AfaF: Target Practice

Summer was in full blast, deep into the heart of August, the heat sweltering across the country. Most at this time of year found solace in lakes, pools, or vehicles with good air conditioning. On a day like today, the lake near Tranquility was filled with many highschoolers, collage students, and others wanting to take a break from the heat. Many could be seen tossing frisbees from one side of the lake to the other, some tossed footballs, others lazily indulged in the cool waters of the lake. Some took to the trees, others relaxed under the shade with a good book and a radio.

Mikaela and Sam were hanging out near the far edge of the lake were not too many gathered. Even though she was taken, her and Sam often hung out as friends now, after resolving a few minor disputes after Starscream left Earth to rally forces. Often it was more Sam's worries about what might happen. In the end, those didn't really matter. What mattered was that Mikaela was happy and was by no means worried about what may or may not happen. She had a good feeling that things were going well.

"Sam!" she yelled, tossing a little hackysack over to him with her foot, laughing. "Catch!" Sam immediately ran after the little green and yellow knitted ball and fumbled, falling after tripping on a branch in the grass. Mikaela began laughing as he got up to his knees, holding up the ball.

"I caught it!" he said defensively, waving it at her. Mikaela shook her head and walked over to him, taking the little ball from him. She paid no mind to the looks she was getting; she was in a black bikini with red trim, her slim figure showing off rather well. Sam was in a regular pair of swimming shorts, learning how to play hackysack. It wasn't going so well.

"No, you're supposed to catch it with your foot and bounce it around, like this." She dropped the knitted ball filled with sand, her foot coming up to catch the ball, the side of her foot bouncing it back up into the air over and over. She kicked it back over to Sam, who tried to catch it with his foot, but lost his balance and fell over again. He found himself laughing with Mikaela.

"I can save the world with a bunch of oversized robots, but can't catch a little ball filled with sand on my foot. I might have to have Ironhide teach me some balancing skills." He said jokingly, though the cannonslinger was quite the balancer. His movements in battle were clear indications of that. Mikaela glanced around and slapped a hand over Sam's mouth.

"Shut up, you don't know who could be listening!" She hissed, glaring at him. Sam backed up out of her hand, holding his hands up.

"Okay, okay, sorry...Mrs. Screamer..." he said, the last bit under his breath. Too bad for him, she heard it.

"Oh do NOT start that again, Sam!" She yelled, grabbing the hackysack and throwing it at him, satisfied when it hit him square in the forehead. She knew it was more of a teasing thing he did, but around places like this, she did NOT want anyone hearing that.

"Ow! Hey! Watch where you're throwing that!" He whined, rubbing his forehead.

"Watch what you're saying!" she snapped back, walking back over to her towel to grab her water bottle. She had half a mind to dump its contents on his head after that.

Her thoughts of revenge were interrupted by the sudden roar of a souped-up engine. She glanced around, her eyes landing on a familiar blue Escalade that was pulling up around the lake. She rolled her eyes, uncapping her water bottle and taking a drink from it.

"Great..." she mumbled under her breath. Sam looked up in time to see the owner of the vehicle swinging the door open, hopping out and striding over to them like he owned the place.

"Hey! I thought you were going to call me?" Trent asked, his chest puffed out as he walked over to Mikaela. He wore the same hat that was swivled backwards and a tight white tanktop that showed off his muscular frame. A new candy-bead necklace surrounded his muscled neck. Mikaela raised an eyebrow and stood to face him, one hand on a hip.

"Since when did I say I'd call you?" She asked, amused at his arrogance. Trent glanced at Sam, a sudden glare coming to his face. Obviously he thought these two were still together. He looked back at Mikaela, shrugging and tilting his head slightly and briefly in a self-assuring manner.

"A few weeks ago, remember? After you dumped this loser? Or did you get back with him?" He sneered, taking another step closer to Mikaela, who backed up two steps toward the lake. She made a face and crossed her arms, which were still very lightly tinted with the darker brown burn marks from several months ago. But to a jock such as Trent, he easily overlooked such indescrepancies.

"No. I never said that. And Sam and I are friends. But I see no reason to go back to you. Besides...my...boyfriend would probably kill you." She said, rather flat-faced. Sam stared at Mikaela, his eyes going wide. He suppressed a snort of laughter, biting the inside of his lip as he watched Trent look hurt.

"Boyfriend? So you aren't with Sam, I never see you with anyone else. You don't have a boyfriend." He taunted, taking another step towards her. Mikaela grinned and stepped back again, drawing him closer towards the lake.

"Sure I do. He's just not here right now. He's on a mission." She said, regaining her stance and not moving again. Trent scoffed.

"Mission? What, the dude's in the Air Force?" he asked, glaring at her. Mikaela couldn't help but grin at that.

"...You could say that, yeah." She said innocently, glancing toward the sky with a smirk. Sam coughed, earning a look from Trent.

"What's so funny?" Sam looked up suddenly at Trent, looking as if he had been caught stealing cookies.

