Hey hey hey! New updated chapter! Happy day! This chapter ended up changing A LOT from the original one, which is why it took a little longer to get published. Hope you enjoy it though :)
Also, I hope that everyone is doing well and staying healthy amidst the circumstances around the world with the virus. Praying for this to all pass quickly. We're going to make it!
Please note: I do not own Transformers. I do, however, have my own OC's which I have inserted into the story. My OC's include Reese Shields and Chase Sanders. Electra belongs to my sister.
Change is Scary
Nnnggh… Am I awake? What happened? Who turned on the lights? Why are the lights so bright? Ugh… someone turn them back off. Give me five more minutes.
Reese rolled over, trying to block the light from her eyes. Even seeing the light through her closed eyelids was enough to make her head swim.
Hmmmm… I feel weird… Something isn't right.
This time Reese sat up, rubbing her eyes with her hands. It was then that reality began to set in. Her hands were not soft and warm like hands should be, rather, they were cold and metallic.
Am I still dreaming?
She looked down at her hands in surprise, and they looked exactly like how they felt, cold and metallic. Actually, it wasn't just her hands, the metallic implants stretched all the way up her arms to her shoulders, leaving only bits of skin exposed here and there.
"Oh God! What happened to me!?" she finally voiced her thoughts audibly. Anxiety rose in her chest as she continued to stare down at her now mostly metal arms. Pain that she hadn't noticed before suddenly reared its ugly head as well. Burning and stinging emanated up her arms, starting at her fingertips and working its way up to her shoulders and into her back and spine. The pain also came from her legs. Did that mean…?
Despite the growing pain, Reese swung her legs over the side of the gurney, flinging the blankets back. Sure enough, the same metal implants that covered her arms also covered her legs and feet.
"No, no no no no no no," Reese uttered repeatedly, her anxiety growing into full blown panic. "This isn't real! This is a dream! It has to be!" She was practically yelling to herself now, trying to convince her own brain that she was still dreaming. In her panicked state, she climbed off the gurney, frantic to find someone, anyone, to wake her from this lucid nightmare. Her legs were not ready for her to do that, though, and they collapsed beneath her, causing her to elicit a sharp yelp of pain as she crumpled to the floor. "I hurt. I shouldn't be able to feel pain in a dream… But this has to be a dream. It just has to be."
The crashing sounds of Reese falling off the gurney alerted a nearby Ratchet and he came running into the med bay.
"Reese, what are you doing!? You shouldn't be up and about right now!
"Ratchet! Quick, you gotta make me wake up!" Reese frantically crawled towards the bot's peds.
"What are you talking about? You are awake." Ratchet looked down at Reese in confusion.
"No… I can't be awake. I must be dreaming right now. There is no other way to explain the fact that I'm covered in metal."
"Reese, listen to me. Everything will be explained, but first, you need to calm down.
"How can you expect me to be calm when half of me is covered in metal!?" Reese cried, looking up at Ratchet with a panic-stricken face.
"Primus, I wish I hadn't lost it with June," Ratchet muttered under his breath. As much as the woman got on his nerves, he had to admit that she had a knack at calming Reese down out of panic attacks. "I… Uh…"
"Ratchet, I heard voices. Is Reese awake?" Optimus came walking into the med bay, eliciting a sigh of relief from Ratchet. Optimus' timing was impeccable, as always.
Optimus stopped short when he saw Reese on the floor, curled into a ball, and Ratchet standing nearby looking completely bewildered.
"Optimus… Could you?" Ratchet motioned to Reese, giving Optimus a wordless plea for help. Optimus was better at dealing with humans than Ratchet was, and the medic was all too eager to put the responsibility of calming the panicked teen into Optimus' servos.
"I see," Optimus looked momentarily taken aback, but quickly pushed any hesitation aside and stepped forward, crouching down close to Reese. "Reese, are you okay?"
