Chapter 39 – What was once lost is found

One thing about being in the military, your body clock is almost constantly set to ''butt crack of dawn o'clock!'' I used to be able to sleep in until the late hours of the morning, now, 7am was a huge sleep in!

Once again, I felt myself rousing at about 5:00am. I simply laid there, allowing myself the luxury of not having to do anything or be anywhere and slowly embraced the day. I thought through what the day might bring and mentally prepared myself for the onslaught of tears (not all my own for once), and the high emotions that were bound to be tearing about the place as Sam left for Princeton.

After laying there for half an hour, I decided to get up and go for a jog and maybe get some breakfast while out. I got out of bed and quickly completed my morning ablutions, changing into my sportswear and sneakers and grabbing my i-phone and headphones, I quietly and carefully walked downstairs to let myself out.

I called via the garage to let Bumblebee know my plans and my route and estimated time of return so he could come looking for me should I be late. I also had a panic alarm and a direct line back to Bee should I run into any immediate danger. Even though I had my powers and my training to protect me, I wanted to make sure I was being sensible. /Prime would kill me if I died/, the thought teased a smile to my face. Once satisfied that I would be safe, I bid farewell to Bee and headed out the front. I took a moment to do a few stretches to warm up, put my headphones in, selected a kickarse song from my ''Pumped Up'' play list and began to jog off into the early morning light.

As my feet pounded the pavement, and the tunes pumped out motivating me, I felt myself begin to relax, all the worries and fears left me as I focused on my breathing and the rhythmic sound of my feet hitting the ground below me. The sun had risen further in the sky bathing everything in a lovely glow, the air was cool and life – life was good. /Let's aim for 15km's today/, I thought to myself, push yourself and give the Witwicky's some time to get ready for the day. I felt myself pick up the pace slightly as I settled into a steady rhythm. /What a beautiful day, what could go wrong?/.

Perhaps I should know better than to tempt fate.

As I slowed to a walk in front of Sam's house, the morning paper and a bag of Crispy Crème donuts firmly in my grasp. Something did not seem right. I continued towards the front door, unlocking it and walking into the kitchen. It was a mess! Shit knocked over, the juicer that had sat on the bench the night before was missing as was a few other electrical items. My heart began to beat a little faster. /Something is not right/. I put the newspaper and donuts down on the island table and that's when I noticed something. Something that looked familiar and alien at the same time.

A small piece of metal, a sliver of something that appeared to have markings on it, lay in the middle of the bench. Small wisps of smoke was coming off it. I tilted my head as I took it in. /Where have a I seen something like this?/. My mind searched my memories, a warning tingle crawled over my body but at the same time it urged me to pick up the metal sliver. It was as though some unseen force had usurped control of my body as I felt myself reach out my hand and slowly wrap my fingers around the piece, bringing it up to my face for closer inspection.

I noticed what appeared to be alien writing, or at least parts of a symbol. /Wait a minute../ my mind reeled and a wave of recognition slammed into me, ''The Allspark!'' I felt myself exclaim out loud in shock. At the same time recognition tore through me, so too did a burning sensation and surge of power unlike anything I have ever experienced. My body convulsed and my hand reflexively closed around the shard, the jagged edges slicing into my palm, causing me to drop it back on the kitchen bench top. Fire raced through my nerve endings, burning me from the inside out, my lungs felt like they did not work anymore as any air had was forcibly expelled. Symbols, Cybertronian in nature, raced through my mind and danced across my eyes.

I fell to my knees on the floor, desperately trying to suck in some air and make my lungs work again, my head started to ache as it desperately tried to make sense of and ''store'' the images it was being fed at high speed. I absentmindedly brought my hand to my head and felt the warm sensation of something trickling down my wrist. Slowly, I began to breathe again, great gulping gasps of air, the fire within started to abate and I glanced towards my right wrist. My eyes slowly coming into focus again. /For fuck sake! Hurt myself again/. I noticed a decent cut in my palm from where the shard had sliced into me – I stopped breathing for a moment. Not because of the cut – I had received plenty of those. It was because of what was oozing out of it. There was blood to be sure – a dark, velvety red colour, it was more the bluish tinge around the wound that concerned me. /What the actual…/.

It was at that moment that I become aware of muffled noises around me. I realised I still had my ear buds in and as I took them out the sound of gunfire, screaming and the acrid smell of smoke, assaulted me. All thoughts of what had just happened to me fled, and I focused on Sam and his parents /Where are they?/.

