Finding Home
Chapter 48
By Voodoo Queen
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Author's Note: Hello, Dear Readers! I hope you're feeling great today! Sorry it took me so long to get this out! To all who are following this story, you are awesome! Special thank you to my brilliant reviewers: bonnieandjangolove, 'Guests', MJCM1, jellybeanz513 (aka, my fave), o-dragon, Starimus Prime, SoundlyManners, maria-ioanna984, monkeybaby, poppycakes, 'Anonymous', TomRiddlesTwin, MayTylers, PepperCornPie, the everchanging, ActCasual, Dina Sana, SolusPrimeLightblast, , Brianna, jgoss, .Princess, Sk, AngelReddix, Rachel0424, Cao dreams in books, aquarius89, Dawn Racer, TC Howl
As a thank you for being so, so patient...I think I may have to throw in something really special next chapter. Gotta get my creative juices flowing!
Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers, just my own original characters and plot.
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For the first time in as long as he could remember, Sideswipe felt as though his life was on the right track. Things were far from perfect. They were, after all, still embroiled in a war on an alien planet, but he and Sunny were both healthy, young mechs in their prime and mostly unscathed to spite it all. They weren't wealthy by any means but they had a roof over their heads, borrowed from their human allies though it may be. Their tanks were full, though energon processed from fossil fuels left much to be desired in terms of palatability but beggars couldn't be choosers. They had friends who actually cared whether or not they lived or died, something they'd thought lost long ago with their creators. Most importantly, at least in his mind, they had someone in their life that they genuinely loved and who, by all signs and signals, seemed to feel the same for them...a completely foreign concept given their history if he were honest.
An almost goofy grin stretched across his features as he traversed his way through the hangar on his way to the med bay to speak with Ratchet as he thought of Amy.
Never in a million lifetimes would he have ever guessed he and Sunny would have been in this position when he'd spotted her that first night walking across the base with Epps. To think he'd actually contemplated driving right on by for an astrosecond, leaving she and Epps to their own devices. His mischievous nature had gotten the better of him, however. Surprisingly, it seemed to have worked for him rather than against him and for once resulted in something other than brig time. How far they'd come since that first disorienting shock of energy exchanged between them. It was confusing and frustrating at times but he wouldn't have changed the way things had worked out for the universe. He didn't think he could go back to the way things were before even if he had to. Even the thought caused a cold shudder to work its way down his spinal struts.
Luck seemed to be on their side, though, and it seemed they needn't worry too much. Their latest stroke of good fortune came with Amy's admission that she found their current living arrangements satisfactory enough to continue. It had him, as the humans say, on cloud nine. Though none of them had really voiced it aloud, most likely out of fear of things not working out, there seemed to be an underlying feeling of permanence between the three of them. Sure, some of that could be attributed to the fact they'd swapped energy with the woman and severing that connection would have been physically detrimental to all of them. However, the emotional connection that stemmed from that physical tie was even greater. Had imprinting not been a factor, Sideswipe had no doubt that his feelings for the woman would have remained unchanged. The three of them just meshed together too well, differing species notwithstanding. As corny as it sounded, even to his own audios, he felt as though he'd known the femme forever and perhaps had loved her just as long.
He and Sunny weren't the biggest believers in fate or Providence but he was willing to admit that, as unlikely as their situation was, something greater than themselves must surely be at play. That said, being irrevocably in love, with a human no less, certainly got a mech to thinking. He adored everything about Amy...her personality, her willingness to give them a chance, her quirks, her humor, her professionalism, her acceptance, and even the scars she bore. Now that he could relax a bit in the knowledge that she wasn't about to pack up and leave them, he'd begun to focus more on now pleasing he found her physical form. He'd always had a thing for the smoother, more slender curves of a femme. He wouldn't go as far to say he and Sunny had a particular type as far as femmes were concerned, per se. Primus knew they'd run the gamut in terms of berth mates.
Amy, however, wasn't like any of them.
Sideswipe didn't have a human fetish, a statement that went double for his brother. Although, Sunny did seem to be developing a fascination with how soft and pliant Amy seemed to be, a turn of events that amused Sides to no end. Honestly, neither of them found humans particularly physically attractive. There was something about Amy specifically, however, that made his core temperature rise like a youngling getting ready to interface for the first time every time they were together. Human or no, in his optics, she was the most beautiful creature ever to inhabit the universe. It wasn't even as if she had to go out of her way to make herself appealing. She just was and on a level he couldn't quite comprehend. A smile, a look, a hesitant touch...any contact at all, really, was enough to make his spark stutter and he found himself counting the kliks until he could see her again whenever they were apart.
He loved that feeling.
He loved her.
He wanted to, as the humans so aptly phrased it, make love to her.
He'd only been half joking when he'd teased her about wanting to seduce her. He and Sunny hadn't really had a sit down discussion regarding the physical aspects of their relationship with the woman but they'd talked enough to know that it was nagging at the back of both their processors. It was a particularly tricky conundrum for his brother, Sides knew. Sunstreaker was a mech that preferred to show his feelings rather than confess them outright. A defense mechanism against rejection, he supposed. He'd seen the way his brother would look at Amy on occasion, a desire to touch and be touched, but unsure of exactly how to go about it, thinly disguised by clenched fists and a scowl. Sunny didn't have to say it, but Sides knew that he was afraid of hurting her.
