Megatron onlines his optics slowly when the alarm from his chronometer wakes him from the limited amount of recharge he has managed to get during the night. While his thoughts had been preoccupied with Thundercracker's sudden seizure and general situation after his talk with Echo, he had thankfully not heard anything further regarding the blue seeker.
There had been a few issues elsewhere, but nothing that had needed his direct interfering, and at some point, he must have fallen into recharge.
The night watch seems to have managed to handle the usual scuffles that occur during the night shift on his own, and when Megatron checks his messages, there are no urgent ones. A tank-former has been to the medical bay with a minor wound while the troublemaker has spent the night alone in isolation.
Nothing unusual.
What he really wants to know is how Thundercracker feels after a good night of recharge and how badly the blue seeker has hurt himself during the seizure.
::Status on Thundercracker?:: He asks on the general communications line.
::Haven't been by him yet, but I will go to him now if you want?:: Nova, the psychiatric nurse on duty, responds.
::I would like that, yes. Please report back to me when you have done it.:: Megatron answers and rises from his berth to get a cube of energon while he waits for the nurse to report back to him.
Thundercracker wakes at the sound of knocking on his door but remains in the berth. He doesn't feel ready to face the world around him, and tears run slowly down his cheeks.
A few moments later, the door opens and closes softly. Thundercracker can hear footsteps coming closer, and there is a gentle knock on the doorframe as the visitor walks into his berth room.
"Good morning, Thundercracker. How are you feeling?" Nova asks gently as he sits down on the edge of the berth, his hand carefully touching the blue seeker's back to not startle Thundercracker.
There is no answer.
"I heard you had a bad evening. May I see?" He asks, his hand moving up Thundercracker's back in a soothing caress while being careful not to touch the trembling wings.
Once again, there is no answer, but Thundercracker slowly turns around to allow the nurse to see his scratched chestplates. There are some dried energon on them and the paint is gone at places.
The blue seeker's optics are offline with a wet sheen in the corners while his cheeks are full of fresh and dried tear-streaks, and Nova pulls his kit from subspace.
"Will you allow me to clean your face? Then we can go to the medical bay and get your chest fixed if you want to?" He asks, his optics full of care as he waits for Thundercracker to give any indication of consent.
"Yes," Thundercracker answers after a little while, his voice rough, and he onlines his optics to watch as Nova finds a warm damp cloth among his supplies.
When the cloth touches his face and Nova with great care begins to clean away the dried traces of tears staining his cheeks, new tears start to fall from Thundercracker's optics, and he spontaneously reaches for the nurse's hand with a spark-wrenching sob: "I miss them. The feeling of their curious fields and tiny spark pulses close to my spark. I know they are out there, but they are gone. I will never get to see them and it hurts so much to know that."
"I know," Nova says, his voice full of empathy, and he places his free hand in reassurance over Thundercracker's as he meets the blue seeker's sorrow-filled optics. Then after a few moments, he returns to cleaning away the tears, knowing that his presence is all that he can offer and that it is enough in most cases.
After he has brought Thundercracker to the medical bay, Nova sits down at a console to write his report. It is going to be a rather significant one. Until now, the blue seeker has refused to talk about the loss he has suffered, and to hear Thundercracker finally put words on his spark-deep sorrow is a step in the right direction. It opens up for further talks and will hopefully lead to further openness from the blue seeker about the other traumas he has refused to talk about.
When Nova has finished his report, he sends a notification to Echo before contacting Megatron to deliver his information on Thundercracker's state as the director had wished.
Skywarp follows Blastwave towards the elevator that will bring them to the other levels of the rehabilitation facility. He had had a good recharge and only woke when the guard knocked on his door for entrance.
Stepping into the elevator, he curiously studies the rehabilitation facility's levels. It doesn't look like much from the outside, reaching only four stories above the ground. Below ground, however, is an entirely different situation, and Blastwave pushes the button reading level -10.
"Level -10. Flight simulator. Common rooms. Library." A voice informs from the elevator's speaker when it starts to descend.
He looks at Blastwave with hope in his optics.
Is it true?
"We need to know how you react to flight before we send you into the open air," Blastwave tells him, well-versed in the basic treatment plan. "When your psychologist has cleared you for flight, you will be allowed small escorted sessions in the air."
His spark feels like bursting at the prospect of being allowed to fly, yet suddenly tears flow from his optics and he starts to sob violently without knowing why.
Why is he suddenly so emotional?
He gets embraced in a firm, reassuring hug, and it just makes him cry even more.
"It's okay. Just let it out," Blastwave says soothingly. "Don't hold it in. It is okay to show weakness. You are free, and no one is going to hurt you anymore."
The elevator pings and vocally informs them that they have reached level -10. The door starts to open, but Blastwave stops it.
"The flight simulator is down a little corridor to the right when we step out. I can't promise that we won't meet someone on the way. Take the time you need." He tells Skywarp and releases the black and purple seeker from his embrace.
Grateful for the chance to compose himself, Skywarp wipes away the tears staining his face and arranges his wings in a less agitated state. He shows Blastwave that he is ready with a nod, and the door opens.
They step into a large wide corridor, and the first thing Skywarp notices is the sounds coming from further down it. Casual talk mixed with genuine, humorous laughter flows down the corridor from several doorways, and at the end, there is a massive door with 'Library' written on a sign above.
When was the last time he heard sincere laughter?
He can't remember, and once again, his facade starts to crack.
"Come," Blastwave says and leads him to the right and down the smaller corridor.
As the laughter fades away, they meet a small flier with a nametag on his left shoulder: "Serenity." Blastwave greets with a nod as they pass.
The wide door at the end of the corridor opens when they reach it, and Skywarp stares in awe when they enter. The room must be three floors high and has staircases along the walls to access the upper levels. There is a regular flight simulator in the center of the room where you get strapped-in in your alt-mode and lifted from the ground. Off to the sides, there are stasis-pods in different sizes to accommodate every type of fliers, where the more specialized flight simulations and tests can be performed.
"Impressive, isn't it?" A voice asks, and Skywarp looks away from the flight simulator hanging in the air to locate the voice's owner. Standing on a podium approximately a floor above them, he sees a small beige carrier that looks down at him with a bright smile.
"I'm Echo, your assigned psychologist. We will see a lot of each other so let's not waste time with empty talk. I'm certain that you can't wait to get up there and stretch your wings," Echo introduces herself. "But first we need to know how you react. When was the last time you transformed?"
"I can't remember," Skywarp answers with lowering wings. "It wasn't allowed."
"Don't worry. Step into the middle of that circle and let's see if we can get those cogs moving," Echo reassures him and gestures towards the middle of the room.