There was hardly a soul out tonight. McCrane knew he shouldn't be traveling alone, not with what had happened to Deckerd, but for the moment he did not wish to bother his family with his concerns. He needed a more neutral party; Seia should be up, even though it was fairly late.
The military woman was an anchor for his sanity. She had been well aware of the missing patrol car situation, and had checked in whenever she got the time. It was only fair she be notified of Deckerd's "rescue" and recovery process.
At least, that's what he'd tell Power Joe or Dumpson when they asked.
Navigating the empty streets, McCrane soon found himself in front of the familiar apartment. Sighing in relief, he noticed a faint light still on. He transformed as quietly as possible and moved to gently tap the window—it was rude to just look in, and one time it had earned him a shoe to the optic. "Seia?" he asked, peering in after making himself known.
Upon hearing her name, the woman soon appeared at the window. "Out late, McCrane?" she teased, opening the glass panel before folding her arms over her chest. While Seia dressed to impress during the day, her evening clothes choice was a tank and baggy cargo pants. Her hair was slung over her shoulder in a loose braid. "What brings you by?"
"We found Deckerd."
Her sly grin turned into a genuine smile. "That's wonderful news! Where was he?"
The robot's hesitation to answer was noticeable, but he pressed on anyway. "…He was in an empty warehouse, injured …" Her smile dropped and McCrane continued, voicing worries for a newfound organization that had no problem with hacking their super AI, the severely damaged state that their commanding officer was in, the road to recovery, and the oncoming problems to be faced. Seia listened intently as always, patiently sitting on the windowsill. McCrane was silent for a while after he finished his thoughts, and looked down sadly. Unwilling to see her friend so down, she reached out to touch his cheek lightly.
"Sit down against the wall and hold still," she stated firmly before stepping back into the room.
Optic ridge quirked curiously, the tall robot did as he was told and moved to sit with his back against the outer wall. His helm was to the bottom right of the window, so he could still hear. A weight fell onto his shoulder and McCrane turned his head, blinking in surprise as he saw a bundle of fabric squirming. "What are you—"
"I thought maybe I'd sleep out here and keep you company," the woman interrupted. Seia had found herself a comfy blanket and promptly curled up in it, head resting against his neck. "I don't want you to be alone, and since you won't fit through the front door this will just have to work."
McCrane frowned, terrified he'd knock the smaller form off of himself if he moved too suddenly. "I could transform and you could sleep on the seat," he started to say. "This cannot possibly be comfortab-" A touch to his neck made him cease arguing.
"I'll be fine," he heard the woman mumble softly, feeling her hand stroke a neck cable. The action was soothing, and he relaxed a bit as she continued. "I've slept on concrete before. Smooth finish is an upgrade from that." She sat up a bit to look directly at her friend. "For once, don't worry so much."
McCrane's faceplates heated, and his optics dimmed a bit as he turned to look at her. "Thank you," his voice rumbled, honesty in his expression. "You can't begin to understand how much I need your friendship, let alone the value of it." He wanted to say more, really, but she stopped him again, her lips pressed against his a moment before pulling back.
"I think I might have an idea."