AN: I have no idea where this came from. One of those, of the handle out of left feild things again...Or its just oncea gain, listening to the same song over...and over...and over again.
Or...
The long awaited Sequel to 'Hes Not Gone'!!!!!
Yes...miricales do come true!
Requiem for a Dream
The gunshot had rippled though the base like a shockwave. Those that had been previously mourning the death of Hoist, now stood in horror at what they had just heard. There was a dull thunking noise that had registered numbly in Primes brain that Hot Shot had hit the floor, and he dropped the datapad he'd been holding.
"Hot Shot!"
He lit off down the hallway, JetFire falling into step beside him as the two reached the young gunners quaters in a matter of moments. There was an eerie silence that held in the air, as a burst of wind and a blue flash that registered as Blurr had burst into place beside him on his left. Red Alert was at his right, medical kit ready as always.
"Ready Prime?"
"Just knock the door down!"
JetFires massive foot flung the door off its hydraulic hinges with a single kick, the metal slab flying and bouncing off to the far side of the room. "Get in there Red!" He shoved the medic in head first.
HotShot lay in the center of the floor, arms clutched around his chest. His optics were dark in stasis, but there was a small, ever growing puddle of half-processed energon gathering on the floor beneath him.
"Primus..." he whispered. He gently rolled the young mech on his back, and pulled his hand away, and what he found shocked him.
The gunshot had hit exactially where Wheel Jack had shot him...not a few months earlier. The wound itself had scarred over, but the metal had warped once again, and his spark housing could be seen though the wound. Energon oozed and gushed from various hoses and wires where they had been severed, and as he moved to reach for his arc welder, a grey hand shot out to grab his own.
"D...dont...touch...it..."
Reds gaze shot down to Hotshot. The mech had powered himself up once more, now with the need for more energy, his stystems were working harder now to compsensate, but were getting little to nothing. Though his grip was shaky, it remained firm, holding Reds good hand tightly.
"Jus'...stop touchin'...it..."
Prime was at Reds side in an instant, and gently pulled the grip away, allowing the medic to do his job. He lay his hand on the side of HotShots head, his thumb gently rubbing at his cheek.
"Just let Red Alert work HotShot...just let him work...you'll be alright son...just dont worry..."
Red Alerts arc welder cast eerie shadows across the room, and as Scavenger crossed the room, he found the Smoke Screens gun on the far end of the room. He quirked a brow, and leant down to pick it up, the gun dwarfed by his massive palm.
In a quick, simple movement, the gun was made into scrap metal by him closing his fist.
The last thing that kid needs is to see this again. He thought grimly.
Finally, he was stable enough to be moved, and as Red Alert motioned for JetFire to bring in the gurney, Prime waved it off. In a simple movement, he lifted the lad in his arms, cradling him against his chest. He silently walked off to the med bay, leaving a stunned crew in his wake.
"Whats gotten into him?" JetFire questioned.
Red Alert shook his head, and turned away, clearing his vocalizer uncomfortably, and gathering his tools. "I need to get down to the medbay. Stat." His tone was steely, and quite unlike the normal, caring tones he used...
Scavenger shook his head and sighed, "better get the cleaning droids in here to figure out how they're gonna get dried energon off the floor plates..."
Rad was beside himself. Alexis had long since cried herself to sleep, her head in his lap as she rested. She could occasonally give a sob or two in slumber, but otherwise was silent. Carlos was still in shock, simply staring at the wall, the three of them seated on a small couch in the rec room of the ship. Their minicons were huddled around Liftor and Jolt, offering their own form of comforort to the distraught minicons.
"Hey...hey Rad...?"
He turned his head to Carlos. The smaller boy had finally broken his trance, and was now looking at him with wide eyes. "What if...you know...Smokescreen...you know...he didnt die...?"
Rad tilted his head, arching up a blond brow in contempation. "Carlos...get some rest...your not talking right man..." He raised his free arm that Alexis wasnt sleeping on, and lay it on the couch behind the boys shoulders. "He died Carlos...thats what happened...we can't do anything about it..." He patted the boys shoulders comfortingly. "I know you wish you could've done something...but...we can't..."
Carlos shook his head, visibly shaking this time. "No! I mean...like...what if hes in a coma or somethin'!" He exclaimed. "My abuela...she got sick once...you remember...she was in a coma for a long time...an' everybody thought that...that she was dead..." he swallowed heavally, tears gathering in his eyes. "An' then she woke up...but she was all...different...like not the same..." the boy rambled of in Spanish, shaking his head, he lay it in his hands, his shoudlers beginning to quake once more in a fresh round of tears.
