Inspired by Breaking Benjamin's Without You... and Linkin Park's Not Alone. I highly recommend listening to either one.
Her optics were dimmed, still trying to process what had happened... what would happen. Just as Will had predicted, they had been bound down and loaded into a single cramped C-17. But, that had been several hours ago by now. They had come with military grade rope, secured Jolt and the Arcee Triplets first. Then they had taken Ratchet and Ironhide. Vertigo was one of the last, kneeling in a silent vigil next to her fallen leader. Sideswipe had stood over her, taking a protective stance when the soldiers had come for her. They had struggled against the mech for a long while before finally subduing him. The femme had fought only to stay by her leader's side, but finally gave in. It was as Sideswipe had said; he wasn't there to leave.
She was silent, there was no more hope. The Fallen would rise once more without a brother Prime there to defeat him. The humans had sealed the only small glimmer of a chance that they had had in overthrowing their treaty with the autobots. There was only one thing protecting their fragile species now, and that was one of their own. The Earth was doomed and there was nothing that she could currently do about it.
Night fell, and with it the suffocation of the ropes that bound her. It had been over a day since the fateful incursion had happened. One day since she had been dragged back to the gates of the pit. One day since she had fallen down flat on her face, any security that she once had had been duly ripped from her spark. It wasn't right. It wasn't fair. What had any of them done to deserve this Primus forsaken fate?
She glanced forlornly at the lifeless body of her leader. Of all of the beings to strike down, he was the one who least deserved it. Primus, why him? She mentally screamed. Their entire civilization was already on the brink of extinction, why did Optimus have to be the one to die? The only one of them that actually mattered.
A constricting thought slowly began to wind silently around her processors caressing them with it's cynical pleasures. If you had just endured, this would never have happened. If you had never left, this would not have happened. If you hadn't been so selfish... She let out an inaudible wail. If she hadn't left... If she hadn't left he wouldn't have died. She wouldn't have caused him grief. None of this would be going on. Of course she would still have to endure the pain, the relentless bereavement, the horrors that he would put her through, his claws scraping against her sensitive and exposed circuitry. But, it would have been a small price to pay to have kept Optimus out of harm's way. Primus, why?! Why couldn't I have know? Her processors screamed at her. He had willingly pulled the femme out of hell. Offered her a new start, a new home, a new chance at life. He had looked at her not as a prize, not as a decepticon, but as a bot who needed guidance. This was how Vertigo had repaid him? By allowing him to die?
Lennox's voice drifted from somewhere outside of the C-17, though when there was no audible voice answering his questions. She realized that the Major was on the phone. Probably with his mate. Vertigo's throat clenched, she did not want to think of how he was probably telling her that he would be home soon and that everything was fine. She did not want to think of his young offspring at home, not knowing that this would be her last few days of life. She did not want to think of how she would never see her father again, or how hard Will must have been trying to disguise the grief in his voice.
The deep voice of Technical Sergeant Epps colored the femme's audio receptors, muffled from the thick metal sheeting of the transport. A conversation between the two officers indicated that the major had finished with his talk on the phone. She ignored them, what they had to discuss was none of her business. She would not ruin anyone else's lives if she could help it. What she needed was to think of a plan... anything they might be able to do to stop The Fallen.
The sound of soft footsteps, those of a trained soldier echoed from somewhere outside, growing stronger. Both Lennox and Epps appeared and boarded the C-17; the latter officer no longer cast mistrusting glares at the femme. There was no more time for that. Besides, what reason did she have to turn on them now? They were weak, defenseless, they all knew what the outcome of the next few days would be. Such a petty difference between the two had been cast aside as soon as the gravity of the situation called them to attention.
The sandy-haired human patted her roof gently before heading directly to Ironhide. Though considering the mesh netting and cramped quarters in which all of the autobots were stuffed, this was a difficult task that resulted in Lennox tripping several times before reaching the large black Topkick. He whispered something inaudibly to the mech, staring intensely at the hood of the truck.
"He is certain?" Ironhide rumbled quietly.
Lennox nodded, pulling what looked like a portable GPS unit out of his pocket, and showing what it said to his mechanical counterpart. "I think I have a plan. But that means that we'll have to leave ASAP."
There was a short silence before the deep voice drifted once again from the hood of the Topkick. "You are the one with the means of doing so. I will pass on this information, I only hope to dear Primus that this will indeed work."
The major smiled at him, "I knew I could count on you 'Hide." He patted his hood with the sort of endearment that only brothers-in-arms seemed to share. And with that he struggled his way out of the large plane.
When he was gone, an open channel was formed. "So, Old Timer, are you going to share with us less important 'bots what's going on or what?" Sideswipe asked heatedly.
Vertigo's door opened quickly, hitting the silver Corvette in the side and partially scuffing the paint. "Do not be rude!"
"I'll be rude if I want to be rude!" The mech retorted.
"I have had enough of your inane li-"
Ratchet interrupted their rising argument, "That is enough! I had higher expectations for the both of you, you're acting like a couple of ill-behaved sparklings!"
Neither of the two sports cars bothered to snap at their CMO. Sideswipe merely stuck to his silent fuming, while Vertigo felt ashamed at letting the tension in her spark overwhelm her sense of reason. Taking advantage of the momentary silence, Ironhide's gruff voice permeated the common link. "If there aren't anymore emotional outbursts, I will begin." When complete and utter attention was given to him, he proceeded. "Will informed me that the Witwicky boy has discovered a way in which to resurrect Optimus."
There were several sputters and gasps from every corner of the transport. "Are you serious?"
"How-"
"What-"
"When-"
"Why didn't he tell us-"
"Woah, seriously-"
Vertigo's optics widened, too stunned to speak. Her spark skipped several pulses and she glanced once more at the limp body out on the runway. Every fiber of her being screamed for it to be true. It needed to be true. The Fallen couldn't be allowed to rise once more. She looked back at Ironhide, and then back at Prime, optics flitting between the two for a moment. Her unadulterated despairing, aching, hope permeated the link. The femme's optics searched the black truck that was now silent at the bombardment of surprised questions. Finally, she spoke, but not in a questioning matter that the others had deemed appropriate. "Then we must make haste. We do not have much time left."
When Ironhide began to speak once more, his voice carried with it a small smile. "We are to rendezvous with him in Egypt. Lennox doesn't want our new friend to know about our plans, so keep quiet and only speak through your comm. Prepare yourselves, autobots, our time will come soon."
Both determination and skepticism radiated from the small group, hope in each of the autobots. A few humans scurried around the C-17, checking and rechecking everything before the opening of the transport was firmly shut. With a lurch, they could all feel the enormous plane begin to roll, gaining speed before there was a slight incline to the front of the vessel. It leveled out soon, the only sound to be heard was the constant and steady drum of the engine. There was another of the same craft flying behind them, containing the remains of the autobot leader and the humans who were ready to help them through the maelstrom of what was to come.
Vertigo's mind raced, much too preoccupied to be tired and think of recharge. Any pain that had plagued her body was now only an afterthought, something that could be controlled and ignored. There was a time and place for everything. And now, now was the time to do... or die.
A little on the short side, I know. But, I know what the next chapter holds, and the one after that, so hopefully those will arrive in a more timely fashion. I am debating whether to split this into two more manageable fanfics or to continue on as one huge one. I'm leaning towards splitting it into two, which means that this one will be coming to a close very, very soon. Woohoo! Don't forget to review because it puts a smile on my face.