Chapter 96 – Mother Definition
(MPOV)
I felt it before the SOS went off. Emergency. I was up and running toward the Med-bay as the Klaxon began blaring.
::. KAE.:: Ratchet bellowed over the primary.
"I'm right here! What's happening?" I shouted, catching the doorframe and flinging myself around it, straight for Ratchet.
"You're going to need your cover... clothes," Ratchet snorted, looking down at me and rolling his optics. I snatched up a pair of coveralls and fairly leaped into them before beginning to prep the med-bay under Ratchet's barked orders.
In a matter of minutes, we were ready.
"Who?" I demanded, bouncing and shaking as we waited.
"Bee," Ratchet stated worriedly. "Two minutes."
I waited anxiously until finally, finally Optimus rolled directly into the Med-bay, towing his trailer. It peeled back quickly and I caught my first sight of a horrifying scene.
Chromia was holding Bee together, Optimus disconnected from the trailer and carefully picked my little-brother up, depositing him gently on the berth.
"We need to go," Optimus growled, nodding to me. I jerked my head to him and quickly ascended the berth, nodding to Chromia as she passed off her handholds to me, hurling herself toward Optimus the second she was free. The two of them transformed at high speed and were out of the bay the next moment.
"Bumblebee?" Ratchet murmured quietly.
No response.
"Bee? Little-brother?" I asked softly.
"Kae..." Ratchet murmured in a choked voice. I didn't know why, I could feel my brother's spark still burning.
I turned to look at him sternly.
"His spark still burns, still clings to his body," I snapped.
"His spark chamber can't hold him long enough for me to repair it," Ratchet choked.
"Try!" I snapped, even as my brother began flickering.
§Carbon child!§ Mico barked in my mind §Envelop your brother!§
In an instant, the information flashed into my mind. With gentle hands I opened my brother's chamber and reached for his spark.
"=Little-brother, come-to-me,=" I chirped to him, lightly caressing his spark. I could feel energonic fields begin to cross my skin as I carefully pulled my brother free and brought him to the safety of my own spark-chamber... body...
In an instant, I was experiencing his emotions, out and out terror and grief.
"=Calm-yourself-little-brother,=" I murmured gently. "=I'm-not-letting-you-go.="
Bee clung to me, whimpering in terror. I gently enveloped his spark with my own, cuddling him. With a single processor, I began multi-tasking as best I could.
"I have him stabilized, Ratch," I murmured haltingly. Ratchet stared at me for a moment then promptly flew to Bee's body, onlining welders and scrambling to repair him as I sank into meditation, focusing entirely on my twin.
I felt cramped in my own skin, so little room.
::. =Big-sister=.:: Bumblebee whimpered in my mind.
::. =Just a little longer, little-brother=.:: I whispered, hugging him a bit more tightly.
He stayed silent for a long moment.
::. =I shoulda blasted him=.:: Bumblebee stated quietly.
::. =Next time=.:: I murmured in amusement.
::. =If there is a next time=.:: Bee murmured sadly.
::. =Even Optimus has refused to blast a bot that needs killing-=.:: I started in amusement.
::. =That's not what I mean, and you know it=.:: Bee pouted.
::. =By the way? My spark is entwined with yours=.:: I stated in amusement ::. =If you go out, I'm going out with you=.::
::. =NO!=.:: Bumblebee sobbed.
::. =Which means we're not going out, right?=.:: I finished with a smile, cuddling my brother and rocking.
::. =But Kae!=.:: he sobbed ::.=I don't want you to die!=.::
::. =Good, then don't die=.:: I stated patiently.
::. =But how'm I supposed to get back to my body!?=.:: he demanded. I turned to look at him in amusement.
::. =You're in my mind-space, how do you go back to your body?=.:: I asked with a smile.
If there had been room, Bee would have plopped down in shock.
I began thinking of our favourite songs, playing them in my head. Bumblebee began drifting off, away from his awareness.
::. =Bee!=.:: I nudged him. ::. =Stay awake, stay alert little brother=.::
::. =Can we play a game?.:: he asked far more shyly than my little-brother ever had.
