Ratchet sped along the corridors, looking desperately for the one who could be part of a miracle. He'd commed Prowl, but the second in command wasn't sure where the mech was. Ten minutes passed and Ratchet was no closer to finding the mech he needed.
"Oh frag it, where are you?" Ratchet swore as he paused to vent heavily before continuing. He tried Wheeljack's lab, Prime's office, Prime's quarters, Alexis' quarters, the rec room, Ironhide's quarters, the firing range, heck, even the brig! But it seemed as if the mech had disappeared completely.
Then he recieved a comm from Bumblebee,
:: Ratchet... things 'ere have gone from bad to the most crappily worst!::
:: What? What is it Bumblebee?:: Ratchet replied, fearing the worst had happened in his absence.
:: Alexis... she's alive but... unconscious::
:: WHAT?::
:: I dunno why but... she is... Ratchet::
::Slag it all to the fraggin' pit!:: Ratchet pretty much screamed into the comm link. As Ratchet's worry and concern for Alexis grew, so did his anger. Of all the times that the mech had chosen to hang around Ratchet or the Medbay, the one time he needed him, he was nowhere to be found!
::Ratchet... where are you, man?:: Bumblebee questioned uncertainly.
::Trying to find the slagging bot I need, that's suddenly developed the ability to fraggin' disappear into thin air! He's not Mirage!:: Ratchet shouted. Several soldiers nearby nearly jumped out of their skins and combats when they heard the medic shout. He glowered at them, making them hurry on their way. No one felt like messing with a ticked off Ratchet. Not if they valued their lives.
Rule No.1 NEVER, if you value your life for what it may possibly be worth, mess with a pissed off medic... especially a bright green one.
Ratchet was running out of ideas. Where could one mech be?
Then it hit him... literally.
One second Ratchet was standing up, talking with Bumblebee over the comm, the next, he was flat on his back, in pain, staring up at the bot he was looking for.
"Sor-" the mech never even finished his sentence.
"WHERE IN THE PIT HAVE YOU BEEN? I HAVE BEEN ALL OVER THE FRAGGING BASE LOOKING FOR YOU, NOW GET OFF OF ME! AND HAUL YOUR PIT-FORSAKEN AFT OVER TO THE FRAGGING MEDBAY NOW PRIME!" Optimus rolled to the side to avoid jabbing Ratchet in a way that would cause him more pain than just being slammed to the ground by a much larger, heavier body. The Autobot leader then got up, choosing to follow Ratchet's shouted orders rather than sticking around to get a wrench to the helm.
"And you soldiers saw NOTHING!" Ratchet yelled to the rather amused, bemused and weirded-out soldiers that were still staring at the medic. Ratchet remained flat on the ground to allow the pain to fade. It was then that Ironhide came into view, chuckling at the situation.
"Ironhide, if you say ANYTHING AT ALL, I will weld your aft to the ceiling and leave you to figure out how to get down without cracking your helm open!"
"Wouldn't dream of sayin' a thing, Hatchet," Ironhide responded. He offered a hand to Ratchet. Ratchet grabbed the offered hand and was pulled up. The medic winced when pain shot down his back, but he dismissed it, knowing that it was only a fresh set of dents to bang out. Great. Ratchet and Ironhide quickly caught up with Optimus before they reached the Medbay. Ratchet practically shoved Ironhide out of the way to get inside first.
Bumblebee looked up when the door opened, his optics filled with panic and relief. Ratchet rushed over to the berth, taking in the still slowing spark pulses, and still form of the sole Xyleon on Earth. He motioned for the other two Autobots to approach.
"What happened?" Ironhide asked. He reached out and touched Alexis' hand. He was worried when he didn't receive a response from the girl. Bumblebee could only shrug.
"She's getting worse," Ratchet softly stated. Optimus then made a sort of strangled noise from the back of his throat. The three mechs around him turned and stared at the Prime. Bumblebee nearly glitched. There were tears battling their way down the Prime's face.
Their usually stoic leader was crying.
"Prime?" Bumblebee said in an almost afraid voice as he looked at Optimus, his optics wide and unblinking. The young scout's question went unanswered.
"Bumblebee, Ironhide, out," Ratchet ordered, "Epps, you too." Bumblebee and Epps both pulled confused expressions, but did as Ratchet asked. Ironhide was slow to move, but he soon joined the others outside. As soon as the door shut, Ratchet turned to Optimus.
