-Syria-
I stared at Ironhide in disbelief.
"It can't be...you're...an Autobot..." I coughed. Ironhide gave a faint smile.
"That I am." he said, quickly but evenly walking outside. I fuzzily saw how terrible I looked in the light, and Ironhide did as well. My white T-shirt was soaked in blood, as was my hair and pants. I felt pain stabbing me everywhere, and was trying not to black out.
"How...can you be a human?" I rasped. Ironhide left the building where I had been kept, and looking down I saw the bodies of my captors littering the ground, ripped apart by high-caliber bullets. Ironhide walked to his vehicle mode, which didn't make sense to me at the moment until he explained.
"This is my holoform, Que made one for all of us, but we rarely use them. For all practical purposes, I'm human, but I can only activate this form when I'm in vehicle mode." Ironhide said. For the first time I noticed C-17 sitting a ways from the building, and even more surprisingly, Lennox was jogging towards us. He took in my appearance and frowned.
"We need to get her home, now." he said. Ironhide looked at me concernedly.
"Can she make it that long?" he asked like I wasn't there.
"She'll have to." Lennox said, looking at me. I suddenly remembered Hawkeye and was pummeled by grief.
"I...had to leave my spotter on a ridge. Did you find him...?" I asked. Lennox shook his head.
"No, tell us where he was and we can send a small team to go get him. How was he when you were taken?" he asked. I dropped my gaze to the ground, whispering the two words I didn't want to hear come out of my mouth.
"He's dead." I muttered. Lennox gave me a look of sympathy, gently taking me from Ironhide's arms.
"We'll get his body, but first, you're going on that plane." he said, walking the distance to the aircraft. I saw Ironhide's holoform disappear behind us, and he in his vehicle mode drove past us and into the plane. Lennox carried me inside, laying me carefully on a stack of blankets on the floor. I grimaced when my leg touched the ground, but lay uncomplaining. Lennox called to a few guys and took a Jeep from the plane, I knew they were going to find Hawkeye.
A small hum alerted me and I twisted around to see Ironhide had activated his holoform again. He walked over to me, crossing his legs and sitting by my side. He looked upset, and I painfully put my hand on his knee.
"It's... alright." I said. He didn't look at me.
"I'm a failure as a guardian, look what happened to you. I will never leave you again." he muttered.
"You are not. This was my... own fault for... not observing behind me. If Optimus... gives you any static...I'll take it for you." I said haltingly. My throat was dry and parched, but more than anything I wanted to pass out. I thought for a moment, shifting my gaze to him.
"Ironhide..." I said. He looked at me.
"Yes?"
"I'm done with this. I'll join your N.E.S.T team...after I'm recovered enough...maybe my...team can join it...too..." I said, exhaustion starting to take over. Ironhide rested his hand on the one I had on his knee.
"We'll worry about that later. Try to go to sleep. I'll be here when you wake up." he said.
"Aren't you...tired...?" I asked. He shook his head.
"In this form, I can sleep, but no, I don't get tired." he said. I mustered a faint smile, finally able to close my eyes. The last thing I remember feeling was the surprisingly gentle touch of Ironhide's hand on mine.
...
-Washington D.C. 0400 hrs-
I woke when I felt a jolt that jarred my leg and shot pain clear up to my neck. I cracked open my eyes, groaning. I felt Ironhide's touch on my shoulder this time, and widening my vision I saw him as his holoform still sitting next to me. I was still parched, and now the blood on me had dried and made my entire body stiff.
"We're home, just hang on a little longer." he said. I at this point was beyond very coherent thoughts, though my vision was clouded, I could hear fine and make out my surroundings. As soon as the plane came to rest on the tarmac, the ramp at the back opened and two guys ran up it, one wearing blue and the other wearing green, wheeling a gurney and a bright yellow bag. I was scared already, the post-traumatic-stress setting in. Ironhide soothed me the best he could, explaining briefly.
"We arranged a human connection with N.E.S.T to take you back to base and treat you there, the man in blue right there is a surgeon. Ratchet's going to help as well, don't worry, he's almost as good of a human medic as a Cybertronian one. He's the one that brought these two." Ironhide said. His holoform stood, backing out of the way.
