[Rachel's POV]

After two and a half weeks, I can't stand not walking anymore. It's three in the morning, I can't sleep, and I know everyone will be in their rooms by now. After many days of sleepless nights, you learn how to sneak around without getting caught. Finally, I carefully move from my desk, stretching to relieve the stiffness from sitting for so long. Thankfully, I was excused from classes due to my 'car accident'. I still have work to do at home, but it was simple and easy to complete. Especially when you can't sleep...

Cautiously, I stand. I put slight weight on my leg, feeling only mild discomfort. With a sigh, I limp along to my door, pulling my robe tight around me. I am wearing a shirt and pajama pants, but this robe is soft and has a hood! I wear it like a jacket all the time.

I open my door quietly, sticking my head out and looking around. As I suspected, the halls were empty, and I am safe to head out. I just needed to move my legs a bit and get my brain to grow quiet. Slowly, I shuffle toward the main hangar. I see the usual large yellow mech standing at the main computers. His optics are closed, and his servos rest on the keyboard before him. As usual, Ratchet fell asleep at his post again while tending to the mech on the berth next to the monitors. I shake my head and quietly make my way over to the side of the large berth. Even though it is dark, I can still see with the light of the computers, and I am able to spot soft cyan light emitting from above.

"Smokes! You awake?"

I hear fans kick on, and then the arm closest to me lowers to the ground. The servo opens up, and a digit gestures for me to climb on. I smile and carefully make my way over. Using Smokescreen's digit as leverage, I carefully climb into his servo. Once settled, he lifts his servo back up to his chassis, and I carefully slide off. He lays his arm back on the berth, and I look up to meet Smokescreen's gaze.

"I never did get a chance to thank you for saving me... Rachel, right?"

I nod, knowing he can see me. A hiss slips past my lips as I make myself comfortable on his chest. "It was my pleasure, Smokescreen. Besides, we need all the help we can get here... How're you holding up?" I feel him shift beneath me, but not enough to knock me over. "Ratchet's been keeping me alive, so far. So I guess not terrible, but definitely not comfortable."

I slightly laugh, then turn to look at the scar that was behind me. It would probably never buff out completely, and it will probably stay tender for a while, but this new kid seems tough. I know he'll get through it.

"Hey... I actually need a favor."

I turn back to face Smokes, and I can see his faceplates slightly scrunch up. Pain. "What's wrong?" I quickly ask, moving so I could hear him better. Neither of us wants to risk waking the sleeping medic, but Smokescreen shouldn't be in pain like that anymore.

"Something is still lodged beneath a plate on my arm. Doc can't seem to reach it, even in holoform. I figured you're a little smaller, maybe you could reach it?" I see movement in the darkness as he lifts the wounded arm, and I nod. "Yeah, let me take a look. I've done some work under doc bot, this should be easy." Smokescreen nods, and I slowly make my way toward his arm. Two platings open up, perhaps where his weapon should be, but it seems like he can't open it further. I can see the piece of metal in the way even in the dim lighting. It is shrapnel, and very small, but it has lodged itself within the gears that allow movement.

"Alright. This should be easy enough. Just... don't move? Okay? I value my fingers staying on my hand." I can feel Smokescreen slightly chuckle, then he stops moving. Swiftly, I shuffle my way in, keeping my leg free from anything it might snag on. Carefully, I reach up and grab a hold of the metal. It was well and truly stuck. He would have to move his plating closed again to get it free, but then I couldn't reach it... unless...

"Smokes, can you slightly close the platings?"

"What? With you in the way?"

"There's a piece of shrapnel that is only loose when the plating is closed. I can't get it out unless you can slightly start closing the plating around your weapon."

"I'm not sure... I'll try. Please be careful."

I say nothing, but I keep my eyes focused on the piece. Suddenly the plating starts shifting and I see the shrapnel shift. I swiftly snatch it from its place and scurry back as the plating retracts completely.

"Rachel! Rachel, are you okay?" I hear the whisper shout from a frantic Smokescreen, and I can only climb back onto his chest. "I'm good, kid. Got the piece out. Try to switch to your weapon now." He does so, and no pain shows on his faceplates. "Looks like you got it. Thanks, kid." I can only nod and sigh. The pain was starting to kick in again, but I was ignoring it for now. It isn't as bad as it usually is. I could live a little longer.

However, it seems like my pain doesn't go unnoticed. Smokescreen shifts and sighs. "I can see you're hurting. You need to get back to your room and rest." I know he's right, and he knows he's right, but I couldn't sleep. My mind is plagued with my new draconic nightmare that never seems to leave. Sometimes it's talking to me, other times it's like I'm living a memory that isn't mine.

I simply shake my head. "Can't sleep. My brain, or processor, is wide awake." Smokescreen's optics widen, then he nods. "I remember hearing something about that... I'm sorry you had to go through the shock of, well, learning something like that." I could tell he was trying to be nice, and I appreciate the effort.

"It's not exactly something you would normally have to ever think about; being human with alien parts keeping me alive." I lower my head, fighting back tears. Despite trying to stay tough, I am still struggling with everything. I'm no longer only human, I am now about one-fourth Cybertronian, and that alone has granted me super-human strength. However, I only get strong at certain moments. I can't seem to control it.

