I have a poll on my profile page asking a question I really want to have answered. I'm trying to get as many answers as I can, and very few people visit my profile. I've gotten literally one answer in a week, and that's sad. Please answer, and be honest about it.


I only own my OC's!


My New Normal

10:30 AM

It only takes half an hour to have his stuff set up in the new room, and I hang back to help Ratchet put a few things away. "You do not need to do this, Mari. I have it under control."

"I'm sure you do." I set a metal box on the bed. "But I want to help you."

He sighs, and nudges me aside before moving what looks like medications into the drawer of a metal nightstand Aid had found, not giving me the chance to read the labels. "Do you know where that chair came from?"

"I think Aid, but I have no idea where he found it."

"I will ask him." He sighs, and turns to leave. "Do not go through my medications. You are too young—"

I shake my head. "I know…how bad this can get, Ratch…I'm not scared…" I sigh. "Okay, that's a lie. I'm terrified, but…" I lay my hand on his arm. "But I can take it, so…so don't shut me out, okay?"

He sighs and nods before sitting on his berth. "Okay."

"Now… You still need to take your meds and get some rest, and I'll do my best to make sure the others—and the cats—don't bother you."

He looks up at me, surprised. "You really do know…"

I nod. "Now, lay down." I watch as he does, then turn to undo the bag from Joyce and pull out a pre-measured dose of the medication. "I'll get this for today, but I'm sure you'd prefer to handle it on your own."

He nods, and watches me inject it before sighing. "You're a natural…"

I shrug. "I used to help Mom with her insulin…near the end… Got a lot of hands-on training before I ever met my brothers…"

"What…" He looks up at me. "What did she die of?"

I smile sadly. "End-stage kidney disease, liver failure, and a non-compliant diabetic…" I shrug, hiding the low-level emotional pain with a smile. "It's been almost two years now…and I had accepted it before she died, so…" I shrug. "I'd lost her emotionally months before that, anyway…"

"…How?"

I can tell he's barely staying awake now. "My biological human father threatened to drown me in a bucket of water, I ran. She made me go back home, my friend told me to call the cops if it happened again. It did, I did, they sent me back to my friend. Mom chose him over me, even though I was taking care of her…" I sigh, and sink into the yellow chair Aid put in his room. "I did my best, it wasn't much. I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch. I told the truth, I didn't come to fool you. And even though it all went wrong, I'll stand before the Lord of Song, with nothing on my tongue but hallelujah…" He sighs softly, but I can tell he's not completely out yet.

I've heard there was a secret chord
That David played, and it pleased the Lord
But you don't really care for music, do you?
It goes like this
The fourth, the fifth
The minor fall, the major lift
The baffled king composing Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Your faith was strong but you needed proof
You saw her bathing on the roof
Her beauty in the moonlight overthrew you
She tied you to a kitchen chair
She broke your throne, and she cut your hair
And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Baby I have been here before
I know this room, I've walked this floor
I used to live alone before I knew you.
I've seen your flag on the marble arch
Love is not a victory march
It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah

And maybe there's a God above
But all I've ever learned from love
Was how to shoot at someone who outdrew you
And…it's not a cry you can hear at night
It's not somebody who has seen the light
It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah

I did my best, it wasn't much
I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch
I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you
And even though it all went wrong
I'll stand before the Lord of Song
With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah

I glance over the now-recharging medic before pulling a pale yellow blanket up over him. "Sleep well, Ratch…" I turn at a soft knock, and smile when I see Aid. "Hey." I hold a finger to my lips. "Shhh… Don't wake him…"

"I won't." He steps over to me and lays a hand on my shoulder. "How are you handling this?"

"I'm okay, Aid…"

"But…your mom…"

I huff and drag Aid out of the room, by his arm, as quietly as I can. "My mother chose my abuser before she died, Aid. As much as I miss her, I apparently—according to Aaron—have no right to claim her as my mother, so that's all there is to it. I have no human mother, because the one you put me in gave me up, and the one who chose me died." I sigh heavily. "But I have you now, and…and that's all I need."

"All right." He sighs. "Spot wants you in your office. I'll stay with him, if you're that worried…"

I shake my head. "He's fine for now." I start for the stairs. "And Aid?" I glance back to him. "Thank you…for supporting this. I may be young, but I'm strong. I can do this…"

"We're here, if you need us…" He sighs. "Groove told us what you told him earlier. Just…don't forget that we're here for you."

