Rocks fell from the top of the cave and landed on Crimson, she ran out of the cave before any bigger rocks could fall and impale her. She didn’t bother fetching her motorcycle on her way out, she ran past the two Decepticon’s but didn’t get very far. Knockout chuckled as Breakdown grabbed the girl and held her in his hand, the two could see the girl was terrified of them which only added to their humor.
“L-Let me go !” Crimson struggled against Breakdown’s grip but still remained trapped, Crimson felt her fear wash over her as Breakdown’s grip tightened and she gasped for breath.
“You glitch don’t squeeze her like that ! You’ll kill her !” Breakdown rolled his optics and held the girl up to his optic level, laughing as she froze in place. Knockout wiped off his paint and listened to his partner do his best to scare the human girl even more.
“First we’re going to take you to Lord Megatron then Knockout here get’s to experiment on you.” Knockout gasped as he was punched in the back and knocked onto his hands and knee’s. Knockout got up and stood behind Breakdown as Bulkhead clenched his hands into tight fists.
“Give me the girl Breakdown,” Breakdown and Knockout turned around to leave only to have Arcee and Bumblebee’s weapons aimed at them. “No way, let her go.” Arcee was angry yet had a worried tone in her voice, a tone Crimson rarely heard from the femme. Breakdown groaned as Knockout nudged Breakdown’s arm, Breakdown looked behind Bulkhead and saw Optimus Prime coming their way.
“Breakdown we’re a tad bit out numbered here,” Knockout backed away from the Autobot’s and waited for Breakdown. Bulkhead held out his hand, Breakdown laughed at the gesture and looked down at the small human in his hand. He knew why she was so special to Megatron and the Autobot’s but, like always, Breakdown wanted to have some fun.
“You want her ? Then you can catch her.” Breakdown brought his arm down then pushed it back up in the air sending Crimson flying above them. Instantly she covered her face, Bulkhead roared in anger and started fighting Breakdown. Optimus spotted Crimson and managed to swiftly catch her in his large hand, he pressed her smaller body against his chest as he landed back on the ground.
Breakdown and Knockout were now gone, Crimson was still covering her face, her heart couldn’t slow down. Optimus sent word for a ground bridge and quietly carried the girl through the ground bridge. Once inside the base Optimus held his hand out to Ratchet, Crimson wasted no time and jumped into his hand.
She pressed her knee’s to her chest and laid her head on the top of her knee’s, Crimson kept apologizing to Ratchet for leaving base in the first place. Ratchet held her next to his chest, all of his anger for her leaving base fading away as he saw the fear in her eyes.
“Ratchet I-..They…I’m so sorry, I promise I’ll never leave again. I promise.” Crimson looked up at Ratchet with fearful eyes, Ratchet gave her a warm smile and continued holding her next to his chest. Crimson took a few deep breath’s to try and calm down.
“Ratchet I-..I didn’t think…How did they even find me ?” Optimus gave Ratchet a concerning look, Ratchet shook his helm as he set Crimson down onto the balcony. She slid her hand away from Ratchet’s and quietly walked to her bedroom, Ratchet turned to look at Optimus as soon as she was in her bedroom.
“Ratchet I believe it’s time we tell Crimson the truth”
“..I suppose it is. We will tell her first thing in the morning, for now let’s get some more recharge,” Ratchet didn’t want to tell Crimson but it was for the best. Ratchet went back to his berth room and closed the door halfway, once he heard the other’s go into their room’s he turned on his holoform.
Crimson laid with her back to the door and her hands on her chest, she didn’t bother wiping away the tears rolling down her cheeks. She grasped the covers and pulled them over her, she closed her eyes and thought back on memories she had with her parents. She was almost asleep when the door to her room opened, she took one short breath before pushing away the covers and looking at the man.
