REVAMP TIME!

This chapter wasn't too bad, but there were little grammatical things I did to revamp it. Other than that, it stayed mostly the same!

Artemis had been allowed by Optimus to stay at the Autobot base as her new home. She quickly got used to their transforming and really enjoyed their presence. Much more than other people, anyway. They even set up a room for her with furnishings for a being her size. She liked to watch what each Autobot did in their down time, especially Ratchet (because Ironhide didn't like others staring at him during target practice). Ratchet even let her help out on some of his projects once he realized she had a basic knowledge of mechanics. Because of this she learned a lot about Cybertronian mechanisms and tools, which utterly astounded her but excited her to no end. One day, while helping Ratchet clean some of his instruments, (which were the same size as she was,) the medic made a comment.

"You seem to be getting along with Ironhide well."

Artemis paused and looked up at him. "I like everyone here. You've shown me so many cool things and taught me so much about mechanics I can't begin to thank you. Bumblebee is just so cute and playful. He can always make me feel better when I'm upset. Optimus…he let me stay here with you all and he's really great to talk to. And Ironhide…he's just…himself."

"You don't know why you get along so well with Ironhide, do you?"

Artemis shook her head, giving in. "I have no idea why. Its almost like we've met before, but that's impossible. I'm sure I'd remember a giant alien robot. So…I really don't know."

Ratchet smiled, almost sadly. "You will someday."

Artemis was hoping for some sort of elaboration on this strange declaration, but when none came, she let it go. Pestering the CMO was a very bad idea, she learned. Last week he threw a hammer at Bumblebee for poking his head in the medbay because he was bored. She decided to change the subject instead.

"Why can't we bring Jazz back?"

Ratchet tiredly expelled some air from his vents. He knew this question would come someday. "The damage done to his body was too extensive. And without medical drones to get into the tight spaces, there was nothing I can do to fix him."

"But…can't you build him an entirely new body?"

"No," he replied. "Its not that easy. The second reason why I can't fix him is because of his Spark. Once his Spark goes out, its gone. It can't be brought back except by the Allspark, which was completely destroyed."

Artemis was quiet for a while and finished cleaning the instrument she was working on. Then, suddenly having an idea, she asked, "But, what if his Spark didn't completely go out? What if it just…dimmed really, really low? Would there be a way to save him then?"

Ratchet was taken aback by this question, but answered, "I don't see why not. It would be difficult, but I'm sure-hey, where are you going?"

Artemis raced out of the medbay to where Jazz was being kept. She sometimes went there to be alone, and to study the mech that everyone seemed to hold in such high regard, wondering what he was like. But last time something caught her eye. It was a dim flicker of light from within his chest, but she dismissed it as a reflection. But now, she wasn't so sure.

"Artemis, where-" Ironhide asked as she quickly ran through the room and threw open the doors to where Jazz lied.

Once inside, Artemis slowed down, her apprehension building. "What if I'm wrong? What if its not really there, and I got everyone worked up for nothing? Would Ironhide ever forgive me? Would any of them forgive me?" she thought. Shoving away these doubts, she jogged over to the top half of Jazz's body and climbed up on top of him, peering into his chest.

"What are you doing?" Ironhide asked, confused and slightly angry at her lack of respect for his best friend.

"Quiet, 'Hide, she's on to something." Ratchet replied, catching up to them.

"What? You mean something that could bring him back?" Ironhide asked, unable to keep the hope out of his voice. He knew this girl was smart and could come up with a way to bring back his brother.

Artemis peered intently through Jazz's armor, searching desperately for the flicker of light she saw before. Nothing. Not a single thing. Refusing to give up, she started shifting some of his armor out of the way to get a better look. Still nothing.

She was wrong. She got everyone so excited, but she was wrong. She should've thought it through more before jumping to conclusions. Artemis sighed. Jumping down, she said, "I'm sorry, guys. I just got too carried…" her voice trailed off as she took one last glance at Jazz. Something caught her eye. A little twinkle of light, barely visible and only able to be seen at a certain angle. Artemis rushed forward, getting a closer look at the mysterious light.

"Hey…hey! Ratchet! Come here! Is…is this his Spark?" she asked as he ran towards her.

Ratchet knelt down and peered through Jazz's armor. "Primus…it is! The fragger's still hanging on! And its so faint, its almost gone. No wonder my scans never picked it up. Ironhide! Let's get him to the medbay! Now!"

"Are you going to rebuild him? But how, Ratchet? You just told me you couldn't do it yourself." Artemis questioned, concerned.

Optics alive with a new light, Ratchet answered her. "Who says I'm doing it alone? I've got you to help me."

The next 36 hours were hectic. Neither Ratchet nor Artemis took a break from working quickly but carefully on the severed mech's body, Ironhide impatiently paced back and forth between the doors to the medbay, Bumblebee was barely able to hold in his nervous excitement, and Optimus was sitting on the floor, seemingly calm, but thoughts racing through his processors. The only sound that disturbed the tense silence was an occasional clunk of metal-on-metal and Ratchet's impatient curses.

