Rather short chapter. Sorry about that. Obviously I didn't plan the chapter lengths out very well. xD
I tried to help Epps lift me, but did more harm than good. He finally just ducked, hefting me over his shoulder like a sack of wet potatoes and ran.
"Hoo, yeah," I choked sarcastically. "This feels better."
"You are one crazy white girl, y'know that?"
"I had my suspicions."
They ran until we reached the battleground. My eyes were squeezed shut and I was singing the national anthem in my head to keep myself occupied until I heard a familiar scream.
"SAM."
I shoved off of Epps' shoulder and fell against the slab of concrete Lennox leaned against, firing rounds into Megatron. The other Airmen began following his lead. Megatron was still putting up one hell of a fight, even against Optimus and the grenades, but the F-22s made another circle round and fired their hellacious missiles directly on top of him. One went through his massive shoulder. Another took out his legs. Tit for tat, fucker. He roared in pain and fell to his knees, directly over Sam.
"SAM!"
"Sam, put the Cube into my chest!" Optimus demanded, reaching for him from his prone position on the ground. I had no idea how Optimus had been put to the ground, or how in the hell Sam had gotten right there, in between the feuding bots.
Sam completely ignored him and shoved the Cube into Megatron's chestplate instead. The leader of the Decepticons howled in agony as the All Spark tore through his body, ravaging the inner workings and melding them together with its sheer, incomprehensible power. Sam's arms jerked with the effort to hold the disintegrating Cube in place, until with a jolt he was thrown back into the grill of a car. Megatron convulsed and jerked, scrabbling at his ruined chest with one hand before finally falling. Sam ducked away to avoid being crushed by Megatron's hand, and everything went still. All I could hear was the panting of the soldiers around me and the squeal of metal as Optimus stood.
He shook his big blue head down at the felled bot. "You left me no choice, brother."
I hoped he meant brother in the racial sense, otherwise this was going to be a lot more upsetting.
I forced myself up on shaking arms and limped closer to them, as Epps and Lennox surrounded Megatron's downed body with men. I couldn't blame them. An All Spark to the chest didn't look like much, especially after the tank Decepticon had gotten back up after much more of a blast. Optimus leaned down to look Sam in the eye, chest expanded with pride. "Sam, I owe you my life."
Sam shook his head a little, but Optimus continued. "We are in your debt."
I leaned my hip against a fallen marble column as Mikeala and Bumblebee pulled up beside us. She jumped out, gave Bumblebee a glance, then made a beeline for Sam. I smiled tiredly and looked up at Bumblebee.
"H-hey, sexy."
Ratchet and Ironhide came up from behind him, Ironhide holding the two remaining halves of Jazz. My eyes watered and my heart sank. I knew it. "Oh, Jazz."
Fuck this. I was an emotional and physical wreck. Again. "To hell with it," I sniffed and limped over to Bumblebee, leaning heavily against his arm. Cold metal met my hip where the jeans had been scraped away in my little fun ride. Bumblebee's hands lifted a little in surprise, then his optics narrowed on my tattered and bloody appearance.
"Are you going to be alright?"
I nodded and moved away to wobble against his knee as Sam called my name. "I'll be okay, no wo- Wait a second-"
"Permission to speak, sir?"
Optimus looked up at Bumblebee. "Permission granted, old friend."
"You speak now?" Sam and I both asked. I pointed a finger at him. "Stop doing that."
"I wish to stay with the boy," Bumblebee stated plainly, beseeching his leader with his eyes.
"If that is his choice," Optimus nodded magnanimously.
Sam glanced between Mikaela and I, a slight grin lighting his face. I smirked tiredly. What, like he'd really say no?
"Yes."
Told you.
Optimus knelt down beside Megatron's body as Lennox and his men decided there was no further danger to be had from him. They surrounded and congratulated Sam while Mikaela tsked at my fresh wounds. The bandages had been stained and torn right along with the fabric of my shirt. I held my arms crossed under my breasts in lieu of a bra and shrugged her off. "Nothing we can do about it here."
I looked up as Lennox stomped through the glass and rubble up to the tow truck. "You weren't bad out there, kid," he admitted, though it looked like it pained him to do so.
"Rachel Parker."
"It'd probably terrify the piss out of me.. But maybe you should look into signing up for the Air Force."
Fresh out of high school. Go away. "I might have to look into that."
I just wanted to go home.
One month later. Things have settled down. I'm still living next to the Witwickys. On my way to becoming an Airman. Watching Ironhide and Bumblebee, sparkling new after Ratchet reattached his legs, pull up outside the house.
Sam honks and yells out the window. "Hey Rachel!"
I look at my mother in the lawn chair beside me, overseeing the complimentary gardening services supplied by an anonymous benefactor. One man's mowing, two are planting her a perfect zen garden against the house. They're almost done and the sun is setting. She brushes blonde bangs from her sunglasses and flicks her cigarette, assessing me behind the dark lens. Then she sighs.
"Go for it, kiddo."
I grin. "Coming!"
I jog down the perfect, lush Bermuda grass in my shorts and flipflops, proudly displaying my battle scars with a bright yellow lace cami. Mikaela's in the passenger seat, grinning. "Hey, Mikaela. Hey, hero."
Sam preens under his new nickname.
"Where're you going?"
"For a drive." Sam shrugs.
"Perfect."
I climb into Ironhide. I haven't ridden in him yet. It gives Sam and Mikaela some sugar time, too.
"What's up, big kahuna?"
"Looks like you're adjusting well."
"Life is sweet when you have your financial shit taken care of for you."
"Still no security defenses set up, I see," he snorts as we pull out.
"I'm not putting surprise attack cannons in the front yard, Ironhide."
We drive past the lake, discussing the pros and cons of booby trapping Mom's new pool in the backyard.
"If we put eels in the pool, we can't swim in it either."
"But it's protected."
"Anyway. You want to chill at my place for a bit while they're finishing yours? Mom's got a new boyfriend that needs to know his place."
The seat underneath me rumbles with an evil chuckle. Be afraid, Tomas. Be very afraid.
Woot! Ironhide bonding! I might twist this around... Not change the pairing, just twist stuff up a bit. xD Because I'm like that. Twisted. Anyway! Yup, end of the first movie. Might take me a while to get it up and going, but it'll probably just be continued in this story. The next part, I mean. I am SO excited about it. 8D