"Prime, it isn't your fault if that's what you're thinking." The medic tried to reassure him. He failed
"Yes, Ratchet, it is." Prime said, a definite waver in his baritone voice. "It has been my fault since I walked out of the Medbay, I rejected both of them when they needed someone there for them. I rejected Alexis the most; I didn't help her look after Chloe, I still hated Chloe for what she had done yesterday. I refused to help Alexis look after Chloe because..." Optimus trailed off, he couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence. Ratchet turned his attention back to Alexis, seeing if he could rouse her.
"Well Prime, you can mope about a stupid mistake, or you can save her life. Her spark is fading, and I can't save her without confining her to a medical berth for the rest of her life. Only you can." Optimus stared at Ratchet for a couple of seconds.
"What do you need me to do?"
"Bond with her. It will strengthen her spark if she can rely on yours," Ratchet replied.
"What? Ratchet, please tell me you aren't serious?"
"Why is it such a problem? You love her," Will broke in from his position on the berth beside Chloe. Ratchet spun around and glared at the soldier. Will raised his hands in a surrender, closing his mouth to signal that he was going to remain quiet. Rule No.2: If there is a 'moment' going on, it would be wise to keep your right to remain silent before someone makes it permanent. Ratchet went back to trying to get Alexis to wake up. He needed her somewhat aware of what was going on around her to get access to her spark. Unfortunately, the only way to get to her spark was for her to open it herself.
And, right now, she just wasn't going to wake up.
Chloe moved slightly from her sleep, making Lennox jump. "Uh, Ratchet?" Lennox called, hoping that he wouldn't wake the girl.
"Yes? What?" Ratchet asked, still bent over Alexis, trying to wake her up.
"I think Chloe's waking up..." Ratchet pulled a face and went to the soldier.
"Frag it..." Ratchet started as he saw Chloe turn over and her optics flickered slightly. Then he stopped. "Lennox, wake her up." The soldier looked at the medic as if he was absolutely mad.
"What?" Lennox nearly shouted, "We just got her to sleep!"
"Just do it!" Ratchet said, hefting a wrench into his hand. Will, upon seeing the wrench, quickly agreed and shook the human techno-organic gently.
"Chloe, wake up!" Lennox said into her ear. Chloe nearly swatted Lennox away from her. Lennox tried again, this time successfully waking the girl.
"What?" Chloe said groggily, obviously not pleased at being disturbed from her peace.
"We need your help to wake Alexis," Ratchet quickly explained what had happened while she was asleep. Chloe could only sit up and look from Ratchet, to Optimus, to Alexis before looking back at Ratchet again.
"Alexis needs a spark bond, so she can rely on another's, to help ease the stress on her spark. But only she can open it and right now she won't wake up." Ratchet grimly explained, stealing a quick look at Optimus, praying that Prime had cleared up his tears before the human could see them. Chloe walked up to Alexis' face, a look of nervousness on her own. She looked back to Ratchet, Lennox and Optimus, asking them silently for help. Ratchet just gently pushed her forwards a bit, urging her to speak. Chloe took a deep breath... until she realised that she didn't know what to say.
"What do I say?" she hissed to the others. They just shrugged. Chloe rolled her optics and turned back to the Xyleon. Memories of previous events of fun and laughter with the Xyleon were conjured up in her mind. Laughter from those memories filled her ears and she began to recite a small poem that she had once told Alexis a while ago.
"Tell me why you're crying,
Tell me why you're sad,
Tell me why you're silent,
Tell me what's so bad.
I've got no one to talk to,
I'm always on my own,
I've got no one to call a friend,
I'm scared and all alone.
Talk to me, I'll listen,
I'm sometimes lonely too,
Together we can beat it,
Together - me and you."
The two Autobots and the lone soldier looked from Chloe to Alexis for quite some time before anything happened, and what did happen was so minute that if anyone had blinked, they would have missed it. Alexis' finger twitched slightly. They watched as her optics came on, fading in and out of a dim blue a few times before she gave an extremely tired smile.
"Chloe..." she whispered.