Rad could only rub at the boys back in silent comfort. He was exausted, they all were...if only he could believe Carlos. But there was just something that told him the trusty Autobot was dead. That wound was too fatal...it was too much for his over exausted mind to comprehend. Finally, he felt Carlos curl up beside him, his head resting against his shoulder. He had given up on tears and decided to sleep...good. Rad lay his head back against the sofa and closed his eyes.
I hate my life.
Red Alert was in a frenzy, attempting to patch up the hoses before the pressure could build in Hot Shots chest again, blowing the previously made ones from the prior wound. Side Swipe stood across the table from him, offering what medical knowledge he knew, but it was nothing near near death wounds like this. His hands were shaking as he handed the medic tools, tears dripping down his face. Prime stood at the head of the table, attempting to calm the gunner, but to no avail.
"Side Swipe! Focous!"
Reds voice cut though his hypnosis like a knife, and he felt Reds hand grab his own, and jam it into a hose. "Hold your hand there untill it stops!"
Half processed energon coated his hand up to the wrist, and he fought the urge to vomit. Hot Shot was half awake, fighting them the entire time. He would try and swat the tools or their hands away, protesting to them trying to save his life. His pitiful cries would occasonally taper off to delerious sobs, crying out for his creators, or Smoke Screen.
It tore Primes spark to see Hot Shot like this. He would occasonally have to reach out to pull his hand down from pulling out a tube, or to mumerer reassuringly to him. It did no good though, seeing that Hot Shot was so dead set on taking his own life. For a moment, a breeze caught the curtain seperating the room in two, and on the otherside of the curtain shocked him.
Smoke Screens body lay on a table, the gaping wound still in his middle, but for some reason...it seemed smaller. There were tools lain out on a tray next to the table, and a small cube half full of energon. That was strange...he hadn't ordered for any form of autopsy...consdering everyone damn knew the cause of death...
There was a clacking noise, and to his suprise, two repair droids swooped in, one to pry open Smoke Screens mouth, and the other to pour a small bit of energon in.
Then they noticed him, and the droids hastially pulled the curtain shut.
What the...?
His attention was quickly grabbed when there was a screeching noise from one of the moniters. "Whats happening?!" He exclaimed.
"Dammit Side Swipe! Just get out of my med bay!" In true medic style, he grabbed the nearest object closest to him, and flung it at the rookie, a wrench bouncing harmlessly off his chest. "Just go! I dont need a second set of hands muddling everything up!"
Side Swipe quickly turned, and ran from the room. Primes optics caught the quick intake of air that enissued into sobs as the young mech bolted down the hall.
Red Alert was mindless to this, and continued patching up various hoses, using a strange devise that would switch between a sodering iron, to arch weilder with the push of a button.
Slowly, but surely, Hot Shots energon levels began to rise, and Red Alert set up some complicated drip feed to intraveniously.
"That should keep him stable for now...also Prime...I'm going to keep him sedated. To keep him from pulling out any tubes or anything while his auto-repair kicks in..."
Prime nodded, and then gestured to the curtain. "Care to explain?"
The medic was distinctly ruffled, and shook his head. "Just getting it ready to be shipped off the Cyberton. Cant have him going back with a huge hole in his abdomen..."
Optimus gave him a strange look, but merely sighed, the metallic echoing noise comming out wearily. "Just dont work yourself into recharge over this...you need rest." He then merely folded his arms, and gestured breifly. "We've known eachother a long time...I can tell when your exausted."
Red offered a breif smile, and nodded, before turning to read a few moniters. As his back was turned to his leader, Prime shook his head, and scruffed at his face, the metal beneath his battle mask frowning in though.
What are you up to Red Alert...?
Side Swipe tore down the hallway, hot tears gathering in his optics. He headed to the one place that he swore he wouldn't really think to go.
Blurr.
He found the sniper standing in the rec room, polishing his rifle once agan, ignoring the minicons around him. Upon hearing footsteps, he turned, and his optics widened at what he saw.
The younger mech had energon coated up to his elbows, and his face was streaked with tears. He was shaking heavally, so much that it rattled his armor to the point where it seemed like it would fall off.
"Side Swipe...?"
