I only own my OC's


Twins

ten pm

"Starlight."

I groan. I'd just fallen asleep. "What?"

"I need you to bring Graham down to the medical bay."

That wakes me up. "WHAT!?"

Graham groans before sitting up, turning to face me in the process. "Shey? What's wrong?"

Silverwing steps into our room. "Mommy?"

Bluestreak steps in through the door. "Shey? What happened?"

I sigh heavily. "Ratchet wants to see Graham."

"Shouldn't he be sleeping too?"

I nod to Silverwing. "Yes, Silva, but he usually stays up to finish things in the medical bay."

"So…"

Graham groans. "Boulder, please. Ratchet wants to see me." Graham sighs before standing. "Boulder's coming over. He can take me down there. You need your rest."

I scoff. "I need rest like I need a hole in my head."

"But Mommy—"

I tap her nose. "Another hole in my head. I have plenty already, trust me." I turn to Graham. "What was with the begging?"

He sighs heavily. "He was recharging." Graham laughs softly. "For claiming to not need sleep, they're shockingly hard to wake up."

I scoff. "Try waking Ratchet, then you can complain."

"Kade said Heatwave could be just as bad sometimes." Graham stands as Boulder walks in. "Well, let's go."

"Not so fast." I turn to Bluestreak. "Take Silva to your berth with you. I'm not taking her into the medical bay, and she needs to have those bonds close until they're solid. Ratchet said he'd check in a week, so until then, one of us needs to stay close to her."

"Got it." He turns to Silverwing. "Come on, 'Wing. You can recharge with me tonight."

She grins. "Really!?" She runs to him. "Have you ever let Mommy?"

I roll my eyes from where I'm standing at the door. "No." I sigh heavily. "But I was in my early teens, and it would have been frowned upon by the soldiers."

"Oh…" She looks up to me. "Why can't you now?"

I shrug. "Because I've got so much else I have to take care of, and I don't want to distract him if I come in late."

"But his berth's right next to the door!"

I shrug. "It's too complicated, Silva." I turn to Graham and Boulder. "Let's get this over with so I can go back to sleep."

"Fine with me."


medical bay

I walk over to Ratchet. "What's wrong?"

He sighs before turning to Boulder, who's setting Graham on the berth. "I was reviewing Graham's scans."

"And?" I turn to the nervous engineer.

"The spark has split. He's carrying twins."

"We'll handle this, Ratch. Trust me." I turn to Graham. "It's all right. I'm here. I can help, and I understand."

"How? You're going out in that jaeger, and—"

I lay a hand on his arm. "Because I'm going through this with you."

He sighs. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it." I nod up to Boulder. "Now, let's get back to bed. You never know when a kaiju will strike, and we need to be ready. Me for obvious reasons, and you in case we come back hurt. You may not be trained as a medic, but you were good at repairs in Griffin Rock, and you're on Star's mechanic team—both of you."


dream

I step up to the window, still wearing my pink fatigues. "It's starting." I hold up my hand and cover it in the blue inferno. "It's time." I step out onto the glass-floored box nervously.

On the ground, I can hear humans screaming as Decepticons fire their weapons at them.
I sit down and hug my knees to my chest as tears roll down my cheeks.

When you were standing in the wake of devastation

When you were waiting on the edge of the unknown

And with the cataclysm raining down

Insides crying "save me now"

You were there

A sob breaks through, causing me to stop singing and whisper the next two words. "Impossibly alone." I look up at the sky. "Oh, God, what am I supposed to do!? I'm only one person!" I look forward at the dark sky, a weak smile forming. "Only one person."

I'm begging for forgiveness

I wanna make a difference

Even in the smallest of ways

I'm only one person

I stand up and lay my hands on the glass, my earlier determination returning.

But I can feel it working

I believe in better days

That's why I pray.

I smile out at the dark, Decepticon-controlled city before rolling my shoulders back. "I'm ready." I smile brighter.

