I only own my OC's!


Red Alert

MED BAY

I walk into the med bay in my Cybertronian form, a worried look on my face. "Ratch? You okay?"

"Just missing Red."

I nod. "I can feel that much, Ratch." I give him a hug before stepping back. "It won't be long and he'll be back with us."

"Wha—"

"We need you, Ratch. You're all I have, and Aid and I don't know enough to take care of everything." I sigh softly. "And you know that if I lose you again—"

"We'll all lose you." He sighs. "I'm just…not sure I want you to pull Red out of the well just for the sake of my spark."

I sigh before laying a hand on his shoulder. "We're still at war, Ratch, but it looks like it's the beginning of the end. Megs is in Galvatron's body, but all I have to do is find out how to defuse the Cybertronium, and he'll really be dead, and the war will be over. We're winning, Ratch, and when it's over, we're going to have a home here on earth—all of us. You can finally have a family—we all can."

Ratchet sighs before laughing softly. "I'm older than you think, Sweetspark."

I cross my arms. "But it's always possible. Don't give up on your dreams, Doc. You're alive. That's more than I can say for millions of Cybertronians." I step over to Red Alert's off-line frame. "You know, you're not the only one who missed him, Ratch." I lay a single hand on Red's. "He was the only one on base who understood my anxieties. We've been friends since we met. Losing my oldest Autobot friend hurt." I turn when I feel his hand on my shoulder.

"Trust me, I know." He looks down to Red Alert. "If you're serious about doing this, then let's get started."

I nod before focusing my energy—same as Heatwave had to before scanning his third form—then laying my now-flaming hands on Red Alert's plating.

After a minute, I remove them and step back so Ratchet can scan the now-red plating for a spark signature. "Thank Primus."

I run my hand over his plating lightly. "He's back, Ratch. He's back."

"I know, Sweetspark." He turns to me. "How's Graham been doing?"

I smile. "Better. He's still sick, but it doesn't seem as bad as it was."

"Well, he is ten weeks in."

I nod, then hand Ratchet the bottle. "He said he wouldn't need this anymore. Told me to give it back to you. There's…not a lot left."

"I'll make some more once things calm down. We shouldn't need them for a while yet."

"But—"

"Even if I'm still able to carry, I want to wait until after the war ends, and I would advise the others to as well." He turns to me. "And that goes for you as well. You're a soldier now."

I nod. "I know. I'm a Ranger." I sigh. "But Shining Star will protect me and the little one, and I'll protect you and whoever else decides to carry. No Cons—living or otherwise—will hurt any of you, or your little ones."

"Zombies?!"

I shake my head and turn to the newest fire truck. "No, Red. KSI drones—trust me, they're worse than zombies. I sigh and turn to Ratchet tearfully. "We lost Ratch so they could make new ones. I was slaggin' lucky to get him back." I shrug. "I had to swipe his stolen frame back, and store Cybertronium for four years to save him."

"But his spark—how did you—"

"Stole it back before Lockdown went fully off-line, and stored it in my plating, with my own."

"Thank you." He sits up and turns to me as I sit beside him. "Who's on security?"

"Rescue Bot Chase, his human partner, Streetwise, Groove, and Prowl are helping the humans here in the Shatterdome with their security. We've done our best with what we have, but I'll be glad to have you back as head of security."

"Glad to be back." He stands. "Let's go."

I sigh softly. "Hold up, Red. Tour first, then take some time to get used to your surroundings. You're getting at least a week off—and before you argue, Prowl's only been working for a week." Now that I've got nothing to think about, my anxiety returns with a vengeance, causing my doorwings start trembling violently.

Ratchet looks over to me. "Are you all right, Sweetspark?"

"Why—"

I sigh as Ratchet starts examining me frantically. "Kaiju attack went sour last night, Red."

"What's a—"

"Giant, usually three hundred foot, organic monster with blue blood harmful to humankind and orders to destroy them." I sigh softly. "Kaiju Blue, as they've been calling it, doesn't harm Autobots, or the jaeger teens—Gipsy, Cherno, Coyote, Crimson, and Striker—or my little Star, who came alive thanks to Uncle 'Jack, and is with Lennox's daughter in their media room." I sigh heavily. "Cherno and Star were called out last night, around 12:30 this morning. Cherno started chasing the RABIT—got caught in a memory—and Star had her arm all but torn off—the one I would have been controlling. I was fine because of my instant healing, but I'm still reeling emotionally."

"Mako is fine, right?"