To be completely honest, he shared his brother's sense of worry and uncertainty. Though his own research had provided him with the assurance that humans and Cybertronians had "comparable parts" that operated under "similar mechanics", the huge discrepancy in both their size and consistency were cause for frustration. In the privacy of his own imagination, there were no barriers to overcome or obstacles in the way of expressing themselves. They were free to engage with her as they wished, species notwithstanding. Reality, however, was an entirely different scenario where even the simplest act of affection took a certain amount of control and concentration to ensure the femme's comfort and safety.
They'd dabbled, yes, but it wasn't anything too risqué. It was more or less an exercise in familiarization, a way to be more comfortable with one another and compare differences and similarities. What they craved was intimacy, something Ratchet had warned them early on would happen. Though it pained him to admit it, the cantankerous old medic had been right. Though they'd shrugged it off at the time, quipping that they'd "figure it out when they got there", it was becoming more and more clear that they were getting to a place where they were well beyond the need for simple companionship.
Not to say they weren't happy. Personally, Sideswipe wouldn't have changed Amy for the world. If he was destined to spend the rest of his existence simply cuddling her while she slept, he would do so without complaint and die a happy mech when his time came. It didn't stop him from wondering, though, at the possibility of more. To be more specific, it didn't stop his processor from replaying over and over the evening Amy had spent with Sunny as he tried to get back into the femme's good graces after beating the slag out of Mirage, while he'd spectated from afar. Though he'd longed to immediately explore the avenues this had possibly opened up for them, he knew his brother had been right in exercising caution. They weren't sure how any of this would affect Amy and the very last thing they wanted was for any harm to come to her.
They'd been watching her closely since then. Sunstreaker especially so, given he was the one who'd physically engaged in the contact with her and Sides knew the mech would never forgive himself if she was adversely affected as a result. Fortunately, the woman showed no ill effects from their little rendezvous and, in fact, looked healthier and more relaxed in the week she'd been staying with them than she had since arriving on the island. It was amazing what some peaceful, uninterrupted sleep could do. Her uptick in physical, mental, and emotional health, led Sideswipe to the belief that she'd been left unharmed by her encounter with his twin and that it was more than likely safe to proceed with a little experiment he'd concocted to both test the bounds of the connection the three of them shared and hopefully relieve some of the tension they all felt.
First, however, he needed to discreetly seek a bit of medical advice. Though he was loathe to do so...he still feared Ratchet would try to "fix" whatever had allowed Amy to link with his brother...they needed to have an idea of what they were working with and if what he was hoping for was even remotely possible.
He paused outside the med bay doors, taking a moment to strategize what he planned to ask so as not to raise the CMO's hackles, before slipping quietly inside. He paused once more at finding Ratchet engaged in what appeared to be a serious conversation with Prime, Prowl, and Jazz all in attendance. He tried to be inconspicuous but the mentioning of Amy's name perked up his audios and had him immediately on his guard. Anything concerning the femme concerned he and his brother, as well. He drifted closer to the group, a worried expression set firmly on his face plates as he listened in.
"I can't say with any certainty exactly what it was Miss Doe heard," Ratchet explained to the group of of senior Autobot personnel gathered in the room. "Other than ambient noise, I detected no auditory abnormalities in the Allspark's presence."
"So," Jazz quirked a brow plate from where he leaned casually against one of the medical berths, "Are ya sayin' she was mistaken?"
"No," Ratchet assured, "not at all. Simply that it wasn't present at the time I performed my examination. I did, however, manage to get some very interesting readings from the Allspark itself."
"Go on," Prime encouraged, as he crossed his arms over his massive chest plates. "What did you find?"
The CMO drew air deep into his intakes and cycled it back out in a sigh before proceeding. "I didn't observe any changes in physical structure or integrity. To the naked optic, the shard appears exactly the same as when it arrived. However, upon scanning, I found it to be extremely active at the cellular level. It's currently producing a large quantity of what appear to be some sort of nanite. I brought a small sample of the particles back here to the lab and examined them under the microscope and found them to be not completely dissimilar to those produced by our own systems in response to injury or illness."
"Interesting," Prowl hummed, a contemplative look on his face plates as he listened attentively.
"In addition," the doctor continued, "I noted a marked increase in the shards core temperature as well as a significant extension of its EMF field. If I didn't know any better, I'd say it's exhibiting an intense immune response."
"An immune response..." Prime hypothesized, "Perhaps some sort of self-repair routine?"
Ratchet shrugged, "I certainly wouldn't put that outside the realm of possibilities."
Prime nodded as he contemplated the mechs words. "Any ideas on what's suddenly causing this behavior or its long term effects?"
Ratchet shook his head, "I wish I had better answers for you, Optimus. All I can tell you with any certainty is that the shard is extremely active. The outcome of this activity..." The mech trailed off for a moment before admitting, "This is one of those situations where all we can really do is watch and wait. With your permission, I'd like to subject the shard to regular monitoring and observation. I'd also like to run a few more tests. The more data I have, the easier it'll be to get you some solid, concrete answers."
"Of course," the Autobot leader quickly agreed to his CMO's request. "Whatever you need, my friend. Given the sudden lull in Decepticon activity, this should take priority...barring, of course, any health issues that may need attending to. Whatever you discover, I'd like to know immediately."