"No… I'm not," Reese trembled. Her heart was pounding in her chest, and she found it difficult to breathe. It felt like someone had dropped a stack of textbooks right on her chest, forcing the air out of her lungs. Her clothes clung to her body, soaking wet from the perspiration, and her stomach twisted and turned into a thousand tiny knots. "What… What happened to me?" She barely sputtered, choking on her words.
"I will explain everything, but you need to be in a better state of mind before I can. You're panicking. This is a normal reaction. I have seen it in soldiers who have suffered terrible trauma. Would it be okay if I walked you through some techniques that could help you calm down?" Optimus spoke gently and soothingly. Being a commanding officer meant that he knew well how to deal with panicking individuals.
Reese looked up at Optimus for a moment, before finally nodding her head. The pressure inside was becoming unbearable.
"Alright, let's start with you telling me exactly what you are feeling physically. What are your senses picking up?"
"I… I don't know. There is too much."
"What do your hands feel?"
"They feel cold. Hard. They sting."
"Okay, now tell me what you hear."
Reese closed her eyes, focusing on her surroundings. "I hear beeping. Faint humming coming from the computers. I hear the fans of the air conditioning running."
"Good, now tell me what you can smell."
"I… I smell metal and energon. I smell disinfectant too."
"Okay, now I want you to open your eyes. Tell me what you see."
Reese opened her eyes, squinting a little. "I see… A lot of things."
"List them."
"I see you, and Ratchet. The computers. The room. I see vivid colours. Everything is very bright. Did someone make the lights brighter while I was gone? I see so much detail… it's too much," Reese shut her eyes tight, covering her head with her hands.
"It's okay. Just relax. Breathe. Tell me, can you move?"
"I think so," Reese shakily adjusted her position, keeping her eyes closed. She grabbed the railing of the gurney, pulling herself to her feet. While holding on, she was fine, but as soon as she let go of the railing her legs collapsed beneath her, refusing to hold up her weight. "I… I can't stand," her voice was barely above a whisper. Optimus could see that she was struggling not to lapse back into the deep panic she had just come out of.
"Ratchet, perhaps you can help here," Optimus suggested, carefully lifting Reese off the floor and setting her back on the gurney. "Perhaps it has something to do with the implants."
"Optimus… Ratchet… I'm scared," Reese clutched her hands to her chest, literally trying to pry the heaviness off of her lungs.
"Do you think I should sedate her?" Ratchet pulled Optimus aside and asked quietly, so as not to alert Reese.
"No, I think she will be okay. She is making good progress. Just be patient with her," Optimus replied and turned back to Reese.
"Reese, Ratchet is going to scan the implants on your legs. We are just going to try and figure out why they are keeping you from being able to stand. You don't need to worry."
Ratchet walked over and picked up his scanner and began running it over Reese's legs. The light on the scanner flashed red when he got to her knees, indicating that that was where the issue was.
Ratchet facepalmed, allowing his servo to slowly slide down his facial plating, when he saw the reason for the cybernetic malfunction. "Those fragging MECH soldiers didn't calibrate the knee joints. That's why they keep giving out."
"Can you calibrate them?" Optimus asked, looking at Ratchet expectantly.
"I can, but it will be tricky. Given the fact that the internal components of the implants are so small, and my servos are so… well… Large, it will be pretty difficult."
"Perhaps I should call June. She could be your hands." Optimus offered.
"No, she wouldn't know what she was doing. I would rather have Rafael do it before I asked Nurse Darby."
"Ratchet, I think that you are underestimating Nurse Darby's abilities. However, since it seems that having you and her work together would not be in Reese's best interest, I will contact Rafael and see if he would be willing to help," Optimus vented and turned to activate a comm link with Rafael, their resident tech genius.
"Ratchet… could you turn down the lights? It really hurts my eyes," Reese mumbled, afraid that if she spoke too loudly, she might anger the medic. He clearly wasn't in the best of moods.
"I can do that," Ratchet vented, and turned to the control panel that controlled the light settings. "Though, would you mind if I took a look at your optics?"
