Finding Home

Chapter 22

By Voodoo Queen

XXXXXXXXXX

Author's Note: Hello, Dear Readers! I hope you're having a great day. I'm back again with another chapter. Trying hard to keep the momentum going! I already know pretty much where I'm going with this story so it's just a matter of getting it all written down. In fact, I've already hammered out two future chapters. One made me very, very sad and the other made me very...happy. Prepare yourselves! LOL! Enough of my rambling...As always, THANK YOU so much to all who've added this story to their alerts and favorites. Hugs to my beautiful reviewers: LaurenA007, iGleep, Autobot-Bre-Lightblast, jojoniles, AshelyOfChaos, ElleGirl19, TheGreenWallFlower, HenriettaDarlington, The Rabbit Lord, adelphe24, MysticFire101, YaoiPrincess12, Stranno Roza, sakurawriter, KayleeChiara, Bearloveforever, Pixiekatt. Your feedback is priceless!

Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers, just my own original characters and plot.

XXXXXXXXXX

One moment Amy had been trying to escape the scrutiny she'd found herself facing and the next moment she'd been transported back to the black abyss of her dreams. After the stress of her previous situation, the cool darkness was almost a blessing. Something seemed different in her eerie dreamscape, however. Something was...off somehow. It took her a moment to realize that her constant companion, the strange presence lurking just out of sight, was silent for once. The quiet was so intense that it nearly made her ears ring. It was still there, she knew. She could still sense it there, just beyond her field of vision, quiet and watching.

Any other time the feeling of being watched by unseen eyes would have put her on edge and sent her into yet another panic. There was something comforting about it, though. It was as if she could feel the weight of concern in its heavy gaze. She wanted to see it, even just a glimpse to put her curiosity to rest. She peered into the dark, squinting, trying to make out something, anything that may be lurking in the shadows. She saw nothing. Whatever, whomever accompanied her through this place was a better hider than she was a seeker.

She wasn't sure exactly what had transpired to send her to this place so suddenly but she knew the routine. She knew what it was ultimately waiting for. Resigning herself to the pursuit of an ever-elusive goal, she looked about, scanning the inky depths for the pinprick of light she, for some reason unknown to her, needed to reach. She spotted it easily and found herself a bit taken aback for a moment. The light suddenly seemed much closer than it had before. In fact, it was close enough now that she was able to determine that it wasn't a single light, but rather, there were two separate ones. One was greater than the other, seeming to put out much more illumination than its slighter counterpart. She studied them a moment, wondering anew at what they could possibly be and why she felt it was so important that she reach them.

A shuffling came from behind, like a great weight being shifted, startling her. So focused she'd been on this new revelation that she'd almost forgotten about her unseen companion for a brief moment. She sighed wearily and nodded her head. "Okay," she agreed. "You don't have to say it. I know. I'm going."

As the woman set off across the darkness, the presence followed along behind, keeping a silent vigil.

XXXXXXXXXX

"How could you two have done this?" Ratchet demanded. "You could have killed her!"

"We didn't do, anything, Ratchet," Sideswipe argued. "Like we said, it just happened! We didn't set out trying to forge a connection with her but it happened anyway! Believe us, we were as shocked and surprised as you are."

"Why wouldn't you bring this to my attention as soon as it occurred?" Ratchet raved, "Do you have any idea what something like this can do to a human? They aren't built to sustain and house energy as we are! Their electrochemical balance is a very delicate thing! Any deviation could lead to a breakdown of vital physiological and cognitive processes resulting in massive misfiring of neurons within the cerebral cortex, not to mention the disruption to the electrophysiology of the cardiac muscle..."

"We don't give a flying frag about all that medical jargon, Hatchet." Sunstreaker cut the CMO off mid sentence. "All we want to know is, what happened to her and is she going to be alright?"

Ratchet vented in exasperation, "As far as I can tell from my scans, she just fainted. Her heart rate is a bit above normal but other than that, her vitals look fine. No thanks to the two of you..."

"So...she's okay, then?" Getting a sharp nod from Ratchet in response to his question, Sideswipe visibly relaxed. "Thank Primus..."