I won't run when bullets chase me

I won't rest where arms embrace me

I will love when people hate me

I won't hush no you can't make me

Send the dark but it won't break me

You can try, but you can't change me

Take my life, they will replace me

I won't hush no you can't make me

I won't hush

I smirk. "No. We will sing." I turn for the exit quickly, and take the elevator to the lobby.


reality, third pov

Graham returns to his bed after getting a drink, and glances to the other bed when he hears his roommate and girlfriend whimpering. At a closer glance, he can see the tears on her face. "Must be a bad one."

"What?"

He turns to Bluestreak. "I said she must be having a bad dream." He motions to the bed. "She's crying in her sleep."

"Must be…"

"Hey…" Bluestreak turns to him. "Why are you still awake?"

He sighs. "Memories." He sighs before motioning to Graham's bed. "You need to get back to bed. I'll be okay."

"Shey said she didn't want you getting upset over—"

"I'm fine. Jazz is playing something next door, and I can hear them talking. You need to get back to sleep."

"Fine…"


Sam calls me suddenly. I stop on the way out to answer the phone. "Hello?"

"Sheyenne, they killed the Autobots! Sentinel is behind it all. And Dylan Gould has Carly."

"Optimus…" I fall to my knees sadly. "Sam, I'm at the Willis Tower. I'm on my way."

"That's where Dylan and Carly are. Well, they're in Chicago—Trump Towers."

"Chicago is ground zero. Pass it on to Mearing."

"Will do. Optimus is dead."

I stand back to my feet. I'll have time to mourn when Chicago is safe again. "So it's up to me. Shining Star, savior of the free world."

"I'm coming after Carly with NEST. We'll see you soon. So, what are you going to do?"

I sigh nervously. "I have to be the savior of the world. I have to be…" I reach up and grab the star pendant before smiling. "I have to be their Shining Star. For on this day, one shall stand, two shall fall. I'll see you soon, Sam. Stay safe." I hang up the phone. "I'm all that's left. It's my job, without the Covenant of Primus, to save this world from the Decepticons. I need to fulfill my destiny."


I run toward the exit of the city, and Sam. "Sam!"

Children run toward Sam and the soldiers, trying to get out of the city. Sam stops to catch his breath.

Epps looks over at the smoldering city. "My God. We came here to find her in the middle of all that?"
Stone turns to Epps. "Are we really going out there, Epps?"
Eddie shakes his head. "I'm not going in there."
"No one's going in." Epps says.
"I am. With or without you, I'll find her."
"You're gonna get yourself killed, Sam. Is that what you want? Is that what you want? You came all the way out here to get yourself killed? Huh? Listen to what I'm saying."
Sam scoffs. "She's here because of me. Do you understand?"
"Listen, if you go in this building, that's if she's even still alive, there's no way you're gonna be able to reach her!" Epps says.
"What do you suggest I do?" Sam asks.
"It's over. I'm sorry, but it's over." Epps says.
"No." Sam says.

"SAM!" I run out of the city.

"SHEY!" Sam runs to me. "What's with the new look?"

"No time to explain. Where's Carly?"

"Trump towers." Sam looks up behind me. "DUCK!"

"Whoa whoa whoa! Incoming!" Eddie yells.
Humans run toward us, but instantly get blasted and vaporized.

Epps and Sam grunt as they hit the ground.

"Hh."
"I've got this." I smirk. "They need to know Shining Star is still alive and well." I aim the inferno at the ship and fire.

The decepticon ship catches fire and crashes. The decepticon climbs out of the ship. "What are you?"

"I'm your worst nightmare!" I take a fighting stance with my ring at the forefront.

Epps turns to Sam in confusion. "What is she doing?"

"You're our only chance against Sentinel."

I look down sadly. "He may have killed your friends, Epps, but he killed someone I love, and that's unacceptable."

The Decepticon pilot growls at me as I turn my attention back to him. Heavy footfalls soon cause me to turn back around to see blue legs. I can barely hold my joy back when I hear a familiar, deep voice.

"We will kill them all."

Leadfoot grins. "Wreckers, kill it!"

Roadbuster chooses to address the con. "This is going to hurt! A lot!"

The Decepticon pilot growls.

