Jᴀᴄᴋ Dᴀʀʙʏ

Watching the Hammer girl be loaded into an ambulance then traveling with her and his mother who was checking the girl over was a strange experience for Jack Darby.

Jack would often glance at the Hammer girl curiously. Why did she let this happen to her? Why didn't she speak up? Why would she let the bullying escalate this far? Who was the real Panacea Hammer?

"Jack," June Darby's voice cut through her son's thoughts and his head jerked up to look at his mother, "Do you know who did this to her?"

Jack shook his head, the smallest tinges of guilt flashing across his face, "I didn't see who exactly who did it, but I did see a group of boys at our school come out of the alleyway laughing."

June's face darkened for a second before she sighed, "Bullies," She muttered as she went back to looking the unconscious girl over. The woman's frown deepened with every bruise she found.

"I'm sorry, Mom," Jack's head was bowed down towards the floor of the ambulance in guilt, "I should've done something sooner."

June smiled sadly as she placed a hand on her son's shoulder, "Be proud that you did something for her. If she'd been left there longer than when you called me, she could've died."

Jack gave a weak smile before his eyes landed on Panacea's still form, a frown settling back on his lips.

🛠️

Pᴀɴᴀᴄᴇᴀ Hᴀᴍᴍᴇʀ

Pan woke slowly.

Her eyes blinked slowly as they adjusted to the lights above her.

Wait, lights?

Pan jerked up and winced immediately, her hand flying to the back of her head.

"You have a concussion," a male voice said making Pan jerk her head to a boy who sat in a chair by the hospital room window.

Pan's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. What or better yet, why was Jack Darby here?

"I called my mom and she brought an ambulance," Jack said, noting the girl's confusion.

Pan nodded her head slightly as she relaxed back on the hospital bed.

"I'm Jack, by the way," Jack grinned, a small chuckle escaping his lips as he scratched the back of his head.

Pan gave the boy a knowing smile, Jack catching on quickly, "But you already knew that..." He chuckled sheepishly.

"And you're Panacea Hammer, right?" Jack asked slightly awkwardly, Pan scrunched her nose up.

"Just Pan," She whispered quietly and Jack looked like he was going to have a heart attack.

"Did you just- she spoke," Jack gaped and silent laughter filled Pan.

Pan winked at him and Jack muttered to himself in shock as he ran his hands through his hair.

A nurse came in, her eyebrow raised as she took in the boy's action then gave Pan a confused look to which she merely smiled at.

"Jack?" The nurse asked making the boy jerk out of his stupor.

"Hey, Mom," Jack grinned, a little sheepishly but happy to see the woman.

Pan felt her smile drop slightly before picking it back up as the two Darby's turned to talk with her.

"Jack tells me that you're Panacea Hammer?" Nurse Darby asked. Pan nodded, her eyes drifting to Jack who understood, slightly.

"She prefers Pan," Jack said for her and Nurse Darby looked a little surprised when Pan gave her son a grateful smile.

"Pan," Nurse Darby nodded her head, looking between the two curiously. "Well, I was wondering if you knew your parent's numbers. We don't have them here," She said as she flipped over the page on her clipboard.

Pan held her hand out for the clipboard, a questioning look on her face as she motioned to the pen in Nurse Darby's hand.

Nurse Darby handed them over, a confused glint in her eyes until Pan wrote the numbers down for her.

"Thank you," Nurse Darby smiled as she was handed back her clipboard and pen. Pan smiled to the woman before anxiously playing with the hospital bracelet around her wrist.

"I'll be back shortly," Nurse Darby said, giving her son a look before smiling at Pan as she left the room.

Pan blinked at Jack giving him a small smile.

Jack grinned back before a thought came to mind, "Why did you let the bullying get to that level?" He asked cautiously. Pan's expression blanked as her eyes took on a faraway look before Jack brushed his hand against her arm bringing her back to the present.

Pan simply shrugged, turning her gaze away from him.

Jack's eyes widened but he accepted that the Hammer girl wouldn't disclose that information to him. At least, not yet.

"Pan?" Nurse Darby stuck her head into the room drawing both her son and Pan's attention, "Your mother is on her way to pick you up," She said smiling when Pan gave her a nod of thanks.

When Nurse Darby left, Pan realized something, "Bag?" Pan whispered as she gave Jack a questioning look.

"Right here," Jack smiled as he held up Pan black bag. Pan smiled her thanks as she swung her legs over the side of the bed, "Wait, I don't think you should get up so soo-"

Jack gaped at her when Pan stood up with no problems at all. She gave Jack a guilty smile before grabbing her bag from him and immediately going through its contents.

"What are you looking for?" Jack asked curiously. His question was answered when Pan brought out a small pill container.

Pan eyed Jack cautiously from the corner of her eyes but didn't object to him being there as she placed the pill in her mouth before taking a swing of her drink bottle.

"What was that for?" Jack asked, his curiosity at an all-time high as Pan gagged at the pill.

Pan "zipped" her lips and gave him a secretive smile as she put the pill container and her bottle away back in her bag.

Jack shook his head with an amused smile on his, "Keeper of Secrets," He joked and Pan gave the boy an amused grin as she winked at him.

Of course, she was. Being silent just helped.

After all, not everyone wants their secrets shown to others. 

Chapter Two.

Yes, there is going to be a while before the Transformers Prime plotline starts. I wanted to practice my original chapters before and get the relationships between Pan, Jack, Miko, and Raf sorted before the TFP plotline.