Author's Note:

Thank you so very much for the reviews and the story alerts! I was so nervous when I posted this. I'm very happy to see that my story has been well received so far.

I will be using italics in this chapter to indicate either an incoming telephone communication or internal comm link between autobots.

Please Read and Review! Thanks Much!

Disclaimer - These amazing characters (with the exception of my original character and the idea for this story) do not belong to me. I am only borrowing them for a short time for recreational purposes. Promise.

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From The Ashes - Chapter 2

By - MelancholyRose611

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Sam was brought out of his reverie when a doctor emerged from the Surgery Suite where Mikaela had been rushed into hours ago. He stood unsteadily on his feet dropping the cloth he was using to slow the bleeding from the gash on his head to the floor. He had refused to be treated until he knew that his wife and child would be alright. As the doctor approached him his heart began hammering within his chest, and his body trembled uncontrollably in fear.

The doctor made his way over to where Sam was, his expression remained neutral. "Are you Sam Witwicky?"

Sam nodded, his voice was barely audible and it shook with apprehension. "How are they?"

The doctor was silent for a long moment, however his eyes betrayed what his facial expression did not and Sam felt the world closing in around him. "Your wife sustained grave injuries from the accident… the trauma caused her to go into premature labor… We had to deliver the baby, your wife began hemorrhaging… we couldn't stop it… Despite our best efforts we were unable to save your wife. I am so very sorry."

Sam suddenly felt light headed and fell back against the wall heavily. His eyes stung painfully from the tears that were threatening to fall. "No No No… Oh my god… Kaela…" His breaths became ragged and he struggled to speak, "What about our baby?"

The doctor took a step closer to him his voice soft and serious, " You have a daughter. She's been rushed upstairs to the NICU, she's seven weeks premature , they are working on stabilizing her now. Right now I need to get up there and check on her. Is there someone I can call for you?"

Sam's tear filled eyes were now locked on the doors where his now deceased Mikaela was. He could not bring himself to speak so he only shook his head 'no'.

The doctor nodded, "I will let you know what's going on with your daughter as soon as I know." With that he turned and hurried down the hall leaving Sam by himself in the brightly lit corridor.

With the doctor's words echoing within his mind Sam's legs finally gave out on him and he slid down the wall until he reached the floor. He drew his knees up to his chest and then laid his head down upon them. Raking his fingers through his hair he then intertwined them behind his head and he curled up tightly within himself. As the shock of what the doctor told him began to set in what little strength and composure he had struggled to maintain quickly crumbled. The tremors that racked his body grew in intensity and his shoulders shook as he cried out with an aching despair that threatened to swallow him whole.

Mikaela's sweet voice sounded within his mind and his heart wrenched with another wave of raw and overwhelming pain and despair. His thoughts swirled out of control to the point where it was dizzying. Her gentle laugh, her loving caresses, that mischievous glimmer in those aqua eyes… her sleep tousled appearance when she woke beside him… things that he would never be able to experience again. He closed his eyes tightly as if doing so would protect him from having to accept the harsh reality of what had happened. As he did so he saw the bright lights, Mikaela's terrified screams pierced through him all over again, then there was the explosion of glass and the devastating sound of metal being torn apart. He could not withold the whimper that escaped from his lips and he pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes in a vain attempt to hold back the fresh flood of tears.

Some time later when Sam had managed to rein in his emotions to some extent he felt so very tired and weary. There was a profound and hollow ache within him and it felt as if his very soul had been torn in half. Uncurling himself from the protective ball he had been huddled in he leaned his head back against the wall behind him. He closed his eyes against the harshness of the fluorescent light above him and wiped away the numerous tears that dampened his cheeks.

It felt as if an eternity had passed since he had collapsed on the floor once the doctor had left him alone. He struggled to pull his cellular phone from his jeans pocket then attempted to read the cracked but still functioning display. It was nearing four thirty in the morning. With shaking hands and through eyes blurred with tears he managed to dial.

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Will Lennox was roused from his sleep by the shrill ringing of the telephone on his nightstand. Fumbling in the dark for the receiver he pressed the talk button holding it to his ear, "Hello?"

Will… it's Sam…"

Will immediately awake sat up and threw his feet over the edge of the bed, "Sam, what's wrong?" There was silence on the line for a long moment and Will's heart sank into his feet. "Sam?"

"She's… she's gone Will…"

Will's hand on the phone began to tremble as he listened to Sam try to stifle a sob rising within his chest. "Sam, where are you? What happened?" Sarah had been woken up by the phone as well and was now sitting up in bed looking worriedly at Will.

