The repetitive beeping sound from a nearby machine greeted me as I became slowly concious and aware of my surroundings. The constant beeping of the machine made me wince, my head pounded in response to it with irritation.

My few moments of peace was easily ruined when my body erupted with agonising pain all over. A reminder of all of the events that it has been through and I have no idea how I have survived all of them.

I mentally groaned at this, my already closed eyes scrunching up even more in distaste. I didn't dare move, not wanting to risk anymore pain erupting in my weak frame. I slowly, but cautiously, opened my brown eyes to reveal a bare ceiling.

Sluggishly, I moved my head side ways with much effort that it nearly made me want to pass back out again. My brown hair was sprawled out on the white pillow beneath my head.

I went to move my hand to rub my face, but found that I couldn't. Panic struck me instantly when I realised something heavy leant against my right arm, stopping it from being lifted.

"What the..." Quickly tilting my head downwards, my eyes widened when I spotted ruffled up black hair that belonged to the familiar male tanned face.

My heart skipped a beat at this, especially when I spotted his rough hand holding my weakened one in a death grip. It reminded me of a child, scared of someone leaving.

I studied the male before me. Noting how his holoforms head rested on my right forearm, it shocked me to know he had been here long enough to fall asleep. That he didn't leave my side. That he stayed.

My eyes softened as I thought about the male before me. Ironhide looked different when he slept...less stressed, more relaxed. Muscles not tensed. He looked at peace.

"Ironhide..." I barely heard my own voice while I faintly and subconsciously muttered his name.

Ironhide stirred in his rest almost instantly, face scrunching up in the progress. I smiled softly at the Autobots subtle reactions, I would never admit it out loud, but he looked so cute waking up. I suppressed a giggle at such thought, before stopping completely when pain hit me in the face again and I groaned out loud.

The groan made the Weapon Specialist instantly wake up in alert, jerking straight upwards in the cushioned chair he was seated on. The male looked straight at me with wide open eyes. Said eyes, revealed the one of a kind electric blue glow in them.

I winced when Ironhides grip on my hand tightened, it started to get painful. "ow..." I muttered out.

"Hazel! Are you- oh..." Ironhide quickly loosened his grip on my hand when he realised what he was doing. Easily forgetting how strong he really was, but obviously remembered when he saw my facial expression. "Sorry."

I smiled softly when I noticed he didn't completely let go of my hand, instead he held it softly now. "All... All good..." I whispered out slowly, voice strained from the pain I was feeling.

"I should go get Ratchet, you need more pain medication." Ironhide commented out with concern, going to get up to do what he voiced.

"No!" I blurted out at him out of no where. Making both of us startle at such action, I cleared my throat in emabrrassment. Unsure on where that had come from.

This made Ironhide stop and sit back down on the chair, giving me a pointed look. Obviously confused by my sudden outburst. "I mean... I'm fine really... just stay... please." I stumbled out anxiously, my eyes giving an apologetic look.

Ironhide leant back in the chair, not commenting on the stumbles of words. I paused, thinking. Trying to recollect what had happened beforehand, it was fuzzy. My brain still catching up to reality.

"What happened... Where am I Hide'?" I asked softly, my hand now gripping his tightly with worry. I shook my head, remembering bits of what had happened.

I winced at the memory of landing against the asphalt ground, where the phone smashed against the ground. I could recall Aneska being a couple of feet away from me, her limp body sprawled across the faint concrete road... and then...

I shook my head in pain when my head ached at thinking so hard. My brown hair rustled against the pillow beneath my head, I groaned at this.

Receiving no answer from Ironhide made me more anxious, I fired more questions a him. "...Is everyone okay? ...How is Aneska?"

Ironhide shifted uncomfortably, thinking of what to say to this. "You are in a med-bay on the human side of the base." Ironhide answered one of the questions which made me feel relief. Now knowing that the NEST base was still here meant that William is okay too and so were the Autobots.

Ironhide paused though. Obviously thinking about the choice of words he was about to say next. My stomach curled in worry, knowing this was bad news.

"What?... What is it?" I pushed, eyes filled with concern.

Ironhides eyes connected with mine, showing slight sympathy. "You and Aneska saved many lives by making that call to Epps." He started off on a positive note, before sighing in defeat. "...and... sometimes it's No Sacrifice... No Victory."

My eyebrows scrunched up in confusion. "...We technically won in a way... right? So we did get Victory." I protested with uncertainty, becoming slightly puzzled at Ironhides choice of words.

"Yes, but... A sacrifice was made in return." Ironhide muttered out to me, eyes falling to the floor. Unable to meet mine.

My gut dropped at this. Head pounding, the familiar nauseas feeling filled my stomach. My memories clicking into place and ramming me in the face of the events that had occured.

A young black haired female...

I winced, groaning, holding my head with a shakey hand. Eyes starting to widen.

The puddle of blood beneath her body... she was no longer alive...

"Hazel... Aneska... didn't make it."

The sharp spear like pole had pierced through her neck.

Aneska.

"Aneska... " I sobbed out, bursting into tears at the fact that she was now gone too. Nathan and Aneska. Dead. Gone.

My face fell into the pillow in hopes to hide my face and my tears. "Oh my god. They're all dead..." because of me.

I felt a hand rub my back and I knew it was Ironhide trying to comfort me. Even though it was a sweet action, it didn't help the heartache that hit me. The male didn't speak. The silence was killing me until he unexpectedly broke it by speaking up again.

"I thought..." Ironhide trailed off his sentence, catching me off guard.

I finally looked at him after gaining the courage to do so, tear-filled eyes. I caught him gulping nervously, his adams apple bobbing as he did so. "You stopped breathing."

"You just... stopped." Ironhide did what seemed to be an uneven sigh, not daring to open his now closed eyes.

I didn't dare speak, even if I wanted to, I knew I was speechless at this current moment. I simply listened and allowed him to speak out his thoughts, not daring to interrupt him.

"I thought... You died and at the time I thought I couldn't do anything to help you." Ironhide paused to collect himself, eyes opening to look at me properly. "...I failed to protect Aneska and I failed to protect you."

Ironhide shook his head at this and restsd his head in his free hand. The hand that clutched mine shook slightly and I couldn't help but have tears escaping my eyes once again. "I have failed you."

Lifting my free hand with the IV cord in it, I reached out and rested it against his cheek. Such action made him look up at me, but he now didn't look me in the eyes. I studied how his blue eyes seemed to shimmer in a way that looked like running water. In a way I never thought I could witness... that you think he was about to cry.

Ironhide leant his cheek into my touch. I bit my lip, unsure on what to do, on how to deal with this. "Ironhide... look at me."

He didn't. He didn't even glance at me and that hurt. Not because he ignored me, but because I knew he was hurting and I didn't know what to do.

"Ironhide look at me please." I pratically begged and he obeyed in an instant. Our eyes met and I felt my heart clench.

I leant forward to whisper in his ear. "You did not fail me."

Our lips found eachother.