Author's Note
Wow, I think I broke my record with how fast I get a chapter done. Although, most of this was movie stuff. Hopefully it isn't too repetitive of the movie and stuff. And I hope you like my portrayal of Simmons. I actually found him easy to write. Although, apparently I like to write mean characters. Except Ari of course. Oh, and you'll be happy to know there is no abuse this chapter so no need for a warning.
Now for the reviews:
TigerLilly1995: Lol so many questions, so many questions. I can't give it all away. You're just going to have to keep reading to find out.
FourHorses: Yeah, Simmons is kind of a creep.
Skyress98: Lol, sorry but Bumblebee isn't going to be anywhere in the part that covers the first movie. But he does show up later. It'll just not be until Sideswipe was supposed to.
velociraptor4659: Glad to make you laugh. ^_^ And I'll have to look into that idea.
Kazma-sama: Then you are right where I want you.
SunnySides: Honestly, I don't know what I'm going to do about Jazz. His accent is kind of difficult to write so I may just get rid of him like he's originally supposed to. Then again, what with my own plot with Ari that I'm going to be doing, Jazz staying dead won't really make sense but I supposed I could still do it. Guess we'll just have to wait and see.
Neon: Happy belated birthday! Honestly, the reason why I have another chapter done is because I really was trying to get this posted for tomorrow but I didn't quite make it. *sigh* Oh, well, I tried. As for the holoform stuff, that probably won't get very far yet because of Ari not liking to be touched thing, but I did have a little bit of holoform fluff this chapter. Hopefully you like it.
Cloud-Dancer103: Yeah, you aren't the only one who forgot about the glasses.
The Warrior of Hope: Thank you!
ForgeandGred4Ever: Thanks!
Stormin Hudson: Guess you got a pleasant surprise. Sideswipe does some real roughing up this chapter. As for the threesome idea, no, I'm not going to do it. I personally don't think it would actually happen. Yes, Sunstreaker can feel Sideswipe's emotions, but Sides's emotions are not Sunny's. They do not actually share emotions, but can only feel what the other is feeling. If they had the same emotions, then they would be a lot more alike than they are. They still have completely different personalities, different likes and dislikes. So, I do not believe Sunstreaker would fall in love with Ari just because Sideswipe does. It would be like he's not his own person. That's just my thoughts on it.
KeepingThemAtBay: Read and you shall see!
Bee4ever: I do have a line in here as reference to that, although it's not quite the same. :)
Alexstarlight18: Thanks!
ChemicalEquinox: I do something like that, yeah.
Dawn Racer: Thank you!
Okay, that's it. Onward!
Seven, An Unlucky Number
After convincing the rest of the Autobots to hang back further down the street, Sideswipe pulls into Ari's driveway. She was really nervous the entire drive, not knowing what to expect. Is he still there or did he break out of the duct tape?
When she gets a good look at the house she sees that all of the lights are off. She's pretty sure they didn't bother turning the lights off when Sideswipe took her from this place. And, most importantly, her father's car is no longer in the driveway.
"So he got out," Ari says quietly, not sure if it is a good thing or a bad thing that Ron appears to not be in the house at the moment. Good, because she won't have to deal with him again. Bad, because he is free who knows where looking for her. And he could return home any second.
"Do you want me to go in with you?" Sideswipe asks.
"No. I don't think he's home so I'll be alright. You stay out here and warn me if he comes back before I get out. Just honk three times."
"Alright. Be quick. Optimus is really anxious to get after the AllSpark before the Decepticons find it."
Ari nods as she steps out of Sideswipe's interior and heads into the house.
Everything is eerily silent.
She's come home plenty of times before to an empty house, but the deepening darkness has never seemed so sinister to her, so likely to contain something that wishes her harm. Her hand automatically goes to the light switch, illuminating the entry hall that leads passed the kitchen and dining room on the right, living room and her father's study on the left, and goes straight for the stairs. As she passes each room Ari peers in, half expecting her father to be there, waiting for her, but they are empty.
Creeping up the stairs, each creak of the wood echoes loudly in her ears and up towards the upstairs hallway, an alarm to anyone or thing that might be waiting for her. And Ari feels so sure that she is not alone. That any minute now the worst is going to happen and her father will be there with his hand around her neck. Once at the top of the stairs she turns on the light for the hallway. Her door is at the very end, passed her father's room, the hallway bathroom, and a spare bedroom. She listens intently for signs of life as she walks passed each door, but again, all is quiet. Still, she does not feel safe until she is in her room with the door locked behind her.
