"My body needs a hero,
Come and save me"

»«

By the end of the week, Dana had regained a few memories, but none of them contained her guardian or any of the other Cybertronian lifeforms that had entered her life. And as much as June wanted to question Dana on who the father of her child might be, she didn't want to add more overbearing stress on her. The girl was already beginning to struggle to accept the fact that her legs couldn't move.

They had tried. Her abdominal muscles were function and allowing her to move up and down, and she could even twist her hips a little bit. But when it came to moving her toes, even bending her knees, there was nothing she could do. At one point, she had strained so hard she began to break a sweat; yet they remained immobile.

Dr. Jefferson tried to be encouraging. The silver lining in her predicament was the fact that she retained control over her bowel movements and other internal organ function. Despite the heavy bleeding and damage, she was healing remarkably well. He estimated that they could take off the casts by the end of the next two weeks, and put her in temporary braces in order to reduce the atrophy of her muscles. He also began to set up a schedule for a physical therapist, encouraging June to help her exercise when she could.

Meanwhile, another man, Agent William Fowler, had also begun visiting her. Despite his initial demeanor, the Agent was very kind and thoughtful to her. He made sure she was comfortable, and was very excitable when it came to her retrieving memories. Out of the three people who came to see her, he was her biggest cheerleader.

Agent Fowler had also updated Ratchet on the grim situation. The Autobot base had been destroyed, but from what the human could tell, everyone had gotten out of the base before then. He suspected that Prime had them bridge out, most likely in separate groups in order to maintain a low profile. Where any of them were, he had no idea.

As much as Ratchet wanted to worry about his friends and comrades, he forced himself to focus on the current situation that he was certain of. Optimus wouldn't want him to brood and worry over something he had very little knowledge about; right now he should remain focused on his charge and her healing.

It pained the medic to receive the terrible updates from Nurse Darby. Her memory loss, her paralysis, and the waiting game when it came to the pregnancy. If the fetus was dead, her body would eventually pass it. If it was alive, then soon the doctor would be able to take an ultrasound, once a bump began to form and she progressed to the fourth month.

But still, they didn't know.

Surprisingly enough, Ratchet also took more comfort in Agent Fowler and his optimism. The Agent was confident that Dana would heal just fine, and that her memory would continue to improve. There was still no indication that she remembered the Autobots, or Decepticons, or that she could recall what had happened that put her in the hospital. She could just recently put faces to the names of her family members, and recall her job at the hospital. But all the answers to their questions still remained out of their reach.

To add to the mystery, June called her parents, both of which confirmed that she was not adopted. And even after heavy hints of Cybertronian existence, they still did not reveal any useful information.

By this time, Dana knew that she was potentially with child, yet she denied ever having a partner, without even being prompted by a question or memory. It was just one of those things she knew. Dr. Jefferson offered to draw more blood in order to take the test, but June Darby was firmly against it until Dana had healed a little more. The last thing she needed was a little less blood.

It also troubled the Nurse that there was no possible explanation for the baby, except that Ratchet had somehow, without any intercourse, had managed. Even that was questionable. June hadn't told Jefferson the possibility, mostly because she was afraid the human scientists here would suddenly want to take Dana and study her and the baby. The nurse was not about to let that happen, not any time soon. She just hoped that Dana's confidence was simply due to memory loss, and when things finally clicked into place, then it would all make sense.

At the current time, June sat next to the young woman as she slept, one hand on hers and the other holding her own phone, hoping Jack would at least text her . . . Even though he was supposed to be on radio silence, as was Arcee. Dana's phone had miraculously come out with only a few dents and cracks, and sat next to her on the nightstand with a note stating "do not use to contact anyone under any circumstances."

Because if Megatron was paying any attention to their cellphone messages, hers would most likely be top priority, if he didn't assume that she was dead.

Agent Fowler was currently standing next to Ratchet, the medic's door open so Fowler could hear him better, but the Agent opted to remain standing outside his door, knowing the Autobot was probably touchy about who was in his driver's seat.

