Author's note: I can't spell to save my life I'm so dyslexic and even my computer doesn't catch all my mistakes! If you see something tell me and I'll change it! Any way on with the story R R

Lennox was a soldier used to war and fighting. He sat inside Ironhide thinking about Sam and his part in the battle with the Autobots. Sam had been in the thick of it with all the Decepticons chasing him to get the Allspark away from him. The poor boy had gotten himself pretty banged up to begin with and now some idiot at his school with a vendetta against him decides to try and fight him. Lennox shook his head. "Poor kid," he whispered under his breath. Ironhide caught his words with his sensitive audio receptors. The truth about both battle hardened soldiers they thought Sam as one of their own. He had saved the day at the last minute sparing Optimus from sacrificing himself. He had proven himself a loyal friend and even a good, if not impromptu, soldier. Ironhide sighed inwardly.

"I wish I had been there today," Ironhide said through the speakers inside his cab. "I would have torn that little son of a glitch apart!" he growled. Lennox chuckled darkly.

"You're not the only one," he answered. "And I think Bumblebee too would have if Ratchet hadn't held him back. However the situation was handled as discretely as possible I suppose considering the circumstances." Lennox sat back and sighed with his hand barely on the steering wheel making a show of driving but not even looking at the road that led to his home. He let Ironhide do most of the driving now a days. Lennox thought about how rumors were probably circling the net now about possessed cars or AI gone crazy trying to kill a boy. Lennox has been promoted to a General status with all the bells, whistles and clearance to go with it, however all the responsibility too. He was the official liaison between the U.S. Government and Transformers and it was now his duty to help cover up all the activities of the Autobots including any landing incidences as well as misunderstandings with locals and any other problems. And THIS was a problem.

"I hope he will be alright though…" Lennox thought a moment. Ironhide was quiet also. Lennox had come to understand the mid conversation pauses are usually from incoming or outgoing radio communications between the Autobots on their internal comlinks.

"There has been a change of plans Lennox. The boy is too badly injured to make it to your place of residence." That is all Ironhide would tell him. The man's looked darkened.

"What happened? He was well enough to go to my house a second ago…" Ironhide was silent for a moment.

"Ratchet says the assault on the boy exacerbated his cracked ribs into full fractures and they are piercing one of his lungs." Lennox paled a bit.

"Ironhide…That's not good," he said in a somber tone.

"I know" answer Ironhide. "They are taking him to the Tranquility General Hospital for treatment. Once his injuries are stabilized they will be transporting him by chopper to the base outside the city. They are converting a hanger into a medical bay for Ratchet."

"Have his parents been notified yet?" Will asked.

"Bumblebee has been monitoring the communications at the residence and there has been a call to them. The school reported the injury to his parents and said that an unknown ambulance and Camero were taking him to the hospital."

"Well that saves me the job of informing them. But they are not gonna like having their son airlifted to an army base for treatment." Ironhide grunted in agreement.

"They've arrived at the hospital," he told Will in a low tone.

"Let's get there then buddy," he responded and the rest of the ride was grim silence.

Ratchet had hacked into the dispatch system at Tranquility Hospital. Come in Emergency Room! I have an emergency!!!

The dispatcher picked up the mike, "Yes, what is your ETA?" she asked calmly.

ETA 2 minutes, I have a 16-year-old male with fractured ribs and a punctured lung. His body is in shock with aggravated prior injuries.

"We'll have a crash cart and personnel standing by when you arrive!" she called to the ambulance just as she could hear the sirens coming down the street. The dispatcher made announcement over the PA system for personnel to prepare for incoming.

Mikaela sat with Sam as he seemed to come toward consciousness but only partially with moans and groans. He was in a lot of pain and was beginning to move around as he coughed up more blood onto his girlfriend. Mikaela was crying freely not even noticing any more as she ran a hand over his face comfortingly trying to console him in his pain. "Mikaela don't let him move. His broken ribs might puncture his lungs more or worse his heart." Mikaela sniffed but leaned over him to hold his shoulders and whisper to him.

"Sam please don't move…..please…" She whispered in his ear and he seemed to stop his moving however it was followed by a more shallow breathing. Mikaela was having difficulty seeing and hearing him breath. "Ratchet!!" she called over her shoulder.

