Birth of an Angel

Caught between awake and asleep, floating in a gray in-between world, all I had were my Bonds.

They were all I could feel, besides my own thoughts and emotions, and all I could really concentrate on.

The Bonds I had with the sparklings (wait, how did I know they were sparklings?) were still weak, fresh, but I could sense their fear and concern.

I wanted to comfort them like I wanted to comfort Guardian, but all I could do was send my own feelings to them, tell them that I was still there.

There was nothing I wanted more than to wake up.

Another Bond, one I couldn’t identify, distracted me from my wishes.

I realized it was the Bond I had felt when kidnapped by Sector Seven, and, remembering the warmth I had felt, reached for it.

There was a jolt, as if the other person hadn’t expected me, before the warmth started to trickle in.

The gray was starting to turn blue, like an Autobot’s optics, and I leaned into the presence for comfort.

Encouraged by my actions, the warmth wrapped around me more securely, a safety blanket.

Then I remembered the name the AllSpark had given me…

And it all made sense.

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Consciousness came slowly, like waves slowly encroaching on the shore, each bringing a new perception to test my surroundings.

First was touch; warm metal and lukewarm air, the vibration of an idling engine, small forms curled against my side.

Then hearing; the gentle purr of an engine, idle chattering, the soft touch of metal on metal.

Sight came slowly; dark metal, dimmed optics, shadows formed by the large body shielding my eyes from a bright overhead light.

Blinking slowly, I turned my head to see Sparky and the X-Box-bot pressed into my side like fitful kittens.

The SUV was curled around the head of whatever bed I was on, a heavy arm laying on my torso as if to keep me from escaping, while the vending machine-bot lay at the foot of the bed, fidgeting like a puppy dreaming of chasing squirrels.

“ Keara. ” Guardian greeted softly, coming around the bed to settle on my free side.

“ I am glad you are awake. ”

“Glad to be awake.” I admitted softly, smiling.

“What have I missed?”

“ Quite a bit, actually. But first, I should tell the others that you have woken up. ”

She was careful to nuzzle my stomach in farewell before heading towards the door, and I watched the, rather large, door close before moving.

“Alright, little ones. Time to wake up.”

Four sets of optics flickered on, startled.

“ Creator! ” Sparky chirped, climbing around to my neck and nuzzling me happily.

The others were just as excited, snuggling closer, careful not to put their full weight on me.

Content, I ran a hand over the metal of their heads…

And noticed the bandages.

Pausing, I curled my fingers over the gauze covering my palms, flinching at the pain.

Checking myself over for other injuries, careful of my damaged hands, I found another bandage on my chest, right over the sternum.

Other than that, I was completely unharmed.

“KEKE!”

The two smaller bots scrambled to avoid getting crushed in Sam’s flying hug, and I grunted as my lungs were crushed.

“You’re okay!”

“I was, until you started crushing me.” I grumbled, shoving at his face so Sam fell off the bed.

“You’ve been unconscious for a week.” Mikaela informed me, looking relieved.

“They said you might not wake up.”

“Drama queens.” I teased, smirking.

“After all we’ve been through, you thought I’d just up and die on you? Ye of little faith!”

“I wasn’t worried.” Sam boasted.

“I’ve seen you fall off the roof, jump out of a moving car, and blow up a chemistry lab. I knew you’d be fine.”

“How was I supposed to know those chemicals didn’t like each other?!” I defended.

“Remind me never to let you near anything sharp.” Epps teased, coming up behind Sam and Mikaela with Lennox.

“And after I saved all your asses? I’m hurt.”

I pushed myself up, prepared to get on my feet, when Sam panicked.

“You shouldn’t get up!”

“What are you, my mother?” I retorted, pushing him away by the face again.

“I’m just fine, you overdramatic-.”

A robotic cough interrupted me, and I looked up at Ratchet, who looked between amused and serious.

“…You want me to stay in the bed?”

