Sunstreaker's Charge ✔️

Ch. 8 Shocking Discovery

Lily's P.O.V.
I'm kept in the dog kennel and given food once a day. Aside from twenty minutes a day to eat, I'm left in the dark. I'm not sure if I should say they're too weak to beat me or happy they're using makeup like on T.V. and in movies to make it look like I have been beaten, but they are going to say the Autobots did it.  
"It's been two days. When are we going to—?"
Harry complains until he's interrupted by an explosion. Harry stays seated while the others run to see what's going on. Considering they wanted to team up with the cons, I doubt that's the unexpected guest.
"Where is she?!" I hear Sunstreaker's demand.
So I must be dreaming. Sunstreaker would never be worried about me — unless he's worried about how much trouble Sideswipe will be in.
I see his holoform run into the room. Harry jumps up from his seat and starts shooting at Sunstreaker. His aim is awful; only two bullets hit Sunstreaker in the abdomen. Though he's bleeding blue blood like I was.
"Do you think a couple of bullets is enough to stop me?"
"I'm not afraid of you."
"Then you're a fool."
Unknown to Sunstreaker, I'm watching him attack Harry — or he knows and is hoping I'll now be terrified to go near him.
He grabs Harry by the neck and smashes him against the wall.
"Where is the girl?!" Sunstreaker asks as his knife's tip touches Harry's chest.
"So you can kill her? Fuck you!"
Sunstreaker stabs Harry right in the chest and heart, killing him instantly.
He finds where I am and frees me. I didn't think he'd hug me.
"Lily? Are you ok?"
I can't say anything as he picks me up bridal style. Sideswipe rushes in and takes me from Sunstreaker. I can't keep myself from crying any longer as I hug him.

Sunstreaker's P.O.V.
I don't know why Lily's crying bothers me. Humans have watched me kill, and I love the fear they show.
I hate what they've done to her. Why did they take care of one injury?

Ratchet's P.O.V.
Sideswipe sits on the chair by the bed Lily lies on. She's trembling even though she knows we're in the medbay, and I don't want to use sedation on her. Knowing how well Drift deals with Jamie's mental health, I insist we let him try to calm Lily down.

Drift gets Lily to calm down, and I can examine her.
"What the? This is fake; she wasn't beaten," I discover. 
I have Jasmine ensure Lily wasn't raped while Drift, Sideswipe, and I wait in the hallway. I also let her ensure Lily's one obvious injury isn't infected.
"Ratchet?" Jasmine gets my attention, looking concerned, "I need to talk to you."
Sideswipe does not like I have him wait with Drift.

Jasmine got Lily to sleep, thankfully without drugs.
"I was about to change the bandage and noticed this," she shows us the band-aid on Lily's arm, "I don't think this is residue from a cream to take care of the cut. I can't think of any condition that causes this, but she's not a hybrid..."
I see a light shade of blue residue on the bandage.
"I'll get a blood sample later. Lily's parents may or may not have answers. I just hate I have to get Sideswipe in more trouble."
"Didn't Sunstreaker deal with all the kidnappers?"
"Yes, but... I fear this little girl is a target."

"You failed to protect her!" Mason rages at Sideswipe after finding out what happened.
"Sir, I understand your anger, but this attack was carefully planned. We do our best to protect humans," Optimus explains.
"I knew the risks, mom, but I also knew she'd be protected, and if anything happened, she'd be saved quickly," Luke explains.
Lexie and Mason see their sleeping daughter before I tell them about the residue and my theory.
"You don't think?" Mason asks.
"No one knows who her parents were," Lexie informs us, "Lily's story is the classic baby found on the steps of an orphanage, and while I could have gotten pregnant, we preferred to adopt. That's all we were told about Lily. Yes, she's gotten cuts that bleed and blood work, but it's always been normal blood."
"Has Lily gone missing for a few days that you thought she ran away from home?" Prowl asks.
"No, she's also had sleepovers and stayed with other family members for a weekend or a week," Lexie explains.
This concerns me.
"Well, all I can say for now is I'm concerned about Lily's safety and, for now, would rather she stays here under our protection," Optimus informs the worried parents.
"Honestly, mom, I think Lily was determined to stay here longer than spring break — probably starting with weekends and then all summer," Luke explains, "even if she's considering going home. I think she'll change her mind again. I can work things out with her school, and she can do schoolwork here. Though I'm unsure if this will keep her from falling behind, she repeating the grade."

Luke's P.O.V.
I am in so much trouble, and Lily may not come here and probably won't be allowed to talk to me, or our parents will agree with the plan.
I knew they'd need time to think about it. Ratchet wants to keep Lily in the medbay at least overnight.
Once my parents leave the medbay, Ratchet tells me a theory.
"I think Lily is a hybrid. I'm waiting for her to wake up to draw blood."
"How?" I ask.
"I don't know since she didn't go missing for a few days. Unless a family member is working for the cons."
"Lily stayed with our uncle Fred last summer, but she's gotten cuts between that time and now. We didn't see blue-colored blood, and she didn't come home traumatized either."
"There's a lot unknown, but you might have saved your sister by bringing her here. Even if a few humans worked here, seeing her staying here as an opportunity to make the Autobots look bad."
"Even if she is determined to be friends with a psychopath," Jolt adds.
"She could be right; with the twins' history and watching how easily Sideswipe can make friends, I think part of Sunstreaker's psychopath ways is due to not having friends. She won't stop him from killing, but perhaps it'll help," Ratchet points out.
I understand what Ratchet means, but I'm worried about Lily seeing the killing herself or his dominant side demanding she is submissive. While N.E.S.T. has only been back for just shy of two years — after many meetings and arrangements — I've seen how Sunstreaker is.