"Ah ha ha!"

"Your leaders will now understand. Decepticons will never leave your planet alone. And we needed them to believe we had gone. For today, in the name of freedom, we take the battle to them!"

"I saw your ship blow up!"

Roadbuster walks over. "The ship. We were never in the ship! We designed the damn thing, didn't we?"

Leadfoot joins us, ripping a leg in half. "We were hidden in the first booster rocket to separate. Splashed down back in the Atlantic, just as planned. We ain't going nowhere."

Brains climbs out of a destroyed car. "Yeah, no one's exiling us. Hnh. Rrr."

Wheelie climbs out behind him. "The Autobots are staying right here. We're gonna help you win this war."

"They're surrounding the city to make a fortress, so that no one can see what they're up to inside. Our only chance is the element of surprise."

"I think I know where to look!" Bumblebee walks over to the con's flier. "So, you can fly this thing, right?"

Bumblebee waves his hand side to side. "I don't know."

"What is that- what is that, what is that? So-so? So you so-so can fly this. That feels terrible."

I look over from where I'm reuniting with my own guardian, Bluestreak. "He said I don't know, Sam."

Epps hands Sam a pistol. "We're right behind you." He turns to his team. "All right, we're going in!"


third pov

Bluestreak sighs. He's wide awake. It wouldn't be so bad if he weren't alone, but all the humans are now asleep, and Jazz turned off the music.

He hears someone shifting in the back bedroom, so he sticks his head in, just in case Silverwing woke up, or Sheyenne needs him, but all he finds is more silence. The youngling is behind her, and…huh. "She's never done that before." Sheyenne's got her arms wrapped around a stuffed dog he'd only seen the day she moved into the base. It's one he knows she saves for when she's upset about something, which has him worried, but she's asleep, so he can't really ask her…


"Form a perimeter! Let's go, let's go!"

Epps crosses his arms as Sam and Carly join us. "Well, you're crazy."

Sam turns to a fallen UAV drone. "What is that? Is that us?"

Epps kneels to it. "This thing's a military UAV. Stone, check and see if it's still working."

"Yeah, it's still got power."

"Flight Control, do you copy? Can, can you rotate? Can you do something? Can you rotate? Can you do something? Come on, man! Work! Work! Can you rotate or something?" It rotates, causing me to grin. "Yes, yes! Okay, okay, okay! They can see us."

"Chicago is ground zero, do you understand? Can you hear us? You understand?"

"Please listen. Sentinel Prime is here and he has the pillars to his Space Bridge. They're on top of a building on Chicago River. It's owned by Hotchkiss Gould Investments. Now, the pillar that controls everything is in the southeast cupola."

"You've got to destroy the pillar. You have to shoot down the pillar or they're going to transport Cybertron here, do you understand? Do you understand?"

"In case you don't get that, Cybertron is their planet, and they're bringing it here with those pillars you took from my family. Lennox, it's up to you. I'm counting on you."


"We need to move before the fighters spot us. Wait here until we scout a route ahead. Let's roll."

"Ratchet, cover high."

Sam points to the rocket. "Hey, think we could use that rocket to shoot down the pillar?"

Epps sighs. "We're eight blocks away. We got to get closer to take a shot."

"Not closer. Higher. We need a clear line of sight."

Epps waves an arm toward the river. "And it's across the river. Gonna have a hell of a time trying to sneak up."

"We only got one shot."

Sam smirks. "One shot's all we need.


Brains and Wheelie are riding in Leadfoot. "Autobot victory! Autobot victory!"

Shockwave's driller shows up, with him behind it.

I'm riding in Bluestreak, ready for a fight, but not ready to go in strong without my commander: Colonel Lennox. I do, however, have my gun. I'm only eighteen, after all. This is my first battle.

"That is one scary-ass Decepticon!"

We pull into a destroyed church. "They got my trailer. I need that flight tech. Shockwave can't hunt all of us at once. Wreckers, we need a diversion. Bluestreak, keep our Star Healer with you. She is a medic now, but she still needs protection."

