Hello all my lovely readers, here's a 'new' fic of mine, I'm working on this fic over in DeviantArt, so it won't be updated her that often, and I won't be updating any other fics until after I get a new power cord for my computer, I'm on another one for now, so no updates until I'm ready. Well enjoy everyone. :)

Chapter 1

Jackson Darby

Four years, and nothing has changed, he kept away from them, he kept quiet, but he always gave them money to keep them afloat. He's helped them from the sidelines, and never once got involved directly, hell, even when they found out about those aliens from another world, he still helped where he could. They never even knew that he left; he sent letters on occasion, once a month if he felt like it, but more often than not these days he just tries to keep them safe and make enough money to help them along.

Sighing silently to himself, he finished up work, and went to get his paycheck from his boss. He always got a few small bonuses from keeping kids from stealing the food. They were never anything noteworthy, but it was always something nice. He'd usually keep that small bonus for himself so he could buy something to munch on every now and then.

"Here yah go Jack, you're paycheck for the week, and please do a personal favor for me, and buy a decent meal with your money, yah need to eat kid." Jack's boss told him.

His boss already knew about how Jack ran away from home when he was thirteen and was given a job at the KO Burger when he was fifteen. The man knew because Jack told him when he started, and since he lost his own kid a long time ago, he decided to let Jack have a job, when he was 15. So he had had the job for a good two years, Jack mostly kept quiet and stayed in the background, but he always cared about his family, even if they forgot him.

"Can do boss, I think they can handle a week without a little extra cash." Jack told him, although he was lying easily. Jack never kept more than five dollars from his paycheck every week. It wasn't much, but it was enough for Jack to have some food to buy once every three weeks.

His boss just smiled at him, before looking out the window and noticed the sun was going down. Jack needed to be home soon before someone decided to attack the poor kid. "You'd better get going Jack, after all, a lot of messed up stuff can happen when the sun goes down."

Jack nodded, and soon left his work place and made the long trek on foot towards his small abandoned home. It was an old house by the old park Jack's father used to take him to when he was younger. The house itself was mostly just a one story house, with no basement, two bedrooms, one bathroom, with running water, electricity, and thankfully some old house appliances that Jack used to his benefit.

Sighing as he entered into the small home, Jack walked around and took a seat on the wooden chair that was left behind by the previous owners of the house. Getting an envelope that he had lying around, Jack placed all of his pay check except his five dollars, he never liked the fact that he ran away from home, but he couldn't stand staying in that house anymore. So he left but he'd never truly leave them, not like their father, not like him.

Looking down at the now addressed envelope, filled with money, Jack decided he'd deliver it himself this time. He normally gave it to the mail carrier every Friday morning, but not this time, this time he wanted to do it himself. Grabbing his old dark grey hoodie, Jack left his home, and walked towards his old home.

The walk was long and short at the same time, for Jack, if only because of all the memories coming back to him as he walked towards his old home. He never noticed the red Aston Martin DBS V12 that was following him. Especially since it was always following him, Jack never noticed anything around him, all he did these days he kept to himself and tried to keep a low profile.

Sighing aloud, Jack arrived to his old home; he walked up to the mail box, and dropped the envelope inside, before leaving back the way he came. He kept his head down so no one passing by him would have to see his tears. He always shed them whenever he came by this place.

"I can't let them go, even if they let me go." Jack whispered to himself as he finished his walk home, he went inside and decided to do his homework for the weekend. Ironically enough he ran away four years ago, and the school systems still knew him and let him come, not that the government knew anything about it. His mother never even knew about him leaving, so she never filed a missing child's report.

TFP-TFP-TFP-TFP-TFP-TFP

It was Saturday now, Jack didn't have work today, and he'd head over downtown to get a small snack to eat. He saved from his paychecks a good fifty bucks; he'd eat a little bit and then use the rest of his money to buy a new hoodie, and some shampoo and conditioner, if he had enough money left.

Going over to the shower, Jack simply washed up, and then used some cold water to wash his clothes. He didn't have much that fit him, but whenever he went out to buy new ones, he made sure to buy them at certain lengths so he could wear them for a good year or so depending on whether or not he'd grow during the year.