"I know Mikaela, his breathing is dangerously shallow and slow…" they hit a bump mid sentence. "But we're here, prepare to disembark, the doctors are waiting." With that his back doors flew open and doctors started reaching in for the gurney.

"Miss come out please now, we need to get to him" one said as he pulled her out of the ambulance. Another doctor looked at her.

"What are his vitals?" Mikaela looked lost. Then from behind her from the Camero a blond man answered for her.

"Breaths are slow and shallow at 10 per minute, heart rate is 50 and dropping. His blood pressure is 60/30 and we didn't get a temp. He's in Cardiogenic Shock with rib fractures, punctured lung and internal bruising some bone deep!" he called after the doctors as they wheeled him into the hospital. One of the nurses stayed to question the two people that had arrived with the boy.

"What is the boy's name?" Again the blond boy answered seeing Mikaela was in no condition to.

"His name is Samuel Witwicky. His parents have been notified of the assault at school and should be on their way." The blond man walked over to Mikaela and began to put an arm around her to try and comfort the distraught teen. Mikaela ducked and moved out of his reach as she looked into the long thin face with high cheekbones. As her eyes settled on the man's she had a sharp intake of breath, the only thing she had every seen that same color was the Autobots optics. She stared for a moment and the woman asking the questions looked at her too.

"Young lady are you ok?" she asked looking between her and the man.

"Yes I am," she answered quietly as she moved toward the man again letting him wrap an arm around her, he moved slower this time.

"You know this man?" she asked pointedly taking into consideration the reaction she gave him just a moment before.

"Yeah he is Sam's relative. He has some medical knowledge cuz he is in med school. It's just been so long since I saw him I didn't recognize him at first." Mikaela said wiping her eyes with a sniff.

"Yes, it was back in Mission city when you gave me that tow," Bumblebee smirked. Mikaela elbowed him and he playfully rubbed the spot. "Easy there slugger." Mikaela's eyes began to water again as she looked up at him taking comfort in the fact the boy next to her was Bumblebee, how she didn't know or care at the moment. The other woman nodded and looked back to the ambulance behind the two.

"Who's ambulance is that? And where is the crew? I didn't see anyone in there when it came in except the girl." Now Bee and Mikaela gave each other a look that said 'this will be hard to explain.' Bee took the initiative.

"I'm sorry ma'am any more information is classified, we just need to get my cousin treated right now if you have any problems you can call Defense Secretary at his private number, I'd be happy to give it to you. I am sure he has been apprised of the situation already." Bumblebee with an air of certainty. The woman shook her head.

"NO no that's fine. You said his parents are already on their way….so any more information I need I will obtain from them," she said shakily slightly rattled. She seemed to retreat in to the building. Bumblebee snorted a little but held on to Mikaela as she hugged him.

"How can you be human?!?!?" she hissed in his ear.

"I'm not this is my solid hologram from. I am the only Autobot with one and the moment. However the others are working on it". He squeezed her lightly. "Don't worry Mik he'll pull through, Ratchet says now that he's here they will have to do surgery to mend the lung as well as fix his bones in his chest." Mikaela looked at Bumblebee again.

"I should go inside and find out what's going on," she said letting go of him. Bumblebee nodded.

"I can't go more then about 7 feet from my body without expending great amounts of energy. And I used up a lot of energy up last night caring for Sam." Mikaela moved into the ambulance doors to go to see what they were doing to Sam even though she didn't really want to. With a backwards glance she waved and so did he, then Bee made a show of walking over and getting into his car form and drove toward the parking lot to park. The hummer ambulance followed him to find a place in the back of the lot so that they could wait for Optimus and Ironhide.

Optimus Prime was worried to say the least. He had gotten the frantic message from Bumblebee and had tried to calm the anxious young Autobot.

