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Ratchet POV

It felt like it was taking an eternity.

That's how it felt as Ratchet drove from Memphis to Texas. He wanted to believe he was driving fast enough that he'd make it to Desirée in time, before her condition worsened. But it felt like the more he was trying, the slower time seemed to move. His processors were filled to the brim with fear of the Autobots left fighting Galvatron, and Desirée and her condition.

It was overwhelming, the intensity of Ratchet's anxieties over the situation.

He tried keeping his processors cleared and focused, so he wouldn't come off as distracted when the time called for it, but it was proving to be difficult.

Speeding up just a little, Ratchet hoped he'd make it to the Yeager farm in record time.

Primus only knew how much longer Desirée could last without medical attention.

Optimus POV

Everything seemed to move in slow motion.

The Autobots did everything they thought was necessary to distract Galvatron. The artificial Transformer was steadily starting to lose his grip on the fighting situation, and it was starting to become noticeable to the tired, injured Autobots. Optimus was trying to use Galvatron's slip to his advantage, but he wasn't sure where a good opening would be with the enemy moving all over the place and shooting wildly.

The second he doesn't evade one of the Autobots' attacks, I'll attack him, Optimus thought warily.

Hound was using one of his machine guns against Galvatron, who was avoiding them easily, though it was becoming more and more sloppy.

Sideswipe was trying to use his speed against Galvatron; Crosshairs was trying to use his guns against the enemy; Ironhide even using his vast supply of cannons against the enemy.

Bumblebee was using his cannon to try and hit a vital opening, so maybe someone could use a finishing blow.

"Keep trying, Autobots," Optimus said through the ComLink, his voice sounding strained. "Don't give up. We can still defeat him."

Optimus had his sword in one hand, having taken the gun Galvatron dropped on the ground in the other. His optics stayed on Galvatron's every move; not for one second was the enemy out of Prime's sight. If he was going to be of any use during the ordeal, he was going to make sure that Galvatron had some serious damage.

"We're running out of ammo, Prime," Hound exclaimed. "Can't hold up much longer!"

Silently cursing, Optimus took note of his limited time to attack.

The moment the Autobots ran out of ammo, they'd have to resort to physical confrontation, and that would be even more difficult. Optimus couldn't hit Galvatron without causing harm to at least one of his Autobots.

Scowling, Optimus kept a very close eye on Galvatron.

Hound was still using his machine gun on him, though Galvatron's evasion technique was slowing down and it was obvious that the injury Bumblebee had inflicted was starting to show itself. Galvatron would wince in pain, occasionally grabbing at the injured area, as if applying some kind of pressure to it would ease the pain he was probably feeling.

After avoiding more of Hound's bullets, Galvatron materialized a couple feet behind Hound. Raising a gun with his good arm, a sneer showed up on Galvatron's face.

Using that opportunity to his advantage, Optimus raised the gun he took from Galvatron and fired.

Desirée POV

I gripped my stomach tightly in my hands. I'd been vomiting a lot lately, and it's been leaving my stomach cramping, my throat burning and feeling like it had been rubbed with sandpaper, and my lungs burning intensely. My eyes felt sandy and dry, and my entire body felt soar.

I thought this was some kind of infection, I thought miserably. It feels more like some demon cold or something.

The baby had started moving a little since the Autobots' absence, not enough to make some kind of difference, but I could just barely feel it if I pressed my hands hard enough against my hard stomach.

"It's OK, baby," I murmured hoarsely. "Everything's going to be just fine."

There was a soft knock on my closed bedroom door. Frequently, almost routinely, there would be checkups by Drift and occasionally Cade and the others would talk to me from the other side of the closed door. I knew they meant well, they wanted to know if I was improving at all, even though I knew they had a feeling I wasn't.

"Who is it?" I called, my throat burning.

"It's Cade."

I swallowed thickly, trying to clear my throat before I continued talking.

"What's up?"

There was a moment of silence.