"That doesn't mean you two are off the hook," Ratchet glared at the pair. "This isn't like one of your pranks that can just be laughed off. This is a serious situation that could have very serious consequences."

"Oh, believe me, Ratchet," Sides assured, "Sunny and I take this very seriously. You have no idea..."

Ratchet looked like he wanted to tear into the mechs again but was interrupted by the clearing of a vocal processor. He turned to find Optimus lingering in the doorway, and anxious-looking TIC by his side. "Yes, yes," Ratchet waved the pair inside. "It's fine. Come in..."

"Aww, D..." Jazz approached the unconscious woman and gently brushed some hair off her forehead before asking, "What happened? Is she gonna be alright?"

"She fainted," Ratchet stated simply. "Any number of factors could have contributed to it. Given the circumstances, though, I'd say hyperventilation was the culprit. Once she wakes, she should be fine."

"Good to hear," Optimus nodded, "but, I'm sensing there's more you're not telling us."

"Indeed," Ratchet harrumphed. "It appears these two slag heaps have somehow managed to find a way to transfer some of their spark energy into Petty Officer Doe."

"We didn't transfer any spark energy," Sideswipe corrected. "It's just something that happened. We didn't have any control over it. We didn't plan it out."

"Say again?" Jazz turned to stare at the silver mech, the look on his faceplates a cross between anger and bewilderment.

"You heard correctly." Ratchet pointed an accusing finger in the twins' direction. "I'm not sure how it was done but my scans clearly show a small amount of their spark essence within Miss Doe."

"How is that possible?" Optimus questioned.

"It shouldn't be possible," Ratchet admitted. "Humans don't have sparks and, as I tried to explain to these two, they aren't equipped to handle that sort of direct energy load. Even with the small amount of energy exchanged, her nervous system should be completely fried."

"Is she," Jazz looked from the prone woman to the medic, anger replaced by fear. "Is she in any danger?"

The CMO shook his head, "I'll know more once she wakes and I can question her but she doesn't appear to be suffering any ill effects currently. Long term, however," the medic paused for a moment and shrugged, "Who knows."

Optimus, concerned yet curious asked, "Do you have any idea what could have caused this?"

"I have a theory." Ratchet nodded, "It's the only way I can even come close to comprehending how this could have occurred. Are any of you familiar with the concept of imprinting?"

"We've read up on it," Sunstreaker confirmed with a nod.

Surprised, Ratchet stared at the mech. "You have?"

"I told you, Ratch," Sideswipe emphasized, "Sunny and I are taking this very seriously."

"That's exceedingly rare, is it not?" Optimus questioned.

"It is," Ratchet broke his disbelieving stare away from the twins and acknowledged. "It typically occurs between two individuals with an unusually high spark compatibility ratio, usually as a precursor to actual spark bonding. Personally, I've only seen it happen once before. Basically, a pair or, in this case, a trine, are so in sync with one another's spark that energy can be swapped between them without a need for direct spark-to-spark contact. It can be quite distressing for the parties involved if they aren't aware of what is happening."

"No slag," Sunstreaker muttered.

"But," Jazz reasoned, "D doesn't have a spark."

"I never claimed to have all the answers," Ratchet admitted. "I do, however, have plenty of questions." He motioned to the group to follow him to his office. Once the door was securely closed and he was settled behind his desk, he asked the twins, "Is Miss Doe aware of this...situation?"

"She knows we have some sort of a connection, that's all," Sides explained. "We didn't want to freak her out or scare her away but we had to tell her something. She thought she was going crazy."

"As far as she knows, the three of us are just good friends," Sunstreaker added. "She was uncomfortable and so were we. We read that spending time together would help with the energy fluctuations, and it has. That's why she was in our quarters."

"Unbelievable," Ratchet vented. "Just how far back does this connection go?"

"Uh," Sideswipe looked distinctly uncomfortable. He shifted in his seat. "Since she got off the plane. I saw Epps showing her around that first night and one thing led to another..."

The medic's optics widened, "Since her arrival?! Oh, for Primus' sake..."

