As promised, Starscream's a glitch. Though, as I've learned, there WAS a reason for him being so angry... Anyway, my sis, Loki, played Sam, and I, Kd Zeal, played Shadowsinger.
Sam wasn't sure how much time had passed since he'd been captured, the hours, days, and maybe even weeks had melted together into a haze of agony and fear… so much fear, it hurt so much… the human tried to pull the chains he was wrapped in, keeping him from doing anything but sitting there. Even the collar and chain around his neck was tight, it wouldn't allow Sam to even collapse completely. "'Bee… I'm sorry 'Bee… it hurts, make it stop…" he whispered into the darkness before he let the comfort of unconsciousness take him.
Primus bless air vents. And while Shadowsinger was requesting blessings, he might as well offer thanks, for none of the cassettes had opposed him. In fact, everything had gone really eerily well, getting out was going to be a glitch... especially since he doubted that Sam would be in a condition to take to the vents. Dropping to the floor, the ivory and purple mech typed in the pass code. He had been forced to wait until someone had entered, to wait longer while he knew what was happening beyond the door... "Oh, Sam..." This wasn't even revenge, no matter what Starscream might call it... this was simple anger, poured out. At least the boy was unconscious, though that couldn't last long. Determinedly, Shadowsinger went to work on removing the chains.
With a sharp cry of pain, Sam woke, struggling as he realized that someone was touching him again. Opening his eyes slightly, he realized that the person standing over him wasn't a Decepticon about to rip into him again, make him scream again… and he recognized the mech too… "Sha-shadowsin-singer-r?" Sam asked hesitantly, going limp as the chains were removed, the suffocating weight being lifted.
"Shh, yes, it's me. You're gonna be okay," the small mech comforted distractedly as the last chain fell away. "Do you think you could hold ont' me while I get back into the air vents, or do we have to do this the harder way?" He really did not want to calmly categorize Sam's wounds, even as he did just that. Multiple lacerations, broken bones, burns, someone had thought the human needed a Decepticon brand, looked like it had been given in the traditional manner, and those were just the injuries Shadowsinger could see. He carefully put Sam on his hip, holding him with one arm.
With a small nod, the human whimpered and held on as best as he could, forcing his arms to work while trying to practically press himself into Shadowsinger's side, even as it felt like knives were being slammed into him. He felt pathetic, clinging to the mech… pathetic and weak… Sam hated it, but couldn't help it. He choked out a small, battered thanks and let his head duck down in shame, eyes closing.
Good, things were actually going very well, something that only knocked Shadowsinger's fears higher. Rule forty-two would likely hit soon, and he'd learned that it tended to hit hard when it was delayed. With Sam hanging on, he only needed one hand to keep the human close, and after a few moments work, Shadowsinger was able to gain the vents again. "You know, you're doing well... I'm... I regret that I took so long to reach you." With another Autobot, Shadowsinger would have been quiet, no need to comfort a fellow fighter... Sam wasn't a fighter.
Sam found himself unable to answer, having a hard time breathing as his broken ribs gave shooting pain through his side and chest. His grip loosened momentarily, but he held on as best as he could, focusing on keeping his grip up and nothing else. Sam didn't want to be a burden or slow Shadowsinger down, told himself that he should have been left, and hated himself for not being able to voice it.
"Careful..." Shadowsinger warned softly as Sam's grip slackened. "It's okay, I can hold you now. We're in the vents, I don't need to do any climbing or anything. Only thing we really have to worry about here is the cassettes, and I can handle them well enough." It required bending nearly double to hold Sam in anything that might be a comfortable, or even tolerable, position. Didn't really matter, he had to go slow to stay quiet anyway, even though he wanted nothing more than to run out of here.
"'M sor... sor…" Sam tried to apologize, but his lungs still wouldn't work, burning as he tried to speak. He wanted to just curl up and go back to sleep, let the pain end… Shadowsinger should have just left him, let him die… the human never thought it would, but death sounded good… too good…
This wasn't good and he knew it, knew that moving the human was likely damaging him further. There was nothing Shadowsinger could do about it though, he wasn't a medic and he didn't dare try accessing the Internet from here. "Don't apologize. You've done nothing wrong. Starscream's good at what he does, good at making innocent people think they're somehow to blame for what he does..."
Again Sam didn't answer, loosing his grip on the Autobot. Spots danced across his vision and he tried to stay awake, but it was so hard… there was so much pain, so much agony… his eyes closed and he felt Shadowsinger's arm tighten around him, keeping him from falling as he left consciousness again.
He was out again, probably a mercy. They didn't have much further to go until they were out of the complex that served as the Decepticon base. Now he just had to get far enough away from the base that the other Autobots could help... Shadowsinger lay Sam on the ground and transformed, using his holoform to cradle Sam and hold the human on the back of his alt form, he'd be faster this way.
