Flipping Out

Copyright: Timeflip is my son's OC and this is split off :devNiGhT-sTaLkEr13:'s universe {used with permission} and Wave Industries belongs to him as well. Most all other Transformers belong to Hasbro.

Hugs to my friend Sabath who suggested that Timeflip enjoys sewing!

Barricade leads Timeflip down the cleared street towards his office. The more he thinks, the more he knows the police station may not be the quietest place to have this private conversation. Only he was gifted to know about her ability to travel through time, and that had been an accident.

One day on her way home from school, a couple of crazy younglings wanted to prove to their other buddies how tough they were. Yeah, real tough picking on a sweet innocent math-geek. They swiped her math text and shoved her around. Barricade had been stuck by the coach so by the time he caught up, it was getting ugly. Timeflip knew better than to argue with them, but she wasn't strong enough to push back. Nervous, her light began to blink. That made them all laugh harder. They thought she was just flustered and embarrassed, they had no idea what was about to happen. Pushing through the bullies, Barricade snarled and wrapped his arm around her forearm. Just then, he saw it all fade away.

In just a blink, he saw them thirty minutes earlier and back on campus. Still in a haze, he sees himself heading towards the coach's office… and then stalling and coming closer to himself. Haze and reality blinkingly blend together in soft flashes of white light.

Settling back down, past becomes present with the two Barricades merging. Behind them, the two Timeflips become one as well.

"Wha-what just happened?" The dark mech stares at the smaller softer colored femme.

Her cheeks flush and she ties to back away from him. Terrified that her friend will freak our or worse, shun her forever.

Seeing this, he softly grips her forearm again, "Timeflip, are you alright? Something just happened to us."

She nods, "I-I know. I did this."

"No, not you. There must be-"

"Barricade." He stops and hears her warning tone, "I did this."

Pulling her closer, his only concern is for her safety not for what all this means, "Do you feel alright, should I take you to see someone?"

"Oooo, look at the jock and the nerd. Aren't they so cute." The leader of the bullying group starts his antagonizing earlier this time.

With a deep warning growl, Barricade makes them think twice about pushing his buttons. They back up and change their course of action. Returning his attention to the soft femme, gives Timeflip a cheeky grin waggling his brows, "You know get a better handle on this thing and you could have landed them all in a dumpster. That will make them think twice about picking on you, Miss Smarty Pants."

She bites her lip trying to decide if she should laugh or be worried if he will exploit her uncontrolled gift. His face turns serious, rubbing her shoulder, "You sure you are alright?"

She nods again giving him a reassuring smile. Picking up her texts he moves her forward, "Let's get going," making sure she makes it home safe this time.

Seeing a bit of that same nervous look on her face again, he knows she really needs a support. He gives her hand an extra squeeze and takes her to the church across from the station. Heading round the back to the 'garden', he settles them both on a bench keeping her hand warm between his two. "Tell me what you last remember?"

Her optics close and she takes a cleansing breath. For her it has only been months. For him, it's been a lifetime.

"I was in the lab trying to warp Shockwave out, but he was charging forward, ever the Commander he is. A blast clipped through his shoulder and hit my fading form. From there, things get hazy and I landed on Earth in England about the 1960's, or so their calendars calculate. I gathered some more information to give to Lord Megatron about good locations for the space bridge and tried to come back."

"How long have you been gone?" He presses.

"Too long?" she eeps back.

Wrapping one arm around her shoulder, pulls her against himself, "Yes that is quite clear."

"Wha-what happened here, Barricade? This looks awful."

His hand rubs her upper arm sweetly, "Babe, it's actually getting better. Let me just keep it on simplest terms; Megatron agreed that the war had gone on long enough. Too much had been lost. Cybertron had been lost to us all which was never really his intent. So with Optimus' permission, they came to a reasonable understanding. One where no more will be oppressed by the damned caste system. In return, the Decepticons were to be disbanded. Any attempt at re-uprising would NOT be met with peacefully. Megatron agreed, as long as his soldiers were not shunned for being apart of the faction. Optimus agreed and our backgrounds were hidden/expunged/rewritten. Our Leader decided that his side of the war's-point had been met and Optimus agreed it had been heard loud and clear."

"Are they working together?"

"Not anymore. Only long enough to close down the Decepticons and make us Cybertronians again. No Autobots, no Decepticons. Only Cybertronians."

Leaning heavier on him, Timeflip sighs. "How long did it take?"

"Doesn't matter," he soothes. Then leaning in gives her a cheeky grin, "Rumors are that he has even bonded!"

Timeflip yanks back and gapes. Then slaps him in the chest at his poor joke, "Primus you are too funny! Lord Meg-"

He presses one thick tip to her lips, "Just Megatron. No more titles. No more ranks. Understood? It 'tis forbidden." Numbly she nods to the soft but serious tone.

