Ruby - Transformers: Age of Extinction fanfic

Hate in her Blood, Love in her Heart

Ruby threw her head back, sliding forward on her knees. Lockdown's blade missed her throat by a hair. The move made her head spin. Cade opened fire, taking Lockdown's attention long enough for her to regain her balance.

Behind her, it was three on one. Cade, Bee and Optimus fought to gain advantage over Lockdown. He was faster than them, and had nothing to lose. He was cold and cruel.

Optimus' sword clashed against Lockdown's. Ruby ignored the pain throbbing all over her brain. She glanced around for a weapon, panicking. A knife, a gun, a lump of metal that would work as a shield, anything! 

All she could see through her reddening eyes was a stupid piece of rope. It lay a few feet away like a dead snake. She snatched it up, getting a handful of sand in the process. She looked back at the fight, a snarl on her face. She'd vowed to take him down. It was time.

Ruby wound the rope around her fingers, and stalked towards the battle. The sun cast her as a silhouette.

"Optimus," she shouted, "On your left!"

Her ears were so blocked with clotted blood she could barely hear her own voice.

Lockdown turned to her and Optimus stepped left, out of his sight. With any luck, the sun now shone right in Lockdown's eyes. Ruby prepared to jump for his head one more time, praying she could keep her head for just a few more seconds.

She sailed over him, and in an extreme leap of jump rope, she swung the rope backwards over her head. Before it could swing under her feet, it caught on something. 

Lockdown's neck. It took all her strength to pull him over backwards. The rope burned her hands, ripping her palms to shreds.

Until gravity won out. The rope went loose. Lockdown's weight dragged him down the rest of the way. Ruby rolled clear and twisted round to see if Optimus had caught up to her plan.

As she predicted, Lockdown flipped onto his stomach before he hit the ground, throwing out his arms to save his ugly face.

Optimus struck from behind, quick and as sudden as a python, plunging his sword straight through the enemy's neck.

Optimus cleaved Lockdown's head clean in two. Icky green goo spilled onto the ground like liquid mold. It sizzled in the sand like acid. Ruby felt a small flicker of satisfaction. She'd been the last person he'd ever see.

Bumble Bee played a short melody of sirens and alarms through his radio. He pointed desperately to the wreckage of Lockdown's ship.

A whole host of drones were coming for them. Pink stingers and silver sideswipes. They'd be on them within seconds.

"To me!" cried Optimus.

Bumble Bee swept up Cade and Tessa on his way to Optimus' side. Ruby stepped onto Optimus' foot and tied herself to his leg with what was left of the rope. His cold metal hide gave relief to her burning skin.

Optimus ripped a grenade from Lockdown's body, and waited until the last moment to engage his flight gear.

Ruby blinked, watching the drones descend as if they were from a dream. The edges of her vision blurred. They were so close now. Optimus' flight gear hummed in her ears, but everything felt a world away.

With a small click, Optimus pulled the pin, dropped the grenade, and shot into the sky. It was like being on a roller coaster. Ruby felt as if she'd left her stomach behind. The bomb blew. 

Had her hearing gone now? A cloud of sand and fire chased them in deadly silence, reaching for their feet. It fell short and drifted away.

Someone was shaking her. Muffled voices came from all directions. They bothered her. Her head throbbed, she needed quiet!

Hands were at her waist. Ruby's eyes opened. Cade was trying to talk to her, trying to untie her from Optimus' leg. The rope dropped away and Ruby fell forwards.

"Come help me with her, she's heavy!"

"Am not," she tried to say. But of course she was. She was made of metal, after all.

"I got her,"

"Tom?"

He smiled weakly at her. She smiled back and let them carry her.

"What happened?" said Tom.

"I don't know," said Cade, "Her powers went first, then her balance, it's like she's had a stroke or something."

"Wait, what? Do you know where this blood is coming from?"

Carefully, she was placed on the ground. Right now, even the concrete felt comfortable.

"Ruby, can you hear us?"

"Just about," she said, keeping her eyes closed.

Cold hands touched her face. They turned her head one way then the other.

"Brain hemorrhage," Tom stated, "Bad one,"

"Yes," she whispered.

"We need to get her to a hospital, right now! She needs surgery!"

"No," said Ruby, she opened her eyes to the blue sky and tried to sit up. Tom helped her.

They were back by the water. Tessa peered tearfully over her dad's shoulder. The autobots, all of them, stood silently nearby. Optimus stared at the sky, his mouth guard still up. They'd done it. And they were all safe.

"What do you mean?" said Cade, "Let Tom help you; he's a doctor you know,"

"Brain surgery, won't work," she said, "My skull, its cybertanium, you won't be able to cut through,"

"Nonsense!" bellowed Hound.

Ruby cried out as the sound bounced between her ears.

"Sorry," he whispered, "Take me with you to this hospital you speak of, I can cut through cybertanium."
"But Lockdown said-"

"Really?" he huffed, "You'll take the word of some alien scum over mine!"

"We're wasting time," said Tom, "We need to go. Now."

"We shall escort you," said Optimus, finally breaking out of his stupor and transforming. The autobots copied him.

Cade helped Tom get Ruby into Hound's truck, resting her head in his lap.

"You're going to be okay," Tom told her, sweeping her hair out of her eyes, "You did it, you know, you saved us all. Again."

Ruby meant to say something back. She meant to tell him that he was the one who kept the Seed out of Galvatron's hands. And Optimus had been the one to kill Lockdown. 

But there was nothing left now, no more words. Only blissful quiet.