After he washed and dried his clothes, Jack got dressed and went to town to get some clothes and other necessities. He left and went to get a snack at the nearby coffee shop. Going inside, Jack groaned mentally, because sitting there with all of his cronies were Vince, and of course her, Nikita Darby, the second most popular girl in school, and part of the reason Jack left four years ago.

Walking up to the counter, Jack ordered a small latte and a muffin. It wasn't much to eat, but Jack had to be careful in case Vince wanted his stuff, or wanted to pick on his as he usually does. After paying for his latte and muffin, Jack put his muffin in his hoodie, and then he just grabbed his latte and practically ran out the door before Vince knew he was even there.

Unfortunately luck wasn't on Jack's side that day, "Hey Darby!" Vince shouted at him.

Jack stopped, took a sip of his latte, and then turned to face Vince. "What do you want now Vince?"

"Just that latte of yours Darby," Vince told him, practically demanding the guy give him what he wants.

Jack took a sip of his latte and just stared at Vince as if he was an idiot. "And why would I give you my latte Vince, can't you just buy one of your own?" Jack asked him in a sarcastic voice.

Vince started to get red in the face from what Jack just told him. He was about to go and hit Jack, but the black haired teen already was leaving the café and didn't even bother to look behind him at the pathetic bully. Making his way down the street, Jack soon heard the revving of a car engine behind him. He just sighed and ignored the vehicle as it followed him.

Once Jack was at the cross walk, Vince pulled up next to him, as did Nikita on a very nice dark blue and pink motorcycle. He just took another sip of his latte before glancing at the two next to him. "And the reason as to why the two of you are following me is?"

Vince growled, and Nikita did nothing. "I want to challenge you to a race Darby that is if you think you can handle it."

Jack just rolled his eyes, "And just how am I supposed to race the two of you when I don't even have a car."

That thought gave the two teenagers pause, enough so Jack could cross the street and make it into one of the nearby alleys to safety. Where Jack sighed in annoyance, "Why can't they just leave me alone?" Sighing, Jack just continued on his walk home, his bags in his hands, thankful that neither Vince nor Nikita took his stuff. "Well I'd better head home before they decide to corner me again."

Walking towards the nearest alleyway, Jack walked through it and out the end, where ironically enough the school was. Sighing mentally Jack decided to just sit around in front of the building, while he ate, since he had a feeling Nikita and Vince were still following him. Placing his stuff next to him, Jack pulled out his banana muffin, and began nibbling on it.

As Jack just finished his muffin, he looked up and smiled at seeing his only two friends walking towards him, they were Rafael Esquivel, and Miko Nakadai. Raff comes from a very massive family, and had thought about running away when he was younger, but Jack convinced him not to do so, since he worried about the small thirteen year old boy, he didn't want anything bad to happen to him, nor Miko. Miko is a sixteen year old exchange student from Japan.

"Hey Miko, Hey Raff, how've you two been?" Jack said a smile on his face.

Miko looked up and smiled at seeing her friend. "Hey Jack, we've been doing great, but what about you, how have you been doing?"

Jack soon frowned, "Well Vince and Nikita are trying to get me to street race again, but as usual I refuse, and try my best to keep away from the two of them."

Miko and Raff nodded, they understood that for some reason or other, Vince and Nikita loved to pick on Jack, and always tried to get him into trouble, and the most recent idea from the two now was getting him involved in illegal street races.

"I hope you don't have to race those two just to get them off your back." Raff said, worried for his older friend.

"I agree on that Raff, and just curious, how've your new friends been?" Jack asked curious about the new friends his only companions made.

Miko smiled, "Oh man Jack, I wish you could meet Bulkhead, he's so awesome! He always lays down the best SMACK DOWN!"

Jack chuckled at Miko's explanation of her newest friend. "He sounds like your kind of guy Miko. What about your friend Raff? What's he like?"

"Bumblebee is the one of the only people who will ever listen to me. I don't feel like I'm alone when I'm with him." Raff told Jack, who smiled and ruffled his younger friend's hair.

"That's great to hear, I hope to meet them both sometime soon." Jack told his two friends.

The two soon frowned however, and Jack understood. "Well whenever they're not busy, or whenever it's okay to see them."

They smiled at that thought, "Well hope to see yah later Jack, and please don't go to that race."