He was in his mid twenties with soft blue eyes, short brown hair and a slender body, he had some muscle but not too much. He shut the door and sat down on her bed beside Crimson, immediately she sat up and confusingly looked at the man. His eyes ran from her long auburn hair to her dark brown eyes that still had tears forming and rolling down her soft pink cheeks.
“I’ve been working on this for quite some time,” Crimson let out a breath as she looked over the man again. She melted under the voice, she knew who it belonged to, she smiled and grabbed his hand. He looked down at the gesture and smirked, Crimson closed her eyes as his hand ran down the side of her tearstained face.
“I’ve wanted to do that for a while now”
“Ratchet..Please don’t leave,” Crimson slid her arms around the holoform’s neck and laid her head in the crook of his neck. Swiftly he slid his arms around her and held her against his warm chest, he heard her softly laugh as he gripped onto her tighter.
“I won’t leave, I promise.” Crimson moved over, grinning as his holoform laid on the bed and put a arm around her small, sleek body. She laid her head on his chest and wrapped her arms around him, she felt safe and content. All the bad thoughts and memories faded far from her mind, all she could think of was Ratchet. She was glad he was her guardian, her friend.
“Ratchet, when I was in that cave, I thought he’d come…By some miracle I thought he might come and save me, that he was watching over me”
“I wish that was the case here Crimson but he’s gone. None of us have heard anything since…I’m sorry”
“What did I do to make him leave ? Why didn’t he..Was it me ?” Ratchet’s spark ached as the angst could be heard in her voice. He didn’t like talking about Wheeljack with Crimson, he knew it was a touchy subject for her. In his spark he always knew it would be hard for her to grasp the fact he left her in the time she needed him most.
“Wheeljack left because of himself. It wasn’t anything related to you or the incident…I don’t want you to be blaming yourself Crimson, I mean it.” Crimson nodded and pressed her head into his chest again, she was starting to dose off as Ratchet ran his fingers through her hair.
“Thank you,” Ratchet grinned as she gripped onto his shirt and fell asleep. Ratchet laid there running his fingers through her hair and watching her rest against his holoform. Ratchet found her sleeping habit’s adorable, he smiled and gently slid a arm around her waist as he fell asleep with her by his side and a thousand thoughts in his mind.
__________________________________
Crimson sat up taking notice that she was alone now, she swiftly got dressed and walked out to the balcony, she nearly got tackled by Miko making her laugh a little. Miko let go and smiled, Jack gave Crimson a hug, a very tight and long embraced hug.
“We’re glad you’re okay. We heard you got caught by Con’s last night. Good to know you’re safe”
“Yeah, thanks to a certain green Autobot haha,” Miko smiled and turned to Bulkhead for a story about last night. Crimson on the other hand walked over to Ratchet and Optimus, she heard Optimus saying something about her last night and she wanted to know what. Ratchet gave her a smirk but it quickly faded as a alarm went off.
“There’s two energy signatures and they’re moving fast”
“Very well Bumblebee and Arcee will come with me, Bulkhead will be going scouting while I am gone.” Optimus, Bumblebee and Arcee transformed and sped through the ground bridge leaving Ratchet and Bulkhead alone. Bulkhead held a hand out for Miko who very quickly climbed into his hand before Ratchet could see her.
“Be back soon Ratch”
“Be careful Bulkhead, send a comm if you should need anything.” Bulkhead took one last look towards Crimson before holding out a hand. Instantly she contemplated the idea, she was almost captured last night and here she was ready to leave base in a attempt to feel free. Ratchet pulled the lever for the ground bridge, Crimson ran and jumped into Bulkhead’s free hand. Ratchet chuckled and grabbed Bulkhead’s arm, he shook his head and held out his hand for Crimson.
“Ratch it’s just a scouting mission, c’mon”
“No. You’re going alone Bulkhead, what if something happens ? They can find her now, they know she lives and they won’t stop until he has her in his reach…Miko may go but Crimson will stay here. That’s final.” Crimson didn’t understand why she couldn’t go, she jumped off Bulkhead’s hand and walked back to the training room. Bulkhead waited until Ratchet fully turned around to send Miko after Crimson.