"I won't, Mom."


I sigh as I push my office door open. "Hot Spot?"

"Over here." He sighs. "I know we said we wouldn't come in without permission, but…"

"You're fine, Spot. What did you need?"

He sighs, and pulls me closer. "How are you handling this?"

"I'll be all right." I smile up at him gently, knowing he's struggling with this too. "It'll be all right, Spot. We're still all together."

"What did you find out in your talk with Optimus?"

"This is because of Prime?"

He shakes his head. "This is because you disappeared in the bond, and it scared us."

"OH!" I sigh softly, trying not to giggle. "Spot…I was in the Matrix! I was talking with Primus himself!"

"About…Ratchet?" I nod. "What did he say?"

I smile. "I-I have the cure, Spot…" A tear rolls down my cheek. "I have the cure… We can save him…"

"Oh, Mari…" He sighs softly. "But if he doesn't want it…"

"Then I'll let him go…" I sigh softly and look up to him. "Not in the way that I'm going to dump him, but…I'll…I'll let him…" I whimper, and cling to Spot.

"I get it, Mari. I get it. Okay?" He runs a hand over my doorwings lightly. "I know it'll be hard, if it comes to that, but we'll be here for you."

"Thank you…" I sigh softly. "Fixit's out in the living room if you want to spend some time with him, or…"

"Where's Mom?"

"Aid's got to be in the med-bay, Mari…"
"Then we'll be out there." I step out the door. "Fixit, time to go out to the med-bay."

"All right!" He slides out of his chair and heads to the door.

"Coat."

"Oops." He heads back to the chair and pulls it on before heading back to me. "You okay, Mari?"

I sigh heavily. "Yep."

"How's Ratchet?"

"Recharging. We'll be helping Aid."

"Okay!" He rushes after me. "What's wrong?"

"I found a cure."

"That's not wrong…When are you going to tell him?"

"I…I don't know, Bitty…" I sigh again, heavier this time. "I don't know what he'll think, Fixit…and I don't want him to think I think he needs fixed…because he's fine the way he is, but…if he wants to live…"

"Didn't he say he was glad you brought him back?"

"Well…yeah…"

"Then just tell him you have one, and see what he does. He can't do any worse than say "no", and at least you would have tried…"

"I'd have to wait until he wakes up, Fixie…"

"Just don't forget."

"I won't." I step into the med-bay, and hang Fixit's coat up before stepping over to Aid. "Need any help?"

"Mari…you're off for the morning, Sweetspark…"

"And if I stay in that house, I'll go NUTS. I can't even focus on my writing…now that I know…" I grab his hand as gently as I can. "Mom… I have the cure."

"And you're freaking out because of that?! That's great news, Mari! Are you sure it'll work?"

"Optimus had me check in the Matrix, Aid! Of course I'm sure!"

"And if Ratchet doesn't want it?"

"Then I won't use it."

He sighs softly. "Why haven't you told Ratchet yet?"

"Because…I don't want to upset him, and…and it might not be safe while he's sparked…"

"Not until the newspark transfers at the very least, but I'd advise waiting until it's born."

"Oh…" I look down.

Aid sighs and lifts my chin. "Hey. It'll be all right. We're all here for you—especially Spot and I, and, as soon as we can get her here, you'll have 'Star too."

"Thanks, Mom…" I hug him before turning to look around the empty room. "Prowl ordered them to give us peace, didn't he?"

"He assumed Ratchet would be reporting to duty, so yes." He reaches up to his comm. "Attention Autobots: This is First Aid. I will take over the med-bay when Ratchet can't, so you are allowed access to the med-bay."

"First Aid…"

"Prowl, I need something to do, and I refuse to sit around the house waiting for an EMS call and thinking about my missing daughter and Ratchet's condition. Mari and I need to work."

"The message I gave this morning was barely changed from the last time he relapsed, First Aid. I know you are under a lot of stress at the moment, Hot Spot is carrying, and you do still have the damage from when you were a sparkling. I had assumed you would appreciate a break, and that Mari would be at the house and able to repair minor injuries…but I see now that I was wrong."

"Mari has nerve damage too, Prowl, and she's still right here with me. We're on full open status."

"Thank you, First Aid."

"There. Now we'll actually get some work."

"Actually…" I sigh softly. "We'll probably be over-run, if I know Sideswipe, so…" I sigh softly. "I'll go get us an early lunch, and make sure Spot and Streets get theirs, then I'll be back."