"Understood," Ratchet nodded.
"Doc...when ya say a significant extension of the EMF field, how significant are we talkin'?" Jazz rubbed a hand down his face as he chimed in, "Current security and EMF containment measures were based on readings taken when the shard got here."
"That is a concern," Prowl agreed. "If the shard's energy signature were to leak outside of the current containment zone..."
"It may as well be an open invitation to Megatron," Optimus finished. "This island and everyone on it would be in danger."
"A very legitimate concern." Ratchet vented, "I believe current security measures are adequate...for now. Given the rate of field expansion, however, they won't be for much longer. It may be prudent to address this issue now before it becomes a serious risk."
"I'll speak with our esteemed National Security Advisor," Prime could barely refrain from rolling his optics at the man's name. "Even with backing from Defense Secretary it was almost impossible to get Galloway to agree to the Allspark's current accommodations given the expense involved. The sooner we begin negotiations for improvements, the better."
"Galloway's title is quite misleading." Prowl made a noise of disapproval, "He seems more concerned with scoring political points with his Commander in Chief than actually securing his nation."
Prime rumbled in amusement. "Were our politicians much different?"
"Maybe if they'd spent more time actually doin' their jobs and less time bangin' on their chest plates tryin' to be the big mech, we wouldn't be in the situation we're in now," Jazz commented.
"Unfortunately," Prime vented, "Some problems are universal...regardless of species or culture. We'll perform our due diligence and take our concerns up the humans chain of command. With any luck, Galloway won't be so blinded by his own aspirations that he can't see the big picture regarding the magnitude of the danger we face in the event the shard's location is discovered. In the event he refuses to see reason, Prowl," the Autobot Leader looked to his SIC, "we'll need to begin formulating a plan B. Perhaps a change in venue may be needed."
The stoic mech nodded, "I'll begin looking into alternatives immediately."
"Very good." Prime nodded and then addressed his TIC, "Jazz, until we know exactly what we're dealing with, I'd like for you and Petty Officer Doe to go ahead and reroute all security protocols for the Allspark through Teletraan where it's more secure. That includes restricted access for DoD, DHS, and the NSA. I'll inform Captain Lennox of the impending changes so that he's aware of the situation."
"Sure thing, Boss Bot." Jazz nodded, adding with a grin, "You know, Galloway ain't gonna like it. He likes all the data to pass through his team first."
"I am very aware," Prime vented. "We'll deal with him when the time comes. In the meantime, we'll have to work with the knowledge we have and the materials at our disposal. Ratchet, get me that data as soon as possible."
"Of course, Optimus," the CMO readily agreed.
"If there's nothing else," Optimus rumbled, "I'll let you return to your duties."
After bidding everyone farewell, the Autobot leader made his way back out of the medbay followed closely by his Second in Command. The pair nodded cordially in recognition of the silver front liner lingering by the door as they made their way back out into the base proper to destinations unknown. Sideswipe politely nodded back before cautiously skating closer to where Jazz and Ratchet still stood, engaged in a conversation that now appeared to revolved around medical matters.
"I've told you countless times," Ratchet scolded the TIC but there was an underlying tone of amusement in his vocals. "All you needed was a little time and patience."
Jazz looked equally excited and relieved. "So, when can we start, Doc? I'm tired of limpin' around here like some rusty old mech."
"Ease up on the accelerator, Jazz," Ratchet chuckled. "I'll still need to perform some stress tests to check the integrity of the repairs to your protoform. You're healing beautifully but too much too soon could still set back your recovery," the mech cautioned. "But, if everything goes as well as I hope, you should have your transformation abilities restored by the end of the week...with some restrictions, of course."
The grin that lit up Jazz's face was rivaled only by the sun in brightness, "I'll take whatever you can give me, Ratch."
Sideswipe felt his own grin widen at the good news. Jazz was a great mech, one of the best in his and Sunny's book, even if they didn't always see optic-to-optic. The fact that he'd taken Amy in under his proverbial wing only heightened his status in their view. "So," he teased as he rolled up beside the pair, "finally getting your wheels back, huh?"
"Yep," Jazz happily confirmed. "The Doc has finally deemed me worthy."
"That's awesome." Sides clapped the smaller mech on the back. "I know you've missed the road. We should celebrate with a trip to the closed driving course, do some evasive maneuvering."
"Don't tempt him, you Pit-spawn," Ratchet warned, reaching for a wrench and waving it in a threatening manner at the younger mech. "As easily as I can reenable his transformation cog, I can just as easily disable your's."
Sideswipe threw his hands up in defense, "I just thought the exercise might be good for him, that's all."
"Exercise," Ratchet harrumphed, rolling his optics. "An exercise in disaster, perhaps. I've seen the way the two of you 'evasively maneuver'."
"Take it easy, Ratch," Jazz chuckled and shook his head. "I ain't plannin' on runnin' out and gettin' slagged right out the gate. The scraplet told me all about you takin' her on a speed run, Sides. I think I'll be followin' the posted limits, at least for a while."
"No worries," Sideswipe nodded in understanding. "You know where to find me whenever you're feeling up to it."
Jazz nodded and thanked the mech, "I appreciate that, Sideswipe. I really do."
"Anytime," Sideswipe shrugged. "I mean, we are practically family."
