Chapter 8: Taking It To The Next Stage

"Yeah Raf, we're doing fine," Miko yawned into her phone, "Just getting out of the theatre now...wait is there an emergency? Are we gonna save the world!...aw...alright well see you later then..." With a pout Miko closed the cell phone and put it back in her pocket.

"What? Bulkhead dead or something?" Jack mused. Miko put her middle finger up to him before placing it, along with the rest of her hand, on her hip.

"Nope, just checking up on us...no adventures starting at the base...," she grumbled. Jack smiled and ruffled her hair.

"If memory serves, we'll probably have enough tonight to keep us preoccupied anyhow," he reminded. Miko grinned up at him. It'd been a week since they'd started their little relationship. As of now they'd gone on three actual dates, every one ending pretty nicely in their minds. That wasn't to say that anyone outside of their group really knew much about it. The kids at school were so used to seeing them together that they simply saw them as being whatever they'd always been since they'd known each other pretty much. As for Jack's mom, whatever she thought was her own ideas to know. At times she played up how cute they looked together (despite Miko's annoying tendencies), and other times treated Miko as she'd treat Raf. Not much had changed.

Within the group however was another story. Raf was just relieved to finally have all the tension between them worked out. Bumblebee and Bulkhead had been a bit confused. Of course they'd seen human couples before, but never had they actually experienced one. It was one thing to watch people in movies kiss and such, but it was an entirely different matter to watch one's partner do so. Jack and Miko hadn't really tried to show off their affection towards each other, but it didn't take much for the rest of the team to put two and two together. Arcee had given Jack quite the earful on the way home the next chance she got.

But overall they were happy. Now that all the complications were out of the way they were free to interact with each other however they wanted. Each argument they'd get into seemed to end with one of them on the ground beneath the other while their lips did the fighting. When they were playing games they'd usually be nuzzling or cuddling each other at the same time or to comfort the loser afterwards. It was everything they'd wanted to do when they were pretending to be just friends. In retrospect that entire time period had been torture by comparison. Both of their minds urging them to go the full mile but neither having the nerve to do so. But now that they were together it was ecstasy every day.

"So when we get back home you wanna see another movie?" Jack offered. Miko smirked at him.

"Won't really make a difference. Not like we'll be listening much," she replied seductively. The two shared a smile. A bit sleepily Miko rested her head on Jack's shoulder and rubbed into the arch of his neck sending goosebumps along his skin. "Hey...it's the weekend again isn't it?...your mom's away for all of it still right?..." Jack looked down at the Asian girl receiving a more suggestive look. He gave one back and came to a stop.

Jack was the first to get on the blue motorcycle. Before long they were speeding along the desolate nighttime streets of Jasper. Seeing that no one was really around, the motorcycle decided to pop a wheelie.

"WOO! Arcee you kick ass!" Miko screamed chancing one arm off of Jack to cheer her on.

"I know." the vehicle accepted the compliment. There wasn't really much time to shoot any comment back to her. In seconds they'd pulled into Jack's driveway and slid into the garage. It sure seemed like quite the small town at times.

"Hey...I just thought of something, what do your host-parents think when you-"

"I tell em I'm spending the night at a friend's," Miko answered as she got off, "Which I am doing..." Jack slid his eyes to the top of his head as if to look at the thoughts that sentence sent through his mind.

"Don't make too much noise," Arcee muttered as she powered down for the night. Jack nodded and followed Miko into the house. Exhausted from the time out they'd spent, Miko emptied out her heavy pockets onto the couch in the living room while Jack went to the kitchen to scrummage around for something. With a yawn the girl stretched and made her way to the boy's room.

"Oh Miko," he said walking over to his doorway, "Did you...want...any...um..." Jack blinked a few times afterwhich he just stood staring into the room until an arm pulled him in and locked the door.


"Lord Megatron, are you sure you should be leading this mission?" Knockout questioned. One glare from the commander was all he needed to back away.

"Why shouldn't I be?..." he growled. Knockout shook his hands in front of him defensively and gave a weak smile.

"N-no reason," he laughed nervously, "It's just...well you know how I told you that you just have a suppressant right?..." Megatron's brow lifted a bit.

"Yes...it's been working fine. You're work is good enough doctor," the silver Decepticon told him. Knockout slapped his forehead. Megatron may have been their leader, but even he should realize that no one was truly okay until their medic said so.

