Chapter Text
Hook stirred awake as the claxon for morning refueling rang through the Victory.
His back ached where he'd slept with it pressed up against the berth. Stretching, Hook stood slowly and rolled his shoulders with a yawn.
A message from Scrapper informed him that he had already left the medical bay, to get some space and energon, but that he would be back shortly.
Hook sent Scrapper a reply, then headed out of his office to his patient.
He moved to Onslaught's side to run the necessary diagnostics after such an intensive surgery while his processor fully caught up to being awake.
Nothing was amiss with Onslaught's scans, thankfully, which released a thread of tension from Hook's shoulders that he hadn't even noticed beforehand.
He had moved to wake First Aid, so that the ambulance would follow him to the refueling depot, when a ping came through his comms from Scrapper.
Are you coming? We've already pulled yours and First Aid's fuel rations, but Scavenger has volunteered to bring them to you if you'd prefer.
A faint, nearly imperceptible smile brushed over Hook's faceplate at Scrapper's message. Take it to his best friend to always be thinking of his team. Scrapper was likely thinking out the plans for the day while refueling, sketching away his feelings and whatever stray thought captured his mind. It had taken Hook ages to adjust to Scrapper planning ahead for him when they'd first begun working together, but now it was as normal to Hook as waking from recharge was.
No, we will be there. I have to wake the Autobot first.
Don't be too late, it seems Motormaster got up on the wrong side of the berth today. He's already picking a fight with Brawl.
Hook vented and pinched at his nose. Of course. Give us a few minutes. If Motormaster gets himself killed, comm me again.
Scrapper's laugh rattled through their comms, I know you'd be happier if he was, but I won't allow it.
That's not true, Hook grumbled, optics rolling as he gently poked at First Aid.
Oh, I know, you unsubtle old crane.
Hook growled something obscene to Scrapper (again, earning him snickers), and promptly blocked his friend. For now.
"Wake up," Hook growled as he prodded First Aid a second time.
This time, finally, First Aid woke at Hook's prodding. Though he did so in a flurry of panic. He scrambled up, visor blazing and field flaring as if he thought there was an emergency before him.
"Easy," Hook growled as he pushed down on First Aid's chest with one servo. "Onslaught's scans are normal. I'm waking you up for morning refueling."
The ambulance quieted, visor flickering with static as his helm tilted to where Onslaught was resting, then back to Hook. Specifically to where his servo was laid over First Aid's chest. First Aid blinked and stared, affixed, on Hook's servo.
"What?" He grumped, denta bared in a sneer, though there was little meaning behind the look of displeasure. Hook was learning that First Aid simply was too (ugh) friendly and polite to ever have a truly nasty thought about someone.
Bleeding spark that he was.
"N-nothing," First Aid whispered, though he looked back down to Hook's servo. For some reason, Hook noticed a rush of blue flood First Aid's faceplate before he pulled away and stood up from the berth.
Bewildered even more than moments earlier, Hook stepped back and gestured to First Aid to follow. "Come on. Our medical expertise may be required shortly."
That seemed to shake First Aid out of whatever stupor was affecting him as, with a small nod, he shook himself, returned his faceguard and followed Hook out of the medical bay.
The walk to the fueling depot was quiet, and slow, considering how short Hook had to make his strides so that First Aid didn't have to jog or run after him. They passed Thundercracker, who was leaving the refueling chamber with a half empty cube. He nodded to Hook and First Aid alike but said nothing to them.
First Aid didn't even flinch, let alone move closer to Hook, either.
Perhaps he was being sensible since First Aid had helped Hook repair Ramjet and Thrust. Seekers were not often sensible from Hook's experience, least of all Starscream and his hoard of fliers. The Coneheads weren't sensible, but they at least were sensible enough to not follow Starscream around. Though Hook knew Skywarp and Thundercracker weren't friends with Starscream, they followed him around enough to project a friendship with the irritating second in command.
