Domestic Salvation
Chapter 4: Groundbreaking
Yes I'm going here… :p
This title leads way to multiple subjects in this story...not only what happens to Optimus and Ratchet but also with the side story of Bulkhead and Wrench.
I won't be posting more of this unless you all review. :p so there. :D Don't just story alert and don't review ..that's just silly. Story alert tells me you like it, just tell me why :D
Optimus' holograms' eyes thinned. "How did he come up with this answer?" Rafael asked as his hand pressed into his forehead. "I don't see how to get this answer using this formula."
"Perhaps high school trigonometry is not the best subject Rafael." Optimus said slowly.
"I know but I passed all the other math classes and they can't just let me out of school…" he sighed. "Ok ok ok …" he erased his equation and sat there some more. "I'll try again."
"Would you like me to show you how to populate your answer?"
"No I need to figure it out myself…I just need a few minutes…give me a half an hour…and if I can't figure it out we'll go through it together?"
Optimus smiled softly reaching his hand to touch the boy's shoulder. "Of course." He said softly and looked up to see Ratchet enter the silo. Pulling to a stop he opened his back hatch and beeped twice.
"Keep working Rafael I will be right back." Optimus' hologram faded, and his form stood up from its prone position on the floor.
Walking forward he smiled. "I take it your trip was successful?" He smiled.
"Yes." Ratchet's lights flashed with each word. "Very."
June exited the ambulance and moved to the back to pull out a few bags. "Suits for tomorrow for you to scan for your holograms." She smiled.
"Nurse Darby believes we should dress appropriately." Ratchet lowered his hatch once June was clear and transformed standing beside Optimus.
"I agree." Optimus nodded. "We will proceed with scans to night for your approval June." Optimus said. "But right now I am assisting Rafael with his homework."
"He needs assistance?" Ratchet asked softly. "He's a great student."
"High School Mathematics have him slightly baffled at the moment." Optimus smiled. "I have no doubt he will come through." He nodded.
"Understood…taking such advanced classes for his age." Ratchet shook his head. "We'll be paying for college by the time he's fifteen."
"That won't be a problem." Optimus nodded.
"Where is everyone?" Ratchet asked turning to his console as June walked the bags back to the human common area.
"Bumblebee and Arcee are on wide patrol; Bulkhead and Wrench are in the common room watching television." Optimus said slowly. Ratchet was going to say something and then nodded. "I'm proud of you." Optimus' voice rang out.
"I'm trying." Ratchet admitted with a sign. "This is not easy for me."
"It never is." Optimus laughed, until a blaring alarm made them look up. "What is it?" Optimus asked with all seriousness.
"Decepticon activity …another Iocon homing beacon." Ratchet turned and hit a button on his screen. "Wrench and Bulkhead to the command center …Arcee, Bumblebee; back to base."
"What's the rush?" Arcee asked over the comm.
"Iocon homing beacon get back here and we'll regroup."
Bulkhead and wrench walked in together and Wrench split away from the solider and went to his post beside his creator and Sire. "Do you believe it could be another Prime weapon Optimus?" Wrench asked slowly pulling up the signal's read out.
"I am unsure Wrench." He said slowly. "Once Arcee and Bumblebee are back you will open a bridge." He turned to Ratchet. "I will need your help with this one …they have consistently outgunned us at each meeting, and with Wrench here to work the bridge I would appreciate your help."
"Intimidation plays much?" Ratchet laughed softly.
"Such as it is…yes…" Optimus looked up. "Wrench you have the bridge…" He said slowly as Arcee and Bumblebee pulled in to transform. "Rafael?"
"Yes?" He peered over the railing from the catwalk.
"Continue your studies Wrench and June can help you should you need it …we'll be back soon."
"Okay." Rafael waved. "Good luck."
Optimus gave a curt nod. "Wrench the ground bridge."
"Opening coordinates." Wrench said. "Good luck everyone." Though he only looked at Bulkhead.
"I'll be back." Bulk touched the crook of Wrenches arm. "Keep an audio on the comm."
"Always do Bulk …always do."
"Autobots…Rollout." Optimus spoke up. The group turned and made their way out of the base.
"Feelings for Bulkhead huh?" June walked in and smiled.
"I uh well…" Wrench just nodded.