I tried to pull away as one of the men bent to probe my broken leg. All I managed to do was send pain flaring, though I yelped when one of them gently moved my broken leg in different directions. I heard what they said to each other.
"It feels shattered, she's gonna need some work... Looks like she lost a lot of blood, get me two units of O- and some fluids, she's probably dehydrated too." The surgeon said. The second man in green pulled the yellow bag off the gurney and unzipped it on the floor as the first motioned Ironhide over.
"I need your help to get her on the gurney." he said. Ironhide nodded, hooking his arms as gently as he could under mine. The surgeon took my legs, motioning to Ironhide to lift. Pain shot through my entire body and I moaned in agony. They both moved swiftly, getting me on the gurney quickly. The man in green handed two I.V bags, one of clear liquid and another of blood to the surgeon, who then gently took one of my arms and turned it over.
Efficiently, he stuck both needles into the vein in my forearm before handing the bags to the man in green, who stepped out of the way and held the bags high enough that gravity would do its job. The surgeon pulled up the rails on the gurney, moving swiftly back down the ramp with Ironhide close behind. He stopped behind who I recognized as Ratchet in vehicle mode.
Ratchet swung open the back doors and the surgeon used Ironhide's help to get the gurney into the back of Ratchet. We left Ironhide behind, but I didn't dare black out again, I was afraid I wouldn't wake up if I did. Now that I had fresh blood draining into my system, and since I had been jostled quite a bit, several of my wounds had broken open and were bleeding again.
The ride back to the base was blurred, and seemed to not take as long as I thought. I felt Ratchet slow, but not stop for, the gate in front of the base, and the guards let him right through. I had the feeling that Ratchet was driving through the base itself, and when he stopped and opened the doors again, I was in a part of the base I didn't recognize. After we were out, Ratchet transformed and led the way quickly to a corner that was sort of walled off from the rest of the base, one wall was open to admit entry, but it was sort of in a secluded alcove of its own. As they wheeled me in there, I realized why.
It appeared as if they had a fully stocked operating room in the back of the base, probably just in case someone like me got badly injured and they didn't want to explain to a normal hospital. The two men pulled me up even with a metal table in the center of the room, and swiftly transitioned me onto the table. While the man in green hung my I.V.'s, the surgeon was washing his hands in a sink on the other side of the room. While he wasn't wearing scrubs, he did have a surgical mask and gloves. Ratchet was standing out of the way at the moment, but I didn't doubt he could help me as much as the other two.
The man in green swiftly put my index finger in a pulse monitor and went to prep himself the same way as the surgeon. I dimly watched my heart monitor, and though I wasn't a medic, I knew it was beating way too fast and very irregularly. I felt firm but gentle hands pull my head straight, so I was looking up at the ceiling, or rather, the very bright light that was aimed at me from over the table. The surgeon said nothing, quickly slipping a mask onto my face and nodding to someone I couldn't see, most likely the man in green. I smelled something odd, and then a black wave washed over me and I tumbled into unconsciousnesss.
...
*3rd person POV
The two medics busily worked around Morgan while Ratchet kept an eye on her vitals. The E.M.S responder who was wearing green muttered to himself.
"How is she even still alive?" he said. Ratchet himself seemed surprised.
"According to my scans, she has a shattered tibia and a few broken ribs, a concussion, multiple lacerations and contusions, and some of her internal organs are damaged as well. She's a fighter, I'll say that." Ratchet said. The surgeon didn't know where to start, but focused on her leg first. He cut away most of her pant leg and assesed the damage. A massive dark bruise had formed over her shin and there was an obvious dent in the front of her leg. He motioned for a scalpel, and briskly sliced over the bruised area and the break. Dark blood oozed out of the new wound, and he did his best to put her leg back together. Once he had pieced the bone back together, Ratchet handed him a metal rod to stabilize the bone. After he had screwed it into place, he sutured the muscle and skin back together and moved on, talking as he went.