They were moving faster than before… As he came to, Sam noticed that he was on what had to be Shadowsinger's alt-form. He opened his eyes slightly but didn't move, couldn't move. Everything hurt still… his chest felt like something was pressing against him, re-breaking his ribs.
An increase in respiration and pulse alerted the mech that Sam was conscious again. "We're outta the base, just a little bit more and Ratchet'll get here. He'll be able to help you better than I," the holoform said. Sam really didn't look good under the sun, skin almost as pale as the holo's hair, where it wasn't covered with discolored bruises.
Answering Shadowsinger with a small cough, Sam felt like something ripped into his side before blood ran out of his mouth. Hands and arms too heavy to wipe it away, he coughed again, more blood spilling from his mouth… but Sam didn't have the strength to do anything but whimper between his coughs… mind and body both broken.
Oh Primus, blood was NOT supposed to come from a human mouth, it wasn't really supposed to come out of them anywhere, but especially not there. His holoform could, of course, ride perfectly even with both hands holding Sam. It wasn't much further to Ratchet, Shadowsinger loaded the boy into the medic, and then could only follow to the medbay. He didn't dare actually go IN the medbay, Wishmaster was okay about non-injured personnel watching as long as they stayed out of his way, but from all accounts, Ratchet wasn't the same way. Shadowsinger stayed outside, cleaning off what little blood had landed on his real form, and idly wondering just when he had gotten so concerned over the person who had killed Megatron.
Sam didn't bother opening his eyes as warm and careful hands touched him, he knew it was Ratchet by the voice that, though normally gruff, was gentle and soothing. The voice alone helped take away his pain and the painkillers helped add to it, making him feel like he was in a fog… a wonderfully warm fog… He tried to talk at first, when Ratchet was cleaning him, apologize for getting blood everywhere and for being a burden, but a comforting hand petting him silenced Sam's mumblings. The human let himself sink into a small state of self-pity when Ratchet's footsteps echoed out of the room, wondering why he'd ever deserved meeting the Autobots when he wasn't needed… Starscream was probably right, he realized with a soft, barely audible whimper, he was useless and only hindering his friends.
He'd slipped in the moment Ratchet stepped out, easily climbing up to reach Sam. Poor little human... "You're not, you know," Shadowsinger spoke quietly in response to the whimper, hoping he was guessing correctly. Starscream was fairly predicable, as were the poisonous words whispered in the midst of torture. That knowledge, and Sam's earlier attempts at apologizing, gave him the courage to say words that were, on the surface, completely appropo of nothing.
"Am," was all Sam could say, wondering how the mech could read minds and how he hadn't heard Shadowsinger enter. The human shivered when he realized that he was completely exposed, but was just too tired to do anything about it. Part of him hoped his savior wouldn't leave him, while the other part… wanted to be alone, wanted to just go to sleep and never wake.
"Not," Shadowsinger replied, sitting on the floor and running his fingers carefully through Sam's hair. Words wouldn't do very much yet, just his simple presence would be enough. At least for a little while... it would be best if he were able to stay until the human felt ready to talk, well, don't worry about the future quite yet, he could do that when Sam wasn't around, wasn't as likely to subconsciously pick up on his mood. Slag, humans were so fragile, and yet so strong...
"Am," Sam repeated, sighing at the feel of his hair being stroked. The meds Ratchet had given him were wearing off enough that he could open his eyes again. It was so soothing… he pressed against the finger touching him, enjoying its feel and keeping his eyes down.
"Shall we argue about this like a pair of younglings, then?" Shadowsinger asked with gentle humor. Sam liked the touch, just like Wei then. "Why are you believing anything Starscream told you, anything that ANY of them told you? I knew a grand total of four Decepticons who wouldn't lie to a captive, one's been an Autobot for more than five thousand vorns, one's dead, and the other two weren't involved in this." At least, he was pretty sure that Soundwave and Ravage hadn't participated in this, Starscream wasn't like to allow them the 'honor'.
Curling up, Sam twisted and tried to turn away but found that he was actually trapped against the bed he was on, the blanket hiding most of his body tucked in tightly. "He… right..." he muttered, closing his eyes again, trying to focus on the petting and not the shame he was feeling.
"You don't have to talk about it now," the pale mech comforted. "You already know I won't judge you for what you say or how you feel. Just rest, let your body heal, talk when you're ready." Ratchet was going to have a fit and a half when he returned to the medbay... and Shadowsinger really didn't care.
God, why did he feel so sick of himself? Sam made a sound of pain in the back of his throat and tried to press himself into Shadowsinger's touch again. Stomach clenching, the human could feel unconsciousness calling to him again… welcome darkness.
Shadowsinger smiled bitterly to himself as Sam succumbed to his injuries once again. "Rule forty-two... Fraggin' bites aft." He continued to pet the human, as though Sam were some kind of... cat, smirking in bitter amusment.
So, there we go. Please, for the love of Primus, leave a review!