"Alexis, as much as I'm sure you'd love to either go back to sleep or talk with Chloe, I need you to listen to me," Ratchet interupted. Alexis focused on him, shutting her optics off to save power, but giving a nod to let him know she was listening. "Your spark is going out. Like I've explained already to the others, you must bond with Optimus or risk spending your life in a single form, trapped here in Medbay." Tears began to roll down her cheeks as she gasped in pain, her optics coming back online to look at the medic.
"Why?" she mumbled. She didn't even have the strength to sit up. But she followed his orders, and he was relieved to hear the sound of her systems activating.
A line appeared down her chest, that ended under her ribs. Similar lines appeared on her sides. Her chest pulled apart, moving up and out to reveal a barely pulsing orb that shone in soft blues and green. The metallic structure that surrounded it was strange to the humans. It contained the spark chamber Cybertronians had, as well as a metal skeleton. Organic material combined with metal circuits made up her body, and it was clear to see even in such a small part of her.
Ratchet lifted Chloe off and placed her back on her berth before moving back himself to allow Optimus room to move up to Alexis' side. Ratchet busied himself in monitering her condition via the many screens already attached. Chloe and Lennox, however, watched Optimus and Alexis. The Autobot leader had his back to them when he stepped up to the berth. He gently lifted Alexis so that she was sitting up compared to laying down.
"Are you sure this is safe?" Optimus asked, still looking for a way to get out of it. Ratchet smacked a wrench into the back of the blue helm.
"Would I have searched the base for you for twenty minutes if it wasn't?" came the reply.
Optimus sighed as he allowed his own chest plates to part. He gently brought her closer until their sparks were mere centimeters apart. His own blue white spark reached out, merging with hers. For a few seconds it was hard to tell one from the other. Alexis' optics brightened and a gasp left her as she managed to grab onto his arm. It was over as soon as the bond took hold, and their sparks retreated back into their chambers, leaving Alexis offline, and Optimus trembling. Ratchet reached out, grabbing onto Optimus' shoulder to keep the Prime upright. He then eased Alexis back to the berth.
"She's... so weak," Optimus mumbled, sounding as if he was breathless. Ratchet gave him a rare sympathetic smile.
"I know she is. That's why her spark needed yours," Ratchet responded. He had Optimus sit down to readjust to the sudden strain on his systems.
"Ow..." Optimus mumbled as he felt a sudden, fresh wave of Alexis' pain wash and encase his spark. It was a strange feeling, strong, yet faint. The pain was sharp, but dulled by the fact that it truly wasn't his.
"Optimus? Are you ok?" Ratchet said, waving his hand infront of the Prime's somewhat dazed and glazed optics.
"Fine," Optimus managed. His voice was painfully strained.
"Why is everyone lying to me today?" Ratchet grouched as he force the Prime backwards onto he berth to perform scans.
"I'm not lying!" Optimus growled. "She's in pain, that's all, Ratchet. It took me by surprise."
"Uh huh... I can see it all in your optics Prime, don't bother continuing the lie..." Ratchet said, almost on automatic. He was startled though, when Optimus smacked his hand away.
"I'm. Fine. Ratchet," Optimus all but growled at his medic.
"Like slag you are. If her pain's got the high and mighty Optimus Prime wincing, then something's wrong," Ratchet snapped. "Sparklings take scans without batting an optic. Now stay still before I weld your aft to the berth!"
It was at that point that both humans had to slap hands to their mouths to avoid bursting out in laughter at Prime being talked, or shouted, down to. Optimus went still, wanting to avoid the embarrassement that Ratchet was threatening him with. But it was too late for the Prime, he was already past his mask in embarrassment. Lennox and Chloe were going red from trying so hard not to laugh that it was kind of noticeable.
"What's so funny?" Optimus demanded, only to be shushed rather harshly by Ratchet. Lennox and Chloe went even redder as they realised that Ratchet had cottoned on and was doing everything he could to embarrass the Prime further. Unable to take it any longer, Chloe broke down in a fit of helpless giggles, only laughing harder when Optimus shot her a glare.
"Pffftttt!" Lennox too collapsed into laughter at the Prime, even more so at the Prime's confused look. Even Ratchet was smirking and chuckling a bit at the Prime's expense.
"What?" Optimus, now fed up of not knowing what was going on, sat up, ripping a few wires that were attatched to his body off. "What are you all finding so funny?" Prime's left optic began to twitch as they all continued laughing.
