Chapter Thirty-Four – Through the Pain
Ratchet's Quarters, A Few Minutes Later…
Arcee lay on her back on top of the medical berth, whimpering in pain, her hand squeezing Bumblebee's so tightly that his began cramping. He ignored it, standing at her berthside with a worried faceplate, his large blue optics drooped.
One question ran through his mind over and over…
Was she going to deliver their sparkling twins now?
It'd came so suddenly to him.
"Honey, it's okay," he cooed softly at his femme, leaning down to kiss her energon dotted cheekplate. "I'm here, baby. Right here. Don't cry anymore."
Arcee only shivered, closing her optics slowly with a small groan. She let out a breath shakily as the medical officer moved to her side, starting to open her spark compartment easily. Her spark beat furiously as it supplied the sparks with much energy and the other two squirming alongside it did too, wriggling.
"Ohhh," she moaned.
"Deep breaths, Arcee," Ratchet told her gently. "In and out slowly, you can do it."
The femme whimpered, looking to his optics, trying her best to get a single breath into her air intake vents. She groaned, "A-Am I delivering n-now?"
He opened her chamber easily, examining first before giving her an answer. "No, Arcee, it's only a false alarm," he said, leaning down a little closer. "The sparks, however, are nearing the completion of their development."
"How long should it be?" asked Bumblebee firmly.
"A few hours," Ratchet answered. "Each spark's framework is beginning to really take a solid shape."
"Meaning?" Bumblebee asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Meaning, soon enough, the sparks will be ready to be put into use," Ratchet said. "They'll be fit for the sparklings."
Bumblebee nodded, seating himself at his femme's side, Darren still seated on his shoulder. The human was taken into his massive hand and sat on top of one leg gently. Darren gulped nervously, stealing a glance at Arcee quickly. Slowly, Bumblebee pulled Darren against his stomach, stroking the human's hair with a finger.
"Don't you worry, Darren," the robot murmured. "I don't want you to be…"
As the human sunk into Bumblebee's armor plating, he sighed, "I won't."
Arcee shuddered in another uncomfortable jolt of pain and she squeezed Bumblebee's hand harder, making him wince. He soon wiped the look off of his faceplate, giving Ratchet a look as he kept examining.
"Ratchet…" he said in a low whine.
The medical officer nodded. "I know, Bumblebee. Arcee's fine." He moved away from them, reaching out a hand to ease a machine over to the berth. Two circular devices were set on Arcee's chestplate and each one detected her spark's pulse, recording it in quick beeps. Bumblebee whirred and looked away. Darren brushed a hand over his stomach.
"Bee, it's okay," he whispered.
Bumblebee looked to Arcee again, wanting to hold her safe in his arms, but knowing that disturbing her could cause her more discomfort. Though his spark beat strongly in their bond, it wasn't enough.
Lifting her hand to his mouth, he kissed it, his drooped optics looking into hers. She tried to smile at him and he gave her a small one back, watching a tear trickle from her optic.
"Doin' okay, honey?" he said softly.
She nodded and turned her head to a side, closing her optics slowly. He released her hand onto the berth and brushed his fingers along her leg.
"Stay strong for me, baby."
//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\
Arcee's Perspective
"Ratchet…" Bumblebee whined.
I squeezed his hand. I knew it was weak, but it was all the strength I had inside me. The thoughts running through my head now were unstoppable, like a record that played over and over and over, playing the same tune repeatedly. My baby's voice was completely drenched in worry for me, and my spark dropped.
I wanted to be wrapped up in his arms, taking in every beat of his spark.
But, being that weak, I couldn't.
Zaidian and Xylastar's sparks begged for more energy, wriggling around in my chamber even quicker. I couldn't ignore their pleas, feeding them more energy. My spark skipped, and I groaned.
I didn't think I could hold for much longer.
"Doin' okay, honey?"
Bumblebee…Wrap me in your arms.
You are fading further from me.
Why don't you come home to me?
Hold me.
Hold me.
Take me with you 'cause I'm lonely.
I only nodded at him, looking away from those optics I loved. From the ones that were now glistening with tears that made my own water.
I knew I wasn't really okay. But, I had to continue providing my sparklings with the energy they needed. Their lives were important than mine. If I didn't live to be with them, Bumblebee would be there to hold them…
They were the next generation.
I am...
I am...
Cold.
Hold Me.
Hold me.
Hold me.
I closed my optics.
Primus, give me the strength to go on, I prayed to him. You've blessed me with two baby bots to carry, two twins. Now, I ask you to bless me with the strength, determination, and devotion needed…
Please hear me.