"Yes, it's FINE for NOW," Knockout emphasized, "But you can't just go off and do whatever you want. It might irritate the process and get the infection worked up again! And if you go off the deep end what's to stop your infected self from tearing up the ship and endangering every one else! I mean come on! Protoforms have more sense than-urk!" The red Decepticon felt his feet lift off the ground in the grip of his master.

"It would be wise to keep such thoughts to yourself," Megatron hissed, "You may keep working on a permanent cure, but as long as I function I will lead. Got that?" More afraid for his well-being than his leader's for the moment, Knockout nodded back. Carelessly, Megatron tossed the smaller Transformer to the ground and continued on his way to the bridge. With the new Energon mines he had his sights set on, the troops would have all day to bring back the life-sustaining material. Silently a stream of purple trickled through his optics. That meant quite the amount of time to have fun with Optimus if he showed up.


"Mmm...Miko..." Jack moaned quietly burying his face into the soft material beneath him. It took him a few kisses before he realized that the item wasn't responding. Once he opened his sleepy eyes he saw why that was. He'd been attempting to make out with a pillow.

"So, I leave to get something to drink and you start cheating on me already?" the Asian girl giggled. Jack looked at the door and blushed. It was partly from the embarrassment of being caught in such an act. But the other part was due to the female herself. There slouched on the frame was Miko in nothing but her panties with a can of cream soda hanging loosely in her hand. After a yawn she took a sip and burped.

"'Scuse you," Jack murmured.

"Thanks," she replied as she strolled over to the bed and plopped down next to him. Remembering how much of a fit Jack's mom had had over seeing a can spilled on the ground before, Miko decided to put her's on the nightstand next to the bed. Jack fully welcomed the snuggling embrace that came once she'd dug in under the covers.

"...you didn't put on deodorant yesterday did you?" he asked with a sniff.

"Nope," Miko said happily. Knowing that chastising the girl would do nothing, Jack just continued nuzzling his body and face against her's, her natural scent flooding his nostrils. A feeling that he loved so much. And by how she returned the affection he could only assume she felt the same towards him.

"Sleep well?" he asked between the rubbing of their cheeks.

"What do you think?" she whisped back. Jack smiled while she gave him a wink. "I'm pretty sure this is routine enough by now that you'd know..."

"Which means you're probably gonna fuck it up somehow," Jack laughed lightly. Pulling back, Miko gave him an inquisitive look. "Well I was just sayin' since you never like to go by the rules or anything you'll probably change things up a bit. Maybe even drop me entirely so that I can go for Sierra-" His voice was silenced by a hand clamping over his mouth.

"You're gonna be the one ruining things," Miko told him. Jack responded with a silent grin. Miko returned the playful look, "And if you do you're dead."

"Oh like you could beat me," Jack laughed. Miko puffed her cheeks out as she layed down on her stomach.

"I so could!" she growled .

"Says the numerous times you've lost to me in that racing game back at base," Jack smirked. Miko's only retort was to stick her tongue out at him. "Speaking of which, does that game have a name?..." Miko's eyes widened and she burst out laughing on Jack's chest. "...what?..."

"N-nothing," she gasped, "That's just...how me and Raf wondering what Sierra's friend's name was started." Finding it a bit humorous himself, Jack joined in the merriment and patted Miko's head lightly. She sure was fun to be around when they weren't at each others' throats.

"But seriously," he continued, "name? Can't be anything too complicated." Miko rubbed her chin on his chest a few times in thought.

"Generic Racing Game?" she suggested.

"Generic Racing Game," he nodded. The agreed faces lasted for maybe three seconds before the laughter resumed. Once the noise finally died down, Miko propped herself up to Jack's eye level and pressed her lips against his snapping his eyes to their widest level. Sure he normally enjoyed the action, but it'd come out of nowhere. It didn't take long fore the vision-sensing body parts to close though giving way to focus mainly on the enjoyable touching aspect. The licking of their tongues while their hands ventured across their bodies, squeezing and stroking.

"Eep!" Miko squeaked breaking the kiss upon feeling the unusually strong pressure against her butt. Jack stared at her a few seconds before squeezing again. "EEP!" Miko's voice went higher. Blushing, she pulled his hand away.

"Stop that!" she whined. Jack gave her a toothy grin as his arm lifted again. But he wasn't quick enough. Speedily, the girl dove down onto his chest, thrust her hand down between their bodies, and squeezed. Jack's face became redder than Miko had ever seen it before. Mischievously, the girl smiled up at him and squeezed harder.