"This can't be healthy for a human, doc. In fact, if what you're sayin' is true it's probably what's been makin' her sick." Jazz inquired, "Is there any way you can reverse it?"

"Reverse it? What if we don't want to reverse it?" Sunstreaker growled, the sound startling all present and prompting Sideswipe to lay a calming hand on his twin's shoulder.

"Easy," the silver twin whispered. To the rest of the room he stated, "What Sunny means is, we really like Ames. We enjoy having her around."

"You two bit brains obviously haven't thought this through all the way." Ratchet shook his head, "You can like her all you want. It doesn't change the fact that the stress and pull on your sparks will eventually demand more in order to satisfy it. A spark bond, even an energy exchange as minor as this, is highly habit forming. You can, quite literally, become dependent on it. Have either of you given any thought as to what you plan to do when simple companionship is no longer enough to sate you?"

Sides shrugged, "We'll figure it out when we get there."

"Primus, help me..." Ratchet scrubbed a hand down his face. "What could I have possibly done to deserve the two of you? To answer your question, Jazz...no. It can't be reversed. Cybertron knows if I could, I would, just to save the poor woman from these slaggers. If they'd come to me when it first happened we may have been able to separate them, send Miss Doe back to her ship before the imprinting took hold. Now," the medic shook his head, "I must strongly advise against it. Separation at this point could negatively impact not only Petty Officer Doe but the twins, as well."

Optimus, in deep thought asked, "Do you have any suggestions, then?"

The medic nodded, "The only thing that really can be done at this point is to stabilize the energy that's been transferred and keep fluctuations to a minimum. Doing so would benefit all parties involved, at least for the time being."

Jazz asked, "How do we do that?"

"As much as it pains me to say, these two were on the right track even if their methods were questionable." The CMO leaned back in his chair and looked at Jazz. "Close contact can promote stability of the energy fields and normalize spark fluctuations. In light of the circumstances, I deem its best if they're allowed unrestricted access to Miss Doe."

"Alright," Jazz agreed after a moment. "If it helps D, then, I'm down with that."

A triumphant look spread across Sideswipe's face. Sunstreaker crossed his arms over his chassis, looking quite smug. They were quite obviously pleased with the CMO's advice for probably the first time since knowing the mech. For once he was ordering them to do something that they wanted to do anyway instead of lecturing them over their carelessness in battle. It seems getting caught, at least in this instance, may actually be working to their advantage.

"Let me make myself perfectly clear, though," Jazz turned to the twins. "If I catch you two slippin', if I think even for a klik that you're not doin' her right, you'll wish you never laid optics on that femme. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal," Sides assured. "You don't have to worry, Jazz."

"Also," Ratchet interjected, breaking then tension. "I feel it's probably best that Miss Doe be informed of the extent of what is going on. It may help alleviate some of the confusion I'm sure she's experiencing."

"We intend to tell her everything, doc, just..." Sideswipe shrugged, "When the time is right. She's okay with things like they are right now. We don't want to overload, er, overwhelm her all at once, you know? Besides, something like this is kind of personal between, uh, partners..."

"Fine," Ratchet reluctantly relented. "I'll leave it up to you two but you will tell her. If you don't, I will. Understand?"

"Yeah," Sides agreed. "We will...when she's ready to hear it. We promise."

"I'd also like to see her once a week. Discretely, of course. Jazz, I'm sure you can find a way to convince her to accompany you to your appointments. Nothing invasive, just a quick scan. She probably won't even notice. In the mean time, I'll work on trying to figure out how this happened and what we can do to ensure Miss Doe's wellbeing." The medic received a nod from the TIC and continued, directing his attention back to the twins. "If either of you lug nuts sense or see anything concerning, a change in either her health or demeanor, you will bring her to me immediately."

"Don't get your gaskets all twisted, Hatchet." Sunstreaker smirked, "We know how to take care of a femme."

"That's exactly what I'm worried about." Ratchet jabbed a finger in their direction, "Before you two decide to go off on your own and get all experimental with the poor girl, you clear it with me first. There's no medical precedent for this type of situation so it must be approached with caution."