Roadbuster grins. "Let's get some!"

Leadfoot starts after them. "You got that right."

"Listen, we're gonna circle around to that glass building. And we'll get high enough to make the rocket shot while you guys draw his fire. Shey, you're with Lennox when he gets here. Do what you can with the bots till then."

"Yes, Sir!"

"Let's move!"

"Wait a minute! I'm not letting you go out there without my urban combat prototypes." He drops several weapons on the ground.

"We got to go, Que! Come on."

"Wait, wait. They're great inventions for kicking ass!"

Sam picks up two boom sticks and one grapple glove. "What are these?"

"Those are boom sticks. Armed in thirty seconds. Grapple gloves, for climbing."

"Go, go! Move your ass!"

"Move, move! Move, move! Go, go, go!"

"Move, move!"

"Let's go!"

"Com'on, Blue! Let's roll!"

"Aaah!"

"Ow ow ow!"

"Let's go! Run!"

Shockwave growls as he approaches the two minicons.

"Ey, ey, ey. Where you going?"

"No, no, no!"

"Where you going?"

"Stop, stop, stop! Don't leave!"

"You never leave a 'bot behind! Ahh, Shockwave's coming!"


Bluestreak stops behind the soldiers. "Stay with Epps. I need to get into position to shoot down that pillar."

"But—" I sigh heavily. "Bad things happen to bots when I leave their side!"

"Hurry."

"If this is about Praxus, I—"

"GO!" He peals away.

"Get it now… Blue! I LOVE YOU!" I shake my head. "Oh, Frag it. I'm not staying out here!" I take off at a dead run—as fast as Barry Allen—toward the Sears Tower. It's safe there.

"Go for the stairs!"

"Epps, this way!"

"Let's go, let's go."


I peek out from under the relative safety of the base of the Sears tower. "Planes. Yes. Soldiers. Lennox!"

"We're going to use Willis Tower for cover! Once we make altitude, we jump!"

Starscream attacks the planes. "NOOOOOO!"


third pov

"No…"

"Star?"

She rolls over, whimpering softly.

"Huh… Guess I'll try to recharge…"


"Heads up! Heads up!"

"Lennox, it's Starlight. What's going on up there?"

"Starscream's attacking. We'll get through this. Trust me, Star. You're like another daughter to me."

"Thank you, Sir."

"Here we go! Here we go! Keep it tight!Everybody out! Out! Out!"

"Jump, jump, jump!"

"I'm stuck! Heeelp! Aaah!"

"Get separation. Track away, track away!"

"Hard left! Hard left! Six hundred feet."

"Check your six! Check your six!"

"Lennox: He's on our ass!"

"Watch out, watch out!"

"Sharp right!"

"Building dead ahead!"

"Thread the needle!"

"Pull, pull!"


"Weapons status?"

"Twenty-nine Bot-busters, twenty piercing D-Bot."

"For our brothers, let's make this trip worth it. Star, where are you?"

"Willis Tower. My guardian dropped me off with Epps, but…"

"Stay where you are. We'll come to you. If the building crumps—"

"Run like Hell!"


"Decepticons around the world…launch the pillars."


I look over to see a beam reach up to the sky. "That can't be good…"


"Sam!"

"Carly!"

"Damn, he isn't listening." I duck in deeper. "Lennox is coming. Lennox is coming."

"Come on, come on! Run! Okay! He's after me, not you. Quick! Run!"

"You can't hide, boy!"

"Oh my God-"

Starscream lands and starts chasing them. "I just love it when your little insect feet try- to run!"

"Sam!"

"Run!"

"Aah!"

"I thought you were working for us, boy? Hahaha, hahahahaha!"

"No! Sam!"

Sam shoves a boom stick into Starscream's Eye. "Aaaaaaah! Aah ah ah! My eye!"

"Whoaaa whoaaaaa!"

"My eye!"

"Target the Decepticon!"

"LENNOX!"

"Sam!" She runs to the soldiers. "Please, you've got to save Sam! You've got to save him!"

"What the hell is he doing?"

"From what I can see, trying to kill Screamer!"

