Explosions and gunfire sounded everywhere all at once. I was feeling too anxious. I knew Sideways would be out there, but I didn't care. I wanted to get out there and fight. I couldn't let the Bots take both Starscream and Sideways on to protect me. I had to do something.
"Will you stop pacing like that! Primus, you're irritating!" Barricade snapped. I stopped my pacing and turned to face them. Sunstreaker and Barricade were sitting on opposite sides of the room, sulking either because they couldn't join the battle or because they were stuck with me. My guess, with the look on their faces, it was both. I couldn't help but feel guilty that they had to stay behind while the others were risking their lives. I guess they could tell how I felt by the look on my face. Both of their faces softened considerably.
"No, I didn't mean it like that Sam." he tried to explain. I narrowed my eyes and turned my back to them.
"No, but you still said it. You guys shouldn't be here, you should be out there fighting!" I nearly shouted the last part, clenching my fists. "Why are you bothering to babysit me when it's obvious you don't want to!"
Barricade shot up so fast, i barely had time to register his anger and frustration before he glared at me. Sunstreaker shot up as well to make sure Barricade didn't get too violent.
"Will you just shut up! We're here to protect you Sam! Are you that stupid? When are you going to stop blaming yourself for everything that's happened?" he shouted. I looked down, refusing to meet his gaze. How could he possibly know that? I was to blame for everything- this attack, me getting kidnapped and almost killing Barricade, my mental health, my mother-
"You didn't kill your mother, Sideways did." My head shot up, and I looked back at him. His face was dead serious as were his optics.
"Barricade." Sunstreaker warned as he gripped Barricade's shoulder. He had the look of death on his faceplates.
He shrugged off the hand. "No, she needs to hear it Sunstreaker. Like it or not, I'm going to protect this girl with my life. I may not be an Autobot, but I'm not a Decepticon either."
"She doesn't need you to watch over her! That's what she has me for!" Sunstreaker shouted at him. I covered my ears just to deafen both the fighting in here and the battle out there.
"Stop it." I whispered. Flashes of the accident played in my mind in segments.
The light turning green.
The pair of speeding headlights.
"Yeah, and we can all see how that worked out." Barricade retorted.
"Stop it." I whimpered, a little louder. They still weren't paying attention. I was alone.
The car was upside-down, a mangled wreck.
A little girl, with her eyes barely opened and covered in blood, watched the retreating car.
"What did you say?" Sunstreaker growled, activating his cannon. Barricade, in selfdefense, activated his as well.
"No." I whimpered. Tears formed when my next memory played.
A young girl at a cemetery as her mother was laid to rest. Her eyes were completely emotionless.
A gleam of silver and the sound of spinning tires caught her attention as she watched the pretty silver sports car speed away.
"STOP IT!" I screamed, sinking to my knees, my head in my hands, trying to stop the noise and the memories. "Just stop it! Please." I whispered.
Sunstreaker and Barricade froze and lowered their weapons, staring at me with shock and worry.
"Sam." Sunstreaker said softly.
I was on my knees, my head in my hands, trying to stop the terrible headache that was pounding away.
"Please, just stop." I whimpered in pain. I heard them rush to my side and a large hand rubbing my back.
"Sunstreaker to Ratchet, come in." I heard Sunstreaker's voice.
The explosions were getting louder and voices were starting to fade. I opened my eyes and looked up, wishing now that I hadn't. My vision was swirling and fading. I felt my body slowly begin to shut down on me.
"Sam, you have to stay awake." Barricade's voice sounded so distant, i could barely make out what he was saying.
There was one voice I heard before I drifted into unconsciousness.
"You will be mine."
(A/N: I'm going for different screenshots because I like to tink of my stories being like movies instead of stories, so that's what going to go on. Don't freak out, it was done on purpose!)
"Sunstreaker to Ratchet, come in!" Sunstreaker shouted after Sam fell unconscious.
"What is it, Sunstreaker? I'm kind of busy at the moment." Ratchet responded, dodging another round of missiles shot by Starscream. "Can't it wait."
"Not unless you're not worried about Sam being unconscious because of another relapse." came the reply. Ratchet froze.
"What?"
"And Ratchet…"
"…they're getting worse." Sunstreaker finished as he stared at the unconscious girl in Barricade's hand. Barricade had just caught her before she hit the ground. They stared with worry at her pale and sweaty face, holding so much pain.
"I'll be there as soon as I can." Ratchet said, then shutting off the comm. link.
Rachet looked on at the battle with a mix of frustration and worry.
"Slag it." he cursed to himself.
"Sounds like you got your servos pretty full," Ratchet turned around at the mocking voice behind him, "wouldn't you agree, Doc?" Ratchet narrowed his optics.
"Sideways." he growled. Sideways laughed.
"It's good to see you till remember me, I thought that I have been forgotten." he said almost dramatically.
"How could anyone forget a foul, disgusting, lying piece of-" Ratchet's voice rose with each word, but Sideways cut him off.
"Temper, temper, Ratchet. Such stresses can't be good for your old age." he grinned.