"Cade?" I called hesitantly.

"Sam's coming by to visit," he responded, sounding almost as hesitant.

My brows furrowed at that.

Sam's coming to visit? What about Carly and Daniel? He's just going to leave them? I shook that thought out of my head. He wouldn't just pack up and leave Carly and Daniel to visit me or anyone else - he'd take his family with him. He seems like he loves being a father too much to just leave whenever he wants.

"Why's he coming to visit?"

"I told him about you not feeling well and he got really worried," Cade responded. "But I told him he couldn't come in your room, or he'd make your condition even more serious."

I gave a small smile at that. Cade was worried about my health, my wellbeing.

Of course he's worried, I thought warily. He's a good friend. That's what good friends do - they worry about your health and wellbeing.

"Thank you," I called, before another wave of nausea hit.

At that point, I had vomited so much, it felt like there was nothing left to vomit. I was pretty much dry heaving. I couldn't really hold down any of the food or liquids I was given, and I was guessing I was probably severely dehydrated and extremely hungry.

The stomach cramps kind of outweighed any other kinds of signs that I'd be hungry or dehydrated - the only thing my mind seemed to be focusing on was my severe discomfort and the pain I was feeling.

Optimus POV

Galvatron looked at Optimus with a wild look in his optics. The bullet had hit Galvatron's shoulder, taking out a lot. Galvatron's facial plates turned up into a wild sneer as he regarded the rest of the Autobots.

"This isn't over, Prime," he hissed. "I'll finish you - all of you - with an army all of my own. Then after all of you have been slaughtered, I'll destroy this wretched planet once and for all."

Galvatron erupted into those all-too-familiar small cubes (though his transformation seemed to be a bit shaken up), and transformed back into his grey truck form. It seemed as though, even as a truck form, there was significant damage. It made Optimus wonder just how far he'd get with injuries like that, and how on earth he'd be able to find someone willing to repair him.

Dropping the now useless gun onto the floor, Optimus looked at the other Autobots, damaged and exhausted.

They had done all that they could with the threat of Galvatron, and in that moment, the only thing going through Optimus's processors was getting back to Desirée.

QUICKY A/N:

I HOPE ALL YOU MOTHERS OUT THERE HAD A WONDERFUL MOTHER'S DAY! AND I HOPE YOU GUYS ENJOYED THIS UPDATE.

OK, I NEED A LITTLE HELP FROM YOU GUYS. THIS MIGHT NOT SEEM IMPORTANT TO THE STORY, BUT I JUST NEEDED TO MAKE SURE I GOT THIS RIGHT FOR THE SEQUAL.

IN THE STORY RIGHT NOW, UP TO THE POINT WHERE THE AUTOBOTS WERE FIGHTING GALVATRON IN MEMPHIS, I WAS TRYING TO REMEMBER - OR DETERMINE - DESIRÉE'S AGE, SAOIRSE'S AGE, AND EDEN'S AGE.

I AM GUESSING THAT, UP TO THIS POINT, DESIRÉE HAS TO BE AT LEAST 29 YEARS OLD. IF SHE WERE TO STILL BE AGING, I WOULD ASSUME THAT WOULD BE HER AGE.

SAOIRSE WOULD PROBABLY BE 8 OR 9 YEARS OLD; WHICH WOULD MEAN THAT EDEN WOULD PROBABLY BE AROUND 6 OR 7.

PLEASE HELP ME WITH THIS! FOR THE SEQUAL, I'D NEED TO KNOW THEIR AGES. SO IF ANYONE'S BEEN KEEPING TABS ON THEIR AGE UP UNTIL THIS POINT, WOULD YOU PLEASE LET ME KNOW?

THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR READING AND REVIEWING, IT MAKES THIS STORY EVEN BETTER WHEN YOU GUYS DO THAT!

STAY SNAPPY.

THANK YOU, ONE AND ALL.

READ, REVIEW, ENJOY!

YOURS TRULY,

~SMITHY