"That's the best I can do for now, put a cast on her and we'll hope for the best. I can't garuntee she won't walk with a limp for the rest of her life..." he said, moving up to her rib cage and feeling it gently. He seemed relieved and spoke again.
"None of them broke off, so we don't have to worry about that. Now, let's see about her internal injuries. If she's not bleeding into her abdomen then we'll just have to keep her under observation to make sure she doesn't develop any problems." the surgeon said. He lifted the bottom edge of her bloodstained shirt and paused a moment, taking in just how badly she was injured. There were deep purple bruises everywhere, some of them looking like she had been beaten with a chain so hard that the links were visible in the bruise. She had been lashed and cut as well, some of them deep, and the surgeon made up his mind to stitch the worst ones closed.
He gently but firmly felt around her abdomen, relieved that it still gave under pressure and wasn't hard and full of blood.
"She's not bleeding internally, that's good. Put that cast on her and I work on the stitches." he said. Before anyone could start anything though, Ratchet gave a warning an instant before the machines around her started wailing alarms. Her BP plummeted an instant after her heart monitor flat-lined. The E.M.S responder shouted above the alarms.
"What's going on with her?" he said. The surgeon shook his head.
"I don't know, it could be a reaction to the sedative, or her concussion his worse than we thought. Get her heart going now, come on!" he said. The surgeon pulled the mask off of Morgan's face, replacing it with a respirator and ordering the E.M.S responder to grab the defibrilator. The surgeon felt her pulse, getting nothing he started compressions while he waited for the instrument he needed. The E.M.S came running back with the defibrilator and handing it to the surgeon, he stepped back.
The surgeon charged up the machine and with a call of 'Clear!' pressed the two shock paddles to Morgan's chest and gave her a jolt. The muscles in her torso contracted, causing her chest to rise off the table for a moment. They all gave a sigh of relief though when her pulse started beating again, now steadier than it was before. The surgeon motioned to Ratchet.
"Can you do a scan on her head? Is she bleeding into her brain?" he asked. Ratchet did as he was asked, then shook his head.
"No, she's not. But she has one heck of a concussion." The surgeon nodded.
"Then theres not much more we can do than put a cast on that leg and stitch up the worst cuts." he said. Ratchet helped the E.M.S responder encase Morgan's leg in a cast, guessing on a color she liked and using dark blue. The surgeon worked busily, neatly stitching the deepest lacerations in her body and doing the best he could that they wouldn't leave too much of a scar. Stepping back finally, he wiped his brow and looked down at his patient.
"That's about all we can do right now. The rest is up to her. I imagine she'll need some therapy for her leg, but she's tough. Ratchet, when she wakes up, run a few basic tests on her to make sure she doesn't have any permanent brain damage, other than that I'd say just have her rest." he said. Ratchet nodded.
"Will do. She's in good hands, and thank you for all your help." Ratchet said. The surgeon nodded, motioning for his assistant to follow him as he left. Ratchet looked on as they left, and Ironhide passed them on the way out, going to see Morgan. Ratchet tried to stop him but he begged to be with her.
"Come on Ratch, please. I'm supposed to be her guardian, and of late I haven't been doing so good of a job..." Ironhide said. Ratchet sighed, putting a hand on Ironhide's shoulder.
"Alright, but she's resting, don't wake her. And Ironhide, don't blame yourself, old friend. She chose the path of a soldier, and therefore was vulnerable to be caught in the line of fire." Ratchet said. Ironhide dipped his head in thanks, walking past Ratchet. He stared in horror at Morgan's still form on the operating table. Her clothes had been changed to a white T-shirt that was too big for her and a white pair of loose shorts, but he could still see the bruises on her arms and the stitches on her cuts. A breathing tube was run down her throat, and she was so still the only thing that told him she wasn't dead was the steady heart monitor and the labored rise of her chest as the respirator forced her to breathe.
Ironhide knelt beside where she lay, bowing his head and sitting his own quiet vigil next to her.
...