"Thank you, Mari." He sighs before handing me a pinkish cube. "Take this up and set it on that table by Ratchet's bed, but don't wake him up."

"Spot…"

"Will be able to have low-grade, so long as he's not nauseated by it. If he needs it, he'll have to let us know, because—"

"Hey, Aid!"

"Of that." Aid sighs heavily, and starts over to the silver corvette, who looks like he just had a run-in with Ravage and lost. "Sides, what happened?"

He shrugs. "Sparring with Sunny…then I made him mad."

I shake my head. "That was a very bad idea."

"You're telling me." He sighs. "Prowl said it wasn't bad enough to bother you guys, but then Aid sent out the comm, so… Here I am!"

"Take that in, and come back." He checks the time. "And bring another cube for Sides while you're at it."

"M'kay! Fix, stay here with Aid!"

"I need low grade!"

"I know, Bitty!" And with that, I'm out the door.


third POV

Sideswipe rolls his eyes. "You're sure she's Flight's sparkling?"

"Yep."

"She's so much like Hot Spot."

"All of us, actually. She cares as much as I do, Sides…and she holds everything back… She's known around here for putting herself through a lot of stress…even though she doesn't fight…and she's really emotional… She's as hyper-aware as Street… and has a nomadic spirit—meaning she likes the open road like Groove does." He sighs. "She is very flighty, though, Sides…very flighty." He chuckles gently. "Trust me, she's a mess some days…just a few weeks ago, she walked into a door, and yesterday, she smacked her doorwing on another door."

"A door?"

"Yes. A door. Had all five of us laughing our helms off… She was too though… So… She had a red mark on her head for an hour from how hard she hit it, too."

"Ouch."


normal POV

"You tellin' him stories, Mom?"

"Mom? Oh, yeah…right…" Sideswipe nods. "Said you walked into a door."

I pretend to think for a moment before nodding. "That sounds about right… I also tripped up a step while I was hyper and spacy at the same time—broke my foot."

"Broke your foot?"

"Yep." I wave it in front of me and almost fall, realizing quickly that I'm still holding the four cubes. "Oops!" I set them down before I drop them, and wave it again. "This one."

"Now I see it."

"See what?" I tilt my head to the side. "Did I get energon on myself?"

"No, Sweetspark." Aid sighs heavily. "Your sire."

"My sire?"

"Yes."

'Aid and Flight had a fling a few years ago…' I turn to them. "It's Flight, right?"

Sideswipe blinks. "Did you tell her? Cause…I know I didn't…"

"Streetwise told her we had a fling, but…I think she figured the rest out herself." I nod. "Anyway…" Sideswipe looks up to us from the berth. "Sides, we have to finish up here. Mari doesn't usually do medicine after lunch, and even though we're planning to be in here all day, she'll be allowed to get her computer after 1:30, and I need to change the battery in it this afternoon as well."

"So…"

"So she has to get in as much training as she can before then. After that, she has her weapons training with Ironhide, then her EMS class."

"Where's her…sister?"

Aid sighs. "She's still in Indiana—still underage. Mari's really been missing her…"

"I'm sure she has… I missed Sunny before he made it to Earth…"

I nod, then step over to join them, causing Aid to smile. "All right…get your welder, and we'll get started…"


That Night

Aid steps over to where Spot is getting our cubes together. "Spot, I'll be eating with the Aerials tonight, so…"

Spot tilts his head to the side. "Spending the night with 'them'?"

Aid shrugs. "I don't know yet."

"Mari, could you open the microwave for me?" I tilt my head to the side. "For Fixit's energon. He's been cold all day, so I'm going to warm his up."

"Ah. Yes." I sigh softly as I help him carry the other cubes to the table. "Why are you worried about Aid?"

Spot chuckles. "I'm not worried, Mari… I'm just…nervous. The last time he did something like this…"

I smirk. "He wound up with me and Star, right?"

"Right. I'm already sparked, and so is Fixit. I don't know how we'd handle three bots in the bond with morning sickness…" Spot shakes his head. "But at the same time, I can't blame him for any of this…he's upset, and he wants that…connection, he had with him before…"

"It's just dinner, Spot…"

"It was "just dinner", then it was "just talking", then…"

"Then he was sparked." I shake my head.

"Yeah, so somewhere in there, they had to have 'faced."

