I only own my OC's!


Morning

February 20, 2016, Main Base, 7:00 AM

Hot Spot steps into the rec-room in the base and steps over to where Silverbolt and his brothers are sitting at a table with their energon cubes. It's the first chance he's had to visit since the minicon's arrival, with a heavy snowfall and cold spell causing a lot of emergencies the team had to assist in. Hot Spot pulls a chair over and joins them. "Good morning."

Silver turns to him, setting his cube down as he does. "What's up, Spot?"

Hot Spot smiles. "Silver…I know you still want to get the two together to confirm, but… She called the girl, the night Fixit got here, and…"

The other four Aerials, who had been either reading, arguing amongst themselves, or staring off into space, perk up at the unfinished thought, as Silver simply nods, urging him to continue. "And?"

"We've got as much confirmation as we'll get until she's able to visit."

"Really?"

"What happened?"

Spot shrugs. "The girl confirmed she'd had the same symptoms as Mari during that "fight", and that both her back and hands are sensitive. But that's not all we learned."

Fireflight's eyes light up, and he beams up at Hot Spot, looking like he's about to launch himself up at the Protectobot commander. "Well?"

"Flight…" Silver shakes his head before turning back to Spot. "What else did you learn?"

"They still have their "twin" connection, even at this distance. I wouldn't be surprised if the girl's wearing red today, with what Mari's chose in human form."

"That's…impressive."

"They've got to be gestalt, right Silver? We're not alone anymore?"

Hot Spot laughs, shaking his head. "What do I look like?"

I giggle under my breath, trying to stay as quiet as I can. Spot doesn't know I followed him, and I don't want him to. 'The big blue boy scout, AKA Superman…'

Fireflight shrugs. "I meant Superion and Defensor."

"Then you were a little unclear, Bro."

"Actually, he was a lot unclear." I step over to the table in bot form. "But I knew what he meant. Hey, guys!"

"How are you doing?"

I blink at Slingshot. "Fine… Why do you ask?"

"Your sister."

I facepalm. With the last three days—and nights—filled with caring for Fixit through severe morning sickness connected with a high-risk carriage, as well as helping in the med-bay as usual, I'd actually forgotten that call from Tuesday night. "I've been busy lately, Slings. It makes it easier to handle when I stay busy, and… Fix's a godsend, all right."

"Mari…"

"Hot Spot, I'm fine. I'm just too busy worrying about Fixit…" '…And you…' "…To think about Claire right now. I know she's safe with her family, and I can promise you I'm fine."

"For now… If what Aid when through without his brothers is any sign of what's coming for you…"

Fireflight looks down at his cube. "I don't want to watch another Protectobot suffer… He didn't let us see his pain, but I know what it's like when one of us is missing, and… If I'd lost everyone…"

"That's just First Aid, and…" I sigh and pull a chair over before sitting beside the spacy flier and leaning into him. "And while I may be like him—a lot like him, actually—I'm not as prone to closing myself off when I'm upset. I need those cuddles, Guys."

They give me a look before turning to Hot Spot, who holds up his hands in a placating gesture. "We've already been through this with her. She's got a Sensory Processing Disorder with her Autism, and she needs us when she's overloaded." He sighs. "And while she doesn't tell me things right away, and she tries to be like Aid…" Spot trails off for a second before continuing softer. "She always comes to me after a few hours. Worst one was a week, and considering how we reacted to it when she finally told us, I can't really blame her for hiding what she did."

"But…she hid her connection to that girl."

"Claire." I sigh heavily. "And I didn't "hide" it, okay?" They glare at me. "Silence meant protection back at my old home, okay? I'm still getting used to being safe enough to tell people what's going on with me. Aid and I discussed that the evening before Cemetery Wind attacked here… Before…" I trail off and lean over to Spot. I still feel guilty over hurting that man.

Air Raid stares at me. "What's wrong with her?"

Slingshot, surprisingly, goes against his core personality. "Hot Spot… Is she okay?"

"She's just as emotional as Blades, just without the love of battle, Guys, and… She shot a guy just 10 days ago…and she's still grieving over it, even though the guy didn't die."

I look up to Hot Spot. "H-he didn't? Y-you're sure?"

Spot pulls me into his arms with a smile. "Aid had one of the paramedics he works with ask at the hospitals, and he had his wound treated, and was released that same night. Through-and-through, clean shot. Should be almost healed by now."