Sam launches a grappler at his other eye. "This better work-"

"D-Bots! D-Bots!"

"Nngh! Raaah! Hah! Hah!"

"Aaaaaah!"

"Ah ah ow ow ow ow ow ow! I can't see! I can't see!"

"Sam!"

"It's on my hand! Grab the knife! Knife!"

"I'm trying!"

"Knife, knife, knife, knife, knife!" Starscream growls at the two. "The bomb's gonna blow! The bomb's gonna-"

"You human scum!"

Sam points to the bomb in Starscream's eye. "We got twenty seconds on that bomb!"

"What bomb?"

"You see that bomb? Cut it, cut it, cut it!"

"I got it! How long do we have?"

"Whoaaaaa!"

"I'm gonna kick you!"

"Whoaaa whoaa whoaa! Cut, cut, cut cut cut!"

"I'm gonna kill y-" Starscream roars in pain as the bomb blows, blowing up his whole face a moment later.

Bumblebee runs over and catches Lennox and Sam, then transforms to where they land on his hood.

"Well, he's dead."

"Mm-hmm."

"Hey, Bee's going to run with the rest of the Autobots and meet us at the edge of the river."

"All right. I'm gonna find Star."


"We got to get across the river. You see that? She said the control pillar was in that first cupola."

"All right."

"Let's go! Move! Let's move!"

"How do we get these bridges down? Spread out. Check in there." They soon run into Epps "Epps! Epps, I've been looking for your ass. How you doing?"

"Retirement is whack. Even worse, we can't get across the river to that building, and the Autobots are upstairs, surrounded."

"Blue…"

Lennox motions to the control room. "Try getting into the bridge control room."

"Sir, SEALs are here."

"It's a good day, boys! What do you got?"

"Got a ten-man SEAL unit, sir, tasked with vectoring Tomahawks."

"How long?"

"Fifteen."


"You're my prisoners!"

"Take it easy. We surrender."

"Get off me. Get off me!"


"All right, you're gonna need your forty Mike-Mikes and frags. Go full auto. The vibrations jack up their circuits. Snipers, shoot for the eyes. All right, your target is up on top of that building, that cupola."


"How doomed you are, Autobots. You simply fail to understand, that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. Activating the bridge."


"The bridge is coming down! Someone's watching over us!"

"Come on! Let's go!"


"Get off me!"

"Let me go!"


"Prisoners? You're keeping prisoners?"

"Yes."

"You need to teach them about respect. This was all business, but now it's personal, do you understand me?"

"Ah ha ha ha ha. I understand. No prisoners, only trophies."

"Bee? I think they're going to kill us."

"I know."

Barricade walks over and grabs Que. "You! Your time is up."

Que gets dragged over to where they're going to kill them. "Wait, wait, wait! We surrendered! We're your prisoners."

"Move it!"

Soundwave, then Barricade, shoots him. "Can't we talk this out? We're all a bunch of good chaps! I mean you no- unngh! Why did you- aah-" He falls to the ground, completely decapitated. Barricade has the gall to laugh.

"Good-bye, my old friend."

"You're next!"

"BLUESTREAK!" A single shot, and he's as down as Que is, minus the decapitation. "NOOOOOOOOOO!" I fall to my knees, then crumple to the floor.


third pov

"Bluestreak!"

The mech in question, who had just gotten to recharge, jolts awake. "Starlight!" He runs into the room, barely fitting through the door.

"Blue?" He turns to Graham. "It's just a nightmare. I told you. She's had them before, I'm sure."

"Were you with her?"

"Heatwave would have been—him or Blades. She…slept in the bunker."

"So you wouldn't know."


"You're mine now."

"Get off me!"

"Come along!"

I run out the door. I've already lost Blue, and Que with his sparkling. I'll be damned if I lose Bumblebee too!

"I got to help him."

"What? What are you doing?"

"I got to help him."

"Sam, you can't help him. Sam!"

Sam tries to activate a boom stick, only for it to fail. "Haa! Haaah!"

"Turn around."

