Transformers Prime: Result of Impact

Ch. 26

Ratchet never came back.

Hours passed, in the lonely cell, but Jennie's guardian didn't come back for her, like he said he would. That could mean so many things... so many possibilities...

He could be dead...

Or, he could be free, for some reason... but how would that work out? Why would Megatron just let him go?

For the love of God, Jennie hoped that he had been released, rather than killed... but there was no way of figuring that out while she was left alone in the cell. She hadn't moved from the berth (she couldn't get down if she tried), and for most of the time, she found herself staring at the dried drops of energon on the floor, from earlier, when Ratchet had angered Megatron. Without her gaurdian, she couldn't tell how long it had been. It had to be almost the entire day... at least it felt like it.

After hours of waiting, the cell door finally opened, and Megatron entered the room. His red optics locked into her after sweeping the room. "So you aren't dead," he observed dryly. Jennie just stared at him. "An entire day of making no noise is suspicious when it comes to fleshlings like yourself."

"Where's Ratchet?" She asked in a voice that wavered a bit with worry.

Megatron quirked an optic ridge, devilish consideration and thought flashing in his gaze. Jennie had a feeling that she wouldn't get a truthful answer from him, when he had a look like that; his expression said he was preparing to play more of his mind games. "Is that concern I hear in your voice? How pathetic..." Megatron drawled slowly. "It's petty to think you would care about the Autobot that abandoned you."

An offended look crossed Jennie's fact immediately. Did he think she was that stupid? Ratchet would never leave her... he was past disliking her... wasn't he?

Stop.

You can't let that get to you. You can't believe what he says.

You can't lose your faith in Ratchet.

The flicker of self doubt must have shown in her eyes, because Megatron gave a victorious laugh. "You wildly overestimate your relationship with the medic... The first chance he got, he left, without a thought for you. I don't blame him though... after what you've caused, last night..." Despite the fact that Jennie was desperately trying to keep the doubt from her mind, the statement caught her, and she couldn't help staring up at him in confusion.

"What... do you..." She started, but a part of her that didn't want to know held her back from finishing.

Another laugh followed. "What do you think, Human? Your burden has finally brought Optimus Prime to the ground... His spark is no more."

No...

That can't...

He couldn't...

Was it true?

And... was it her fault?

Her mind slipped back to the night she had met Ratchet, the night she had run carelessly into the street... What if she hadn't? What if she had just stayed, and accepted the beating from her father?

She would have carried on with a few broken ribs, a series of nasty bruises, bloody gashes, and scars that would never heal. She would have had to continue living with him.

But Optimus would still be alive.

Was Ratchet angry at her, for being the fault of his best friend's death?

She wasn't to blame. There was nothing she could have done.

But what if Ratchet felt otherwise?

"Jennie, it's not your fault, do you understand?"

His words rang through her mind...

But what if his feelings changed?

Was it... enough to convince him to leave her?

Did she not matter to him anymore?

Could she blame him if he felt that way?

No.

She couldn't.

Look at what she had caused...

He was captured by Decepticons twice, shot by enraged humans, damaged and hurt from protecting her...

She was a burden to him.

She had caused him so much trouble...

And now, the Autobots had no leader.

Damn.

All she wanted was for Ratchet to tell her she was wrong, tell her that she wasn't a burden, tell her...

Tell her she mattered to him.

Jennie didn't realize she was crying until she couldn't see through the tears, and had to wipe them from her eyes.

"Is it sinking in, Human?" Megatron growled.

"I-It's not... it's not my... fault..." Jennie whispered, shaking her head. "I..."

"Do you really think you are more important than Prime to any of the Autobots?"

"N-No-."

"Do you really think Ratchet wants you to get more of his team killed?"

That one cut deep.

Jennie cringed, closing her eyes. "You're just trying to mess with me..."

"Am I?" Megatron grinned darkly. "This is just the beginning, Human. The Autobots are coming to an end, and I'm not going to have a use for you anymore. It wouldn't be fun to let you out easy. If you are still alive by the time this week ends, I will be very, very impressed." He turned, without letting her answer, and closed the door.

And she was alone again.

"You... You... Primus, you've done it!" The exclamation of shock and joy that escaped Ratchet drew a hearty laugh from Wheeljack. The white wrecker leaned against one of the stacks of energon cubes smugly.

"Looks like things are looking up, eh?" He asked with a grin. Beside him, Bulkhead and Bumblebee both nodded happily, relief radiating from them.

Ratchet couldn't believe it- they had managed to swipe energon from the Decepticons. Such a good amount, too...

And to add to that, Optimus had regained consciousness after a few hours of rest, with more strength, enough to converse with Ratchet. And while the others were out, they had figured it out...

By some miracle, they had constructed a plan to retrieve Jennie.