"No, go ahead," Reese sat still and looked forward, allowing Ratchet to use his scanner on her eyes.
"Interesting, it seems that your retinal makeup is altering itself, which would explain in the sudden increase in detail and brightness. Wait, weren't your eyes brown before?"
"What do you mean by 'altering itself'? And yes, they are brown? Why do you ask?" Reese looked up at Ratchet, beginning to panic again.
"They are blue now. It would seem that the energon flooding must have awoken the CNA enough to begin rewriting your genetic makeup completely. This is quite fascinating."
"What is CNA? What are you talking about? This isn't fascinating, its terrifying!" Reese cried out, staring wide-eyed at Ratchet.
Optimus turned and walked back to the group. "I have contacted Rafael. He should be on his way. Oh…" He noticed Reese's rapidly panicking state. "Ratchet, what happened?"
"You might want to explain what is going on. It's about time Reese found out," was all Ratchet was willing to say, turning away with a guilty look.
Optimus shook his head disappointedly. He had hoped to wait until Reese was a little calmer to break the news to her, but it looked like it was happening now. "Reese, there is something you should know. Do you remember Silas saying anything about a "genetic mutation"?"
"Yes. He said that I had a mutation that would allow me to be compatible with energon, but what does that have to do with anything?"
"Well, it wasn't exactly a mutation. It was Cyber Nucleic Acid, more easily known as CNA, and it is the building block of all Cybertronians.
"What does that mean?"
"It means that somehow, you are part Cybertronian. We are not quite sure how, but one of your relatives must have been a Cybertronian. The CNA that is in you was reawakened by the energon that MECH introduced to your system, and that CNA is slowly rewriting your cells, which is why your vision has changed."
Reese stared blankly into space, allowing what Optimus had said to process in her brain. How could she be part Cybertronian? It shouldn't even be possible for Cybertronians to mate with a human. How could she have CNA in her, and how could it be rewriting her cells? Did that mean that she was being cyber-formed from the inside out? Was she going to end up as a robot internally as well as externally?
"Reese?"
"My life is ruined." Reese deadpanned, not even looking at the Prime. "I'm not even a full human. I already look part robot, and now you tell me that I'm slowly becoming one on the inside too? I can't do this."
"Reese, I know it's a lot to take in, but I promise we will find answers, and we will be with you every step of the way," Optimus looked down at Reese sadly, he knew this was probably the last thing she needed to be hearing.
Reese stared into space for a few moments, before finally laying down and closing her eyes. She was disassociating. Removing herself from the situation and going to a mental safe place. It was the only thing she could do to keep herself from losing it completely.
"Reese, are you okay?" Ratchet asked.
Reese gave no reply. She just laid there, eyes closed, ignoring her surroundings.
"Let her work things out internally. She is coping. Just let her be." Optimus placed a comforting servo on his friend's shoulder plating. "We will do what we can to help her, but she will need to figure this all out for herself as well, and that will take time."
"I know. I just hate not having all the answers," Ratchet vented.
"Life doesn't always give us all the answers, we just have to make do with the ones we are given."
"Why did they save me? Why couldn't they have just let me die? No one will ever accept me like this. I can't go back to work. I probably won't even be able to go out in public ever again. I'm a freak. Some kind of half human half robot freak.
Who even in my family could have been a Cybertronian? I didn't even know that Cybertronians existed until I met the autobots. This doesn't make any sense. My family was so small. It was only ever my mom and dad and me. Mom's family lived far away. Her parents had already passed on, and my aunt and uncle on her side lived somewhere across the world. It couldn't have been them, could it?
Then there's my dad's side. I suppose his side is a lot more mysterious. Dad never did like for us to go see Grandfather. Though… It was my grandfather that gave me my crystal necklace. Now that I think about it, the crystal looks a lot like an energon crystal. I wonder if… no, there isn't any way. Even though I only saw my grandfather a few times, he was just a normal human. Nothing robot about him. ARRRGGHH this is so frustrating!