Optimus wasn't the only preoccupied bot. Ironhide's thoughts focused on Jazz. He allowed a memory to play across his processor…

"Jazz! Get your aft back here you Primus-forsaken mech!" Ironhide yelled, chasing after him.

"You'll have to be faster than that to catch me, ya old 'bot!" Jazz yelled back happily.

"Just 'cause I'm old doesn't mean I don't got a few tricks up my cannons!"

But Ironhide didn't need to bring out his cannons. Jazz, whose attention was on Ironhide, didn't notice the other side of the base was right in front of him. Ironhide saw the wall ahead and stopped running, and Jazz, trying to figure out why he stopped, ran straight into the thick metal wall.

"Oof! Hey, 'Hide, why didn't you warn me I was so close to that slagging wall?" Jazz yelled, rubbing his visor.

Ironhide fell to the floor with laughter. "Now, why would I do that? You're a young 'bot. If you can bounce back half as fast as you did from that wall you'll be fine in no time!"

"'Hide, you've got the Pit comin at ya now!" Jazz yelled with an evil smile on his face, tackling the laughing Ironhide.

"Let me GO, Jazz! I'm perfectly fine to still fight! I said, LET GO!"

Jazz wrestled Ironhide to the ground, which was no easy feat.

"NO, 'Hide, you're NOT okay! You're good cannon arm is scrap metal! Those connections in your hip have all come loose again! Your fragging spark chamber is damaged! You stay out there, and you'll be blown to millions of pieces! I won't have that happen under my command!" Jazz yelled back, still pinning Ironhide to the ground. The sounds of battle could be heard behind them.

"Slag it, Jazz, you know I'm a tough fighter! I can still help! You know I'll fight to the end!"

Jazz expelled a lot of air from his vents. Lifting up his visor to look his best friend in the eye, he said, "I know you would, brother. That's why I'm sending you away." A pause, then looking over his shoulder, Jazz yelled, "Ratchet! Get over here! 'Hide needs immediate attention!"

Ironhide allowed himself to be taken to the medbay without another word.

"Retreat! 'Hide, Ratchet, Bee! Retreat! It's Megatron!"

A scramble of movements showed all three mechs falling back. As Ironhide looked back to see if Jazz followed, he yelled, "JAZZ! Get out of there! You don't stand a chance! Jazz! JAZZ!"

But Jazz ignored his best friend's pleas. He ran forward and leaped on the gigantic mech, shooting off his weapons the entire time.

"JAZZ! No!" Ironhide yelled, running forward to help.

Ratchet just managed to grab his legs and tackle him down. "No, Ironhide! He said to retreat! He knows what he's doing! You have to follow his orders!"

"Slag those fraggin orders! Its suicide! Jazz!" Ironhide yelled again, trying to pull himself free.

Jazz looked back for an astrosecond, and databurst Ironhide one last message.

"'Hide, I know you want to help. But even with you we can't defeat Megatron! We just need a distraction until Optimus arrives...I'm not going to let you die today too." A pause, then, "It's been an honor fighting with you all these years, brother. I will miss you. Tell everyone I'm sorry."

Ironhide watched in horror as Megatron leapt to the top of a building, dragging Jazz with him. Jazz, courageous as ever, was still shooting off his guns at the gigantic menace. "You wanna piece of me? You wanna piece?"

"NO! I want…TWO!"

"JAZZ!!!"

Ironhide interrupted that memory. It was still too painful to think about. Then his mind wandered to Artemis…ever since she arrived, she had a certain presence about her that could lighten anyone's mood. He even found himself enjoying her company. "No, Ironhide! What are you doing? You promised yourself you wouldn't get attached to these fragile humans after that! But…I also promised…" Ironhide's thoughts trailed off through his processors, fatigued by the excitement. He was jolted back to reality when the medbay doors opened. He practically pounced on Ratchet as he walked out.

"Hey, hey! Slag it, Ironhide, take it easy! I'm not exactly running at 100% you know!" Ratchet yelled in surprise, almost toppling over.

"How is he? Will he make it? Tell me already!"

Releasing himself from Ironhide's grip, he replied, "We've managed to stabilize his Spark, so it looks like he's going to pull through. It's a miracle he's survived these months…I still can't explain it…anyway, he's nowhere near being conscious yet, and just in case he's able to feel pain I had him be offline. But he's going to be fine," Ratchet assured Ironhide. A relieved sigh came from all three of the waiting Autobots. Ratchet continued, "We also started the preliminary work to reconnect his lower half. I'm sure in a few more hours we can--"

Optimus leaned forward to catch the exhausted CMO when his knees gave out. He looked at his medic and his assistant. Both looked so weary it added years to their faces. They seemed as if they could enter involuntary recharge cycles at any astrosecond. "You two need rest. Let's get you to your room, Ratchet," Optimus said, leading Ratchet down the hall. Ironhide was just about to offer Artemis a lift to her room, but noticed she was fast asleep on his foot. Smiling, he activated his holoform and gently picked her up and carried her into her room and placed her on the bed.

"Goodnight, Artemis," he whispered.