Pulling Teeth

Chapter 4

I think there will be two more chapters. It's winding up.

Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers; I'm just prostituting it for my amusement.

Summary: Ratchet's lost one too many patients. He isn't losing this one.

Warning: Gratuitous violence, torture, m/m/m robot alien smut. That should cover it.

Pairings: Jazz/ Prowl. Eventual Twins/ Ratchet

The only use Ratchet had in life was as a medic. He had nothing else to offer. He wasn't a warrior; he wasn't young enough to learn new tricks. Everything he was was in his hands. Ratchet couldn't stop trembling. It should have hurt, the trembling but after that quick little flick of the scalpel, he was totally numb. In the background there was pain. Pain was still crying from his shoulders, and thighs, and abdomen. Pain was crying from from his mutilated arm but Ratchet was oblivious to it. He was shutting down. It was too much, it was just too much. He didn't really feel it when Hook cut one and then two tendons in his other arm.

They weren't alone in the room. Mirage held his hand over his mouth and struggled not to scream in disbelief and rage. A battle raged in his mind. Attack Hook, stop his attack on Ratchet, or hold back and retrieve the Twins. It would have been intelligent to get the Twins, discretion being the better part of valour, but what spurned Mirage to discard discretion was the expression on Ratchet's face. It was horror bleeding into apathy. He could almost see Ratchet fading away before his eyes, leaving only a living metal husk behind.

There were only three people in the room, and Mirage had surprise to his advantage. He couldn't bear to leave Ratchet in Hook's hands for even a second longer. Mirage dared not risk that Ratchet would be gone if he were to be left behind for even a few more minutes. Slowly, he edged closer, and closer to Hook.

An angry roar interrupted his careful approach. Mirage turned, surprised to see Sunstreaker charging from the open doorway, weapon raised and howling like a feral beast.

Mirage saw the flash of the laser seconds before he felt it impact his side. Pain came seconds later. But anger came first.

"Slagger, you couldn't listen to one simple order?" Mirage complained as he took cover. "Or at least be quiet when you decided to ignore the plan?"

"I don't do quiet, or orders." Sunstreaker snapped back, also taking cover. Hook's attack had broken through the blind rage that ruled Sunstreaker. He couldn't risk hitting Ratchet. But Hook had to die. He had to die horribly, slowly. He had to die by Sunstreaker's hand.

'You have to share,' Sideswipe spoke over the relay.

"Would you like to listen to my new plan before you go ahead and ignore it?" Mirage asked before Sunstreaker could respond to his brother.

Sunstreaker bit back a vicious retort but grudgingly waited for Mirage to lay out the plan. Oh the spy was going to get kicked in the tail for that. Even if he was right.

He didn't say anything. He didn't agree to listen or obey. He glared at Mirage which was as good an ascent as he was going get.

"I will distract Hook, and draw him away from Ratchet," Mirage said. "You slag him while his back is turned."

"Fine," Sunstreaker agreed. 'Coming, Sides?'

'Ya,' Sideswipe replied. 'I'm almost done.'

Mirage disappeared and Sunstreaker felt the energon race in his circuits. He rocked back on his heels and waited. Slag Mirage for being a stuck up, Towers' priss. Slag him for having the plan. Slag him for having a good plan. Slag him because Sunstreaker wanted to slag everything and everyone but Sides and Ratchet.

What was taking so long? How long did it take to walk across a room? Sunstreaker swallowed a growl. He knew through the relay that Sideswipe was almost there. He knew that only seconds had passed since Mirage had done his vanishing act but Sunstreaker wasn't feeling patient. He didn't really know what sign he was supposed to look for but he assumed that Mirage would be obvious.

A tool, feet away from Hook fell, catching the Constructicon's attention. Sunstreaker's senses sharped and he aimed his gun at Hook. The Constructicon stepped away from Ratchet. Just a few more inches and Sunstreaker would have a clear shot.

Hook took a step to his left, and Sunstreaker fired. At the same time as he fired, Mirage reappeared right behind Hook.

Too bad that was exactly where one of Sunstreaker's shots hit. On the bright side, another one hit Hook.