Maybe I was too hard on Optimus. I should have tried harder to be calm, to take the news better, but, how could I? It's not every day that you get told that you're a half robot alien. I hate this. I hate everything. Why did my parents have to die? Why did any of this have to happen?" The thoughts flowed from one to the next without pause. Reese's mind was so overwhelmed that she almost couldn't keep up. She wanted relief, needed a break from the constant flow of questions and negative thoughts.
A sharp pain in her knee was just the distraction she needed, jolting her back into reality. She bolted upright, only to find herself face to face with someone she had never met before. Understandably, she screamed.
"Reese! Calm down, it's just me, Ratchet," the person grabbed Reese by the shoulders to keep her from jumping up.
"Wh-What?!" Reese stared at the person wide eyed.
"I figured it would be wise to utilize my holoform technology so that I could tend to your cybernetic implants more easily. My servos are much to large in my cyberfrom.
"Oh... Uh..." Reese stammered, looking at Ratchet's holoform a little more closely. He had taken on the form of an older gentleman with white hair and a white beard. He wore a white lab coat over an orange button up shirt and black slacks. The form practically screamed Ratchet, and Reese couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed that she hadn't noticed right away.
"Are you alright?" Ratchet asked.
"I think so... it just startle me, that's all. "
"I'm sorry. Perhaps I should have waited to calibrate your knee joints. I just figured I would get it out of the way now since I had a free moment. I think everything should be re-calibrated though, so why don't you try standing again," Ratchet suggested.
"okay," Reese carefully slid her legs over the side of the gurney, letting them dangle there for a few seconds. She was hesitant to try standing again, still afraid that her legs would give out on her again. She pushed through the fear, though, and slid off the gurney, allowing her weight to rest fully on her legs.
Other than some tenderness, she found that she was able to stand without a problem.
"Try and walk a few steps. I want to make sure everything is working properly," Ratchet instructed.
Reese took several steps away from the gurney. It hurt, especially in her knees, but she was able to walk and that was all that mattered.
"How does it feel?" He asked gently. Reese could tell that he was working on his bedside manner. He was being much gentler, and more patient.
"It's a little sore, but I can manage."
"The soreness will go away in time. I'm just glad to see that you are back up on your feet," Ratchet smiled.
"Me too! When Optimus brought you back from MECH's base, I was so worried. I saw what happened, but I didn't get to see much after you got back, since Agent Fowler took me back home," Rafael came and stood beside Ratchet. "I'm just glad you are okay. I was pretty worried about you. We all were."
"I don't understand why you guys worry so much for me. I'm not anyone special. I literally got dragged in here by complete accident, and yet, you guys treat me as if I have been part of the team all along. I don't understand," Reese looked away, a little bewildered.
"You're part of the family now, why wouldn't we worry about you?" Raf looked surprised that Reese would even ask such a question.
"Raf is right. We have gotten used to having you around the base, and it would feel weird if you weren't here," Ratchet agreed, though he looked a little embarrassed to admit it.
"You guys…" Reese smiled despite herself. She had actually grown quite fond of everyone at the base and knowing how much she meant to them was enough to melt her heart. Maybe she could keep going after all, despite everything that had happened, if only for them.
"Alright, enough with all the sappy stuff, I am going to get back to the physical therapy program I was putting together for you earlier," Ratchet said abruptly and turned to one of the computer consoles.
"If you don't mind, I would like to stretch my legs. Honestly, I think that the more I use them, the stronger they will get."
"That's fine, just don't leave the confines of the base," Ratchet waved his hand in acknowledgement but didn't turn from his screen.
"Mind if I come with you?" Raf looked at Reese expectantly.
"I don't see why not," Reese shrugged her shoulders and started walking towards the hallway that led out of the main room of the base.
