I only own my OC's!


Searching for a Cure

my room, normal POv, 8:30 AM

I sigh and shake my head before slipping out of the little "tent". Now that I've calmed down—for now, because accepting this is going to take quite a bit longer than accepting Mom's disease did—I can try to find a solution. The problem is, all my office stuff is downstairs, and I don't want to face the others yet.

I gasp, and lay my hand over my chest at what feels like a wave of sadness. "Spot… They need me…" I sigh softly, but rather than reach out to the spark-broken commander, or even one of the others, I reach through the symbiote bond to Fixit. ~Fixie? You okay, Little One?~

~Y-yeah… Are you?~

~I am now, but Spot's breaking down… And I'd like to speak with Ratchet, but I don't want to cry in front of him…~

~First off, don't worry about that.~

~Spot's already doing that with us. Ratchet won't get mad because you're hurting.~

~Wait…~

~Hey! You made it, Fix!~

~I did!~

~Anyway… Streets…you were saying?~

~Don't worry about crying in front of anyone, Mari. We're all here for you, and I promise you, Ratchet won't get mad.~

~I think he's just as upset and scared as the rest of us…~

~Aid… Do you know what the Inferno is capable of?~

~Sorry, Sweetspark… I think that would be a question for Optimus…~

~Then I'm going over there…keep an eye on Fix for me?~

~I don't need—~ Fixit huffs. ~I'm just carrying, Mari. I don't need someone to keep an optic on me all the time…~ He sighs. ~I know you're worried, and I'm sure part of it is because you can't really hover over Ratchet right now, but I'm getting stronger now, and I'm fine.~

~You're not feeling sick right now?~

~Actually… It's worse in the evenings, so not really…~

~All right, I'll back off…but you're still too small to reach the energon dispenser, so we'll still have to help you.~

~I know…~ He sighs. ~I wanna come too.~

I smile. ~Okay then…get your coat. It's cold out.~


Main Base, Third POV

Hot Spot sighs heavily as he wipes the tears off his face. "Sorry about that…"

"Don't be… You know I've done that before myself, and you're carrying, so you have an excuse."

"He wasn't even around us as much before Aid…" He wipes another tear away, but this time just laughs at himself. "I don't know why it's getting to me…Aid and Mari are hurting more than the rest of us combined, so…"

"Mood swings and the gestalt bond." Spot gives him a confused look. "Wheeljack had more time to explain carrying to Flight and I."

"Aid didn't struggle like this…"

"But Ratchet had just gone into remission then… He didn't really have a reason to…" He sighs, and lays a hand on his knee. "How are you handling this? I know Mari and Aid are struggling with it, but what about you?"

Spot sighs. "It still feels…unreal… He's always been there, and now…"

"He's still here, Spot…"

"I know…" He smiles slightly. "Mari's rallied…"

"What?"

Spot sighs. "Mari took off and hid a few minutes before you commed. She only does that when she's really upset—we've been assuming it's part of her disability, so we're trying to give her some space to calm down before crowding her—because of what happened with Aid the first time we talked…"

"I remember…"

Spot smiles—for real this time. "Well, she's back in the bond now, and Fixit's with her!"

"With her? Like, in the same room, or…"

"In the bond!"

"Oh! That's…were you hoping he'd get there, or—"

"We'd been encouraging him to find it since Mari started forming the bond with him, and he found it!"

"That's great!"

"They're heading this way now…"

"To us, or…"

~Where's Mari going?~

~To talk with Optimus…about something with her Inferno…~

~I'd better be ready for her…just in case she doesn't get good news…~

~Spot?~

~I'm all right, Aid. It just…hit me…that he might not make it through this…~

~We'll be all right—all of us… Don't worry about Mari. We'll have her…~

"Is everything okay?"

"Mari's coming to talk with Optimus…about her Inferno…"

"Oh… Is she hoping for a cure?"

"More than likely…"

"Ratch may not want that…"

"I know…"


Main Base, Normal POV

Fixit and I step into the main base, both in bot form. "All right, Fixit. I'll need to walk this road alone…"

"I know. I'll be in the rec-room…"

I nod. "See if you can find Brains. He's a former-con, but he's a pretty nice mech…"

"Minicon?"

"Yep. Usually rooms with Bee…lost a friend back in the Chicago war…we think…"

"I'll try to find him…"

I nod, and turn before knocking on the door in front of me. "Sir?"

"Come in."