The statement gave Jazz pause for a second. He'd certainly spent countless nights staring up at the pitted ceiling in his quarters contemplating his close relationship with Amy but hadn't really taken the time to appreciate what extended beyond that. He didn't share a spark connection with her like the twins did but, Primus, if he didn't feel her there all the same. He knew he'd felt this way before, a lifetime ago it seemed, and he did his best not to dwell on it too long. Nothing good ever came from it. What mattered was what he felt now and he felt it with every molecule of his being that he and Amy were fated to cross paths. She was just as much a part of him as if he'd sparked her himself and the twins, in turn, were a part of her. In a way, he supposed they were practically family.
Jazz opened his mouth to respond to this new revelation but Ratchet beat him to it.
"Is there a purpose for your visit, Sideswipe?" The CMO gestured around himself, "Between getting Jazz squared away and this Allspark business, I'm quite busy. So, if you don't mind..." The mech made a motion to hurry up.
"Right," the front liner grinned. "I was actually hoping I could talk to you about some, uh, personal stuff." He cut a side glance towards Jazz, adding, "Alone."
Jazz's optics narrowed, "If whatever ya gotta say concerns my girl," he assured, "I wanna know about it."
Sides cringed, "No offense, Jazz. I get where you're coming from, but," the silver twin drawled, "there's some things a mech probably doesn't want to hear about concerning their charge's private life, if you get my drift."
Before any more words could be exchanged between the two, Ratchet spoke, drawing attention back to himself. "Of course," he quickly agreed to the twin's request. "Head on back to my office, Sideswipe. I'll be along in a moment."
Nodding, Sideswipe headed off in the direction indicated but not before offering Jazz another friendly pat on the back. "Later, Jazz!"
Jazz watched him go but not without a hum of concern. "Doc..." he started.
"Jazz," Ratchet interrupted with an amused smirk, "as much as it pains me to say, he's right. It's probably best not to think about it. The three of them are grown adults, after all. Something like this was bound to happen sooner or later."
"Yeah," Jazz reluctantly admitted. "I know, but..."
"No buts," Ratchet made a shooing motion toward the med bay doors. "Just be happy they're doing the responsible thing and coming to me first. Go on, get out. I'll comm you later and we'll set up some testing. In the meantime, why don't you go share the good news with Miss Doe? I'm sure she'll be absolutely thrilled for you."
Jazz vented, "Yeah," he nodded. "Alright...just..."
"I won't steer them wrong," Ratchet promised, plucking Jazz's concern out of thin air. "I promise. "Regardless of whatever's rattling around in Sideswipe's processor, Miss Doe's health and safety is my foremost concern."
"Thanks, Doc."
"Of course."
Ratchet watched as Jazz turned and carefully limped his way out of the med bay. Truly, the mech was as close to a living miracle as he'd ever treated. The injuries he'd sustained from his brief, albeit devastating, encounter with Megatron should have killed him outright. The fact that his spark had stubbornly refused to extinguish itself spoke volumes of the small mech's tenacity. It had taken Jazz quite some time to come to a place and a state of mind where he could truly appreciate just how fortunate he'd been. Honestly, Ratchet had feared they'd lost him once he'd managed to pull him out of stasis. Perhaps not physically, but there were things much worse than death. It did Ratchet's spark good to see the mech so reinvested in and excited about life...a lot of which, he knew, had to do with his beloved human companion and the CMO vowed to do his utmost to safeguard the girl so much as was in his power.
Ratchet waited for the doors to swing shut behind the TIC before venting and turning to head to his office. He found Sideswipe sitting in a chair, waiting patiently. The front liner's optics roamed inquisitively over the various charts, graphs, and anatomical drawings of both Cybertronians and humans that the CMO had tacked up onto the walls. A low, rhythmic hum emanated from his vocal processor, a mimicry of some vacuous pop song that seemed to be playing on the radio every time you turned it on, while one foot tapped along to keep time.
Ratchet rounded his desk and sank down into his own seat, the rig creaking slightly beneath his bulk as he settled himself for what he hoped would be an interesting conversation given the topic. He would have been a liar if he said the dynamics of the relationship the twins shared with Petty Officer Doe didn't fascinate him. It was, so far as he knew, the first of its kind. He folded his hands atop his desk and drew air deep into his intakes before asking, "Will your brother be joining us?"
"Uh," Sides chuckled and scratched at the back of his neck with one hand. "No...not this time. He's busy with some project Prowl has him working on. He doesn't know I'm here."
The CMO raised a brow at that.
"I'm going to fill him in later," Sides promised. "I wanted to talk to you first. I didn't want to get him all worked up over nothing, you know?"
Ratchet nodded, "Very well. What sort of personal matters did you want to discuss?"
"So," Sides began, "things are really starting to settle down at home. Ames is comfortable with our living arrangements and Sunny and me should be finished with our extra shifts by the end of the week so the three of us should get to spend a lot more time together. Things are good," Sideswipe grinned. "Really, really good."
"I'm glad to hear it," the barest hint of a smile curved Ratchet's mouth. "I had serious reservations in the beginning but you and Sunstreaker have pleasantly surprised me, I must say."
"This means a lot to us," he earnestly admitted. "We want to do things the right way...for Ames."
"Mmhmm." Ratchet hummed and steepled his fingers beneath his chin. "And am I correct in guessing intimate relations is on your 'to-do' list."
