I'm currently about 3/4 through chapter 3. I will be writing on this as long as it holds my fancy, which is to say hopefully a while. Thank you so much for the quick reviews, by the way. They made me very happy, and I can only hope you enjoy this chapter too.


"You're here to see my daughter?" The gruff man asked, polishing some something he had in his hands. I didn't interact with him in my own chronology, so this exchange was probably going as awkward as it would if I really have only lived seventeen years and had just asked Mr. Banes if his daughter was in.

"Yes, sir. I have something I want to ask her." I nodded respectfully. The parents of teenagers are still parents of teenagers, even if you aren't. I can't approach him and have a respectable conversation, wowing him with my heightened sense of maturity and diplomacy developed after dealing with dozens of single-minded politicians with the law on their side. I've got to deal with this man like he's the father of a girl who likes to date.

"And what is it you want to ask my daughter?" He asked, glowering down at me. The intimidation factor. Repeatedly referring to her as 'my daughter' gives him a show of dominance, a clear claim over her and flaunting the fact that if I want anything to do with her, I've got to go through him. But at the same time, it's a bit demeaning. She does have a name.

"Michaela is skilled with cars, isn't she? I was hoping I could convince her to help fix mine up for the road trip I'm planning directly after the school year." I answered explicitly.

"I see. You aren't looking to ask her out, you're looking to bum a free car job off her, hu?" He pulled his eyebrows together and jabbed his chin out.

"At least a discounted job. I've been in the same class with her since elementary school, and I now she's got to be good. I'm really looking forward to this trip, sir." I nodded, not trying to make myself look bigger at all. It isn't often I do, being as I usually have a ten foot alien robot standing behind me. This time, however, I don't.

"Familiarity doesn't mean discounts, son. You bring your car into my garage, you pay the full price. And you're clearly mistaken, she doesn't work here until this summer anyways. Focusing on her school work." He insisted.

"I understand. The end of the year is a busy time, sir, and we've got a lot of tests coming up. Lots of homework. But I've noticed she's been struggling in her social studies classes, and I was hoping to strike a bargain with her."

"Dad, who's there?" A voice came from behind him. His expression changed and he glanced back into the office. It's the weekend now, and I knew she'd be here at this hour.

"One of your little friends from school." He answered. "Lookin' to talk with you."

"So help me, if that's Trent..." She huffed, pushing herself into the doorway too fully ready to start yelling at me, but came up short when she recognized me where she expected her ex to be. "Sam?"

"Hi, Michaela. Look, I know we don't exactly talk much at school or anything, but I was wondering if you could do me a favor." I changed direction, speaking directly to her. I also know it's better to get her favor by working it out with her directly instead of with her father. I just didn't want him to kick me on the curb before I got to speak with her.

She looked me over apprehensively. "Uh-hu." She nodded to her father, who shrugged and went back inside. She took his place blocking my way into the office, which from what I understand is usually where they talk with clients. It's not like I'm standing on their front porch or anything. "What do you want?"

"I want you to work on my car."

She looked surprised, glancing back inside and quickly pushing me back so she could shut the door and stand outside with me. "What are you talking about? What makes you think I could work on your car?"

"You're a pretty good mechanic, aren't you? And I need to fix my car up by the end of the year, so my Dad gives me the okay to go on this road trip I'm planning. He doesn't think it will last a day, but I'm really looking forward to this thing." And now I talk like a student. Like we may be in cahoots, and we're on the same level here.

"I don't exactly boast about my skills around school. How'd you know about that?" She demanded.

I pursed my lips, raising my eyebrows. "I'm not sure, I've had it in my head a while that you know how to work with cars. Will you help me out?"

"If I get caught fixing your piece of shit up, it would ruin my image." She stated, as if making a point and not actually caring if people realized she were more than a pretty face.

"And you'd rather people think you're a dumb teenager? What do you care?" I called her out on it. "I've got a thousand bucks, but I'd rather keep most of it for the trip. It means a lot to me. So I was hoping we could work out real cheap price, and I'd be more than happy to do your homework the rest of the year."

"The rest of the year? Now I know you're messing with me. And where do you get off coming and asking for me like we're friends? I didn't even know you exist until you tried to pick me up the other day." She crossed her arms.

"I did pick you up." I pointed out. "I gave you a ride home. And it isn't like I'm asking for a free job or anything."

She nodded, watching me curiously. "Yeah, what's with that? I thought you had a crush on me. You know, watching me all the time since we started high school, and jumping real quick after I dumped Trent. And now you're acting like you're more interested in going out with your car than me."

