Worlds Collide (Transfomers)

Chapter 26: Grief

A little later.

Bumblebee never left Rachets side once Arcee used the relic to go back. He sat on the floor next to the berth, knees drawn up to his chest plate. He stared at the floor as he waited, unsure what else to do. He glanced up at the medics servo that hung limply off the berth. He missed the bot.

"You two were close, weren't you?" The scout looked up and saw Prowl in the doorway. He looked back at the floor and chirped softly.

"Family....." Prowl repeated as if it was a foreign word. The ninja realized thats what made the two teams different, or at least how he viewed them. They were a family, not just a team.

He walked over and looked at the still frame of the medic. After a moment he looked at the scout, who was staring at the opposite wall. He sat on the floor and thought for a moment.

"What are you going to do if the Forge doesn't work?" The ninja bot asked.

The young bot continued to stare at the wall as if he was thinking it over. After a long pause he looked at the other bot and narrowed his optics. He beeped angrily and the other bot heard the hatred in his broken voice.

"I don't think defeating Megatron will help you feel better." Prowl said simply. The scout looked away and glared at the wall.

"Bumblebee..." The ninja said. The young bot didn't look at him. "I know Megatron has hurt you... but revenge isn't the best way to heal our wounds." The scout faced him and after a moment he chirped quietly. Prowl could hear the anger and hurt in his broken voice. When the scout finished he buried his helm in his arms. Prowl set a servo on the depressed bots shoulder plate. He wasn't sure what to say.

~~

The sound of distant thunder filled the air. Birds chirped as the clouds started to dissipate. Arcee slowly opened her optics and stared at the sky. She furrowed her optic ridges as a bird flew over head. As she sat up she rubbed her helm and felt something around her other servo. The cord was still wrapped around it and connected to the relic. She looked around and realized she was in a desert.

The femme jumped to her peds and wondered if she had really made it back. She tried to com the base but there was only static. The bot quickly transformed and drove as fast as she could to the nearest town. After a little bit she jumped onto a road and passed a few signs. One said Phoenix Arizona fifty miles away. She smiled to herself and sped up. She tried her com a couple more times and smiled when it got through.

~~

"Okay it's my turn." Smokescreen sighed as he tapped Bulkheads shoulder plate.

"Monitor duty isn't that bad." The wrecker said as he smiled.

"Ya but I preferred it when Rachet did it." The bot grumbled. The wrecker chuckled. The room was quiet for a moment. "Do you think they're okay?" The speedster asked.

"I wouldn't worry about it too much." Bulkhead said as he slapped the smaller bot on the back. "They can take care of themselves. Besides they wouldn't let anything happen to each other." He smirked before walking away. He went to go find Wheeljack and help him with his project.

A few minutes passed and the young speedster got bored. The Decepticons had been quiet since their attempt to flatten a town. He sighed in exasperation and looked around. After a couple more minutes, he walked over to the kids who were playing a video game to take their minds off of things. He heard the computer beep once but ignored it as he got involved in the game.

Another beep and a broken transmission came through. The bot looked up and furrowed his optic ridges. He walked back to the computer and typed to clear it up. It didn't play back and he shrugged, he figured he had imagined the transmission. Another beep. This time the message came in loud and clear.

"Optimus!" The kids looked to the computer eyes wide. Smokescreen ran over and hit a button.

"Arcee? Thank the All Spark you're alive!" Smokescreen said. "Where have you been? What happened? Where are the others?" He said quickly. The kids rushed to the rail and listened intently.

"Is Raf okay?" Miko whispered, still feeling a little guilty for the boys disappearance.

"I don't have time to answer! Get me a ground bridge and I'll explain when I get there." She snapped.

"Nice to see you too." He mumbled as he typed in the coordinates.

Wheeljack had heard the commotion and ran to get the others as Smokescreen pulled the lever. A moment later Optimus and Bulkhead had gathered around as the femme walked into the base. They noticed she was holding the relic tightly.

"Arcee-"

"Optimus I don't really have time to explain." She interrupted as she held up a servo. "We need your help.... he...." Her servo dropped to her side and she hung her helm.

They watched her for a moment and felt as though something horrible had happened. She looked back up tears in her optics and she bit her lip.

"Megatron..... killed Rachet...." She choked out. The Primes optics widened and he felt as though someone had stabbed him. He involuntarily took a step back.

"How...?" Smokescreen gasped as he stared in disbelief. Bulkhead and Wheeljack stared in shock.

She squeezed her optics shut and hung her helm as an image of the medics dying form flashed across her mind. The room was quiet for a moment. A shiver ran down her spine, she heard the cons laughter as the light faded from their friends optics. No one deserved to die that way.

".....Megatron.... ripped out his spark." She whispered softly, almost to quiet to hear.

There was a small gasp from Miko, her hands flew to her mouth and she shook her head. Jack hung his head and bit his lip as the room fell silent. Optimus couldn't believe it. He clenched his servos as he felt a surge of rage flow through him. Megatron would pay.

"We need you Optimus....to bring the Forge and use it." Arcee said as she looked up again.

The Prime nodded once and walked out of the room, he felt anger flow through his spark as he walked down the hall. If there was a way to save his friend, he was going to take it.

The Autobot leader walked towards the relic and stopped just in front of it. He stared at it for a moment as he processed what had happened. He felt a wave of guilt wash over him. The Autobot leader hung his helm and closed his optics. He hadn't been there for his team when they needed him, and he hadn't stopped the Decepticon from killing his friend. Optimus gripped the handle of the relic and narrowed his optics. He picked up the Forge and walked out of the room to the others. He felt a pain in his spark as he thought of how Rachet had died.

Optimus stopped again and hung his helm as the realization hit him hard. He grit his teeth and squeezed his optics shut as a single tear escaped. Rachet was dead.