"We-we gave them a hell of a run."


normal pov

"BUMBLEBEE!" I sit up, panting. "Just a dream, Shey. It's just a dream. Just a dream."

"Star?"

"B-Blue?" He nods, causing me to rush to him. "B-Blue." I fall against his foot in tears. "Blue. Oh, thank Primus."

He cups a hand around me before taking me into the living space and sits on his berth. "What was it?"

"Do you really wanna know?"

"Chicago?" I nod. "Guess we shouldn't have drifted."

I shake my head. "Silva needed us to. I'd do it a thousand times over for her."

"Did you really react like that, when—"

I nod. "I saw it all, Blue. I—I loved you, even then, but I wasn't going to tell you till after, because I didn't want to hurt you if I didn't make it out."

"Instead, I got killed."

"Y-yeah."

We both turn at a knock on the door. "Starlight?"

"Prowl?"

"Yes."

"Come in."

He steps in and closes the door before sitting beside Bluestreak on his berth. "Is everything okay?"

"I-I'm sorry, if I woke anyone, over there."

"Star just had a nightmare."

"About Chicago. First I've had in years." I lean into Bluestreak's plating. "Never should have drifted with a Praxus survivor… Still, I'd do it again if it meant saving Silva."

"Want me to get Ratchet?"

I shake my head. "I'll be okay."

"If you could grab her phone off the table, though?" He smiles when his brother hands him the small white device. "Thanks. She told me she'd changed after Chicago, and that her music was like my talking, so…"

"I understand, Bluestreak. If you are both intact, I will return to Jazz."

"We're fine." Bluestreak looks down to me. "Anything specific you want me to play?"

"Hallelujah, please." I take the phone when he hands it to me, and pop the ear buds in before starting to sing. The emotion in my voice makes it higher, but just as clear and beautiful.

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

Maybe there's a God above
But all I've ever learned from love
Was how to shoot at someone who outdrew you
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, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah

"You okay?"

"It was the wake of devastation—"

He runs a finger over my head. "I was there, Star. I remember."

"You didn't stand there and watch, when they sealed her off. You didn't hide, when your best friend was being captured, and killed!"

He sighs. "Star…"

I groan and hit my head on his plating. "Praxus. Sorry."

"Don't be. I understand." He runs a finger over my back gently, remembering how sensitive it gets. "And no, I wasn't there the night before, but Praxus was similar enough, that I know what you've been through."

"I-I—God, Blue!" I start crying again.

"I know. It's all right. I'm not leaving you again."

"Blue… You don't know."

He looks down at me. "What do you mean, I don't know?"

"Have you ever lost the mech you loved, then watched your guardian die, and your commander take off into space within a week of each other? Have you ever spent nights crying over everything in a Cold War bunker, which in itself is a reminder that you'd never exist if we'd lost that war, all while being reminded through two personalities and one name of mechs you'd lost?"

"What?" He shakes his head. "Can't say that I have… why? And who, while I'm asking."

"I lost you, ya moron, then Ratch died, and Optimus took off into space!" I sigh. "The Cold War is what they call the time after World War 2, and the Holocaust, where Jews, Gipsies, Blacks, gays, and the mentally disabled were all killed. Chase reminds me of Prowl, even now, and Heatwave reminds me of Ratchet. Blades was the Protectobot I thought we'd lost."

"Oh…"

"I don't need pity, Blue. I lived four years of hell after losing Ratch, and nine after Chicago. I'm still traumatized." I turn and grab his arm. "And if you think you're sending me back to bed after this, your processor's fragged."

"I have PTSD, Star."

I roll my eyes. I've known that for years. "Welcome to the club, Blue."

"Sorry…"

"Don't be. All I meant was that I do too, now, and it's not fun."

This time he rolls his eyes. "You think?" He sighs before setting me down beside him, then taking my headphones, leaving my music to play.

"What—"

"We don't need both of us too tired to function tomorrow. You need to recharge. I'll make sure no one comes after you."

"You need to recharge too, Blue. I'm not letting you exhaust yourself."

"Ratchet needs you, and you need rest."