Her movements were slow, labored. Getting used to the enhancements was going to take time. She and Raf walked in silence for a while, neither of them really sure what to talk about. Reese didn't need Raf to talk. Honestly, she didn't feel like talking at all. She was just appreciative of his company. It's always nicer to walk with someone than it is to walk alone.
They made their way to the end of one of the hallways, finding themselves in the kitchen. Reese eased into one of the chairs at the table, grateful for a chance to rest her legs.
"You doing okay?" Raf asked, walking to the cabinet and grabbing a couple glasses.
"Yep, just fine," Reese smiled tightly, ignoring the throbbing coming from her legs. It would pass.
"Can I get you some water?"
"Sure."
Raf filled both glasses with water from the sink and brought it over, setting one of the glasses down in front of Reese.
"There you go."
"Thanks," Reese smiled and took a sip from the glass. "Oh, I wanted to ask, you said you were there last night, when they brought me back. It was awfully late. I didn't think anyone other than the bots would have been at the base."
"Yea, well, they needed some tech help. I was actually in bed already when they called. They said it was a matter of life or death and bridged me to the base. Thankfully, Mom had already gone to bed, so she didn't know that I had left the house. She would have lost her mind if she had found out. I sure am glad I came though. I don't think they would have been able to save you if I hadn't been able to trace the communication link."
"I guess I owe you as much thanks as I do the rest of the team. I had no idea," Reese looked down into her glass, swirling the water gently around and around.
"You're welcome. You know, you may want to talk with Bee and let him know you are good. He and I talked for a few minutes after they brought you back. He was super worried."
"Bee is so thoughtful. I haven't seen him at all today, I wonder where he has been."
"He told me this morning, while taking me to school, that he would have scouting duty for most of the afternoon and wouldn't be back until pretty late tonight," Raf sighed, resting his chin on his hand. "I get pretty bored when he is out scouting. Miko and Jack don't really like to hang out with me too much, Miko especially."
"well, if you ever get bored and Bee is gone, you can always come find me. You and I have a lot more in common than you might think. I mean, for one, we both love technology, and we can both understand Bee. I get pretty lonely too, so I wouldn't mind the company," Reese smiled warmly.
"I might take you up on that sometime, hahaha." Raf gave a genuine laugh. It was good to hear him laugh. Reese felt bad for him. He was only twelve, and Miko and Jack were several years older than him. It seemed like his only real friend at the base was Bee, but she planned on changing that. Raf had done so much for her already, it was the least she could do to take some time out of her day to hang out with him.
"Oh, speaking of the others," Where are Jack and Miko?
"They're out hanging with their guardians. They never came back to the base after Bulkhead and Arcee picked them up from school. I think they said something about racing," Raf sighed again.
"well, why don't we go have a race of our own. I'm down for a round of speed racers if you are," Reese offered.
"Oh, you're on!" Raf jumped up excitedly and sped out of the room, forgetting that Reese couldn't keep up in her condition. He noticed her lagging behind and stopped, walking back to her.
"No, you go on ahead. Get the system set up for the game. I will be there in a few minutes," Reese encouraged Raf to keep going.
"Are you sure? I can walk with you if you like," Raf looked mildly torn between sticking with Reese and going to set up the game.
"Nah, I'm good. I'm gonna stop by the restroom on my way in there, so you go on ahead," Reese assured.
"Okay! I will have the race all set up for you when you get there!" Raf took off running back into the main room where the kid's hangout was located. Reese only smiled, enjoying seeing the excitement on the boy's face.
She stopped off at the restroom on her way to the main room, and she found herself staring into the mirror over the sink. Ratchet was right, her eyes were blue now, the same shade as energon. It was unsettling and Reese had to look away after a few moments. Now, not only did she have an ugly scar that stretched across her face, but her eyes were unsettlingly blue, and her body was covered in cybernetic enhancements. She couldn't go out in public. Not like this. She looked back up into the mirror, hating that frustrated tears were now streaming down her face. When had that started? She had always been pretty good about keeping her emotions in check, except for when she had panic attacks, of course. The panic attacks weren't her fault, but she could control her other emotions, and yet, here she was, standing in the bathroom, crying.