I sigh softly. "Spot, he is an adult, we've had a crappy day, and he probably wants to forget it without having to turn to high-grade. In every medical drama I've watched, they had a hell of a day, they either found a bottle, or they found the first empty bed, and 'faced the slag out of someone…"

"Aid's not like that, Mari…"

I huff and cross my arms. "Then is he trying to give me more siblings to lead or something?"

"Mari…" Spot sighs, and leans against the counter. "We all had a really hard time watching Ratchet the last time he relapsed… I can't even describe how hard it was sometimes…but we made it through. Now…now we're going through that again, and I…I don't know how we're going to get through this…but…"

I sigh heavily, and hug him tightly. "We'll get through this, Spot…"

"Even if Aid sparks?"

"Spot…" I shake my head. Someone seems to need a slap to the face—you know, to make them see the big picture—but I'm not that kind of person…so…

Sounds like life to me
This ain't no fantasy…
Just a common case of
Everyday reality…
And I know it's tough…
But you gotta suck it up…
To hear you talk,
You're caught up in some tragedy…
But…it sounds like life to me…

Spot sighs. "What?"

I shake my head. "It's a song—Country—about how one man is going through a lot of crap, and went down to a bar—he fell off the proverbial wagon because of it. So his wife asks his friend to find him, and when he does, the first man is telling him all his problems, and the friend tells him to suck it up, that it'll get better if he's patient…and when he tells the friend that his wife's menstrual cycle is late…"

"Oh, dear Primus…"

"The friend tells the bartender to give them a round to celebrate." I smile. "So… Ya gotta suck it up, Spot. It might not be easy, but we will get through this." I smirk. "Even if Mom sparks too."

"We wouldn't have Defensor for a month…"

"Then we fall back on Superion for a month! We do have more than one combiner, after all!" I sigh heavily. "Sorry, Spot."

"You're fine…and right, if that even matters…" He sighs. "They're bonded, but I haven't let on that I know for obvious reasons—Aid doesn't want anyone to know yet, after all…"

"And let me guess: you only learned of it by being combined."

Spot nods, smiling brightly. "As usual. At least I got you and Star out of it…"


Third POV

Fireflight runs over from their table—just his and Aid's—in the rec-room, a smile on his face. "Hey, Aid! I already got our cubes!"

"Hey, Flight." He hugs him before sighing as he joins him at the table. "How are you handling the news?"

"About Ratchet?" Aid nods. "I-I can't believe it… I-I thought he'd be…okay…this time…"

"I know, but we can get through this." He smiles. "Mari figured it out…"

"Figured out…" His eyes light up. "That I'm their sire?"

"Yep!" Aid shakes his head. "She reminds me of you some days…"

"Like when she ran into that door?"

"Right…she'd forgotten it wasn't open… Then yesterday she smacked her doorwing on another one… and she almost dropped our lunch bringing it out to us because Sides asked about her foot…"

"And…what happened to her foot?"

"Tripped up a step…because she was goofing off…and wasn't focused… She broke it…nine years ago, and it still bothers her…"

"Primus…sounds like she really hurt herself, Aid… At least my injuries are usually easily repaired…"

"Her doorwing was, but…her foot has nerve damage…"

"And…her sister?"

"I only know what you guys know, Flight. No one's told me anything new, and I haven't gotten to meet her yet…"

"Has Spot found out…about us yet?"

"Not that I know of…" He sighs. "But if we don't want Spot to know we're…actually bonded…"

"No secrets in a gestalt…and I still don't understand how you could keep this secret… My brothers know, but I made sure they wouldn't tell anyone until we're ready…"

"He probably knows, but he hasn't talked with me about it yet, so…"

"How's Mari doing? I heard she was struggling earlier…"

"She found a cure, Flight…"

He shakes his head slightly. "You Protectobots and your constant overachieving…" He laughs softly. "She'll fit right in with you guys…" He sighs and collects their empty cubes. "So…are you planning to stay over here, or…"

"It's up to you."

"Can you? You can stay with us…after…"

"Sure."


Normal POV

Spot sighs, and clears away the cubes. "Guess Aid's staying out with Flight…"

"Aid is out with Fireflight?" I nod, and hand him a pill bottle. Thank you, Mari."

"You're welcome." I stand and boost Fixit down before sighing softly. "I'll be in my office…"

"All right. We'll let you know when we head up to bed."

Ratchet stands with a heavy sigh. "I think I will head up to my berth room with a book. Hot Spot?"

"Yeah?"

"I have some medications for morning sickness in my room. If you need any, just ask me first."

"All right…