"Mikaela's dead Will… we… we were driving home… a truck ran a red light… it hit us on the passenger side… oh god Will she's gone…"

The phone was filled with Sam's sobs again and Will felt his heart lurch and twist sickeningly within his chest, "Sam, where are you?"

"The doctor doesn't know… if the baby's gonna make it…"

Will leaned forward and let out a shaky breath, "I'm coming Sam, tell me where you are… What hospital?"

"Tranquility General."

There was a click and the handset was then filled with a dial tone. He jumped up and tossed the phone on the bed then yanked his dresser drawer open and began pulling out clothes. Will looked to his wife, his expression grim. "Sarah, hurry and get dressed, wake up Annabelle. Lets go."

Sarah looked at him with eyes filled with worry as she climbed out of their bed, "Will… what's going on?"

Will had just buttoned his jeans and was slipping on a t-shirt, "There was a car accident… Mikaela's… Mikaela's dead Sarah. Sam doesn't know if the baby's going to make it."

Tears immediately began to pool in her eyes, "Oh no." She hurried out of the room and Will heard his wife yell for Annabelle to get up and get dressed.

Will finished getting dressed and rushed his girls out to the car once they were both ready. He drove as quickly as he dared in the early morning light. Sarah looked over to Will through teary eyes, "Should we call the autobots?"

Will took a sharp turn a little too fast, the tires chirping in protest against the pavement, "Not yet, I don't know what happened and they will want to know."

Sarah nodded in understanding and they continued the drive in a tense silence. Annabelle leaned against her mothers chest, unsure of what happened other than there was an accident with her Aunt Mikaela and her Uncle Sam. When they arrived at the hospital Will parked the car and they quickly made their way inside. Will approached the information desk and asked where he could find Sam. The receptionist checked her computer terminal and then gave him directions. Sarah clasped her daughters hand tightly within her own as they chased after Will.

When the elevator they were on opened and they stepped out onto the floor Will looked down the corridor and spotted Sam. He was sitting on the floor against the wall, his knees drawn up to his chest his head buried in his hands. There was a police officer kneeling in front of him speaking to him while another stood a little ways off watching over the pair.

Will rushed down the hall at a jog, "Sam!"

Sam looked up with bloodshot eyes when he heard his name but said nothing. The police officer patted Sam's knee then slowly stood and stepped back. Will knelt down on the floor in front of Sam where the police officer had just been and took a good look at Sam. The side of his head was covered in dry blood from a gash that was there and it was bruising. He was pale and his eyes were distant.

Sam looked into his eyes, they shimmered with a pain that tore his battle tough resolve to shreds… "She's really gone Will…"

"Oh Sam… I'm so sorry…" Will pulled Sam into his arms and held onto him tightly as the young man sobbed again uncontrollably. Will looked up at the ceiling and blinked rapidly trying to prevent the tears that were threatening to spill from his own eyes. When Sam's sobs quieted a bit to soft whimpers he had Sarah and Annabelle sit with Sam. Will then stood up and walked over to the police officers. "I'm Captain William Lennox. A close friend to Sam and his family. What happened?"

The taller officer tore his gaze from Sam and turned his attention on Will, " It was a drunk driver. There were motion sensitive cameras at the intersection of the crash so the accident was recorded. Sam pulled his vehicle into the intersection when his light turned green and they were T-boned by a large pick up truck doing approximately twice the posted speed limit as it ran the red. Their car was totaled, the truck that hit them struck the passenger side crushing it. The Emergency Response Crew needed to use the jaws of life to get them out of the wreckage."

Will bristled with anger, "What happened to the driver of the truck?"

The cops eyes darkened slightly and he shook his head, "The driver of the other vehicle was able to walk away from the crash with minor injuries and he fled the scene on foot. He was apprehended only a few blocks from the accident by another officer and was brought here for treatment. He will be brought to the police station for processing and booking as soon as his injuries are tended to."

The other police officer received a message through his radio and then stepped forward. "We're needed down in the ER. The suspect is ready to be released into our custody. We'll keep you informed about what is happening with the case." With that they excused themselves and disappeared down the hallway. Will watched them go for a moment and then made his way over to Sam and his family. It was nearing six o'clock in the morning when a doctor finally came out to speak to them.

Sam looked to the doctor with fear and hope all rolled into one. "You're daughter is currently stable Mr. Witwicky. She gave us a little bit of a scare at first, but she's definitely a fighter. She weighs just under five pounds and is in an incubator in the NICU right now for observation. She is premature, but with all things considered her physical condition is rather good"

Sam let out a shuddering breath and nodded his shoulders sagging slightly in relief. Will placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. The doctor looked sadly at Sam, "I know that this is an extremely difficult time for you and I am truly sorry for your loss, but at the same time I wish to congratulate you on the birth of your baby girl."

