(TFP) Book 3: This Little Word Is Harsh

Chapter 6

Smokescreens p.o.v

"BUMBLEBEE!" I ran out of my vehicle straight towards him. His face was of pure happiness then horror. I swept him off the ground and his crutches hit the floor. I didn't care though, I was just happy to see him. "Smoky?" His voice was scratchy. My eyes went wide, "you talk?!" I pulled him from me but I held him up. "B-barely." I grabbed him back in a hug and this time he hugged back. "RATCHET!" I heard yells and all the kids ran to him. Ratchet yelled when the kids got to him and practically tackled him. We pulled apart and laughed at the scene. Everyone did. Then I saw someone picking up Bee's crutches and turned to see someone with a wrapped side. His shirt was off but he had jeans on with a hoodie tied around his waist. "Who is he?" I whispered and Bumblebee smiled as he kindly took his crutches back. "This is Hot Rod. My brother in arms." I rose a brow. "Nice to meet you Hot Rod, I'm Smokescreen." We shook hands. His brown-blondish hair was shaggy just like Bumblebee's. "Nice to meet ya. Heard a lot about you." I nodded with a smile. I let go of Bee.
     "Autobots. I am proud to say we are home." Optimus stood to us all. I was tossed a bracelet. I smiled wide, "Thanks." I put it on and clicked it. "Yeeha! Finally!" I stretched and flung out my weapons. "Oh I missed these things." Ratchet grumbled something as he hit his button. "For once, it's good to be back." Everyone was now Cybertronian. Hot Rod was well built like Bee. "Bumblebee, Hot Rod, to the med bay now. I need to patch up a leg and weld a side." They groaned. Bees beeps made me feel home again. I saw a big green bot in the corner cleaning guns. WheelJack and Drift had took to sparking a conversation about swords as Bulkhead caught up on things with Miko. Arcee and Optimus were talking with IronHide, Jack was listening too.
     "Hey," I waved to the green mech. He looked at me, his purple tinted goggles shimmering in the light above. "Hey kid." His voice was gruff. A smile spread across his face, a cocky one. I walked towards him and stuck my servo out, "Smokescreen." He took it with a bigger smirk, "Crosshairs." My eyes went wide, "Crosshairs? The lieutenant of the wreckers!" He chuckled softly. "I suppose, that's what most people remember me as." I gawked. His servo left mine. "How did you know Optimus?" Crosshairs chuckled once more, "oh everyone knew him. I knew him personally. Mostly because I had been a selection to his team and reported to him a lot. IronHide, Bulkhead, and WheelJack was who I met first. I met Hot Rod and Bumblebee next, the two little brats were in the battle field and saved my aft once. Both of them, same darn time. I was confused for minute until I saw their Autobot symbols. Way too young to be in war I thought but then I also found out they were on Primes team. Followed them back to base safely." He gave me a minute to let that soak in before continuing. "Arcee and I met while practicing. Beat a couple of wreckers afts. Proved to Prime she was worthy to be on the team and now here she still is. Ratchet and I met when it was my first visit to the med bay. He saved my fragging life. Got a bar embed through my mid section. Hurt like the pits of Unicron. Owe him my life, still pay him. I met Drift when Bumblebee had to order us around for a bit. Drift was a con. He was looking for a second chance though, he hadn't killed any Autobot. Only Decepticon. He was forced into the Decepticons side. It was the life of his sensei or he could join the cons without any harm to his sensei. Well, he joined. But, not long after his sensei died in battle. Drift gave up and got away. Bumblebee with his big spark took him in. Said it was what Prime would do. None of us wanted to but I'm glad the choice was made now. Drift deserves to be here. Jazz. Oh man, with him way back. I've been with him since we were teenagers. The trouble we got into. I don't even think I should say." He ended it with a pat on my head and he walked off. He walked over to the beat moving bot and sat down to chat with him. I smiled wide.

   Arcee's p.o.v

     "I'm gonna go check up on WheelJack and Drift. Thank you both for the assistance in the field today." The both nodded as I walked off. Jack following in pursuit. My now big peds clanked on the ground. "Hey guys," the two mechs looked up with smiles. "Sup, how are you doing?" WheelJack gained a new scrape on is helm. I shook my head, "I should be asking you that." He shrugged, "well, I'm alright. Thanks for asking." Drift smiled. "How are you Drift?" He leaned back against the wall with a vent. "Well, I guess...well." We laughed for a moment. "Good. I'm glad to hear that." He nodded. "I'm glad I'm here." I looked at him confused. "Glad I got my second chance." I smiled, "Bumblebee wouldn't leave you." He smiled and nodded, "I know that now. When I was there. I wasn't armed. I was wounded. Leaking amounts of energon ever click. They came across me and they tried to attack. Then, Bumblebee stopped them. I thought he wanted to end me himself. I was going to let him. Instead, he asked me my designation, and why I joined the cons." He sighed, WheelJack set a gentle servo on his shoulder plating. "I told him everything. The others didn't believe me, trust me anyway. Bumblebee did though, he made Hound patch me up and he gave me energon. I was shocked. Confused. Then I realized that's what an Autobot is." I nodded, "no one would leave you. Crosshairs may be a jackaft but you know deep down he would have done something to help you." Drift nodded solemnly, "I try my hardest due to my second chance. I hope I fulfilled that." I shook my helm, "a long time ago."

   Jazz's p.o.v

     I laughed at Crosshairs joke he told me earlier as I walked to the med bay. Bumblebee was already walking around. Hot Rod was getting fixed at the moment. The war didn't give us so much resources to cease pain. So, most of us were in pain every time we would get put in the med bay. "How's he doing?" Then a shout erupted from Hot Rod. He squirmed. Bumblebee was right at his side holding him down. "Calm down buddy." His buzzes were heard. I shook my helm, "Hey, deep breathes." He nodded. He had his mouth guard reatracted. His breathing slowed again. Someone showed up at the door, it was Optimus and IronHide. "Heard him shout. Told the others we would watch him for reassurance. They accepted." IronHide mumbled. "He's just in immense pain." Ratchet muttered bitterly. He wasn't mad with us, he was upset for the kid. "I know." Optimus whispered. "Primus!" Hot Rod shouted once more. He clenched his teeth and arched his body. "Hold him down please." Ratchet sighed. Bumblebee set a gentle servo on his chest plate. Then, they both did their signature move in war. Hot Rod slowly lifted his arm and servo. Bumblebee grasped it. He squeezed gently. Determination in both their optics. "Come on brother, you've been through much worse." Hot Rod nodded stiffly. Then his body flinched when Ratchet started to weld the metal together. "Frag!" He yelped. "Language." IronHide scolded. "Sorry." He muttered softly. "It is alright Hot Rod." Optimus smiled. "Thank you."
     Hot Rod shouted once more, "Hurts!" Then it was over. Hot Rod laid back, cooling fans kicked on from the stress the welding took on him. "Recharge. You've earned it," Ratchet announced to Hot Rod. Hot Rod instantly relaxed into recharge. "I hope the little dude isn't in so much pain when he wakes." I slumped down onto a crate. "Me neither." Crosshairs sighed. "Have any extra berth rooms?" I asked Optimus. He smiled, "many. WheelJack will show you." Drift bowed, "thank you." Optimus nodded, "anything old friend." WheelJack stood using his sword and holding his helm. "I hate cons." He showed me, Crosshairs, and Drift three different ones. There were four left after that. Two for IronHide and Hot Rod but two would be left for whoever, or just not sued at all. "Thank you." He nodded, "anything man."