"Mom, what's wrong?" Jack asked leaving his brother's side to stand by his mother
"Kidney failure… he's in complete kidney failure" June said still not believing that it was real
"We need to talk dialysis now because we need to get this plan in motion immediately and get him to the specialist to see if there is any hope of salvaging his kidneys or if he is going to need a donor" Alexx said
Jack got a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach that they would need a donor and he was well aware of two facts that complicated this matter. One he was unable to donate due to the fact that he was nowhere near a blood type match to Rafael and two Rafael possessed one of those blood types that was extremely uncommon and meant it would take longer to find a matching donor.
"I'm going to go call Yessenia and let her know what's going on" Jack said and started for the exit
"No, Jack you stay with Rafael, I'll call Yessenia and let her know what's happening"
Kathy sighed as the phone rang. She answered to hear June on the other end, she needed to speak with Yessenia. Kathy handed the phone to her friend then returned to packing up to return home to New York. She looked up just in time to see Yessenia nearly drop the phone.
"When did you find out he was in kidney failure… yes… Oh God, June I… I don't know what to tell you I wish I could help, I wish I could donate but I can't I'm not a blood type match to Rafael."
Kathy sighed quietly, she knew there were other reasons Yessenia couldn't be her brother's kidney donor beyond just a blood type mismatch but she also knew that Yessenia really didn't like to talk about the other reason because it dredged up memories of the loss of her parents.
Jack sighed that night as he looked in on Rafael. He had found himself unable to sleep after finding out that Rafael might need a donor kidney to survive. He had started dialysis that day and would continue with home or peritoneal dialysis and he and June were mastering the process quickly.
A couple of days later they learned for a fact that Rafael needed a new kidney because his were beyond any hope of salvage. June told Yessenia about this in front of Jack and she reiterated the fact that she was unable to help much to her displeasure which infuriated Jack. He followed her as she left to go to her job
"Why won't you help him, Yessenia, you're his best hope of a donor" Jack demanded
"Because I can't Jackson"
"Why can't you?"
"One I'm not a blood type match and two I don't have a kidney to spare. I lost my right kidney in the accident that cost us our parents!" Yessenia roared "It was damaged and had to be removed along with my appendix"
"I'm sorry, Yessenia, I didn't know"
"Next time, don't accuse me of not caring, or wanting to help save my brother, I'd gladly lay down my life for him!" Yessenia snapped tears streaming down her face.
Jack hugged her near apologizing again for questioning her love for her brother.
"I'm afraid, Jack" she managed through her tears
"I know you are, Yessenia… I am too" Jack confessed as Yessenia cried on his shoulder
Arcee groaned in frustration the news of the situation with Rafael was filtering to her from various sources. She was worried about Jack because she could tell he wasn't taking it well. She so wished she could be there to help Jack and find out all of this first hand because she knew that she wasn't getting the whole story, it wasn't possible. More importantly she wished she could get off base.
Ratchet sighed as he watched the still human Arcee flip through channels on the television that had been provided for the human children. He hated restricting her to base but he knew in the end that was keeping her safe. He watched as she tossed the remote on the couch, frustrated that she could find nothing to watch
"Why don't you try out the children's video games?" Ratchet suggested "It seems to entertain them pretty well"
She considered it for a moment then decided to try it out.
Optimus sighed as he and Bumblebee drove down a deserted stretch of highway in the middle of nowhere
Bumblebee let out a concerned string of chirps and clicks
"I am okay, Bumblebee, Just… I just feel bad about what is happening to Arcee" he sighed "I have preached for eons that freedom is the right of all sentient beings but for the last four days I have had to deprive Arcee of the simple freedom of leaving the walls of our base. It honestly feels as if I am being a hypocrite, not following my own words"
Bumblebee buzzed and let out another string of chirps and clicks leave his damaged vocal processor, but the comforting tone in that was not lost on the Autobot leader or the meaning of those sounds.
