Miko pulled the blankets up to her chin, fighting off another round of chills. This was not one of her good nights. The woman sighed, closing her bright eyes and thinking about her son. She hoped Haru wouldn't go off the deep end knowing about the Autobots, but knowing him Miko knew her son would be fine.
Besides, if she could rock and roll knowing there were actual ALIENS in space, then what was there to worry about?
Miko opened her eyes, turning to look out the wide open window in her room. The blinds fractured the moonlight, but the pale light still filled Miko's hospital room. The room was quiet, a dull eggshell color interrupted by a nurse's whiteboard and a picture of a vase of flowers. Besides Miko's quiet breathing, the constant tempo of clicks and beeps from the machines she was hooked up to enveloped the room. Miko had to think of the noise as a new line beat to a band song, or she would have gone crazy listening to it.
Miko turned away from the window, staring at the closed-door that separated her from the rest of the hospital. A crack of light slipped out from underneath, mixing with the natural moonlight in the room. Miko quickly closed her eyes as she heard someone turn the handle, pretending to be asleep as whoever came in. She really didn't want to deal with any nurses tonight...
"Really Miko? I know you're awake," a familiar voice chuckled in English.
She jerked up, eyes wide. Her jaw dropped as she took in the familiar figures in her room. Jack was at her bedside looking down at her while Raf had picked up her medical chart.
"This doesn't look very good," Raf muttered to himself.
"Eh, I'll bounce back," Miko grinned. "I always do."
"Mom, you can't-" Haru began, stepping into the room.
"Oh shush," Miko quieted him cheerfully. "I'm not dead yet. For all I know, my miracle drug is right around the corner. Besides, I'm not done perfecting you yet. I still have ancient wisdom to impart to you from the ancestors, morals to teach, or something like that," Miko rolled her eyes with a smile.
"Sure mom, ancient wisdom," Haru smiled back.
"Hey, if it's from the Autobots it might very well be," Jack offered easily.
"So true. Hey, I might be able to leave you with Cybertronian wisdom! I never thought of that, thanks Jack."
"And speaking of our Cybertronian friends," Raf trailed off, his gaze moving to the window. Miko followed his gaze and gasped.
A huge, bright blue optic had filled the window.
"What the-"
"Miko?" A concerned voice called out softly. Miko felt her heart freeze for a moment, and the resulting beep from the machine she was connected to as she leaned forward instinctively.
"Bulkhead?" She breathed, blinking and rubbing her eyes.
A chirp of beeps that definitely weren't from any of Miko's machines erupted a moment later.
"Calm down, Bee," Raf laughed. "He says, "Hi, how are you? Are you okay? Did you miss us?"" Raf translated.
Miko laughed, and nodded at the big eyes outside her room.
"I missed you too, Bee, and Bulk, I definitely missed you. A lot."
"Arcee's out there too," Jack said from behind the bed ridden woman.
"Wait, seriously? Arcee! Hey!" Miko grinned. The two sets of Cybertronian optics moved out of the way to reveal the still petite femme. She was looking in Miko's room with silence, and Miko frowned. "Not you too. I don't want any visitors that are going to make me sad. That's the nurses jobs! They're always filling me up with drugs and needles and medications I'm pretty sure I don't need, and then they come back the next day to do it all again!" Miko complained. "My arms are so sore from all the injections, I'm surprised they haven't fallen off!"
Arcee smiled at Miko's grievances, because for a moment it seemed like it was all those years ago. Miko worried about nothing in particular, Jack shaking his head at Miko's logic, and Raf trying not to laugh at it all.
"So, where's Optimus?" Miko asked after a moment.
"He...couldn't come," Arcee finally replied.
"Ah, so you snuck out," Miko realized. "I'm so proud of you, Arcee! Growing up and sneaking off base, where has all the time gone?" Miko asked dramatically, pretending to wipe away a tear.
