Intercede
Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers. I should think that rather obvious with my college-induced poverty and all.
Warnings: Onesided Bee/Sam, Some OOC
AN: More plot! Yay! Also, I'm trying to do regular updates again, but I have a few things going on this month. I'm not sure if I can manage it yet.
Sometimes, Ratchet thinks that the universe is out to get them. That Primus himself loves to mock them, taunt them with visions of peace and happiness. That he whispers of a bright future, one where the war is finally over and they can start to rebuild and be whole again. Only to cruelly twist everything, snatch their hope away in a single instant.
And that is the only explanation he can possibly come up with to explain this.
A bond. Well, they certainly all saw the connection between Bumblebee and Sam. But to have it erode. To bend past the breaking point and then invert, warp until it is unrecognizable.
There's no way any of them would have dreamed of this happening. Never even would have thought it possible. But then, none of them would've ever imagined their youngest using the Allspark fragment to strip Sam of his humanity either.
Prime has asked him what they can do. And the only thing Ratchet can think of is to send Bumblebee to Sam, to pray that Sam's presence alone will be enough to ease the strain.
However, Ratchet makes the suggestion already knowing it won't work. The odds are astronomical, but Prime grabs onto the chance like a starving mech desperate for energon. It's the only real option they have. The others are completely untenable, unacceptable to the extreme.
He won't have Bumblebee die when he can prevent it. Nor will he allow Sam to serve a lifelong sentence for something that isn't his fault. For that's what it all comes down to in the end. The youngling would bond to save his friend. Sacrifice his happiness, his future. Any chance with someone else.
Otherwise, Bumblebee would most likely die. And as horrible as it sounds, that's the eventuality Ratchet prefers if there is no sparking. If Sam doesn't complete the bond.
Better Bumblebee dead than a slow slide into madness.
He's seen this before. Only twice, both during his very early days as a medic; two times too many. One went quietly, all but catatonic at the end. As peaceful as possible given the circumstances. Silent but sparkbreaking.
And the other… Ratchet still has nightmares all these vorns later. Memories of crazed optics and self-mutilation. Flashes of what exactly the mech did to his intended sparkmate.
And that is all Ratchet can think of as he and Wheeljack race back to Nevada. As he comes to check Bumblebee's status himself, poor Perceptor way out of his depth with this one.
Slag it all, so is Ratchet.
He can scarcely contain himself. Barely prevent his limbs from shaking as he checks over the yellow mech, both Ironhide and Red Alert fingering their weapons in the background. Just in case. But Bumblebee is too far gone. He doesn't even move. The only sounds he makes are the rush of air in his intakes and the whispers of a single word. A name.
Sam. He asks for Sam.
Ratchet's had bots beg him before. But this… this is definitely a first.
And once again, Ratchet is thankful that he is not their Prime. That he doesn't have to make this decision. That he doesn't have to pick one youngling over the other. Even if they have no other option. No other choice.
Ratchet only hopes that it is the right one.
Ever Hopeful,
Azar