//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\
Two Hours Later…
Bumblebee's Perspective
I was still at Arcee's berthside, my worried optics drooped and transfixed on the metal floor. My hand felt her frequent squeezes from my beloved femme's. I heard her low groans and sighed, frustrated from all the worry that screamed in my processor. I shot my optics to Ratchet and they flared a cold blue.
Enough was enough.
"Ratchet, please," I begged firmly. "Relieve her of the pain."
The medical officer's optics were fixed on a monitor, his eyes scanning and acknowledging Arcee's sparkrate, as well as the other two's. Each one was fast, making my own begin to quicken inside me. It thudded madly as I heard another groan.
"Bumblebee, the sparks are not ready," he told him sternly.
I hissed. "She can't take it anymore!" I yelled, feeling Darren squirm nervously against my stomach. "Her spark is fading! It can't supply any longer…!"
He looked at me, arching an optic ridge.
I knew that yelling at an older mech was disrespectful, but I really didn't care. If my femme were to die in this process…
Primus, I couldn't even come up with a word that would describe how I would feel.
I would be unexplainably depressed – to a degree that words can't explain.
"S-Sir, please," I choked out.
Ratchet strolled over to Arcee's side. He looked into her spark chamber, and my groaning femme looked up at him, her breaths sharp and weak.
"Arcee," called the officer.
"R-Ratchet, please," she breathed, squeezing my hand with all her little strength. "I-I can't bare it…" She swallowed suddenly. "I-I can't…"
I whirred nervously, gripping my femme's hand as her voice faded off. My optics looked to Ratchet's seriously, though drooped in worry.
"Sir, I'm begging you," I said on the verge of tears. "Please…"
I'm sure he could hear the hurt in my voice. How apparent it was…
My spark was drowned in sorrow and worry.
The medical officer looked at me for many seconds, then sighed. "I'll remove them. Though it seems rather early," he said softly. "But, fight it, Arcee."
She cried out quietly, then calmed as I brought his cheekplate to hers, nuzzling her to a more relaxed state. I heard her breathing calm for only a few seconds, letting my spark thrum strongly near hers. Her spark flashed gently, receiving a small energy surge. I kissed her and pulled away without saying a word.
Primus, please, I prayed. Give her the strength to go on…I know she has it in her.
I closed my optics for a second.
"Help her find it," I murmured. "Please…"
I held Darren deeper in my stomach plating with a sad whirr, tussling the human's hair again as I got lost in thoughts. Another finger messed with the boy's spine and Darren looked up at me.
"Dad, should I stay here?"
Dad. That word surely made me snap out of it. I looked down quickly, thinking it would be Zaidian or Xylastar. But, no, my processor was only fooling me…
I blinked as I looked down at my human son. "Why shouldn't you stay?"
Darren shrugged. "I 'unno. I thought you might not want me to see this."
I shook my head. "No, stay. It'll just be us four. I don't think Arcee would like it if every mech in the base were here to witness."
Darren nodded. I knew he didn't like it when I wasn't smiling, when I wasn't happy. He never did. Usually, he would comfort me, and I'd let him snuggle up in my arms and I'd tell him how much I loved him. But, that would do nothing now.
My dearest femme was hurt, her spark was dying.
Fading more and more with each second that ticked past me.
And I couldn't do anything to stop that. And that, bothered me.
Hearing me whirr helplessly, Darren set his head against my stomach.
"Everything'll be alright, Bee," he murmured. He reply was a sad groan from me.
I couldn't believe him yet.
"It shouldn't be long, Bumblebee," gently said Ratchet. The medical officer took two tweezer-like devices in both of his hands, easing them toward Arcee's chest. I winced. "Now, Arcee, be as still as you can."
She shivered as the tweezers entered the pale blue aura of her spark, interfering with hers and the sparkling's. The devices twitched quickly at an electric shock, then eased lower. I whirred, anticipating.
"Ratchet, e-easy," I said softly, grimacing more as I took my femme's hand. Arcee barely squeezed it back, groaning weakly, her voice as light as air.
She looked away from Ratchet to me. I stroked the back of her hand with my thumb, calming her only slightly. I purred at her.
"Hang in there, okay?" I whispered. "For me…"
"I-I will," she answered me, her voice frail. She hummed painfully as her spark failed to give any of its energy away, fading more. "I-I'll try…"
I twittered. "Ratchet, hurry," I said nervously.
"I'm going as fast as I can, Son," he told me. His optics narrowed as he concentrated. Between the devices, one baby spark was held and slowly lifted. In another shock of pain, Arcee twitched, making the spark fall back into her chamber.
"Primus…!" she gasped. "Bumblebee!!"
Her spark couldn't go on for much longer.