The response was so tinny, and so quiet, that Blurr wasnt even really sure if he heard it or not.
"I...I didnt know where else to go..."
There was a strange fluttering noise that came from him afterwards, his intakes fluttering...that was the noise. Blurrs optics shot wide as the other mechs knees buckled beneath him, and he nearly collapsed to the floor had Blurr not been there to catch him.
"Siders...what...?" He did a quick once over, and could've smacked the young mech in the head. "Your fuels too low..." He picked up the smaller mech and carried him over to one of the larger sofas, and lay him atop it. After rooting around in one of the panels, he came across a few cans of stronger and richer energon. He opened the can, and walked back over, and pulled up a chair beside Side Swipe.
"Easy Siders...just gonna give you some Energon...ok?"
The other could only nod as Blurr lifted the back of his head, and gently let some of the liquid spill into his mouth. After a few swallows, the world stopped spinning, but his vision was still hazy.
"I should go see 'Shot..."
There was a throaty chuckle from some where above him and he could feel Blurr patting his shoulder. "Dont think so...you're not going anywhere but recharge."
Side Swipe opened his mouth to protest, but couldn't form the words. Finally, he powered down his optics, a soft sigh escaping his lips. "Maybe I should..."
"Should do nothing." came Blurrs reassuring voice from above. "Just rest kid."
Side Swipe fell into an uneasy, dreamless sleep.
He knew he was some where. But where that some where was, he couldnt be sure...he was numb, but he knew his body was still there...
Where am I...?
There was a breif surge of energy that flew though him, causing him to cry out, and call out into the darkness surrounding him. The last thing he rememered was pain...such horrible horrible pain...and the heat...
By Primus...he surely would've died to make that heat go away. It had crept though his body, over taking him untill he was numb with pain. He remembered collapsing to the floor, but where was he now!?
There was a light before him, and he found himself being pulled towards it.
No... his mind whispered, I'm not dead...I...I can't be dead! No! He fought the feeling of warmpth and sleepyness that threatened to over whelm him. He could feel comforting arms wrapping around and engulfing him.
It felt so wonderful, he was almost tempted to join them. He could hear calming voices from some where in that light, voices of friends past and families that had all died at the hands the Decepticons.
He began thrashing in those arms, throwing his weight around in this space that held him. I can't go! I'm not! The AutoBots still need me...I wont leave them!
There was a silence in the murming, and a collective sigh. Some where in his mind, he could hear them saying their good byes, and his sorrow threatened to bring him more pain then the very wound that had killed him.
So I guess its time to go back now huh...?
A nodding sensation.
Well...I dont have all day! Lets get this show on the road!
He swore he could hear a chuckle some where out there, and a sigh. Then some where in the darkness, a pinprick of light opened up, and slowly became wider. All in an instant, there was a burst of pain. Horrible, terrible pain...
There was a burst of light once again, and vaguely, he heard a voice within his head.
"Optics at 75...88...100..."
A few things scrolled down in the corner of his vision, and for a moment, the mech had not a clue what in Primus' Pit was going on. He turned his head to the side, and blinked a few times, and could hazily make out a red and blue blur to the side.
As it stepped into his feild of vision, his memory banks sluggishly reminded him that it was Red Alert.
"R...Red...?"
He tried to lift his arm, but found his left arm to be horribly heavy, and as his gaze slid down, he found that he was looking at cool grey metal, and something...some twisted something that looked like a hand.
"Wh..."
Red Alert lightly touched his shoulder with his humanoid hand. "It was the best I could do under the circumstances...I'm a medic...not a constructor...It's heavaly armoured...thicker, and faster...you'll be able to take more blasts...you know."
He numbly nodded. "New body..." his vocalizer was some how the same, but raspy from lack of use and power. "New name?"
Red smiled, the corners of his lips twitching slightly. "I was just thinking that...this new form...its mostly used for hoisting and towing...so I was thinking you could just use your old name though..."
"Hoist." He demanded roughly. "Thats it."
Gingerly, he tossed his legs over the edge of the table, and stood up, swaying slightly. He wasn't used to the new weighed down body of his, and gave it a moment to adjust.
"Anyone else know...?"
"About your new body? Nooone...not even Prime."
He chuckled and winked an optic at him. "Thats not like you Red..." He turned and walked out of the room, passing a closed in curtained area as he did so. "Time to go see Prime then huh?"
