Note*~
Hey, people, I'm so glad for the feedback so far I'm getting on the story. You know how to make a girl cry. c': ^.^ Also, this fic helps to bring back my sanity in dark times, so thank you to you for the cheers and words (again). :3 x3 :D
This chapter may be a little short, so I hope it was alright... ;; Inspiration and meds don't come together hand in hand. ;A; I must write while really hyper and sugar high. :D ... That would be my crack fics. XD
Other than that, enjoy, and here's to chapter six being a longer chapter...!
XOXO
Nine Months Alone
Chapter Five
Mother
"The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new."
- Rajneesh
Ratchet was preparing the medical tools, sanitizing them for safety measures. He drew a screen monitor closer to him and Arcee on the medical berth and turned the machine power on. Pads and wires were placed on Arcee's womb, warm jelly Ratchet applied on to her slowly turned cool. This was it. Today was the day. In the stage of Arcee's trimesters, the sparkling was grown enough to be seen on a sonogram. Nervous, but excited, Arcee couldn't wait to see what her child looked like.
After a slight squeeze with Ratchet on him learning about Arcee and Knock Out's relationship, it was a rocky start to accept, but Arcee needed a doctor. As usual, Ratchet would always look out for any of the Autobots, no matter how dire the situation. That was one of his best traits.
At times, his occupation would always remind Arcee of Knock Out...
The monitor hummed and lit up with an image.
"Arcee, I'd like you to meet someone."
A voice suddenly played through her mind. It was hard not to have tears dampening her optics. Such a happy memory...
"Hey, there, Autobot, here's lookin' at you...!"
On the screen was her unborn child... resting comfortably inside of her. As it breathed, slow motions rising up and exhaling, it was a sign telling her it was alive. And it was inside of her. Her own child. Hers and Knock Out's. She could feel her face growing wet as she tried to clean off the tears.
Knock Out was with them. In the Well of Allsparks, in their child. And through the infant, he will be reborn. He'll always be with her. What was the sparkling going to look like? More like her, or more like it's father? If it had his crimson eyes, she'd look into Knock Out's eyes everyday. With that reminder, it was going to be harder to not miss her late lover.
Ratchet then checked the vitals and statistics and pressed a few buttons.
"Everything seems perfectly normal, yourself and the sparkling..." he began. "Last time gave me quiet a scare when you fainted, so I'm glad you made it this far alright."
A light chuckle left Arcee. The old medic could be such a spark mother.
"Please be careful. For your sake and the sparkling. ... Do you want to know the gender, or do you want it to be a surprise?"
"I'd... like to know."
Being placed on the edge and surprises weren't exactly Arcee's forte. Nights would be agonizing without sleep if she didn't knew what the baby was going to be, and she would want to find out right on the spot. Plus, it would narrow down a lot of baby names. A feminine name for a mech sparkling wouldn't be too glorifying.
After a long silence, Ratchet said, "you are the mother of a baby boy..."
'Mother...'
Arcee had been called many things. A solider, a warrior, an Autobot, second in command, a friend... Now mother.
She lost so much over the many years of fighting. Family, Tailgate, Cliffjumper, then her one second chance of bringing down her walls from eternal darkness... Knock Out was gone. And he wasn't going to be around when the sparkling was born. She was alone for most of her life and couldn't survive... Then after being with him, she knew how to. Once the sparkling was in the world, she wouldn't be isolated anymore.
In fact she wasn't alone. She was surrounded and cherished, and very much needed.
And he showed her that.
"You want me to be the spark guide for the sparkling?"
Breakdown gave Arcee a look as if she asked him to make up with Bulkhead. The femme carried on her usual intent.
"I'm serious."
"Who, me? Arcee, I'm... I'm not good with kids," began Breakdown. "I'm a former solider, not some spark nanny. There are other candidates better than me, there's Optimus. He'd do the job way better than me."
"But you knew Knock Out. That's more than qualified."
A tense silence was among the two. Neither party was backing down from their decisions, but with the right words Breakdown may listen to reason.
"This sparkling has no father. If it didn't know about Knock Out, I... I just can't sit with it. If we talked about him around it... he won't be gone. And when the day comes for me to tell it's father was a Decepticon... I don't want to be alone that day."
More trouble to confront with. If her child ever found out it's father was a Decepticon... That was for another day. For now she had to focus on what was around her and caring for her own well being. So many worries, so many situations... She was fortunate enough to be surrounded by such wonderful friends.
The former Decepticon broke the silence.
"Alright, fine," began Breakdown. "I'll do it for Knock Out's sake. But no way am I changing any oil dispensers!"
Arcee chuckled and came to a quick conclusion. Ever since the war ended and she got pregnant, Breakdown was growing a sense of humor.