I suddenly leaned closer to her, letting my spark thrum powerfully beside hers. She took breaths rapidly and tried to take in my spark's beating, shutting her optics.
"Baby, no!" I cried. "Fight it, my love…!"
She whimpered, crying. Ratchet had to keep working.
Darren eased from my stomach plating and crawled onto the berth.
"You can do it, Arcee," he whispered. "C'mon!"
She looked down at him and used one finger to weakly prod his chest. He smiled.
"You can do it…" He said again.
"Yes, Arcee, focus now," the medical officer told her. "Breathe deeper."
"I-I…" she groaned. "I-I can't…"
"You can," I corrected her. "You can, Arcee."
She breathed out and looked away.
Ratchet eased the tools towards the baby spark, taking it gently. I watched nervously as it was lifted from the chamber, still beating quickly. The medical officer set it in a small container of energon, letting the tiny spark beat and feed off of the nourishing liquid. I sighed, relieved. Arcee groaned.
"Baby, c'mon," I cooed at my femme, giving her a worried look. "One down, one more to go…I know you can do it."
She didn't move. I leaned forward, optics wide.
"Primus, Ratchet, her spark!" I screamed. "I-It's fading…" I could barely finish.
Ratchet eased the tweezers closer to the second spark. "Bumblebee, hold her hand harder. Concentrate your spark's energy to yours," he instructed.
I hesitated. Finally, I took her hand and let my systems rev softly. I didn't feel any sort of surge from my spark or see any change in Arcee's. Uneasy, I chastised himself mentally, concentrating harder, shutting my optics.
I felt nothing.
Primus, help us, I prayed.
"Ratchet…!" I shouted, opening his optics. "I-I don't think…"
My confidence was dying.
"Bumblebee, keep going! It's working, Son. You're doing it."
My femme's spark flashed. I fought back tears, taking her hand with both of mine. I squeezed, ignoring that I could be hurting her.
"Baby," I whispered. A single tear fell.
"Bumblebee," she murmured.
I grasped her hand tighter and she groaned, her spark flashing brightly. I watched in awe as it beat a little slower, calming as the second spark was lifted away. The tiny heart survived the electric shock when it left the warm field of its mother's protective aura and it was secured in the small container with its twin sibling.
Ratchet sighed and set the devices down.
All was silent, except for Arcee's breathing and whimpers. Ratchet pat her leg.
"Good, Arcee. Take a breather," he said, leaning away to tend to the sparks.
Arcee breathed in and out quickly, each one coupled with a whimper or a groan. I released her hand and threw my arms around her, letting her receptor fall against my spark. As she listened, hers calmed, humming slower.
"That's it, baby," I told her, nodding as I stroked her head slowly. "You've got it."
Her breath hit my chest and I kissed her. "Are th-the sparks secure?" she whispered.
I nodded quicker. "You've done it, honey," I cooed, closing my optics.
She groaned against me, her head falling back against my arm. Seeing her mouth exposed, I leaned down and wasted no time in kissing it passionately.
"I'm so proud of you," I moaned into her mouth. "Baby, I'm so proud."
She groaned helplessly, letting all of her trouble and pain out as she breathed out in my mouth. I let her, nodding.
"That's right," I told her. "You did good…"
"Bumblebee," she moaned. "I…love you."
I purred and pulled away, our optics staring into each other's.
"Feeling better?" I said playfully, a smile tugging at my mouth.
She nodded, fingering over my curved cheekplates with a smile back. "Y-Yes, now that I'm here in your arms."
Her smiled warmed my spark and his faceplate, my optics now a deep blue. Releasing her, I looked to Ratchet, taking Darren against my stomach again. I heard the human give Arcee a soft, "Good job."
"Is it time to…insert them?" I said quietly to Ratchet.
Ratchet nodded and turned to face me. "Only if…Arcee's ready."
The femme gulped, slipping her fingers through mine. "Will it hurt?"
"Only a little bit," the officer smiled.
Arcee nodded after. "Then, yes, I'm prepared."
Ratchet stepped to her side, his optics to mine. "Son, make sure your spark stays near hers," he told him. "It needs to regain all the energy it's lost."
I nodded and stretched out alongside her, lying on my side. Darren crawled up his arm, making me chuckle, and sitting himself on my shoulder.
"Here we go, Bee," the human whispered.
The medical officer opened up the first chamber of Arcee's stomach, revealing the second one that housed the sparklings. As Ratchet set his fingers on the second compartment, I smiled, my spark already swelled with love and joy.
I could barely believe it.
Zaidian and Xylastar were only mere minutes away.
Babies in the next chapter! Stay tuned, they're comin'. (wink)