"Get yourself together, Reese," She splashed water angrily onto her face. "Don't let the others see you cry. They have already seen you panic. You have been enough of a burden on them. Crying never fixed anything, so suck it up and deal with it." She clenched her hands into fists and breathed deeply, forcing her emotions into the deepest recesses of her being. She wouldn't let them show. She refused.
Once the tears were gone, Reese grabbed a hand towel and wiped her face. She continued splashing it with cold water and wiping it off until the redness around her eyes and nose was gone. Nobody would ever have to know that she had been crying.
She walked out of the bathroom, putting on a happy look, and went into the main room to join Raf for their racing game.
Raf and Reese played their racing game for a while. Reese wasn't nearly as good at the game as Raf was, but it was fun nonetheless, and it was helpful to get her mind off things. It did take her a bit to get used to the controls, though, since everything felt weird now that her hands were covered in metal enhancements. The controller liked to slip and slide in her hands, making it difficult to play with. She would have to invest in some rubber grips to go on the remotes if she wanted to be able to use them properly.
They actually ended up playing until Arcee and Bulkhead returned with their charges. Both kids were laughing when they climbed off of/out of their guardian's vehicle modes.
"Hey guys," Reese set down her controller and walked over to greet them. She hadn't seen them all day.
"Oh my gosh! It's true! You are part robot now!" Miko jumped up and down excitedly, but her comments only made Reese squirm. Why did that have to be the first thing that Miko mentioned upon seeing her? "How does it feel to be a half alien robot?"
Reese stared at Miko in shock. Could the girl not take a hint? Could she not read body language? Reese's eyes flashed angrily, and she turned away from the others, taking a deep breath to try and ease her nerves.
"Miko, you're on thin ice right now. I think its best if you didn't say anything else about the situation…" Reese spoke in a low, almost emotionless tone. She didn't want to snap at Miko, since the girl was merely curious, but Miko's insensitivity and lack of tact was enough to annoy anyone. It didn't help that Reese had a short temper, and Miko seemed to always be walking all over her nerves.
"What, I just asked a question," Miko whined, looking disappointed that she wasn't going to get any answers.
"Hey Miko, lets go get some soda or something from the kitchen," Raf could see the look of anger brewing on Reese's face, since he was the only one she was turned towards at the time. He knew that the sooner Miko was separated from Reese, the better off everyone would be.
Once Raf had successfully distracted Miko with the prospect of soda, Reese was finally able to relax again. She sat down on the sofa and put her head in her hands.
She heard Jack come up behind her and place his hand on her shoulder. She could feel his hand almost pull back when it felt the hard metal plates that were attached to her shoulders, but despite the initial hesitation, he didn't move.
"Hey… You okay?"
Reese ran her hands down her face slowly before turning to look up at Jack. Her face was red, but her eyes held no tears. "I've been better, but I will make it… I guess."
"Well, we will stand with you… Even Miko will. Don't let her get under your skin. She's only fifteen and has a lot to learn."
"You're only six-teen, Jack, but you already have a lot of wisdom. Thanks. Look, um, if you don't mind, I think I might turn in for the evening. I know its not that late, but I'm a little worn out," Reese said as she stood to her feet. She really wasn't that tired, but she didn't want to be around people at the time, even if they meant well.
"Oh yea, that makes sense. You go and get some rest," Jack stepped aside to let her pass.
"Goodnight guys," Reese waved to Arcee and Bulkhead as she walked past them. Arcee waved back, but Bulkhead only looked away. Reese wondered if he was blaming himself. She would probably have a talk with him about it later, but for now, she didn't want to socialize any longer than she had to.