"Well," Sideswipe shrugged, "I mean, the thought had crossed our processors."
"I see." The CMO vented and leaned back in his seat. "Even though the human body may be comparable to our own, you do realize the probability of successfully interfacing is basically zero."
Sides waived off the mech's concern. "We know that and we're ok with it."
Ratchet looked at the mech skeptically. "You are?"
"Yeah. I mean," he shrugged again, "it is what it is, right? It would be awesome if it were possible but we're not going to risk hurting her. Plug n' play isn't the only way to hit an overload, you know. If you know what you're doing, you can always find a workaround," he grinned mischievously at the mech sitting across the desk from him.
Ratchet looked wholly unimpressed.
"Besides," Sides continued, nonplussed, "I was actually wondering about...other things."
The CMO cleared his vocal processor, "Other things?"
"Like, we know Ames doesn't have a spark," the mech explained. "But there has to be something like...a human equivalent, right? An analog?"
Ratchet's brow plates furrowed in concern. "What are you planning to do, Sideswipe? Spark bond with the poor woman?"
"No," Sides denied before grinning. "Maybe someday. We'll invite you to the ceremony."
The CMO rolled his optics.
"Seriously, though," the silver twin sobered, "you said that with this whole imprinting thing that the affected parties were capable of swapping energy without direct spark to spark contact, right?"
"I did," Ratchet confirmed with a nod. "Generally, however, it isn't a conscious act that those involved are even aware of."
"But," the silver twin pressed, "could it be?"
"I suppose. Perhaps under the proper circumstances." The CMO vented before beginning to rummage through a pile of data pads stacked neatly on the corner of his desk. "Here." He snagged the pad he was looking for and passed it across to the other mech. "I hate to admit it, but with everything going on I haven't had as much time to properly research this phenomenon as I'd like other than making sure the two of you don't accidentally scramble the poor girl's circuits. I did, however, manage to skim through this."
Curious, Sides thumbed the pad on, his brow plates furrowing in concentration as he read where Ratchet had last left off , "The soul, or life force, according to various religious, mythological, and philosophical traditions is often defined as the incorporeal energetic essence of a living being that resides within the vessel of the body and is believed capable of transcending physical death..."
"It's a very interesting read and, at the very least, may help answer your first question regarding belief in a human analog," the older mech assured. "Some of the similarities to our own beliefs are quite astonishing."
"Thanks." Sideswipe nodded in appreciation. "I'll read it and get it right back to you."
"Take your time," Ratchet groused. "Until this Allspark business is resolved, I'll be lucky to enjoy a full recharge cycle, let alone set aside any time for casual reading."
Sides hummed softly in understanding.
"To answer your second question," Ratchet soldiered on, "I suppose that, in theory, it would be possible to consciously commingle energies. That is, if you were able to deduce how such an exchange occurred in the first place and recreate those conditions. You and your brother were certainly able to pass some of your spark energy to Miss Doe. Though, without knowing how exactly you managed it, I'm not sure how or if she'd be able to reciprocate in the same fashion, let alone as part of a deliberate act."
"Let's say she could," Sideswipe cautiously ventured. "Would it hurt her? I mean, would it be dangerous?"
"Sideswipe," Ratchet looked the mech dead in the optic, "from a completely medical standpoint, she should already be fried to a crisp. Obviously, that hasn't happened. Still, I can't sit here in good conscience and tell you something like that would be safe to try to engage in with an organic. What I can tell you is that, given the level of physiological adaptation I've seen in Miss Doe, if any organic could withstand that magnitude of an energetic exchange, it would be her. Do I recommend trying it? Absolutely not." He shook his head, "not until we know more."
"Right," Sides vented and slapped his hands on his knees before rising to his wheels. "Well, thanks for the info, Ratch. I'll get out of your way."
"That's it?" Ratchet looked quizzically at the silver mech as he moved toward the office door, "No arguments? Nothing smart to say?"
"Nope," Sideswipe grinned at the mech. "You answered my questions so I'm good to go. Talk to ya later!" The mech offered the medical officer a sloppy two-fingered salute before quickly slipping out the door with the data pad tucked securely beneath one arm.
Ratchet continued to stare at the door long after it had shut behind the front liner. "That lug nut is up to something," he grumbled to himself. Though he would have liked to investigate further, he was well aware of the shard samples awaiting his attention in the other room. He hoped that, whatever the mech had rattling around in that helm of his, Petty Officer Doe had enough common sense not to play along.
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It was nearing six in the evening when Amy finally emerged from another day working in the bunker nestled beneath Diego Garcia to find the bright, blue sky from earlier in the day replaced with rolling black clouds. The storm had blown in from the ocean unexpectedly and had brought with it the thick smell of ozone. Lightning streaked across the heavens, briefly lighting the base up like high noon, followed by a long, low roll of thunder that shook her very bones. The wind whipped its way between base structures, causing an eerie wail, and forcing her to remove her cover to prevent it from being blown off her head. Warm rain poured down in veritable sheets, soaking scurrying military personnel and staged equipment alike.
