TF: Christmas Challenge - Joy 3/3
Rating: PG
Series: G1
Pairings: Prowl/Jazz, Red Alert/Inferno
Summary: Jazz wanders the halls, trying to find peace for his tormented spark. But the distraction comes from what he considers an unusual source
Warnings: The angst lingers on… there will be a happy ending…
Disclaimer: As per usual, the good things in life are not mine to have, but belong to someone else... in this case Hasbro, Takara and IDW and anyone else I’ve forgotten…
Authors Note: Written for the
prowlxjazz Christmas challenge, which is based around the four candles of advent. This one is for Joy. And I have to say how amazing it is that both me and
huntingospray (although she did it far better than me) came up with the same idea… sort of… no plagiarism intended… the scene had been envisaged before I read her story, but written after, so please shoot me if I have accidentally incorporated anything… And yes, I realise it’s a short chapter, but I had to distract Red Alert otherwise he would have kept going on and on… not that I mind hearing about him and Inferno, but this is meant to be about Jazz and Prowl… And I think I might have borrowed the reason for Red Alert getting so worked up from Juxtaposition by Vaeru (which is a fantastic read btw!), so I apologise in advance!
This could kind of be seen in the same series as the Hope and Peace sets
Feedback makes friends. Flames dealt with by the masters of paranoia and fire, Red Alert and Inferno.
Part One
Part Two
Jazz couldn’t move as Prowl offlined his optics. Somehow, he had managed to say everything he needed to say without speaking. It figured that Prowl would be proficient in reading him by now. As the medical alarms started beeping, Jazz found himself staring down at Prowl, still tightly gripping his hand.
“Out the way Jazz.” Ratchet, getting no response from Jazz, raised his voice. “Now!” He shouted, pushing Jazz out of his way and hurriedly checking Prowl over.
“Wheeljack!” Wheeljack rushed over at his partner’s cry, neatly stepping around Jazz who was sure his entire world was crumbling around him. The med. bay seemed to be unearthly silent and all Jazz could do was watch as Ratchet and Wheeljack worked feverishly on Prowl.
Somehow, Jazz found himself back in his quarters, sitting on the edge of his recharge berth. He didn’t know how long he had been there, didn’t know how long it had been since he left the med. bay. And in all honesty, he didn’t dare check. All he could hear were the alarms blaring in his audios. All he could see was the image of Wheeljack and Ratchet bent over the prone chassis of his partner. His still unmoving partner. More images rose unbidden in his processor. Thoughts of Prowl deactivated and greying. Meetings without his wry sense of humor. No more watching the tactician surreptitiously, delighting in the delicate way he moved and how expressive he could be when outlining a plan. Jazz threw himself backwards onto his berth, offlining his optics. He was so tired, low on energy and a wreck emotionally. Now he could understand why Prowl kept his distance from everything. This hurt worse than any injury he’d ever incurred from the Decepticons. He didn’t want to recharge. He wanted to be there next to Prowl. He wanted Prowl to be there with him. He didn’t want to leave Prowl’s side. And he didn’t want to let Prowl leave his side.
His mind made up, Jazz made his way back to the med. bay, hesitating briefly outside the door. He could hear Ratchet and Wheeljack conversing in low despondant tones and his spark seemed to stop pulsing for an instant. He could only think of one reason why they would be talking so quietly and sadly. Without realising where he was going, Jazz turned and headed away from the med. bay, away from Ratchet and Wheeljack and their sad conversation, away from Prowl. Away, away, away…
“Jazz?” Jazz looked up to see Red Alert standing in front of him, a concerned expression on the security director’s face plates
“I’m fine Red.” He tried to brush away the concern.
“And I’m not prone to fits of paranoia.” Red Alert returned, far quicker than Jazz was expecting. The comment made him smile.
“You keep your sense of humor under wraps like Prowl.” He noted, his vocaliser spluttering into static as he said his partner’s name. Red Alert nodded, as though he knew something Jazz didn’t.
“Walk with me.” He asked, waiting for Jazz to fall in step with him. “I can understand why you’re wandering around.” Jazz tried to ask why, but his vocaliser protested at the attempt, so he had to settle for tilting his head.