Mirage had the dignity to muffle his cry as friendly fire grazed his side. Sunstreaker felt guilty for maybe three seconds before the scowl on Mirage's face banished the feeling away.

"Thank you for shooting me," Mirage seethed as he ran after Hook, who was racing for the nearest door.

"Yeah, well you were in my way," Sunstreaker snapped back before he turned his attention to Ratchet.

"Hatchet?" He asked. The medic's optics were out of focus. Dread overwhelmed Sunstreaker and he couldn't mask the growing fear in his voice. "Hatchet?"

He jumped as a laser hit his bumper and burned a short path across his armour. Sunstreaker looked for his assailant, and immediately saw Mirage and Hook struggling over the Decepticon's weapon. When Sunstreaker looked back to the table, Ratchet was looking back at him. Sunstreaker was speechless. Ratchet was looking back at him. Irritated, snarly, wrench-throwing, Ratchet. He was so stunned by the sight before him that the only word he could must was hey.

"I'm not buffing that out," Ratchet said gruffly. "If you're stupid enough to break into this slagging place, you can repair yourself."

"Nice to see you too," Sunstreaker smiled widely. Butterflies danced in his stomach.

"The only thing you're good at is fighting," Ratchet scolded. "The least you could do is pay attention so that you don't get shot in the ass."

"Bitch, bitch," Sunstreaker said. "I'm getting you out of here."

"Did you bring a wrench?" Ratchet asked.

"Let's get you out of here."

"Well then, did you bring a wrench?" Ratchet asked again. "Because you're gonna need one."

Sunstreaker looked down at Ratchet and got a good look at the bot. Primus. Oh Primus. Energon was pooling on the floor in small puddles beneath the table under his back and legs. Ratchet's stomach torn open, covered in energon. Oh slagging Primus, his arms...

"Mirage!" Sunstreaker yelled. His stomach doubled over. Rage, and panic overwhelmed him. Sunstreaker looked wildly for the spy. The bot in question was sprawled over Hook in the far doorway. He didn't respond to Sunstreaker's hail; he was far too occupied.

"Calm down, hot head," Ratchet ordered. "There's a socket wrench on the table next to you. Pick it up. I'm going to talk you through it."

Oh no. No. No. No. No. Oh he could not do this. Oh no. He couldn't. This was not his element. He wasn't steady enough. He wasn't careful enough. Panic ate at his confidence and he would have fled if he could. But this was Ratchet. Ratchet locking optics with him. There was no way Sunstreaker would ever abandon him.

He didn't let go of Ratchet's optics. There was no outward sign of his panic. As he reached for the wrench, the panic seemed to ebb away.

'What's going on, Sunny?' Sides asked over the relay.

'Hurry up, Sides,' Sunstreaker replied. 'We're rolling in a couple of minutes.'

"Put the socket over the bolt," Ratchet instructed. "And start turning the wrench."

Sunstreaker did as he was told. Ratchet gasped and Sunstreaker paused.

"Don't stop," Ratchet ordered, his voice raspy. "Keep going. I'm not going to pretend it doesn't slagging hurt."

"You're the boss," Sunstreaker replied and steeled himself. He promised Ratchet silently that he would have him free as quickly as possible.

Ratchet barely cringed as each rotation of the wrench dragged the bolt against the raw wound. He felt every twist of the offending metal but the reality that it was Sunstreaker causing the necessary pain so he would be free of the metal slab that he practically felt was a part of him.

"How's Sideswipe?" Ratchet asked as the bolt came free from his shoulder. Sunstreaker was here. Sideswipe had to be okay.

"He's fine," Sunstreaker replied, giving them both a moment to study their nerves before he set to work on the next screw. "You'll see him in a minute."

"What?" Ratchet snapped angrily. "There is no way in Primus's name that he's in any shape to be here!"

"He's fine," Sunstreaker assured Ratchet, a gentle hand place over Ratchet's chest. "He just couldn't wait at home while I had all the fun rescuing you."

"Slagging idiots," Ratchet hissed. "Slagging, stupid..."

