This chapter has been revised.
Ah...I don't know...I think I seem to be a better writer of angst than I am with happy and fuzzy moments. What do you guys think? Anyway, my poll will be up until I'm finished with this story and then I'll put another one up for the story to work on after that. ^_^
Thanks to:
Stesuna the Dragon - I'm thinking about an ending now and I'm not sure how to end it. Should it be happy or sad?
Demongirly91 - I know! I'd be so sad if Ratchet offlined himself since he is my favorite Autobot!
And a SPECIAL THANK YOU SHOUTOUT to for sending me such a wonderful personal message. Thank you for your kind words!! It really makes my day.
Chapter 21
Moonracer loved Ratchet?
Ratchet's processor was running miles per minute, trying to figure out all the possibilities why Nexia was taking so long. She had said that they were going to arrive not long after the Autobots did…but they were hours late.
His fingers were nervously tapping against his leg, showing his impatient nature. His optics were dim, occasionally glaring into a gentle glow but always settling back into its dull, empty blackness. He sighed, shuttering his optics from the moonlight, and picturing her smiling face in his processor. She was beautiful in his processor's eye.
The medic wanted nothing more than to escape from his fellow Autobots and go to his beloved but he knew that he could barely stand a chance against one Decepticon. If he could barely stand up to one how could he stand up to a base full of them? He was a medic for Primus' sake. He was neither built nor programmed to fight.
"Where are they? Has something happened?" he whispered to himself, shifting his position slightly. He clutched at his subspace pocket - the one where Nexia's spark was located. He didn't dare take it from its haven lest it crack and damage the winged girl even more.
He tried to calm his jittery nerves but his optics instantly snapped open once again when he felt Nexia's spark give a particularly peculiar shudder. It almost pained his own spark, which scared him. The jolt must have been excruciating for the winged girl. Something was desperately wrong.
"Optimus!" Ratchet exclaimed, jumping to his feet and rushing to the Autobot leader. The other Autobots were instantly aware of the situation as they gathered around the conversing mechs, sensing the panic in the medic's voice. Ratchet was not one to panic; it worried the other mechs that had gathered around him. Did something go wrong with the escape?
"Something is wrong with Nex. I can feel it in my spark. Something is happening to her." Ratchet explained, clutching a fist over his chest where Nexia's spark was beating erratically in his subspace pocket.
The other bots were about to say something to try to reason with the medic but the musical sound of a Phoenix's song surprised them into silence. The bots looked around, searching for the source of the melodious song. They hoped that it would bring their beloved Nexia back to them but the bots were in for a surprise. A large flaming bird lit the night sky but what surprised the mechs more was the one who was riding it. It wasn't Nexia.
"Moonracer…" Ratchet mumbled in awe, watching in shock. The dusty blue-green femme jumped off the large bird, running towards the group of flabbergasted mechs. She was limping a little; the flight had been a long one and her wires were sore from being in the same position.
"Ratchet!" she shouted, ears of energon welling into her optics. It surprised the mechs; it was now the second time they had seen a Transformer cry. When she got close enough to the group she jumped onto her toes, wrapping her arms around the startled medic's neck. Initiate phase one of her plan to seduce the Autobot medic.
"Moon? You're alive? I thought you were dead…I saw you die." The surprised medic whispered, still shocked at her appearance. He wrapped his arms around Moonracer's smaller frame but this hug was somehow different than all the others. It was more brotherly than anything. The dusty blue-green femme smiled sadly at the difference. The old gentle hugs were still gentle, but now it held the love of a friend and not that of a potential lover. It was sad but she would be able to change that soon enough.
"I didn't die. I was captured by a Decepticon where they tried to get information from me. I held strong, though." she said, a faraway look in her optics. She smiled sadly at all the torture that she was put through, but that was in the past. She was now a Decepticon spy. That would teach Ratchet to leave her on the field.
"Moonracer. Where is the little one?" Optimus' voice reverberated through the clearing. The phoenix, Xylon, had perched himself upon the shoulder of the powerful Autobot leader, looking back and forth between the two. The dusty blue-green femme's optics widened as she realized that Nexia had not yet arrived. That would definitely put a hitch in her plan!
"I-I don't know…" she said, horrified at the thought of the small winged girl trapped at the Decepticon base. Ratchet's happiness quickly melted into horror as well as his processor raced back to the stream of negative possibilities. She could be trapped once again…cold and alone…and in pain.
