Redemption

Chapter 3 - Receptacle

A/N. Hello everyone! I didn't want to make a separate post for this authors note, but I did find it worth mentioning. I struggle a lot with longer stories, one shots are more my thing. However, since a couple of people have been voting and saving this story, I want to continue with it for the people who care about it. I forgot that I had this chapter saved to my files, and wanted to post it for you. I will try my best to continue with this, as it is something that I enjoy, but I unfortunately can not guaranty frequent updates. Thank you to everyone who is invested in my work, it means the world to me that even a few people find joy in my creations. Till all are one <3

p.s. I did not proof read this

It all happened so fast.

If it weren't for the crusting energon on his servos, Knockout could almost convince himself that it was an intrusive thought. Nothing more than a passing vision, gone after the blink of an optic. Fleeting stresses of an overworked spark.

Not the dripping remains of an extinguished one.

He couldn't remember arriving at the second medical bay to wash up, but at some point he became aware that his servos were now clean. 

Drones walked on his left and right, boxing him in. They carried emptied energon cubes now full of various supplies and possessions important to him. It was eerie seeing how swiftly they obeyed the Autobots orders, when only days before they would have shot at them without hesitation. Knockout supposed he couldn't judge them for their choice, all factors considered. No one in this hallway was a Decepticon anymore, even the ones who secretly didn't want to betray their cause. Megatron had renounced  them. Orphan soldiers carrying boxes. Boxing him in. Boxes. 

Boxes are interesting, actually, you might think they're boring- and that's fine. You're allowed to think that, but Knockout didn't. Boxes had several uses. You could organize with them. Fill them with all of your possessions, stack them neatly within their metal confines and prepare them for moving day. Knockouts stuff wasn't  stacked neatly, it was thrown around a jumbled together. Boxes. Some bots arrived neatly in their boxes, fresh from the battle field and ready for the ground. Knockouts partner did not. Several boxes, all thrown around and jumbled together.

Knockout had always been in a box, come to think of it. He ran from one box to the next, Velocitron, to space, to Cybertron, to space, to Junkion, to space, to Earth, to space, back to Cybertron, and now- back to Earth.

They had arrived at the space bridge, and Knockout decided he wasn't going to think about boxes anymore.

They stopped at the entrance, staring up at it. 

Bumblebee had finally decided to show up, as had Ratchet. The old mech seemed quite disgruntled, or maybe that was just how his face always looked. Knockout looked up at him, but found that the other doctor wouldn't meet his gaze. Deciding he had won the staring contest he just imagined, Knockout smirked. 

That, now that did get the attention of someone, just not Ratchet.

"What are you smiling at, Knockout?" Bumblebee questioned, probably reaching the conclusion that Knockout was somehow proud of all this.

"Nothing", Knockout grumbled, "just lost in thought." He hadn't noticed it at first, but he could now see the stress around Bumblebees optics. It was almost as if he had been crying. 

"You know I'm not happy about this." Ratchet suddenly spat out, venom lacing his tone.

"It's what Optimus would have wanted," Bumblebee argued, "I'm not, well, I'm not stoked either, but it's not like we can just kill him."