I push the heavy metal door open before stepping into the office. "Hey…" He motions to a chair, and I sit. "Has Ratch…"

Optimus nods. "He asked us to announce it…" He sighs, his eyes turned down toward the desk and half-closed. "He's in his berth room, if you were looking for him…"

I shake my head. "I wanted to talk with you about the Blue Inferno…"

"Oh?"

I nod. "I learned the hard way that it can create a second spark when used in reviving…and I know that it can really hurt evil people…but…I don't know how much I can heal…"

Optimus smiles. "Then you are in the right place." He sets the Matrix on the table between us. "Do you know what this is?"

I nod. "It's the Matrix of Leadership. I saw in in the movies…"

Even though I know better, my hand inches over to touch it, and the Prime never flinches—at least, not until I catch myself and jerk my hand back. "Go ahead."

"B-but—"

"It has the Blue Inferno as well."

"Oh…" I run a finger over it gently, and smile at the blue glow in the center—it's the same color as my fire. "Wow…I never thought I'd get to see it…let alone…touch it…" I move my hand back. "Sir…"

"Optimus, please. We're the same rank."

I nod. "Optimus… If I can cure death…" I sigh softly. "How much can I heal? Would Ratch…" I take in a shaky breath. "Would it be too much…too hard…to try to heal Ratch with it?"

"Have you brought this up to Ratchet yet?"

I shake my head. "I didn't want to give him a false hope… I'm trying not to give me a false hope…" I sigh heavily. "But I have to know, even if it's not what I want to hear…"

Optimus sighs heavily. "I am still not sure how much we can heal…and since mine is in the Matrix, I would not wish to risk harming the one I wanted to help…"

"I understand…" I rub my arm nervously before laying a hand on the Matrix—curved with it, but flat against the smooth metal. I've been studying on the original Primes, and I know a part of one could communicate with machines—alive or not—and I have to try it for myself—since I've done that with cars and whatnot before…

'H-hey. I'm…I'm Mari…Mari Prime…'

'Mari…' My eyes light up. It's working! 'I am Primus. I have been watching you, youngling. What did you need?'

'I…I wanted to know…how much I can heal…with the Blue Inferno…'

'Oh, youngling…' He seems to chuckle. 'You need only to believe in yourself.'

'Cybertronium deficiency?'

'Yes. But I would advise checking with the mech in question before trying anything. He may not appreciate someone wanting to "fix" him…'

'I know, Sir. I just wanted to know if it was possible before I gave him a false hope…' I pause. 'Um…I need to go…my minicon needs me, and…and I need to talk with Ratch…'

'I will be here when you need my help again, youngling.'

'Thank you…'

"Did you get what you needed?"

I nod. "Thank you, Optimus. I needed that…" I sigh softly as he puts the Matrix away. "I need to speak with Ratchet. Do you know if he's awake?"

"I am afraid not, but you can check."


9:00 AM

I tap on Ratchet's door lightly. "What?"

"It's Mari…can I come in?"

"Come on…"

I push the door open before stepping inside, and walk over to join him, sitting on his berth. "Hey… How you feeling?"

He groans. "Like slag, but that is morning sickness."

"Other than that?"

"I am all right…"

"Were you able to keep your meds down?" He shakes his head. "Do we have any injections?"

He gives me a surprised look—more than likely because I know about the injections—then sighs. "I asked Aid to get some…but he is dealing with something…"

I sigh heavily. "Spot had an emotional breakdown a few minutes ago…" I huff. "I've got a good standing with Joyce, but I don't know if he'd pass it off to me…"

"I need it, Mari…"

"Then I'll go." I lay a hand on his. With him this sick, I don't even want to ask him about if he wants to find a cure—because even if he's not too sick to try, I might hurt the newspark in the process. "Do you have an extra berth?"

"What?"

I sigh softly. "We need to bring you into the house for a while, okay?"

"No…I-I don't…"

"Ratch…please? For me?"

He sighs. "All right." He shakes his head. "But… I do not need to be nursed yet…"

"I know…" I hug him gently. "But you need someone to help you…just for a few months… I can help you if you move over there… Otherwise I'd have to move in with you, and…my brothers…"

"Mari… I need my Cybertronium…if not…to be with you…then for my sparkling…"

"I'm going, all right? I'll be right back." I run out the door and transform—for the first time—into an ambulance like Aid. I hit the sirens before tearing through the town to KSI.


KSI

I transform and run into the back entrance. "Joshua!"

"Who are you?"

"Marianne! I need—"

"You're Marianne?"