"Yeah, we get it," Sideswipe insisted. "We're not going to let anything happen to her."

"What is the universe coming to? I can't believe I'm actually advocating turning the two of you loose with a human." Ratchet shook his head sorrowfully and made a shooing motion, "Now go. Get out of my office before I change my mind and suggest that Optimus have Prowl throw you in the brig and lose the key."

Optimus rumbled in amusement as the pair quickly rose and vacated the space, only going so far as the next room where Petty Officer Doe still recovered. "I'd like to be kept abreast of the situation, as well, old friend. The health and safety of our human allies is a primary concern of mine."

"Absolutely," Ratchet agreed. "I'll be sure to pass along any updates."

"My thanks. Though, Petty Officer Doe's wellbeing is paramount," Prime mused. "This may be good for Sideswipe and Sunstreaker. Perhaps it's just my imagination but they've seemed much more...docile...as of late."

XXXXXXXXXX

Amy must have been more out of it than either of them realized. The femme had slept for another hour and a half curled up on the exam table. They'd been left there alone with her with a warning from Ratchet not to disturb her. It had been a hard order to follow given their concern for her as well as the medical confirmation that they did, indeed, share some kind of connection with the woman. Having it all out in the open, at least among their fellow Autobots was a relief in a way. They wouldn't have to sneak around or justify themselves. They could focus on what was really important.

Sunstreaker had rolled Ratchet's stool up next to the exam table and settled his mass atop it. He'd pulled a microfiber cloth out and was polishing his armor when Amy finally began to stir. He quickly subspaced the cloth. "Hey, Sides!"

"What?" The mech looked up from where he'd been rifling through Ratchet's cabinets out of boredom on the other side of the room.

"She's waking up." To the woman he murmured, "Easy does it, Squishie."

"What...what happened?" Amy accepted Sunstreaker's assistance, clinging to one of his fingers as he helped her into a sitting position.

"Hey, Ames," Sideswipe had rushed over, sounding almost breathless in his relief. "Ratchet says you got yourself all worked up and passed out. He brought you over to the med bay to check you out. He says you're going to be fine."

"Oh, my God..." Amy buried her face in her hands as she felt her cheeks flood with heat. Was it humanly possible to humiliate herself any more than she already had? Freaking out and losing consciousness in a room full of giant, alien robots had to be the icing on the cake. She was supposed to be a highly trained professional. Since arriving at Diego Garcia she felt like anything but. Honestly, she felt like a fish out of water. She couldn't swim, she could only flop around uselessly and gasp for air. She honestly didn't understand why they were still keeping her around. She'd been banished for much less in the past.

Sides chuckled and tousled her hair with a finger, "What a way to start the weekend, huh?"

Sunstreaker eyed the femme, "You feeling alright now?"

"Yeah," Amy sniffled and wiped at her eyes. She wouldn't cry, she told herself. She. Would. Not. That never accomplished anything and she'd already embarrassed herself enough for one day. She nodded, "I'm fine, I just..." She swallowed the lump in her throat, "How long was I out?"

"A couple hours," the yellow mech shared, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly.

"Oh, my God," Amy repeated again, closing her eyes and breathing deeply to still her pounding heart. "Please tell me you're joking."

"Nope," Sides confirmed his brother's estimate with a grin. "You must have been really tired. I guess we wore you out pretty good last night."

Amy didn't think it was possible to feel any more scandalized. Though she was almost certain that the mech had no clue what his carelessly thrown about innuendos did to her, it didn't stop her from feeling flustered. At that moment, she wanted nothing more than to crawl into a hole somewhere and die...or go barricade herself in her room back at the barracks. Whichever got her out of this scenario the fastest. "Am- am I free to go?"

"Uh, yeah," Sides, sensing her melancholy mood, confirmed with a frown. "Ratchet and the others got pulled into an impromptu meeting with Lennox but he said if you woke up and were feeling good enough before he got back that you could leave."

Amy sighed in relief, "Great..."

"Here, Squishie." Sunstreaker saw the woman searching for a way down off the table and offered her a hand. She looked nervous as all get out but, not really having any other options, allowed him to lift her from the exam table and place her carefully onto the ground.