"Alive, and helping Herc and Stacker oversee the progress on Coyote's new reactor. She's acting like she's all right, but she lost her parents to Onibaba when she was younger—around Star's age. It's why she chases the RABIT from time to time." I look down. "Mine is losing Ratch, then Optimus leaving. I hid on Griffin Rock for four years."

"Griffin Rock?"

I nod. "Blades hid there too—with a new rescue team. I brought the Protectobots back two weeks ago."

"He's not—"

I shake my head. "He's changed, Red." I sigh softly. "He's—Primus, Red!" I look down at my lap. "He changed, so much, just because I wasn't there when he needed me!" I sigh. "He's scared of heights now, and so timid you wouldn't have recognized him on first sight—I sure didn't when we met on Griffin Rock." I shake my head. "God, there were times when he reminded me of you, Red!"

"There was?"

I nod. "The time when Huxley—the newsman—made the island think there were aliens invading—'Wave was the only one who didn't panic. The time Evan and Miles—twin crooks—used the hologram projectors in downtown to create "ghosts" so they could steal—God, that was scary, when he almost ran into the clock tower because one appeared in the cockpit. Then there was the time they followed Cody and Charlie to the EMP zone because he thought Cody was in danger. He wound up upside-down on Boulder's back." I sigh. "His Bond-mate keeps calling him a coward, but Wave wasn't there when I was to see who he was before the Alpha crashed."

We turn at a voice. "Heatwave's usually calming him down, Shey. You have to remember that he's not always calling Blades

A coward."

I glare to the offending pilot. "No, just when his courage is called into question." I sigh. "Dani, Red Alert, Red, this is Dani. She and I would fly in Blades when I helped on a mission."

"Remember the teleportation tracers?"

"Remember? How could I forget? That was freaky!" I shake my head. "I could have handled them after a year or so, but they were frightening when they did show up!"

"Teleportation tracers?"

"Tracers with teleportation crystals inside, that sent every one of us to an underground, unstable cavern. Cody was the last man standing, and told the Bots where we were once he found out." I turn back to Dani. "Remember when he panicked on that mountain rescue?"

"How could I forget? You laid into both Dad and Heatwave for how they treated Blades."

I glare at Dani. "Girl, they should have known better than to send a helicopter to an avalanche zone. Heatwave could have handled it just fine on his own." I sigh. "There wouldn't have been an avalanche then, with no loud rotors to cause it."

"What about when you and he went with Graham and Cody while he was working on his folklore patch?"

I nod. "First Heatwave told Graham and I 'I know what you're thinking, and it was not a griffin.'" I giggle. "Then Graham said 'No one's thinking that.' Only for Blades to yell: 'GRIFFIN!'" Dani and I start laughing. "Then Graham and I pointed out that Blades was the only one, and I started laughing." I sigh. "Though there was some historical truth to Blades' panic. Predacons. One looked like a griffin, and could have lived near Griffin Rock during the Viking age." I shrug at Dani when she gives me a confused look. "After he freaked out about griffins being real again when I brought it up, I figured I was smart to not tell him I found out there had been one, cloned by Shockwave."

"Let's just…keep that our little secret."

"Deal."

"What's a griffin?"

I shrug to a rather nervous-looking Ratchet before turning to Red Alert. "Eagle-lion hybrid. Worshiped by the Vikings. There's a rock shaped like one on their island."

Ratchet glares at me. "Starlight, I really don't need him glitching so soon after bringing him back."

"Well, duh. You're not the only one, Ratch. I'm panicked enough living here."

Dani nods. "Blades too." She sighs. "You're not going to tell him about the Predacon, right?"

"I ain't tellin' either rescue team—not even Cody. Blades doesn't need to know—unless they show up, but that won't happen because Optimus killed Shockwave in Chicago."

"What about the fire tornadoes Morocco caused?"

I instinctively curl into Red Alert, accidentally hitting my doorwing on his back in my hurry to get somewhere I feel safe. Red Alert simply puts an arm around my back as Ratchet turns to glare at Dani. "Stop, Ratch."

Ratchet turns to me, confused. "What? She—"

I return to my human form and climb onto Red's leg. "They are the things of my nightmares since I was a little girl. They were also in Griffin Rock when Heatwave was learning about scanning a third form. Dani didn't know about my fear of them because I push everything aside when I have a mission. That's why Red and I got along so well—because I was together when he needed me, and it's the same with Blades." I sigh. "Especially after the first kaiju attack when we all moved here."

Dani sighs when she sees Ratchet's confused look. "It was before they got you back on-line."