I got to my feet and ran out of the kitchen, ''SAM! RON, JUDY? Where are you?'' I could hear explosions above my head – Sam's room. I was about to tear off upstairs when I heard the sound of breaking glass and the next thing I saw was Sam airborne falling to the ground. I didn't even have time to use my powers to help him before he crash landed. Luckily he rolled upon impact and didn't seem to hurt himself. I heard Ron shouting and watched as he dove for cover. As to where Judy was, I had no idea.

I ran outside, locating Sam and Ron who were taking refuge behind the fountain. I took a moment to survey the scene unfolding before me. Little machines, /Is that the blender?/, were advancing on them and attacking them. Without a second thought I raised my hand to send them on their way when something incredible and not a little disconcerting happened – a fireball exploded out of my hand and blew the little blender away! I tried it again and the same thing happened, this time to the toaster.

''BEE!'' I heard Sam call out for his guardian and friend, with that Bee came crashing through the garage door, guns blazing. I jumped off the veranda and once again tried to use my gift of psychokinesis to attack the machines but instead flames and fireballs erupted. '' .FUCK!'' I yelled out loud in shock, confusion and anger. The sound of Sam's room exploding into a fireball drowned out my cries.

As I stood there, the world seeming to shatter around me, I held my hands, both now seeming to be on fire, in front of my face. Though flames were seeming to ''burn'' on the palm of my hand and from my fingertips, I felt no pain, no burning sensation. I was vaguely aware that as I stood there, all of the debris that had rained down from the room exploding, did not touch me, it was deflected away from me. /So… my other gift must still be working too/, I thought as I continued to look at my hands, mesmerised and not a little afraid.

''BEE! What was that? What do you call that?'' the sound of Sam yelling at Bee and Bee stamping his huge pede in frustration and anger brought me out of my daze. With my focus interrupted and the threat seemingly dealt with, the fire stopped, it was gone. The sound of Judy running screaming from the house with a waffle iron on her head and subsequently knocking herself out on a hanging basket brought my attention back to the here and now and I went over to help her.

''OC, where have you been?'' I could hear Sam's voice cut through the sound of sirens in the distance. He was a little pissed.

''Hunh?'' I was having some trouble forming words, my mind was reeling. I blinked, ''Sorry Sam, I.. I went out for a jog early this morning. Got some breakfast and a treat for you all.'' I looked around me at the damage that had been wrought. ''I… I thought I would give you all some time to enjoy your last morning together… I uh… guess that was a bad call?'' I screwed my face up slightly and shrugged my shoulders.

Sam looked a little incredulous. ''You think?'' The sound of a motorbike pulling up out the front distracted him. Mikaela had arrived to say goodbye.

''I'm sorry Sam.. I,'' I doubled over in pain, clutching at my stomach.

Sam ran over to me, ''Are you okay OC?'' he asked as he reached out to me.

''Oh Hi Mikaela, I have a bald patch,'' I could hear Judy sarcastically call out in greeting as she marched past Mikaela over to Ron.

''I don't know Sam. Something happened to me.. kitchen.. something on the bench.'' I sucked in gasps of air and still clutched at my stomach.

At this admission, Sam snapped his head up as if remembering something, ''Come with me NOW!'' he grabbed me by my arm and dragged me inside, a very confused Mikaela left standing outside.

As we approached the kitchen bench Sam grabbed some tongs out of the drawer and a small container. He went straight to the sliver of the Allspark and picked it up, being very careful not to touch it, and put it in the container.

''You're smart,'' I said to him. ''I should have thought to do that, I touched the fucking thing!'' I said with a little irritation at myself.

Sam froze and blanched at my comment, ''What happened?''

I cast my mind back to the moment my hand touched the shard, ''Pain, searing pain, couldn't breathe, cut my hand on the jagged edges, symbols flashing through my head and eyes. Why?'' I tilted my head but kept my hand protectively over my stomach as the pain subsided.

Sam blinked once, ''Ahh… I kinda touched it too. Upstairs, when I got my ''D Day'' shirt out, the shard fell out and onto the floor. I picked it up and… pretty well the same thing happened to me, but I didn't get cut by it, I dropped it as soon as it burnt me.'' Sam looked thoughtful for a moment. ''I feel fine though, almost as though nothing happened. You on the other hand, you don't look so crash hot OC.'' His voice held concern.

Truth was I didn't feel so good either. Waves of nausea washed over me, and I felt clammy. ''Yeah, not feeling too crash hot either Sam, like I am coming down with something.''

As firefighters rushed inside and other first responders appeared on the scene, Sam focused back on the task at hand. ''Right. Let's get back outside. Mikaela and my parents will wonder where we are, and I got to get this somewhere safe.'' He started to race back outside, and I followed in a slight daze. I didn't even think to tell him about the fireballs. /One thing at a time/.