Leaning her back against the door Ari breathes a sigh of relief. Her heart is pounding in her chest. She had been so sure that, despite the house seemingly appearing empty from the outside, her father would still be inside, waiting for her. But nothing has happened yet. He has not jumped out of hiding. Either he is waiting for something or her fears are unfounded. She laughs at herself softly for being so scared of nothing and goes to her closet, grabs the glasses from the box of her grandfather's things, and then heads back downstairs with lighter feet than before, turning off lights as she goes.
As she is about to grab the door handle a car honks three times.
Ari freezes. Her heart stops. Her breath catches. Her eyes widen.
Keys jingle in a hand just beyond the door. The sound breaks Ari from whatever trance she is in. She backs away looking around for a place to hide. She heads into the living room since he is more likely to go into the kitchen to grab a beer. Hiding behind the couch, she waits.
Unsteady hands work at the door for a little longer before it swings open. She can hear her father stumbling in, cursing as he trips over the entry rug. Then he stops. Why, why is he stopping?
"Oh Arianna," he calls out in a singsong voice that makes her blood freeze. "I know you're here, Arianna. I know I didn't leave this hall light on."
Ari's eyes close slowly in defeat. The light. She hadn't turned it off yet, she was going to once she had the door open but then she heard the honking.
Footsteps move down the hallway. All she needs is for him to check the kitchen first. Or, better yet, go upstairs to her bedroom. Ari strains her ears trying to figure out where he is going.
Silence. No movement at all. Where is he, where is he, where is he?
A hand flashes out from the other side of the couch, grabbing Ari by the shirt collar. "Gotcha," Ron says victoriously.
Ari opens her mouth to scream for Sideswipe but Ron's other hand moves to cover her mouth.
"I don't think so, Arianna. I don't know what happened last time, but you screaming doesn't seem to end up good for me." His arm swiftly moves from her shirt to lock around her torso, pinning her arms to her sides and her back against his chest. "Now tell me," he whispers in her ear, "whose car is that outside? It's not yours, is it? That dead-end job you have at that diner doesn't pay nearly enough for a car like that. Did you steal it? Do I now have a thief living under my roof? That's going to require some intensive," he licks the side of her face, "punishment."
"Let the girl go," a deep, very distinctive voice says from behind them.
Ron shoves Ari forward, sending her into the wall, and turns around. Ari looks up to see a group of people standing in the middle of the living room.
There is a big man appearing to be in his forties with a buzz cut that makes him look like he is in the military wearing black jeans, black boots, and a black fitted shirt.
There is an older man, maybe mid-fifties, in beige slacks, white button-up shirt, yellow vest, with white hair and glasses.
There is a black man, late twenties, with dreadlocks, goatee, and wearing slightly baggy jeans and a hoodie.
At the front is a man in is late thirties with a dark brown, close cropped hair and beard wearing a blue leather jacket with red flames over a plain white shirt and jeans.
And next to him is a pair of twins in their early twenties. One of them being Sideswipe with his messy mop of black hair that Ari recognizes even though she's only seen him once, and next to him is his mirror image though with shorter, sleeked back hair.
It's the Autobots, all of them in their holoforms. And looking like they're about to vaporize someone.
"What are you all doing in my house?" Ron asks, anger building in his voice with every word. "Get out before I call the cops!"
"Not without Ari," Sideswipe says with a growl.
"Oh, no. You aren't taking my daughter anywhere!" Ron picks up an empty beer bottle, wielding it as a weapon. "All of you get out now!"
"We are not leaving this place without Ari," the man with the leather jacket says, his voice undoubtedly belonging to Optimus. "You will allow her to come with us or we will use force. We outnumber you, Mr. Witwicky. I suggest you stand down."
"I don't think so." Ron glares at Optimus, his gaze never faltering. Completely distracted. Ari uses the opportunity to run around the couch towards the Autobots. However, with her father's long reach he manages to grab her by the wrist. "And where do you think you're going?"
