Chapter Text
Orianna P.O.V
I woke up screaming, flinging myself forward from my pillow. /I must be in bed somewhere?/. I flailed my arms about me frantically in the semi dark room. ''WHERE AM I?'' I screamed out loud. I could feel sweat trickling down the sides of my face, and I felt like I was burning up.
''Orianna! It's okay, you are back home on Diego Garcia, in the Autobot Medical Bay. I am here with you, as is Rachet,'' Optimus' voice washed over me as he tried to soothe me.
At the sound of his voice, I felt myself relax and begin to calm down. Prime's voice was a source of strength and comfort for any fragile mind or heart. ''Optimus! Hurts.'' I gasped out, turning towards him. ''How did I get here? Last thing I remember is sitting in 'Bee.'' I reached out, searching for his servo, my eyes wide. ''Is 'Bee okay?''
Prime immediately moved his servo so I could grasp a part of it, carefully placing it so as not to hurt me but to provide a measure of comfort and support. ''Orianna, we received a distress transmission from Bumblebee late Wednesday afternoon to say you began to experience extreme pain and convulsions en-route to Edwards Air Force Base,'' at this Prime's voice faltered slightly. ''Following his transmission Lennox and I contacted Edwards Air Force Base and had them move the flight forward in order to evacuate you as soon as possible.''
He shifted slightly as he knelt beside me. ''We arranged for a medical team to meet you and aid with the flight home. The moment you arrived on base Bumblebee drove aboard and the medical team transitioned you to a bed and stabilised you, giving you sedatives and pain killers.'' He blinked those azure optics and focused intently on me. The next words he said were barley a whisper. ''Orianna, they nearly lost you.''
I visibly flinched.
Again, even softer. ''I nearly lost you''. Optics closed briefly as The Prime allowed the thought to wash over him.
I grasped his servo tight, ''Well. You didn't. I'm here now Optimus and I appear to be somewhat okay.'' Though I tried to alleviate his fears I couldn't help shaking my own as I knew I was not well. I hadn't been since…
Prime spoke again, ''Bumblebee is fine, worried about you, but otherwise fine and glad to be among his team again. Orianna, when you arrived you were sedated and had been stabilised. You have been asleep since arriving Thursday evening. It is now early hours of Friday morning. Rachet and I have barely left your side.'' I squeezed his servo though I doubt he really felt it.
My mind felt a bit fuzzy and I had flashes of those symbols every now and then. I rubbed my eyes and sighed. Then something occurred to me. ''Wait a minute. You said you have ''barely'' left my side. What happened since I arrived? Something big must have happened, I can tell.'' I fixed him with an interrogative stare.
Optimus ex-vented in a show of learned human behaviour and gave a low chuckle. ''Orianna, I cannot fool you. Sick as you are and you still pull me up on such inaccuracies,'' he shook his helm slightly in wonder. ''I did not tell you this before as I felt there was no need to, but now I feel it is vital that you know this.'' He shuttered his optics. ''That day in Mission City when Sam pushed the cube into Megatron's chest,''
I gasped slightly and Prime stopped and stared at me, taking note of my seemingly odd reaction, though he did not question me. /Yet/. After a moment he continued. ''Before we left, I noticed a small shard of it in his chest and I collected it to keep it safe, a reminder of what we had lost.''
/Ahh so that's what he had picked up that day, I had always wondered/, my mind momentarily cast back to that point in time.
Optimus blinked his optics and they darkened slightly. ''At your Government's request we gave permission for that shard, the last remaining piece of the Allspark, to be kept under highest supervision and guard here on Diego Garcia. Yesterday afternoon, just after your plane landed, it was stolen in a Decepticon attack!'' Prime's other servo clenched into a ball as he fought to contain his anger. I subconsciously stroked his other servo trying to calm him.