The silence comes round again with the weight of the war being over. Two extreme opposing sides who tore their home to shreds for eons in hope for a better future are now actually one. "Until all are One?"

His smile is gentle and warm, "Until all are One."

"But what do I do now?"

"Anything you want," he encourages her to follow what so many of his hardened friends have done. "Some have gone into teaching, others art, many just want the simple life of selling wares or helping rebuild. So, tell me what you want to do?"

"I can't think right now. It's just too much to rein in at the moment." Then her optics turn to his and plead, "Wh-where am I going to stay? I don't know anyone, I don't have any papers, I-"

Barricade curls her to his frame again and just holds her warm, "I got you Babe. Never worry I got you now."

~~00~~

Still not sure exactly what she wants to do, does what she knows and helps Barricade get his messy office in order. The new computers coming down from Iacon are much better then the dilapidated one they were working on, but it definitely needed some finesse to transfer the information over.

Barricade is more than pleased to have her skilled trustworthy assistance, but he knows she is destined for so much more. The femme is a wealth of higher functioning systems. She worked with the geniuses of the Decepticon Empire after all and here she is now like a first year college student or a telemarketer stagnate in his office. He sags. By far he does not want to hold her back, but on the other hand he doesn't want to let her slip away… again. One life time without her is long enough.

For at home, their relationship is going slow and steady. Yes, she shares his quarters with her own private room. No, nothing intimate physically. Not to say some nights have gotten quite close. He knows he's pedes over heels in love with her and is pretty sure she loves him too even if those three words haven't been said yet.

Coming home one day he finds her on the floor of the main room dressed only in a fabric robe. Scattered all around are the bits and kibble of her armor. He stills himself against the doorframe just watching her rearrange pieces, take measurements, make notes…. Oh yes, she did take some of the home economics courses at school. No one could understand why the genius would take such low caste droid-like classes, but he had seen the art work she could create with pliable metallic-fabrics and accents. Incredible master pieces. And her scraps she would quilt away to the sparkling's ward of the hospital. His spark flares in adoration for her.

He can see her up to it again. Only this time, he beams, making something for herself. "Hey there, Babe," he breaks her thoughts softly.

Sheepishly she looks up biting her lip, "Sorry, I didn't have anything else to wear." She pulls the closure of his robe tighter.

He didn't mean his voice to drop so heavy, but it was too late, "What's mine is yours," then swiftly looks away knowing it was probably too much too soon for that to slip out.

She notices his fax pas, but doesn't let it embarrass him further. Instead, she teases, "Oh good, because I ate all your chocolate donuts."

His head whips back round in horror, "You didn't!" Her giggle erupts into a full blown blast of laughter. He snarls and leaps.

Timeflip squeals, falling back as he lands on all four pinning her to the ground amongst her scattered battle armor. Her legs flutter in mock panic to the pounce and playfully pounds her fists against his chest-collar plate. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Forgive me!"

"You wicked, wicked little femme! I shall make you pay for that!" Striking, he grips her neck in a teasing bite. This time her squeal is real to the unexpected playful bite, still giggling. He snarls again and bites a little lower making fun of the feral aggressive nature of many a Decepticon.

One small problem. Her naked neck is arched and has an innocent sultry taste to it. The teeth let go only to be replaced by his lips. Lips that want more. He kisses again and again playing with the taste of her throat. She too feels the change in the moment, and slides her hands to his cheeks. At first guiding them across the front of her throat and to the other side. Then she pulls them to her mouth. Once more his lips are soft and gentle absorbing the taste and essence of her. Touching her with unending promises.

Curling up into him, he reads the sign and rolls to his back pulling her across his broad chest. Rising up on one arm against his chest, her other caresses his face. Harder and more weathered than her own. He must look like an old mech compared to her sweet young and reasonably unmarred features. Her thumb presses and graces the hard lines of his face. He mewls and relaxes letting her explore his face.

Not that she has seen much else of his unarmored body, but by far, she likes to caresses his hardened face. After all, he wasn't just a police officer before the war and he was more than a soldier during the war; a feared enforcer. Some days now, he still has to be. For some of these citizens do not like ex-'Cons in their community, and some ex-'Cons don't like their new ex-Autobot neighbors. On certain days, he finds 'peaceful life' more taxing and dangerous than the hells of a battlefield.

A firm hand on her back caresses, "I've been talking to Soundwave."

Her face breaks into a smile for the former Third in Command. "How is he? Ravage still with him?"

The thumb graces her temple again smiling at her concern for their fellow teammate and pet., "Yes, very much."

"So what is he up to?"

"He works communications in Iacon. I can tell you this, but you must remain hushed." Her brows rise in query. "He keeps an ear on the traffic in case something hinky begins to stir again."

"Oh so still being the spy?"

"Can you see him doing anything else?"