The hours ticked by slowly for Reese. Everyone had either gone home or gone to their quarters to recharge. Reese was the only one awake, unable to sleep. It was uncomfortable to lay down, since no matter what position she laid in, it put pressure on the metal plates that covered her shoulders and part of her back. Not to mention her arms and legs. It was something she would have to get used to, which would be easier to do once the tenderness went away.
Finally, she gave up trying to sleep and rolled out of bed, slipping on some shoes and a sweater. Maybe a breath of fresh air would do her good. She quietly opened her door and made her way into the main room, making sure to make as little noise as possible. She didn't want to wake the others up and have them asking her why she was still up.
She walked over to the elevator and pressed the button. A loud clanging sound reverberated through the shaft as the elevator came to life and the pulleys began raising it to the level that Reese was on. Reese cringed at the sound, hoping that it hadn't been loud enough to wake anybody up. She stepped onto the elevator when it came to the floor she was on and pressed the button for it to take her to the top of the plateau. The doors creaked again as they shut, eliciting another cringe from Reese.
Finally, the elevator brought her to the top, opening into the cold desert night. It still surprised Reese, even after years of living in the desert, how it could be over a hundred degrees during the day and yet could drop down to near freezing during the night. She was glad she had brought her sweater, wishing a little that she had brought something heavier.
She ignored the biting wind and walked to the edge of the plateau, looking out over the desert landscape. She could see for miles, and the sky was full of stars. The stars were so much prettier out here than they were in town, since there was less light pollution to obscure them from view. Reese could stare at the night sky forever if she had the chance to.
She sat down with her legs crisscrossed, wrapping the sweater around herself tighter. here she was safe to release her emotions. Here she could finally let out some of the stuff she had been holding back. Maybe, after she let out some of her pent-up energy, she would finally be able to go back downstairs and get some proper rest.
She looked up at the sky, at the stars, and let the tears begin streaming down her face. The tears of frustration, and anger, and bitterness. Tears that she couldn't bring herself to show to anyone else. Sure, it wasn't healthy to hold it in, but if she didn't show her emotions, then she wouldn't have to burden anybody with them.
Reese had been pretty neglectful of her emotional needs since the passing of her parents. Living on her own had made her hard. She had lost touch with all those who had cared for her, shoving the sadness deep down beneath a heavy work schedule that left her no time to mourn. Maybe now that she couldn't work anymore, she would have to deal with that sadness that she had buried for so long. What would her parents have thought if they knew what she had become? Would they be upset with her? She would never know, which only made her feel worse.
She brought her knees up to her chest and let the hot tears stream down and soak into her leggings. Her shoulders heaved with each sob. This wasn't fair. Why did life have to be so unfair?
Reese was so lost in thought that she didn't notice the elevator come back up to the top and open again. She didn't even notice when footsteps approached her from behind. She only became aware that someone else was there when she felt a blanket being draped over her shoulders.
With a gasp, she jumped to her feet, quickly brushing the tears off her face. She turned around to find Bumblebee standing behind her, looking down at her gently.
"Bumblebee! I, uh, didn't hear you come up here," Reese stammered, embarrassed that she had been so oblivious to her surroundings. "I didn't wake you up, did I? I'm so sorry!"
"No, I hadn't gone into recharge yet. I had only just gotten back from my scouting mission when I heard the elevator start up. I saw you head up top wearing only a sweater, and knowing how cold it gets at night, thought I would bring up something to keep you warm."
"Oh… thank you," Reese looked away, but she wrapped the blanket tightly around herself, appreciative that Bumblebee would bring it up for her.
Reese half expected Bumblebee to continue the conversation, but he didn't. He merely sat down and began looking up at the stars. Reese wondered why he didn't say anything, but at the same time, it was nice to just have someone to keep her silent company. She sat back down beside the giant robot, scrunching up into a tiny ball and wrapping up into a little burrito with the blanket. She remembered back to when her mom would joke about her looking like a sad fluffy turtle(1) whenever she did this, since only her head would poke out of the blankets. The memory made her chuckle to herself.