"Let's help Rafael with his homework." She said and stared up the stairs for the catwalk.
"Yes Nurse Darby." Wrench checked the life signs of the Autobots once more before turning to a large digital white board. "What's the equation?" He grabbed up his digital pen. "We can do it all together."
Bulkhead spun around. "I'll give that breakdown what fore if he shows up."
"Easy bulk…you come back dented and Wrench will kill us all." Arcee said shaking her head.
"Enough, it's bad enough I allow it I don't want to hear it." Ratchet stepped up beside Optimus as his blades extended down out of his arms. "Where is the signal coming from?"
Lifting up the scanner Optimus looked around "That way." He pointed east. "Keep your audios and optics open Autobots." He started to move forward activating his primary cannon. "Over the ridge."
They moved closer to the ridge as tension froze. Megatron stood over it. "leave it." He said "Back away from it." He ordered Knockout and Breakdown who did as ordered. "Soundwave…send a ground bridge we'll not be taking this one." He said coldly and they retreated through the ground bridge.
"Awesome it's ours." Bumblebee bleeped out.
"Bumblebee I wish to know why Megatron showed such trepidation. Ratchet with me, the rest of you…stay here." He said softly.
"What do you think it is Optimus?" Ratchet asked as they began scaling down the ridge side.
"I am uncertain but it gave Megatron pause so we must use utmost care." Optimus found his footing on the ground and reached over assisting Ratchet down to his feet. "This way …slowly."
"It's glowing…that's not a good sign." Ratchet said as they flanked around near where Knockout and Breakdown had been digging. "By the Allspark." Ratchet backed up slowly. "Optimus.."
"I see it." He said slowly. "Contact agent fowler …Nothing can come near here." Optimus turned walking away from the device which in a flash appeared to reach out to take him.
"NO!" Ratchet flung himself forward grabbing the Prime's arm.
"It will suck you in too!" Optimus tried to pry the medic's finger's loose as the other Autobots began to come into the small canyon. "NO!" Optimus ordered and in a flash he and Ratchet were sucked into the device.
Arcee shielded her eyes as she let out a yell. "NO!"
Bulkhead grabbed her arm. "I've seen that before." He said slowly. "When I was a fresh build like wrench in the great archives tour….."
"What is it?" Bee asked with a whistle.
"That's the well of transformation." Bulkhead said still holding onto Arcee. "That's dangerous…"
"Are they…."
Bulkhead looked down at Arcee. "I'm ….not sure."
"SLAGGING!" The curse was loud.
"He sounds fine." Arcee murmured as she took a step forward.
"Stay back all of you we're…alive." Arcee froze mid step and tried to scan the fog but was having trouble finding Optimus or Ratchet. However she could hear Ratchet very well. "Contact Agent Fowler as soon as possible." The smoke around the device began to settle as two human males sat on the ground, naked, and unharmed. "We need him to lock this area down immediately."
"Primus." Arcee said slowly as her processor nearly hitched, she turned around. "I'm going to purge."
"Bee, take Arcee back up the ridge; I'll um get them." Bulkhead said slowly. Bumblebee nodded and helped Arcee away. "Sirs I'm not coming in there after you…you're going to have to walk to me." Bulkhead said. "I'll transport you back."
Optimus groaned as he roused. "What happened?"
"The well of transformation…that's what." Ratchet sighed. "We're human." He shook his head. "No wonder Megatron left in such a hurry." Reaching down he grasped Optimus arm.
"I can't hear your thoughts." Optimus said slowly as if the realization had just struck him.
"Nor I yours…a consequence of humanity not hearing one's mate." Ratchet turned pulling Optimus up with himself and they slowly, hanging onto one another, walked to Bulkhead. "Are you unharmed?"
"As far as I know, yes." Optimus nodded slowly and reached up to his head. " I am just foggy." He murmured.
"I am slightly disoriented myself." Ratchet said as they walked toward bulkhead; who transformed as he opened his driver and passenger side doors. "In you go Optimus." Optimus clambered inside and Ratchet stepped back as bulkhead shut the door.
"Doc there are blankets in my back compartment." Bulkhead popped the hatch on the rear and waited as Ratchet pulled them free.
"And a human med kit." Ratchet said dryly.