"What are you talking about?" Ratchet snarled, his frame shaking with pure anger that at any moment he would strike.
"Don't play dumb with me, you know exactly what I'm talking about." Ratchet stayed quiet, letting Sideways continue, praying to Primus that the one guess he had in mind was wrong.
"I'm talking about how you're a medic, not a warrior. You have hundreds of patients, both Autobot and human, and you can't possibly hold your own in battle. Not to mention," he paused for an effect, "a teenage daughter with two untrustworthy guardians."
That was the final straw.
Ratchet charged at Sideways, but he dodged and slammed Ratchet into the ground forcefully.
"Sam is not a problem to me, and her guardians are more than trustworthy to protect her!" he grunted as he tried to get up. Sideways snarled and slammed his foot onto Ratchet's back and sent him back to the ground.
"How can you lie to yourself to easily. One guardian went behind your back and bonded with her, while the other was a Decepticon. And you say you trust both with Samantha's life? Tsk, tsk, sounds like someone is in denial." he leaned closer to Ratchet's audio receptor. "Why don't you let me relieve you of your troubles and take the girl off your processor?"
Suddenly, Ratchet sprang up, sending Sideways tumbling back. Before he could recover, Ratchet tackled him.
"Don't you ever talk about her that way! I love her and I made a promise to protect her with my very spark! I refuse to let the likes of you take her away from me again!" he shouted in Sideways' face. Sideways' expression didn't falter, actually, he almost seemed pleased with Ratchet's reaction. It was then Ratchet figured he might have made a terrible mistake.
"You know, it might just be me, but I'll wager that your and Sam's relationship has grown somewhat stronger in the last ten years. Why, I remember at the funeral, Sam refused to even look at anyone." Ratchet's eyes snapped wide.
"How would you know that?" Again, Sideways chuckled.
"I was there." Ratchet became enraged and slammed Sideways on the ground, clamping his neck. "You don't believe me? Ask her yourself. Oh, and ask her about our little bond. I'm sure she'll love to explain that story." Ratchet let out one last growl before standing up and running towards the base.
"Optimus, Sam is unconscious. I'm heading to their location now."
"You're clear Ratchet. We'll cover for you."
"Thank you Optimus." Ratchet ran through the battlefield, the base entrance getting closer.
"Where the frag is that medic?" Barricade shouted. Sam was still unconscious and was lying limp in Barricade's hand. Sunstreaker had contacted Ratchet nearly half an hour ago, and he still wasn't there. Sunstreaker still stood, stressing out and not knowing what to do. He tried waking her up throughout he bond, but he couldn't feel her side.
"I don't know!" he shouted. He ran his servos over his head, trying to calm down.
Rushed and heavy footsteps sounded down the hall and Sunstreaker and Barricade stood at the ready, prepared to face any Con that dare trespass. They relaxed, though, when they saw it was Ratchet.
"Where is she?" he asked, out of breath. Barricade over out of the way so Ratchet could get to the unconscious girl lying on the floor.
"Out of breath already, doc?" Sunstreaker teased, trying to lighten the mood. Ratchet didn't respond, he was too busy looking over Sam.
"What took you so long?" Barricade asked. Ratchet paused for a moment, then resumed.
"I had a run in with Sideways." Both mechs visibly tensed.
"What happened?" Sunstreaker asked.
"Nothing worth repeating." he mumbled. 'But it's something worth asking Sam about.' he thought.
My head hurt. My eyes hurt. I felt tired. I want to sleep. Everything was quiet now. So peaceful. It was really dark, I couldn't see, but I also had my eyes closed. I felt myself floating, not really going anywhere.
What happened to me?
"Sam? Sam, wake up. Please wake up, Sam." That voice. Why does it sound so familiar? "Sam, it's me, Sunstreaker, come on! Don't you dare pretend that you can't hear me through the bond!"
But I can hear you, I just don't know how to respond! I don't even know where I am. Who are you?
"Ratchet should be hear soon. I just contacted him." the voice said. A deeper, more dangerous voice growled in frustration.
"He better hurry up and get here! I hate this waiting game and I don't think she can afford it."
Who's she? Were they talking about me? Were they going to get me out of here? I hope so.
Suddenly there was a flash of white, and then I was in some strange place. It was at a cemetery, I was by myself in front of a tombstone; or, at least I thought I was. I looked down and noticed a little girl standing in front of it. She looked so sad, yet so familiar. This whole place was familiar.
I walked around the girl to get a better view of her face. I almost gasped at the sight of her. Bandages. She had been injured somehow. She looked like she was in pain that was being mixed with her sadness.
Her lips moved and a single word came out, but no sound.
"What? What did you say?" I asked. She didn't move, she only looked up and stared straight ahead. Curious, I followed her gaze and watched as a shiny silver ferrari sped away. A pang of remembrance hit me like a speeding semi and suddenly, I remembered everything!
Those voices were Sunstreaker and Barricade. I had fallen unconscious.
This place is the cemetery my mother was buried at.
That little girl is me.
She said the word "Mommy".
That silver ferrari was Sideways.