I saw Sam walk up to Mikaela and hand her the container with the shard in it. /Perhaps I should take it back to base?/, I thought hazily to myself as I walked outside. I had to fight down the urge to vomit and my hand that had been cut started to throb painfully.

I finally made it to Sam and Mikaela, Ron was talking to some of the first responders and Judy must have gone back inside. ''Sam, 'Kaela,'' I announced as I stood beside them, ''I'm not feeling the best,'' I cast a quick glance at Sam and a look that said ''don't tell anyone what happened''.

''I am going to head upstairs and pack my things and let you all say your farewells. Please tell Bee to hang around for me, I think we might try and catch an earlier flight from Edwards Air Base back to Diego Garcia.'' I smiled weakly at them both. ''Best of luck Sam, keep in touch and be safe!'' I gave him a quick hug and symbols flashed before my eyes again, I had to blink rapidly for them to disappear. I felt the same thing happen to Sam.

''Yeah,'' he said weakly before perking up a bit, ''thanks, you too, be safe and thanks for coming to see me off, it's been – fun.''

Mikalea grabbed me in a gentle hug, ''Good to see you again OC, stay in touch and I hope you feel better.'' She released me.

I gave a little laugh, ''Oh I hope I do too!'' With that I turned around slowly and made my way inside to thank Judy and Ron for their hospitality and start to pack, something I feared would take a little while to do given the state I was in.

As I made my way upstairs, I grabbed the handrail tightly trying to steady myself. I felt like everything was spinning. /Just don't vomit, please!/ I managed to keep it down and started to pack my things and by pack I mean throw everything in the suitcase haphazardly. I had to pause every now and then as I felt as though I had no energy left, I felt drained.

/What the hell have I done?/ I thought anxiously to myself. Prime will be so pissed at me… and with that thought, everything went dark.

I must have passed out for a moment because when I came to I could hear the sound of heavy footsteps thumping around downstairs and Ron's voice, ''Alright come on everyone, time to head off, let's move it! Sam go check OC is packed up and out of the room.''

I steadied my breathing and slowly stood up, feeling a little shaky but much better than I was before. I grabbed my suitcase, something I was able to do with relative ease, and made my way to the door just as Sam rounded the top of the stairs.

''Oh, good you're okay,'' he looked relieved.

''Yep,'' I smiled. ''I feel a little better too, must have just needed a rest, I kinda fell asleep I think.''

Sam eyed me cautiously, 'Well okay OC, but just take it easy, you really didn't look good before, I was worried.'' He reached out and took my suitcase from me, 'Here let me help you with that.''

''Thanks Sam, appreciate it. You all packed and ready to go?'' I asked as we descended the stairs.

''Ahh… yep'', he replied, casting one quick glance around. The sound of a car horn broke through the afternoon.

''Wow, he is patient,'' I laughed.

''You have no idea,'' Sam also gave a little laugh and opened the front door. Once through he locked it and gave it a quick pat in final farewell. I could sympathise with him.

I could see Mikaela over near the side of the road wearing a breath-taking white dress and holding some flowers /Wow! She trying to make Sam stay in that get up or what?/. I grabbed my suitcase from Sam and gave him a gentle shove towards his gorgeous girlfriend. ''Go on Sam, I've got it from here, thanks. See ya around.'' I walked towards Bee who opened his door, and I placed the suitcase inside.

I waved to Ron and Judy and called out, ''Thanks guys, appreciate everything, great to see you again, take care and enjoy your trip!'' They waved back and smiled but they were more interested in watching their son say goodbye to his girlfriend. I shook my head slightly in disbelief and slid into the front seat of Bee.

I didn't want to hang around while Sam said his final farewells to Mikaela at least we would respect his privacy. Bee made a loud beep and pulled away from the curb, /Okay, well maybe not totally private/. I heard Bee sigh and I patted his dashboard gently in silent support, ''I know Bee, I know. I'll miss them too.'' We sat in silence for a while as Bee sped towards Edwards Air Force Base and our awaiting ride home to Diego Garcia.

We weren't far away from our destination when the pain ripped through me again, much stronger this time – I could hardly breathe. I started to convulse in my seat. ''BEE! I managed to wheeze out, ''Get me home, please, I need help.''

Bee beeped frantically at me, ''Stay. With me. Don't you. Be no quitter.'' I could feel him speed up, weaving his way through the traffic deftly. I could also hear him send a transmission; I couldn't even bring myself to care who it was to.

Another wave of pain ripped through me and I felt my vision cloud, all I could see were symbols. My palm that had been cut was on fire, the bluish tinge spreading. I began to sob softly, ''Bee, hurry, please! Prime. Get me to Prime, I need him''. It was my last thought as everything went blank and I succumbed to the pain wracking my body.