Author's Note: This Oneshot continues on from Worst Nightmare.
Chapter summary: Seeing his daughter with a life-changing injury had finally taken its toll on Omega.
"Hello" Normal talk.
"Hello" Talking through the bond.
"Hello" Com-link/Private Com-link.
"Hello" Thoughts.
TW: TW: Talks of injury, guilt, some angst
"Thanks for your help" Optimus said to Omega, Alpha, Sigma and Zeta "we couldn't have done this without you"
"No worries Optimus, it's what we do" Zeta replied and grinned a little.
"Omega knew that he would need assistance, we were happy to help" Alpha added.
Optimus nodded "Ratchet told me what happened to Ome, I hope she'll be alright" he replied.
"She will be" Omega replied "I'll take her back to base so she can rest"
Alpha glanced to his older brother, looking a little concerned.
Optimus nodded "Of course" he said "give her my regards, alright?"
Omega nodded "I will" he replied before looking to his younger siblings "let's head back"
"Alright" Sigma responded and he alongwith Alpha and Zeta followed Omega away from the battlefield.
Alpha glanced to his older brother, he could tell by his subtle body language that he was upset even if he wasn't showing it outwardly.
"Thanks for coming to help" Omega said as he turned to his younger brothers once they had reached the street where they would usually part ways back to either his base or Elite Guard HQ.
"It's ok, it's what we do" Sigma replied with a smile "uh, I hope Ome will recover too"
"Ome's a resilient femme, we all know that, she'll bounce back" Zeta assured.
Omega nodded "She is" he replied "I'll bring Ome to visit once she's able to"
"I'll come with you to your base Omega" Alpha said, he didn't want his older brother to be on his own at the moment "you might like the company"
Omega knew what his younger brother was really implying, and honestly he wasn't wrong, it was becoming more of an effort to remain composed after seeing his daughter with such a bad injury that will affect the rest of her life and will have to learn to live with it, he had no doubt that she would bounce back as it was common with Younglings, but it was only a small comfort "You can come with me if you wish" he replied finally.
"We'll let the others know what's happened with Ome, least then they'll be expecting it when she visits" Zeta said.
Omega nodded "I appreciate that" he replied and was about to turn to walk away.
"Omega" Zeta said.
Omega looked at him.
"You take care of yourself, you hear?" Zeta said giving him a meaningful look.
"Yeah we're here for you and for Ome" Sigma added and smiled.
Omega nodded a little, doing well to keep his emotions down "Thank you" he replied before looking to Alpha "come on Alpha" he then walked ahead.
Alpha bid his younger siblings farewell before walking alongside his older brother, it was quiet but he didn't mind.
Once back at Omega's base, Omega took a deep breath to keep himself composed.
Alpha placed a hand on his older brother's shoulder.
Omega looked to him "I…I have to be strong for her" he said quietly.
Alpha nodded in understanding "Yes, but perhaps when she is in recharge, we can talk more about it then" he replied softly.
Omega nodded "You need to know that she can't see through her left optic at the moment, but it'll return to normal in a few hours" he said "but I think she can at least make out our colours to know who is who, since she was able to know I was there"
Alpha nodded "Alright" he replied "are you ready?"
Omega took a deep breath and let it out slowly, then he opened his chestplates and held a hand up to his open chest.
Despite being blind, Ome slowly crawled onto her Sire's hand, she had done it so many times that it was natural.
Alpha looked a little surprised but quickly composed himself, it was the first time he had seen the extent of Ome's injury, sure he knew what had happened but it was still Spark wrenching to see, no wonder Omega was the way he was.
Omega closed his chestplates.
Alpha leaned down a bit, resting his hands on his thighs "Hello Ome" he said.
Ome turned her helm in his direction, she could make out Alpha's colours but other than that he looked like a big blurry blob "Uncle Alpha?" she replied.
Alpha smiled and nodded "That's right" he replied "how are you doing?"
Ome did a so-so gesture "I'm ok" she said "just tired"
Alpha chuckled softly "I bet you are, you've had quite a day" he replied softly "but from what your Sire tells me, you'll be able to see through your left optic after a few hours, so it's best to recharge during that time, alright?"
Ome nodded and yawned a little "Yeah, ok" she replied.
Omega was secretly thankful that he had agreed to let Alpha come with him, because he doubted he would be able to talk much because of the surge of emotions that were threatening to come forth.