"She was right there…she was right behind me! She was right there!!" Moonracer yelped in shame as she covered her face. The Grand Phoenix flapped his fiery wings and chirped, trying to calm down the distressed femme before she caused any damage. He, of course, suspected of her treachery but as a Phoenix he couldn't speak the human tongue.
Ratchet looked over to her, noticing for the first time just how much she had changed. She was older, of course, but she seemed more compassionate. Her paint was faded and she was in need of a real cleaning, but she stood tall. Maybe if there was no Nexia, somewhere in a lost reality, they could have been together. Maybe…but the winged girl was the only thing in his life - his only love. It was non-negotiable.
Suddenly the thunderous sound of hoof beats filled the area. Moonracer jerked her head up and shouted, happy that her new female friend was not stuck in that hellhole of a base. Now, she could start her plan! Although the reassuring hoof beats let them know that she was out of the Decepticon clutches they could only wonder what condition she would be in when she arrived.
Ratchet transformed and activated his holoform as the magnificent form of FlameSpark rounded the corner. The medic's blonde hair was sticking to his forehead due to his nervous sweat; the heartbeat of the human body was hammering hard within his chest. His glasses kept falling down his nose so he finally formed his holoform without them. It wasn't like he needed them anyway.
Ratchet steeled his jaw, determined not to cry out in anger when he saw his beloved. She could barely wrap her arms around the black unicorn's neck as he carefully slowed to a stop in front of the medic. Her eyelids fluttered and her hair stuck to her forehead as well, due to a feverish sweat. The Decepticons had definitely done something to her.
The medic went to aid the winged girl off of the great being but the black flamed unicorn snapped at his hand, glaring into the medic's eyes. FlameSpark was beyond pissed and was determined only to get the best treatment for his mistress. He didn't trust Ratchet…yet.
"Stop, medic." FlameSpark said, deep voice reverberating through the area. Ratchet looked around the small clearing before he realized that the unicorn was speaking directly into his mind. He froze, arm halfway reaching up towards the girl possessing much of his thoughts. He had a feeling that if he didn't listen to the unicorn there would be dire consequences.
"She was struck several times in the arms by a tiny purple mech. The spindly one injected some sort of drug into her bloodstream. I am not sure what your serum would do to her if you injected it into her now." The giant behemoth of a unicorn said, bowing his head. Ratchet clenched his fist while the other Autobots seethed in anger. FlameSpark carefully kneeled down, finally allowing the worried medic to gather the winged girl into his arms. He now trusted Ratchet because of his reaction.
"Oh, Nex. Look what they did to you…" Ratchet breathed, helping her off the back of the great beast. The other Autobots gathered around the perimeter, just in case any Decepticons decided to ambush them while the medic was assessing the winged girl's wounds.
"It makes sense, though." Moonracer said, watching sadly as the Grand Phoenix vanished into a burst of flame, his song echoing throughout the area. Ratchet set Nexia upon a blanket he set upon the ground, and then turned to face the dusty blue-green femme. Neither was aware that Nexia could hear their conversation.
"What does?" the medic asked half heartedly, turning back to tend to his loved one. He peeled back her shirt to reveal the large lacerations gouged upon Nexia's abdomen. The large black flamed unicorn came up behind Nexia, laying down on his side to warm her with his fire. Her own internal flame was dying since her spark was fluttering.
"The Decepticons, mainly Starscream, want the little one dead. Why try to protect her when you're only delaying the inevitable and may likely be killed in the process?" the dusty blue femme asked quietly, placing a hand on the medic's shoulder. Initiate step two: make Ratchet second guess their relationship. Ratchet jerked away as if he had been scorched by one of Ironhide's plasma rounds, snapping his head around to glare at the surprised femme.
By this time Nexia couldn't handle the pain, grimacing as the white hot flames shot through her stomach and pierced her wings. Her ankle was just as bad as the white hotness licked at her nerves, sending her into the inky blackness once again.
"I want to protect her because I love her. I'll protect her with my very being. I'll gladly give my life for hers - like she did when I was cornered by Starscream one week ago." Ratchet declared. A lone energon tear made its way down Moonracer's cheek as she stepped away from the duo, turning her head to look at the star speckled sky. Phase two was a failure…but maybe she can get the winged girl to second guess their relationship.
"I loved you, you know? Back on Iacon, before the war. I loved you…but you've changed from the Ratchet I once knew." Moonracer said, starting to walk towards Optimus to give her report. The Autobot medic sat silent for a few moments before exhaling the breath he was holding.
