The Past Always Comes Back to Bite (RID2015 Fanfiction)

10. Strategizing

Sideswipe was getting tired of this. In less than a year, he'd been in this darkness three times, meeting up with a guide to the Afterlife who never stuck around for long.

But this time, it seemed different. Normally, he could at least see himself, but now all he saw was black in all directions. He heard soft sounds around him, and the guide was nowhere to be seen. He tried to call out for her, but his voice seemed to catch in his voicebox, unable to utter a sound.

He sat up after realizing he was lying on his back, searching the darkness with his hands for something, anything.

"Sideswipe!"

Sideswipe felt a pair of arms wrap tightly around him, along with a familiar voice calling his name. "You're awake..."

"...Sunstreaker...!?"

Sideswipe felt his brother's armor with his fingers, he heard his brother's voice, but he still saw nothing. "W-What's going on? W-Where are we...!?"

"We're...We're in the Scrapyard, Sideswipe..."

"Why is it so dark? Why can't I see you, or anything else, for that matter?"

"It's going to be okay, Sideswipe...Your optics are damaged, but they're-"

"I'm blind!?" Sideswipe grabbed onto his brother tighter, his sparkbeat quickening as he began to panic.

"Not permanently!" Sunstreaker assured, placing a hand on the back of Sideswipe's helm. "...Ratchet says the damage can be repaired..."

"H-How did you get here? How did you know I was-"

"I'm your brother, remember...? I was at home when I suddenly felt like something was very wrong, all I could feel from you was pure terror. I called Bumblebee and he told me, and I was on the next Space-Bridge jump here to Earth...Strongarm said you were crying for me when she found you."

"Is she okay?"

"She's fine. You kept the attention off of her long enough for reinforcements to show up."

"At the cost of one of my important sensors..." Sideswipe sighed, letting Sunstreaker just hold him for several seconds. His ears pricked, however, as he heard footsteps coming towards them. "Who's that?"

"It's just me, Sideswipe..."

Bumblebee's voice responded, and then he felt the team leader place a hand on his shoulder. "...You alright? Anything else damaged?"

"I...No." Sideswipe turned his head in Bee's direction, "...I ache all over from the hits, but nothing as bad as losing my sight."

"And we'll get that fixed too, I promise."

"Did... Did they get away with the weapon?"

"No. Apparently it was knocked into the river at some point and Strongarm was able to obtain the Automator and bring it back."

"An Automator...!?" Sideswipe's chassis trembled at the word. He hated the thought of what might've happened if it had been used on him when he was out of it. "...Damn."

"Yeah...We have it sealed away until we can deal with Shockwave, and then Optimus and Ratchet will be taking it back to Cybertron to be properly dealt with."

"Thank Primus..."

Sideswipe's grip on Sunstreaker loosened a little as he calmed himself. "...How long do you think until my vision comes back?"

"Ratchet's...Not sure exactly. You took a nasty hit to the helm back there."

"I remember that much..."