): I was going to post this yesterday before I left with my dad, but fanfiction was being a weirdo. :(

. . . Apparently a bunch of people 1) don't want me to kill poor Erin off, and 2) want me to write a ProwlxJordan story. . . hmm... Fine, I won't kill lil Erin. :) And once this story is finished, then I'll get to work on the ProwlxJordan one. It'll be like 'Come What May' but include how they met. Happy? ;)

Sightless brown eyes half-closed, Erin doubled over on her bed, splattering the sweat on her forehead as she shook. Thick droplets slid down her forehead and face and splattered on teh close-to-soaked blue comforter on her bed. With a shaking arm, she reached for her water bottle and drank, not caring that she spilled some down her face and chest.

No sooner did she put the water bottle on the side did she collapse in a fit of coughing, splattering drops of red over her hand and comforter. She curled up tighter, squeezing her eyes shut as she rode out the fit of painful coughing.

-

"What's her fever?" Ratchet asked, looking up from the image Arcee broadcasted of the human girl.

"Around 102.5 degrees Farenheit." The female Autobot replied promptly. "Yesterday she was around 99 degrees, but today she rose 1.5 degrees, faster than she has previously."

"When has she started coughing up blood?"

"Yesterday morning, I think."

"How long was she sick?"

Arcee shook her head. "That's the one thing I don't know. As far as I know she could have been sick for months."

"Any changes in diet?"

"This whole week she's been eating a lot less than usual." She admitted. "I didn't think much of it; she doesn't have a set eating schedule so she eats whenever she wants to and sometimes skips meals entirely."

"Changes in her pattern of sleeping?"

"She's been staying awake more often, but I don't know why."

"Is she delusional?"

"No; Erin never gets delusional when she gets a fever. Her mind is always in the right place." Arcee said, giving Katie a quick glance. It was her cousin after all that she was reporting about.

Ratchet frowned as Arcee deactivated the image. "Are you sure this isn't a human sickness?"

Arcee glared at him. "Yes, I'm sure. Her skin's hot, she has a fever, she went completely blind, she can't eat, she has regular dry heaves, and she's coughing up blood. No, this isn't a regular human illness."

The green medic sighed and rubbed his head, a habit he had picked up from the humans. "Okay. Bring her here on my orders."

Arcee as gone before he even finished the sentence.

-

Erin leaned back in her piles of pillows, gasping for air. That last coughing fit was a killer. Her lips twitched slightly in amusement at that, groping blindly for a tissue to wipe her bloody lips and hands.

She froze when a cool hand pressed one into her shaking one. "It's just me. Arc- Nicole is coming up and Katie's waiting outside."

"Thanks." Erin croaked out, taking the tissue and wiping her hands. "What about-?"

"They're not here." Hot Rod said, watching as she turned and blinked in his direction.

"Oh."

"We'll be waiting outside." Jazz told the female as she opened the door and walked in.

"Okay." Hot Rod and Jazz winked out, and confused, Erin turned and stared in the direction of the door.

"Hey." Nicole said quietly, closing the door behind her and creeping over to the empty chair.

Erin blinked. "Hey. What was that about?"

Nicole looked away. "I – I've lied." Erin was silent, but reached out and patted her hand comfortingly. "Please don't hate me."

Erin's lips twitched. "I don't hate you. You aren't Nicole, are you? Just posing as her?" Her tone of mild curiosity reassured the other.

"That is correct. I'm sorry."

"What happened to the real Nicole, then, and why are you telling me this?"

"Well, remember at Mission City, when you and she were in that old building? Nicole was crushed beneath a few boulders just before that, and I filled in for her. I meant to stay for a little while then leave, but… I couldn't. I'm sorry."

Erin shook her head. "It is certainly unexpected, but I'm not angry. I suppose you have your reasons." She tilted her head to the side as she was apt to do when she was confused or thinking. "Are you going to leave?"

Nicole squeezed her hand. "No. I'm going to stay."

Erin blinked, trying to mask her relief. "Okay." She paused. "I'm happy." She admitted.

Nicole smiled, though Erin couldn't see it. "Me too. But right now, I'm going to take you to someone who can help you."

A dark eyebrow rose. "How are you gonna get me past Mom?"

Nicole smirked. "Katie and Jazz are distracting her. We'll be able to sneak you out quickly and quietly."

"I can't walk." Erin pointed out.

"I'll carry you." without waiting for a response, Nicole picked up the human, pile of blankets and all.

"So who are you taking me to?" Erin asked conversationally as her carrier crept down the hall.

"Someone who can help." Nicole said vaguely and laughed at the face Erin made. "He knows about what's going on with Dead End and Motormaster, so while he's checking you, you can tell us all if you have anything else to report." As she knew she would, the human brightened at that.

"So…you're not Nicole, right? So what's your real name?"

"Arcee."

"Arcee's a pretty name." tiredly and wincing at a sudden pain in her stomach, Erin rested her forehead against Arcee's cooler shoulder. "How'd you do it? I don't hear you like I do Dead End and Motormaster, and you don't smell funny."

Arcee chuckled. "I use the real Nicole's perfumes to cover the smell, and use a special filter so my temperature is warmer. Almost life-like. I'm not sure about the hearing thing, though."

"Cool." Erin said wearily, shivering when they stepped outside.

"So, lil lady. Anything new?" Jazz asked, driving carefully down the road. Katie looked worriedly back at her cousin every once in a while to make sure she was okay.

"A whole lot. Dead End and Motormaster seems to like talking in my room." Anything she was about to say disappeared into a fit of bloody coughing.

"It's okay. You can tell us later. We're nearly there."

Panting, Erin leaned back and closed her eyes. Thank God for friends and family.

Hmm. By doing some research in the area of fevers, I learned that brain damage usually won't occur from a fever less than 107.6 degrees Farenheit. Also, untreated fevers caused by infection hardly go over 105 degrees Farenheit unless subject is overdressed or in a hot place. :)

Research for school: boring
Research for stories: better than research for school ;)