“It’s always hard when it’s you left outside and the one you love in there fighting to live.” He paused, waiting for the implications to sink in. “Inferno and I have been bonded for many years.” He continued, an affectionate tone creeping into his voice. “He drives me mad sometimes, always rushing off and being reckless, but I wouldn’t have him any other way.” A hand on his arm stopped him and he looked across at Jazz.
“You need distracting while Ratchet and Wheeljack work. Have faith in them, they’re the top of their profession. If any one can save Prowl, they can.” He answered the unasked question. “Primus knows, I’ve spent enough time outside med. bays worrying about Inferno, the least I can do is help you.”
“Tha…” Jazz tried to thank Red Alert, but couldn’t manage it. The knowledge that someone else knew (to some degree) the torment he was going through made him feel a little better. Red Alert led them down the corridor to his office, giving the monitors a quick glance before settling down in his chair and reaching into a drawer for two energon cubes. He waited for Jazz to sit down and passed him a cube. Jazz nodded and leant back in his chair.
“I’ve not seen Prowl so happy for years.” Red Alert commented, taking a small sip from his energon cube. Jazz managed to make a noise and Red Alert laughed. “Yes, I agree with Trailbreaker, Prowl does seem like he’s been floating on air recently. And yes, that is your fault. And I don’t think anyone’s going to complain.”
**~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~**
They spent most of the night talking. Well, Red Alert spent most of the night talking. Jazz, being unable to form sentences properly without static, merely listened. As he listened to Red Alert’s observations and comments, he realised that although he was being distracted from worrying about Prowl, there was a very good reason. Red Alert knew from personal experience the reactions he could face. Although Jazz and Prowl weren’t bonded in the way that Red Alert and Inferno were, deep emotions could still affect Cybertronian systems. Jazz had nodded, knowing the turmoil his spark had been in, the depressive cycle of self-destruction he had begun. With Red Alert present the thought of losing Prowl, while still on his processor, didn’t seem like it would be a reality. He was constantly being assured and reassured of Ratchet’s capabilities as a medic (as if he doubted them) and Wheeljack’s prowess.
Red Alert checked his monitors again before looking back at Jazz. The saboteur had slipped into a restless recharge an hour or so earlier. Red Alert didn’t take offence at Jazz falling asleep while he was talking, understanding that the Porsche had finally exhausted himself. Opening a communication channel to the med. bay, he checked on Prowl’s status.
Jazz onlined his optics a little, watching Red Alert from beneath his visor. He very nearly sat up from his slouched position when he realised the security director was talking to Ratchet. A very tired sounding Ratchet.
“Noted. Thank you Ratchet. I’ll make sure to inform Optimus. Get some recharge and I’ll have Perceptor look after med bay.” He closed the channel and leant back in his chair. “I know you’re online again Jazz.”
“How?” Jazz was quite pleased that his vocaliser seemed to be functioning normally now. Red Alert tapped his left audio.
“I can hear remember. I can tell when a recharge cycle has ended. All the sounds of the internal systems change.” Jazz held up a hand, stopping Red Alert detailing exactly how he knew.
“Just gimme the bad news Red.”
“Bad news?”
“About Prowl.”
“Jazz.” A soft reprimand. “Do you really doubt our CMO that much? Prowl is stabilised and will make a full recovery. And yes, Ratchet has given you permission to visit him, but to keep it brief and not over-exert Prowl.”
“As if.” Jazz snorted, feeling as though a weight had been lifted off his shoulder struts. Beginning to feel his normal self again, he nodded his thanks to Red Alert, knowing that he couldn’t say anything to show how appreciative he was, before he practically skipped out of the office and down the corridor.
**~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~**
Red Alert watched the security monitors, a sense of satisfaction suffusing through his systems and he watched the reunion between Jazz and Prowl.
“Should you really be watching that Red?”
“Not really Inferno, but I have to make sure they’re both all right. Jazz spent the night worrying about Prowl.”
“Now that sounds familiar.” Red Alert smiled as he felt Inferno’s hands on his shoulders.
“I know what he was going through. Nothing worse than thinking the one you love won’t survive the night.”
“But I did. And so did Prowl.”
“Yes, and by the way Jazz skipped out of here, he was certainly overjoyed.”
“Ah remember how pleased you were to see me…” Inferno countered, reaching across to turn off the monitor to the med. bay. “Think we ought to give them their privacy, right?”