Sierra mouth dropped open as a hug metal robot bent down to her level. Sticking his hand out it it was only natural for Sierra to jump back. "Hello" the robots said, un-phased by her behavior. "He-hello" Sierra stammered. The robot smiled, " I am Medical Officer Ratchet, and you are Sierra. Jack has told me a lot about you." Sierra smiled letting her muscles loosen, "Yes that's me. So how long have you and jack known each other?" Ratchet stood up to his full height, counting on his fingers. "About 17 years. Wow didn't realize I have been on earth for that long." Jack smiled, "Longer remember you were here for three years before we met you so you've been here for 20 years." Ratchet shook his head, "so I missed 3 years no big deal." Sierra giggled, "So what has Jack told you about me?" it was Ratchets turn to chuckle, "Well the fact that he actually finally got around to asking you to marry him five years ago was a start." Sierra laughed. "Well in his defense I was away in Florida at a medical school for eight years. It was actually Mrs. Fowler who got us back together…" Sierra went on to tell Ratchet how her and Jack got back together, dated, got engaged, then got married. Jack still couldn't get used to his mom being called Mrs. Fowler or the fact that Agent Fowler had asked her to marry him. "..And now we have two beautiful daughters, Linda is 5 and Christy is 3." Ratchet smiled and silently listened to the story, he had heard it before but hearing it from Sierras perspective was interesting. A few hours pasted as the friends talked and laughed sharing stories from long ago. Sierra looked at the clock on Ratchets big computer, "Oh My! We need to go I told Raf and Shauna one hour at the latest it's been four. It was very nice to meet you Ratchet, I hope I get the chance to see you again." Ratchet nodded in a agreement as do I." Jack stood up, "You go out to the car babe, ill be out in one minute." Sierra nodded leaving the building. Jack looked up at Ratchet, "So its Tomorrow again, it seems to come fast every year." Ratchet sighed sadly, "Indeed, same place?" Jack nodded, "Same place." Both nodded a goodbye to one another. Jack got into the driver seat and looked over at Sierra, "So?" Sierra clenched her fist and screamed, "Jackson that was amazing! I mean I had always thought that there were aliens but I wasn't ever sure and then when all that weird stuff happened in Jasper I just thought that it was…well I actually didn't know what it was but I am so so happy you told and showed me! You made me the happiest person alive!" Sierra talked so fast and squealed that all Jack could do was agree, he felt a huge burden lifted off of him, no more secrets between them, After tomorrow.
Raf looked out the window, "Sierra must be talking Ratchets ears off. " Shauna laughed, "Well we all know Ratchet can talk too." Raf just smiled, he hadn't told Jack yet that Shauna knew, he just figured he would wait until tomorrow. "here they come." Raf stated as the blue Tahoe pulled into the parking lot. "Now please Shauna, don't get Sierra talking. We need to go!" Shauna just laughed, "You know Rafael, it's the girls job to do the wedding planning, but im happy you want to help." She kissed him on the check, Raf just blushed. "Does this mean I get to see your dress?" Shauna put her hands on her hips, "Umm no! its bad luck! Besides I want you to be surprised!" Jack and Sierra came in, Raf and Shauna handed the kids off, and left for the wedding planners. A lot of people believed they were rushing the wedding but neither of them waited to wait. They had talked it over and why wait they were going to get married anyway so why push it off? Raf was in deep thought when they arrived at the wedding planners, looking up into the sky something caught his attention. A huge comet shot across the sky, at least it looked like a comet. Raf adjusted his glasses as it faded into the distance, "Cybertronian?" Raf had caught a quick glimpse of the insignia. "Come on sweetie!" Shauna yelled, pulling Raf back into the present. Raf shook his head, "just his imagination".
Mikos house phone rang, "hello?"
"hey Miko its Jack."
"Oh Hi Jack."
"Hey Miko, you coming this year? Its tomorrow?" Miko sighed heavily, "I don't know Jack. I…Denny moved out today and its just been a lot."
"Miko you say this every year. We have a babysitter for the kids, Sierras mom comes over bring Russell to hang out and you can come with us. Does Denny know?"
"No I never told him…or Russell….no need to that life's a memory nothing more."
"Miko I know how you feel but if you…."
"NO JACK! I'm done with this. They left us! They said they would stay in contact but the never did! You want to know what I did with the picture I took? I burned them! Deleted them! Bulkhead was like the big brother I never had, my best friend and just like that he was gone!" Jack just listened as Miko vented and cried. He never knew Miko had felt that way, she was the first to really believe in them and was the saddest to see them go. After she had finished Jack tried to comfort her. "Miko Ratchet is still here, I see him almost every day and so does Raf both Shauna and Sierra know the truth, they are coming tomorrow. I was talking to Ratchet the other day and nobody has really contacted him either. Can you imagine that? Your own people know you're on an alien planet but no one contacts you?" Jack listened for Miko's response. "You know what Jack; I was a stupid teenager who too easily trusted people, well not anymore. Please don't call me again about this, Im done." The phone clicked as she hung up, Jack was surprised, but at the same time everything made sense now. The way Miko was, why she never seemed to enjoy anything outside of work.
Miko stood with her hand on the phone for a minute after hanging up, she didn't mean to burst out like that it just sort of happened. "A memory that's all it is a memory." She whispered, tears stung the corners of her eyes. Picking the phone back up, she called her commander. "Sir, this is Miko. I can leave tomorrow for that assignment in Copenhagen…Yes Sir….Thank-you." Miko was a Military Business Administrator, she made sure billing, paperwork, etc were all in order. "Russell!", she yelled walking up the stairs. "Pack your things you're going to your fathers tomorrow." Miko pulled out her cellphone, "Denny"
"Miko?"
"My job requires that I leave tomorrow, can you watch Russell for a few weeks at most?"
"OF course I can but I thought you didn't have to leave for another jobs for another three months?"
"Well things change so I leave tomorrow."
"Ok ok, no need to get excited. Just drop him at the salvage depot tomorrow."
"Thanks." Miko hung up, opening Russell's door, "You packing." Russell looked up "Sure. Mom why do I have to go their? Why can't I come with you? Dads scrapyard is so…so..eww…and far away from anything cool. " Russell's head dropped, Miko bent down and lift his face up. "I know its been ruff and thing have been a little…ok a lot out of control but there are a few things I need to work out and I can't do that here. Plus, my job demands I go different places you know that, besides its only for a few weeks. " Russell smiled a little smile, "Ok I guess it won't be terrible it will only be bad. I mean me and Dad have had some…adventures over there when I was like two!" Miko sighed rubbing Russell's head before walking out and down the hall, she had her own packing to do.
In the sky:
Fixit drove back and forth between control panels, breakers, and the engine room. For some reason the ship was malfunctioning, it had been pulled into earth's gravity zone and was slowing crashing. Fixit estimated it was crash in 14.78 hours if he couldn't figure out what in the primes was wrong. Fixit tried hailing the Cybertronian flight controls but was too far out of range, and no other Cybertronian or Alien craft of any kind was out there to answer his calls. Fixit gulped, "Hope earth is soft for crashing." The countdown was now 13.98 hours.