To Be A Hero

Part 9

Cody's next sensation was the feeling of thin, feather light hands running through his hair. Then, he registered the sound of his sister's high, airy voice as she hummed their family lullaby. The combination of the lullaby and the soothing sensation of Dani's hands in his hair was almost enough to send Cody back to sleep. The heavy warmth and familiar oblivion pulled at Cody like the waves on Griffin Rock Beach. Yet, Cody couldn't surrender to them yet...

Instead, Cody forced himself to blink his eyes open. Darkness greeted him for a half second and then light clicked into place as his eyes... 'turned on'. Cody flinched from the blaze of visual input as it streaked heatedly into his woefully unprepared brain. In pain, Cody balled up his hands and dug them harshly into his eye sockets.

"Cody! You're awake!" Dani happily paused in her movements. Her thin, bird-like hands tugged lightly on Cody's own and drew them away from his face. Cody carefully blinked open his eyes to find himself curled on his side in his bed. Looking up, he spotted Dani's concerned visage leaning over him.

"Hi, sis." He mumbled sleepily. Dani smiled lopsidedly and moved back a bit. A few seconds later, Cody felt her gentle hands on his bicep to help him upright. He didn't think he really needed the help but knowing Dani it was more a way to show concern than because he actually needed the help. An upright view allowed him to see a few extra chairs in his room than normal, Blades's pensive face at his window, and Dani's own concerned eyes from her seat next to his bed. "Hi Blades." Cody murmured in a belated greeting. The orange and white bot immediately perked up.

"Hi Cody. Are you feeling okay? Do you need anything? Should I give you a scan?" Blades chattered nervously. He peered carefully at Cody and his wing blades fluttered in agitation. Cody felt his eyes widen a bit. Blades must have been really scared earlier to be acting this nervous even now. Granted... Blades didn't really need much of scare to get jumpy.

"I think I'm okay, Blades. But you can scan me anyway if it will make you feel better." Cody nodded in acceptance of his own statement and was somewhat relieved not to feel any pain or dizziness from the action. If he couldn't still remember the sight of his now blue blood or the discussion he'd had with his dad, Chase, and Heatwave, Cody would have thought he was the epitome of health. The only thing currently plaguing him was his left-over sleepiness. It lingered in his blood and eyes like water on the station roof.

"You don't mind? Thanks Cody. You gave us all quite the scare the other day. I'll check your energon levels while I'm at it too." Chase leaned a little bit closer to Cody's window and his eyes gleamed a bright, bright blue. Cody tried not to shiver as he felt little phantom tingles ping down his body. The strange feeling started at the top of his head and slowly shifted down to his toes. Like a thousand gossamer threads touching each nerve before vanishing, the scan felt distinctly ticklish and yet razor sharp all at once. It was uncomfortable, yet Cody was barely able to contain of giggle by the end of it.

"Everything looks like it's doing okay, though you're running a little low on energon." Blades admitted after the sky-bright glow in his eyes faded. Cody blinked and opened his mouth, but his sister spoke first.

"Is he in danger?" Dani asked worriedly. She alternated between looking worriedly at Cody and at Blades. Her form tensed to a soldier at ready and he chin jutted out in a familiar show of Burns Family Determination.

"U-um, not at the mo-moment, no. It just means he'll probably need more, um, sometime before tonight. Like, in a few hours would be good, I think. Anymore before that will make him purge and that will waste the energon." Blades fretfully reassured his partner. Dani relaxed... but only minutely. More akin to a sentinel now than a hunting predator, Dani's form somehow warmed Cody's heart even as his mind wished for her happiness and relaxation.