"-And he promised that as long as us humans left him alone, he wouldn't fire upon every capital city within Darkmount's radius." Agent Fowler recalled everything Megatron had told him when they spoke on the phone. "So now we've got our hands tied."

"Megatron is probably still searching for us." Ratchet noted. "So that he may eradicate us before eventually moving on to the human population here on Earth."

"My superiors actually believe that he's trying to be peaceful." Agent Fowler shook his head in disgust. "Which, if you look at what he did to Jasper, and our troops, would make you think otherwise. But General Bryce just doesn't get it."

Ratchet sighed. "It's only a matter of time. But I am sure that the others are doing their best to make it back to Jasper." Except me. He wanted to add.

"I have a few undercover ops in Jasper just to make sure that, should any Autobot make it back, they won't have Decepticons waiting for them." Fowler reassured. "I've got all our bases covered."

Ratchet settled on his tires. "Thank you, Agent Fowler."

"You're welcome- what in the name of Sam Hill?!"

Ratchet did a full reverse U-turn in about half a second, watching as a ship of Cybertronian origin began flying their way, not something he had ever seen before. The medic transformed into his bipedal mode, getting in a defensive stance and putting himself between the ship and the hospital.

"Is that an Autobot?" Agent Fowler shouted up to him.

"I don't know." Ratchet transformed his servos into his surgical scalpels, prepared to defend the military base - and the hospital in which his charge resided - if need be. "Let them make the first move."

"And if we all get annihilated?" The Agent demanded.

"Then my mistake." Ratchet snapped back, not in the mood now, his senses on high alert. The ship did not look of Decepticon origin, but they had been tricked before. He wasn't about to take any chances, especially if it was solely a new Autobot. Not with Dana, not again.

The human soldiers all prepared their weaponry, several guns pointing towards the ship as it hovered over the base and slowly descended, carefully avoiding the other buildings and settling on the ground. After several tense moments, a pad slowly descended from the bottom, multiple Cybertronians just barely visible due to the steam, dust, and light.

Ratchet squinted his optics, hope rising in his spark. Could it be-?

"Ratchet!" Rafael Esquivel shouted with joy, Bumblebee whirring the same.

"Hold your fire!" Agent Fowler barked. "They're all with us!"

The other Autobots scrambled off of the boarding pad in order to greet their medic and friend, Bumblebee not at all shy about hugging, Bulkhead doing the same, nearly crushing poor Ratchet's chest plates.

"I was worried you were trapped at the Jasper hospital." Arcee said with relief, her servo on his arm. "How did you get here?"

"Agent Fowler directed us to this facility." Ratchet looked down at the three kids, optics focusing on Jack. "Your mother is inside, Jack. Along with Dana . . ."

Jack nodded silently, running inside, Miko and Raf on his heels.

"Whats the prognosis, doc?" Wheeljack asked sympathetically.

Ratchet let out a long ex-vent. "It's . . . Well, she's going to make it. It's just . . . Not good." He pinched the area between his optics, refusing to let his fellow Autobots see how much it upset him. "She just woke up a couple days ago. Four days since she was brought here."

The Autobots nodded solemnly, a large and only slightly familiar face padding forward, his face set in a permanently stern look.

Ratchet's optics widened. "Ultra Magnus."

"Doctor." The lieutenant nodded in acknowledgement. His optics wandered to the humans, who had relaxed their initial attack positions, and now gaped at all the Autobots in surprise. "May I ask how you found this place?"

Ratchet paused, then took a slight step back to indicate to Agent Fowler. "This is Agent Fowler, he brought me here due to an emergency. He is our human liaison, who keeps us connected with the human world, and was the first to teach us how to remain undercover here on Earth."

"I see." Ultra Magnus looked around again. "And what kind of emergency warranted staying at a human base?"

The other Autobots looked at Ultra Magnus with slightly surprised expressions. His tone had suggested that whatever the "emergency" was, it wasn't terribly important. And Ratchet immediately took offense.

"My human charge, sir." The medic bristled. "She was heavily injured during the struggle for the Omega Lock. I had to take her here in order to save her life."