"Alright alright, I'll stop!" he gasped. Feeling the revenge to be complete, Miko retracted her limb and kissed Jack's flushing cheek.

"Good boy," she giggled nuzzling into his neck, "Payback is always so nice...eep!"

"Indeed it is," Jack replied pleasantly while his hand slid upwards. Miko scowled at him to which he just kissed her forehead. "Hey, my house. Be happy I even let you talk me into this originally. Though that kiss just now was a bit eh. Cream Soda's not really the taste I try waking up to."

"Like your breath is any better when you wake up," Miko quipped back, "Still, do like the feeling...but since you're so concerned about hygiene, I guess I can go shower up..." After giving Jack another kiss, the girl hopped out of the bed and walked into the hall. A few seconds later her head reappeared in the doorway. "...you coming?" A smile on his face, Jack exited the bedroom too and joined her.


"Hey Ratchet," Raf waved to the medic as he exited the yellow car. Energetically, the vehicle flipped into robot-mode and did a few spins emitting some claps from his partner.

"Raf, I'm sorry but I don't really have time," Ratchet replied not looking up from his console, "Prime, what's the situation exactly?" Raf and Bumblebee gave each other worried looks. Without needing to say anything, the yellow guardian scooped up his human charge and walked over to where Ratchet was talking.

"Not too great," the bold voice of the Autobot leader replied through the computer, "Though it shames me to say so, the Decepticons have us vastly outnumbered and Megatron is with them. We should have waited until Arcee was available. Therefore it stands to reason that we can not win this fight. We'll need a Ground Bridge."

"Affirmative," the red and white Autobot confirmed. With a few taps of the keyboard the light of the portal appeared at the nearby wall. A shaky Bulkhead was the first to wobble through, his body charred with numerous burn marks from his combatants. Immediately Ratchet and Bumblebee had rushed over to him to help him to a medical bed. The next to come through was Optimus Prime, damaged but still walking in unbreaking strides. Then the final Transformer came through. Raf nearly fell off of Ratchet's console as the hulking Megatron tore into the base. Optimus had no time to react before his old ally tackled him into the stairs of the area which the humans used for lounging.

"RATCHET!" Raf yelled. The medic's jaw dropped at the sight of the intruder.

"Is that Megatron!" Bulkhead coughed from the recovery room.

"Stay down!" the doctor ordered, "I got another patient to take care of!" Flipping his surgical tools out, Ratchet charged at the former Gladiator only to be knocked aside with a swipe of his massive arm.

"It's not like a Prime to run from a fight..." a dark voice chuckled through Megatron's mouth to the Autobot he had pinned under him. Optimus strained and grunted but it was no use. The Decepticon leader was too massive. In no time his forces would be making their way into the base!

"We need to shut down the Ground Bridge!" Optimus barked to Ratchet.

"With him in here?" Ratchet yelped pointing at the silver abomination. His eyes were glowing an intoxicating shade of purple.

"Leave him to me!" Optimus yelled back. Just as Megatron brought his blade down, Optimus yanked his head to the side and used to the stuck appendage as leverage to flip the rest of the body over. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Ratchet tearing away at the keyboard. Shifting his view to the other side he could just vaguely make out the shapes of the Vehicons that Megatron had been leading.

"Whether you take care of me or not, you lose this time Prime," Megatron's normal voice cackled.

"Not today!" Optimus argued. The first Vehicon had set foot inside the base and the Bridge was beginning to close. Seeing no other option, Optimus Prime morphed into vehicle-mode, his parts wrapping around Megatron just enough to keep him locked onto the end of the truck, but not enough to interfere with his actual movements. The Vehicons had no way of predicting that the truck would come hurtling at them with their leader and knock them all back to the other side of the portal with it.

"Optimus!" Raf cried as the portal disappeared. Ratchet's jaw hung.

"...Arcee...get to base...now..." Ratchet ordered into his com-link.


"YAH!" Jack cried. The boy shot a glare at the girl while he rubbed his butt. Miko wiggled her eyebrows and started to whip the towel at him again. This time however Jack caught the piece of cloth. The game of tug-o-war for it didn't last all that long. Almost instantly Miko lost her balance from the unexpected counter and was pulled into Jack's arms. Smiling, he placed a kiss on her lips which she was more than happy to return. Their little "quality-time" would've probably gone on longer had a honk not interrupted it. Curiously, the pair ventured to the garage door and peered in. Within it was crouched Arcee in robot-mode.