My eyes widen as an unknown sound hits my ears.

Smokescreen freezes as well, and I turn to lock my gaze with his.

"You heard that, too?"

He gives a brief nod, and we both nearly jump as it happens again, but louder. Closer. It was now an unmistakable sound.

Jet engines, flying overhead.

My chest tightens in fear. There are no training exercises this early in the morning. I quickly jump to my feet and gesture to the monitors. "Smokes, get me up there!"

"You got it, boss."

He is quick to move his arm towards me, and I swiftly climb onto his servo. Smokescreen lifts me up to the platform leading to the keyboard. I struggle to move fast, but I still make it to the keyboard just as the engines grow louder again. Slipping through the bars, I slam down on the keys, waking the computer. It shines brightly, and fans kick on behind me. I ignore the waking doctor and summon the cameras to the screens.

"Rachel? What are you-"

"Shut up, Ratchet!"

The shout is more like a loud whisper, and I quickly enlarge one camera screen to fill the monitor. It's on the edge of the island, pointing towards the east. My spine runs cold as I see the stark silhouette of a large ship floating in the sky. Lights on the outside of it outline the ship perfectly. I can hear Ratchet suck in a breath at the sight.

"The Nemesis... They've found us."

That's when the engine sounds reappear, but I see nothing on the camera. Quickly, I shrink that specific one down again so we can see each camera.

"There!"

Ratchet points towards the west side camera, and I feel the fear nearly overtake me at the sight. A silver jet is followed by a large blue and green fighter jet, towing along Decepticon drones in their wake.

And their missiles are armed.

"Rachel!"

I feel his servo wrap around me just as I watch the missiles fire. I tuck myself into a ball, allowing Ratchet to close his fist around me just as they hit the wall behind us. The explosion rings in my ears, and for a moment, I feel weightless. Then I roughly slam against the palm of Ratchet's servo. The digits barely open up, and I quickly crawl out. The sight around me is like a living nightmare. Fire is spreading like a disease, engulfing everything. Smokescreen is next to us on the ground, but he is still alive.

I feel a shift behind me, and I whip around. Ratchet is leaning against one of the remaining metal supports, energon slightly oozing from a crack in his helm. It looks like part of the building cracked his right optic somehow, and I panic at the thought of it going straight through his helm.

"Ratchet! Ratchet, can you hear me?"

His other optic swivels to find me, struggling to focus. I can see it cycling as if it can't find me. I climb out of his servo, my hand slipping on something cool, but I ignore it and continue to climb. The adrenaline is pumping, making me feel no pain at all as I finally perch myself in front of his helm. The optic slowly stops moving and then blinks.

"Rachel! You... you're covered in energon!"

Ratchet's optic now shows fear, and I gaze down at myself in horror. Sure enough, my clothes are soaked, nearly melting off my body from the alien chemical. I slap my watch quickly, hoping to activate my suit before too much of it touches my skin.

But I see it the moment Ratchet says it.

"Your hands."

Yes, my hands are covered, fingertip to wrist, in glowing blue energon. However, there is no pain. Instead, I watch in utter shock as my skin absorbs it slowly. My veins suddenly glow the same color, and I feel a surge of energy flood my systems. I feel my legs buckle at the sudden change, but Ratchet catches me easily.

"This is where you Autobots have been hiding?"

The voice is high-pitched and grating. It sends shivers down my spine and snaps me out of the shock I am in. I barely lift myself up by one of Ratchet's digits. My eyes fall on a tall and lanky grey Decepticon standing in the hole he just created. Behind him on either side are twin 'Cons. I know their names, Skyquake and Dreadwing, but I am unsure which is which.

Either way. They are formidable opponents, and we are easily outnumbered. I know the others are on their way, but I could hear the drone of the Nemesis engine growing louder. The realization of what is happening finally sets in, and I tighten my grip on Ratchet's digit.

"How underwhelming. I expected more from this 'arrangement' between humans." Those bright red optics land on my small form, and it takes every fiber of my being not to flinch away. I will show no fear.

"Starscream..."

I hear Smokescreen say the name as he pushes himself to his peds. He stands between the doc and the Cons, blocking me from view as well. The servo I am in shifts, and I feel myself slowly getting closer to the ground. Confusion fills me, and I look back up at Ratchet. Smokescreen is yelling something, but the fear in Ratceht's optics is the only thing that has my attention. He speaks only one word as he drops me to the ground.

"Run."

With that, he stands and switches his servos into blasters. He stops next to Smokescreen, who also held his blasters at the ready. "You will never get her, not while my spark still beats in my chassis." My hearing suddenly picks up the conversation, and I feel my chest pounding.

"In your current state, confronting us would mean your end." The blue twin speaks, his voice deep and authoritative. He also brings out weapons, his twin following suit. I step back, unsure of what to do. I couldn't just leave them to die, but I see Smokescreen turn to me slightly.

"Go on, kid. We'll be right behind you."

Suddenly, Ratchet roars and rushes forward, drawing attention away from me.

It was me.

They were tracking me.

This is my fault...

Guilt eats at me, but I turn and run.