"Well, I need you, so—"

"I get it. Recharge, before the angry sparked femme comes after me." He smiles down at me, so I know he's teasing.

"You got it." I curl up beside his faceplates. "Just don't let Lennox in on this?"

"Why?"

"He didn't want me going to any of the mechs if I had a bad dream before. Then, of course, I had my DC movies and shows to keep any bad nightmares away, so it was usually moot, but—"

"How many times did you—"

"Maybe a total of ten times before Chicago, and…" I wipe a tear off my face. "Every slaggin' night, after. It got so bad Ratchet kept me in the medical bay, and recharged on one of the medical berths, just in case I needed him."

"For five years?"

"For three months. Then the Nevada base was requisitioned, and I went with Optimus, since he'd been labeled my guardian when it came to the Government. Five years after that, Ratchet was killed, and…" A soft sob slips out.

"And?"

I wipe my face off. "And Optimus went into space, so I spent a week in a tiny apartment, stockpiling plastic bins to store the Cybertronium in, and made sure Lennox still had Ratchet's frame. Then I almost got eaten…"

"I thought you said—"

"That was an exaggeration. I said it exactly as it happened when I told you about it earlier." I laugh softly. "So, met Crim and his pilots, and got a place to store everything, so I commed Lennox, and got Ratchet's frame out here. Then I moved into the Bunker in Griffin Rock, and spent the next four years going back and forth between here and there, and finally, I was able to save him." I look down. "I didn't even know if I'd be able to look at your frame, let alone save you, but…"

"I'm here now. I'm here."

"I know." I hug him as well as I can. "Primus, I wasn't even sure I could save Blades, but now you're here, and he's safe, and—" I can't go on because of how hard I'm crying.

"Easy. It's all right. It's okay."

I curl into his plating, and, for the first time since I first moved to Griffin Rock, cry myself to sleep.


the next morning

I step into the medical bay, and lean against the door after shifting to my Cybertronian form. "Morning, Ratch." I yawn. "Sorry I'm late."

"What are you doing here?"

I roll my eyes. "I'm here in case you need help—just like I am every day."

He shakes his head. "Prowl said you had a hard night."

"Understatement." That's an understatement too, I know. I cried myself to sleep on Bluestreak, for Pete's sake!

"Go. Stay with Bluestreak. Try to catch up on what recharge you lost. Bumblebee was more than able to get Silverwing to school."

"You—"

"I sent your daughter to school with Bumblebee. Graham and Blades agreed with my decision, and you needed the recharge."

"Well…"

"Go. Recharge. I'll get you if I need your help, but I've got Aid too. You need to take a day off now and then."

"I would if a day off was of any interest to me. Working keeps the memories at bay, remember?"

He turns to me and rests a hand on my shoulder. "Maybe so, Sweetspark, but you are sparked now, and you need to slow down a little. I will be forced to put you on light duty if you refuse to listen to me, especially when you are going out in that jaeger."

"She has a name!"

"Either way, go spend time with Bluestreak. Aid can help me if I need anything."

"Fine."


"Back already?"

"Your slaggin' brother told him what happened, and he gave me the day off."

"I assume, since you're swearing about Prowl, that you're not happy."

"Understatement. Again."

"Anything I can do?"

I yawn. "Yeah. Help me get back to sleep?"

"Um…"

"I just want to hear your spark. I did the same with Ratchet after I brought him back, and the Rescue Bots when they tried to give their lives for their island. I—I just need to know you're alive."

"Okay."

I climb into his hand, and curl up on his chest plates before drifting off.

"Bluestreak?"

"Shhh." He sighs. "What did you need, Prowl? She just got to sleep."

"I need to know if you will be able to do your patrol, or if I should reassign it."

"After last night? Give it to Sideswipe." Prowl raises an eyebrow ridge. Bluestreak? Snappy? "I'm sorry, Prowl. Star had a really hard night, and I couldn't recharge because of the memories, and—"

Prowl holds up a hand. "I understand, Bluestreak. Try to get some recharge yourself. You cannot protect Starlight if you are too tired."