I know it's been awhile since I updated...I'm so sorry TT_TT I've been really REEEAAAALLLYYY busy lately, and some writers block (You all know what I'm talking about! XD) But here it is! Chapter 3!

I really appreciate those of you who've been reading, faving, following, PMing, and reviewing! I'm so happy that lots of people are liking this! As always, if you have questions and/or suggestions, feel free to tell me! I love reviews and PMs! I promise, I'm not a meany XD

Also, out of curiosity, what do you all think of my OCs Raoul and Dre? Like them? Hate them? Like one hate one? I just want to see what you all think of them!

Dislaimer's on my prof.!

If there's any spelling errors, I apologize! Spellcheck doesn't like me -_-"

Anyways, enjoy reading!


When Jack awoke, it was to find a man he was unfamiliar with talking to several other medics, all of them looking over the reports on the teen's health. Jack was ignored, even as he frowned.

"I want either Tevle or Forton to over see the boy's physical therapy, they should be able to have him on his feet in no time and-"

"Dre!"

Everyone jumped when the door slammed open and Raoul stormed in, seeming very, very unhappy. The tall, unfamiliar man, who Jack now could identify as Dre, turned to Raoul.

"Dr. Raoul. I thought you had been given the day off."

A scowl was sent in Dre's direction as the slightly shorter medic moved forward, ripping away the reports from the hands of the other doctors.

"I was supposed to, until I found out you were planning all of this scrap! What is wrong with you?!"

"I told you that the boy would be starting physical therapy-"

"He isn't ready! How many times do I have to tell you this?!"

Jack frowned, managing to sit up using his still intact arm. No one still seemed to notice he was up. The man named Dre sighed.

"Really, Dr. Raoul." He sounded disappointed with the other doctor. "To get an accurate results concerning how well the experimental prosthetics work, we need the boy to be on his feet and moving. Being the first to have the prosthetics, he is not only a patient, but the first to give the experiments a trial run."

Rage flashed across Raoul's face.

"Results?! This is a human being we're talking about! He needs to recover first! He still has lacerations and bruises that are healing!"

Dre seemed indifferent, glancing over a paper one of the other medics handed him.

"He's well enough to begin rehabilitation. He's gotten over the majority of the shock from the amputations, the stitches are sturdy and will hold up under movement, and so he will be working on getting up on his feet and moving around."

Raoul snatched the paper away from the taller man, eyes blazing.

"He's only sixteen, a child! He's going to be experiencing phantom pains and while his body hasn't reacted badly to the replacements, that doesn't say anything about his mental health! I was assigned by our superiors as his main care taker and personal medic, Dre! Not you! So kindly back off!"

"There's no reason to be unreasonable, Dr. Raoul-"

"Uh...Excuse me?"

Everyone jumped, and Jack froze up under the sudden amount of attention he was being given by the many medics in the room. Licking his lips nervously, the teen gathered the courage to speak once more.

"If it's all the same, I'd like to put off the physical therapy until later."

Dre frowned.

"Boy, you need to-"

Dark eyes hardened and Jack stared the man in the eye, a frown on his face.

"What I need is to make my own decisions. I'm sorry, sir, but I just woke up not long ago. I'm not ready to start rehabilitation, not while my stomach feels like it's eating itself and especially when more than anything, I just want to eat, bathe and to be frank, I really gotta take a leak." Jack squirmed uncomfortably in the medical berth to prove his point. "So if you don't mind, you and your group are really to loud for my tastes."

Raoul smirked, the expression a mix of triumph and amusement at Jack's bluntness.

"Well, you heard the kid." He said, grin widening at the look on Dre's face. "So unless you guy's want to help him out in the restroom, see you later."

The threat of having to help Jack use the restroom had the room clear out fast, but the man called Dre paused, eyes locking onto Jack for a long moment. Something about the man made Jack severely uncomfortable, and so he look at the floor, the walls, anywhere but at Dre. The man finally turned and was the last to leave, the door shutting behind him with a click. A silence fell, neither Jack nor Raoul breaking it...Then suddenly, Raoul began to laugh.

"Awh, I have never seen him make a face like that! Kid, you're really something, getting him to look like that! It was like he actually thought you'd do what he wanted!" The man flashed a grin in the startled teen's direction. "I'm liking you more and more each day, kid."