The only tolerable part of Skywarp and Thundercracker were that both listened to Hook in the medical bay with little question. Something to do with Skywarp's loyalty to Megatron and Thundercracker's general want to be healed and not suffer through pain.
The doors to the refueling depot opened as Hook and First Aid approached them, allowing for the cacophony of loud voices, clanging metal and laughter to assault their audial receptors.
Hook scowled and pushed through first, long legs carrying him towards the Constructicons' table.
A quick glance around the room found Motormaster sulking in the corner, at the table usually taken over by the Stunticons, though the rest of his team was absent. Soundwave was sitting across from Motormaster, slowly sipping at his cube of energon while his gaze was locked onto the Stunticon leader.
Hook quirked an optic ridge and looked away, to meet Scrapper's gaze from the distance between them. He could see stress weighing on Scrapper's frame even when he perked up and gave Hook a tiny wave, then gestured to the spots his team had reserved for Hook and First Aid. It made Hook's mouth twitch almost to a smile — until he saw Scrapper stiffen, visor flickering as he stared behind Hook.
It was then that the crane heard First Aid let out a pained squeak, and whipped around to see Vortex had the ambulance's throat caught in one servo, his glue gun's muzzle pressed against First Aid's chest plate.
"Where's Onslaught, Autobot?" Vortex hissed, his grip on First Aid tightening. "We saw his signal in his office, then it vanished. We felt his pain, then nothing. I don't know what you've done with Hook, but we won't let your nice facade—"
"Vortex!" Hook grabbed the helicopter by his arm, the crane's strength and considerable, towering height over the Combaticon, utilized to twist Vortex's grip off of First Aid as he leaned into Vortex's space.
Vortex snarled at Hook as his frame slowly buckled beneath Hook, until Vortex could do nothing more than snarl at Hook and glare at him.
"Protecting your pet now?" Vortex spat, gaze snapping from Hook to where First Aid was standing behind Hook.
Hook ignored Vortex as he leaned down until his faceplate was mere centimeters from Vortex's, and snarled. "Touch my assistant again, Vortex…"
The Combaticon stiffened. He met Hook's gaze with a growl, but then looked away. The other Combaticons had approached where Hook and Vortex were, confusion in their gazes as they looked between the two Decepticons and then First Aid.
With a snarl, Hook released Vortex and stood back up to his full height. "Onslaught required emergency surgery last night. I will comm you when it is possible to visit him. Do not arrive any time before I comm you, or I will kick you out," Hook growled to the gathered Combaticons, then turned to First Aid.
The ambulance was clearly shaken, his visor a dull blue and his frame shivering imperceptibly. Hook frowned and gently touched First Aid's back. A startle from First Aid met Hook's touch. Hook whispered a soft reassurance to First Aid, which garnered him a grateful look before First Aid practically glued himself to Hook's side.
Hook sent the Combaticons a glare — Swindle looked away, expression impossible to read, while Brawl was leading Vortex away to the Combaticons' table, and Blast Off watched Hook with a cold expression — before he guided First Aid to the Constructicons' table.
Scavenger quickly pressed against First Aid once he and Hook sat down, the excavator pulling out a plethora of his hoard that he scattered over the table.
To Mixmaster's clear annoyance. The chemist growled when one of Scavenger's knick knacks hit his energon cube. He grabbed the cube and moved away, to sit on the very edge of the bench while his mixing drum spun irritably.
"Scavenger…" Scrapper growled, "careful."
"Oh, s-sorry, boss," Scavenger's voice cracked and he quickly pulled his hoard of knick knacks back to himself, storing them back into his subspace.
First Aid looked to Hook, who shrugged at him, before he carefully reached out and tapped Scavenger's arm. Scavenger froze, helm turning slowly to look down at the short ambulance. "Thank you for showing me, Scavenger."
Scavenger flushed at First Aid's comment and squeaked warmly, tail scoop wagging in a way that made First Aid giggle. Scavenger beamed and turned to show First Aid his boom kibble, which the ambulance carefully touched at Scavenger's encouragement.