::. =What game would you like to play?=.:: I laughed softly.
::. =Name the sound?=.:: he asked after a moment. We giggled and I turned my attention to the sounds around us.
"She's been like that for hours!" Ratchet stated almost hysterically. "I finished repairing Bee's chamber an hour ago! She's just not responding!"
"Kae!?" Optimus' voice demanded. I opened my eyes.
"Hey... how's... things..." I murmured haltingly. Thinking, speaking, and cradling another fully formed spark was hard with one processor.
"Mikaela, we're ready for Bee," Ratchet stated quickly.
::. =Work with me little-brother=.:: I thought quickly. We raised my arms toward Optimus.
"To..." I murmured. Optimus picked me up ever so carefully, depositing me directly on Bumblebee's spark chamber.
My dearest beloved always knew what I was thinking.
::. =I get to live!?=.:: Bumblebee chirped in my mind excitedly, reaching for his body with my own.
::. =Slow down little-brother!=.:: I commanded him quickly before smiling ::.=No sense dragging my spark with yours into your body!=.::
::. =Sorry Kae=.:: Bee stated contritely. I smiled and carefully pressed my hands and torso as tightly into his chamber as I could, slowly, carefully releasing my little brother into his chamber with every ounce of energon that he could absorb.
I stayed for a long moment, warily watching his body as it came online, his spark catching hold of his chamber and integrating again. Tentatively, prepared at any second to absorb my brother again, I pulled back and watched his chamber close.
"Bee?" I asked in a weak, worried voice.
"Kae?" he whimpered back. "Please tell me you're all right Kae!"
"I'm in my body, are you in yours?" I demanded in that same, annoyingly weakened voice. I took a deep breath and felt my spark re-settle itself somewhat, I felt so empty, alone now. I felt wrong, irrational, I was back the way I always was. It took a long moment for me to clue in to the sounds around me.
"Kae... Kae?... KAE?... KAE!?" A gentle hand touched my shoulder, I leaned into it. It was contact, warmth. The hand moved up to cup my face.
"Optimus?" I murmured. "Why am I alone in my own skin?"
Beside us, Ratchet collapsed down onto his bench, his spark humming deep relief.
"SS syndrome," he sighed contentedly. "Thank Primus. That's your area, Optimus."
I looked dazedly up at my Optimus as he smiled at me, lightly collecting me in his hands and gathering me close to his spark. So close to that beautiful, rich sound I felt my own awareness returning.
"BEE!" I choked, looking wildly around for my little-brother.
"Right here," Bumblebee chirped softly, I looked over to see him cuddled tightly against my Optimus' side. "When you get lonely in your own body big-sister, you gotta say it, you don't hunch into yourself."
"Can the scolding wait until morning?" I murmured, cuddling a bit closer to my Optimus' spark chamber.
"It is morning," Optimus rumbled softly.
"Afternoon?"
"Alright," he rumbled with a low laugh, squeezing me in a gentle, full-body hug. I felt myself doze off.
I was awake in seconds, I felt as though I'd been struck by lightning.
"Sit Rep!" I bellowed looking around wildly.
"All clear," Optimus rumbled with a snort.
"That was just weird," Ironhide snorted. All of the bots were in the med-bay. I sat in Optimus' hand for a long moment, trying to sort out my brain.
"The fuck?" I muttered, rubbing my face tiredly.
§About time you woke up§ a female voice murmured in my mind. I jumped about a foot in the air. Optimus looked down at me curiously.
"Who said that?" I demanded.
§Are we really going to have this conversation? You know who I am,§ Mico stated in amusement.
"Who said what?" Bee asked curiously.
"Was the lightning really all that necessary?" I asked grumpily.
"That's what that felt like to you? No wonder you almost jumped out of your skin," Ironhide snorted.
"That should not have felt like a shock," Ratchet stated firmly.
"Why are you deciding that now is the best time to talk to me?" I demanded, staring into the middle space as symbols began dancing in front of my eyes.