Ultra Magnus seemed a bit surprised by the sudden defensiveness, but he remained steadfast. "I understand. Arcee managed to fill me in on what happened, and how you all were forced to scatter, lest be caught in the destruction of the base."

"Is this . . . Everyone?" Ratchet prayed not.

"All of the Autobot life signals my ship managed to detect are here." Ultra Magnus confirmed.

"But that doesn't mean anything." Arcee was quick to assure Ratchet. "If Optimus and Smokescreen are shielded, or deep underground someplace, then the ship wouldn't be able to detect them."

"That is true." Ultra Magnus agreed.

As the Autobots further discussed their options, Jack, Miko, and Rafael made their way through the military hospital, a Dr. Jefferson guiding them to the appropriate door and gently knocking before opening it, meeting the worried blue eyes of the Nurse.

"Nurse Darby," he smiled. "You have visitors." And then he opened the door the rest of the way.

"Jack!" June cried, shooting to her feet and running to hug her boy, as well as the two other kids, her heart swelling with joy. "I'm so glad you're safe."

The three kids smiled and hugged her back, but they became solemn when their eyes landed on the hospital bed.

"Is she . . .?" Rafael asked softly.

"She's just sleeping." June assured them, letting the three kids gather around the bed. "Her injuries were extensive, but thanks to Arcee and Ratchet, the doctors here managed to save her life."

Miko nodded silently, taking one of her casted hands. "You think she'll let us sign her casts?" She half-heartedly joked.

June chewed her lip. "She's lost a lot of memory too, Miko." She spoke softly. "And while it's getting better, she still doesn't know a lot."

"Does she remember any of us? The Autobots?" Jack asked.

His mother shook her head. "She hasn't mentioned anything."

Dana opened her eyes, startling the four occupants of her room, eyes landing on the three kids, looking confused for a moment before they lit up, something clicking in her mind.

"Jack, Miko, Raf."

"Hey, that's us!" Miko cheered, grinning hugely at her. "How are ya feeling?"

Dana smiled, though it noticeably hurt to do so, her face still aching. "Awful, truthfully. But better than yesterday."

Rafael peeked over the edge of her bed, just tall enough to see. "Do you remember a lot about us?"

"Well, you're my friends." She chuckled softly. "And, um, Jack, you're June's son . . . Miko is a transfer student . . . Raf is super smart."

"That's us, in a nutshell." Jack laughed quietly with her, relieved.

"Do you know about the Autobots?!" Miko burst.

Dana immediately became confused again. "The what?"

"We haven't talked about it yet." June cut Miko off before she could say anything else. "Right now she should focus on getting better; once the casts come off, and we get her started on physical therapy and moving up and around, then we'll introduce her, if she doesn't already remember."

The term sounded vaguely familiar, but Dana still couldn't understand. What are they talking about?

"Oh." Miko sounded disappointed.

Jack was looking at his mother with a questioning expression. He was trying to decipher something in her words, actions, and reluctance, but nothing was coming to light. He suspected that she was hiding something, and he wondered if Dana knew.

"I hope you get better soon." Rafael supplied helpfully, lightly touching Dana's knee. She only knew he did so because she saw it, but there was no feeling there, bringing back the painful reality of her injuries.

"Thank you, Raf." She forced a smile, hoping they didn't notice.

"Me too." Miko added, holding the railing of her bedside. All three kids were looking at her with odd expressions, ones she could only describe as . . . Pity. Sadness. They knew how she got this way, she could tell. And they did not enjoy reliving it.

"Thanks you guys." She yawned, covering it up with a casted arm. "I'll do my best."

"Let Dana go back to sleep." June prodded the other kids. "She needs rest." As she ushered the other children out of the room Dana glanced out the windows, noticing some rather large shapes moving behind the blinds.

As she watched for longer and longer periods of time, another memory surfaced. It was just shadows, but she realized they were somehow correlated to the shadows outside. If only she could peer out the blinds.

Maybe then everything could be answered.