Specialist and I: Book 2

The Specialist and I: Book 2

"Optimus. . .", I said, smiling softly, "I'm. . . Tired."

"Don't let me lose you, Lori.", his strong voice echoed.

I nodded, smiling. When we got to the base, everything was a blur. I remember hearing someone crying and someone else pleading for me to be ok. I recall being in the med bay, but not how I got there. I remember the needle poking my skin as Ratchet sewed my wounds shut. I remember him crying.

I remember hearing the doors open and slam shut. I remember a soft hand touching mine. I remember someone kiss me. I remember Annabel crying as she tried to get me to talked to her. Begged me to. I remember hearing my friends crying when they saw me. I remember Optimus hugging me carefully, scared he'd break me, and crying on my shoulder. I . . . I remember dying.

—————————

"It's been weeks, Ratchet. Why isn't she making any progress?", Will gestured toward the still girl, "Why isn't my daughter awake?"

Ratchet looked toward the young girl, one whom he's since met considered a daughter. There were tubes going down her throat to keep it from swelling shut as it had done once already. An IV drip had been giving her fluids for the last 36 days as she lay, unmoving. A heart monitor had been installed just minutes after they'd brought her home and her heart had stopped 8 times already. . . Twice the day they brought her home. Her chest had been wrapped and rewrapped a dozen times already, her wrist was broken in three places, her lung had been punctured when they tried resuscitating her the first time, her legs were broken in at least two places in both, and her veins that had been stabbed/cut took hours for the team of doctors to stop from bleeding. Her entire body lay covered in bruises, cuts, and scrapes. Ironhide had been visiting everyday, as often as he could, and held her hand in hopes it would remind her she still has a family to live for.

"She was there for a while, Lennox. Lori is a strong girl, I believe she will one day - BEEEEEEEEEEEEEPPPP!!!" the heart monitor cut Ratchet off and they raced over, Ironhide started sobbing and pleading for Lori come back.

Ratchet activated his holoform, Rhyan, and cut the bandages off her chest. Immediately he started compressions to bring her back once they were off. Optimus heard the commotion and ran in. Everyone could see how he was struggling to keep his composure as a tear fell from his optic. Annabel ran in with Sarah right behind her and screamed, tears falling from her eyes as she cried for Lori, wanting to be held by her. Optimus activated Orion, his holoform, and switched with Ratchet. The medic's hands were covered in thick red blood as her stitching had failed and reopened the wound. Finally, everyone sighed as Optimus stepped back, his hands now covered in blood as well. The heart monitor had started back up, the beeping slow but steady. Ironhide welcomed Lori back again with a kiss on her forehead. He'd been to afraid to kiss her lips as they were bruised and had multiple cuts on them.

Ratchet re-bandaged her chest again after fixing the stitches with Ironhide's help when everyone else left. They returned shortly after as Ratchet had grim news.

"What's up, Ratchet?" Ironhide asked, wiping his tear stained face.

Ratchet sighed, wiping his hands. "If Lori has one more cardiac arrest, she could die and we won't be able to bring her back again."

Ironhide's relief look vanished. One more, he thought, Then I'll lose her forever. Silently, the weapons specialist prayed to Primus for a miracle. He prayed she would live and that she would be awake soon. Optimus announced sadly that they had a mission and didn't know when they'd be back. He took Ironhide and the soldiers with him, leaving Ratchet by himself to look after Lori's health.