Bumblebee looked down at her curiously, but still said nothing. The two sat in companionable silence for a while, just staring up at the stars, until Bumblebee looked down and saw that Reese was fast asleep, propped up against his arm. He smiled softly, glad to see her resting peacefully. He hadn't mentioned it, but he had heard her crying. He knew she was trying to hide it, and he couldn't blame her. He did the same thing when he was younger and lost his own family(2). His creators had died during the war when Praxus had been destroyed by the Decepticons. He went into the care center for sparklings who had lost their creators until he was old enough to join a faction. He joined the Autobots, and ultimately ended up on Optimus' team, gaining a new family. He remembered the many sleepless nights, though, when he had mourned the death of his creators in the privacy of his own quarters. He knew the shame and the burdensome feeling that those emotions had caused him, but he also knew that it was important not to be alone during those times. Back at the care center, he had had a roommate who became like an older brother to him. His name had been Blue Steel, but he too had died in the war as a soldier. Blue Steel had been there for Bumblebee. He looked out for Bee, becoming the older brother that Bee had never had at home.
As Bee looked down at Reese, he made a silent promise. He would be the older brother that Reese could always rely on. He would do his best to keep her from harm, and he would be there to support her in times of need. Everybody needs a sibling in their life to keep them company and to stick with them through the ups and downs, and Bumblebee vowed to be that for Reese from that moment forward.
It wasn't much later when Reese stirred again, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. She yawned and looked up at Bee with gentle, sad eyes. "Bee, I want to thank you for this. I needed somebody to just sit with me and keep me company… I know this is going to sound kind of silly, but you are kind of like the brother that I never had but always wanted. You have spent time with me when the others wouldn't. you have gone along with my reckless ideas, and you have taken the time to keep me company when I needed it most. Thanks for being there for me," She sighed and looked back out into the night, shivering a little despite the blanket she had wrapped around herself.
"It's funny that you should say that, because I have kind of seen you as a little sister to me. I know we might not be biological family, but I promise to be the best brother I can be. You can come to me anywhere, anytime, and I will be there for you. That means when you need to let things off your chest too, understood?"
"okay," Reese smiled, laughing despite herself. She finally had a family again, and it felt nice.
"Alright, my first task as your official older brother is to get you back inside before you freeze to death. Come on, you will sleep better in your own bed than you will out here in the cold," Bumblebee made a noise that resembled laughter as he watched Reese pick herself up off the ground, blanket still engulfing most of her. It was a comical sight, really.
"You better not turn into one of those overprotective brothers who won't let me do anything, you hear me?" Reese half seriously joked.
"Only if you promise not to do anything that would force me to," Bumblebee half seriously joked back, and the two walked to the elevators. It was good to have family.
(1) This is something that my best friend always calls me. It's kind of an inside joke actually. She is a mom friend in the best possible way and I love her to pieces. Whenever I am sad, I will just take my blanket, go to her room, and curl up in a ball while she gives me snacks and calls me a sad fluffy turtle. So, in honour of her, I decided to put a little reference to something she does.
(2) This is not canon. I completely created Bumblebee's back story and family. Also, Blue Steel a character I created to be friends with Bumblebee when he was in the sparkling care center. I just wanted to give Bee a reason to see Reese as a younger sibling, and to also have a way to relate to what she was feeling. Bumblebee and Reese will have a close sibling relationship, and creating this backstory for Bee was integral in the creation of that relationship, since that is something that they bond over.
Soooo, what did y'all think? It's funny, this chapter ended up being waaay longer than the original one. It was longer by almost 4,000 words! Anyways, I hope that you enjoyed it :D. Sorry if I end up being slow to update for a little while, since I'm finishing up this semester and I have final projects coming do. School takes priority. Anyhooo, Please review and let me know what you think. Reviews are a HUGE motivator for me. It is always nice to know that people are reading my story, and that they want to see more, so please do review if this is something that interests you ;) Stay safe and healthy during this crazy time, and of course, have a lovely blessed day!