Disclaimer: See first chapter. But… on one OC of mine…
Surprising. I didn't expect to do some good… Even though I do feel bad for even not finishing my Sonic story. Oh well… I can get back to that later… that is, if I'm not killed for it. O.o; Oh yes, I always have trouble with tense use (to those who see the tense problem), even in my StH story… -_- one tense to the next tense, I am always a great writer, I always didn't have correct tense usage, even if I am a graduating senior (12th grader) this year… argh! But, you all can understand what I'm saying/doing, right? (This is sort of like a, um, re-write of Energon.)
Setting: Post-Armada, Pre-Energon.
Time: Three months, two weeks after Autobots' departure, one month, two weeks after computer encounter.
Faith in You[Mercy Kai Local Hospital]
Lying there wasn't the best idea she had in mind, and the condition that bore down on her really worsened after a while. It took some time, but the doctors couldn't do much but attempt to give her the latest antibiotics to reduce the virus' effects. Whatever it was that plagued her a month ago, it came back worse than ever. Doctor Hughes considered it to be a new strain of a flu virus, resisting the antibodies that are able to kill the original virus. However, she was fighting it.
Or, at least trying to.
"I'm afraid I can't do anymore help for her, Miss. Your daughter's in a bad condition, and it's doing nothing but attacking her lungs and most specifically causing a high-point fever I've never seen viruses do before," He stated.
"Please, but do tell me she's going to be alright…"
"I cannot say. It'll be up to her if she wants to fight it. We've tried everything best for Alexis."
Both the doctor and Alexis' mother were talking while taking a slow walk down the hallway to the sickly girl's room where she stayed by herself. This flu might be contagious, and it could be a disaster, but where did this come from? It's not like any he's seen before.
"I want to ask you something," States Fiona, the mother.
"Yes?"
"You said my little girl has a fever… well, could she hallucinate from it? Is it feasible that… she's suffering from it? Because…"
Her facial features twisted into what looked like semi-embarrassed and semi-reluctant to even say this, even in front of a doctor.
"I came home early, and I heard her yelling. What she was yelling at…"
Fiona made sure the doctor was listening. "Go on…" He simply articulated to make sure he was giving his proper attention.
"It surprised me. Alexis was yelling at her computer screen. And what was odd … there was nothing but the background and icons. There wasn't any chat box upon the desktop. I worry that she might be tormented by depression as well. She's been showing heavy signs of it when she returned home from some so-called space trip."
"Huh… well, it is true. People can hallucinate when they're in their fevered state. They may see things that aren't there, or hear voices that don't exist. The latest temperature I've seen so far from her was 105.3 degrees. If it goes any higher than 106, which I am making sure it will not, her brain cells will begin to fry."
"Fry? …"
"I'm sorry… We are able to keep the temperature down, but who knows how long this fever will last. Her blood pressure has dropped some, she's lost some weight, and worst of it is that she won't eat properly… or just won't eat at all. I can't figure out why…. Maybe it does have connections with her depression. I'll consult a therapist."
"Oh, please do… I can't think of what will happen to her if she doesn't make it…"
Fiona holds back her tears, as a sign of vexed behavior; she puts a mask over her mouth, and gloves on once she reaches the room where her child lies, out of safety precautions. Dr. Hughes waited outside of the room, trusting that she'll return some confidence to her ill child.
Just looking at her…
It made Fiona want to cry and hug her little Lexy. That's what she used to call her when she was nothing more than a toddler. Her little Lexy… Always helpful, cheerful, and a bundle of joy. A pain in the butt to watch after, but still…
Seeing her this way didn't bring those memories back for nothing. They reminded her of how much she cares for her child, and work doesn't matter to her, especially if it's the Emergency Family Leave Act that was passed years ago to allow her up to six weeks to care and tend for Alexis. Her skin looked paler than before, and what she heard, she hasn't eaten very much. It was horrible enough to see her attached to several machines to keep track of her heart rate, blood pressure, and a few other miscellaneous ones.
"Dear little Lexy," Her mother started. "Please, I know you can hear me… what would I do without you around to brighten my hopes and dreams? You're my world, my universe…"
"And don't forget… we're also here to support her," Came an additional voice.
"Hey Alexis… don't give up. We're here to see you!" Piped Carlos, who was beside Rad in the doorway.
The boys have been visiting quite often to see how their best friend was doing. After all, they could never do such a thing as to not visit at least five times a week for several hours. It seemed like she was dying away every day they tried to cheer her up. Unfortunately, it didn't work as much as they hoped. There wasn't any response from her at all, just the breath she drew in and exhaled with each moment that passed by. Rad grimaced for a moment. Alexis didn't even say a thing, not even to her own mother.
Was she really this ill?
[Cybertron]
Everything that happened on earth didn't affect the way that the Autobots worked, even after Megatron and Unicron vanished into thin air within the vast parts of space. The battles that raged across the planet's surface ceased with the time the war ended. It was a normal, rebuilding kind of day for the Autobots and the Decepticons, with the minicon faction helping out greatly. However, the bitterness left behind never ceased to stop between the red and purple-insignia factions. Over in the northern hemisphere, Jetfire and Hot Shot had taken into consideration that there may be stubborn fighters remaining behind, both autobot and decepticon, but now wasn't the time to deal with it.
