I only own Marianne! Everything else belongs to Hasbro!
I'm sorry if this isn't up to par. I was in the middle of this chapter when I was abandoned by my father.
~Bonds, Hot Spot~
~Bonds, Blades~
~Bonds, First Aid~
~Bonds, Groove~
~Bonds, Streetwise~
~Bonds, Marianne/Mariposa~
"Normal"
'Thoughts'
"Comms or phone, other side"
"Bumblebee, Tones"
"Bumblebee, Comms"
"Bumblebee, Radio"
Moments With Aid
Valentines' Day, 4:00 am
I shift out of the cuddle pile silently before sneaking downstairs. It's Valentines' day—my first one as a Protectobot, and I want to do something special—not the possibly dangerous way, like putting food coloring in Energon—that's a big NO—but I'd love to be able to make something for them… I just don't know what…
I can't help but smile when I find some party decorations stashed away—probably from some celebration eons ago, but just the right colors for this project. For the last finishing touch, I quietly run upstairs and grab five red and one pink heart-shaped glass bowls the same dimensions as a normal-sized energon cube, and a pack of paper lace hearts. After setting each new dish at a seat and taping the hearts to the cabinets, I slip soundlessly out to the medical bay. Ratchet's almost ready to be revived.
"Hey, Big Guy. It's me again." I take his hand in mine, ignoring the multitude of welds on his leg, courtesy of my brother, and the ones on his helm where the armor had been melted away by KSI. "Aid says we'll be able to bring you back today… Primus, I can't wait to see you alive, in person…" I smile weakly as a tear rolls down my face. "These last few hours are agonizing, but they probably are for you, too. Here you are…you've been happy in the well for two years, and now we're gonna pull you back out again." I sigh. "When I put it like that, it almost makes me decide against reviving you…" I smile gently. "But Aid still needs you, and I need you…and the Autobots need you…"
"Mari?" I feel a hand on my shoulder. Ratchet's hand slips out of mine, back onto the metal berth with a clang that causes me to jump. "What are you doing out here? It's freezing, and you're still mostly human."
"Hey, Aid…" I glance over my shoulder at him. "If that's the case, why are you out here?"
"Couldn't recharge…"
I scoff slightly. "I never should have played AOE last night…"
"You too?" I shake my head, only to get a glare from Aid. "You don't get up until six at the earliest, now you're not only up, but if the new design in the kitchen tells me anything, you've been up for at least half an hour already—and that's assuming you've got more energy than Spot usually does."
"Excitement…" I sigh heavily. "And you got me."
He sighs. "I'll go back if you'll come with me."
I sigh before standing and turning to him. "All right." I sigh softly. "What really upset you, about the movie?"
"They kill without thinking…" He steps over and lays a hand on his mentors—the one I had just dropped. "Even Lockdown did…"
I smile slightly and lay a hand on his. "We'll remedy that soon enough, Aid."
"That's what set you off, when it came out, isn't it?"
Since I had forced myself to be a rock for Aid during, and after, the movie, so the normally unshakable medic could let himself grieve, they weren't able to learn what part of the movie upset me the most. "One of them…Optimus taking off into space with that stab wound wasn't really comforting, you know, but…" I run a hand over Ratchet's head. "Losing him, was really the hardest part, and I had read about the possibility three months before—on my birthday, no less…"
I look at my feet as Aid steps over and pulls me in for a hug. "We'll get through this. We only have a few hours before we revive him."
I shudder slightly. "Before I revive him. You don't have the blue inferno."
He laughs softly. "No, I don't." He lays a hand on my shoulder. "But I plan on staying out here with you when you revive him. Spot might too…" He smiles sheepishly. "Never thought I'd be the one to take someone back to our berth…"
"If you'd stop sneaking off like this, no one would take anyone back to our berth…"
The two of us turn around to see Hot Spot standing in the doorway with a worried look and his arms crossed. I rub the back of my neck. "Sorry, Spot…" I sigh softly. "I never should have put Age of Extinction in last night…"
His arms fall to his sides. "Mari…" He crosses the room before laying a hand on my shoulder. ~You okay?~
~I am now… Decorated some…talked with Ratch and Aid…~
~We're so close to being able to bring him back, Spot… She's a little nervous…~
~You found them?~
~Mari keeps changing her hiding places. Found them both where Aid started going when we moved in here.~
~Slag! I was sure she'd still be in the living room!~
~After watching that movie? Blades, she was more likely to be found with Ratchet than watching Rescue Bots!~
~Blades, I was—well, I was in the kitchen, but then I needed to see Ratch, and I used to go hide in the shed back home when things got to be too much. I never wanted to meltdown in front of anyone… That's why I run…~
~Mari…~
~Now you all get my volatile emotions anyway, so all I'm really doing by hiding is causing more trouble for all involved.~
~That was fast…~
~Not really. I know you guys care about me, but it's a tough habit to break. I'd always hide from Aaron, then I'd hide from Dad when he caused me to meltdown.~
~Now you're hiding from us when you're upset…~
~And I don't want to…~ I'm a little surprised when Hot Spot picks me up before starting back for the house with Aid beside him, but not as much as I would be if Dad hadn't done the same thing every Sunday morning when I was little.
