Authors Notes- And here I am back again with another chapter to Getting Under Her Armor. As you can gather by now I only own the plot, everything else belongs to Hasbro. Now that we got that out of the way here is Chapter Six. I hope you enjoy.
Chapter Six: Recovery
"Dude, what happened out there, Bulk?" Miko asked, peering up at the green wrecker as they returned to base.
Bulkhead shook his head, an action he soon regretted as pain lanced through his head, making him wince.
"We got the scrap kicked out of us is what happened." Arcee spoke, catching the kids attention. Miko's eyes widening as they then settled on Wheeljack, if she thought Bulkhead looked bad Wheeljack was a whole different story.
How the white wrecker was still functioning she had no idea. But what she did know was that poor Wheeljack would be down for the count for a good long while. And because of that poor Ratchet would be the one to have to deal with him while he recovered. After all, Wheeljack was never one for being able to sit still for long periods, and would no doubt do everything in his power to annoy Ratchet to no end. However, Miko's attention was soon drawn to where Bumblebee lay. A worried sounding whimper sounding from her right, causing her to look to where Raf stood.
He gripped the railing in a white knuckled grip, tears welling in deep brown eyes as he looked at the battered form of his friend.
"Is...is he going to be okay?" Raf managed to choke out, as both Miko and Jack placed their hands on his trembling shoulders, all eyes glued on Ratchet, as Bumblebee and the rest of the wounded Autobots were placed on medical tables.
Jack tore his gaze away from Ratchet and Bumblebee to look down at Raf. "I'm sure he will be. Ratchet is one of the best." He assured the smaller boy. Giving Raf's shoulder one more squeeze. A faint smile on his lips before he turned to where Arcee and Wheeljack sat.
Noticing Arcee's hand resting on Wheeljack's shoulder. The teen arched an eyebrow as he saw Arcee's gaze lingering on him. Something unreadable in her optics. Giving his head a shake he looked away from the two. It would seem that whatever had happened during the mission had kind of fixed things between the two of them. At least Jack had hoped.
"So, what happened out there?" Jack asked, as Arcee looked to him.
"It was an ambush. Dreadwing got the drop on us." She said, a look of worry shining in her optics as she looked to Bumblebee. Noting that not once did the younger Autobot rouse from stasis. "Some of us got it worst than others." she added.
Silence fell over the base once more as Ratchet along with Optimus, along with some help from the kids managed to get them patched up. Arcee being the least injured of the four of them had been tasked with patching up Wheeljack. Just her luck. The blue femme was silent as she worked to patch up his minor wounds as Ratchet moved to fix the gaping hole in his chestplate.
"Ow!" Wheeljack protested jerking his arm away from Arcee and the welder she held in her hand. "You mind goin' easy? I swear you're worst than the Doc here-Ow!" Wheeljack glared at her again as Arcee grabbed a hold of his wrist, and jerked him back towards her. Shooting him a look before before bringing the welder to his wrist once more. "Scratch that the Doc here is far more gentler. Hell, something tells me you're-Ow!"
Okay, now he was more than certain she was doing this on purpose. Or she just sucked at fixing mechs up. "You getting off on hurting me or somethin'?" He asked, optics tracking her every movement as she moved to fix his other arm. "Because I hate to break it you, Sweetspark I'm already hurt enough."
Arcee's only response was to roll her optics as she finished fixing what she could on him, before thankfully placing the welder down. At the same time Ratchet had managed to fix him up and was currently sealing the wound. Wheeljack looked down at his chestplate, noting the scar on it. Another one to add to the collection. He thought, before looking to Arcee once more. Optics roving over her. Taking note of the various gashes and scrapes in her chassis, and above the most serious of her injuries aside from her arm, was that nasty gash in her side was that continuously leaking energon onto the floor.
A smirk graced Wheeljack's faceplate as he met her gaze once more. Placing a hand on her arm he pulled her close. "Since you were so nice enough to patch me up how about I return the favor?"
As he said that Arcee felt her spark flutter before jerking away from him, optics narrowed. "Thanks but no thanks. I'm fine." She said, before turning away from the wrecker, and moved to check on Bulkhead, all the while Wheeljack watched her.
