I do not own transformers just my characters and my plot.
Grief
My punishment had been severe as I had feared it would be. I was locked in my room only able to leave with an Autobot guard on me at all times. Some people might enjoy that, I did not really. Some of that could have been my guilty conscience though. Whether the Autobots chose to blame me or not for my actions did not matter to me. I am 16 years old and perfectly capable of making my own choices. I chose wrong.
Sideswipe came in visited me quite a bit and even broke me out of my imprisonment every now and then. Several times we met up with his twin brother he fondly called, Sunny. The stories those two told would have me doubled over helpless to stop my laughter. The story of the time they poured some alien form of silly putty in Ironhide's cannons and his reaction had me laughing so hard I fell over unable to keep my balance anymore. While wiping tears from my eyes I saw them high five like they had accomplished a mission watching me fall over in helpless laughter.
The military base was huge. On a cloudy day that had seemed gloomy Sideswipe took me outside for a surprise. Turns out I was let in on a prank Sides and Sunny were fixing to pull on Prowl.
The memories of the look on Prowl's face the day he interrogated me made me shiver with fear. That bot could make a log quake with fear if he so desired. Impossible as it seems I was sure Prowl could be far more intimidating then Ratchet. At least with Ratchet I had an idea of what to expect.
As we entered the hallway that led to Prowls office Sides and I met up with Sunny. Sunny had the supplies for their "Epic Prank"
Filling a bucket with some sort of alien looking goo we got started on his office. I was not exactly sure what was supposed to happen but Sides and Sunny knew and they were giddy with excitement.
Let's go Sideswipe said with a laugh and off we ran through the door to where the real sideswipe waited with the door open for me. Sideswipe sat there with the windows rolled down before we all heard Prowl yell out in surprise before we heard "Sideswipe," and then saw a sticky Prowl stalking towards us. Wheels squealing we made our escape as I ducked down hoping I was not seen. Prowl really did frighten me. We drove for a while before we finally stopped. This base was huge, it seemed to never end.
They activated their human forms so I could walk off some of the adrenalin from the excitement. While Sideswipe and I walked together he wrapped his arms around my head messing up my hair. I squeaked and broke free trying to fix the damage. Both twins laughed saying "I should see the look on my face." Sunny took off early leaving Sides and myself to walk and talk. I found it amazing that Sideswipe always seemed to be what I needed at the moment. He made me laugh when I needed on and listened when I just needed to talk. He even knew when I just needed a hug. The more time that went by the more often I saw him.
Finally making our way back to base Sideswipe walked me to my room. Walking into my room I see a box wrapped in golden paper. A little tag said " from Sunny" I opened it up to find several beautiful pictures frames with various pictures of me laughing with either Sideswipe or Sunstreaker. One even had me grinning with Ratchet smiling down at me like a father would at his little girl he was so proud of. A little note was at the bottom that simply said, "Time to have pictures with new friends and family." My heart melted as I thought of the work Sunny put in sneaking pictures since I never saw him with a camera. Then picking out various frames so I could decorate my room with new fond memories.
One day while we walked the grounds of the military base several miles from the area we lived I started to wonder what happened to Ali.
" I have not seen Ali around in several weeks ." I said as I gave Sideswipe a sidelong glance.
He got that mask look on his face once more and said, " You will not see her again either."
"Why." I asked kind of scared to know but wanting to know at the same time.
" She is gone, that is all you need to know." Sideswipe said with a look that said that is all I am going to say on the subject.
" Did you kill her?" I asked in a whisper.
That earned me a withering look from Sideswipe. "Kari! You know better then to even ask that. We do not harm humans."
"So does that mean if I take white shoe polish to Sunny's pretty paint job I am safe from harm?" I asked with a wicked tone to my voice.
"Oh, oh, I am not sure I could help you if you did that. He may not harm you but it would take quite a while to cut through all the duct tape he would use on you before he hung you out to dry." He replied laughing.
What happened next was rather confusing. One second Sideswipe was laughing being my favorite mech who was always ready to be whatever I needed at the moment. The next he got a distant look in his eyes. His face went from worried to anger then fury. By the time he looked down at me he had a look that resembled worry but I was not sure.
"Optimus Prime is waiting to talk to you in his office, now." he said in a frightful tone that had me shaking.