~I want the two of you to recharge. Ratchet can wait a few more hours.~
~But…~
~Mari…~
~I wanted us together for breakfast…~
~We'll wait for the two of you, Mari. You both need to recharge.~ He sighs. ~Guess I should have expected Aid to start disappearing again after Mari started doing the same thing.~
~She's always done it, she just never had someone as attentive as us around before.~
~Dad used to search for me… But then he'd upset me more, so I had to be creative when I hid… He never wanted to listen to what I needed, just to force me to follow his wishes…~
~Oh, Mari…~
~Don't, Spot. I'm okay…~ I nuzzle into his shoulder. ~I have what I need now…~
He sets me down on the edge of the berth before Aid and I, then the rest of us, clamber back on top of him. I drift off against his chest, listening to his spark.
Valentines' Day, 8:00 Am
Aid and I wake up curled into each other, the others nowhere to be found. As usual, his hands are under his chin, while I'm on my side with one hand under my head and the other around Aid. I've quickly learned that sensitive hands are normal for Cybertronian medics, and, even though I'm used to pain, it still almost takes me down. Still, I'd rather have them wrapped around my brothers at night, then under my chin like Aid's.
I still don't know how many times I've woken up in the middle of the night in pain from someone pinching or laying on my hand in their recharge, or the usual human issue of my hands being asleep, but I'd rather have that, than still be curled up against a sleeping bag stuffed with blankets.
I pull my hand back and rub it lightly before moving to the equally sore wrist, using pressure to ease my pain. "Did I—"
I shake my head. "If you did, it would have been because I had it draped over you to begin with."
He smiles slightly. "Want me to help?"
"If you want to…" I hold my other hand out, having finished with the one I'd been working on. "Watch the wrist, though. It's not as bad as my foot, but it still tends to give me trouble."
"I remember, and I'll be careful." He starts rubbing it before continuing. "Why risk it?"
"Excuse me?"
"Why do you put your hands where they could get hurt when they're so sensitive?"
I sigh softly. "I'm still afraid you'll all leave…"
"We're not going to leave you." He sets my hand on my knee before putting an arm around me. "We're your brothers. We'll be right here when you need us."
"Thanks, Aid…" I push myself up before rubbing the wrist I'd done myself. "Slagit…"
"Mari?"
"Ow…"
"Ow? What happened?"
I shake my head and start for the door. "Just my slaggin' wrist again. Nothing you need to worry about…" I rub the back of my neck with my good hand. "Just wish my braces were Cybertronian sized…"
"I could see what we have in the medbay…"
I smile at him over my shoulder. "Thanks, Aid…let's—"
"What's going on?"
I turn to the fire-bot with a sigh. "Slagged wrist's acting up…" I hold out my right hand.
"Did we do that?"
I shake my head. "I'm the one who insists on clinging to you five, not you guys… I'll live." I shrug. "Aid's going to see what he can do—" I turn to the mech in question. "After breakfast."
"You want us out there when you bring him back?"
I force myself to stay calm, because of course I need them close, I'm their baby sister, and the bonds are so new, and I'm so young, that it's hard for me to handle being away from them, but I don't want them to feel forced into it. "I'll be fine…"
~Mari…~
~Really. You've all got things to do, and I'll just be in the way…~
~We can do it later. If you need us…~
~Don't close yourself off, Mariposa. We're here for you…~
~Aid does that enough for both of you.~
~Blades…~ Aid sighs heavily.
~We didn't do anything like what you're doing to yourself when we were sparklings, Mari. Wheeljack didn't even try to separate us until we were several orns…~
~And even then, it wasn't for very long. You threw yourself into you medical training, and you've pushed yourself so far your nerve condition is starting to flare.~
~I'm used to it, Aid, and it flares when it fragged well pleases, whether I'm moving a lot or not.~
~I don't want to be there when she finally breaks. It won't be pretty…~
~BLADES!~ Hot Spot sighs heavily before turning to me. ~Just…just let us know, when you're hurt…~
~I did, and I will, Spot.~ I hug him tightly. ~Trust me. I'm sensitive to pain—I can tolerate a lot, but I'm still sensitive to it—and I just can't handle as much as Aid can…~
~I can't handle that much either, Mari…~
Hot Spot sighs softly, his arms still wrapped around me. ~And don't…it took us over a vorn before we were ready to be apart for more than a few joor at most. Don't force yourself to handle something you can't… You're still really young by our standards, and we don't mind crowding into the medbay if it means you'll be more secure. You wouldn't be forcing us into anything, because we want to be there for you. We're your brothers, Mari. We won't abandon you…~
~Want you…~
He smiles down at me. ~Then we'll be there. Just let us know when you're ready.~
~Okay…~