"Lol at you Prime!" Chloe just managed to get out before she, Lennox and Ratchet broke down into fresh fits of laughter.
"Ratchet, aren't you supposed to be - oh I don't know - a MEDIC?" Optimus snarled at his friend.
"Alright, I think we've had enough fun embarrassing Prime. Besides, you two both need to breathe. I'm not dealing with any more patients," Ratchet finally said.
"Awwwww..." Chloe and Lennox whined simultaneously.
"Ratchet!" Optimus said, finally understanding what was so funny.
"What? It was fun." Ratchet shrugged, waving off the Prime. "You're not dying, but I want you to come by in the morning for the next few days. I need to keep an optic on your spark. Alexis should be released as soon as she's strong enough. Which should be soon."
Optimus said nothing; he didn't have any answer for the medic for once, and he closed his optics for a couple of minutes, thinking about how strange it was to finally be bonded to the Xyleon his sire had picked out for him so many millennia ago. Even with all the stalling he had done throughout the years, they still hadn't bonded happily in love. They had bonded because if they hadn't, Alexis would've died. Nothing seemed to be right. And worse, he could feel the swirl of emotions she wasn't able to express. Finally Optimus nodded before getting up. "Thank you Ratchet. I have work I need to get done," he said.
From her own berth, Chloe realised a couple of minutes too late that Alexis and Optimus had broken it up... perhaps forever. Before Optimus could leave the Medbay, Chloe jumped from her berth and sprinted towards the leaving Prime, shouting at him to stop.
"Prime! Wait! Stop!"
Optimus stopped reluctantly and turned to the human, almost glaring at her until he saw the tears streaking down her face. "What?" Optimus didn't bother kneeling down to the girl, he barely showed sympathy towards the upset child catching her breath below him.
"Prime... please... don't break... it up with... Alexis..." Chloe panted, her hands on her knees. The Prime sighed and was thankful Alexis was half asleep.
"Chloe, you wouldn't understand," Optimus said flatly.
"Let me... try..."
Optimus vented and shook his helm. "I don't have the time. She's your friend, ask her when she's awake," he responded. He left the Medbay without another word, leaving a very confused, upset Chloe behind.
"But..." the doors slid closed, silencing the distraught girl. Ratchet and Lennox approached Chloe, Lennox placing a hand on her shoulder and Ratchet kneeling down behind her.
"Lennox, find Ironhide if he's left." Ratchet instructed. Lennox nodded, seeing what the Autobot had planned. "Ol' Ironhide might be able to knock some sense into him." Ratchet said, "Are you ok, though, Chloe?" She sniffed and nodded, wiping her eyes on her sleeve.
"I'm f-fine, Ratchet." Chloe said shakily, her legs wobbling slightly from the sudden burst of speed used to catch up with Optimus.
"No you aren't," Ratchet replied, transforming and activating his holoform. "And it isn't your fault that Prime ended it either."
"But... they bonded?" Chloe said with a look of complete puzzlement on her face.
"They did, but Optimus only did it to save Alexis' life." Ratchet explained gently, stepping up beside Chloe. The human techno-organic gave a sob and resumed crying. Ratchet felt so much sympathy for her that he couldn't stop himself from wrapping her into a hug, allowing Chloe to cry into the medic's holoform. Chloe clutched the holoform's shirt tightly, a sinking feeling settling in her that it was her fault. Ratchet held the human tighter, stroking her long, jet black hair. Chloe hicupped before pulling away from the elder. Before she moved completely away, Ratchet gripped her shoulders and spoke to her quietly.
"Chloe, whatever you may think from now on, it wasn't your fault. It was Optimus' jealousy; he must've thought Alexis was caring about you more than him. But, no matter what, none of it was your fault. Ok?" Chloe hicupped and nodded. "And I will always be here to comfort you if Jazz or Alexis isn't, alright?" Chloe looked into his optics and nodded, a small sad smile sliding onto her lips.
Meanwhile, Optimus was lost in his thoughts as he walked away from the Medbay. Away from where Chloe was struggling to understand what he had done. He wasn't sure exactly where he was headed, but he continued, his processor going over every detail of the past few weeks. It wasn't suprising that he found himself standing outside of one of the hangers that stood away from the rest. He put one of his hands on the metal of the door with a sigh. Was he trying to torture himself? He pushed the thought away and sat down with his back against the hanger.