Alpha glanced to his older brother before he looked to Ome again "Do you need anything?" he asked softly.
"Just some energon" Ome replied.
"Alright, I can get that, and your Sire will take you to your quarters, ok?" Alpha replied softly.
Ome smiled a little and nodded "Ok Uncle" she said.
Alpha smiled and straightened up before walking over to the energon dispenser.
Omega walked to his daughter's quarters and knelt down, he gently placed her on her berth.
Ome patted around before shifting until she was sat properly on the berth.
"Alpha will be here in a minute with your energon" Omega said softly, doing well to keep his voice steady, and looked over his shoulder when he heard his younger brother walk in.
"Ome hold out your hands in front of you" Alpha said softly to his niece.
Ome slowly held her hands out and felt an energon cube being carefully placed in her hands, she looked a little worried that she would drop it.
"It's alright, I won't let go till you have a grip on it" Alpha assured.
Ome smiled and she got a grip on the cube to drink her energon.
"Better?" Omega asked.
Ome nodded after she had finished her energon and held up the empty cube.
"I got it" Alpha said and gently took the cube from her "I'll go put it in the disposal" he walked out.
Ome looked in her Sire's direction.
Omega gently brushed a finger against his daughter's arm "You should rest, you need it" he said softly.
Ome smiled a little and nodded "Sire?"
"Hm?" was Omega's soft response.
Ome wrung her hands a little "Um…when I'm recovered, will I still be able to battle?" she asked.
"You…still want to help in battle?" Omega asked, looking surprised as Alpha returned.
"Well…yeah, I mean I know Ratchet said I'll never see in my right optic again, but my left one will be ok" Ome replied "but…it's something I can adjust to right?"
Omega had to stop himself from choking on his emotions "We…we will see what we can do about that, don't worry about it for now" he replied "for now, you focus on resting and recovering, ok?"
Alpha rubbed his brother's shoulder gently.
Ome yawned a little and nodded, she tilted her helm a little "Are you ok?" she asked her Sire.
"Of course, now you get some rest, if you need anything just let me know alright?" Omega replied softly and got up.
Ome yawned and nodded, she patted around the berth before slowly lying down.
Alpha could tell by the look on his older brother's face that he would probably burst into tears any minute, not that he blamed him "Rest well Ome" he said "we'll see how your left optic is in a few hours"
"Ok" was Ome's tired response.
Alpha smiled a little before he gently nudged his older brother.
Omega quickly walked out his daughter's quarters.
Alpha walked out as well and made sure that Ome's door closed before following his older brother, he startled a little when he saw him burst into tears and all but collapse onto the floor in the Rec Room "Primus…Omega" he said and jogged over, he knelt down and held him close, he was secretly thankful that Ome had been so tired else she probably would have woken up from hearing his older brother collapse.
"My Sparkling…" was Omega's upset response "I-I'm supposed to protect her Alpha…this wasn't supposed to happen" he choked on a sob as he clung to his younger brother.
Alpha rubbed his older brother's back, the last time he saw him this upset was the day of the betrayal, but this was on a whole new level "None of us could have predicted this" he replied softly "I know this is more personal because Ome's your daughter, but…as sad as it is…the possibility was always there"
The older Guardian sniffed "I know…I-I just wish it hadn't happened, this is going to change her life" he replied.
"It is, but she has us to help her to adjust" Alpha said softly "I agree with what Sigma said, we always made her aware that it could happen, and the reason she's handled this so well is because of that, and the fact you were there for her"
Omega looked up at him.
"If I know Ome, she would never blame you" Alpha said softly "that's what you're afraid of isn't it?"
Omega couldn't lie to his younger brother who knew him the best, he nodded.
"Ome has always understood our duty since she was thirteen, you said yourself that she wanted you to assist myself, Sigma and Zeta despite her injury" Alpha said softly.
"Sh-She did…she was more worried for us than she was for herself" Omega responded and lifted his face shield to wipe his optics.
"In my mind, that means that she doesn't blame you and was just glad you were there when she needed it most" Alpha replied softly.
Omega nodded and took a deep breath to calm down, his younger brother was right, now that he thought on it his daughter had been brave to handle a life-changing injury so well and wanted her family to be ok, and that was because he had been there for her during the aftermath of her injury so she was no longer afraid. Even though he knew that there would probably always be a small amount of guilt that would remain, he did feel some weight lift off of his Spark which helped him to feel a bit better.