I nod. "I'd been about to have a meltdown because of the damned Cybertronium we needed to repair you, so Boulder asked me to talk with Blades about the attack the night before." I sigh before returning to the tales of Griffin Rock. "Then they willingly sacrificed themselves for Griffin Rock, and I was the only one left with any kind of medical training. I'd been with Heatwave and Kade at the time, and—" I break off with a sob, causing the three to turn to me worriedly. "His optics were so dim, they almost weren't even lit! God, Ratch! I-I couldn't lose him—no-not after I-I ha-had to watch y-you d-die! He-Heat—h-he—" I look up, fire flashing in my eyes even as tears pour down my cheeks. "DAMN IT, RATCH, HEAT WAS ALL I HAD LEFT AFTER YOU DIED, AND HE KILLED HIMSELF!"


THIRD POV

In the hall, the fire-bot in question stops in his tracks and turns to face the medical bay, shock and surprise written on his faceplates. 'I was all she had? Optimus and Bumblebee were both still on-line, and I know my team was fading, but we were still there.' He sighs, mentally kicking himself when he remembers. 'But Optimus was in space, and Bumblebee was in Texas protecting the Yeager's. She came to us for a reason, Idiot!' He sighs before stepping into the med bay.


NORMAL POV

The medic and security director look up when Heatwave walks over, but they quickly turn their attention back to me. Dani looks up to him curiously, but simply gets silently sent to Blades, who is getting ready to head out on an ocean patrol by Hot Spot's request, and needs her to pilot because of his lingering fear of heights.

Heatwave lays a hand on Red Alert's shoulder before holding a hand down to me, wordlessly asking them to hand me over. Ratchet glares at him for a moment before recognizing a familiar guilt in Heatwave's optics. It's the same guilt he's felt since we brought him back. He nods to Red Alert, who sets me lightly into Heatwave's lowered hand.

"Take care of her. I'll comm you when Red is ready for the tour."


SHORELINE

We're sitting by the ocean when I calm down and realize I'm no longer with Ratchet, but with some other Cybertronian. A silver finger is stroking me like I'm some kind of pet, but it doesn't bother me. The bot holding me looks zoned, as if he's lost in thought, and the way he's sitting proves the guilt he's feeling.

After a minute, he stops stroking my back and leans on his knees, still staring out over the ocean. Now that I've gotten a better look at the bot holding me, I discover that it's the bot I had been crying over to begin with. I stand carefully and walk over to his arm, where I lay a hand on it. "Heatwave?"

Heatwave shifts carefully before looking down at me. "Are you okay?" He sighs. "I didn't mean to traumatize you, back in Griffin Rock. I didn't know—"

I sigh. "I'm fine. I'll be all right." I look up at him. "Trust me, I've watched more bots than you die much more violent deaths than draining their energon to save their town." I sigh before counting them on my fingers. "Optimus in New Jersey, video of Hide in Washington, same with the Twins, Sides and Sunny against Lockdown, images from Ratch's investigation when the Alpha crashed, Que in Chicago…" I look down. "Jazz in LA, Prowl from a broken bond, Red when the base in Diego Garcia was attacked a year before Chicago, Ratchet to KSI and Lockdown… Arcee and Elita in Egypt, Chromia from a broken bond, Jetfire sacrificing himself for Optimus by ripping out his spark…The wreckers… Drift, Hound, and Crosshairs while defending Cade and Tessa from KSI…" I shake my head. "Draining your energon was a noble thing to do, just like Jetfire giving his life—and frame—for Optimus in Egypt, but…"

"But I was all you had, after you lost your guardian."

I nod weakly. "You may be a hothead, but so is Ratch, and… You helped me pull myself together, after I lost him. I wouldn't be surprised if the bond started to transfer, but bringing him back to life should have canceled that out." I sigh before looking down. "So why do I still feel so haunted about it?" My next words stun the fire-bot. "Why am I still just as haunted by your death, as I am by Ratchet's?"

"You… What?"

I nod. "That's the truth, 'Wave. It may be that I haven't chased the RABIT over anything that happened on Griffin Rock—even with Humungado and Ravenous—but that doesn't mean none of it left me scarred. Why did you think I asked Mako to have them make Star in the first place? Ravenous attacking Blades, Dani, and I." I sigh softly. "If I hadn't trained with Ratch…we'd only have Bee, Wave. Bumblebee, and myself." I sigh. "I know it's wrong to say I'm grateful that Blades crashed the Alpha, but if he hadn't, no one would be alive today, save Bee and myself. He doesn't know it, but crashing that ship that day saved all of you. It ultimately saved the Protectobots, Prowl, Jazz… My twins, the Lambos, and Red… Ratchet… and you."