"I was about to yell for you two," she grumbled, "We need to be at base. Now...and uh...get dressed." Miko and Jack looked down at each other in realization and blushed. With innocent smiles they vanished back into the house leaving the Cybertronian to morph back into a motorcycle. A few minutes later they were on the road to the base, the wind brushing viciously past them. Arcee thought she heard the girl riding her yell something about the cold, but she just pressed onward. It wasn't until they were safely inside the old military facility that either of the humans could really be heard.

"Hey guys!" Raf greeted, "How're-"

"MY NIPPLES ARE FREEZING!" Miko hollered as she rubbed her chest and hopped around crazily. Raf glanced at Jack who looked away in embarrassment. "RAF!" Miko exclaimed grabbing him by the arms, "Never take a shower and speed through town afterwards! NEVER!" Raf just stared into her wide eyes and nodded slowly. Jack's attention meanwhile was elsewhere. While Miko continued to lecture the youngest member about the importance of high-speeds on water-drenched bodies, Arcee was busy receiving orders from Ratchet.

"So get Bee and Prime and get back. Got it," she nodded. She bent down to charge into the portal but when it opened she found there was no reason to. Supporting each other in the trek through the shimmering corridor was their leader and their scout. With a huff, Bumblebee collapsed. Immediately the medic rushed over to the two battle-worn Autobots after shutting down the Ground Bridge.

"Are you two-"

"We're fine," Optimus Prime put up a hand of reassurance, "Just...the odds were...severe. We survived though. I am glad that no one else had to participate." Normally Arcee might be a bit miffed that she'd missed the action, but seeing the shape that their leader was in she pocketed all desire for such a notion. Indeed it sent a wave of discomfort through the group. But still...they were alive. That's what mattered.

"What happened?" Jack asked approaching Optimus Prime. The red and blue Autobot's expression became downcast.

"I...do not know..." he told the human, "It seemed to be a simple mission that the Decepticons were carrying on at first. But when Megatron spotted me it all got...chaotic. He gave orders that completely contradicted previous ones. His troops half of the time had no idea what to do with what he was saying. And then...when he had me pinned down...I could tell it wasn't him...that look in his eyes...there was something else there...using him..."

"My concern is the mine. How much of the Energon did the cons get?" Ratchet asked. To this Bumblebee hopped around making whirring noises and pointing his guns in various directions.

"He says he took the place down all by himself," Raf translated before being pulled away by Miko who was trying to play her guitar for him for some reason. Jack slumped his shoulders. Deciding that he should probably see what all was up, he ventured over to the other humans just as she was getting done playing the chords.

"So what do we got?" Jack asked the smaller boy out of the side of his mouth.

"She was trying to play this song she was making to me," Raf cringed. Jack smirked.

"That bad huh?" Jack mused.

"Is it ever good?" Raf shot back. Jack let out a sarcastic huff and eyed the Asian girl as she kicked a leg out from underneath her instrument. She sure did love to put on a show.

"That's my girlfriend you're talking about you know," he reminded.

"Oh I'm so scared..." Raf faked fright by putting his hands up to his mouth, "Whatever will you do to me for making fun of someone like Miko?..." The boys grinned at each other. Unfortunately for the younger one, it was just enough to instigate a bit of a response. Tucking Raf's head under his arm, he took the other hand and started rubbing his knuckles into his hair.

"Noogie!" Jack laughed through the flailing of Raf's arms.

"Hey hey hey!" Miko stomped her foot, "Interference in the audience! What the crap's up?"

"Half pint here thought it'd be fine to insult you in front of your boyfriend," Jack informed. Miko rolled her eyes as she set her guitar to the side.

"Jack, this is how you do it," she told him grabbing Raf away from him and performing the gesture even more viciously.

"Yow ow ow! Alright I give up!" Raf finally mangaed to pull his head out of the choke-hold, "screw you guys! I'm getting a drink!" Jack and Miko watched him until he exited into the more human-sized corridors of the base nursing his ruffled head. The two older teenagers giggled to each other and shared a quick kiss...which soon turned into a series of much longer ones that went unnoticed by the preoccupied Autobots...as well as the purplish large mechanical spider that climbed off of Optimus Prime's body and crawled into a hole at the ceiling of the base...

-end of chapter-

Mainly just romance stuff this time. But that's what people like to see I guess. Me? I can't really stand the writing, but this fic has like 29 reviews or something by now amazingly. So I guess here's the next pic. Shower time!

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