-Washington D.C. 0938 hrs- *Morgan's POV
I had a pounding headache when I woke, and when I cracked open my eyes the harsh white lights in the base seemed too intense. I opened them a fraction wider when a shadow blocked the light from my eyes. The figure came into focus and I recognized Ironhide. I was going to call his name, but something down my throat prevented me from doing so. My body recognized this as an irritation and I started coughing, but it wasn't doing anything. I heard Ironhide call for Ratchet and quickly the object was pulled from my throat. I coughed a few more times, looking at Ratchet i saw he was setting down a breathing tube, that must have been what was in my throat.
I moved slightly, feeling something encasing my foot and leg up to my mid-thigh I assumed that they had put my leg in a cast.
"Hey guys..." I said in a raspy voice that didn't seem to sound like it belonged to me. Ironhide transformed quickly and activated his holoform, walking briskly to my side he had a look of immense relief.
"Morgan..." he said. Ratchet got my attention.
"I know it will be uncomfortable for you, but I need to run a few tests to see if you have any brain damage. You have quite a nasty concussion." he said. Kneeling, he flashed a light in each of my eyes, obviously satisfied with my reaction. He motioned for Ironhide to sit me up. Ironhide complied, gently his holoform put an arm behind my shoulders and lifted me upright. I hissed in pain from being moved, and Ironhide looked upset for having to hurt me. Ratchet did the same thing with the light, then held up one finger in front of my face.
"Follow this without moving your head." he said. I complied, my weak gaze traveling from one side of my vision to the other.
"Good." Ratchet said. He ran a few more tests, then completely satisfied, he told Ironhide to lay me back down. I winced again, but assured him I was okay.
"Don't worry, I'm fine." I said. Ratchet gave me a grim look.
"You are not fine, nor were you when you were brought here. In fact, we lost you for a little while shortly after you were put under." Ratchet said. Ironhide obviously hadn't heard this, and his bright blue eyes widened.
"Oh..." I said. I looked at Ironhide, saying something that had been weighing on my mind since I had been rescued.
"My team...they think I'm dead...and they should know that Hawkeye really is...Would you happen to need any more N.E.S.T agents?" I hinted. Ironhide flashed a glance at Ratchet, who shrugged.
"I will discuss it with Optimus and Captian Lennox. In the meantime, you are going nowhere. Get some rest." Ironhide said, giving my shoulder a light squeeze. I laid a hand briefly on his arm.
"Thank you, Ironhide. I wouldn't have chosen anyone else for my guardian." I said. My hand slid from his arm and I closed my eyes, surrendering to sleep once more.
...
-Washington D.C. 1300 hrs-
It only seems like I slept for a few minutes, but when I woke up again, Ratchet told me it was one o clock in the afternoon. I frowned, then with effort, achingly hauled myself into a sitting position. My head spun a bit when I did, and I took a moment to gain my bearings. Ratchet tried to lay me back down, but I waved him off.
"You really need to be resting, Morgan. You are still badly injured." he said. I sighed, abesntly rubbing the cast on my leg. I looked up at him.
"Can I at least stay awake and talk to someone? I've been sleeping for long enough." I said. Ratchet sighed, giving me a faint smile.
"Alright, it might do you good. Am I good enough company or would you prefer someone else?" he asked. I smiled back at him.
"You're just fine. I really would like to get to know all of you though. Of course I know Ironhide, but still not that well. I've met all of you, but haven't been able to actually talk to any of you." I said. Ratchet chuckled.
"With your injuries as severe as this, I don't think that will be a problem. I imagine you'll be confined to base for a while, whenever someone's not running recon and has some down time I'm sure you'll have plenty of time to get to know everyone." Ratchet said. I was silent for a moment, then decided I might as well start learning about him.
"So what about you? Lennox sort of filled me in on everything general, the Decepticons and basic information on you guys, but I've got all the time in the world, so let's hear your story." I said. Ratchet smiled, thinking a moment before beginning.