For some odd reason, the minicon Alexis had been, and still is, friends with, Sureshock… mysteriously went offline. It happened during a typical day…
Sideswipe looked over the area, while tending to some work to be done. He was watching the minicons in the area, when he thought he had heard the binary-like voices of the minicons going off. Several of them had crowded around Sureshock, flocking to the spot almost immediately like those funny pink birds with stick legs, whom had fallen to the ground without a trace of injury or provocation. It had also appeared to move a little. Alarmed by the sight, Sideswipe hurried down to the lower deck level and almost ran into the crowd of minicons surrounding their fallen friend.
"Huh?… What's the matter, Sureshock? You okay, little guy?"
It seemed he struggled to get up. Highwire and Grindor came to the aid of their friend and helped him up as support. Neither did Sureshock bother to look up.. it was as if he was even too weak to try to speak to Sideswipe.
"Hey, bro… I think there's something wrong here," The blue car robot comm'ed his 'brother', Hot Shot.
"Huh… you don't say? Well, go on ahead." The voice of Hot Shot fuzzed to his communications device.
"Sureshock's fallen and I can't explain how."
"Whaaat? Hmm… Hold up for a moment. I'll be down there, ASAP." His tone sounded astonished.
"Well, um… here, hand him to me, and I'll spot if good ol' Red can see to it that he'll be completely fine."
The car bot extended his hand downward, the two-helper minicons tugging their friend to his hand, and laid him down, as Hot Shot suddenly sprang into the room. 'Swiper turned his head at Hot Shot, when he got up and shows him Sureshock, who seemed to be in some kind of pain of some sort.
"Take him to Red Alert. He'll know what to do. I'll take over from here."
"You got it!"
"Hey Red, you've got company. Looks like Sureshock's in pain, and don't ask me how. Sideswipe doesn't know, either."
"Roger, Hot Shot."
[Medical Ward – Sector 46]
"Hey Red… uh, here he is… though I'm not quiet sure what's up with him. He was doing okay the last time I checked."
The bot handed over the pained minicon over to their most trusted scientist and medical expert, Red Alert. He hasn't changed much, aside from the fact he does miss the childre's company from time to time, with the minicon reminding him of those occasions on Earth. Passing what seems to be a sigh, Red takes Sureshock and examines him thoroughly.
"Sureshock… can you speak to me?"
Sure enough, the minicon started talking his binary code-like language.
"That's a good sign. You're still online."
But, just as Red spoke, sureshock's optics began to glow for a second.
"Alexis…""Hmm?" Red Alert noticed the minicon say her name right away. How strange, he guesses it is because that maybe he must miss his friend, and probably short-circuited a wire or two while working. It did concern him, though. It was strange of Sureshock to mention the human girl.
The three minicons contain no sort of communication with the children, however… this might be one of those instances something might be up, Red kept to himself.
[Earth – U.S., AZ, Hospital]
[Night]
"I see everyone…"
"See who, dear?"
"The Autobots. I see everyone, I'm so glad… I even see Starscream! He's there!"
The room's primary nurse, just looks at Alexis with a concerning expression. Her fever refused to give up. And now with the idea she may be hallucinating isn't a surprise to the nurse. She's seen elderly and mid-aged patients with that kind of feeling they're going insane, but not from a child.
"Autobots? Starscream?" Questions the nurse.
"Yeah… they're my friends. They were here to save the Earth from the Decepticons… then we went to Cybertron and saved it from Unicron…"
"Um, pardon me child, but I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about."
"That's alright… they weren't meant to be told about…"
Alexis seemingly swooned like a mad child, smiling as if she's gone into a crazy state of mind, but there was something wrong. Indefinitely, she had to be imagining everything up until a certain poi-…
…………
…
…
… "Alexis?"
Time: Energon.
Setting: Ten years after the incident.
[Office, Washington D.C.]
"Alexis. Are you alright? You're dozing off, and now you're mumbling…""Huh?"
The woman snaps from her slight delusion-like dream, grasping her head as if she was stressed far enough from the paperwork adorning her desk area.
"The office work, the meetings, they must be really getting on your nerves. Go take a break, you need it,"
There's an office assistant standing next to her desk, and what seems to be a spacious room with specific items, bookshelves, teal carpeting, and a royally exhausted representative attempting to lie down for a little snooze under the pressure of work. Alexis, now ten years older
"That's… fine… I'm okay, if you're wondering."
The worker nods, and heads to the desk to save what was left of her scattered papers.
"Ah, I'll handle your papers. Looks like you've left quiet a mess… didn't you get a good night's sleep last night, Ms. Alexis?"
"No, I didn't, Kaylee, but thanks for the offer of sorting my documents out. I'll be back in an hour or so."
"Okay, then."
Alexis waved a hand for a moment, and leaves the office, to a hallway corridor. Being a representative was quiet hard work, especially if it dealt with the Autobots and the Earth in agreement. This was twice now that she had the awful occurrence of those delusional dreams this week. Sure, she was sick then, but why is it coming back at her now? What was it that's so important for her to remember it? Her mother told her it was nothing more than hallucinations while she had fallen ill from a new strain of the flu virus. Luckily, she survived it.
I must be that tired, or it's just me, Sighs Alexis to her own self.
I mean, mom told me they were nothing more than delirious outbursts of memories. The doc prescribed me medication, and it worked… but why am I being bothered by something that is not worth mentioning?
She could not figure out why. Maybe she should go see the shrink again, or… maybe not. Confiding in Carlos or Rad, heavens not Carlos, would probably end up with the same thing they have been saying for the last two years. 'I think you need to see a psychiatrist, or a shrink, as I say.' He never seems to give up his way of being funny… even if it meant bad jokes.
I never thought of it, Alexis has an idea that shows up when she thought of the event. I'll go see if I can talk to Optimus if he has the time.