TFP: Alone

Chapter 17: Recovery

Smokescreen's P.O.V.

I drove as fast as I could to the Learning center. I felt a slight twinge of pain in my spark, but I ignored it. I soon arrived and transformed, passing some of my co-workers as I entered the building.

"I'm here for Legacy." I told the mech at the office. He nodded and made a call. Soon, I saw her walk toward me from on of the halls.

"Dad?" She questioned. When we were outside I finally told her what I was doing there.

"Legacy, Prowl and Jazz were in a bombing raid in Praxus. They're in critical condition and wanted to see us." I told her. Tears came to her optics and she nodded.

We made our way to the shuttles and she sat beside me, still and quiet. I remembered our fight and I look away from her.

I needed to forget. Emma left and there is nothing either of us can do. Orion's dead and he's going to stay that way. Why couldn't she just move on?

Legacy's P.O.V.

There was a bombing in Praxus that two of my family members were caught in. Poor Jazz and Prowl. I wonder what they were doing right now. I look over at Dad and see his face plain and emotionless as usual. How could he be so calm?

We got off the shuttle in Praxus and headed to the med-bay. When we got inside, we saw Blue, Jolt, Coda, and Maverick. They were toward the back and Dad lead the way.

"Hey Smokey." Blue said as he stood up. He embraced my Dad in a tight hug. Dad looked tense but hugged him back. Then Blue moved to me.

"Legacy!" He said happily. I had always been close with Blue. He was my fun loving uncle that was alway fun to be around. How could anyone not love the guy?

"Blue." I wrap my arms around his torso. We all finish greeting each other.

"Prowl is still in surgery. He got the worst of the blast. Jazz is in recovery and we should be able to go back there soon." Jolt explained.

A few moments later, a medi-bot came out and led us to the recovery room. When we got in there, we were greeted by a beat up Jazz.

"Hey y'all." He said pathetically. It was awful to see him this way. His visor was shattered, armor was replaced, and everything he said or did showed how tired he was. Jazz was always peppy, energentic, full of joy. This wasn't the uncle I knew back on Earth.

"How you guys doin?" He ask, breaking the silence. I imagine everyone else was thinking the same thing as me.

"We've been good." Jolt said.

"Yeah. Coda and Mav are doing well in school. Jolt is the head of the sparkling center and we've been trying to get a clinic set up, which is doing pretty good..." Blue rambled about their lives. They were doing well. More than I can say for Dad and I.

"How's Cybertron treating you Legacy?" Jazz turned to me.

"A first it was kinda hard to adjust, but it's easier now that I have friends." I say, trying not to be negative. I really like that Jazz isn't beating around the bush that I'm from Earth. It would be nice to talk about it more often.

"That's good. How 'bout you Smokey? Haven't heard from you in awhile." Jazz said. Dad hasn't talked to anyone since coming to Cybertron, or at least not that I know of. It's sad that something as terrible as a bombing is what it takes for us to get together.

"I'm an Enforcer. I mostly patrol the lower levels. I enjoy the job." Dad says. It was almost like he didn't want to be here. He wouldn't meet Jazz's optics and he shifted awkwardly on his feet. Something is wrong with him. He usually had a stoic appearance and was more of a hard-ass.

Smoke's P.O.V.

I couldn't look at Jazz. Every time I looked at him, I remember the day I arrived on Cybertron.

I stepped off the ship, my helm held low, trying hard to contain the tears. Orion was gone and Emma left. I have nothing. I only just heard that Legacy was alive, but she wasn't human anymore. She was some science experiment. I didn't want to see her.

"Hey man!" I hear a familiar voice. I raise my helm and see Jazz standing outside the customs building. I made my way over to him.

"Hey." I greeted. Jazz had a frown on his face and placed a firm servo on my shoulder.

"I know you're hurting brother. Let's go see Legacy. That'll cheer ya up." He says reassuringly. He turned and started to walk into the building.

"I don't want to see her." I say truthfully. His head snapped back toward me.

"Why?" He questioned.

"She's not going to be the girl that  I remember." Smoke said, tears coming to his optics.

"You're certainly not the mech I remember." Jazz said disapprovingly.

"You don't get to say no to her. Since she came to Cybertron, she has been a mess. She cries for you all the time. She lost her mother and brother and she needs you. You're her father and it's your job to be there for her." Jazz said angrily.

"I can't deal with her pain too. I had to bury my family!" I yelled, tears streaming down her cheeks. We were drawing attention from passing Bots, but neither of us cared.  

"She had to watch her brother die. She was the one who was experimented on my that monster. She's suffered more than you. So you are going to go to her and you're going to cheer her up." Jazz said firmly.

"I can't." I said, my voice cracking.

I looked over to Legacy, feeling a pang of guilt in my spark. I haven't been a father to her. I just can't stand to even look at her. It made my spark clench to think of how badly I failed her. I was supposed to be there for her and protect her, but she had to be the one to see what happened, she was the one who was experimented on, and she was the one who I still ignored.