"I think the best place to start would be when we first came to earth. I was actually nearly dicovered when I crash-landed, but I found a suitable vehicle mode and maintained my cover. Acutally, after Sam led us to his home, we all had a hard time adjusting to your planet and its ways. Optimus unintentionally destroyed Sam's yard and I uh...accidently walked into some power lines. Heh, I've never felt a jolt like that, it sat me on my aft in a hurry. I cut the power to Sam's entire neighborhood, actually." Ratchet said. I laughed, the fact that Ratchet, such a calm and collected Autobot whenever I'd seen him, had done something like that was hilarious. He continued, telling me about the battle with the Decepticons and then the later quest for the matrix of leadership in Egypt. I felt saddened when he told me about Jetfire and interuppted him.
"That's so sad, he really sacrificed himself to save everyone, even though he was a Decepticon?" I said. Ratchet nodded.
"He ripped his own Spark from his chest and told Optimus to take his parts. And which side you join doesn't have to do with creation, like Jetfire used to say, 'it's a choice, it's an intensely personal decision.'" Ratchet said. I was amazed at Jetfire's bravery, and listened to the rest of what Ratchet had to say. When he'd finished, I had gained a lot of knowledge not only about him but the rest of the Autobots as well. I heard the sound of footsteps, not human ones, and swung my gaze around to see Ironhide returning. He seemed surprised that I was awake, and looked at Ratchet.
"You said you'd call me if she woke up." he said, a slight edge of hurt in his voice. I calmed him down.
"It's not his fault, I had him occupied telling me about you guys." I said. Ironhide relaxed a little, turning his attention to me.
"Optimus has agreed to allow your team to join N.E.S.T, though you won't be going to see them. He's arranged for Lennox and I to bring them here to stay with you." he said. I was confused.
"Wait, what? Am I living here now?" I asked. Ratchet spoke from behind me.
"If that is your wish, then yes." he said. I looked at Ironhide again, a smile pulling at my lips.
"If it means staying with Ironhide, then by all means it's my wish." I said. I suddenly rememberred Hawkeye and my face fell.
"What happened with my spotter?" I said. Ironhide seemed uncomfortable talking about him, but Ratchet spoke again with a sympathetic tone.
"We located the rest of your team at the Naval base and left his body with them, they arranged a burial ceremony that same day, I deeply apologize that you can't be there." Ratchet said. I dropped my gaze to my cast, muttering.
"That's okay, he was only my partner and one of my best friends..." I said. The two Autobots were silent, and I looked up to see them both with semi-hurt expressions. I saw this and apologized immediately.
"I'm sorry, that sounded harsher than I meant it." I said. Ironhide's expression softened.
"It's alright, I know you didn't mean it. I know what its like to lose a partner...I'm sure Ratchet told you about Jazz?" he said. I nodded, giving him a sympathetic look.
"Megatron ripped him in two during your first battle with him. You were the one that found his body..." I said, trailing off. Ironhide nodded, lost in his own memory.
"He was a brillaint lieutenant, and young in Cybertronian standards. He and Optimus were close friends as well, Jazz didn't deserve to die at the hands of that accursed Decepticon..." he said. I thought a moment, turning to Ratchet.
"What about the matrix that Optimus has? If it brought him back to life, why not Jazz?" I said. Ratchet shook his head.
"In theory it could, but Jazz's body is at the bottom of the Lorentian abyss, by now he's probably been crushed beyond recognition. Believe me, the idea crossed my mind as well, but like i said, it would be impossible." he said. Ironhide looked upset, and I decided to change the subject.
"I think I'm getting a bit tired, actually. When were you leaving to get my team?" I asked. Ironhide's expression changed, looking a bit less sad.
"Right now actually. I'll wake you when we get back." Ironhide said. I nodded, and Ironhide left. Right as I went to lie down and try to get comfortable, Ratchet stopped me.
"Morgan, I can't imagine that table is comfortable for you, would you like me to move you to an actual bed?" he asked, stepping aside to show a cot set up in one corner. I nodded in thanks, extremely grateful.
"Thank you." I said. Ratchet smiled.
"No problem." he said. Gently, he lifted me in his hand and turned, depositing me into the cot. I shifted for a few moments, arranging my stiff leg and finding a comfortable position since I ached so bad. I thanked Ratchet again, closing my eyes and drifting off to sleep again.