"With Miko I have to be prepared."
"Fair enough." Ratchet nodded and came to the driver side door and weakly sat down giving Optimus a blanket to cover himself as the door closed around them. "Make sure Fowler quarantines this whole area…no one in or out…we don't know what it would do to humans."
"I've already relayed the command." Bulkhead said slowly.
"Bulkhead if Arcee is able to take command…" Optimus said slowly looking out the window trying to adjust his eyes.
"I'll let her know boss." The large mech pulled away from the well. "Is there a way to reverse this?"
"I have no idea Bulkhead." Ratchet reached up his hand and ran it through his hair. He looked up in the rear view mirror and groaned. "Human…"
"There may be a way…" Optimus said slowly. "There were tales that the well transformed those who needed to learn a lesson." Optimus shook his head. "A great truth, though I am at a loss as to what it could be."
Bulkhead nodded. "Wrench open up a ground bridge for me and have Nurse Darby stand by, got two patients for her."
"Are my creators all right?"
"Wrench they are alive….we'll deal with the rest later." Bulkhead pulled to a stop as the green vortex swirled before them. "Here we go." He pulled slowly up to the bridge and drove through it.
June shook her head looking between the two middle aged men. "This is fascinating." She said slowly pulling the blood pressure cuff off of Ratchet's arm. The two sat on a bench in a side room of the silo with a large blanket to cover each of their legs.
Ratchet reached up to rub his arm where the cuff had come off and nodded. "Perhaps for you Nurse Darby but this was not something I was planning at all."
"What condition are our bodies in?" Optimus asked slowly.
"Once I get the labs done we'll see….your eyes seem fine, reflexes, blood pressure." She shifted. "Blood sugar is low on both of you so we'll need to get you some food at some point."
"Not an animal." Ratchet said slowly.
"Going to go vegetarian on me doctor?" June smiled.
"Vegan." He muttered.
"Ok and Optimus any …reservations about food?"
"None…anything that is a societal norm that will sustain me will be fine." He shifted under the blanket that covered his legs.
"All right I'll send Jack and Arcee out for food….good thing you gentlemen bought a house huh?" She packed up her bag. "I'll be right back with those suits so you can put them on and we can get you back to the house to sleep tonight….I have some of my husband's old clothing at my house I'll bring it all over for you to go through."
Ratchet looked at Optimus sadly who only reached over and took his hand. "Thank you June, but it is your house, we gave it to you."
"And you need it now more than I do, I didn't put my house on the market yet." She smiled softly from the door. "When this is fixed we can worry about that. I'll send Jackson in with your clothes."
"Nurse Darby." Ratchet looked up as the woman paused looking back. "Thank you….June." He sighed softly and looked down.
"You're both welcome." She gave little nod and walked out of the room.
"This is ….this is …" Ratchet shook his head.
"Try not to think about it." Optimus advised. "We're just going to have to try to get through it."
Optimus stood wearing a white button up shirt and black dress pants, Ratchet was dressed similarly. Optimus held a sleeping Rafael in his arms as June fumbled with the keys and opened the front door of their home. She entered quickly and held the door open. "Optimus go ahead and take him upstairs to bed." She said softly. "I'll come up and remove his shoes when I get finished putting this food in the refrigerator."
"I guess I'll come too." Ratchet said to Optimus and they both made their way to the stairs.
Ratchet opened the door to the boy's room and walked in slowly giving Optimus room to enter to set Rafael down on the twin sized bed along the wall. "He looks so large in this form." Ratchet whispered.
Optimus nodded and sighed quietly as he reached up to pull the boys glasses off his face slowly.
"Be careful." Ratchet warned.
"I am." Optimus said folding the glasses shut and setting them along the bed side table. June entered slowly and sat on the edge of the bed and pulled the boys shoes free from his feet and set them down beside the bed.
"Come on out the both of you." She smiled. "jack's here with Bumblebee and Arcee, they have food and clothes." She smiled softly. "I need to get you into something else so these look ok for tomorrow."
"Oh no the court date." Ratchet sighed. "that was the last thing on my mind."
"I know but we will have proper legal counsel there, I doubt there will be any issues and we will answer as honestly as we would have had we been ourselves and just holograms."