Optimus had accompanied Sergeant Epps home to his house after the Mission City battle. Epps had a house in the suburbs that he had inherited from his parents since he was the only son of a successful lawyer in town. He was on the outskirts in the county of Tranquility. He took Epps back and forth to where he worked in the same capacity as Lennox. He had been named an official liaison too in the sense that he now worked under Lennox in his official position. If Lennox, Sam, or Mikaela were unreachable Epps was the man to go to because he knew what was going on also. And to have Ironhide and Optimus at the same place everyday made it pleasant for them to spend their days talking via comlink out in the parking lot. On this day however only Lennox had been at the office since Epps was taking some recoup time since he had been more severely injured by the battle in Mission City. Optimus was watching their other newer comrade as he convalesced when he received the message from Bumblebee. Now as he raced off toward the city limits he tapped into Epps' phone and told him what was going on and about the plans for their base to be at the navel base near where they worked. Epps agreed that the boy would probably be under better care with Ratchet as soon as they could manage to move him and took the situation in and thanked Optimus for filling him in. The truth was with Epps he was a newcomer to the group and he was still finding his place. He reminded them of Jazz in a funny sort of way that made the Autobots feel the loss more but comforted in a strange sort of way.

Optimus picked up speed on the straight away almost hitting the outer city. He was in communication with Ratchet at this point, communicating his ETA as well as getting an update on Sam's condition. He was very close to breaking the speed limit for the second time since coming to this planet. He was very concerned for the boy he had come to think about as apart of his group, a part of their family.

Mikaela walked slowly down the hallway toward where she had seen them take Sam. She walked fearful of what she might find once she got there. But about 5 doors down she found Sam laying with just a sheet covering him since they had cut off all his clothes to have better access to his injured body. He had wires hooked up to his chest to show his heartbeat, they had tubes in his arms dripping life saving medication into his body, and a mask over his mouth giving him air. A doctor came out of the room.

"Are you his family?" She nodded.

"Listen, we have stabilized him for surgery however he is not out of the woods yet, we have to get him up to emergency surgery right now so please tell the rest of your family that's where we will be when they get here, we have to repair the internal damage so he can breathe again." As he said this they wheeled Sam tubes, wires, and all out of the room quickly and toward the awaiting open elevator surrounded by 2 doctors and a nurse. The doctor that had been talking to Mikaela turned on his heels and ran after them. Mikaela stared after him.

She began to shake like the ground would give out under her and collapsed almost onto her knees in tears unable to deal with the recent trauma of the battle and now something as senseless as Trent being just that big of a son of a glitch. It was all her fault, was the only thing going through her mind. She let out a pained cry that might escape a wounded animal stuck in a trap alone in the forest. Just as she fell two strong arms caught her.

After Bumblebee and Ratchet had parked themselves in the back lot they sensed a nearing GMC Top kick coming closer to their location. Ironhide had radioed ahead that they would arrive in 3 minutes with Lennox so that he could go into the ER with Mikaela. Ironhide had the foresight to drop him off at the ambulance entrance where he could see Mikaela talking to a doctor. Ironhide pulled away inconspicuously toward the others as he let Lennox deal with the hospital personnel. As he was approached by a woman that looked like a nurse who was now telling him to go in the front and check in, he was looking at Mikaela as she paled considerably as the man he assumed to be a doctor was talking. He made a dash to be at her side as he barely saw Sam get wheeled passed her. He looked in bad shape. And she had seen it all, he knew and what next ripped from her throat made him cringe inside at the pure pain and emotion that poured out in the pained sound. He made one last long step, almost a leap, and caught her just before her knees hit the floor.

"Ah Mikaela its ok…" he said softly as he lifted her up into a standing position. She knew instinctively that it was Will. They four humans that had been deeply involved in the armed conflict in Mission City seemed to have an instant close group that they held to each other as though they were blood. She turned to cry into his chest heaving sobs as he steadied her. He had his arms wrapped around her tightly rubbing her back like a big brother trying to bring her a sense of comfort.

After a few minutes she took a few hitching breaths and looked up at Lennox. "They took him up to surgery to fix the internal damage…." She said and started sobbing again.

"Miky come on hun. He'll be ok. Ratchet told us so on the way over. Don't worry so much. I know its scary but I believe Ratchet would know…." She nodded against his chest as two familiar faces came rushing up to them. She unfolded herself and tried to collect herself long enough to talk to Sam's parents.

"OH MY GOD! Mikaela! OH hunny what happened?!?!" his mom asked her. She opened her mouth and started to cry again and reached for her. Sam's mother accepted her into her arms and hugged her. Sam's father looked at the young man standing there.

"Who are you?" he asked bluntly.

"I am a friend of Mikaela's and Sam's. I came as soon as I heard." He told him without wavering.