"I loved you, too. I lied to myself but my feelings have changed. You've changed as well, Moonracer." Ratchet whispered to himself, turning back to tend to the winged girl lying underneath him. The experienced medic patched his mate's wounds as much as he could before he finally loaded her into the back of his vehicular mode. He could only pray that she could last until they returned to the base.
TIME LAPSE
Ratchet had finally been able to stabilize Nexia, much to the relief of the other Autobots and the humans. Sarah and Will demanded to be alerted exactly when Nexia awoke whereas Sam and Mikaela would be starting school soon. Since they were starting school they couldn't make it, thus they felt guilty. Mikaela promised, however, that they could have a girl's night the next weekend. Moonracer agreed but it was only if the winged girl awoke before then.
The medic had been keeping a much needed watch over the young one but his energy reserves were falling into critical levels. Wheeljack practically had to force Ratchet into stasis in the medic's office. The stubborn mech refused to part with his beloved any longer than necessary but eventually gave in when Optimus threatened him with time in the brig. If he were in the brig he wouldn't be able to perform his duties.
Moonracer, who had been cleaned from the dirt and grime coating her paint, opted to stay in the Medical Bay and watch over Nexia. She managed to stay awake for a while but her own exhaustion finally won over and she gave way to sleep on the berth next to the winged girl. Her plan to win Ratchet over could wait another few hours.
All was quiet when Nexia finally awoke; only the beeping of her heart monitor was there to keep her company. She groaned, suddenly aware of the clean sterile smell of her beloved's Medical Bay. She smiled to herself for the first time in a week but the smile quickly disappeared when she thought about the conversation between Ratchet and Moonracer. It bothered her greatly when she thought about it.
"Am I really worth their protection? Do I mean that much to them that they should risk their lives for my sake?" the small winged girl asked herself, bringing a hand to cover her face. She couldn't help but think lowly of herself.
She wanted to worry about the situation at hand, like the impending Decepticon attack, but Moonracer was stirring in the other berth. The dusty blue-green femme sat up, rubbing at her optics. Nexia wiped the sleep from her own eyes as they looked at each other, both silent from the shock of past events. It was then that Moonracer decided to put her plan into action.
"Am I not worth the Autobots' protection? Should they really risk their lives for me?" Nexia asked the now glossy blue-green femme. Moonracer's optics dimmed in shame, saddened by the fact that the winged girl had overheard their conversation. Or it looked that way to the winged girl.
"I don't know. I just don't want Ratchet to get hurt. Personally I don't think you are." Moonracer sighed, covering her face with one hand, much like how the winged girl was before. Nexia looked to the side, a tear rolling down her face as betrayal flashed through her eyes. It hurt; having Moonracer actually say that to her face really hurt.
"I would never intentionally harm him. I love him too much to do that." Nexia spat at her former friend. Moonracer would have to earn the winged girl's trust back once again because of her harsh words. It was a plush, though. The glossy blue-green femme's plan was now set into motion.
Suddenly, Ratchet appeared in the doorway of his office, weariness still apparent on his face. He didn't notice the fact that Nexia was awake as he went through the motions of checking her status. The glossy blue-green femme sighed and silently slid from her berth and once she was gone Nexia was confident enough to alert Ratchet that she was awake. She smiled half-heartedly, wondering how to alert him.
"Ratchet." she whispered, catching the medic off guard. He whirled around, surprised to see the wounded girl up and alert. In a flash he was transformed and his holoform was by her side, burying his nose into her hair. His arms were wrapped around her, careful of her wounds but tight enough to reassure him of her presence.
"Don't you ever scare me like that again." he whispered harshly, pulling the winged girl onto his lap. She smiled back at him, weakly mumbling an apology which was muffled from the rough material of his medical lab jacket. For at time that was all they did: sit and whisper sweet nothings to each other. They were content with that.
After a time Ratchet pulled back, holding his stern gaze as he looked into Nexia's eyes. Any other person or mech would have averted their gaze but the winged girl held strong, gaze only strengthening if any. Ratchet pulled the girl back from his chest; grip slightly tight on her shoulders. Now she was in for a long lecture.
"Nex, why would you do something like that? Why give yourself up for me?" he asked, hooking a finger underneath her chin to keep her looking into his concerned eyes. No tears gathered in her eyes; it showed how serious she was being.
"Because you're worth it. I love you, Ratchet." she simply said, causing him to smile softly and embrace her in a hug. She embraced him as well, happy to be in his arms, but a tiny voice in the back of her head questioned whether she deserved to be protected by someone as sweet as him.