"What is the matter?" I asked as Sides grabbed my arm in a firm grasp and dragged me along towards their buildings.
"Just keep going," he said his eyes everywhere while he walked at a pace that had me stumbling to keep up.
Several times I tripped as he pulled me along. Not once easing up on his grip as I stumbled . Thankfully I never fell since his grasp was sure enough that he would hold me up when my feet caught on the uneven ground. Sunny's alt form swerved to a stop in front of us sending a cloud of dirt into the air. I was roughly shoved inside and Sunny was driving off before the door was even shut at such a high speed I clung to the seat in terror. The seatbelt came around me and synched down holding me in place as we drove at a freighting speed to the base.
I was terrified now. Shaking with tears in my eyes as I asked Sunny what was going on.
" Optimus will tell you everything as soon as we get you inside."
Within seconds we were in the base which was odd considering how far away from their buildings Sides and I had been.
Prowl stood there waiting for me with Ratchet. Both had grim looks on their faces as Sunny stopped right in front of them. I was not given the opportunity to get out on my own as Ratchet opened the door and pulled me out himself.
Holding me at arms length he asked if I was alright.
"I am fine." I said confused and scared.
Ratchet was not convinced until he had seen for himself. As he held me at arms length he gave me that eerie look he got when he was in full medic mode.
At last he pulled me along while Prowl walked on the other side of me. They did not ease up their fast pace as they walked in their full we are ready for battle stance until we reached the thick doors that boomed shut behind us.
I was taken into a room where Optimus Prime stood towering over me. His human form appeared and he grabbed me by the shoulders and steered me to the couch.
" Sit down, Kari." He said his voice very grave.
My mind screaming that something was horribly wrong I did as I was told.
Kari, I am sorry for what I must tell you."
I couldn't breathe
"The Decepticons have killed your father."
My mind froze. I had no thoughts, no words, no emotion. Things got kind of hazy when someone patted on my back kind of hard. Then I suddenly took a deep breath.
" How?" I choked out.
Your father surfaced and while in a convoy of 2 other vehicles they were ambushed.
" Did I do this? Did my phone call kill my dad?" I asked trying to make myself sound strong when inside I had started to shatter.
"No. You did not even know where your father was. There is no way your phone conversation led to this. We have reliable Intel that they are after you as well and they know you are here."
That explains the sudden change in Sideswipe today. I thought to myself. He was still being what I needed at the moment. At that moment I needed a protector.
"Until we decide out next move you will have an Autobot with you at all times." Optimus told me in a voice that made me sure that I had no choice. Like I ever did anyways. Besides I was scared enough I wanted more then one Autobot around me at all times.
I was walked back to my room by Sideswipe in his mech form. I had never seen the autobots walk around here in mech mode before. I am sure they did it but not like this. They looked like they were ready for war. We approached my room and Sideswipes human form opened the door while the mech form stood outside my door looking ever inch the warrior who was prepared for battle.
I sat on my bed and glancing at a picture of my dad and me together sitting on our front porch. The last of my control shattered. I could not breath. My mind spun unable to focus on any one thing. Sideswipe was talking to me but he sounded so far away.
I tried to slow my breathing but I just could not. I just barely heard Sideswipe say, " Ratchet I need you."
Next thing I knew Ratchet was there. He pulled out a sealed syringe . Seeing that dreaded needle I tried to wiggle away.
I whimpered as I fought with every bit of strength to break free of the strong arms that held me. Sideswipe made soothing noises as Ratchet filled the syringe.
"This will help." Ratchet tried to sooth.
No it wouldn't. He did not understand my absolute dread of needles.
" You are going to take a little nap and when you wake up you will feel calmer." Ratchet informed in his doctor tone of voice.
Again using a alcohol pad to clean my arm he pulled the cap off the syringe. I cried as I tried to sink into Sideswipe for protection. He helped all right. He helped Ratchet by holding me still as Ratchet came at me with that dreaded needle.
There was a stab of pain before the burn. Before long my breathing slowed and the roaring in my ears left. I started to feel calm and my muscles all felt like jello before the extreme sleepiness started to hit. Sideswipe laid me in my bed smoothing the blankets over me. I stared at the picture of my dad as my eyes drifted closed.