For some reason, Hook felt his spark hitch up for a moment at First Aid's giggle. It made him stare down at himself, before his frame stiffened up and he crossed his arms over his chest plate.
"Hook?" Scrapper whispered. His servo landed on Hook's arm as Scrapper peered up at the crane, worry sharp in the flicker of static within his visor. "Is it Onslaught? I… needed space. If he isn't well, I—"
Hook shook his helm and flexed his digits, before he unwrapped his arms from his chest plate and allowed them to rest at his side instead. "Onslaught is recovering. His vitals and scans read as healthy. He should wake later today."
Scrapper frowned at Hook's response, but the relief was clear, though his worry remained. "Then?"
"Nothing, Scrapper," Hook growled, his tone sharp. He didn't want to discuss with Scrapper about Hook's strange frame reactions, nor that odd way First Aid had looked at him earlier that morning.
Hook knew it was the trust Scrapper had in him that had Scrapper drop the subject, even when Scrapper continued to watch him with that hint of worry in his gaze. The front loader pushed Hook's cube closer to him, a soft "refuel for me, at least, please?" given not as an order, but his best friend's worry.
The crane let his vents cycle before he grabbed the energon cube and drank it down. "I could have refueled in the office," Hook whispered when he finished and placed the empty cube down onto the table, "you do not need to—"
"I wanted you out of the medical bay," Scrapper sighed in response, "I want to spend time with you outside of the medical bay."
Hook recognized stress and anxiety in Scrapper's confession, especially when the wheel loader shuffled closer to him, until their plating brushed against each other. Hook looked down at Scrapper, his spark twisting as he recognized the fear trembling through their bond from Scrapper, then leaned into his side.
"You're worried for Onslaught," Hook surmised.
Scrapper nodded, not that Hook had needed such a confirmation.
He knew how Scrapper's processor worked. Knew how much he cared about those he loved. Even if Hook still found part of himself pained over Scrapper's focus on Onslaught and how scared he was that Scrapper would turn away from the team with his feelings for the Combaticon, he could never intentionally hurt Scrapper. So he turned and gently squeezed his friend's shoulder, engine purring softly to him.
"Come back to the medical bay with First Aid and I once we finish refueling, then you can spend time with Onslaught." Hook looked to First Aid, who was still entertaining Scavenger's peculiarities, then sighed. "We will have to allow the Combaticons to visit him later as well."
Scrapper looked up at Hook, then nuzzled his faceguard against Hook's shoulder. "I can deal with them. I know how you hate talking to others."
Hook rolled his optics behind his visor at the subtle tease in Scrapper's voice, but he smiled at him nonetheless. "I will gladly accept the help."
A purr rumbled out of Scrapper's engine, his field warm against Hook's plating. He welcomed the warmth and closeness of his best friend, even as his gaze wandered to watch First Aid.
By now, Bonecrusher and Long Haul were chattering with First Aid — or, to be more exact, talking at the Protectobot — while Scavenger continued to beam with happiness through his field at First Aid's continued closeness to him. Hook heard Beachcomber and Groove's names mentioned a few times within the conversation, and saw First Aid's helm turn away slightly as the three Constructicons chattered away at First Aid. The ambulance's energon cube was barely touched at, and it was that which had Hook gently nudge First Aid in the shoulder.
"We should head back soon to check on Onslaught, so finish your energon." Hook stood up as Scrapper pulled away from his side, released his hold on First Aid's shoulder and left the refueling chamber.
First Aid caught up to him after a little bit, energon cube still in one servo. His arrival had Hook slow his usual pace so that First Aid didn't have to run, and he walked with him quietly to the medical bay. The ambulance's field brushed slightly over Hook, a contentment and happiness in it that had Hook look down at him, to watch the ambulance closely. He'd been different ever since Soundwave had allowed First Aid to contact the other Protectobots.
Maybe he and Scrapper could work with Soundwave to allow First Aid a few more chances to call the Protectobots. If it helped his mood, and kept First Aid ready to work in the medical bay while he was stuck with Hook, then the least Hook could do was try to help First Aid's mood.