For a moment, Amy considered her options. She honestly didn't mind the rain. In fact, she found it comforting. That, however, didn't mean she felt like getting soaked so making a break for it was out of the question. She could always head back downstairs. She was certain Jazz wouldn't mind her weathering the storm in his company and she knew for a fact he wouldn't have approved of her first option. That said, she figured she could always call one of the twins to come get her. Though Sunstreaker would probably lament over the pounding rain ruining his finish, she was sure Sideswipe wouldn't have minded coming to her rescue. The idea of dragging either of them out into a torrential downpour, however, didn't really sit well with her. If they were warm and dry, she wanted them to stay that way. In the end, she decided to wait it out and hope for a lull in the rain that would allow her to escape back home without looking like a drowned rat.
She leaned against the wall next to the bunker entrance, the overhang above her providing just enough cover to keep her dry. Weather aside, it had been a very good day. She hadn't seen much of the twins other than in passing which was slightly disappointing but she consoled herself with the fact that she'd get to spend the rest of the evening in their company. Bumblebee had been in the bunker most of the day assisting Jazz with physical security upgrades and Amy truly did enjoy the scout's company. Best of all, Jazz had strolled into the office earlier in the day and shared that Ratchet had deemed him well enough to let him drive again...test results pending, of course.
In the time she'd spent with the mech, she had noticed little things that suggested he was on the mend. Or, at least she'd hoped. He definitely wasn't as wobbly on his feet as he had been their first meeting. He seemed to get up and down easier than before. His limp had improved to the point where she felt she could safely rebrand it as an easygoing strut. He'd even managed to pull off a smooth dance move or two the other morning while the two of them had been listening to music as they went through Teletraan's daily checks.
Amy had been elated for him to say the very least. She knew that his injuries and duty status were a sore spot for him. Despite the monumental amount of essential work he did for the team, being relegated to a support role due to his physical limitations made him feel as though he wasn't pulling his weight. That, she knew, could not have been farther from the truth. She wasn't too proud to admit that she'd literally squealed in happiness and excitement as she'd flung herself at the mech, latching on to his leg and hugging him as best she could. Equally as excited, Jazz's reaction to the spontaneous show of affection was to lift her from the ground and give her an enthusiastic spin as he returned her hug with a careful one of is own.
"That's so awesome," Amy gushed as she'd struggled to regain both her breath and her equilibrium once he'd carefully sat her down. "Did Ratchet say when?"
Jazz had chuckled at her enthusiasm. "Gotta do some tests first, scraplet. But," he grinned, "if all goes well, the doc said he should have me on the road by the end of the week."
"You must be so excited!" Amy could feel her own smile stretch nearly ear to ear. "I know I would be."
"I gotta say," Jazz admitted, "a nice long drive with the windows down and the radio up sounds amazin' right about now. Maybe we can talk the Boss Bot into lettin' us take a road trip once things around here calm down."
"That would be great," Amy agreed, her heart bubbling with happiness over the prospect of Jazz once again being well and whole.
That upbeat feeling had persisted throughout the day and for those few hours, Amy felt as though all was right in the world. It wasn't a feeling she'd been familiar with prior to her assignment to Diego Garcia but it was definitely one she believed she could get used to. Not even the turbulent weather could dampen her spirits.
She stood, idly watching the angry, black clouds slowly creep across the sky when another bolt of lightning slashed its way across the heavens, illuminating the entire base for the briefest of moments, before plunging it back into twilight. The sudden switch from dark to light and back again left her temporarily blinded as she tried to blink away the after image from her vision. Her ears worked perfectly fine, though, as she was able to make out the distinct sound of tires crunching on asphalt even over the pounding of rain.
"Bella," a voice she hadn't heard in quite some time inquired loudly as to be heard over the ruckus, "why do you stand in the rain?"
"Mirage...uh...Dino?" Amy could just make out the shape of a Ferrari though the torrent of rain.
"Sì," the bot confirmed. "The weather is very bad, no?"
"Yeah," Amy nodded, also having to shout to be heard. "It's pretty nasty. Storm kinda popped up out of nowhere."
"I am going back to my quarters to dry myself," he informed. "May I offer you a ride?"
"Umm..." Amy chewed her lip indecisively. Though she really wanted nothing more than to go home, she really didn't think accepting a ride from the mech filling the role of Sunstreaker's sworn nemesis was a wise course of action. She politely declined the offer. "Thanks but I think I'll just wait for it to slack off some and then make a run for it. Not that I don't appreciate the offer but..." she trailed off.
"Bella," the infiltrator responded, "please, allow me to do you this courtesy. I know I have behaved badly. I wish nothing but good for you and I want no trouble with your...compagni."
"I don't know..." She cast her eyes to the sky once more just as another rumble of thunder decided to make itself heard. The rain showed no indication that it would be stopping anytime soon.
"Please," Mirage tried once more. "I wish to apologize for any trouble I may have caused you."
Amy turned the offer over in her head for another moment before reluctantly accepting the offer. "Okay," she nodded. "Thanks."
The Ferrari's passenger door, the one closest to where she stood, opened courteously and she hurried to get inside before she got too soaked. The mech had the A/C on which certainly helped with the humidity but made her damp uniform stick to her skin making it instantly feel cool and clammy. The door shut quietly behind her as she settled into the seat and clicked her seatbelt into place. As Mirage pulled away, she did her best to ignore the empty driver's seat and how the steering wheel effortlessly spun on its own. No matter how long she'd know the bots, it was still an eerie thing to witness and one she wasn't sure she'd ever get used to.
"You look well," the mech offered, his accented voice flowing out of the car's speakers.
