Goodbye, Wheeljack
"His bond is broken!"
Live and be okay.
The voices encroaching on his consciousness grew louder, and he scrambled away from them desperately. Transforming, he tried to race away but he was held in place. Transforming, he looked down to see what held him and gasped. Two boys clung to his pedes. One was Ratchet, who was leering at him with empty optics and gaping wounds on his chestplates, and the other was Bluestreak, who was clinging to him and sobbing. He wrenched free from them and tried to run but the tangle of voices caught up and engulfed him. -
Wheeljack onlined with a cry and attempted to sit up, but was pushed bak down by a gentle servo to his shoulder.
"Easy there. It's just a dream. And First Aid said you can't get out of the berth just yet." The sound of a voice assaulted his audio receptors, causing him to cringe. Bluestreak leaned into his view, "Are you okay?"
Wheeljack shuttered his optics, "'M fine. Where am I?"
Bluestreak smiled, "You're in Autobot City Medbay. Inferno an' Red Alert transported us here after we eh.. passed out."
"So it actually happened..? The battle? The shuttle crash..? And.. And.. Ratchet's gone..?" Wheeljack's voice cracked as everything that happened crashed into his processor like a tsunami, threatening to put him back into stasis lock.
"Yes.. They happened." Bluestreak answered quietly, "But there are some positive things too. Like the fact that we defeated the Decepticons- and Unicron, I might add- most of us are still alive.. Oh! And we have a new Prime..." Bluestreak trailed off as First Aid joined them, "Hello, Wheeljack. Finally awake I see."
"Hello First Aid.." Wheeljack responded half-heartedly.
"Would you like to sit up?" First Aid asked, glancing up from his data pad, "Just take it easy though. You got hit pretty badly. I don't want you tearing your weldings." He paused as Wheeljack struggled to push himself up. "Do you need help?"
Bluestreak stood up and wrapped his arms under the engineer's arm-joints, pulling him into a sitting position, leaning him against the wall at the head of the berth. He couldn't resist brushing his fingers against the smooth metal of Wheeljack's winglets as he pulled away. A violent shudder rippled down the Lancia's form and a pulse of desire immediately followed through their bond. First Aid watched the with a bemused expression on his faceplates.
As Bluestreak pulled away, a mixture of emotions flitted through his sky blue optics before he settled on careful neutrality, "So, how long have I been out?"
First Aid scrolled down on his data pad a while before answering, "Around the equivalent of five Earth weeks. I had to keep you in induced stasis until we were sure that the long-distance snap and the sudden bonding wouldn't have any ill-effects on your spark. Not to mention all the shots to the chest you took."
"I woke up after a couple orns." Bluestreak put in, then turned towards the far end of the medbay, "Only Prowl is in stasis now." He pointed to a black and white form who lay on the berth, multiple energon feeds and tubes going into him. Jazz slumped next to him, recharging.
"Prowl survived the crash?!" Wheeljack gasped. His winglets dropped until they were almost flat against his back.
"..Yes. He was the only survivor." First Aid shifted uncomfortably.
"If Prowl could survive then why couldn't Ironhide? Or Windcharger? Or Ratchet?!" Wheeljack felt like his spark was trying to burn its way out of his chest. He buried his face in his servos, tears gushing from his optics.
"You should probably go. Ill stay with him." Bluestreak said quietly. After a moment the sound of quiet pedesteps indicated that the medic had left. Bluestreak sat down on the berth and hugged Wheeljack close, "It'll be okay. I promise." Filling his spark with gentle love, he streamed it through their bond to the grieving engineer. To his surprise Wheeljack started pulling away, closing off and drawing into himself.
"Can I.. Can I just be alone, Blue?" Wheeljack asked softly.
The Datsun felt coolant tears prick his optics but he shoved them away. "Sure, 'Jack, I'll.. Just go and see how Jazz and Prowl are doing. If you need me.." He tapped his chestplates, "Call me." Wheeljack touched his own chestplates and turned away. Pawing at his optics and forcing a cheerful smile onto his faceplates, Bluestreak headed past the various berths and patients towards his adopted genitors. Jazz was just waking up. A wide grin appeared on his faceplates once he caught sight of the Datsun. "H-hey Blue."
"Hi Jazz." Bluestreak replied, chuckling, "How's Prowl?" The easy grin that had occupied the saboteur's faceplates faded away as he looked down at his unconscious bondmate, "First Aid still ain't sure whether he'll wake up or not.. And even if he does then'h'might not be fully functional again.." Jazz squeezed Prowl's servo tightly, then shook his helm, clearly wanting to change the subject, "How's 'Jack? Must be tough, losin' a bonded over a long distance.."
"He's upset. Which is understandable," Bluestreak sighed heavily, "But he asked to be alone, which I don't understand. Why can't I comfort my bondmate?" His doorwings drooped.
"If he just wants ta be alone, there ain't nothin' wrong with that." Jazz smiled halfheartedly, "Sometimes all that's needed is a promise that ya'll be there for 'em."
The Datsun nodded and sighed again, "I just wish I could do something to ease his pain."
Jazz stood up and enveloped the bigger mech in a hug, "He'll get better, might take a while, but he will. And everythin'll be okay. I promise."