Faster than anyone else can react, Sideswipe lunges, his fist connecting with Ron's jaw. Ron falls back with a yelp of surprise and pain, letting go of Ari's wrist as he collides with the floor with a hard thump. He doesn't get back up.
The oldest of the Autobots' holoforms, Ratchet she guesses, kneels down next to Ron and examines him. "He's fine. Just unconscious, though when he wakes up in a few hours he will have quite the headache."
Ari cradles her arm to her and inches behind Sideswipe. She tugs on the back of his shirt. "Thanks."
Sideswipe give her father one last glare and then turns to her, his eyes instantly softening. "Are you okay?" He tentatively reaches out a hand, gesturing towards the wrist Ron grabbed. "Do you want me to take a look at that?"
She's hesitant for a couple of seconds and then nods. She holds out her arm to him, slightly shaky. When he touches her, rolling up her shirt sleeve to reveal her wrist and then fingers gently ghosting across her skin, she can't help but cringe. But she holds still as best she can. Ari doesn't want to be afraid of him. Not Sideswipe. Not after all he's done for her.
"You're going to have a pretty nasty bruise but you'll be fine." Sideswipe strokes her skin one last time and then lets go. "Sorry."
Ari's brow furrows. "For what?"
"This shouldn't have happened," he says sadly.
"Sides, what more could you have done?"
"No, he's right," Sunstreaker says, coming over to stand next to his brother. "We never should have let him enter the house."
"Do not blame yourselves," Ratchet says. "It is my fault. When I saw that you two were distressed over the fact that her parental unit had arrived home I insisted on an explanation."
"But when we realized what was goin' on we came as fas' as we could," the man with the dreadlocks, Jazz, says. "There's nothin' we can do abou' it now."
"Jazz is right," Optimus says. "What is important is that Ari is now safe."
The military man, Ironhide, steps next to her father and looks down at him with disgust. "I say we get rid of this rodent. May I eliminate him, sir?"
"If anyone's going to get that privilege, it'll be me," Sideswipe says with cold glee.
"That request is denied, you two. We do not harm the humans, even one as…disgraceful as Mr. Witwicky here. We shall let the humans' judicial system deal with him. We cannot interfere with their affairs."
"Speaking of which," Ari steps toward Optimus, looking him directly in his crystal blue eyes. "I have a favor to ask."
"Name it," he says without the slightest hesitation which surprises her. He doesn't even know what she is going to ask, yet he already seems willing to do it.
"If I hand over the glasses, will you do something for me? Will you…will you help make sure I get away from him?"
Optimus smiles. "That is hardly a favor. We would be happy to help you, our new friend."
Ari smiles, a genuinely happy smile. So, she's officially friends with a bunch of aliens. Cool.
Optimus's holoform takes the glasses out to his alt mode while the rest of them take care of Ron. Sideswipe is showing Sunstreaker the wonders of duct tape by wrapping up Ron again, this time with a lot more, Jazz is watching in amusement, Ironhide is there more as a bodyguard to make sure the man doesn't wake up, and Ratchet is there to make sure none of them do something they shouldn't even though he is giving her father nasty glances as well.
Ari sits on the couch watching them all with a soft smile, thinking about how her life has changed so completely in a matter of days. She went from having no friends and an abusive father who beat her every day to having many friends, four of whom she only just met a few hours ago, who are willing to stand up for her. They're willingness to help her, to stay with her, astounds Ari to no end. They have every right to just abandon her now that they have what they came for, but they won't. They're taking her with them on their quest to find the AllSpark. They have no time to stop and help her now, but they will help her legally get away from her father when all of this is over. And Ari understands. They can't stop for anything, never knowing how far behind the Decepticons are. But, because of that, they warned her that her going with them may be dangerous. She told them she doesn't care. She knows they'll protect her, especially Sideswipe and Sunstreaker, and she would almost rather face a bunch of Decepticons than her father for just one more day. Sideswipe offered to stay behind with her to ensure her safety but she couldn't do that to him. This AllSpark is important to them. Ari could tell that Sideswipe wants to go after it as well so she said she will go with them. The offer was sweet though. He would do so much for her.
As Sideswipe and Sunstreaker finish wrapping Ron in duct tape from shoulders to ankles Jazz looks abruptly towards the window. "Optimus says a couple o' black cars jus' pulled up. Some guys in black suites are beginnin' to comb the place."