Just then Rachet walked up to us. ''Orianna, how are you feeling?'' He stood before his monitors, quickly taking in the various information they were feeding him. ''You've given all of us a good scare.'' A scowl seemed to form on his faceplates.
I smiled weakly at him. ''Hey Rachet. I'm sorry. I certainly didn't mean to upset anyone, and I certainly didn't mean to get so sick.'' My voice dropped to a mutter, ''I had no idea this would be the result.''
Both Prime and Rachet fixed very intent gazes on me. It was Prime who spoke first. ''Orianna, when I was talking a moment ago relaying recent events, I noticed you flinched when I mentioned the shard. Your comment just now, coupled with that reaction is concerning me. What did happen to you just before you came back here?'' He leaned imperceptibly closer. I held my breath. ''We need to know so we can be prepared and treat you as best as we can.''
''That's right Orianna, I need to know exactly what I am up against here if I am to get you back to full health.'' Both Rachet and Prime folded their arms across their chests. I felt myself gulp.
My chest was hurting, and I felt a bit breathless, not just because I had two very stern and intent Autobots, one of whom was a rather concerned Prime, baring down on me, but the pain was coming back again. I could feel it building. I gave a small whimper. ''Umm… ahhh..'' I rode out the wave of pain.
''OC! WHAT happened? Tell us NOW!'' I had never heard Prime so blunt and demanding with me before. It vaguely reminded me of the night he had spoken to Agent Simmons, telling him and his agents to get out of the car. Rachet was eyeing the various machines, concern etched on his face.
I took as deep a breath as my lungs would allow and ploughed ahead, ''Wednesday morning I came back from a jog.'' /Breathe/. ''When I got inside something didn't seem right. I noticed something on the kitchen bench. It was metal and had some kind of alien writing on it.'' At this both Optimus and Rachet tensed up and visibly flinched. ''Optimus,'' I sucked in more air as my lungs seemed to tighten and constrict me. ''Ahhh….. I don't think that piece you had here was the last one,'' my head throbbed, my hand ached and I noticed it was bandaged. I was burning up. ''OOhh… ahhh…'' I clutched my stomach. Tears began to sting my eyes.
''OC! WHAT DID YOU TOUCH? WHAT WAS IT?'' Optimus yelled at me, his optics wild with fear. His servos only just restrained from grabbing me.
I screamed out in pain. ''SHARD, ALLSPARK. PIECE OF THE ALLSPARK!'' The tears streamed down my face as I felt my body trying to tear itself apart. I screamed again. ''SAM! TOUCHED IT TOO. CUT ME. NOT HIM. 'KAELA HAS IT. SAFE.'' I screamed again in agony and writhed around on the bed. ''PRIME! RACHET! M'SORRY! HELP ME!'' I began to sob loudly.
''RACHET, DO SOMETHING!'' Prime commanded sternly.
''MOVE!'' Rachet commanded back. Optimus moved slightly to allow Rachet access to me and the various machines I was connected to, though he never left my side. Rachet began injecting some sort of blue liquid into a machine set up by an intravenous drip and he had a massive needle prepared. ''ASSISTANCE NOW!''
I became aware of human doctors and nurses bustling about me, checking lines and prepping for my sedation. I eyed the massive needle warily but at this point I did not care what they did. I just wanted the pain to leave me. My vision was blurring, the symbols coming thick and fast.
I felt my stomach churn and turn and the acid taste of vomit as I emptied my stomach all over the floor, trying to purge myself of this ''thing.'' I heaved clutching the side of the bed. My eyes watering. The nurses began to wipe my face. I paused. My vomit was blue. ''THE. FUCK?'' I screamed and began convulsing.
Beside me, the sound of Prime's voice, as anguished and fearful as I have ever heard it erupted. ''ORIANNA! FIGHT! STAY WITH US! DON'T LEAVE ME!''
/PRIME!/, I tried to call out to him.
''Optimus, we're losing her,'' Rachet's voice sounded so far away. And with that all was dark and cold.