Jack blinked, surprised by the man's words, then smiled shyly.

"I...Uh...Thanks?"

Raoul chuckled, shaking his head to himself as he moved over.

"Well do you really gotta take a piss? I can't tell if you were kidding or not."

Jack winced, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly with his still intact hand.

"I actually do, but...If you can just help me get in there, I can take it from there."

The older male nodded.

"Alright then, c'mon, up you get."

Jack yelped as he was dragged up, nearly falling when he weak legs gave out. Raoul easily caught him, slinging one of the boy's arms over his shoulders.

"Jeez kid, you need to eat more..." The man muttered, making Jack blush with embarrassment.

"I do not!" The teen protested. Raoul rolled his eyes.

"Whatever, kid."


The brightest part of Jack's weeks in the medical ward were definitely the days Fowler brought letters from the others. Sometimes, Miko would send him pictures she'd taken with the bots. Raf would occasionally send computer games (Fowler had provided a laptop, for which Jack was grateful). Jack really liked the letters the Autobots sent him too (it was nice that for once, Raf didn't have to decode what 'Bee was saying) and their words were far more encouraging than anything.

For the past month and a half, Jack had been continuing to recover in the medbay. He'd just started his physical therapy, far later than he was supposed to after the gears in one prosthetic stalled (a painful experience Jack hoped to never feel again) and it had to be fixed. After that it was recalibrated and Jack had to adjust once again to it. But now, slowly but surely, he was beginning to use the prosthetics. In the time he'd been there, Jack had become friends with Raoul. The gruff medic could be a bit...Coarse, but Jack knew the man's heart was in the right place. But the doctor called Dre Ader...Jack wasn't sure why, but the man set him on edge. His very presence made the hair on the back of Jack's neck stand on end, and his gut twist with anxiety. Luckily, the man usually only came to peer in the window between the room and the hall, only checking on Jack once a day.

So, as long as he was breathing, could move and had his friends' letters, he was okay.

He had to be. If he wasn't okay, then he wouldn't be able to leave the medbay.

"You ready to get up and moving, kid?"

Jack was stirred from his thoughts by Raoul's voice, and looked up from the paper he held. He smiled, albeit half-heartedly.

"Oh, is it that time already? I thought...I thought I still had an hour or so until therapy. Who's it with today?"

Raoul raised a brow, seeming to easily see through the boy's false smile.

"Stuck with me today, kid. What's wrong with you?"

Jack's brow furrowed.

"Huh? What do you mean? I'm fine."

"Uh-huh." The man looked unconvinced, but decided to drop the subject, eyes turning to the paper Jack held. "Another note from one of your friends?"

Jack blinked owlishly, confused. Then realization came to his face as he realized what Raoul was talking about, and he nodded.

"Uh, yeah. Yeah, it's from my friend Miko."

Raoul walked over, pulling up a chair and sitting down. He held out a hand.

"Mind if I see?"

Jack shrugged, handing over the simple paper. Raoul took it carefully, treating it like it was porcelain, which made Jack feel much better. There was silence as the man's eyes darted over the page, then the doctor snorted, amused.

"If I had to guess, your friend Miko is..."

"Hyper?"

"Understatement of the century, but sure, we'll go with that."

Jack grinned, a small laugh leaving him, and Raoul smirked, chuckling as well and handing the letter back to Jack. The teen turned to his bedside table and took a deep breath before slowly, carefully reaching out. With his prosthetic hand.

The robotic limb shook, and Jack still felt a bit nauseous with grief whenever he used the limbs that had been provided as replacements, but he persisted. Raoul watched intently, ready to jump in if the boy had a panic attack (the teen had them before, and there was no telling when they could happen again). But Jack didn't let the nagging in the back of his mind get to him, instead gingerly opening the drawer of the bedside table and setting the letter he had inside, with all the others he had stored in there as well. He then shut the drawer and looked at Raoul, smiling proudly to himself.

"I'm getting better."

Raoul's expression softened and the medic smiled, nodding.

"You are." He agreed, standing and moving forward. "C'mon, let's get you on your feet."

Taking the offered arm, Jack managed to stand. He wobbled dangerously, but Raoul steadied him quickly.

"Remember, it's easier to not over-think it. Just act like you're walking around on a normal day, going to visit your friends."

Jack hesitated, then nodded.

"I know. I'll try."