Onslaught was still in stasis when Hook and First Aid returned to the medical bay. After washing and cleaning his servos down, Hook moved to check the Combaticon leader's vitals, while he heard First Aid move to organize supplies onto one of the operating trays. It made Hook look over at First Aid, helm tilted as he watched First Aid organize and gather together the supplies.
First Aid froze when he seemed to register Hook looking at him. His helm turned to look at Hook, before he looked down at the supplies. "If the other Combaticons have the same loyalty coding Onslaught does, then we need to remove it before their loyalty coding hurts them like it did Onslaught."
Hook vented and turned away from Onslaught — vitals clear and recovering — to approach First Aid. He took the first tray of supplies and stationed them at one of the empty berths, then returned to First Aid's side.
They worked in silence together, preparing the supplies they'd need for the other four Combaticons. Which… Hook groaned.
Bruticus.
How would they explain a surgery for him?
"Hook?"
The crane looked down at First Aid, who was staring up at him, visor flickering. He waved off the other's comment and returned to organizing.
But it seemed First Aid was not finished with the conversation.
"Loyalty coding?" First Aid finally whispered, his servos faltering on the medical mesh he was storing on one of the trays. "Why? Why would Megatron do that to his own soldiers?"
Hook looked away, his servos clenching into fists at his side. Everyone in the Decepticon forces knew of the Combaticons' attempted coup against Megatron two million years ago. Little else was known of the attempted assassination except that Megatron had survived and the Combaticons had vanished. Hook had been to the Detention Center with Megatron a few times to examine the stored sparks within the vault, but he had never known whose sparks he'd been holding.
Now he knew five of those had been the Combaticons.
His team's former allies. Friends.
It bothered him, deeply.
"They attempted to assassinate him back on Cybertron," Hook growled, "I presume he does not wish to see them betray him again. Onslaught is not one to turn your back to."
First Aid shook his helm, field flashing over Hook with shock and hurt. "But loyalty coding? Removing their free will from them because he's scared?"
"It would not be the first time he has used coding to take over his own troops," Hook snapped, the tube of medical grease he'd been holding in his servo bursting as he clenched his fist around it.
Annoyance sparked off him as he turned to clean up the mess he'd made, but was stopped by First Aid, who took his servo in his own and began wiping down the mess. "What do you mean?" First Aid asked, the tremor in his voice one Hook couldn't place the origin of.
"You weren't awake when the Autobots used the Dominator Discs on us, were you?"
First Aid looked down, shame clear in his field as he faltered in cleaning Hook's servo. "No, we were still in stasis on the Ark at that point. We only heard rumors of Wheeljack controlling Devastator and your team. None of us approved. I… was horrified to learn my faction would do that to someone."
Hook scoffed, engine letting out a low, angry growl as he looked away from First Aid. "Freedom is the right of all sentient beings… except for Decepticons, I guess?"
First Aid didn't say a word. It made Hook vent and he softened his field, as well as lowered the growl of his engine to a soft rumble instead.
"You did not make that decision, do not place blame upon yourself," Hook vented as he waited for First Aid to finish fiddling with his servo.
"The Autobots should never have taken control over you…" First Aid trailed off as he finished cleaning Hook's servo. The ambulance released Hook's servo and stepped back, to wash his servos without another word.
The empty silence made Hook vent, and he approached First Aid slowly. He touched the other's shoulder, which had First Aid turn to face him, the ambulance's helm tilted to the side.
"As I was attempting to explain earlier, your faction was not the sole one to take over my team's minds. Megatron did, solely because he was angry at the Autobots controlling his combiner team. Loyalty coding is clearly not beneath him." Hook ground his denta and hissed. "He did not even discuss the application with me. Who even gave them the coding?"