"What, me? No, nothing. Just, uh, had..." he waved his hand around in the air near his throat as he spoke, "...a...a bug...I got a bug in my throat..." he fake coughed again, keeping an eye on Trent. The football player glared needles at Sam before finally looking away. A faint sound could be heard above the lake, quiet enough to not draw the attention of too many of the people around. Mikaela tugged at the necklace that she was wearing for the day, taking another step back. Trent looked at her again.

"C'mon, lemme give you a ride home...don't need to be around this trash, anyway." he said, reaching out to grab her arm. Mikaela stepped back again.

"I...wouldn't do that if I were you." She said, raising an eyebrow at him. Trent glared at her, then at Sam again, who was looking around up at the sky like nothing was wrong. He looked back at Mikaela with an annoyed look.

"Why not? His car's a piece of shit from the stone age!"

It was Sam's turn to look at Trent.

"Wait, you know what the stone age is?" Sam asked incredulously, faking his total surprise. Mikaela's eyes widened and she covered her mouth, stifling a giggle. Trent looked at him with a look that could melt paint off walls. Sam stood his ground, so wishing at this point he really had published that book. He'd offer it right now. Trent looked as if he were about to pummel the other into the ground, and finally decided against it. He was dead set on getting Mikaela back, believing that she had been single this whole time. He still couldn't believe the hottest girl around had left him months before. He figured she would have come to her senses by now. He was, after all, the hottest and most athletic guy around...who wouldn't want him? He turned back to the girl before him, stepping towards her again.

"Let's bounce, huh?" he said, reaching for her again, nodding his head towards his pristine Escalade, the same truck he had spent all morning washing, waxing and shining up for the trip up to the lake.

"Mmm, lemme think about that..." she said, pausing as the sudden roar of jet engines resounded over the lake. Mikaela glanced up, grinning from ear to ear. "Um, how about no?"

"Why the hell not?"

In that instant, a loud explosion erupted right near them, all three of them turning to the source of the explosion. A large cloud curled around the area where Trent's beloved Escalade was, flames erupting from the center of the explosion. Trent's jaw dropped in horror. Behind them, several people screamed and backed away from the explosion, some reaching for their cell phones.

"That's why." she said over the loud screams and cries of people who were surprised to have their day ruined by the jock's truck inexplicibly becoming a mini-mushroom cloud. It was almost as if she knew his truck was going to be history.

"WHAT? MY TRUCK!" He screamed, running over to the devastation. Something popped in the fire and he jerked backwards, covering his head with his hands, mournful cries of anguish erupting from him.

"MY TRUCK! Someone blew up MY TRUCK!"

Mikaela walked up towards him and innocently put her hands behind her back.

"Sorry about your twenty-twos..." she said, bringing back his comment from all those months ago, about not grinding his tires. She almost sounded sorry for him, were it not for the grin on her face that betrayed the fact that she really wasn't sorry for him. She glanced up at a sound in the distance, an F-22 was rolling in from the side of the lake. She could barely see into the cockpit, but she already knew who it was. He was back, safe and sound. She grinned. "Though...you might like my twenty-two..." She said, trying her hardest not to laugh as she turned away and headed for the jet aircraft that rolled to a stop. She strode up to the jet in her bikini-clad body, her brown hair cascading down her back, her hand reaching up and sliding along the leading edge of the right wing slowly, knowing exactly what her touch did. Sam couldn't help but grin as he watched her, then watched Trent as he stared at Mikaela walking over to the F-22 Raptor that now sat on the ground. Football player though he was, he at least recognized the Air Force's newest jet.

/Welcome back, Bonded. Perfect entrance./ she said through the bond, grinning.

/Glad to be back...I heard the conversation. I really don't like him./ Starscream said, the hatch popping open, his holographic form removing the black helmet and setting it down. He stood up and stepped out onto the wing of the jet, then hopped down next to Mikaela. Trent stared wide-eyed and slack-jawed at the newcomer. He was clad in the same black trench coat that Mikaela remembered, the silverish shirt and black pants. He reached up, sliding a set of sunglasses up over his forehead, holding his shoulder-length black hair out of his face.

/Yeah, no one does./ she said ruefully.

"Who the FUCK are you?" He asked, striding up to the new figure. "You blow up my truck? You're gonna pay for that, you dipshit!" He didn't slow down in his speed-walking as he got closer, drawing a fist back and swinging it around to hit this new (and arguably much hotter) man in the face. Starscream merely ducked, not moving from where he was. Mikaela sidestepped slightly as Trent lost his balance, not having expected either of them to move. He reached out, grasping for anything he could, catching himself on Mikaela's arm and yanking her down halfway to regain his own balance, making her gasp in surprise as she whirled around with the force of him falling.

"Wrong move!"

Trent suddenly found himself in a headlock with one arm bent backwards around behind his back, an arm around his neck. Mikaela chuckled and then walked up to Starscream's holoform, resting a hand on his arm.

