Jack span and crashed his foot into Rosestorm's face and she snarled, raking her talon like fingers across his chest and he hissed in pain but continued to attack. If he stopped, paused or hesitated for just a second, it would be all over.
He jumped out of the way of another steel fist and the two separated to reappraise each other, the scorching sun sent waves of blurred heat up all around them and Jack knew that both of their bodies were working hard to keep them cool.
"She knows, she knows who you are" Rosestorm muttered absentmindedly and Jack frowned but said nothing, her rambling was becoming nonsensical and he doubted she even knew who she was anymore.
She shifted her weight, and vanished before appearing behind Jack but he ducked under her fist and cracked his knee into her gut doubling her over. Jack them shifted back and kneed her repeatedly in the face with lightening fast movements.
He threw himself away from her and the two stopped, energon was pouring from Rosestorm's face and Jack's chest was doing the same.
"She's awake and she knows, can't lie to her" Rosestorm mumbled, her red optics paling, as though glazed over.
Jack frowned, a nagging voice in the back of his head told him (He suspected it was the primes) that whatever she was saying was important, that it meant something vital.
"Who, Rosestorm who's awake?" Jack asked in the best soothing voice he could manage.
"Arcee"
The base was silent, Raff looked as though he may start crying and Miko just stared absentmindedly at the wall. Optimus turned away and Ratchet sighed, Bumblebee hid his guilt by turning away from them all.
"Well? Where is he?" She demanded, moving to stand but Ratchet stopped her swiftly.
"Don't even think about it, you are not moving off this medical berth until I say so!" He practically snarled at her and she looked taken aback.
"Arcee, Jack…Jack is gone" Optimus told her, still staring down at the floor.
"Gone, where?" She asked and frowned at the way they were all standing, staring at anything but her.
"You…you can't mean that…no" Arcee muttered and shook her head, letting her body lay on the berth, Ratchet muttered something about shock and she lay there.
"He can't…can't be gone" She whispered, the world span and Optimus was calling to her, asking her if she was alright.
"Optimus sir…oh"
Her head shot around at the new voice and she stared at the speaker, and she recalled something that had been said to her by the femme, the decepticon femme.
"Jack is dead sweetheart. They call him Riptide now"
She stared at him, and he tried not to stare back but found himself incapable.
"Riptide, this is Arcee" Optimus introduced and Arcee stared at him.
"I thought you said Jack was dead"
The group frowned, Jack cursed in his head and Bumblebee sighed.
"Arcee, this isn't Jack…it's Riptide" Bulkhead told her and she shook her head.
"No, it's Jack. That's what she said, the femme. She said she was called Sasha" Arcee told them and Ratchet found his eyes drawn to Riptide.
"Sasha Clearwater. Her name was Sasha Clearwater" Jack muttered and the group stared at him, none really knew how to feel.
"Jack?" Optimus asked, and he nodded.
A single, confirming nod.
"They didn't know, why didn't you tell them?" Arcee asked him, confused and worried Jack.
"We influenced him, prevented him"
Optimus sighed and shook his head, Jack frowned at the primes statements.
"I wasn't influenced by anybody" He grunted and everyone beside Optimus frowned.
"You are inexperienced, I doubt you even realised it" Optimus told him and the group continued to stare.
"Dude, how come Jack get's to be a giant robot?" Miko demanded and Bulkhead gave her a scolding glance.
"Miko, this isn't a joke. We thought he was dead" Bulkhead scorned her and she nodded indignantly.
"I know! But didn't he just say something about being influenced?" She asked and Bulkhead grumbled and nodded.
Raff frowned, and put forward an excellent question.
"What do we tell June?"
Hey, I hate this chapter. Just thought I'd let you all know this.
KnockOut'sFanGirl221, I was on holiday for two weeks, but the updates should speed up now so I hope I don't disappoint.
Foxbear, time has finally run out for him, but the story is far from over. This chapter had terrible flow, my holiday knocked out my writing style.
Shadow visor, I hope this explained it, she did remember, but it took her a moment to really get her head around it.
Lionfire, And entertain you do, plus, favourite? I feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
Read and Review guys.
Tulip Out.