"Ya, well you're the one that decided to take on the 'Cons all on your own," Sunstreaker countered. The second bolt came free quicker than the first.

There was a long pause before Ratchet spoke. "I guess I was channelling you."

"Leave the stupid stunts to the experts," Sunstreaker said.

One explosion, than another rocked the building. Ratchet jerked surprise. Sunstreaker pressed his hand a little firmer against Ratchet's chassis..

"That's Sides. You might say he's channelling Starscream."

Megatron scowled at the ceiling as his fortress shook. He looked to Soundwave.

"What was that?"

"Booby traps, Lord Megatron," Soundwave replied. "Astrotrain seems to have detonated a landmine."

"Starscream!" Megatron growled. He leaped from his throne and stormed from the command room. "This will be the last time he rebels against me."

The fortress shook again. Megatron leaned against the wall to regain his balance as yet another explosion rocked through the halls. Fools. They were all fools. Who was the greatest of them, Starscream for attempting to usurp him or whatever pawns kept triggering the doomed Seeker's toys. The walk to the Seeker's lab was longer than it should have been. Megatron had made it a rule to keep the conniving bot close. He raised his arm to shield his head from the metal panel that fell from the ceiling.

"Where are you, you worm?" Megatron asked as he stormed into Starscream's lab. To Megatron's surprise, the worm in question was right in front of him, tools in hand, seemingly focused on making repairs to himself.

"What seems to be the problem, Lord Megatron," Starscream's voice dripped with sarcasm. Thundercraker and Skywarp, who were standing together next to Starscream, stiffened at the fury coming off Megatron in waves.

"Don't play innocent, Starscream," Megatron said. "You have failed me more times than I can count, and you have failed yourself in this final attempt to usurp me."

"What are you talking about?" Starscream asked, his voice just that much higher. "I presume there is a reason the compound is shaking?"

"Do you take me for a fool?" Megatron demanded.

"Oh no, Lord Megatron," Starscream replied. "Definitely not."

The other Seeker's winced. Each glanced about the room for an appropriate shelter when the shots were finally exchanged.

A vicious snarl marred Megatron's face and he seized Starscream by the neck.

"Do you have any other traps hiding around my fortress?"

"I don't know what you are talking about," Starscream said. He struggled to free himself from Megatron's grip.

"You're bombs, Starscream," Megatron said. "Where are the rest of them."

"We used them all in the battle with the Autobots," Starscream replied. "There aren't anymore."

"Then how are the exploding throughout my fortress?" Megatron demanded.

"They aren't," Starscream replied.

Megatron slammed Starscream against the nearest wall. The Seeker yelped in surprised and fear.

"I haven't had time to make anymore!" Starscream lamented. "I have been too busy repairing my leg."

Calm washed over Megatron's features. He looked down at Starscream's leg and saw the exposed wires. He then glanced over had the cowering Seekers. Starscream would never have trusted them with something like this.

"You two," Megatron ordered as he dropped Starscream. "Find Hook."

Sideswipe and Mirage rejoined Sunstreaker and Ratchet as Sunstreaker removed the final bolt from Ratchet's leg. Though Mirage's features were schooled, Sideswipe's flashed with shock and horror at the sight of Ratchet. A million questions and curses flooded the relay.

"What was all that," Mirage asked. He moved to help lift Ratchet from the table. Sideswipe swatted him aside. Mirage stumbled gracelessly back. Sideswipe's expression warned him off.

"I borrowed a few things from Wheeljack," Sideswipe said as he and Sunstreaker supported Ratchet.

He would never work with either of them again. Mirage promised himself as he checked the hall for 'Cons. Never again as long as he lived would he consort in anyway with these lunatics.

"How did you end up with these two?" Ratchet asked as if sensing Mirage's displeasure.

"They followed me like a pair of bad pennies," Mirage replied. "Before I step on something distasteful, did you leave anything in our path, Sideswipe?"

"Nope," Sideswipe said. "But go first, just in case."

The Twins didn't see the look of contempt and frustration on Mirage's face. Never again.

End Chapter 4