"Thanks," Amy politely answered. "I feel well."
"Bene," Mirage hesitated for a moment and then asked, "and the twins?"
Amy nodded, "they're fine." She gnawed her lip for a moment before asking, "How's, uh...your face?"
"Better," the mech assured. " I must apologize for my rudeness in the med bay. I should not have taken my frustrations out on you."
"You were hurt," Amy shrugged. "I understand..."
"No," the infiltrator denied. "That is niente scuse. You did not deserve that."
"Well," the woman reasoned, "you didn't deserve to get your nose broken, so..."
Mirage vented, "I may have, as you say, pushed the wrong button. Sunstreaker...he has a temper."
"Yeah, I know." There was no use for her to deny it. Sunstreaker did have a temper and she'd witnessed it first hand. She'd learned a lot about him since then, however. Things that, she was sure, no one outside of Sideswipe was privy to. "He can be harsh sometimes and brutally honest but, believe it or not," she shared, "he's not a bad guy. He cares a lot about the people closest to him and tries to look out for them the best way he knows how." A small smile tugged at one corner of her mouth as she shared, "He's...kinda sweet, actually."
Mirage made a scoffing sound as he pulled into the Autobot's hangar and politely opened Amy's door in order for her to exit his vehicle form. He waited for her to move clear before transforming back into his bipedal shape. He looked down upon her, a skeptical look set upon his healed features, "Sweet? That is not a word I would associate with that facinoroso."
Amy shrugged. "Believe what you want, Dino. I'm just telling you what I know and, I know you're not asking for my advice," she continued, "but I'd suggest just leaving him alone. I'm not sure what kind of history the three of you have or what exactly went down in the hangar that you ended up in the med bay but I can literally feel the tension anytime the three of you are within spitting distance of each other. I asked Sunstreaker to leave you alone and he reluctantly agreed but," she stressed, "I can't guarantee he won't go back on his end of the deal if you're antagonizing him. I don't want to see anyone get hurt...again."
Honestly, Mirage would do whatever necessary to avoid another run in like the one in the hangar. It wasn't that he and the twins hadn't come to blows before...they had on a few occasions and he knew that he was no match for either one of them. There was a reason that even the Decepticons respected them on the battlefield, after all. That, however, wasn't what had frightened him. It was the genuine rage that had burned in Sunstreaker's optics as regrettable words had slipped off the end of his glossa that had seriously shook him.
"I understand, Bella," the mech relented. "I shall cease and desist, as you wish."
"Thank you," Amy's shoulders slumped with relief. "I appreciate that."
"Of course," Mirage gave a slight bow. "Again, I wish to extent my most sincere apologies and," he added, "I hope that we may still be friends, yes?"
"Apology accepted," she nodded, "and, yeah, I'd like that."
"Eccellente," the mech flashed the woman a small but genuine smile. "I hope the rest of your evening is a pleasant one."
"Your's, too." Amy offered, adding, "And thanks again for giving me a ride."
"It was my pleasure." Mirage offer her one last polite smile before smoothly pivoting on his heel and heading off in the direction of his own quarters.
Amy kept her eyes on the retreating mech's back until he rounded a corner and disappeared from view. She sighed and turned to head in the opposite direction, a slight feeling of accomplishment settling in her chest. She wasn't sure whether or not the mini peace deal she'd brokered would be enough to keep the twins, and especially Sunstreaker, out of trouble but it was a start. Happy with that, she switched her focus to something as equally important at the moment: a hot shower and dry clothes.
XXXXXXXXXX
"What the frag am I even looking at, Sides?" Sunstreaker's optics narrowed as he studied the data pad his brother had thrust into his hands the moment he'd walked through the berth room door. "Is this some kind of human spiritual slag?"
The two mechs were currently sitting shoulder to shoulder on the edge berth going over the information Ratchet had provided Sideswipe earlier in the day. Sides had practically devoured the info and had been eager to share with his brother. Some of the information had been quite dry and technical. Aside from a lot of information on bio electricity and the neurological capabilities of the human body, the CMO had also looked up quite a bit of information related to different human concepts of the soul or spirit. Some of the latter information he'd found intriguing and felt supported his hypothesis of human/Cybertronian compatibility...at least so far as he understood sparks and how they worked.
"It's not slag, Sunny," the silver front liner insisted. "This!" He stabbed at the screen with his finger. "Read this!"
"Fine," Sunny rolled his optics and humored his brother. "Move your finger, bit brain."
"Sorry," Sides smiled sheepishly.
Sunstreaker vented and began to read aloud, "Kundalini is a Sanskrit term, often referenced in Hinduism, that refers to a divine energy said to be located at the base of the spine. Blah, blah, blah..." His optics skimmed down the screen to information his brother had highlighted, "Kundalini awakenings may happen through a variety of methods but many awakening symptoms tend to result from changes to the nervous system and are often confused with neurological or biological conditions. The experience of Kundalini is frequently reported as a distinct feeling of an electric current running along the spine..."
Sideswipe practically vibrated with excitement. "What does that sound like to you?"
Sunstreaker passed the data pad back, "Like someone needs to lay off the high grade."
"I'm serious, Sunny," Sides insisted.
Sunny chuckled, "So am I."