"Thanks," she muttered.

"So," Sides tentatively asked, "What do you want to do the rest of the day? Are you hungry? We can grab you some lunch. Prowl and Hide pretty much ruined our plans for breakfast in bed this morning."

"Um," Amy shuffled her feet, one hand going to her forehead to try to massage away the ache forming behind her eyes. "If it's all the same, I'd really just like to go back to the barracks."

"Sure, Ames," Sideswipe reluctantly agreed. "Whatever you want. We can come by later this evening after you've had some time to rest. Sunny and I stashed Galloway's projector inside one the ventilation ducts. We can drag it back out and maybe watch another movie or something."

"No, thank you," Amy declined. "I think I'm just going to stay in. There's some things I really need to catch up on."

"Oh," Sides' face fell. "Sure, uh, we understand."

Sunstreaker frowned. "Are you sure you're feeling alright?"

"I'm fine." Amy flashed the mech a strained smile. "I just need to get out of here. That's all."

"Well," Sides offered, "We can take you-"

"No," Amy cut him off, trying to ignore the hurt look on his faceplates. "Thank you, but no. I'm just going wander over to the main hangar and wait for the shuttle. I think the short walk and fresh air will do me some good."

"Okay," Sideswipe nodded, "We can keep you company while you wait."

"I don't want any company," Amy finally admitted. "I just want to be left alone. Is that so hard to understand?"

"Ames..." Sideswipe tried to reason, "We're your friends. We care about you. We just want to make sure you're really okay."

"I'm fine." Amy shook her head. "I don't need the two of you to babysit me. I'm capable of taking care of myself. I've been doing it for years and was doing just fine. I'm used to being alone."

"But you don't have to be," Sides insisted.

"It's alright," Sunstreaker interjected. "If you want to go, then go."

""Sunny?" Sideswipe glared at his brother in disbelief.

"What? She obviously doesn't want or need our company. So," Sunny shrugged, "If she wants to be alone, that's her problem. We offered. I'm not going to stand around here and argue with her about it all day." He leveled his gaze at the woman. "What are you waiting for? Get out of here. You don't think we have things to do, too?"

Amy shuffled awkwardly. She hadn't expected such a sharp dismissal. It...stung, much more than she would have thought it would. She should have been used to it by now. She almost regretted turning down the opportunity to spend the day with them. Already, she could feel the strange lonesomeness creeping in. She briefly entertained the thought of taking it all back, but her sense of pride and self-sufficiency stopped her. "Right," she nodded. She blinked, trying to dispel the tears that were trying to form and swallowed down the painful lump that had formed in her throat. "So, uh, I guess...I guess I'll see you guys around."

"Yeah, We'll see you, Squishie." Sunstreaker bid the femme farewell, watching as she turned and quickly made her way out of the med bay.

"Sunny!" Sideswipe, incredulous, stared at his brother. "We can't just let her walk out!" He tried to go after the woman." Hey, Ames! Wait, don't leave..."

Sunstreaker grabbed his brother's arm, halting him. "Let her go, Sides."

Sideswipe protested, "But, Sunny-"

"No," Sunny shook his head. "Just let her go. She's had a morning straight out of the Pit. Give her a little space and time. You heard what Ratchet said." The mech tapped his brother on the chest. "She won't wander off too far for too long. Besides, I've been thinking," the mech admitted. "Maybe it would be better for her if we let her come to us instead of us hounding her all the time."

"Yeah, maybe," the silver mech relented after a long moment. "I guess you're right. I just don't like her going off alone all upset."

"She knows where we are if she needs us," Sunstreaker insisted. "Now, come on. Let's ditch this place before Hatchet comes back. The last thing I want to do is sit through another one of that crazy fragger's rants today."

"What?" Sideswipe managed a chuckle. "You didn't enjoy his raving tirade on the dangers of interspecies coupling? Come on, Sunny! That was an instant classic!"

"Don't remind me," Sunny grumbled as he made his way to the door. "Are you coming or what?"

"Yeah, yeah," Sides confirmed, "I'm coming..."

End of Chapter 22