I nod, and shift down to human form. "I need Cybertronium… the injections."

"I got it!" He leaves for a moment before running back, dragging a large brown bag. "Is this all you need?"

I nod and reach for the bag. "Ratchet can't keep the pills down, and…I can't lose him again!"

He smiles gently. "You love him, don't you?"

"Y-yeah…"

"I wish you both the best…" He watches me transform before holding out the bag. "Take this, and go. He needs you."

"Thank you…"

"You're welcome, now go!"

I nod, and run out the door, transform, switch on the sirens, and race home.


Autobot Compound, main base, 10:00 AM

I transform and step into the base, doing my best to not run back to Ratchet. "Hey, Mari. Where'd you go?"

"Hey, Fix. I had to get some meds for Ratchet."

"Oh…" He looks down, causing me to crouch to him.

"You know now…"

"Yeah…" He sighs. "Are you okay?"

I shrug. "Good as I can be, but I need to get back to him. Can you go tell Aid we need that last berth room upstairs cleared out? Ratch is going to stay with us for a little while."

"Sure…" He turns for the door before glancing back. "I'm here…if you need to talk…"

"Thanks, Little One." I straighten up and watch him leave before turning back toward the berth rooms. ~Groove, Streets… Blades…I need some help…~

~What's wrong, Mari?~

~We heard you leave earlier…sounded like Aid racing to a bad call…~

~Ratch wasn't able to keep the pills down, and his levels are way too low right now, so…~

~You went after the injections.~

~Right. He sent me, so…~

~You okay?~

~Yeah… We're moving him into the house—we'll leave his room out here, but we're setting one up for him in that empty room next door to Aid.~

~That explains what Fixit just said to me…~

I reach up and knock on Ratchet's door, my mind still with my brothers. ~Yeah. I sent him to tell you… Spot, you're not doing ANY heavy lifting while you're carrying, so I need those NOT cleaning out the room to help me with Ratchet's things.~

~Because he definitely doesn't need to be lifting stuff when you won't even let Spot…~

~Right.~

~We're on our way, Mari.~

I nod and turn to Ratchet, who had just opened the door. "I'm back… How are you feeling?"

"Like I am going to get really tired of that question before this day ends…"

"Sorry…" I sigh softly and hold up the bag. "I got the injections…"

"Thank you." He lets me in, and sighs as he settles on his berth. "When are you moving me over to the house?"

I sigh heavily. "Groove, Streets, and Blades are going to be over in a minute to help, and Aid's working on the room right now—not that it was dirty or anything, but it still needed cleaned before you come over."

"I hope you told Hot Spot that he is not allowed to help."

"Yep. No heavy lifting for the carriers—and that includes you." I sigh before laying a hand on his. "But I'll do my best not to help you too much. I just went through having to take care of my mother, so I may be a little too…used to helping… But please don't hit me…"

"I would not hit you for trying to help."

"Yeah. You'd just yell…"

"Mari…" He sighs heavily. "I know I have a temper, and I am certain I will not make a good patient—I never did—but I would never hit a newspark for trying to help. The Aerialbots got hit only because they were idiots."

I laugh. "Okay, now you sound like House…"

"Who?"

I shake my head. I can't believe no one told this medic about House MD. "I'll see if I can't find some reruns on the DVR while you're getting settled in…"

"So it's a TV show…"

I nod. "An old one Aid, Streets, and I watch. Sometimes Spot, Groove, and Blades will join us, but it's usually just the three of us. It's about diagnostics and a hyper-aware, cynical doc… You're not cynical…well…ya kinda are, but not as bad as he is…by a long shot…"

He sighs heavily. "War is hell, Mari. If you knew half of what I have seen…"

"I know." I lay my hand on his knee. "I know. Just some of the stories from Spot…proved that to me…and the movies—and that was just on Earth…I'm sure Cybertron was much worse…"

"It was." Groove lays a hand on my shoulder. "You okay?"

Ratchet scowls, causing me to squeeze his hand gently. "He's talking to me, Ratch…" I nod weakly. "I'll be fine, Groove, all right? Just…just let me work through this myself. I've done this before, and I didn't really even have Claire then…" I sigh. "Well, I did, but we weren't able to see each other as often as I'd liked… I was a fired EMT at that point…and she was still in school…"

Groove nods. "So…are we ready to move?"

I nod, and Ratchet and I stand. I direct the three to what needs to go, and Ratchet directs them to what he wants over there.