I gasped at the sudden impact and looked around. Sideways had vanished and so had my younger self.
I placed my hand to my head. The headache was coming back. I looked around and noticed that this world was melting away.
"Sam? Sam, can you hear me?" a new voice asked. I knew that voice-Ratchet?
"Ratchet! Where are you?" I called out. The world continuing to melt away to black. There was no response, I couldn't hear him anymore.
"What's going on? Where am I?" The world went back to a dark void and I was alone again.
"Trapped like a prisoner in your own mind." came a deep, dark, yet, familiar voice.
"Who's there?" I demanded.
"Pity, and here I thought I made a lasting impression. It did take long enough to figure it was me at the cemetery. But I guess that's how feeble the human mind is."The voice seemed to be getting closer, yet all I saw was darkness.
"Sideways." I growled. "So it was you I saw that day. How could I have forgotten about that?" I asked, mostly to myself.
"You humans really are pathetic, aren't you? You're rendered unconscious too easily, you can't go days without food or water, and you're weak and squishy. Disgusting. Not even worth becoming slaves. And, you have terrible memory."
"What do you want?"
"I figured that would've been obvious by now. Honestly, if you haven't figured it out yet, then you're just a waste of time and I should just kill you right now."
"You can't kill me. You can't even find me."
"Is that a challenge? What if I told you that I could find you, anywhere in the universe? What if, after our little time in the warehouse, you and I now have some sort of bond with each other; all I would have to do is open the bond and bingo, it's like my own little tracking device. How do you think we're talking to each other right now?"
I couldn't reply, I couldn't even breathe. Was he telling the truth? Do we really have a bond? Or was it all in my head, a nightmare?
"Oh, this is very real, Sam. You will be mine!"
My eyes shot open and I sat up so quickly, I was dizzy. Completely drenched in sweat, shaking like a leaf, and panting. Why was it so damn hot in here? I looked around and discovered I was in the Med Bay. The lights were off and no one was there, which lead me to believe that it was night. Wow, I slept through the battle? That's a new one.
"Sam?" I looked over to the voice and saw Ratchet enter. I didn't even hear him until he said something.
"Hey, Ratch." I replied. He came over and started scanning me.
"How are you feeling?" he asked, not even bothering to hide the concern and worry in his voice. I shrugged.
"I feel like shit." I gave a little smirk, and his tension eased up.
"You had us all completely worried. My scans couldn't pick up anything wrong." He sounded frustrated and confused. Honestly, I was too.
"I don't know how to describe it. It felt like I was in a dream. A memory. I was at the cemetery where mom was buried, and I saw something. A gleam of silver that sped away." Ratchet tensed up, but I continued. "It was Sideways."
Ratchet turned away and cursed under his breath. "That slagger! He was telling the truth." The proceeded to curse in Cybertronian.
"Ratchet? Are you okay?" I asked. He turned his attention to me with a hard gaze. I gulped and wanted to shrink back. That was the look I got whenever I was in trouble.
"How long have you known? Why have you been keeping secrets from me?"
"Ratchet, I don't know what you're talking about. I-I" I stuttered. I had no idea what I did wrong, but whatever it was it really pissed Ratchet off.
"How long have you known that it was Sideways at the cemetery?" he said a little louder. My mouth hung open in shock.
"Is that what this is all about? I don't know how long, I guess always, but it didn't click until now. In case you haven't realized, I was mourning the death of my mother!" I snapped. I knew that was a hard blow, but I couldn't help it. I was so mad.
"What else have you been hiding from me?" he asked, his voice getting dangerously low.
"I'm not hiding anything from you!" I shouted desperately. I can't tell him about Sideways. I just can't. I don't want to. But how long can I keep it hidden before I cave in?
"Don't you dare lie to me Samantha Jane Cross! I know you well enough by now to know when you're lying to me. Tell me the truth, or so help me, I'll lock you up so tight that not even you're bond with Sunstreaker can break through it." I was frozen with fear, he sounded like he would follow through with his threat. He seemed to calm down a little and looked away with shame.
"Every time you distance yourself from me, when hide yourself, I feel like I'm slowly losing you. I've lost your mother, I can't lose you too. You're my child and I just want you to trust me enough to tell me what's going on. I don't know everything Sam."
I looked down, still not wanting to say anything. How could I tell him that Sideways forced a bond on me? How did I not notice it before?
"I know about the bond between you and Sideways." he finally said. I looked up, shocked.
"H-How?"
"He told me before I went to find you, Sunstreaker and, Barricade." I looked back down.
'Great. He must hate me now. Why can't I ever do anything right?' I thought. I barely noticed Ratchet picking me up and holding me to his spark.
"Nothing you ever do will make me stop loving you. Just know that. I will always be here to protect you. We'll kill Sideways and destroy the bond. Don't worry." he said so gently, it was starting to lull me to sleep.
Even with Ratchet's comforting words, I still couldn't shake this fear.
Hoped you enjoyed this chapter! I'm starting to lose where I'm going with this storyline because I have so many ideas. I'm trying to narrow them down. So it might be a while.