Returning to Riella! Let me know what you think!

Chapter 23: Riella's POV

I paced outside the medbay door, ignoring the slight stab each time I moved. "Come on, Ratchet," I growled under my breath. "Prowl, hold on…I won't lose you to some blasted scout. I won't." His spark was stable, but how long would that last. "Ratchet, hurry…"

"He'll be okay, Riella." Sideswipe limped over to me and put a hand on my shoulder, as much to stay upright as it was to comfort me. "Ratchet's the best there is; you know that."

I nodded. "You should sit still. Otherwise, that knee joint is going to give out again."

He shrugged. "Only if you rest too. Pacing and tearing your side open won't help Prowl."

"If you say so." I helped him back over to the makeshift bench and sat down next to him. "Where's Sunny?"

Sideswipe pointed in the general direction of the destroyed comm room. "He and Blue are covering for Blaster. Bee is on south watch with Jazz."

"Got it." Come on, Prowl…hang in there. Hang in there.

The medbay door slid open, and I jumped up. "Prowl?"

"He's stable." First Aid gestured to me. "If you'll come in here, I'll treat those injuries. Can't have you passing out."

I shook my head. "Take care of Sideswipe first. I can wait."

Aid took my uninjured arm firmly. "Medic's orders. He's not bleeding, you are. Let's go."

"Fine." I let him pull me into the medbay. "You'll make sure he's taken care of soon?"

Aid nodded as he guided me to the nearest empty berth. The medbay was crowded, but I could just see my mate, with Ratchet leaning over him.

"Prowl!"

"No," First Aid snapped, pushing me down onto the berth. "Give Ratchet the space he needs." Before I could protest, he pressed an injector against my main energon vein, and my entire left side went numb.

"Slag, Aid," I muttered, given no choice except to lay back. "That's not fair."

Aid started carefully welding the seam on my side back together. "I promise. Prowl will be fine. Now please hold still so I can fix this – what is it?"

Soundwave nodded to him. "I apologize for the interruption, First Aid. I simply wanted to speak to Riella."

The expression on the medic's face implied that he was ready to give up entirely. "Fine. Just don't get in my way."

Soundwave sat down beside me. "I was going to discuss this with Prowl, but since he's still in treatment, I'll talk to you. Are you aware of my son's…attraction…to your daughter?"

"Yes." I stared at the ceiling. "And she is attracted to him, I believe."

"When I went to see them, what I saw indicated that you are more than right."

My optics widened, and I tried to sit up, only to fall back when my left shoulder wouldn't cooperate. "What you saw? They weren't…."

"No," Soundwave said quickly. "They were just talking, but the way Hyperjump was comforting your daughter, and the way she turned to him…"

I had to smile ruefully. "Prowl's gonna love this."