"Look," Sideswipe tried to explain, "let's say Ames already had this energy inside her. Maybe we awakened it when we shocked each other. Ratchet said her nervous system had to do a major overhaul to deal with it, right? She can literally feel electricity inside her."
"Not up and down her spine," Sunny corrected.
"So?" Sides asked, "Does it really matter where she feels it?"
Sunstreaker raised a brow plate, "You seriously don't believe all this scrap, do you?"
"Do you have a better explanation?" The silver twin grew serious, "You were literally there, Sunny. With her. That happened. That was real."
Sunstreaker vented, "What do you want from me, Sides?"
"I want us all to be together," he bluntly stated. "You and I both know that isn't going to happen in the traditional sense, no matter how badly we wish it could."
"Sides..." Sunstreaker tried to interrupt but Sideswiped soldiered on.
"Just listen," he begged. "I know you worry about her getting hurt but she's fine, Sunny, absolutely fine. Better than fine. Nothing bad happened. She looks great. She feels great. Things are going great. We need this, Sunny. We all do. I can feel in my spark that you know I'm right."
Sunstreaker was quiet for a long moment before responding in a hoarse voice, "What are you proposing we do about it?"
XXXXXXXXX
Upon entering the berth room, Amy found the twins huddled together around a data pad, speaking softly to one another in the native tongue. They were so engrossed in whatever it was they were discussing that they hadn't even noticed she'd come in. They were cute, she thought, as she listened, trying hopelessly to understand even a single word. Sideswipe looked almost giddy. The subject of their conversation, whatever it may have been, definitely exciting him. Sunstreaker, however, wore a look centered somewhere between caution and curiosity, as if intrigued but unsure. It only made Amy's own curiosity grow.
Though she was loathe to interrupt them, she gently cleared her throat causing both mechs' heads to whip around in her direction.
"Ames!" Sideswipe jumped up from the berth, looking genuinely thrilled to see her. He seemed to suddenly realize he still held the data pad and quickly hid it behind his back. "When did you come in?"
"That's not at all suspicious," she quirked a brow at the mech. "I literally just walked in. What are you two doing?"
"Waiting for you," the mech grinned. "We missed you today."
"Uh huh..."Amy shook her head in amusement.
"It's raining really hard out there." Sunstreaker had taken his time getting up. He grabbed the data pad from his brother and tossed it back onto the berth where it landed with a solid thunk. He turned to look down at the woman, a slight scowl on his face. "I was expecting you to call for a ride home when you were done."
"I thought about it but," Amy shrugged, "I didn't see any reason for us all to be wet and miserable."
"That's why I buy the expensive wax, Squishie." Sunny frowned, "Primus knows you need it on this fragging planet. I would have come and picked you up if you'd called."
"I know you would have." She added in a quieter voice, "someone was kind enough to offer me a ride without my even asking."
Sides hummed appreciatively, "Bee?"
"Um," Amy shuffled her feet. "No, actually. It was, uh...Mirage."
"Mirage?" Sunstreaker's hands immediately clenched into fists and his voice lowered to a dangerous growl. "What the frag did that slagging trinket want? I swear to Primus, if he so much as looked at you wrong I'm gonna..."
"Sunny," Sides attempted to lay a calming hand on his brother's shoulder but it was quickly shrugged off.
"Hey, hey, hey..." Amy tried to soothe the raging mech herself. "It wasn't anything like that. He just offered me a ride, that's it. He...he wanted to apologize."
"Apologize?" Sunny snorted derisively. "That over torqued fragger hasn't apologized for anything in his life."
"Well, he did today," Amy assured. "He sounded sincere. He said he didn't want any trouble."
"He should have thought about that before he started popping off at the manifold," Sunstreaker snapped.
Amy sighed, "I get it. You don't like each other."
"That's putting it mildly," Sideswipe quipped.
Amy shot the silver twin a 'you're not helping' look and continued. "Can't we all just agree to stay out of each other's way? We'll do our thing and Mirage can do...whatever it is he does."
Sideswipe chuckled, "You mean reenact Italian soap operas by himself? Francesco," Sideswipe adopted a comically horrible Italian accent, ending up sounding more like Luigi from Super Mario Bros. "I love-a you but...I'm-a having your father's baby..."
"Okay..." Amy tried to fight back a laugh. "That was totally uncalled for."
A sound of amusement rumbled from deep inside Sunstreaker's chest and some of the tension in his frame seemed to dissipate. "Fine, Squishie." Sunny relented. "If that slagger can stay out of my face, maybe my fist can stay out of his. If he decides to get mouthy again..." the mech shrugged. "I make no promises."
"Fair enough." It was a small victory but a victory nonetheless. Amy would take it. "I told him as much. Now," she eagerly changed the subject, "care to share what you guy's were talking about when I walked in? It looked pretty intense."
Sideswipe brightened and looked to his brother who gave him a hesitant nod of approval.
"Actually," Sides grinned at the woman. "We were kinda discussing 'our thing'. Or, at least trying to figure out what 'our thing' is. You know...how it all works."
"Uh..." Amy looked up at the mech, obviously confused.
"I know I'm probably not making sense," Sideswipe admitted and looked to his brother. "It's probably better if we showed you."
Sunstreaker nodded in agreement.
"Okay?" Amy glanced back and forth between the two. "Show me what?"
"First, I have to ask," Sides began, "how do you feel about participating in a little science experiment?"
End of Chapter 48