His own spark fluttering before he forced himself to look away, a scowl on his faceplate. Annoyance forming in his chest as he moved to lay down, exhaustion gripping him as he stared up at the ceiling, arms behind his head. Things between him and Arcee had changed, that much Wheeljack was certain. Sure, he had kissed her, a kiss that he intended to mean nothing, but since then it seemed things had changed. And more than once Wheeljack had found his thoughts nothing of the small femme. And now he had found his feelings had changed when it came to the two-wheeler. Feelings he hadn't felt since...ever. Wheeljack chewed on his bottom lip as he off-lined his optics, trying to get some recharge. He couldn't put his name to these feelings but something told him that he would have to do something about them before they drove him crazy.
And though he had no proof something told him that Arcee was feeling the same. Letting out a sigh Wheeljack soon drifted off into a much needed recharge. All the while Bulkhead watched his friend from where he lay, a look of concern etched on his faceplate. Something was different with the white wrecker, in fact, Bulkhead thought as he looked to where Arcee sat finally being looked over by Ratchet. Hissing through her denta as he welded the wound in her side closed, a faraway look in her optics. Bulkhead had noticed that she would occasionally glance in Wheeljack's direction once in a while. And unreadable expression on her faceplate.
Something was going on with those two, and though Bulkhead knew it would be a wise thing to mind his own business and leave them be. To let them sort whatever this was Bulkhead found himself unable to let this go, turning away from Wheeljack and looking to where Bumblebee lay, the young scout little out pained groan as he shifted slightly.
*...Reckoning...* The scout murmured, optics flickering before falling still once more.
And at that moment Bulkhead's optics widened as it suddenly came back to him. Muttering a curse Bulkhead shot up, and instantly regretted it as pain shot through his abused body, making him cry out in pain. And earn a disapproving looking from Ratchet as he went through the motions of putting away his tools.
"Didn't I tell you to take it easy, Bulkhead?" Ratchet asked, turning away from him.
"I know, I know but I just remembered something." Bulkhead optics bright as he forced himself to sit up once more.
Heaving a sigh Ratchet turned to face the green wrecker, to tell him to be quiet, when the look on Bulkhead's faceplate shut him up. Rolling his optics Ratchet heaved a tired sounding sigh. "Fine, what is it, Bulkhead?" Ratchet asked.
"When Bumblebee and I were in that cave we uncovered some information." Bulkhead said, before breaking out coughing. Energon trickling down his chin before wiping it away, and continued on. "It would seem that another Decepticon ship had crash landed here on Earth years ago. A ship called..." Bulkhead trailed off, brow furrowed in concentration as he tried to recall the name of the ship.
"Would it be called The Reckoning?" Arcee piped up from her place on the med table beside Bulkhead. "I recall Bumblebee mumbling something about that."
Bulkhead's optics lit up once more as he nodded to her. "Yeah, that's it.
As Bulkhead said this Optimus stepped into the room, arching an optic brow as he looked around the medbay. All optics were on the Autobot leader.
"Optimus," Ratchet said, looking to him. "Bulkhead was just telling us about his and Bumblebee's discovery before they were ambushed by Dreadwing.
Curious Optimus looked to Bulkhead. Bulkhead suppressed the urge to sigh as he started from the beginning. Telling them everything he knew, all optics were on him, a look of dread creeping to both Optimus' and Ratchet's faceplates as they looked to each other.
"Are you certain about that, Bulkhead?" Ratchet asked, moving towards the wrecker.
Bulkhead nodded as he looked to where Bumblebee lay. A look of pity on his faceplate as he looked down at the scout. "Bee did what he could to keep Dreadwing from taking the datapad with that information. And now look at him." Guilt shone in Bulkhead's optics as Optimus placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Both you and Bumblebee did your best. As did Arcee and Wheeljack." Optimus said, looking to the Autobots in question.
Arcee looked down at her hands, a frown etched on her faceplate. "Fat lot of god it did." She growled, looking to Optimus. "If what Bulkhead is saying it true then the Decepticons will do everything in their power to get their hands on The Reckoning. And something tells me that whatever is one that ship won't be good for us."
Silence permeated the base once more as Arcee said this. Optimus placed a hand on his chin as he let her words settle in. Arcee had a point. Megatron would do everything and anything to win against them. Without a word he turned away from his Autobots. He knew they would need to act, and soon, but the would also need to obtain information on this ship. And unfortunately they had no idea where this Decepticon ship could be located. And to make matters worst, with half of his Autobots were wounded Optimus was at a loss. That is until a familiar roar of an engine caught their attention, and Smokescreen soon appeared. The rookie transformed and stepped further into the base. A wide grin on his faceplate.