"No offence, but I kind of am." I shrugged, dodging her attempt at humiliating me. "The last thing I want is for Doc to break down out in Nevada and have to call my Dad to pick me up. I know you, and I'm sure we can work out a deal here. How about it?" I held out a hand. She looked me over skeptically this time. Her eyes landed on my hand, and back up to my face.

"You do my con. law homework and my politics project, and how much are you offering?"

Just that? Awesome. I hate writing, so I'm pretty happy she isn't pushing her College Composition work onto me. "Two hundred?"

She frowned. "How much work does it need?"

"I'm not the car person, you are. All I know is it's old, and I really want to go on this trip."

She was quiet a moment, before tilting her head. "Where are you going?"

"Hoover Dam."

She made a face. "Why?"

"I have my reasons. It isn't that far, but it's still worth seeing. I'm more in it for the independence." I tried to answer like I were telling the truth. She can't read me like the version of her I'm used to can, so I have no idea if she can tell I'm lying.

"Alright. Two hundred is good, I haven't had a project in a while anyways." She nodded, but didn't shake my hand yet. "But one more condition."

"What's that?" I narrowed my eyes automatically. That's never good, and I started to retract my hand. Now is the time to be cautious, but I'm not sure if there's anything that will detour me from the opportunity of finding my family.

"I'm going with you."

I blinked in surprise, but quickly masked it out of instinct.

"Why?"

"I like the idea. The freedom and independence. I've got a couple hundred saved up from working at the garage over the summers for just a trip like this, but I don't have a car yet. Take it or leave it, Witwicky." She raised her eyebrows, offering her hand this time.

I shook it. "Deal."

She gave a smile and hummed. "Sure I can't convince you to go somewhere else?"

"I'm sure. I have another reason for going to the Hoover anyways." I smiled back. She nodded and leaned around to look behind me.

"That's it, right? Let me have a look. Tell me what you've noticed about it so far." She was suddenly at ease and I briefly wondered about how fate works. In my original continuum, she and I stumbled into Sector Seven together, and now, it seems we will again. Only this time, she knows a considerate amount less than I do.

We worked out a schedule. She said she'd have it finished by the end of the year, and I'm holding her to that. After I made it explicitly clear that I don't have any interest in pulling one over on her, she showed off that spiteful sense of humor and decided to flaunt me. Since her Dad doesn't have the space in their garage for an off-the-records job, she would ride home with me after school and work on the car, then I'd drive her home later on. Trent watches and glares every time she gets into my car. I gave her a key to get in even if she gets there before me. If she does, she starts it up and makes me sit in the passenger seat, which I don't mind. Honestly, I don't all that much care for driving anyways. I always preferred a car that drove itself.

Mom kept trying to come into the garage with milk and cookies, or some other juvenile snack to wag her eyes and me and nod towards Mikaela behind her back. She and Dad both try to bring conversation towards Michaela at dinner, after I come back from dropping her off. But no amount of explicitly stating that we aren't dating would get through to either of them. I've decidedly not told either of them my road trip is no longer a solo one.

Doc is driving significantly better, and I don't doubt her at all when she says she'll have it finished by the end of the year. We've got eight days of school left, six not including the half-days used for finals. Despite this, she's staying at my house later and later as the deadline approaches. We even have a bet going. If she gets it done by seven the last day of school, I buy us both our first meal once we hit the road. If she doesn't, she buys it.

I sat on by the workbench with my laptop out. Sometimes she needs help with something that I can do, so I stay in here to be useful. Other than that, it's part of our routine. We hang out in here and talk, or just work until she's done for the day.

"What are you always doing, typing away on that thing?" She asked, at ease around me by now. As soon as we leave the school, she drops the sexy, preppy school girl act and pins her hair up, and pulling tennis shoes out of her bag to replace the ridiculous high heels she insists on wearing.

"I'm emailing a friend." I answered. Sarah has been giving me a bunch of information and answering my bull shit questions for this 'project' I'm doing. She's questioned how close to the end of the school year this is, but I just tell her that it's our final project, to replace the test. I'm still trying to establish a connection here, and trying to figure out what's going on with him currently. She's even enclosed some messages from him directly.

"Your girlfriend?" She teased. I rolled my eyes. I actually think the tides have turned and she has a crush on me now. I'm not too surprised, because once we got to know each other, we genuinely did like each other. Now she's relaxed and gotten to actually know me, and I very well might be the first boy that didn't throw himself at her feet. But if she stays in on this escapade, when we meet Sector Seven she might realize why I'm not interested and be alright with that.

"No. She's the wife of a soldier I'm researching." I answered honestly.

"Why are you researching a soldier? Is it something Mr. Moralles is having you do?" We have different Political Participation teachers, but they have the same projects going on now. That's why she was skeptical about that.

"No. It isn't for school."