"I think that's what I'm supposed to say to you, but thanks," Arcee smiled softly. Miko beamed back, and then doubled over in a coughing fit that racked her body.
"Miko?" Bulkhead asked worriedly.
"Mom?" Haru echoed, rushing up to her.
"Napkin," she rasped out after a moment. Raf passed her a paper towel. Their Japanese friend coughed for another minute, and the group could see that the towel came away covered in red. "Oh, that's not good," Miko muttered.
"Mom," Haru whispered.
"I know, I know, I need to take better care of myself," Miko waved away the concern. "That's why I'm in the hospital, so they can make me better, Haru."
"Mom," Haru said tiredly. In a way, Haru wasn't completely sure his mother had come to terms with her impending death. When she acted like this, Haru just wasn't sure.
"So what brings you guys back to earth? Ooh, is it Decepticons?" Miko asked eagerly, pulling her blanket closer to her body.
"No, nothing like that," Bulkhead laughed, his chuckles rumbling through the ground.
"Aw, I was hoping to see a good 'con bashing like all those years ago," Miko sighed.
"Sorry, we just came to check on you guys," Arcee smiled. The femme looked at Miko's appearance, and mentally thought to herself, and I'm glad we did.
Miko didn't have much longer, that was for sure.
"Well, we're glad you guys came back too," Raf spoke up.
"It's been awhile," Jack agreed.
"Hey, how about you guys come back in twenty years?" Miko asked eagerly.
"What?" Arcee asked, looking at Miko like she was crazy. And honestly, she probably was.
"In twenty years, you guys come back to Earth. In twenty years, us kids will come back to Jasper to see ya. And if we don't, we'll send our kids. Okay, Haru? Can you do that for me? That way, you guys always have friends on Earth, and in a hundred years from now it'll be like we're still around. Except, it'll be our great-grandchildren!" Miko exclaimed happily. She started coughing again, and Haru rushed to get her some water.
"Anything, Mom, of course I will," he told her quickly.
"Thanks, sweetie. Boys?" She turned to her American friends.
"In twenty years," Jack nodded.
"Twenty years," Raf nodded.
"And if we've bit the dust by then, well, Haru, you'll have to show our kids." Jack nodded at the younger man in the room.
"In twenty years," the Autobots said together.
"Good," Miko smiled, leaning back into her bed.
"We should let her sleep," Haru said.
"But I want to keep talking with my friends," Miko objected with a yawn.
"I think it's time for bed," Jack agreed with Haru, coming to pull the covers up over Miko's shoulders.
"There's always tomorrow," Raf spoke.
"Tomorrow," Miko yawned, her eyes losing brightness as her monitor registered her slowing heartbeat.
Bee chirped, and Miko turned sluggishly to Raf.
"He says, 'Sweet Dreams, Miko,'"
"Have a nice recharge, Bee," Miko called out, letting out another yawn.
"Sleep tight, Miko," Bulk said quietly.
"Love ya too, Bulk," she smiled, fighting to stay awake. Her gentle giant smiled through the window, and stepped back so Arcee could step closer.
"May Primus be with you," the femme whispered.
"And also with you, Arcee," Miko replied. "I'll see you guys later, mm-kay?"
"Night, Miko," Jack whispered, leading the humans out of the hospital room.
"Night, Mom," Haru whispered, kissing her cheek before exiting with his mother's friends.
"It's part of her sickness," Haru explained absently. "She'll be wide awake one moment, and then the next she's really tired."
"She'll get better," Raf said optimistically.
"I hope," Haru sighed.
Outside, the Autobots waited for their human companions before heading away from the hospital. The group was somber as they drove away.
"I'm glad I got to see her, one last time," Bulk murmured.
"Yeah," Jack nodded.
Arcee looked back towards the hospital, and had to turn away. She had seen so many comrades off-line over the years, she knew the signs of a dying friend. She had been with so many friends during their last moments that Arcee didn't have to wonder whether Miko would survive until morning.
Miko would join the All Spark tonight.