"Good…"

"And she doesn't block the bond like Aid used to—and he still does that when things get really bad, but not as often since we got back to him… She's just used to keeping things to herself…and we're giving her time to work through it."

"There's only one person I've told everything to so far…and that's Claire."

"Everything?"

"The abuse, the pain I had through our fight—during the fight, but we still talk about it from time to time—things I enjoy, things she enjoys, our shared loves…" I shrug. "Everything." I turn to Spot worriedly. "Why haven't you eaten yet?"

"He hasn't had his energon yet today?"

I shake my head. "He came right out here…after we got up…"

"I'm fine, Mari. I just wanted to talk to Silver first, in case another call came in for us. I'll be in for my cube in a few minutes, okay?"

"Okay…" I hug him before starting toward the exit. "I'll be in the med-bay with Aid and Fix… Since we're getting ready for the revivals and all… But you'd better get a cube before noon, Buster."


Third POV

The six watch her leave before turning to each other in shock, then back to Hot Spot curiously. "Does she always do that?"

Hot Spot nods, smiling over his sister's behaviors. "She's just worried about me, Guys… I wouldn't be surprised if she'd done that with Claire in the past… Point is…Mari, Aid, and Blades can be overpowering when they're worried—especially Mari and Blades, because Aid at least won't hover too badly—and I've been kind of nauseous lately…"

"Spot…"

"I'm trying to keep it out of the bond, but… Mari's just as hyper-aware as Streetwise some days, and… She's been watching me like a hawk since Tuesday."

"Why?"

Hot Spot shrugs. "I wasn't able to finish my evening cube, and I think she noticed…even while she was hovering over Fixit."

Silver sighs and turns to the Protectobot. "Spot… If you're getting sick…"

"I'll go to Ratchet if it gets worse, okay? I promise." He sighs before standing. "But I've got to get back. I'm supposed to keep an optic on Fix if he can't handle his med-bay duties, and…he's been struggling lately."

Silver turns to Hot Spot with a mildly worried look. "How are they doing so far… With the bond, I mean?"

Spot smiles. "You'd be surprised. Aid said this whole spend-time-with-them/docking method takes a long time, but they're already so close, Silver… It's as if she'd carried him herself… And… He's acting better—stronger—and Aid said his spark, and the sparklet's, are already getting stronger, but…it's making him a lot sicker, too, which means we've been taking care of him 'round the clock, along with our busy week, call-wise." He sighs and turns toward the exit. "I'd better get up to the house before the others need me…"

"Make sure you get some energon, Spot…"

"I will, Silver."


Med-Bay

I turn from where I'm helping Fixit get settled again—he's been purging off and on all morning, and trying to recharge in between, but with both berths and every empty space filled with an off-line-but-repaired frame, we haven't had the room for him to sleep, which means he's been sitting in the corner closest to the heater with a med-bay blanket over him.

"Spot's back inside, if you want me to take Fixit to him…"

I shake my head. "I've got it, Aid…" I sigh heavily. "If Ratch gets out of the bathroom before I'm back, let him know where I went." I bend down and pick up the minicon, blanket and all, before starting for the door.

"Where are we going?"

"Inside. You'll actually be able to lay down in there."

"But… I wanted to be with you…"

"I know, Bitty, but you're sick right now, and you need to get some rest. You can come out in a couple hours, if you're feeling better, okay?"

"Okay…"

I nod, and open the back door. Hot Spot's at the table with a cube, but the color's off…it doesn't look like any of the energon we've got inside. "Spot?"

"Hey, Mari."

He moves to stand, but I shake my head. "I'll just put this little guy in his chair and head back out. We're doing revivals today, so…"

"What time?"

I raise an eyebrow ridge. "Huh?"

"What time are you getting started? You'll need us, won't you?"

"Oh… Yes, actually." I shrug. "We were going to get started right away, but Ratchet's purging right now, so I don't know…"

"Let us know when you're ready. Street and Groove should be back from patrol soon, and I'll need to show the Aerials around Chicago while we've got the time, so…if you could start around…ten?"

"I'll let Aid and Ratch know…" I sigh softly. "Will I need to take Fix back out with us?"