"I called him," she said shakily to Sam's dad. "I knew he was close and he would come." Sam's mother cooed to her softly in reassuring tones that she was ok and it was ok to have their friends here.

"What happened?" Ron (Sam's dad) asked Lennox. He was a pointed man that was for sure.

"The Doctor told Mikaela they had to take him up to surgery to fix internal injuries he suffered in the assault at school," Lennox told him directly what was going on so that they could get up to the surgery unit without delay. Sam's dad nodded. He heard Sam's mother let out a cry of surprise and hold on Mikaela tightly as she began to cry also.

"Oh god my baby!!" she cried. Lennox went to take Mikaela from Judy so that Ron could comfort his wife. Judy (Sam's mom) clung to Ron for all she was worth as what happened finally hit her. She couldn't believe her baby had been hurt so badly by some idiot at school. They were gonna pay alright. However right now she was just worried about her son.

"Let's go up to the surgery ward so we can wait for word from the doctors," Ron said stoically. He was holding it together for his wife as well as he could. Lennox nodded in agreement and the two men walked up to the elevators and made their way slowly with the hysterical women to the surgery waiting room.

A bright yellow Camero sat in the parking lot for that last few hours monitoring Sam's vital signs, only comforted by the fact they had started to stabilize since they the arrived. Sam's vitals started to reach normal human ranges about 3 hours after they arrived. Optimus had finally appeared 30 minutes after they had taken Sam into surgery to find all three sitting solemnly in their car forms. He joined the odd line of vehicles in their silent vigil only broken by the occasional transmission from Ratchet that began to reassure them all that Sam was going to be alright as he interpreted his life signs to the other Autobots.

Bumblebee had never felt such a pull to protect and love a small young being that seems so fragile and so strong at the same time. Sam knew the risks when he was facing off with the boy and did so any way. Bumblebee realized that he was closer to this human than he had been to most everyone in his life even though he had only known him a week. He was his protector, best friend, and comrade. He decided that if he ever let him out of his sight again it would be only with another Autobot and that he was sure of.

Three hours of waiting, pacing and on and off crying jags left Mikaela, Will, and Sam's parents tired and stressed. A doctor finally came to them to tell them the news.

"Mr. and Mrs. Witwicky?" Judy and Ron stood up motioning for the two young people to join them.

"Yes?" Ron asked tightly.

"Your son pulled through just fine. We repaired his punctured lung and had to wire his rib bones together to help them to heal without causing internal harm again. The internal bruising is extensive though. IT will be a while till he is up and around again, maybe 2 weeks." Judy and Mikaela started to cry all over again with relief.

"Can we see him?" Mikaela asked.

"Yes, you four can follow me into the recovery room. He might not respond yet since he is on very strong meds to keep his body calm and quiet for the next few days." They all nodded. They followed him, then found him in a curtained off area with tubes and wires still hooked up to him but without the urgency and multiple staff members bustling about him. He seemed to be sleeping peacefully and out of pain. Mikaela took one hand as Judy caressed his head and spoke to him quietly. Mikaela saw him open his eyes just a crack and look at them all. Judy smiled through her tears as did Mikaela. Ron gave him a genuine look of relief and Lennox gave him a small salute in greeting. Sam had a ghost of a smile that Mikaela and Will both caught. Sam squeezed Mikaela's hand and gave a little finger movement in the direction of Will and smile a little more noticeably for his parents.

"Your gonna be ok baby.." his mom told him more to herself than to her son. He nodded very slightly and his eyes slid closed again. His grip on Mikaela's hand didn't relax for a minute or two though till he slipped back into a drug-induced slumber. Mikaela smiled and hugged Will. Lennox leaned down and whispered to Mikaela.

"Let's go tell the guys before they blow a gasket." Mikaela let out a loud short burst of laughed as the tension in the room melted away. The doctor usured them all out of the recovery room and told them he was being moved to his own private room for the time being.

"For the time being," Ron asked suddenly. The doctor nodded.

"Yes he is being transferred in the morning," he said calmly.

"WHAT?!?!?" Ron's voice echoed in the long white corridor. Lennox rolled his eyes. He juuuuust had to let the cat outta the bag before he was ready to deal with it. With a sigh he faced Sam's dad.