Timeflip leans into her sweetspark's warm hand, "No, I guess not. I'm glad he's not alone though. No one should be alone."

Barricade nods understanding the deeper meaning to that statement, "No, no one should be alone." He hand presses more tenderly.

Now comes the dangerous part. Easily they know these feeling are very serious. To the point where a commitment has to be made. Either forwards or backwards. He swallows hard trying to find the words. Her fingers slip down to his firm lips. She won't let him say anything more. Instead, lays her head down across his chest.

"I like this."

"Me too."

Once more they leave the question unspoken.

~~00~~

One of the rare days, Barricade finds himself on the com-line with Soundwave again. "I've been talking to Kaon. Wave Industries is trying to get their projects up and going but don't have enough competent help."

Barricade knows the name sounds familiar, but can't place it at the moment. "What do they need?"

Soundwave chuckles, "Well you know engineers. Massive project to push through but they just have their heads stuck in their slide rules. Too damned detailed they can't get a thing done. They are hopeless and need to get organized."

Barricade rumbles again in mirth thinking to one particular scientist, "Sounds like they need a baby sitter or a shock-prod."

"You have no idea!"

Barricade spans his hand on his uncluttered desk and then turns to his bored secretary staring out the window day dreaming. "How a bout a secretary who understands them?"

"They've had six in the last six lunar cycles either quit or transfer. They need a division of them!"

"I'm going to send someone to them for an interview. Do NOT let them turn her down, and they WILL be thanking me."

Soundwave rumbles back, "Barricade, you are an enforcer not a politician. The war is over and you can't force free enterprise."

The deep blue mech huffs to the implications, "Look, after spending this many months around me and her past training during the war, she understand engineers perfectly. She is their saving grace and they will respect her in return."

Soundwave chuckles even a little bit towards himself, "Good luck with that. For if it doesn't look like a schematic I doubt they will notice she even as a face."

Barricade smiles when he sees Timeflip wander out the door to help a little bot get his ball off the precinct awing. "I'm glad to hear that, for I'm planning to ask her to be my mate before I send her over. You damned well better protect her!"

Soundwave's chair creaks as he adjusts, "You must love her an awful lot to send her this way alone."

Barricade laughs back, "Oh don't be fooled, I already put in my transfer. Someone else can deal with these stuck up Tarn's!"

Soundwave chokes on his morning cup of Energon, "Ah… do you know who the lead designer of Wave Industries is, right?"

Barricade cants his cheek into his palm. Feeling the scar on his left cheek, it all comes flooding back to him. Ohhhh, that mech, "Ah, yeah it's coming to me now… painfully." Then he chuckles, "If he runs her off, he's a fool."

Soundwave can't respond, for that is the last word he would use to describe the ex-Guardian of Cybertron.

Now for Barricade's hard part, convincing Timeflip to go, "Soundwave, I need to drop a proposition off."

"You have my blessings, Barricade, I'll call Wave Industries right now."

~~0~~

That night, snuggled together on the couch, "I've put in a transfer to Kaon."

Her blue helm shoots up, "Why would you do that?!"

His spark begins to shudder and waiver as he pushes the rest out, "They needed the help, and it will keep me in the same city as my bondmate… I hope."

Pulling away she stares into his worried and scarred face, "Whoa, back that up a few words. What did you say?"

A gentle soldiers hand cups her chin and smiles, "I'm asking you to be my bondmate."

"Okay, what does that have to do with me going to Kaon?"

The thumb strokes, "Your perfect job."

Stroking back she smiles, "I'm happy here with you."

The dark hand drops, "No, you're not, and nor am I fine with you being here."

Timeflip pushes back prodding him to continue. He can't help but smile a bit. His proposal she saw coming and accepts it easily enough, it's the career she is having a hard time grasping. So, taking her hands he presses, "Will you please got to Kaon and apply at Wave Industries? Trust me, you will be much happier there and they are desperate for a competent secretary who knows how to deal with a bunch of tunnel visioned scientist."

Squeezing his hands back, she bites her lip, "How sure are you that your transfer will go through?"

Barricade slips off the couch and kneels before her, "'Flip, I promise you, if they don't accept my transfer I'll come any way. I'll quit this place and make donuts if need be."

The blue femme giggles lightly even though she knows his statement is a thousand percent truthful. Who would believe that the feared enforcer of one of the most brutal armies the universe has ever known would bend his knee to a little known secretary promising to sell breakfast treats just so she can have a career she deserves.

A smiling tear rolls down her face and she chokes out, "Only if we bond first. I refuse to leave you before we bond. I have to know that I take a piece of you with me this time."

Rising up, he clasps his arms around her and buries his face into her neck, "O-oh-okay. I can live with that."

"When are the interviews?"

He pulls back and frames her face with his big ones, "We better bond tomorrow."

Her lemon yellow optics glisten, "Okay, I can live with that."