"Where have you been?" Arcee asked, her tone accusatory. Of course, while she and the others had been out risking their sparks in some cave, the rookie was out playing hooky.
If Smokescreen was capable of blushing the kids were certain that the young Autobot would be doing just that. Instead he only ducked his head sheepishly. "I was scouting on Optimus' orders." He then looked to Optimus. "I, uh, found nothing, Optimus sir, I'm sorry."
Optimus offered Smokescreen a faint smile as he placed a hand on his shoulder.
"So, what now?" Jack asked, breaking the silence that fell over the base once more. "What do we do now? The Decepticons have all the information, they have a head start. And this ship it could be anywhere on Earth."
The Autobots had to agree with him on that. When Raf spoke, his young voice still shaky after seeing Bumblebee in such a state.
"M-Maybe I can find away to find their location." He said, moving to where his laptop sat. Opening it up he began to type something into it.
"Raf, they're cloaked, you might not be able to find them." Jack said, moving to stand beside the younger boy.
"I know that, but I have to try." Raf told him.
As Jack looked down at him he could see that Raf was determined. And on top of that, Jack could also see that Raf needed something to take his mind off the sorry state Bumblebee was in. Saying nothing more Jack looked to the Autobots once more.
The conversation going on for a little while longer before Ratchet turned to the trio of humans. "It's getting late. How about I send you all home?"
Nodding they all gathered their belongings, as Ratchet opened up a ground bridge, bidding the Autobots a goodnight the kids stepped through the ground bridge as it shut behind them. However, as Jack wished both Raf and Miko a goodnight and made his way he couldn't help but think back to Arcee and Wheeljack. As he did he looked to Miko as she walked beside him. After all, her Host Parents lived relatively close to his house, so sometimes they would walk home together. Unless they got rides home from their respective Autobots.
"Hey, uh, Miko?" Jack spoke, as the girl beside him hummed some unknown tune, hands clasped behind her back.
"Hmm? What's up?" she asked, looking to him.
"Have you noticed anything strange going on? Like between Arcee and Wheeljack."
At this Miko looked to Jack. "What do you mean?" she asked.
Jack shook his head, brow furrowed he sighed. Maybe he was over thinking things. "Y'know...it's nothing...sorry." He said, as they stopped in front of his house.
Miko looked to Jack, honey colored eyes searching his face. "You think something is up with our favorite lone wolves?" she asked, tilting her head to one side.
Jack opened his mouth to answer that, but stopped himself. What was he thinking? They had just discovered that yet another Decepticon ship had crash landed on Earth years ago. One that may or may not have some destructive weapon on it that could turn the tides of war in the Decepticons favor. And here he was talking about Arcee and Wheeljack's relationship, or lack there of. What was wrong with him? Scratching the back of his head he looked to Miko.
"You know what? It's nothing I'm just...goodnight, Miko. See you in the morning." And with that Jack turned and moved to walk away.
When Miko called out. "You know I think I know what you're getting at." She said, moving to stand beside him, a sly little grin on her face. "I've seen the way Wheeljack has been looking at Arcee. So, you think there might be something between them?"
Jack sighed. He knew it was silly, he knew he was over thinking everything. Ever since Arcee had told Jack about the kiss the two of them shared he noticed that things between the two. Things he tried to ignore but found himself unable to. He knew it was Arcee's business and such, and what she did when she wasn't playing the role of his guardian was between her and...whatever god Cybertronians had. So why was he obsessing over it? Turning to face Miko he sighed.
"Look, just forget it, I'm dwelling on something that's not really out business. I'm sorry I asked, goodnight again, Miko, see you at school."
As Jack disappeared into his house Miko continued to watch him before walking off. A small smile on her lips, oh, she was not going to let this go, come tomorrow she was going to get to the bottom of things. Nodding to herself she turned and retreated into her house, wishing her Host Parents a goodnight she headed to her room and turned in for the night.
Authors Notes- And thus, concludes Chapter Six. Sorry it seemed both kinda meh and dialog heavy. But I hope you liked it none the less. And this is The Exhausted Writer signing off.