"Because we have work to do," Mico borrowed my voice, I... she... we looked around at the astonished bots. My body began shifting into high gear, and then she was gone.
I sagged into Optimus' hand.
::. Are you still there?.:: I thought desperately.
§I need to be more careful with your body, hurry up and change, daughter, we have work to do§ Mico commanded firmly. Her voice stilled, the symbols in front of my eyes slowing to their usual, idle dance.
"I redact that, going insane?" I looked up at Optimus. "Not so much fun when it's a definable second personality."
Optimus snorted and held me a bit more closely as Arcee scrambled onto her tires and climbed up Optimus to cuddle me.
"What's this for?" I asked her curiously.
"Because you are a mother," Arcee trilled happily. I opened my mouth and closed it.
"And for the first time in two months, translation?" I asked pleadingly.
"You enveloped another's spark into your own body and maintained it!" Arcee sang, hugging me tightly. She looked sternly up at Optimus. "And you will not scold her for it!"
"Arcee," Optimus rumbled sternly. "I am grateful to Mikaela for saving her brother, but that does not negate the amount of danger she placed herself in to do so."
"Yes, actually, it does," I stated coldly.
The med-bay froze.
Optimus glared down at me, lifting me to look into his optics.
"How am I supposed to protect you, when you make it so Primus damned difficult?" he demanded sharply.
"By understanding when I need protection, and when there are more important things involved than one life," I snapped back at him.
"Mikaela-" Optimus started angrily. I already knew what he was going to say.
"With all due respect Prime," I snarled. "It is neither your decision, nor my own what spark I will preserve, and you will not interfere with my function."
"Mikaela your primary function is to preserve life, why does that not include your own?" Optimus snarled back at me. "Do you never consider that in saving one of us, we could lose you? What good are you dead-"
"I take calculated risks according to the information Mico provides for me." I stated coldly. "And she will return home whether I survive or not. Now put me down."
Optimus froze, staring at me in shock.
"Mikaela-" he started.
"Put. Me. Down." I growled at him, fighting to keep my temper in check. I had too much to contend with at the moment. Whether it was augmented by the All-spark's presence or not, I needed to retreat before I began yelling at a bot who didn't deserve it.
In silence, Optimus lowered his hand to the floor.
"I'm going driving," I stated coldly, forcing ice into my voice. "You have my transponder frequency, I'll see you later."
I snatched up my waiting helmet and leathers, zipping into them quickly and striding into the entrance bay.
I ignored the soldiers that blushed at my lack of clothing beneath leather, the neurals in my system shifted restlessly as I mounted my bike and took off in a full roar.
(RPOV)
"Put. Me. Down." Mikaela growled at Optimus. The med-bay was frozen in shock.
::. Let her go cool off.:: Bee sent over the primary worriedly.
In silence, Optimus lowered his hand to the floor, setting his Kae down.
"I'm going driving," Mikaela stated coldly, snatching up her leathers. "You have my transponder frequency, I'll see you later."
She strode from the med-bay in a true high fury, the sounds of her motorcycle starting up and screeching out of the bay a counterpart to her exit.
The bots sat in shocked silence for another moment.
"What..." Arcee began softly.
"The scrap was that?" Ironhide growled, looking at the doors.
"That is Mikaela retreating before her temper gets the best of her," Bee shrugged, leaning back and looking around the med-bay.
"Elaborate," Optimus growled.
"Okay, you know how she never actually lets loose a real screaming fit?" Bee snorted, looking up at Optimus.
"That's not elaborating," Ratchet grumbled.
Bumblebee rolled his optics and onlined a holo.
...
Mikaela was standing the same way she had been in Optimus' hand. Fury was crackling from her stance.
But her face... her face was cold, neutral.
"Sam," she stated in the same icy tone. "I've got to get going, I'll see you later, alright?"
"I want to talk about this now!" Sam shouted.
"Now is not a good time," Mikaela stated coldly. "I need to get to work."
Ratchet watched and saw the tell-tale signs in his spark-daughter again. Her shoulders were rigid, eyes narrowed.
