This is a prolog for a longer story. The rest of the story is a work in progress but let me know your thoughts.
June 13, 2014 16:04
Jasper, Nevada
Another week of the torture that is high school has ended. Jack Darby made an effort to avoid the other students on his way out. It wasn't that Jack was afraid of anyone but he could do without hearing the insults and jabs from the other seniors. Normally, he would ignore them as he walked over to the blue motorcycle and drove away but today was different. Today, and every other day this week, he walked over to the bicycle rack and unlock his ten-speed bike. His classmates wouldn't dare give him trouble if they knew the truth but telling school bullies that you have top secret government security clearance, your motorcycle is actually a commander from an alien robot race, and that you were considered an honorary member of this race is kind of a no-no. Optimus would probably confine him and Arcee to the silo or Jack's house and Arcee would probably force him to walk everywhere for a month. Thinking about Arcee brought Jack back to the task at hand as he unlocked his bike. Last week, they were driving across the mesa when they were attacked by M.E.C.H. agents. If it hadn't been for emergency backup from Optimus and the others, they would have been captured. Jack shuddered at the thought of what M.E.C.H. would have done to them if they had managed to catch them. Even so, Arcee had taken a painful hit dangerously close to her spark chamber. Ratchet had demanded that she remain in stasis at the silo until the area was completely repaired. Optimus told Jack to go home since there was nothing he could do at the silo. It was obvious to Optimus and anyone else who looked that leaving his partner was the last thing Jack wanted to do but they all still had to maintain the illusion of normalcy. Miko promised that she and Bulkhead would call often to tell him how Arcee was doing. That was a week ago and Miko had called often, once an hour on the hour, and today Miko had told him that Arcee was finally out of stasis.
Ignoring the scattered insults as he started to ride home, Jack hoped he could get his homework done in time so his mom could drive him to the silo. There were advantages to having a mom that was ok with your friends being giant alien robots. Jack slowed a bit as he rode over the underpass where he had seen the Autobots in their robot form for the first time as they battle the Decepticon drones. That had been a strange day. It was also the first time he had been kidnapped by a motorcycle but it wouldn't be the last. Arcee seemed to enjoy watching him flail around a bit when she suddenly sped off in a different direction. Jack raced by the K.O. Diner. After the Nemesis, a M.E.C.H. base, and an angry Ratchet's med bay this was his least favorite place to be. Many of the "cool" seniors enjoyed coming there to give him a hard time as he worked. Cool motorcycle or not, he was still a broody loner working at a fast food diner and below them or so they thought. It had gotten better after Arcee had hacked into the headset that Jack had to use to take orders and started giving him a running commentary on his clients. Several times, Jack had to fake a cough to avoid laughing out loud. Arcee was always amazed that he never lashed out at them even though he easily could. Fighting 'cons would make putting testosterone filled teenagers in their place easy. Jack always replied that it would draw unnecessary attention to him and, no, the jocks didn't have the spare brain cells to waste for Arcee to scare them out of their wits in robot form. This usually led to a debate to whether or not they had wits in the first place and ended with a unanimous "no." It was a routine that they both enjoyed as they tried to out-snark one another.
When Jack finally made it home, he was in such a rush that he missed the blue motorcycle in the far corner. He hurried through the house nearly bumping in to his mother. She had to move quickly to avoid spilling her mug of coffee.
"Whoa! Slow down Jack. Where are you off to in such a hurry?"
Jack slowed down just a bit while he continued to his room, calling over his shoulder, "Sorry Mom. I want to try and finish my homework in time to go visit the base. Arcee is out of stasis."
June smiled softly while she watched her son race to his room. Shaking her head, she put down the mug and went out to the garage. By now, Arcee had transformed in her robot form and was sitting with her back to wall looking slightly confused. Arcee glanced up when she heard June come in.
"Where's the fire?"
Arcee could tell that nothing dangerous was happening but it wasn't like Jack to ignore her. June knew Arcee worried about Jack. She was never told the full story about what happened to the bot's previous partners but she knew that Arcee would rather die than let something happen to Jack. While June would readily admit she worried about her son and the time he spent with the Autobots when she first found out about them, she grew to understand that there was no one who would try harder to protect and look after him than Arcee. June gave the Autobot an exasperated smile while rolling her eyes at her son's antics.
"He said he wanted to get his schoolwork finished so he could go visit the base. Apparently, you're out of stasis."
Autobots were not organic but June was fascinated by the expressions on the bot's face. First confusion, then comprehension, and finally amusement. Arcee chuckled softly and, after a moment, June joined in. When Jack was concerned about someone, he had trouble focusing on anything else; including the fact that he just blew past said someone.
"Well, if Jack is that dedicated to his schoolwork, I'll let him finish it in peace."
June smiled at the bot. Arcee was going to have a little fun with Jack for ignoring her.
"Go easy on him. He's been worried sick over you. I got a call from the hospital a few minutes ago. They need me to go in early. You two can go for a ride later. It's the weekend so I'll pretend you made it back before curfew."
Arcee transformed back to a motorcycle while June got into her car and opened the garage door. If a motorcycle can look smug, Arcee did.
"I'll look after him but no promises on going easy on him."
June gave one last smile and a wave before backing out of the garage.
If June knew how this night would end for Jack and Arcee, she would have gladly speeded to get back to the house. She would have grabbed Jack and put him in an underground bunker where no one could get to her baby boy again. If Arcee knew how tonight was going to end, she would have thrown Jack in her saddle and sped off, never letting him out of her sight again.
But they didn't and they're lives were never the same.