Sam was unable to find the strength to speak so Will spoke for him, "Can he see his daughter?"

The doctor nodded then looked pointedly to Sam, "Of course, but before we do though I'm going to stitch up that head wound of yours and check you over for other injuries." Sam nodded and followed the doctor down the hallway quietly. Will and his family followed close behind and they stood silently in the exam room while the doctor sutured his head wound and examined him for other injuries.

When the examination was all done he escorted Sam and Will's family upstairs to the pediatric unit. They stopped and stood outside a pair of double doors, Sarah held onto Annabelle and she looked to her husband and he nodded. He walked into the ward with Sam and the doctor had them wash up and put on clean scrubs over their clothes. Once they were set the doctor walked Sam over to an incubator in the corner of the empty room and inside was a tiny bundle wrapped in pink. Sam leaned closer to the incubator and took in every detail of the tiny life that was his daughter. He placed his hand upon the wall of the incubator and his eyes welled with tears once again.

The doctor looked from child to father and asked softly, "Would you like to hold your daughter Sam?"

Sam looked up with wide eyes, "I can hold her?"

The doctor smiled gently, "Of course, please sit in the rocker behind you." Sam did as he was told and he watched with a nervous anxiety. The doctor wrapped the infant securely in her warm blanket then carried her tiny form over to Sam. Once the doctor got him situated with the baby in his arms he stepped back, "I'll just be in the other room if you need me."

Sam tore his gaze from his daughter and looked towards the doctor's retreating back, "Did… Did Mikaela see her… before she…?" He couldn't finish the sentence as a lump formed within his throat.

The doctor turned and smiled sympathetically, "Yes, she did… for a moment." With that being said the doctor stepped out of the room quietly the door swinging shut behind him.

Will pulled up a chair in front of Sam and sat down in it. He leaned forward slightly so that he could get a good look at the tiny baby in Sam's arms. "She's absolutely beautiful Sam."

Tears slipped down Sam's cheeks his voice a hoarse whisper, "She looks just like her mother." He gently began to rock in the rocking chair as he cradled his daughter to his chest. They were both silent for quite some time, the only sound in the room was the rhythmic rocking of the chair Sam was sitting in.

Will looked up from the baby and spoke barely above a whisper, "Did… did you have names picked out?"

Sam smiled at his daughter through his tears, "Yeah…Mikaela said if we had a girl that she wanted to name her Serena."

Will nodded and gently traced a finger over the child's head, "It's a wonderful name Sam, it's perfect."

Sam looked up with eyes shimmering with pain and grief, "I don't know if I can do this alone Will."

Will shook his head and looked directly into Sam's eyes, "You're not alone Sam, you'll never be alone. You have all of us. We're all here for you, for you both." Sam did not answer him, he just looked back down to his daughter who was still sleeping in his arms.

A half an hour later his daughter had woken up and cried softly. The doctor brought a tiny bottle with formula in it and showed Sam the proper way to feed and burp her. Once that was all taken care of Will left Sam for a moment telling him that he needed to check on his wife and daughter who were still waiting out in the hall.

When he stepped through the double doors out of the NICU he saw Sarah and Annabelle sitting in the waiting area across the hall. He approached them and smiled softly, "She's beautiful… she's so very tiny Sarah."

Sarah sighed in relief, hugging Annabelle to her side, "Thank heaven the baby is alright."

He nodded and then took notice of the clock on the wall behind them and saw that it was nearing seven o'clock in the morning now. He knew that he needed to call the autobots and let them know what had happened. He knew deep down inside that they would blame themselves for this. He dreaded making the call but he knew that it had to be done. He pulled his cell phone from his pocket and held it in his trembling hand. He looked to his daughter's puffy eyes, he knew that his wife had explained to her about Mikaela. He pulled her into a fierce hug and kissed the top of her head. After a long moment he pulled back from his daughter and then looked to his wife, "I need to call them. I'll be right back."

Sarah nodded and she watched as her husband disappeared down the hall. She then steered her daughter back over to the waiting area and they sat down. Annabelle leaned against her mother and Sarah wrapped her arm around her in an effort to comfort her.

When Will found himself in an empty corridor he leaned up against the wall and pinched the bridge of his nose. He took a deep breath then flipped open his phone and began to scroll through his contact list until he came across the number he needed. He selected the number that would reach Optimus and then hit the call button.