Someone knocks on the door. Ari's mind races. Guys in black suites and black cars. That usually screams government. They can't know about the Autobots, can they?
"You guys need to leave," she tells them urgently. They give her questioning looks. "Look, whoever these people are, they're probably not here for me. They're here for you. So you guys need to get out of here before they see you."
Sideswipe shakes his head. "No, we're not leaving without you. We made a promise."
She gives him a sad smile. "I know, and I do wish I could go with you, but I've seen E.T. enough times to know it never works out well for the aliens."
"Then what are they going to do to you?" Ironhide asks.
"I'll be fine. They won't hurt me since I'm human. They'll probably just ask me a bunch of questions and then leave." Hopefully. There's more knocking on the door, more insistent this time. "No more arguing. Go. Now." She gives them all a stern look until, one by one, their holoforms blink out.
Sideswipe is the last to go. "Stay safe," he whispers. And then he, too, is gone. Her heart aches a little. She really did want to go with them, with him.
"Open up. I know you're in there!" an obnoxious voice says from the other side of the door. But she doesn't move until she hears the sound of several cars taking off down the road. A few men yell out and then there is more knocking, more like banging, sounding like it's going to break down the door.
Ari sighs and goes to open the front door. Standing there are several men in black suites, just like Jazz said. "Can I help you?"
"Hello, there," the head guy says, a Hispanic-looking guy with a large nose and the owner of the obnoxious voice. "You Arianna Wickety?"
Ari huffs in annoyance. "It's Witwicky. And I'd prefer Ari. Now who are you?"
He flashes a badge. "We're the government. Sector Seven."
"Never heard of it." The badge says that his name is Agent Simmons. She peers at it closer to try and see if it's a fake, but she doesn't really know the signs to look for. Besides, if they are here about aliens she wasn't exactly expecting the FBI.
"Never will," Agent Simmons says as he puts the badge away. "You're the great-granddaughter of Captain Archibald Wickety, correct?"
She sighs. There's not point. "Yes, why do you ask?"
"May I enter the premises, please?" As he says the words he steps forward into her space causing her to instantly get uncomfortable and step back. Even though he said please it's still more like an order. Agent Simmons walks fully into the house and a ton of other guys stream in after him. A couple of them are carrying some kind of scanner looking things.
"What is going on here exactly?" Ari asks.
"We believe there is dealings going on here that are a matter of National Security?"
She raises her eyebrow. That's the best they can come up with? "What do you mean by that?"
"Sir," one of the other agents say from the living room. "You better come and take a look at this."
Slag. I should have told Sideswipe to hide Ron before they left.
Ari follows Agent Simmons resignedly into the living room where, on the ground wrapped in duct tape, lies her still-unconscious father.
Agent Simmons turns to her with a quizzical look. "Care to explain what's going on here?"
Ari crosses her arms. She doesn't trust this guy at all. "Care to explain how it is any of your business?"
He narrows his eyes at her. "You're going to need to come with us."
"What? No!" Ari backs away towards the door.
"Don't even try to run, little lady. You can't run from this. I'm onto this whole operation you got going on here."
"What operation?" What does he even mean by "operation?"
"That's what we are gonna find out."
Another agent comes up holding one of the funky scanners. He holds it out to Simmons and says, "I think direct contact."
Simmons takes the device, points it at Ari, and it emits an odd noise. "Fourteen rads," he says victoriously. "Bingo. Tag her and bag her!"
Instantly an agent is behind Ari cuffing her wrists behind her back. She struggles, starting to panic. "Let go of me!"
It's no use. They lead her outside to one of the black SUVs. Ari looks down the street to where the Autobots had parked, but they are not there. Not even Sideswipe is still in the driveway, tire tracks in the grass showing how he must have gone through the lawn to get around the agents. She smirks. He probably had fun scaring them.
The agent holding her roughly shoves her into the back seat of one of the SUVs, tossing the scanner in next to her, and then gets into the driver's seat. Agent Simmons gets into the passenger's and then they are speeding off down the road.
She doesn't see what happens to Ron.
Simmons turns around in his seat to look at Ari. "So what do you know about aliens, kid?"