Raoul paused, seeming to be thinking, then grinned.

"Tell you what, why don't we see if you can get down the hall to the staff's break room. I know Ader's been an aft and hasn't let you write your friends-"

"He says since I'm right handed and that's the arm that was replaced, I should't try to use it for something so-"

"I know what he said, but there's other ways to get a letter out to your friends." Raoul replied, seeming annoyed with the very thought of Dre. "But like I was saying, if you can make it to the staff break room, you can type a letter and we can print it in there. Fair enough?"

Jack's eyes lit up while Raoul left him leaning on a wall, going to grab the clipboard by the end of the bed.

"So if we do that, typing can help with refining your fine motor skills with your prosthetic and- Jack! Woah! Hold up!"

The doctor ran out of the room, chasing after Jack, who was well on his way down the long corridor outside.


When the 'bots, June, Miko and Raf all got a letter from Jack, they were thrilled. Even Optimus was overjoyed, though he didn't show it.

"Come on! Someone read it!" Miko exclaimed excitedly, jumping in place with energy.

"Too small for us to read without issues." Bulkhead noted. "Our fingers would cover up the whole thing!"

"I'll read it!" Raf quickly said. He blushed when everyone looked at him, surprised by the tween's eagerness. "I-if you guy's want me to, that is-"

Arcee, who held the envelope tenderly in her servos, smiled and offered the letter to Raf. The boy offered the femme a grateful look, taking the envelope and opening it carefully, pulling out a couple papers. Pushing his glasses up on his nose and clearing his throat, the boy began to read aloud.

"~Everyone.

I'm sorry I didn't send anything before now, but I only just started physical therapy and rehabilitation, so I wasn't allowed to even get out of bed, let alone write a letter. But I've been getting your guys' notes, and I'm really glad to have them. The medical bay is so boring, I swear the only reason I still have my sanity is because of your letters. I've got them all in my bedside table, where they're safe and no one else can see them.

Fowler tells me you're all really worried, but you don't need to be! I've been getting the best care in the Country (but their food isn't as good as their medical care. I never thought I'd miss your tofu, mom). I don't know the names of half the medics that come through here, but there is one who I've gotten to be friends with. He's my primary caretaker, or my 'babysitter', as he calls it, and his name's Raoul. I don't know his last name, since he refuses to tell me (he says he isn't about to give me an excuse to call him 'sir' again after I only just stopped). He reminds me of Ratchet sometimes (don't worry Ratchet, no one can beat you in the medical field).

Today I walked all the way to the medbay's staff break room, I haven't walked in a long time, and I was glad to be moving again. Raoul had to chase me down the hall, because I took off while he wasn't paying attention (it was really funny). I hope I can get out of here soon, I miss everyone so much it hurts more than anything. I don't think they have medication for that kind of pain, either, and I don't want to add another to my list of meds, seeing as how many drugs they keep adding to the stupid I.V.

It's really too quiet around here, when Raoul and Fowler aren't with me. The medics are too busy to talk (they really need to work on their bedside manner) and my room's soundproof. I have to ask people to leave the door open a crack so I can listen to what's going on outside so I won't go nuts. I never thought I'd miss all the noise and craziness around base.

I'm sorry I didn't write to you all sooner. While I have a laptop, I had no access to a printer, and my hands shake so bad that I'm having Raoul fix all my typing mistakes as I write this. Hopefully I won't have to write another letter, with how quick I'm progressing.

I'm trying really hard to get back to you all. Raoul says I'm taking to the therapy like a fish to water (he didn't say it in those exact terms, but I don't think I should write some of the words he used considering Raf and Miko are probably reading this too) and he even says I might see you guys in two weeks or so! I hope he's right. I'll do my best though to get out of here as quick as I can!

Missing you all and thinking about you guys everyday.

Jack."

Finishing, Raf lowered the letter. While Jack's words had mostly been of encouragement and lighthearted in tone, the mentions of therapy, rehabilitation, numerous medications and even the I.V had the others aching inside. Their poor friend was going through so much, things one so young shouldn't have to face.

And Jack was bravely facing it all, just as he had faced Airachnid in the forest, or Megatron in the collapsed mine.

But it was good to know that their young ward was safe, content, and healing quickly. Two weeks sounded so short compared to the six weeks they'd gone without him around.

Two weeks...Yeah. They could wait that long.