Samantha Witwicky, AT-5 Chapter 2
Prologue I Part 1 I Part 2 I Interlude 1 I Part 3 I Interlude 2 I Interlude 3 I Part 4
«Bobby! Come quick!» A excited voice shouted over the compound.
Master Sergeant Robert Epps ended his current conversation about sports before heading over to the office his best friend and commanding officer occupied.
«What's up?» He asked as he closed the door.
«She is coming back!» Major Lennox grinned widely.
There were no need to ask who she was. There was only one woman that could get such a big reaction out of the ranger.
«You sure?» Epps asked carefully. Will and the rest of the autobots had done everything in their power to find out where Sam ended up after she was picked up and get her back on their radar. But every request and every lead had been a bust. So when his best friend gestured towards the open email on the computer he sincerely hoped that the whole thing wasn't his friend's eyes playing a trick on him. And somehow his prays was heard. Epps couldn't help to read the last line out loud in glee.
«PS. Witwicky is on her way, please get those damn robots of my back.»
«I should never have doubted you. That harass technique worked it's magic. It took it's time, but it worked. Come we've got to tell Optimus and Bumblebee!» Will grinned madly and grabbed Epps and started to steer him out of the office before the Sergeant had time to get over the delighted shock.
«Who are they?» Epps asked outside the autobot hangar.
«Who?»
«There.» Epps pointed towards four people clothed in all black walking towards them. Then he recognized the woman in the front. «Isn't that...?»
Will hadn't chance to answer before the group came to attention in front of them and the woman saluted him.
«Sir! Captain Witwicky reports as ordered, Sir.» The woman they had known years ago was gone and in her place there was a cold soldier. What had happened to their Sam? Lennox barely managed to mumble out an 'at ease' in his shock. It was barely audible, but Sam must have hear it because she turned towards him and a huge grin erupted on her face and the old Sam was back.
«Bobby!» She all but squealed and pulled him into a hug.
«Sam! Where have you been? Are you okay? A Captain? How did that happen? Who is your friends?» Epps fired of question after question, knowing that he wasn't the only one that wanted to know the answers, but that his friend hadn't recovered enough to ask them yet.
Sam laughed in delight over the reunion. «That's my name, don't wear it out! Classified, never better, yes, no idea, and I am sorry I seem to have lost all my manners. This is Lt. Josh McCoy, SAS.» She gestured to the tall, red haired man at her left. «Captain Danny Duhamel, 75 th Ranger Regiment.» The dark haired man on her right nodded. «And Doctor Charles Eppes.» A young man with extremely curly black hair waved nervously behind her and Sam took a step back and linked her arm with his. His nerves seemed to disappear almost immediately.
«Doctor?» Epps asked curiously.
«Not MD, I've got a doctor grade in applied mathematics.» the young man explained.
«Don't be modest. Charlie here is a genius.» Sam praised the man and a faint blush found its way to his cheeks.
«If you say so.» Charlie mumbled.
«We all say so. Now, if you'll excuse us we have a few robots to talk to. Bobby. Sir.» her smile disappeared when she sent a glance at her new CO before going into the autobot hangar.
«She's still pissed at me.» Will mumbled quietly. Only Epps knew how much the encounter had really hurt his friend.
Years ago, not long after Sam had flown away in the helicopter and left a lost man behind, Epps had gotten his friend drunk and pulled the truth out of him. And Will had told him everything. How it had it had hit him like a sledgehammer in those minutes she had been dead. How he in that moment had realized how much he cared about her, how hard he had actually fallen for the young woman that had saved the world and befriended an alien race. How relieved he had been when he got the order that she would stay on base where he could protect her. And how lost and afraid he felt now when she was gone God knows where. Since then Epps had done his best to brighten his friends spirit, and he sincerely hoped that those two could work out some sort of deal.
One dreaded reunion over and done with, one to go. It hadn't been that difficult to see Major Lennox again. Maybe it was because of the silent support from her team, or the genuine joy she had felt when she met Bobby again. Anyway it was over and done with. Now she only needed to keep up the cold, but military correct facade around Lennox, for the duration of her stay here. There was no way McKay and his 'minions' wouldn't find a way to get Atlantis back to Pegasus and then she would be gone. Bye Earth, hello life-sucking space vampires. But first she had to deal with the other dreaded reunion.