"It's okay, let him go." She was so amused at how things were going. Trent had been such an asshole to her before, and now he was getting a taste of his own medicine. "He's already had his truck blown up, let him have a little dignity..." she said, hardly able to stifle another giggle. Sam stood a few feet back, unable to help the look of shock and amusement from his face. Starscream let the football player go, who immediately stepped away and back towards his now-demolished truck.

"You're crazy, man...I'm calling the police on you...you blew up my truck!" He said, fumbling around in his pockets for his phone...

"...SHIT! You blew up my phone, too! You JACKASS!" He started yelling inaudibly, ripping his hat off and throwing it to the ground. Mikaela turned around and started laughing, covering her mouth with her hand. Sam's eyes went wide and he stepped a couple feet over towards Starscream's holoform.

"You...you blew up his phone?" he asked, unable to hide the grin from his face as he pointed at Trent, who was now throwing a huge fit. Starscream had the slightest of grins on his face as he shrugged.

"Not my fault he left it in the truck."

Sam's eyes widened more and he burst into a gigglefit, covering his own mouth with a fist, biting back the urge to just let loose. Trent came stalking back up to them, not amused in the least.

"You are SO in trouble when I get a new phone!" he said angrily, pointing a finger at the black-haired figure. Starscream raised an eyebrow.

"How so?"

"Calling your superiors on you, that's how!" he growled out. Starscream merely chuckled.

"Yeah...Good luck on that." He said, turning around and grinning as he slid his arms around Mikaela, drawing her close. He knew that pissed Trent off, and personally, he didn't give a damn. Sam glanced at Trent, watching his reactions as he seemed to turn beet red at the sight of the two of them together. Mikaela noticed too, leaning back against Starscream's holo figure. She grinned as she tilted her head.

"I told you I have a boyfriend." she said, winking. She felt a sharp bite to her neck and she nearly collapsed in his arms. Even though it was more playful than anything, she still felt intent and desire behind it. She smirked.

/Not now, you tease...just wait./ she mumbled through the bond, sending a wave of desire towards him, and a promise for later.

All she got back was a low rumble from him and a very harsh stare from Trent. Mikaela grinned and looked over at Sam, resting her hands on the arms that were holding her around the waist. Starscream rested his chin on her shoulder, keeping his eyes on Trent. His truck, or rather, the remains of it, were smoldering on the ground now.

"Sam, you got your ride home still?" She asked, jerking her head slightly towards Bumblebee. Sam understood the message and nodded.

"Yeah, right over there." he replied, pointing at the yellow and black 2007 Camaro. "Want to meet me back at the field?"

Between those that knew of the place, 'the field' was actually codespeak for the Autobot base. Mikaela nodded.

"Yeah, bout an hour or so. Gonna get changed and get something to eat." She said, her grip tightening lightly on the arms that were around her. Trent glared at Sam, then followed the direction his finger was pointing to the shiny yellow camaro. His jaw dropped again. Life just was. Just. Not. Fair. He whirled back to Sam, staring at him.

"Sounds good." he raised a hand, pointing at the figure of Starscream. "Don't make her late!" he said, teasing the both of them. Starscream raised an eyebrow and grinned, but didn't answer as Sam wandered off to his car.

Trent found himself chasing after Sam. How else was he going to get home?

"Sam...Sam! Wait! Can-can I get a ride home?" He nearly begged as Sam slid into the passenger seat of his slick camaro. Sam raised an eyebrow and stuck his head out the window slightly.

"Um...well you see, my car's really sensitive about who rides in here...I don't think he'd like you." He said. "So, uh...sorry." Trent stared at Sam like he was full of shit as the car rumbled to life and car and driver drove off, slowing down next to the jet. "Better get moving, we're gonna beat you there!" Bumblebee sped off after that, leaving Trent in a small cloud of dust. Mikaela left Starscream's arms long enough to wander over and grab her towel, two water bottles and the small radio that they had brought with. When she returned, Starscream was already up on the wing, waiting for her. She grinned as he helped her up, her lithe body glistening in the warm afternoon air. Trent found himself staring at her, which earned a sharp glare from Starscream. Trent growled and looked away, walking back over to the mess that was his truck. In the distance, faint firetruck horns and alarms sounded, announcing it was time for Mikaela and Starscream to leave. She slid down into the main front seat with the holoform sliding into the back as the hatch lowered.

"Alright, time to get out of here." she said as the engines roared to life, the jet taxi-ing its own way across the ajoining field. Within minutes, the aircraft pulled up into the sky, gaining altitude and heading towards the Autobot base. She swore she could hear Trent in the distance, even over the roar of Starscream's engines.

"THAT GUY BLEW UP MY TRUCK!"

A/N:

For reviewer "DapperCrapper" (and because the idea was just too hilarious to pass up.) "Hey, just for jollies... please tell me that somewhere in here, Trent tries to give Mikeala shit and Starscream gives him a nice missile up the ass... or atleast blows up his truck ^_^ "

Truck blown up: Check. (I couldn't bear watching/writing having a missile shoved up his ass..XD) Hope you enjoyed! ~Silverstreak