"I know, Bumblebee, but… it still hurts my spark to deny her the ability to come and go as she likes"
Bumblebee understood what Arcee felt and if he didn't know for a fact that he would get caught and get them both severely reprimanded he would have taken her out of base for a drive. He also understood what Optimus was feeling as he felt a bit like that as well, like they were imprisoning their friend, but it was to keep her safe and functioning. That thought didn't keep the guilt completely at bay.
To Optimus it seemed odd that Bumblebee was giving him words of comfort and encouragement when it wasn't too long that the roles had been reversed and Optimus was the one giving comfort to a distressed Bumblebee.
Yessenia sighed inwardly, it had taken a lot to tell Jack the truth. She didn't often tell people about the injury she had sustained all those years ago due to the fact that it dredged up so many bad memories for her and reopened the wounds left by the loss of her parents and having her brother ripped from her.
"Yessenia, are you okay?" Li-Na asked
"Yeah, I'll be okay" Yessenia sighed
"You know that you can talk to me about anything, right?"
"Yeah, thanks Li"
"You're welcome"
"Later that day the girls found themselves invited to go to the Autobot outpost on the request of Prime himself.
"Kathy, you met Optimus Prime before, what is he like?" Charlie asked as the girls rode to the base following close behind June to make sure they made it to the right place.
"He's a lot like my father" Kathy replied "Willing to stand up for what he believes is right and favors a peaceful approach whenever possible, but he knows that it isn't always possible." Kathy smiled and settled into her seat "you'll see when we get there"
Kathy knew of June's concerns about Rafael
"Don't worry, June, we'll find a donor for your son" she assured the woman telepathically
"I hope you're right" was the reply she got
They arrived on base and Charlie, Li-Na and Taylor were blown away by what they saw. Kathy was more struck by what she felt, not from her teammates but from the Autobots. Each seemed worried about something some more so than others. She then got to Optimus and the worry and guilt that plagued his spark hit her like a ton of bricks. Then she realized that there was someone missing, Arcee.
"Optimus, where is Arcee?" she asked
"I'm right here, just human"
Kathy whipped around to see the woman that had spoken to her and was shocked by what she saw.
I know, shocking, right?"
Kathy could feel Arcee's frustration, annoyance and her general wishing to leave the base. Kathy smiled inwardly as a plan formed in her mind; she sent that plan telepathically to her teammates who unanimously agreed it was the right thing to do.
"Optimus, may I speak with you in private?" she asked turning back to Prime
"Of course" Optimus said wondering what Kathy could possibly have to say that she couldn't say in front of her team or the Autobots so they went into a private area of the base to speak
"What is it you wished to tell me, Kathy"
"Optimus, part of my telepathy gives me the ability to feel the emotions of others around me as if they were my own. Today I learned that ability stretched beyond humans to Cybertronians as well and I know that you feel guilty that you have to restrict Arcee to base. You feel like doing this makes you a hypocrite because you have so long preached freedom for all, yet you have to restrict Arcee to base when you know in your spark that isn't what she wants."
"You seem to be able to read me almost too well" he sighed
"That may be true, but I come to propose a solution that will grant her the freedom that you and she desire that she have while still keeping her safe" Kathy smiled slightly
"What might that solution you speak of entail?"
"I am returning to New York in a couple of days leaving my team with an empty room, I asked them about it and they agreed that it seems like a good alternative to let her come and live with them. They can insure she is safe there while still allowing her the freedom to roam the city with them alleviating the cramped feeling she has currently."
"That is kind of you to offer, but that would put your friends at great peril and I cannot condone the sacrifice of a single human life"
"We can defend ourselves Optimus, we aren't normal humans, we are mutants with great powers and the knowledge to use them for purposes like this. It isn't like we aren't already in peril, we know of your secrets and we're X-Men, the brotherhood and Acolytes are real threats, although they do seem to focus more on the school. We believe that we can make a difference and help Arcee, while you don't wish to put us at risk you aren't putting us at any more risk than we have faced prior" Kathy sighed and explained the girls' abilities to Optimus who seemed to mull over what she was saying.
The duo froze at the sound of a rather large commotion in the main base.
To Be Continued