«Prime, Sir. Captain Witwicky reports for duty.» Neither she nor the rest of her team saluted, instead they went straight to parade rest. All autobot activity inside the hangar froze when she uttered those words. Every autobot knew who Witwicky was. They had been told numerous times about how she defeated Megatron and earned the Matrix of Leadership.
«Sam is that really you?» Bumblebee was the one that came over the shock first.
«Hey Bee! Your voice is good. Congratulation!» Sam waved and grinned. Her former guardian was among them she had missed the most. Before she really knew what had happened a metallic hand engulfed her and she was on eye level with the yellow bot.
«You okay? Ratchet! Sam's here! Where have you been? Are you here to stay? Please tell me you are here to stay!» Bumblebee continued to shoot of questions almost quicker than Sam could follow, and definitely quicker than she could answer.
«Whoa Buddy! Slow down some, will ya?» She laughed as she was shifted over to Ratchet's hand and the medic started to perform scans. «I am fine. And you are looking at the new Cybertronian Ambassador.» Bee started to click and whirl exited in Cybertronian.
«She seems to be in good health, but I detect trace of recent injury.» Ratchet finally told them after a long time with scans and gave Sam back to an anxious and impatient scout.
«Just a few cracked ribs and a concussion. No big deal.» Sam shrugged. «I fell down a hill.» She explained when she saw the startled and curious optics around her.
«Fell down a hill she says. Sure. That's what happens when you are on the run from Wraith and they manage to hit you with a stunner blast when you are on your way down.» Danny muttered sarcastically, but luckily it seemed like the autobots didn't hear him or take notice.
«Prime, Sir, I need to know if you have any matters that requires my immediate attention?» Sam had resumed her former position in her guardian's hand as she again directed her attention to the autobot leader.
«Nothing that is that important. Why don't you and your friends go and settle in?» Optimus Prime suggested, he had earlier noticed the duffel-bags at the soldiers' feet.
«Yes, Sir.» Was Sam's sharp reply.
«Bee, I want you to meet my team. Captain Danny Duhamel, Lieutenant Josh McCoy and Doctor Charlie Eppes. Guys, this is Bumblebee.»
«Nice to meet you Bumblebee. Thank you for looking after our Boss before we came into the picture.» Josh greeted and the other two came with similar responses. Bee also gave them his greetings and seemed perfectly at ease, but since Sam knew her friend she could tell that he was surprised by the ease these particular humans reacted to the autobots presence with. Most humans would be at least a little stressed and uncomfortable in a situation like this, but her team hadn't as much as flinched when the giant robots had started to run towards them.
«Come on guys. Let's find out where we are going to stay. Bee? Wanna come with us?» Sam added the last part when she saw how reluctant Bumblebee was to let her go. His optics brightened immediately and he lowered his other hand so that the men on her team could also get a ride. And to her pride they didn't hesitate before climbing into the giant metal hand.
«You know, I can get used to this.» Danny grinned as he looked down at the ground that moved quickly bellow them.
«And don't I know it.» Sam grinned back. «Hey Bobby!» She suddenly yelled when she saw the familiar figure again. «Any idea where we'll bunk?» She asked when they had caught up with the Air Force Sergeant.
«I am sure I can find you something. Even if it is a cell in the brig.» Epps teased as he stepped into the offered hand, the same hand Sam was standing in.
«I am sure your brig would be a upgrade from some places we have found ourselves camping in. Or what boys?» Sam directed the last part to Bee's other hand.
«Yes Boss. A steamy dungeon could be an upgrade so the numbers are in favor for the brig being much better.» Charlie answered.
Epps started to laugh of what he thought was a joke, but when he saw the grimaces the rest of the team exchanged he quickly quieted down and gave Sam a bewildered stare.
«Here we are.» Bumblebee stated as they reached the human barracks and intentionally or not he diffused any tension that had arisen after Charlie's statement.
«Come on guys. You heard the big boss, we've got the day of, let's use it wisely.» Sam ordered sarcastically as she jumped out of Bee's hand and headed into the building, the others following her enthusiastically.
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