MENDED

Chapter Nine

" Face reality as it is, not as it was or as you wish it to be." —Ratchet

{1}

Novalee’s world seemed to stop, ever so slowly it moved. Her eyes were wide and tears fought their way to roll down her cheeks. She was fearful for their lives, their lives could easily be taken like theirs. While Novalee was going through shock, Ratchet hastily worked to get them awake.

Images kept coming to Novalee’s mind. Memories. Ones of her last ones before her and Nathan’s grandmother passed away. It was hard for Novalee, losing the only one that cared about her back then. Novalee didn’t realize that Miko, Jack, Arcee, and Bumblebee returned. Miko took it just as hard seeing bulkhead. She came back to reality in one of the hallways. Novalee walked back to the main hangar to see Fowler talking with Optimus.

“Turns out, highlights of your Big Apple adventure got caught on security tape. The Pentagon needs me to run interference with the Mayor.

I tried to stall, butㅡ” Fowler said, but Optimus stopped him, “Go where you are needed, Agent Fowler. There is nothing more you can do for Bulkhead at this time.”

“Keep me posted, Prime,” Fowler said with a stern tone, “I mean it”.

“Wheeljack's on his way,” Arcee said solemnly, catching her attention. Novalee looked into the med bay, seeing the two mech’s frames motionless. It caused her heart to squeeze as if it was in pain just seeing them like this.

“I can't believe you're giving up on Bulkhead already!” Miko shouted angrily.

“All I meant was Wheeljack and Bulkhead are close. I thought he'd want to be here Arcee defended. Novalee finally saw Elimpitha. The femme looked exhausted as well as pained. She remembers a lecture from Ratchet about spark-bonds. If something happened to one the other would feel it, as well as send emotions to one another. Right now Elimpitha could feel what Stormbreaker could since he never closed the bond.

“I know what you meant,” Miko snapped. She got up and stomped to where Fowler left.

“Miko, where are you going?” Nathan questioned.

“Home! While Agent Fowler can still give me a lift,” she replied angrily as the door shut after her.

“She needs time,” Optimus said solemnly.

“How are they Ratchet?” Novalee asked catching the medic's attention.

“Stormbreaker will recover, as for Bulkhead… I am not sure yet,” Ratchet said

//////

“Bulkhead is stable, for the moment, but I've had to induce stasis,” Ratchet sighed. The sound of an engine rumbled through the tunnel entrance. Looking up, Novalee saw a white muscle car with red and green stripes. They transformed and their frame resembled one of a mecha. Immediately he went towards the med bay.

“What's the damage, Doc?” the mecha questioned.

“Bulkhead suffered massive trauma to his central neural conduit,” Ratchet said, but seemed...disappointed about something. Novalee frowned upon seeing his facial expression. But she returned to who she supposed was Wheeljack.

“I've watched you work. You're a maestro,” Wheeljack said.

“The Tox-En exposure has caused system-wide shutdown on a sub-micronic level. I can't even begin to operate until Bulkhead regains some strength,” Ratchet argued. They glared at each other for a moment before Wheeljack turned his gave to Optimus.

“You gonna tell me who did this to him?” he demanded.

“At the moment, I believe it is best to focus our attention on Bulkhead's recovery rather than revenge,” Optimus said, though wisely. Wheeljack’s expression darkened but remained to collect in front of the Prime.

“You do that” he almost sneered as he stormed away. The others looked after him as he stormed off. Novalee looked up to Ratchet again.

“Wheeljack will most likely do something rash, you know,” the mecha stated towards Optimus.

“And I am not sure we could stop him if we wanted to” Optimus said.

“Stormbreaker is going to be okay? And Bulkhead..?” Novalee asked hopefully. The medic looked down at Novalee, seeing the hope in her blue eyes.

“Stormbreaker took less damage than what Bulkhead did. I have already operated on him. Bulkhead...is a different story...his systems need time to recover from the Tox-en he was exposed to,” Ratchet said. Novalee smiled a bit before running over to Elimpitha.

“You okay, Eli’?” the twelve-year-old asked.

“I’m okay, just mentally drained. I can feel Storm’s pain fading, which is good,” Elimpitha said.

“I’m glad,” Novalee smiled.
 

A/n: I forgot to upload this, sorry :'D