Optimus sat at his office, staring blankly down at a datapad that he was supposed to be reading. It had been scrolling for the past few dozen pages, but he hadn't even noticed. Jet Fire was dozing in his other chair, trying to catch a few peices of decent recharge.
"Optimus? JetFire?"
Reds voice broke him out of his thoughts, and he found himself face to face with the haggard looking medic. "I need to show you something."
With a worried look, Optimus rose from his chair, dropping the unwanted datapad. "Is it HotShot? Side Swipe?"
Red Alert shook his head, raising his hand to halt him. "Theres someone you need to see..."
Optimus and JetFire followed the medic out the door, and found themselves staring face to face with a bulky grey and blue mech. He was smiling audio to audio, but to Optimus, he didnt seem familair in the slightest. His robot mode was slightly warped, his one arm and hand seeming to take the alt-mode of a tow truck of some sort...
JetFire stood blinking in stupidity. "Eh..Red...dont you think its a little early to have sent out for recruits...?"
"Red Alert...I didnt put in an order for new recruits." He stated shakily. "We've got enough on our plates with..."
"This isnt a new recruit Optimus...its him."
Optimus vocoalizer locked in place, and for a mmoment, he was dumbfounded. "SmokeScreen...?"
There was that same hearty belly chuckle that sent Optimus' spark though the roof. "But how...!? You..." his gaze slid to the sheepish looking medic. "Red Alert...you know I didnt authorize anything like this..."
There was a scream that regisered as Alexis from down by the floor. Eight optics shot down to see the kids standing there, looking flabbergasted.
"SmokeScreen!"
Rad was staring blankly, Alexis was clinging to his arm. Carlos gave a whoop, shooting his arm into the air. "I told you man! I told you!"
Blurrs head rose slightly, had he been hearing things? SmokeScreen? Could it be...?
He rose from his chair, not bothering to touch the sleeping Side Swipe. It was the first decent recharge he'd gotten since the accident.
As he left the room, and walked down the hall, he found a group staring at a massive bulky mech. He didnt regognize him for a moment, untill he heard him speak.
His spark froze, and he took a hesitant step closer. "SmokeScreen?" He questioned. As the mech turned, he gave him a bright smile.
"Blurr...its good ta see ya! The names Hoist now!"
Blurr nodded numbly, and rose his head to look at Optimus, as he opened his mouth to speak, there was another shreik from down the hall, and a heavy laugh that followed behind it.
Side Swipe was tearing down the hall way, Scavenger walking behind him. "Your alive!" Side Swipe exclaimed. He threw his arms around his neck, hugging him tightly.
"We thought you were gone forever!"
Scavenger was much easier with his greeting, lightly clapping him on the shoulder. "Good to have you back...Hoist."
The newly rebuilt AutoBot nodded, and smiled brightly, lightly rubbing Side Swipe on the head. "So...wheres HotShot!? I want to see him...ya know...let him know I'm alright!"
There was a silence that fell over the happyness like a wet blanket, and faces fell just as quickly. Hoists face turned to worry, as he turned to look to look at Optimus.
"Op...what happend to HotShot?" He took his leader by the shoulders. "You gotta tell me hes ok. He didnt do anything stupid did he?"
He smacked himself in the head, wincing at the sensitivy of his new hand. "Gah! I knew I shouldn've have left him! I knew it!"
He turned and stormed out the door. JetFire made to go after him, but Optimus held him back.
"Give him time JetFire...this doesnt happen everyday to a mech..."
Hoist transformed hastilly, ignoring the flashes of pain from newly built modes. He was still a tow truck, but it wasn't his body. This wasn't the body Alpha Trion gave him...!
He flew down the road, before fishtailing and drifting to a stop infront of a massive rock gorge. Time to test this new body out...and to take out some much needed agression...
He transformed again, and clenched his hands into fists, and charged head long at the first and largest boulder he could find. His mind was a haze as she smashed it to peices, punching, kicking, spitting and swearing as he nearly leveled six or seven boulders into gravel and pebbles in a matter of minuets.
Hot Shot...Primus...please be alright kid...your my best friend! I didn't mean to leave that blaster lying around...please be alright...
His mind drifted to all their years growing up together...going through training...meeting femmes...a smile passed his lips as the better memories passed over. At least his memory banks were working...
Another boulder. Cyclonus.
Another kick. Demolisher.
A vicous punch. Star Scream.