Hook muttered to himself, furious at Megatron. Furious for the Combaticons being used by Megatron without their own knowledge. They'd have to utilize Onslaught to convince the rest of the Combaticons to allow Hook to pick through their helms, to destroy the loyalty coding without Megatron discovering his duplicity.
But the brush of a servo against his chest plate had Hook stiffen, his gaze shifting down to First Aid once again. The ambulance startled when he seemed to notice that he'd touched Hook's chest plate, and quickly he pulled back and cleared his vocalizer.
"Apologies, I didn't—"
"Do not feel the need to apologize," Hook said dismissively as he turned back to approach Onslaught.
First Aid came to his side, joining Hook as he activated the switch that would pull Onslaught from his stasis. The ambulance tensed, seeming prepared for a bad reaction from Onslaught. His fear flickered off his field in a way that pulled Hook to move First Aid back from Onslaught slightly.
He didn't need the Autobot hurt. Hook didn't need more medical work for himself, not with four more — and potentially a fifth — surgery for loyalty coding on his table now.
A groan escaped Onslaught as his yellow visor sparked away, his awareness returning to him without violence as his helm turned and shifted to look at Hook.
"... Hook?" Onslaught looked behind him, to First Aid, then back to Hook, confusion sharp in his gaze. "What happened?"
Hook sighed, before he pulled a chair up and sat down. Then he explained, in full detail.
While he explained, the medical bay doors opened — which Hook knew meant it was Scrapper, as he'd locked the medical bay to anyone but those with his specific code — and Scrapper was soon on the opposite side of Onslaught, his servo taking Onslaught's right servo. Onslaught listened without a single word, the only hint of his horror — and fury — the blaze in his visor as Hook spoke.
First Aid's presence hovered over Hook's shoulder, field extended out to Onslaught, Hook and Scrapper with comforting waves. Onslaught noted First Aid and eventually, finally, sighed and looked away.
"You need to remove this coding from my team, then."
"Yes," Hook said, gaze shifting to First Aid as the ambulance looked down at Onslaught.
Onslaught nodded. "I will explain to them. They will distrust First Aid if it is you telling them he will be working on them alongside you, Hook. They will trust him if I command them to."
"I will never hurt any patient of mine," First Aid spoke up, that fierceness in his tone making Hook's spark do that same odd surge in its spark chamber as it had earlier.
He caught Scrapper giving him a confused, quizzical look, which made Hook shake his helm quickly and mouth that he was fine to his best friend. Scrapper tilted his helm and stared into Hook's gaze sharply, but did not press him. Not that Hook could have given him an answer anyways.
"I believe you," Onslaught said, his gaze shifting to look at Hook. "If Hook believes you are worthy of assisting him, then I have little reason to not trust you."
First Aid flushed, his field flashing with shock and joy across Hook's plating, before First Aid tucked his field back to himself and gave Onslaught a professional nod. "I will follow whatever Hook asks me to do."
"And you will be there when we remove the coding of your team," Hook added, "I do not trust working on Vortex without your presence."
"Understood," Onslaught said, his tone softening slightly as he shook his helm. "I know how difficult he is. When do we begin?"
"As soon as we can," Hook said, "we cannot allow Megatron to discover our plans."
Onslaught hissed, a sound that made even Hook stiffen out of surprise. He'd never heard Onslaught make such a noise, not even in the most ridiculous, time wasting meetings of Megatron and Starscream screaming at each other back and forth. He vented and then carefully placed a servo on Onslaught's shoulder.
The Combaticon looked up at Hook, yellow visor dark orange with anger, then vented and closed his optics, shutting his visor down. Scrapper moved up onto the berth beside Onslaught, helm buried into Onslaught's shoulder.
Hook looked away from Scrapper and Onslaught, then nudged First Aid away. They'd give Onslaught space and time to recover, before Hook had Onslaught call the other Combaticons to the medical bay. First Aid stopped Hook as they entered the medical bay's office, his servos brushing over Hook's arm as the crane turned towards his desk.
Hook stopped and allowed First Aid to touch him, the soothing field and touch more welcome to Hook than he'd admit.