He used to be a simple-living mech; get up in the morning, go for a quick debriefing with the Autobots and human soldiers, fight Decepticons if neccessary and them either relax or go recharge. He preferred it when life on Earth was sweet, when luck was usually on his side and when no-one hated each other or tried to kill each other. He only wanted peace, not just with himself but everyone around him and those who fought and quarrelled constantly. Was that desire too much to ask?
And yet, here he was, turning the entire base against him. Chloe was afraid of what he would do because of this Black Charade, Jazz hated him, he betrayed Alexis by abandoning her, and Ratchet was angry at him because he was pushing Chloe away from him.
"Nothing could possibly get any worse."
"Optimus," came a gruff voice from further away.
"I stand corrected."
Ironhide walked up, stopping a few steps away from his leader.
"Prime, we need to talk."
"If you are talking, I am listening."
"Don't be a smart-aft, Prime." Ironhide all but snarled.
"What do you wish to speak about?"
"Why in all that is Cybertronian did you break it up with Alexis?" The black warrior nearly growled, "Prime, it's affecting all of us-"
"I KNOW Ironhide." Optimus interrupted.
"- but it is affecting Chloe the most." now that was startling to the Prime.
"What?"
"You heard me. Its affecting Chloe the most because she looks up to us as if we were role models for her, you and Jazz especially. It is tearing her apart because she believes that it is her fault that you and Alexis broke up." the old weapons specialist stopped and vented before continuing.
"She respects you, Prime. More than you could imagine. And it's hurting her to see her best friend and her role model both in pain and suffering. Chloe truly and honestly believes that it is her fault, even though Ratchet and Alexis, amongst others, are trying to get her to understand that it isn't. But it isn't helping her understand when you keep on rejecting her and pushing her away. Optimus, you've been doing this ever since she hurt Alexis' ankle." Ironhide stopped, allowing his words to hopefully sink in to the stubborn Prime's processor.
Optimus looked at the ground, rather than facing his friend. The old warrior sighed and knelt down beside Optimus.
"Ironhide, I just can't do it any more. I can't watch Alexis try to help Chloe when it always ends in her getting hurt! You can't act as if that won't bother me. I care about both of them. It's why I allow them to get away with so much. Alexis doesn't need me. She needs Chloe's friendship more than she needs me."
Ironhide clanged Optimus around the helm. Hard.
"Are you even listening to me Prime? I know you care about them but you're wrong. They DO need you, and Alexis needs you the most." Ironhide replied, speaking to his friend as if the Autobot leader was but a Sparkling. This too caught the Prime off-guard.
"You didn't bond to Alexis just to save her life, that much is obvious." Ironhide continued, "You did it for some other reason. But what you must understand, you stubborn aft, is that the fact that because you and Alexis have broken up it is having the worst imaginable effects on, not just the girls, but the other Autobots and the NEST soldiers as well. They are all now being forced to take sides on this; yours or Alexis'."
The flame-patterned mech's optics went wide as he realised the damage his decision was doing: it was tearing apart the very thing that fought for other's freedom and the right to live.
"Ironhide, my friend," Optimus finally replied, breaking the uncomfortable silence and tension between them,"I see your point but I cannot continue to be with Alexis if she will care for Chloe rather than be with me. I am not trying to keep her as a possession, I just want her to balance between her friends and myself." Ironhide fell silent at Optimus' reply, the gears in his processor spinning furiously to try and think of a way to knock some sense into his leader.
:: Ironhide, any luck?:: came Ratchet's voice through a comm link.
:: None:: Ironhide replied gravely
:: Slagger's too stubborn for his own good::
:: What happens if they don't get back together?:: Ironhide asked in concern.
:: Well, all Pit breaks loose... that is to put it plainly:: Ratchet replied.
:: ... ::
:: Don't bother coming back here, continuing talking to him or dragging him here:: Ratchet said gruffly, evidently fed up with the Prime's stubborness.
:: Sure thing Ratchet:: Ironhide replied, silently comming the Prime.
:: I am on your side for this, Optimus::
Optimus just let his helm hit the metal of the hanger with a sigh. What had they gotten themselves into now?