He crossed his arms with a look that said ‘what do you think?’.

“…I’m getting back in the bed.”

“How come you put up a fight with me, but he doesn’t even have to say anything?” Sam demanded, arms flailing as I laid back down.

“Are you a giant alien robot doctor?”

“No…”

“Then I don’t take orders from you.” I snarled, kicking him in the thigh.

As he fell down with a yelp of pain, overdramatic as always, I looked up at Ratchet with a grin.

“So, what’s the diagnosis?”

“Besides the burns you sustained from the AllSpark, you’re in perfect condition.” He replied, shaking a Autobot-sized wrench at me.

“But if you even think about doing anything that dangerous again, I’ll weld your aft to the ceiling!”

“…You can weld my ass to a ceiling?”

“I can try.”

Well, if that wasn’t a warning, I don’t know what is.

“Message received.” I assured, holding my hands up in surrender.

“Oh, come on! You never do that when I threaten you!” Sam whined.

“You’ve been my squishy punching back for thirteen years; you’re not scary.”

Lennox and Epps snickered at his expense, but at least Mikaela covered up her smile for the sake of whatever masculine pride Sam had.

“Good to see you haven’t lost your sense of humor.” Ratchet noted, now more amused than violent.

“Take more than a few burns to get me down.” I assured, running a hand over the SUV‘s neck as she curled tighter around me.

“I’m tougher than I look.”

“I’m happy to hear that.”

Looking past Ratchet towards the door, I couldn’t help smiling as Optimus stepped further inside.

“You gave us quite a scare.”

“You think that was a scare? You should have seen the heart attack I gave Sam when I tried bungee-jumping off the fridge when I was four.”

“You didn’t have a bungee cord!”

“Details.” I replied airily, brushing off his declaration.

“ Important details. ” Guardian argued, amused, as she slipped back into the room.

“Traitor.” I joked, tossing my pillow at her nose.

She laughed as it bounced off harmlessly, and nuzzled my side with a purr.

“ Silly femmeling. ”

“Stupid cat.” I replied playfully, hugging her nose.

The SUV and X-Box-bot whined at the lack of attention, and I laughed at their attempts to wriggle into my hug.

“Clingy.” I chided, patting their heads.

“Why don’t you go beg Bumblebee and Ironhide for some attention? I’ll be here when you get back-.”

They didn’t even hesitate; all four of them ran out of the door like a herd of disturbed wildebeest in a Discovery Channel documentary.

“Gee, don’t I feel like a loved mother…” I drawled.

“Mother?!”

“What, I need to be deaf, too?” I complained, shoving Sam away with my foot.

“Get out of here if you’re gonna get all panicky on me.”

“But-.”

“My arm turns into a cannon, boy. Out.”

With a threatening wave of my right arm, the other humans were quick to follow him, mumbling excuses the entire way as Guardian laughed.

“Could I talk with Optimus in private?”

I pulled out my best Puppy-Dog Eyes when Ratchet looked ready to argue.

“Please?”

“…Get out of that bed, and I’ll scrap you for parts.”

That was probably the best I was gonna get, so I saluted as he shooed Guardian out with threats to reconfigure her into a toaster.

Once the door shut with an echoing ‘BANG’, I looked up as Optimus crouched down to my level.

“Is something bothering you?”

“Nothing really. The AllSpark just told me some things I think you’d like to know.”

Picking at the bandages on my palms, I organized what I wanted to say into a coherent order.

“You see, during my little mind-vacation with the AllSpark, it told me a few things-one of them I’m sure you’ve figured out already.”

“We realized you were a techno-organic when you were captured by Sector Seven.” Optimus admitted.

“There was not much time to explain it to you.”

“I understand.” I assured, smiling.

“The AllSpark also gave me my designation…”

“It is an honor to receive a designation from the AllSpark. What is it?”

My smile turned slightly unsure.

“Angel Prime.”