jack as a way to say 'go ahead' before placing her hands on Raf's shoulders. "Just in case he fights," she whispered to Jack. He nodded and peeled away the blood soaked clothing, before changing his mind. He replaced it, then took off his own.
"We need a new one," he told Miko. He undid the tank again and set it in the ground. "Ready?" he asked. Raf gave a small nod and tensed up. "Relax," Jack ordered. "On three. One...two..." He breathed in deep and pulled. "Three!" The sliver of metal came out with a sickly slurping sound, causing new blood to well up.
Raf's cry of pain rent the air, causing tears to sting Jack's eyes. He quickly placed his tee-shirt on the injury and pressed to stem the blood flow. The small boy cringed in pain, hands finding Jack's. His fearful eyes looked into Jack's.
"Am I going to die?" he whispered.
Jack hesitated before answering. "I don't...no," he said, building force behind his words. "No, you're going to be fine. We'll just get the Autobots, and we'll take you home, and..." He trailed off as Raf's eyes started drooping. "No, no no no no," Jack pleaded, "Raf! Open your eyes!"
Raf's eyes snapped open with an apologetic look. "'M tired," he mumbled.
Jack looked at Miko. "Take the shirt," he ordered. "I need to go get Optimus." The teen stood up and let Miko scoot into his space. "Don't let him go to sleep," he told her. "I'm pretty sure that's bad."
Miko nodded as he took off sprinting, but slowed down to a jog as he entered the battle. He caught a glimpse of Optimus' distinctive red and blue churning up dust as he fought with the 'Cons.
"Optimus!" Jack screamed as he ran in his direction, dodging flying pedes. "Optimus!"
"What's wrong, Jack?" Optimus grunted as he shouldered his opponent into another bot.
"Raf got-WOAH!" Jack jumped as a bullet hit the ground 6 inches away from his feet. "Raf got stabbed!"
"What?" Optimus shot a Decepticon, sending it flying. "How is he?"
"He's not-" Jack swallowed. "He's not doing too good. Optimus, he's gonna die if we don't bridge back really soon."
"And it doesn't look as if we will win this battle in a timely fashion," Optimus rumbled. Another shot. "Autobots! Roll out!"
The Autobots, heeding their leader's words, transformed and retreated. Jack dashed back to the rocks, shoved Miko aside, and scooped up Raf. "Come on," he called over his shoulder as Raf gave a strangled cry. Miko ran after them.
Raf's breathing sounded terrible. He wheezed and coughed, chest bouncing up and down erratically. Jack's heart gave a jolt when he saw a thin trickle of blood from the small mouth. His eyes were slightly glazed, his face almost completely white.
"Bee?" he wheezed. "Jack, where's Bee?"
"He's coming," Jack huffed.
"I want Bee," Raf whimpered. Jack was reminded of a two-year-old who had skinned his knee. Injury must multiply with age, he thought grimly. The thought made his feet fly faster.
A whirring next to him made him turn his head, as Bee pulled up and opened up his door. Jack immediately jumped in, sitting down. "Told you he was coming," he panted to Raf.
Raf gave a small smile and softly traced the seat. "Hey, Bee," he whispered, and Bee replied with a concerned beep.
"He's gonna be okay," Jack replied. Having no idea what Bee just said, that was the best he could do at the moment. "He'll be okay." I hope, he silently added.
They entered the green tunnel, zooming back to base with a flash. The bots hurried out, Jack opening the door and carrying Raf out. The boy by now was completely unconscious, though still breathing. Jack passed him out to the now-transformed Bumblebee, who ran towards a prepared gurney-bed.
"I'm going to call my Mom," he called over his shoulder as he grabbed his phone.
As he punched in the number, the only thing he could do was pray that Raf would be okay.