“Hey, c’mon ! Bulk’s waiting for you !”
“Miko I-..I can’t”
“It’ll be fine ! I swear ! It’s Bulkhead, he’ll keep you safe !” Crimson nodded and followed Miko back to Bulkhead’s alt mode, the two jumped into his alt mode and stayed quite as they left. Bulkhead transformed after the two climbed out and put them on his shoulder, they were in some forest which Crimson was taking a liking to. Crimson pulled her knee’s to her chest the more she thought about Ratchet, Bulkhead could see it and grabbed Crimson and held her in his free hand.
“Bulkhead what did he mean they can find me ? Why do they even want me ? What did I do to them ?…They killed my parents…Why isn’t that enough ?” Bulkhead sighed as he saw Crimson heavily sighing, he held her against his chest as they continued searching for energon.
“I can’t be the one to tell you everything, that’s Ratchet’s job but I can tell you the Con’s have no conscience Crimson. They’ll stop at nothing to get what they want.” Crimson nodded, staying quiet as they continued walking through the forest. Miko slid down Bulkhead’s shoulder and into his hand next to Crimson, Miko gave her a hug and whispered “I’m sorry,” as soft as possible.
“Thanks Miko”
“Wanna listen to some slash monkey ?!” Bulkhead stopped in his tracks causing the girls to gasp and fall to their hands and knee’s in his hand. Bulkhead put the girl’s behind his back and gently closed his hand around them, Crimson grabbed Miko’s arm out of fear.
“Things might get a bit bumpy, stay quiet you two.” Miko and Crimson sat back against his hand as they started walking again, Crimson was gripping onto her jeans to try and control her fear. Bulkhead checked the energon detector again and saw he was closer to the signature now. Bulkhead walked closer to the signature then heard a low chuckle before he was punched in the back and knocked to the ground.
“Where’s the girl Bulkhead ?” Bulkhead tightened his closure around the girl’s as he pushed himself off the ground and got ready for a fight. “Not here !” Bulkhead threw the first punch, landing it right in Breakdown’s face. Crimson covered her mouth as she felt a large rattle and Bulkhead grunt, Miko was covering her mouth to prevent her from yelling for Bulkhead.
Another wave of punches and kicks, every move made Crimson regret coming more and more. Bulkhead’s hand was on the ground now, he was trying to push himself off the ground but couldn’t.
“Bulk I’ll be okay…You need to fight him before we lose you too,” Crimson spoke softly to Bulkhead. He pushed himself off the ground, Crimson and Miko stayed behind him as he transformed his hands into a wrecking ball. Breakdown wickedly smirked as he saw the humans behind him, from the tree’s behind Breakdown came Knockout.
“Looks like we’ve found her”
“And this time there’s no chance of Prime coming to help you, I’ll get the girl Breakdown. You can handle the mech,” Knockout sent a chilling smile to Crimson. Miko grabbed Crimson’s hand and pulled her behind a rather large tree to hide, from behind the tree Crimson could hear Bulkhead struggling against Breakdown. Crimson turned around to look and saw Bulkhead was leaking energon now, Crimson growled as another hard punch landed on Bulkhead’s chassis.
“Miko I need you to call base”
“What about Ratchet ?”
“I don’t care, Bulkhead’s leaking energon. We need help, now Miko !” Crimson was fighting to scream at Miko. Skinny metal fingers came around the tree to grab the two, Crimson grabbed Miko’s arm and pulled her back over to Bulkhead.
“They aren’t going anywhere Knockout…You want the honor’s of taking out the Wrecker ?” Knockout smiled and transformed his hand into a long, sharp blade, Crimson felt herself stop breathing as he came closer to Bulkhead. Crimson closed her eyes and screamed.
