Summary: It wasn't about saving the world. In the end, it's about doing something, about doing what she thinks is right. Mikaela Banes, on the Battle of Mission City.

Author's Notes: I was finally able to finish this, after almost two years of abandoning the original draft and forgetting that it actually existed in my hard drive. Think of this as a companion fic to my other TF 2007 movie fic, Run, though certain inconsistencies abound. A retelling of the scene where Mikaela helps save Bumblebee, and the world. Some scenes and dialog from the movie manipulated to fit into the fic. Italics means etiher character thoughts or emphasized words, depending on the context. Many thanks to those who will read, and read and review.

Disclaimer: Transformers and all related characters belong to Hasbro, Dreamworks SKG, and Paramount Pictures.

Courage Under Fire

She was in ground zero when the explosion happened. She thought that the world had ended. For a moment, she believed that the world ended. Lying on the ground, coughing, feeling every inch of her being hurting, Mikaela opened her eyes. She wished she hadn't.

It wasn't hell, but it was close to it. People were screaming everywhere. Nearby buildings burned. Clouds of dust shrouded everything in sight, blocking the sun, making everything appear surreal like a hazy, chaotic dream. But she knew it wasn't a dream. It was a nightmare, and it was happening. It was real. And she wished everything, everyone, would quiet down, even her own pounding heart. She didn't want this to be real.

Reaching out instinctively, her fingers brushed a hand. She gripped it as if her very life depended on it. The gesture was returned a second later – a hand holding on to hers tight, like someone drowning, desperately clinging on to something, anything, to keep afloat in this sea of madness. She looked to her right. It was Sam. Dirty, bruised, a little bloody, but he's alive – oh thank God he's alive!

"Sam." Mikaela uttered his name, the only word she can think of to say. He looked at her, relieved that they were still alive, still holding her hand tight, squeezing it as if to say, We're alright.

That's when they heard the god-awful sound. Metal on concrete, sickening, drowning out everything else; a horror movie sound of metal being dragged, shredded, coming closer and closer. There weren't trails of blood, but there was dripping bluish-black liquid, slick like oil, staining the road. Sam pulled her up, panicking, and that's when she saw the broken form of an Autobot. Bumblebee. Her trembling hands went to her mouth, stopping a scream from coming out.

Oh no, Bumblebee.

She stumbled backwards even as Sam ran to their fallen friend, shouting with all his might for help that might never come.

"RATCHET!"

She watched helplessly as Bumblebee continued to drag himself towards them, towards Sam, and handed the boy the allspark. She watched as Sam refused what the Autobot was imploring him to do, watched as he defiantly shook his head no. Watched as Sam got pulled by Captain Lennox, and yelled for him to do something, to be something: a soldier. She watched as Sam nodded, took one last look at Bumblebee, at her. Before Sam could go though, Mikaela told him the one good thing that came out of this mess.

"Sam, I don't regret getting in the car with you."

Sam looked at her then, and smiled. And then he gathered his breath, and Mikaela watched him run, watched him until he disappeared in the distance, running for himself, and for them. She bit her lip, trying not to cry, trying not to think that it may be the last time she'll ever see Sam alive.

Bumblebee turned to look at her then…as if trying to tell her to run too, to get out of there. As if saying goodbye.

No. Sam…he needed to run. She didn't need to, so she won't. No!

Looking around the wreckage, she saw an abandoned tow truck parked on an alley just across from her. Without hesistation, she ran towards it, smashed the driver's window with her elbow, and opened the door, ignoring the pain of shattered glass cutting her skin. They'll get through this – Sam will, she will, Bee will. She reached under the steering wheel for wires, connected them. Nothing happened.

Damn it!

Her hands trembling, she tried again. Start, damn it, come on!

The tow truck sputtered to life. Mikaela wasted no second getting in and driving back to ground zero. She jumped out, and ran over to where her Autobot friend lay helpless, assuring him, you'll be okay. We'll be okay. She said this to herself too, over and over, a mantra of hope as she worked on strapping Bumblebee on to the back of the tow truck with cables. But she was interrupted and pulled to the side by Captain Lennox.

"What are you doing?! Get to safety, now!"

Defiantly, she stared him in the face, pushed his hands away from her shoulders. Shit, but she was tired of having other people tell her what to do.

"I'm not leaving Bumblebee here!"

With that, she proceeded to do what she intended: get to safety, and take Bee with her, no matter how frigging impossible. Lennox nodded, knowing how it's like to have a comrade down, and refusing 'til the very end to leave him behind. Soldiers don't leave fellow soldiers in battle to die if they're not dead yet; they stay united until they're both out of bullets, and out of breath. So he stayed close to Mikaela instead, rifle in hand, covering her, in case the enemies decide to target them, and shouted to her, "Move it! Move it!"; grinning at her when she looked up - telling her in his own way that he fucking approves of what she was doing. Mikaela grinned back.

When she had Bumblebee securely tied in the back of the tow truck, Mikaela hopped into the driver's seat and stepped on the gas, never looking back.
***

The battle raged on; there was no sign of it letting up. People were screaming still. Everywhere, buildings were still burning, gunshots still firing. Somewhere out there, she was sure Sam was still running. And she was here in this alley, sitting on her pretty ass. Just sitting, goddamit!

What now? What now?!

Mikaela leaned on the steering wheel, and rested her head in her hands. She can't hide in this alley and hope for rescue, because there's no one left to rescue her. They're all fighting out there, saving people, trying to bring their massive, powerful enemies down. And she…she just can't sit here, amidst all the chaos that was happening, and just do nothing. She just can't watch people get shot at, die, right before her very eyes – when she was here, alive and breathing. No, she just can't.

So she made up her mind.

Her decision, it wasn't about courage - she was scared as hell, and fear was the only thing that she seemed to be feeling right now. It wasn't about self-sacrifice - she didn't want to die, and the mere thought of dying right here, right now, sent shivers down her spine. It wasn't about saving the world - she knew she couldn't do it, not now, and perhaps not even in her greatest day – she was just one human, after all. In the end, it was about doing what should be done, and what she believes is right. It was about doing something. It was about doing what she can. And even if it meant courage and sacrifice in the middle of fear and death, then so be it.

After all, there was no courage without fear, no victory without sacrifice.

Taking a deep, steadying breath, Mikaela Banes looked at the other passenger of the tow truck, at Bumblebee, determination lighting a fire in her eyes.

"I'll drive, you shoot."

-Fin-