A/N: I said I wouldn't do this until the main story was done BUT I heard this song by Delerium and it made sense to add into 'Thrown to the Front Lines' as a fluffy side story. If you've read the main story, you'll know exactly where this fits in. If you haven't read the main story, you'll just find this a strange little fluffy story about my original character, Rachel, and her relationship with Jazz. But I highly suggest you read the full story -shameless plug- to get the full impact. Italics are used for dream sequences and for the song. Song is 'Fallen' by Delerium.
Fallen
Jazz had fought the drowsy need of recharge for too long. He hadn't rested for almost three days, before Rachel had gone missing. He sat silently against one wall in the med bay next to the red and yellow warriors. They had fallen into recharge a few hours previous, and Jazz didn't want to leave the unconscious form of the woman he loved alone in the room. Yeah, Ratchet would be there, but he wanted to be there for her. He needed to be there for her.
He had tapped into his energon reserves and was bordering on the halfway mark. If Ratchet knew that, Jazz shivered; he didn't want to think of what Ratchet would do to him. Still he fought the urge to slip into recharge and give his body the much needed rest. But in the end, no matter how strong his resolve was to fight it, the need for rest took him.
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The sound of singing birds awoke him. He looked up into the azure blue of the sky on a pleasant summer day. Small wisps of clouds floated just out of reach. There was the slightest breeze that carried the warm scent of wildflowers. He had fallen asleep in the cool grass in the glade where he spent most nights with Rachel, where they would stare at the stars and whisper quietly to each other. The sunlight that spilled across the glade had a hazy edge to it, almost a dreamlike essence. There was a surreal quality to the area now; something was out of place, but he couldn't put a finger on it.
He propped himself up on an elbow; why had he fallen into recharge out here? He looked around the glade, there was something very peculiar going on. His perception shifted as he moved, sending the images of the glade and sky slipping to the side. He could feel the warmth of the sun, feel the breeze around him and the grass below him. He could hear the birds singing, yet something was off. He rose to his feet slowly and turned around. The glade looked all right, but it wasn't right. He felt the odd sensation that he was no longer alone. He tried to bring his rifle out of subspace but there was nothing there. He looked around again, wondering just what was happening.
And that's when he saw her. She was sitting on a rock over to the right of the glade with her back to him. Why hadn't he seen her there before? "Rachel?"
She didn't answer him.
He approached her and called her name again. "Rachel?"
He was standing behind her now and she still had not acknowledged his presence at all. He reached down to touch her shoulder and nearly jumped out of his metal skin as his hand slipped straight through her body. He stepped back from the shimmering illusion of Rachel. What in Primus was going on?
The illusion solidified and she turned around and smiled up at him. There was an ethereal nature to her as she stood up and walked towards him. She stopped inches from him still smiling as she lifted a hand up brushing her fingers against his chest; and with the gentlest touch she pushed him down into the grass as if he weighed nothing. He gaped at the woman who was still smiling at him. She shimmered again as if the breeze fluttered through the illusion. Her eyes peered deeply into his visor, peered deeply into him
Ever so slowly, she started to circle where he had fallen on the grass. She made no sound as she moved and the sunlight sparkled through the faint shadow she cast. Effortlessly, she danced around him, just like she had danced on the night when she showed him the fireflies. She touched his shoulder with the lightest of caresses as she leaned in close and began to sing softly to him.
Do you remember me?
I'm just a shadow now
This is where I used to be
Right here beside you
Sometimes I call your name
High on a Summer Breeze
What I would give to feel the sunlight on my face
What I would give to be lost in your embrace
I've fallen from a distant star
Come back, compelled because of love
I'm caught between two different worlds
I long for one more night on earth
She danced around him, spinning in lazy graceful circles with her hands out. He tried to reach out to her, but her image wavered. She smiled at him and ran her fingers down his cheek. He didn't understand how she was able to touch him, but when he tried to touch her she glimmered like a reflection in water. She spun around and continued to sing to him.
Do you believe in dreams?
That's how I found you
But I can't be revealed
'Til you take a leap of faith
What I would give to feel the sunlight on my face
What I would give to be lost in your embrace
I've fallen from a distant star
Come back, compelled because of love
I'm caught between two different worlds
I long for one more night on earth
As her song ended, she kissed her fingers and delicately touched his lips before backing away from him into the glade. Her illusion sparkled in the sunlight and she smiled at him once more before the ethereal image faded away. He stared at the spot where she disappeared. What had just happened?
The glade started to melt away and he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Anyone home?" Ratchet's voice brought Jazz back to reality. A reality where Rachel still lay unconscious on a table hooked up to machine and monitors. Had it all been a dream? A red hand waved in front of his visor. "You in there?"
Jazz didn't move, "Is she doin' ok, doc?"
"Yes, she's still fine. It just takes longer for humans to recuperate." Ratchet gave him a small smile. "Don't worry. She'll be back once her body heals."
He never took his optics off of her. She had come back already to him, even if it was only a dream to comfort his fears.