“No !” Her hands shot up above her head and instantly everything stopped. Bulkhead looked above him only to see a purple see-through force field covering them.
“Bulk I can’t hold it for very much longer !” Breakdown and Knockout were beating on the shield from the outside. Bulkhead grabbed Miko and held her against his chest while he sent a comlink to Ratchet.
“Ratch, we need a ground bridge. We’ve got Con’s beating on the door,” Bulkhead could hear Crimson groaning and struggling to keep the shield up. “Ground bridge will be opening in a klick,” Bulkhead readied his hand to grab Crimson once it was visible.
Another punch caused Crimson to almost scream but still she kept the shield up. Bulkhead chuckled as the ground bridge opened for them, “Let go Crimson,” and she did. Bulkhead caught her in his hand and ran through the opened ground bridge for them, Bulkhead sat Crimson and Miko on the balcony as they entered the base.
Crimson was laid on her side her breath’s short and her body in a weak state, Ratchet turned on his holoform and sat beside Crimson. Crimson weakly smiled and hugged the holoform before her, Ratchet turned off the holoform and opened the ground bridge for the other’s to return. Optimus came through first, his optics set on Crimson’s weak state.
“Ratchet-..”
“I know, Bulkhead informed me that she managed to generate a shield around Bulkhead, Miko and herself. The strain of holding it must have made her weak since she’s never performed that kind of action before.” Ratchet’s holoform turned back on and gave her a small glass with a blue liquid inside. Crimson took the glass and slowly downed the energon.
“How do you feel ?”
“Better, way better…Ratchet what did I do ?” Ratchet gave Optimus a curt nod and turned off his holoform. Crimson pushed herself off the ground, she sat on the first stair of the balcony and looked up at Optimus. Optimus thought about where to begin, what to say and how to say it without hurting her more or scaring her further.
“Eric and Beatrice were your guardians Crimson. After we arrived on this planet Ratchet found a Autobot energy signature.” Ratchet leaned against the railing as Optimus continued telling Crimson everything. Crimson looked to Ratchet who just half smiled.
“Agent Fowler and Eric joined us to investigate the Autobot energy signature. We found a stasis pod and a Cybertronian child inside with the Autobot insignia on her chassis. I knew Megatron would soon come to find the child only to raise it as a weapon of destruction.” Crimson stood up and gripped the railing as everything became clearer for her.
“I was the sparkling”
“Yes Crimson you were. Eric crossed his genetics with your’s causing your body to alternate to a human child. You took Eric’s traits, it was decided then they would be your guardians, we had hopes you would be safe with them until we could explain the truth to you.” Ratchet knew he had upset Crimson with his words but if he told her the full truth she would of completely hated him. All of them. So he continued to lie to her and to the other Autobots.
“When were you going to tell me ?”
“Eric and Beatrice thought it would be best to wait until you were eighteen..Megatron was able to track you down because of your age. When you turned sixteen you started acting differently and a energy signature was woken in you. They can find you anywhere you go now.” Crimson gripped the railing tighter and grunted before letting go and sitting back down on the stairs.
“Crimson this is why I have ordered Ratchet to keep you at base. If Megatron were to find you I fear we wouldn’t see you again, and if we did you would be on the opposite faction”
“I understand, I just..I just don’t know why you wouldn’t tell me sooner”
“We did not tell you for fear it would anger you and it would frighten you. Ratchet convinced me it was a wise idea to wait until we believed you could handle the truth.” Crimson gave a curt nod before getting up and walking back into the training room. Ratchet wanted to follow but stopped himself from going any further.
“She will be better in time Ratchet..For now we shall continue to watch over her and protect her. Bulkhead I advise that you leave Crimson here for now on, until she understand what she can do it is unwise to take her out of the base.”
Ratchet turned back to the main database to search for energon readings but his mind was scattered all over. From Megatron’s plan if he ever caught Crimson to how she would react if he ever told her the full truth about her Cybertronian parents.