~Chapter 13~

Darkness, pitch darkness, was all she could make out. There was a sound, but her audio receptors still rung in her clouded conscience. Her orange optics cracked open a smudge but fastened shut when met with a blinding light.

"Easy now, that's it, follow the light," said a muffled voice.

"W-what's going on?" Firespark mumbled, groggily, trying her best efforts to sit up.

A gentle servo eased her back down, "ep, ep, ep, don't even think about it."

"Um, Ratchet? What happened? All I remember is-," she trailed off as her processor drifted toward the past events. The explosions, the cries, and the searing pain in her legs overcame her senses. Ratchet was staring at her expectantly as if he was awaiting an answer. She stared back at him in confusion, "What?"

He sighed, "I was asking if you were feeling any pain or discomfort in your legs? I did my best with your weakened nervous system. Might not look the prettiest, but I'm sure a good ol' rinse off will polish it right up."

The pink Deception gazed down at her patched up limbs in awe. The last time she saw them, they look beyond repair, but then this so-called "enemy" just might've saved her life. "Thank you," she whispered, swinging her legs over the berth.

Lightly, the femme placed one pede on the cold concrete floor. After testing the waters a bit, the other one followed suit. Firespark heaved a sigh before pushing herself off the berth. A gasp escaped her as her balance wavered forward. Her preparations for greeting the ground went untouched as a steady arm caught her.

"Gently now, not too fast," the medic murmured as he supported her weight against him.

Together the duo made it to the wash racks without any more complications. "Do you think you can support yourself, or do you need some assistance?" Ratchet asked his patient, who looked uneasy at the offer.

"I think I can manage," was the reply as she gripped the door frame.

The medic nodded, "Just holler if you need something,"

It took quite a bit of effort to hold herself upright as the warm water ran down her pink frame. She took the time to think about her questions. What was sire doing? Was he looking for her again? It felt like deja vu.

Even after the history lesson, Firespark's thoughts on the Autobots never changed. They kept overwhelming her with their kindness, determination, and consideration for everyone, including the humans and lowly Decepticons (like herself).

She needed answers, and what could help her form a solid conclusion. Well, seeing it from both sides always seemed to do the trick, in her opinion. Yes, there was the possibility that they would lie to her, but after some hard shower thinking, she realized that anyone could. "Even sire," her processor hummed, startling her to the core.

No, how could that possibly be? The one who she trusted, loved, and admired wouldn't do that to her, would he?

Without noticing, she wandered into the main room and sat on a crate next to, you guessed it, Optimus Prime himself. The Prime gazed at her, waiting for her to ask her questions. How did he know? Because he too had to the same look when his processor was swimming with questions.

"Why do you and your team treat me the same way as if I was one of you?" She didn't mean to sound harsh, but her emotions were all unbalanced. Soundwave wasn't the type to go over the whole 'how to deal with emotions' stuff.

Optimus knelt in front of the young Cybertronian. Instead of answering, he asked her a question, "If you were to find someone in pain or lost, would you assist them?"

"It would depend on the situation,"

He smiled softly, "Now, what if the conditions were in the right?"

Firespark could imagine it. She could see herself, rushing over to a Vechicon and helping him to a safer area, defending him until back up arrived. Finally, she answered, "I would,"

"Why would you help?"

"Because it's the right thing to do. I can't let someone die when I could've done something to help."

Optimus nodded, "Those are the same reasons why we, Autobots, help everyone in need of our assistance, whether they ask or not."

The pink femme sat quietly, while she let the information tear her apart. "I see now, thank you," She rose from her seat and made her way to the medical bay. Who knew it took so much energy to stand and talk.

Resting her body on the berth, her orange optics dimmed as she began to process her findings. It was such an honest answer, but now she was torn.

Who was in the right? Autobots or Decepticons?

Firespark needed more answers, but how could she get them when all her options were already used?