"I won't I promise." Jack told his only friends, a kind look in his eyes.

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An hour later, Jack was looking for a car to drive for the street race that night. He normally didn't break any promises to Miko and Raff, but since Nikita and Vince stole his stuff, he had to look for a mode of transportation to win his stuff back. Sighing mentally Jack hoped he could find a working and nice looking car to drive for the race.

"I still can't believe I have to compete in that stupid race, if it wasn't for the fact that they have my stuff, I wouldn't have even considered going to that damn race." Jack grumbled to himself.

As he continued to walk around town, Jack took a stop near an old abandoned parking lot, hoping to find something that would be good enough to drive for that stupid race. "Just great Darby, just great, how in hell am I gonna find a car before nightfall?" As Jack leaned against the fence line around the parking lot, thinking about what'll happen if he doesn't show; it's going to be horrible. Well for him at least, Jack could literally care less about being popular or being cool, or any of that sh**, he'd rather do more important things instead; such as making money to use for food and to keep clothes on his body.

As Jack sighed deeply, he just relaxed for a moment, before opening his eyes, and seeing parked right in front of him, was a beautiful dark red Aston Martin DBS V12. It was perfect, looking around; Jack noticed no one was nearby. Taking his chances, Jack walked up to the car and noticed that it was unlocked.

Looking around, Jack took his chance, opened the door, and got inside the car, and began to drive off to his house. The keys were in the ignition, so it was easy for him to the car to his house. His boss had given him lessons about driving two years back, and helped him take driver's Ed. To be honest, in Jack's mind, his boss has been more of a father than his real one ever was.

Upon arriving to his house, Jack put the car in the driveway, and went inside to grab the last thing his father gave to him before leaving. It was a hunting knife; Jack only took it with him whenever he had a bad feeling something was going to happen.

Once Jack was outside again, he noticed the car was now in front of his home, and no longer in the driveway. "Okay, that's strange, but I'm not one to complain when I need to go to that damn street race."

Jack didn't notice the mirror on the Aston Martin move towards him, as if it was staring at him, judging him. Not that Jack noticed; he just needed to do the race and then get rid of the car. Getting inside the crimson red vehicle, Jack started the car, and decided to familiarize himself with the car before driving in the race with it.

TFP-TFP-TFP-TFP-TFP-TFP

It was now 10 PM, and Jack had enjoyed riding around in the car he was in, driving out to the 'race track', more appropriate term was death trap. The 'race track' Vince picked out for Jack to go to was ten miles outside of Jasper, and the only way to get through the track, was by getting through the gorge that was where the track was, and inside said gorge, was a large amount of natural obstacles, and natural disasters, the gorge was famous for how many earthquakes went through it every year. Thus the name it was given, Quake Canyon.

Jack arrived at the bottom of Quake Canyon waiting for Vince and Nikita to arrive, and at the same time praying that this wasn't some kind of trap. Sighing aloud, Jack relaxed somewhat in the car, "I really hope I didn't come all the way out here for nothing."

"Same here kiddo," Came the voice from the crimson car.

Startled Jack looked around, trying to figure out where the voice was coming from, when he saw no one; Jack looked back down at the steering wheel and noticed the facial symbol in the center. "Was that you?"

"No duh Sherlock, who else do you see here." The car replied sarcastically.

"Yeesh, I don't need the attitude, but my question is; what are you? I've seen those like you before, but I don't know what you are." Jack asked the sports car, just so curious about what he was in, and better yet who he was in.

"I'm a Cybertronian youngling, I'd give you a full story, but I'd probably bore you into leaking." The car told him.

"I don't think so, but for now let's just wait for this possible race to start, if not then well who knows what'll happen next." Jack told the car, before adding, "By the way I'm Jack, what's your name?"

The Aston Martin was silent for a moment, before he told the boy his name. "I'm Knock Out."

Well that's it for the first chapter, and before all of you ask, this is a massive AU fic, where Jack ran away from home at a young age, as stated before. It was shortly after his father left. However instead of breaking all ties with his family like his dad did, Jack stated in contact, by sending them money from his paychecks. Now the best part, is that instead of meeting with the Autobots, Jack ends up siding with the Decepticons. More will come later when I get my new powercord, until then, please review everyone, they make me smile.