An uppercut to a stone wall. Thrust.
A knee jab to another boulder. Side Ways.
Finally, he summoned what massive and amazing strength this new body gave him, and hurled a massive boulder against the rock wall, the boulder shattering to peices.
"Megatron...your gonna pay..."
He arrived back at the base, a bit dirty, but other wise, much calmer. "Red...I'm ready now..."
Red Alert nodded took him by the shoudler, and led him into the MedBay. "HotShot...attempted to take his own life after thinking you were dead...he's stable...but unconsious. I've kept him sedated..."
Hoist was in shock as Red pulled back the curtain, and revealed his dearest friend. There was an ugly wound in his chest, various patches over it. There was a drip feed for energon, and his optics were powered down in stasis. "Can he be brought out of it?"
"I was just about to. He's stable enough that he can be."
With the flick of a switch, there was a soft moaning noise from the table, and Hoist quickly located himself at HotShots left side. "...'Shot?"
Blue optics slowly powered up, and drifted to look at him. Confusion passed his young face, and he arched an optic ridge. "Wha...? Do I know you...?" He gave another groan, his hand reaching up to rub at the wound.
"Hurts..."
Hoist nodded, and offered a sympathetic smile, taking his hand within his good one. "Trust me HotShot...you...Primus...why'd ya do this...?"
HotShot fixed him with a glare, jerking his hand away weakly. "Look...I dont even know you...who are you? Some rookie? Dont get in my good graces right now...back off..." He continued to rub at the wound, sighing wearily.
"Its me HotShot."
HotShot froze in his movements, his optics falling blank. He knew that voice...yes...but...how...? Tears welled up in his optics as he sat up slowly, pulling off wires and tubes as he did so.
"S...Smoke...SmokeScreen...?" He choked. "But...you...you died...I saw you...you died right in Primes arms..." He restrained himself all but throwing his arms around his dear friends neck. He choked back a sob, shaking his head again. "You died. I saw it. Your...your not him..."
Hoist offered a sympathetic smile yet again. "Remember the time we met those femmes?" He questioned out of the blue.
"The twins?" Hotshot questioned.
A blink.
"Yeah 'Shot...Their names were Melody an---"
"Harmony."
Slow realization...
Hoist nodded, encouraging the situation by continuing. "Yeah, and we all got really over energized and you wanted to take Melody back to your place and she said---"
"Not a slaggers chance in the pit...and then she---
A slow smile.
"Punched you in your face!" Hoist finished.
"By Primus! SmokeScreen!" The gunner threw his arms around his dear friends neck, squeezing tightly. "SmokeScreen...I thought...oh Primus..." He dissolved into bitter tears, his shoulders quaking. "Man...what was I thinking...?" He groaned. "I didn't want to die...I just..."
Hoist gently pat his back, offering his same deep laugh. "The names Hoist now HotShot...and dont worry...we all know why you did it..." He sat the mech at arms length. "You dont need to explain." He smiled.
Hot Shot merely nodded, and gave another sigh, before rubbing his optics. "Yo Red...am I clear to go back to my quaters now or what...?"
The medic, who'd been watching quietly the entire time nodded. "Yes...just no rough housing you two. And no joy riding untill that wound fully heals...Hoist, I'm putting you incharge of him." He said sternly.
HotShot climbed down from the bed, wincing a few times, as Hoist moved to support him. "Come on. Its the recharge berth for you." He declared.
"Yeah yeah...yes Mother..."
The two of them left down the hall way, and Red could only smile.
Upon arriving at HotShots quaters, Hoist merely walked though the door frame, helping the younger bot to lie down on the berth. "You alright now?"
"Yeah...I think I just need some decent recharge..."
Hoist nodded, and as he turned to go, Hot Shot caught his arm. "Dude...just...please...chill here for a little bit?"
Hoist gave him a knowing smile, and pulled up a chair beside the berth. He kicked back, crossing his arms behind his head and powered down his own optics. "Now get some sleep 'Shot."
Hot Shot was already asleep.
Hey HotShot!...lets got get some High Grade tonight...
Blink
Check out those twins man...
Blink
I've always got your back HotShot. Thats what we do.
Yeah SmokeScreen...I know...
Blink.
Fin
A/N: Well that took me about 4 hours to write... If anyone wants a sequel, review! I know it took me FOREVER to get a sequel to this out, but with my recent inspiration, I might strike it hot!