She was holding herself in check.
"You don't go to work for another three hours!" Sam shouted at her. "You're just using it as an excuse to avoid the topic!"
"What topic," Mikaela stated coldly.
"Us Mikaela! Us!" Sam shrieked at her, he reached for her shoulders as though he thought to shake her. "You need to stop running and-"
Mikaela moved so quickly it could only have been her instincts kicking in.
"Let's get one thing straight, Sam," Mikaela stated icily, gripping his wrists as he knelt, shocked and appearing somewhat scared. "The Banes don't run, we will make a tactical retreat and if you piss us off enough, we're making that retreat 'cause your house ain't gonna be standin' that much longer." she tossed his hands away and straightened, turning and walking down the street.
Bumblebee beeped his horn softly to her.
"Better take Sam home," Mikaela stated quietly, never turning around. "I'll see you later Bee. Get your recharge."
...
"I followed her anyway," Bee stated quietly. "She went out to the bluffs and just stayed there for a long time."
"Her work?" Ratchet asked curiously.
"She lied, she was off shift," Bee shrugged quietly. "But after three weeks non stop, it was her first day off and Sam started the argument about what they were gonna do together. Not like for a date that night, he was puttin' pressure on her to take the next step in their relationship. Long after she'd concluded that he wasn't strong enough to handle her."
"She believes me-" Optimus started.
"No!" Bee stated in a shocked tone. "She ran 'cause she didn't want to yell at you! Even if you're right, which you are, she shouldn't'a put herself in danger to save me. She's gonna do what she wants, no matter who tells her not to."
Optimus began fidgeting, frowning worriedly.
"Then..." Optimus rumbled worriedly.
"Then you just need to leave her be for a little while," Bee shrugged. "She knows how to hurt people, she just doesn't like it."
"How long?" he asked softly.
"Usually she doesn't come back until she's cooled off, except this is her home, so she'll come back once she's back under control of herself," Bee shrugged genially. "If she's just in control when she gets back then it's still best to let her be for a little while."
"But why did she run in the first place!?" Ratchet demanded. "We've all seen the two of them shout each other down!"
"Because Kae can verbally pick your weaknesses apart inch by inch, she just knows how. But she really doesn't like doing it," Bumblebee shrugged. "If she thinks you don't deserve it, she's going to walk away before she gets so mad that it just rips itself out of her."
"How do you know this?" Ironhide rumbled curiously.
"I spent two years observing my sister, and now several hours inside her body." Bumblebee laughed. "Seriously, you gotta try it. Somehow there was enough room for the three of us-"
"The three of you!?" Ratchet demanded. Bee looked down.
"Bumblebee?" Optimus rumbled.
"Her spark, my spark and the All-spark," Bumblebee whispered. "I could feel her concentrating on so many things I don't even know how she manages it with just the one processor. All the while I was with her, she was playing our favourite songs, rocking the terror out of me, controlling energonic fields over her skin to keep us safe, and still keeping her body's functions active. There's so much knowledge in her I have no idea how she's not constantly backlogged. But the loneliness..." Bee trailed off in memories.
"Bee?" Ratchet asked worriedly.
"She's so alone in her own skin," Bee whimpered. Optimus automatically reached out and pulled his scout's frame close to his own. "My sister has been so alone, nobody to hold her to make the separation bearable, nobody to know her for her until you came along Sir. She ran because she doesn't want to hurt you. She loves you." Bee stated in a shocked tone. "I remember my sister's mind! That's what she meant about weaknesses! She loves you so much sir! You're her greatest weakness, if anything happens to you it'll destroy her. Please, please take care of my sister," he looked pleadingly up at Optimus.
"With all that I am, Bee, you know that," Optimus rumbled gently.
"I don't just mean protect her body, her spark is alone, always alone, so long she didn't even notice the ache." Bee whimpered. "but now she feels the all-spark's loneliness too, she misses Primus, and Kae needs you."
"But you just told me to wait," Optimus rumbled worriedly.
"Until she's certain she's not going to lose control of her temper," Bee nodded firmly.