"I…did what?"

I turn to see Blades transforming on the shore as Dani heads up to the Shatterdome, and glance up to Heatwave sheepishly. "Er… I didn't want him to hear that." I sigh heavily and turn back to Blades. "Because you crashed the Alpha, I learned to heal. Because I learned to heal, you yourself are alive today. Heatwave is alive today. Your brothers are alive again. Red, our own fire engine, and Ratchet's bond-mate, is alive again. My own charges—Mudflap and Skids—are alive again. Optimus is still alive." I smile up at him. "And I have you to thank for all of it."

"But—"

I sigh, and shift into my Cybertronian form after sliding off Heatwave's knee. Once I'm steady, I walk over and lay a hand on Blades' shoulder. "Though initially a tragedy, it caused triumph in the end. We're winning now. They're coming back, mostly because of you."

Blades turns to Heatwave. "What's wrong?"

The fire-bot simply scoffs and turns away, causing me to sigh. "I've got this one, Blades… It's… kinda my fault, anyway."

Blades kneels to me after sparing Heatwave another glance. "What did you do?"

I look at my feet. "I yelled at Ratch about how Heatwave was all I had left after Lockdown killed him, and Wave killed himself for Griffin Rock. I didn't know he was walking past at the time." I sigh. "Your newfound timidity was what started it in the first place—I was telling Red about the last six weeks. Then Dani showed up, and we started telling him stories from Griffin Rock. That's when the teleportation to the Artic and subsequent… Off-lining, came up."

"I didn't know you were still upset about that."

"Still?" Heatwave steps over. "How did you know—"

Blades turns to Heatwave. "She stayed in the bunker for a week after she saved us, remember? She didn't want to leave us for fear we'd die like Ratchet did." He looks down. "Like my brothers did."

I lay a hand on his back, being careful not to hurt his rotors. "They're back now, Blades. You're healing now. You're gonna be all right." I sigh before turning to Heatwave. "We all will. It's just gonna take some time." I smile. "Now, I have to give Sam, Red, the Lennoxes', and Ryder and his pups a tour, then we can have Ratch look into that little question we had."


MEDICAL BAY

Once I've finished the tour, Heatwave and I head toward the medical bay. Once we reach the door, I stick my head in. "Ratch?"

Ratchet looks over to see us. "Starlight? What's wrong?"

I sigh, hoping my words won't upset Ratchet too much. "I…" I look at my feet. "I think, a bond, may have started to form, between Heatwave and I, while you were gone."

"Possibly, but it should have diffused when you revived me."

I sigh softly. "I'm still scarred, by his death, just like yours. I spent a week in the bunker with them after it happened, just like I stayed with you for a week after you came back."

Ratchet sighs and motions for us to sit on the medical berth. "It's possible that any bond you may have had was too far along to be diffused once I was repaired."

"Then… What would happen?"

"The replacement bond would have become a secondary bond." Ratchet starts running a scanner over us. "But I can't understand why you would have formed that deep a bond with anyone over four short years when it took several for ours to form." He sighs before turning to me. "But it is there."

I sigh softly before looking up at Heatwave. "You're not…upset, about that, are you?"

He sighs heavily. "It'll be difficult to explain this to Kade, but I'm not upset." He smiles. "How could I be?"

I shrug. "Well, at least I'm not some sparkless machine."

Ratchet gives us a confused look. "What?"

"Robobaby Doc Greene made. It liked Heatwave, and he liked it, but he wouldn't let the rest of the team know. I could tell by the way he was acting that it was just that—an act."

Heatwave and I stand to leave. "Then why didn't you say something?"

I cross my arms as we walk out the door. "Maybe because my other guardian throws wrenches when I call him out on something! I didn't want to get hit with something that could have fraggin' killed me!"

Heatwave sighs. "I don't throw things like Ratchet does, and I wouldn't have hit you if I got mad. You know that."

I nod. "You'd pummel that tree-thing of yours in the bunker. Trust me, I could hear it from my room."

"I didn't mean to keep you awake."

"Ya didn't. I'd be awake anyway. After the childhood I had, I don't sleep well."

"What—"

"I was verbally abused."

"I know your story, Starlight."

I sigh softly. "I need to check on the girls, and make sure they're safe."

"Major Lennox and Ironhide are with them."

I nod before turning to Ratchet. "You and Red can reunite. I'll take Star into town for the rest of the day. Maybe we can check out her school before she has to start."