"Street and Groove should be back in time to take over… Blades is doing his patrol with Slingshot and Air Raid while I show the others around…"

I sigh softly and set Fixit in his chair before covering him with the white plush blanket, even though he's still wrapped in the med-bay one. "Will Streets be okay…watching him…or will Groove have to?"

"Mari…" Hot Spot abandons the cube and steps over before wrapping his arms around me. "We don't have to do anything, Mari. We're your family…we want to help you out."

"I know…it's just…my responsibility… But I'm so busy anymore…that…"

"We're aware of that, Mari, and it doesn't bother us to help out with Fixit." Hot Spot sighs. "And I don't know if Street would be able to handle it, especially with how sick Fix is today, and…"

"Spot, are you sick too?" He shakes his head. "You look a little paler than usual…and you haven't really been eating…" My eyes widen in surprise. "Is this from me?"

He starts to shake his head before suddenly glaring at me. "Mari…"

"I'm handling it, okay? I'm okay. I just…I get queasy when people purge…and Ratch and Fix are both sick…and I'm stressed too, which means I've got a little nausea myself, to begin with… I'm worried about you, Spot… You haven't eaten that much since Tuesday morning, and…"

"And you're worried. I understand." He lays a hand on my shoulder. "I'm a little nauseous—"

"Nauseated."

He rolls his eyes. "Nauseated, but it's not that bad right now, and I already promised Silver I'd see Ratchet if it got worse." He huffs. "Would you stop that?"

"Stop what?" He gives me a look, causing me to smirk. "All right, I'll stop being a vocabulary Nazi." I laugh. "Those two are interchangeable in a gestalt, anyway." He raises an eyebrow ridge. "Nauseous means you make other people sick to their stomachs, nauseated means you personally feel sick to your stomach."

He nods. "I get it. I haven't made anyone else sick yet, so it's nauseated."

"Yep." I sigh softly. "You were saying?"

"I decided I'd mix half a cube of low grade with my usual energon today, to see if it would help, and I've been feeling a little better, but…not by much, so…"

"It didn't work, and you need to see Ratchet." He nods. "I'll stay with Fixit until Street and Groove get home, then I'm leaving with the Aerials, and Blades should already be in the air with Slingshot and Air Raid. Hopefully, we'll be back by ten. We're going in V-modes, so it shouldn't take us too long."

"I'll be waiting…"

"All right…" He turns to the couch before glancing back to me. "I'll be fine, Mari. I'll see Ratchet tomorrow, okay?"

I turn to him with my hand on the doorknob. "Why tomorrow?"

"Because we'll be working on revivals all day, and you said Ratchet wasn't feeling well today, so I don't want to bother him."

"All right, but…you really need to go to him if you're feeling sick, Spot… I don't want you to suffer…"

"I'm fine, Mari. Trust me."

"I'll try…" I smile up at him. "But you still need to see Ratch…"

"I will, okay?" Hot Spot steps over and lays a hand on my shoulder. "I'll see him as soon as I can tomorrow."

"And if we're busy all day on calls?"

"Then I'll see him the next day. I promise, Mari. I'll get to Ratchet as soon as I can after everyone's revived." I nod. "Now, you need to get back to Ratchet, I'll—" We both turn toward the front door as it opens.

"Hey, Spot!"

"Hot Spot, what's going on?"

"I was just talking with Mari about something." He turns to me. "I'll be out with the Aerials for two hours, then I'll be back, and we can do those revivals."

"We're going in with her again?"

Hot Spot nods from the front door. "Yeah. She passed out the last time, I've got to make sure she doesn't today."

"And she wants the rest of us there again?"

"I'd like to have you all, but you don't have to if you have something else to do…"

"Mari…"

"I know, you're here for me, and I'm not a pest. I just don't want to pull you guys from your duties…"

"You're not, Mari. We'll be there."

Groove lays a hand on my shoulder. "And I'll make sure we've got some energon for you, just in case you need it. Hopefully, if we have it on hand, you won't pass out again."

"Hopefully." I hug the two before stepping back. "I've got to get back to the med-bay before Ratch comes looking for me. Streets, if you can't handle helping Fixit today, let Groove. He's pretty sick today, and I don't want you getting sick because I can't take care of my minicon and revive at the same time."

"Our minicon, and I'll be fine, Mari." Streetwise hugs me. "But thanks for worrying about me."

"We've got this, Mari. Go on now."

"Thanks, Groove."