Slagslagslag. This is not good. Definitely not good. He knows. They all know. They're going to try to get to Sideswipe and the others through me and then they're probably going to experiment on them or just kill them because humans so have a track record of not liking things that are different even though the Autobots aren't dangerous at all and are here to help us.
Ari looks down at her lap not saying a word.
Simmons reaches back for her, grabbing her by the collar of her shirt and pulling her forward, like how her father did not long before. Ari struggles to keep her breathing even.
He gets out is badge again and shoves it in her face. "You see this? This is my I-can-do-whatever-I-want-and-get-away-with-it badge. So don't test me. I don't know what that crap was back there with your old man, but I can and will find a way to put you away for it for a very, very long time, so I suggest you start talking, missy."
Ari winces at the threat, the prospect of going to jail not being appealing, but still stays silent. No matter what he does to her she won't give him what he wants. Whatever he does to her it still won't be as bad as the things she's endured before. He is not her father.
Simmons shakes her. "It's time to talk!"
The scanner next to Ari starts to freak out. Her eyes widen, understanding its meaning. Her eyes dart over to look out the windshield where a large red and blue foot is coming towards them. There is a loud crash as the two metal objects collide. Their car is pushed back. The Agents scream. Cars squeal behind them as they brake to stop.
Two metal hands then grab the top of the car, the fingers puncturing the glass to get underneath, and lift the car into the air. They stay there, suspended in air, agents still screaming, until the metal cannot hold the weight any longer and snaps. The car falls back to earth with a large thud now missing the roof of the car.
Optimus stands over them in all his awesome glory, tossing what used to be part of the car aside like scrap.
Ari smiles up at him. "Well, Simmons, you wanted to know what I know about aliens. Let me introduce you to my friend, Optimus Prime."
Simmons and the other agent slowly start to stand, staring up at Optimus in awe, as the rest of their men gather around the broken car, guns raised.
"Taking the girl was a bad move," Optimus growls. "Autobots, relieve them of their weapons."
The ground shakes and everyone turns to see the rest of the Autobots jumping down from the train overpass, aiming their own weapons at the agents.
"Give me those," Jazz says as he holds out his hand and all of the guns float into Jazz's hand as if they were pulled by a magnet. The agents start to freak out and hold up their hands in the universal symbol for don't shoot.
Silver metal fingers wrap around Ari and she lets out a small squeak of surprise as she's lifted into the air. Sideswipe sits her down on the palm of his other hand with her feet hanging off the side and then carefully breaks her handcuffs from her wrists.
Ari rubs her now two sore wrists. "Thanks."
Sideswipe lifts her up until she is level with his face. "Are you okay?"
"I am now," she says with a smile. "But what are you guys doing here? You should be chasing after the AllSpark. Not wasting time rescuing me."
He gives her a cocky grin. "What if I like rescuing you?" Ari laughs and his smile widens. But then it fades, his face turning serious. "I couldn't just leave you, Ari. And since I wanted to go back for you, Sunstreaker did, too, and then Ratchet didn't want us to go alone and Ironhide wanted a piece of the action and, well, you get the idea. We all wanted to come after you."
Ari stares into Sideswipe's blue optics and sees the truth in them. They all really do care about her. It's an odd feeling, actually being cared for. She hasn't felt it in a long time.
She stretches out her arms and hugs Sideswipe's faceplates. "Thank you. For everything." When she places a kiss on his cheek she swears she feels the metal heating up.
"Y-you're welcome," he stammers and places Ari back on the ground.
She giggles and then walks over to the Sector Seven agents who are now lined up on the sidewalk handcuffed together thanks to Sunstreaker's supervision and Simmons is…well, she isn't sure what Simmons is doing.
"Sunstreaker, is Simmons…undressing?" she asks as the agent finally gives up on undoing his shirt buttons and just yanks the fabric apart, sending the remaining buttons flying.
Sunstreaker looks down at her innocently. "What? He needed a more severe punishment. We all saw how rough he and his men were being with you."
"Very nice," Sideswipe says and high-fives his brother. "But I think he needs just a little bit more."
"What do you have in mind?"
Ari looks at Agent Simmons, who is now in nothing but a white tank and Hawaiian boxers, with pity. "You should not have brought on their wrath." Something hits Simmons on the head, bouncing off with a hollow thunk, and then a stream of liquid pours out of Sideswipe's…well. Ari blushes.