She nodded, putting the water bottle down and walking back towards the car. Sometimes, like just now, I expect her to keep questioning, but she just stops and goes back to whatever she'd been doing before. Considering I left it wide open for further investigation, I never actually told her why I was researching a soldier, I wonder what she's thinking. Is she catching on that I'm hiding something, or is it she just doesn't care and is making conversation?

"What did you do to these things?" She asked, sitting in the front seat and messing with the air conditioning console. "I just fixed them."

"I tested them out after I dropped you off last night, and the entire thing sparked. Nearly caught the seats on fire." I answered, drumming my fingers over the keyboard. "I meant to bring that up already."

"Shit, Sam." She shook her head. "I told you to turn it on while the heat's up, then move it over to conditioning."

"That's what you get for doing shoddy fixes. You're cutting corners to meet the deadline." I wagged my eyebrows over the edge of my laptop. She glared right back. "Right. Back to work."

"Yeah, because I'd have to rewire the entire console. I'm fixing it again, but it isn't going to change. Just turn it over to heat when you turn the car off, then you won't forget." She warned. I shrugged, not giving an answer.

I never got a response from the Hoover personnel about my message. I really hope it reached people in Sector Seven. To be honest, I have no idea if the Hoover Dam Police would have anything to do with Sector Seven. I would think that they know of them, at the very least. I just hope they got the hint and passed the message along. I also kind of hope Michaela doesn't botch up my chances here.

There was a knock on the door- as I'd finally convinced Mom and Dad to do before entering -before it opened. Mom walked in and sat down to bowls of broccoli soup and breadsticks.

"You missed dinner again. You two sure are busy out here, hu?" Mom smirked at me. I rolled my eyes.

"Oh, thank you Mrs. Witwicky." Michaela gave Mom one of her sickeningly sweet smiles. "You didn't have to."

"That's alright, dear. I didn't want to be rude and feed my son without feeding you if you're still here for dinner. You do like broccoli, don't you?"

"Yes." Michaela nodded. "I love it."

"Well I'll just leave you two alone, then." Mom gave me another look. That look. I get it almost every day now. It's kind of annoying. Given the fact I don't feel any obligation or connection to these people as my parents, it's more annoying than anything. I no longer find this to be a nice reminder of when I was their son. More like an irritating obligation to keep up pretenses. I wish I could move out without it being suspicious.

After she'd gone, Michaela finished the air condition console again and slipped out toward her bowl. "You're mom is so nice."

"Yeah." I shrugged.

"Are you having problems at home or something?" She asked, not even being sarcastic now. "You don't seem to get along with them very well."

"No, no. They're fine. We haven't even argued in several days." I shrugged. "You're just imagining things."

"Right." She scoffed. "You always look like she's your uninvited roommate, rather than an overbearing mother. It's like you don't even know her or something."

"How observant of you." I tried to brush it off. "She does annoy me. But most parents do that to their teens. They cause irritation like a rash."

She raised her eyebrows and decided to drop it the way she does, going to start eating. I decided to set my laptop aside and pick up the bowl. I'm not that hungry right now anyways.

About half an hour later, she was shutting the hood again and lumping her tools into the trunk again. "Doc's almost done. He should be purring like a kitten now." She tossed the keys to me, indicating it was my turn to drive. "Why'd you name it Doc anyways? Usually people name their cars after girls."

"It's an acronym. D.O.C.." I shrugged, moving around to get into the driver's side and punching the garage door button.

"Well what does that stand for, then?" She scoffed. "Delicious Onion Colony?" She started laughing and I laughed with her. "Dominate Organ Correction?"

I rolled my eyes at that one. "Yes. That's exactly what it means."

"Well what does it mean? Is it a secret?"

I shrugged. "Not really. It means Destroyer of Continuities. More of a spiteful title than anything."

"From one of those stupid video games then." She decided, and I didn't respond. Not exactly. "I like Doc better anyways."

"It figures. You're more the doctor here anyways, healing it like that."

She scoffed. "I'm a mechanic, I'm not exactly doing medical procedures."

No, you aren't. If you were, the mechanics would be a bit different, and the car wouldn't be a slagging car.


Well? I'm not usually a fan of Michaela in my stories, but she'll probably be playing her biggest role ever in this one. And yet she really isn't a main character still. More like a temporary protagonist, honestly. I've decided that I like her as much as I like Sam in the movies... not much at all. I have created my own 'cannon' version of Sam, so why not do the same for her? I love the opportunity she presents, and I love her as a non-romantic character that dares to be apprenticed to Ratchet because he likes her potential, and she can handle his attitude. So here, she will be a friend of Sam's, involved with the Autobots, but not a sex symbol who's only purpose is romantic interest.

So how did you like her? How do you like what Sam's doing? Please, I'll only know if you tell me.