"I'll go help Jack and Arcee." She smiled and walked down the stairs.
Optimus motioned to the master bedroom and closed the door after he and Ratchet were safely inside. "I just am …scared…and I can't shut it off …"
Optimus nodded and sat on the edge of the bed. "I understand the feeling, we just have to get through tomorrow and after that I promise things will get better…"
Ratchet nodded. "What about Wrench?" Ratchet leaned up against the wall and pulled the curtain back to look down at Bumblebee and Arcee in the driveway their holograms helping with the unloading of items from bumblebee's trunk.
"Arcee will see that he is well cared for, and if it will make you feel better he can stay here in the garage at night." Optimus nodded.
"No he's their bridge technician now. He needs to stay at the silo." Ratchet sighed as he looked at Optimus and then turned away.
"What is it?" Optimus stood and crossed the short distance to where the other man stood.
"I don't want you to see me like this." He sighed and shook his head reaching a hand up to pinch his eyes. "It's ….awful."
"It is not your form that holds me to you Ratchet… it is that which has always held us together…"
"We don't have sparks anymore Optimus." Ratchet shook his head fighting back the tears that welled in his eyes, but having no luck. "I can't hear you…I need to hear you…"
"I know…" Optimus reached forward and thumbed the tear away. "I listen to my voice hear me through my words." He pulled the other man closer and put his head on his chest running his long fingers through the sandy hair. "I wish I knew how to fix it." Optimus said softly and closed his eyes. "Great Matrix if you are still within me answer my call….why were we changed?"
"Please Primus ….make things the way they were before." Ratchet shook his head and fought back sobs.
They stood there for a long time just holding onto one another as there wasn't much else they could do. Here, alone, in their room; they could express the frustrations they'd been holding in their hearts. Their composure could fall and they could just let it out. Ratchet despaired clinging to Optimus as a life line. Optimus fought the despair off with his will, but silently in his mind asked Primus why he had done this to them.
Wrench sat in the common room on the large couch area his Sire had constructed. He looked blankly down at the floor. "Wrench?" Bulkhead slid into the room slowly. "Hey how are you feeling?"
Wrench seem to jolt out of his blank state and rubbed his optics quickly. "Bulkhead…" He sighed and shook his head. "I'm um…I'm fine." He said as confidently as he could.
Bulkhead smiled. "That's a lie." He laughed. "If ever I heard one. You're not old enough to be lying." The green mech walked in slowly and sat down next to the blue and orange mech and reached his arm out. "Come here kid."
Wrench nodded and fell against the other mech's side and just shook. "They…..can …they go back….can they be fixed? Are they going to be like this forever?" his optics ran with Energon and his vents hitched with each word. "I don't know what I'd do without them…"
"We're not sure what's happened yet completely." Bulkhead said letting his arm close around the smaller mech's back. The green mech let out a sighed running his arm over the smaller mech's back. "We just don't know right now. I have been searching what little of the archives I have access too but haven't found anything just some story about a mech getting turned into a half human half fish creature to be with the one he loved."
Wrench sniffed. "You're using a fable?"
Bulkhead shrugged. "I'm willing to look anywhere at this point." Bulkhead sighed and reached down seeing the smaller mech's face he started to wipe away the Energon that was on his face. "Easy we'll find a way. That mech in that story wanted to change. Optimus and Ratchet didn't….so we just have to wait and see what's going to happen." Bulkhead smiled. "Cheer up ok?"
"Hard to do when your creators have been turned into humans like that." Wrench shook his head.
"Hey it's going to be ok." Bulkhead tried to sooth but it wasn't his strong point. "I'm right here." He said quietly and looked down at Wrench's face, it was so much like Ratchet's but the finials were Prime's. "We just need to see what we can do ok? Don't lose hope on me just yet."
"Ok." Wrench nodded and leaned up and the two kissed softly. Bulkhead pulled back and licked his lip. "I'm sorry..." Wrench looked away.
"I'm not." Bulkhead smiled. "It is ok sometimes we need the closeness of others." He said and cupped the smaller mech's face; turning it back to face him, much to Wrench's delight, and kissed him again. Seperating Bulkhead held his face steady. "lets just keep this between us for now."
Wrench nodded. "Yes...of course." He smiled.
To be continued...