"Sideswipe," Optimus chastises, "stop lubricating the man."
Sideswipe grins but does stop. He opens his mouth to say something when sirens fill the air.
"Optimus! Incoming!" Ironhide shouts and they all turn to see a fleet of black cars coming their way, including helicopters. Ironhide smashes his cannon into the ground. A light flashes out and when it collides with the cars they fritz out and all screech to a halt.
"Roll out," Optimus orders and all of the Autobots transform into their alt modes except for Optimus. He holds out his hand to Ari and says, "Up you get." Ari watches Sideswipe take off down the road for a second and then hops on, knowing Sides wouldn't leave her unless he knew she would be okay. Optimus lifts her up to his shoulder. When she's climbed up and hanging on to anything she can he starts running, drawing the Sector Seven agents to him so the others can get away.
It's a bumpy ride as Optimus runs through the city, dodging cars underfoot, trying to lose the helicopters. Things start to look up when Optimus gets creative and decides to climb up on the underside of a bridge, precariously supporting his weight between two supports with his hands and feet. A spotlight passes them by but it does not appear that they have been spotted.
Then Ari's grip slips and she starts to fall. At the last minute she manages to grab a hold of a part of Optimus's shoulder, but her grip is just not strong enough. Her fingers slip the rest of the way and she screams. Down, down, down she goes, the height feeling so much higher while falling. Optimus tries to stop her decent by using his foot to catcher her, but she just ends up bouncing off, unable to grab onto anything. She is feet from the ground when Sideswipe drives up out of nowhere, transforms, and catches her, cradling her protectively to his chest as they skid across the ground. He quickly puts her down and then gets ready to defend her.
Out of nowhere a helicopter comes out and someone in it shoots at Sideswipe, connecting cables to his armor. More helicopters come and do the same until his arms are restrained.
Don't.
The cars containing the rest of the agents finally catch up and they do the same.
"No, stop!" Ari screams but all she can do is watch in horror as Sideswipe is forced to the ground. Men come up with tanks strapped to their backs and shoot what looks like liquid nitrogen at him. Sides lets out a pitiful, high-pitched whirling noise, sounding almost like a scream.
Don't take him from me.
Ari tries to rush to his side but a couple of the agents grab onto her arms, holding her back. "What are you doing? He's not fighting back! Look at him, he's not fighting back!"
She almost wishes he would fight back, but she knows his vow to not hurt humans. He can't fight back without hurting them, not this many.
But seeing him hurting like this is breaking her heart.
With an angry yell Ari breaks away from the ones holding her and grabs onto the closest man with the liquid nitrogen there is to her, trying to force his arm away, still screaming for them to stop. Someone comes up from behind her and grabs her around the middle, pinning her arms to her sides. She keeps struggling, even when she is lifted off of the ground she tries to kick her attacker.
Please, don't take him from me.
Something sharp pokes into the side of her neck and she feels a burning coldness start to coarse through her veins.
The last things she's aware of before her mind floats into blackness are Simmons orders to freeze that "thing" for transport, the look of pain in Sideswipe's blue optics, and his screams ringing in her ears.
Please….
Author's Note
You should have seen that cliffy coming, right? So, as all of you were wondering, I had Sideswipe replace Bumblebee to be taken. I though it only right, since he's the one to end up with her, and I already have a really cute fluffy part thought up for when they meet back up again at Hoover Dam. And if my timeline is correct as I see it in my head that should be next chapter
And I'm really excited about next chapter for more than just that. Lennox is finally here. Besides the Autobots he's my favorite character so he and Ari are going to get to know each other a lot more than Lennox and Sam ever did. And I mean a lot more.
You know, now that I think about it, there's not too many chapters left til I'm done with the first movie. And I think I've decided, I'm going to go ahead and make all of this one story. I'm going to be doing things that go in between the movies instead of just doing huge time jumps each time so it'll be easier if I just keep it all together. But what will happen is that, when I get to a good stopping point after the first movie, I won't be posting for a while as I try to get together exactly where to go from there. Don't worry, it shouldn't take too long. One week, two tops. It's just, from here on out she's going to be doing things and going places in her life that Sam never did so I have to come up with it all.
Okay, enough of me blabbing. Hope you enjoyed, PLEASE REVIEW, and see you all next time!
