Transformers ( Bayverse ) - I Bleed A Blue Inferno

3 - Taking A Stand

Charlie remembered the first time she'd met Fay.

The bond that existed between them had been a quiet buzz for most of their lives. On occasion, Charlie would feel things that weren't her own. She would have thoughts that would seem to come out of nowhere. Charlie had never told her 'father' about these things, convinced that she was crazy. It wasn't normal to be unexplainably happy seconds after being struck by your father because 'your family' made you happy.

It scared Charlie sometimes. As a young girl it had terrified her.

Petrified her, really. It was a horrifying experience. Every day when she went to school, she felt like she was closer to some part of herself. But there were so many children her age who walked through those halls. Being only six years old herself, Charlie had no idea how to interpret it. Her only idea was that perhaps she had a twin she'd been separated from at birth.

In some way, that had been the truth, hadn't it?

It had taken some time before Charlie had been able to pinpoint her the other child was that always seemed to invade her mind and heart. That was what Charlie believed herself to have at that age, anyway.

Charlie remembered when the bond had burned hotter than coals under feet that day. Charlie remembered the flashing images of a burning car, of scorched and mangled bodies, of screams.

Screams that came from her. Charlie had echoed Fay's shrieks that day, the passionate pain overflowing into Charlie's spark from, unable to be contained. Starscream, having posed as Charlie's father for all those years, had promptly scolded Charlie and told her to shut up. Told her that she was being ridiculous.

Charlie hadn't cared, she'd torn for the doors and windows, all of them locked, in her attempts to get out. Charlie had never attempted an escape before, never attempted anything with this much zeal in the presence of her father before. Today, she didn't care about the consequences, which would surely be fronted with a dire, harsh punishment that would leave Charlie with both physical and mental scars. At eight years old, Charlie tore at those doors in the middle of summer, scratching at the man she feared more than death, her eyes glowing bright blue.

Charlie had nothing on her mind other than finding Fay, a girl she'd only seen in the crowds at school but couldn't personally recall. All she knew was the feeling in her chest that drove her to the girl in so much pain.

"I'm coming!" Charlie screamed as she struck her father, reaching for the door again. This time, she unlocked it and burst outside.

Charlie didn't make it far before she'd been tackled to the ground and drug back inside.

Charlie was confined to her room for the rest of the summer, and she counted down the days until she could find the mysterious 'twin' she always felt inside her.

When the day for school came, Charlie kept her eyes open, constantly scanning the children around her. It took a few days for her to notice, but Charlie eventually found the girl who sat alone at recess, always moving if people came near her to stay out of their way. It hurt her every time she saw that little brunette-haired girl.

Charlie, however, was bold and brave. Charlie didn't back down when it came to these things. With a set outcome in her mind, Charlie walked up to Fay and sat down next to her quietly. Fay didn't move away. The bags under her eyes suggested she hadn't slept in days.

A seven-year-old girl, sleep-deprived. Charlie's heart ached. Silently, she reached for Fay's hand. Fay attempted to pull away once, but Charlie only tightened her grip.

"It's okay," Charlie whispered, not even looking at Fay. They both had their eyes glued to the ground, where the gravel switched to dirt and grass. "I'm here."

Fay burst into tears for the first time since her father and brother had passed. Unable to contain herself again by the time the bell rang, Charlie snuck Fay away from the school and they hid for the rest of the day while everything in Fay's heart burst out in the salty fluid flowing down her cheeks. Calmly, Charlie just kept repeating, "It's okay. I'm here," while holding Fay's hand, running her other hand through Fay's brown hair.

As Fay sobbed, Charlie knew she had found the right girl, because that pain became her own. Even if she didn't understand it, Charlie easily accepted it.

"I'm here," she murmured. "I always will be."

~~~

Charlie laid on the shoreline now, staring up at the night sky. The days were ticking by. The Autobots still didn't have a real lead on Fay's location or how to find her. They didn't know where to start. Charlie just laid there for now, breathing slowly as she recalled their childhood.

"We were just kids then," she muttered. "You don't even remember those days, do you, Fay?" It made Charlie sad that Fay didn't know their earlier history. Probably never would. Those memories had been wiped out. Of course, that could have been a lie. If they were only locked up, then it was possible Fay would someday remember those earlier encounters and how hard Charlie had worked every year. The same stories, having to pretend . . .

It had broken Charlie's heart up until fifth grade. But Charlie didn't want to linger on those thoughts tonight. She just wanted to figure out how to get Fay back.

~~~

"Clean yourself," the guard ordered simply as he dropped the tub of water carelessly inside her cell. It was a wonder it didn't topple over and spill over the metal floor.

"Excuse me?" Fay asked, nearly snarling at him. "Who the hell do you think you are?"

"Lockdown wants you clean. Says you're starting to smell." That was his only response as he turned away from her again.

"Well tell that jackass that clean clothes would help, too! Not to mention a real bathroom instead of a bucket, and a bed wouldn't hurt, either! Night terrors are a bitch on a metal floor!" Fay refused to give into some subordinate. She was a fighter. She was deadly. Anyone who doubted either of these things would be taught a lesson.

The guard simply ignored her, keeping his back turned. Fay huffed angrily before storming to the corner, grabbing the damned bucket, and flinging the contents at the annoying mech.

Her body's wastes now thoroughly coated his left ankle servo and ped. "Now who stinks, asshole?" Fay flung the bucket for good measure before backing away from his reach. If he wanted a fight, he'd have to open the cell again. If he did that, Fay would be quick to make a break for it.

"Troublesome pest," the guard muttered angrily. "Perhaps I should show you something you would be best to understand.

Fay grinned as the door flung open and he reached for her. Surely he had it in his mind to teach her a lesson just like Lockdown would.

Unfortunately, Fay was too quick today. Even though her strength was slowly diminishing, she was more than capable of taking charge.

Fay's eyes lit up as she stood her ground, her spark surging. The nameless guard froze as she held his gaze. A mere moment later, he dropped to the ground, his arm still outstretched as he crashed. Fay held it a moment later, feeling his sparkbeat slow as easily as if she held it in her hand. Fay waited, waited, until it stopped completely.

"Don't you ever treat me like just any prisoner ever again, Fay warned as she walked to the edge of the cell, tugging on the chains until they snapped. Eying the hallways, Fay took a moment to contemplate which one would be most likely to lead to her freedom.

More than one of them could easily lead to her death.

"Better to die running than to die a prisoner," Fay murmured, huffing angrily. Today, she would fight, even if the exertion was going to catch up to her soon. "I will not bow."