TG 'verse. Prime's compound in Iacon. Goodbye
Red Alert rubbed his face as he entered the medical building, feeling the weariness of the past four days slamming into him. The Peace Summit was still in full swing, with meetings going on simultaneously in two different buildings and all sorts of offworlders playing tourist all over the planet. Since the Prime's Bridge was needed at meetings the sparklets under Rodimus' protection had found themselves without their accustomed companion, and had reacted by causing minor mishaps with the security system as they tried to find him or to watch what was going on. Add to this the basic irresponsibility of some of the guests... and the Director of Security was not having a happy time. He hadn't even had time to spend with his family, to the point where the little sleep he'd gotten had been at his desk or while leaning against the wall in one meeting instead of in his usual place on the side of Sunstreaker's berth.
And now Sideswipe had sent him an urgent page, telling him that Streaker needed to talk to him about something that couldn't wait. Knowing what he did about Sunstreaker's tendency to wander off at times, he was a little fearful of finding out what his sister would have to say.
Sideswipe met him at the door to their room, her dark face drawn as she wrapped her arms around him and clung.
"Hey." He hugged her, one hand gently going to the back of her head as she hid her face against his chest. "What's wrong, Swiper?"
It took her a moment before she could answer, but then she looked up at him and he winced at the sight of the still damp lubricant streaks on her face.
"Sunny...." Her face crumpled.
Red Alert's spark seemed to jump up into his throat as he pushed into the room, bringing her with him. The sight of one of Panacea's assistants standing by the bank of life-support equipment only heightened his alarm, and he let go of Sideswipe to hurry to the berth, his hand going without thought to his wrist.
"You don't want to do that now," said the medic gently. "If she goes while you're linked she could take you with her."
Red Alert ignored him as he gently slipped his legs under Sunstreaker's head and shoulders and then completed the link. -Streaker... it's Red. Can you hear me?-
Weary acknowledgment touched him faintly.
-Streaker... what happened?- He stroked her forehead and absently moved a little so that Sideswipe could nestle next to him. -Did you slip away while Swiper was watching?-
"You knew?" whispered the red twin, her face crumpling again.
-Couldn't... help it.- Sunstreaker's presence was faint and distant. -Red... please.-
-Swiper needs you,- he urged softly, his free arm going around the stronger sister as her tears wet his side.
-Needs... you.-
-Sunstreaker! Hold on!- He tried to catch her, only to watch her slip away from him like the sunbeam that she was named for. -Streaker!-
-No,- said Sideswipe, sounding clearer than he'd ever heard her before. -Red, we have to let her go.-
In his mind's eye he could see her shining brightly over the link, and shivered at how strong her presence suddenly sounded. Her grief was his, and her acceptance and hope soothed the hole in his spark where Sunstreaker's presence was rapidly fading.
-We... we sucked you into our bond, didn't we?- She moved against him.
-I didn't fight very hard.- He kept his focus on Sunstreaker as she watched them and felt satisfied and reassured.
-When?- asked Sideswipe softly, reaching out toward her sister.
-That first night I linked with Streaker.-
-You... knew.- Sunstreaker felt amused and guilty.
-I knew.- He gently smoothed her forehead, letting her feel his love and acceptance. -I thought it might give you the strength to hold on and heal.-
-Sorry.- She panged softly with guilt.
-It's alright,- he told her. -I'm here. I can feel Swiper now. She'll be alright.-
-Can... go?-
-You can go.- Sideswipe choked up with static as she nodded. -I'll be okay. I... I love you.-
Red Alert blinked disorientedly, wondering where all the alarms were coming from, then turned his head and looked at the medic as the mech gently unhooked the linking wire from Sunstreaker's dataport and let it reel back.
Frowning, he looked down at his golden sister, and then blinked as he saw the peaceful smile on her normally unmoving face. "What?"
"She's gone, sir. How do you feel?"
He blinked and tried to understand, but then looked at Sideswipe, who was curled against him and weeping silently even as she smiled.
"We..." he said, uncertain of his voice. "We're alright. We're all alright."
And now Sideswipe had sent him an urgent page, telling him that Streaker needed to talk to him about something that couldn't wait. Knowing what he did about Sunstreaker's tendency to wander off at times, he was a little fearful of finding out what his sister would have to say.
Sideswipe met him at the door to their room, her dark face drawn as she wrapped her arms around him and clung.
"Hey." He hugged her, one hand gently going to the back of her head as she hid her face against his chest. "What's wrong, Swiper?"
It took her a moment before she could answer, but then she looked up at him and he winced at the sight of the still damp lubricant streaks on her face.
"Sunny...." Her face crumpled.
Red Alert's spark seemed to jump up into his throat as he pushed into the room, bringing her with him. The sight of one of Panacea's assistants standing by the bank of life-support equipment only heightened his alarm, and he let go of Sideswipe to hurry to the berth, his hand going without thought to his wrist.
"You don't want to do that now," said the medic gently. "If she goes while you're linked she could take you with her."
Red Alert ignored him as he gently slipped his legs under Sunstreaker's head and shoulders and then completed the link. -Streaker... it's Red. Can you hear me?-
Weary acknowledgment touched him faintly.
-Streaker... what happened?- He stroked her forehead and absently moved a little so that Sideswipe could nestle next to him. -Did you slip away while Swiper was watching?-
"You knew?" whispered the red twin, her face crumpling again.
-Couldn't... help it.- Sunstreaker's presence was faint and distant. -Red... please.-
-Swiper needs you,- he urged softly, his free arm going around the stronger sister as her tears wet his side.
-Needs... you.-
-Sunstreaker! Hold on!- He tried to catch her, only to watch her slip away from him like the sunbeam that she was named for. -Streaker!-
-No,- said Sideswipe, sounding clearer than he'd ever heard her before. -Red, we have to let her go.-
In his mind's eye he could see her shining brightly over the link, and shivered at how strong her presence suddenly sounded. Her grief was his, and her acceptance and hope soothed the hole in his spark where Sunstreaker's presence was rapidly fading.
-We... we sucked you into our bond, didn't we?- She moved against him.
-I didn't fight very hard.- He kept his focus on Sunstreaker as she watched them and felt satisfied and reassured.
-When?- asked Sideswipe softly, reaching out toward her sister.
-That first night I linked with Streaker.-
-You... knew.- Sunstreaker felt amused and guilty.
-I knew.- He gently smoothed her forehead, letting her feel his love and acceptance. -I thought it might give you the strength to hold on and heal.-
-Sorry.- She panged softly with guilt.
-It's alright,- he told her. -I'm here. I can feel Swiper now. She'll be alright.-
-Can... go?-
-You can go.- Sideswipe choked up with static as she nodded. -I'll be okay. I... I love you.-
Red Alert blinked disorientedly, wondering where all the alarms were coming from, then turned his head and looked at the medic as the mech gently unhooked the linking wire from Sunstreaker's dataport and let it reel back.
Frowning, he looked down at his golden sister, and then blinked as he saw the peaceful smile on her normally unmoving face. "What?"
"She's gone, sir. How do you feel?"
He blinked and tried to understand, but then looked at Sideswipe, who was curled against him and weeping silently even as she smiled.
"We..." he said, uncertain of his voice. "We're alright. We're all alright."