I'm Back

Miko and Raff were released from the hospital a few days after 'the incident', an event that would simply be referred to as 'New Orleans' in the future. Two of the three children walked away, leaving the last behind in a hospital bed. A fact no one was forgetting and yet a fact that no one was mentioning out loud. Instead Miko and Raff were swept away into other concerns such as cover-up stories and media avoidance.

What do you tell the families of two kids who seriously injured themselves after ground-bridging to an abandon amusement park in New Orleans? How do you keep the media from plastering 'the incident' on every front cover? What needs to be done to prevent all three children from facing legal charges for breaking into private property?

The answer, of course, is the military… the answer, of course, would be Fowler. And bless his soul that man did everything he could to cover up their mistakes. While the children healed at the hospital he got to work. Oh, all the news networks did report on the incident but thanks to Fowler the trio's names were kept out of the reports. As far as the breaking and entering charges go, those were quickly dropped after Fowler waved his ID badge to the local courts.

Dealing with the families however proved to be a different issue.

The most sensible course of action agreed upon by everyone was to not tell the parents of Miko and Raff what had happened, for obvious reasons. However, because of the kids' injuries an explanations of sorts needed to be provided.

To explain Raff's broken limb Fowler, with the help of June's medical expertise, came up with a simple story of Raff falling off his bike down a ditch. Later when telling the story to his parents Ralph also includes mentioning that he was stuck in the ditch for quite a while before he was found. This was so the parents wouldn't have any questions about his absence on that day. This also means that the Autobots had to go out and find a ditch that would be believable for the story just in case his parents decided to dig even deeper. Bumblebee had the honors.

Miko's situation turned out to be a bit more difficult to navigate. Miko is in the States living with host parents. She came to United States in the Japanese study abroad program called Future of Excellence. A program that caters to extremely rich private families. Extremely rich private families such as Miko's. Turns out she's a pseudo-princess of her own right back home. Old money, old family ranking still leaves her family in a very special position of honor and integrity. So it stands to reason that the program she went through to get to the United States holds the same values. And with those values comes thoroughness, investigations, and pissed Japanese Child Protective Services agents. And wasn't that just a bitch. Well for Fowler and Miko and June it was…

The Autobots for the most part had to step back and watch as the humans of the group dealt with the social and legal systems of their own world. Systems in which the Autobots couldn't even begin to understand. Whether they realized it or not.

"Yes…. Mr. Tanaka the medical records where sent over the night of the incident in an attachment to the full report…"

"….."

"They where sent to FE."

"…."

"That's not right, I've read through the incident guidelines from FE's operations guide book. In the 'Medical Incident Procedures' sub-title 'Major Medical Incident' I quote 'Any Medical intervention that requires the attention of a medical professional outside of prescheduled medical checkup shall be reported directly to EF's Incident Division within twenty-four hours of the medical intervention."

"….."

"We followed the guidelines if your department has issue with it you need to go through EF."

". ….."

"I have no control over that you need to talk to EF."

".."

"Goodbye."

Silence fell over the bunker.

Fowler flipped his phone closed and let out frustrated breath. The sound of the phone snapping echoed throughout. Around the base stood most of the Autobots and four of the five humans. The air sat stale around the far too open space. Two children sat in their normal spots while the adult stood at the other end of the platform. The bots positioned themselves around the bunker as they saw fit. Nobody moved, nobody spoke. The empty air suffocated and burned and yet the two kids would much rather brave the empty silence them face the conversation they knew was moments away. Hell they knew this storm was coming the instant they found Jack splattered on the cement ground of the amusement park. Miko and Raff just wished the adults would be preoccupied with business longer in order to push back the conversation they all were about to have.

But even the most disastrous of storm calm unfortunately as this old storm calms a new one begins. This conversation was happening today. It was happening right now. No one wanted to be here, not the adults, not the bots, and definitely not the kids and yet they were all here. It was time.

"Miko Raff" Junes sturdy words broke the silence. Miko and Raff's shoulders both tense up as they lower their heads even farther.

"Look at me." She orders. The kids kept their heads down.

She takes a sharp step towards the kids and raises her voice,

"Look at me, Now."

Miko and Raff slowly raise their heads and eyes to meet June's. In the corners of their eyes they can see all the eyes and optics in the room staring at them. This didn't help them.

The woman took a short breath to steady herself.

"Your trespassing charges have been dropped. You have Fowler to thank for that." Both kids quickly glance at Fowler then brought their eyes back to June.

"Thank him." She orders

"Thanx" They both barely squeak out.

"Thank you Mr. Fowler." She corrects. The kids took a breath.

"Thank you Mr. Fowler." They repeat a bit louder. Fowler nods once but stays quiet. June steps even closer to the couch.

She looks directly at Raff, "Raff as you know we cleared your story with your parents."

She turns to Miko, "Miko as you just heard we are having some more difficulty settling your business. Fowler has been on and off the phone with several different Japanese officials for the past four days. This also includes your parents who should be calling you personally this evening. Because this 'incident' happened while you where living with a host family, who by the way are lovely people, some powerful figures from your country have filed law suits against them. Fowler was able to clear that up too."

June pauses.

"What do you say Miko?"

Miko let out a slight shaky 'oh' followed by "Thank you Mr. Fowler."

One again he nods but stays quiet.

June continues, "However, despite having the lawsuits dropped, both your parents and 'Future of Excellence' wanted you pulled from that house hold. They were planning on send you home. In any other circumstance we would have let you go, however, because of the…." She pauses and gently nods her head towards the Autobots "current situation we could not allow this. Fowler once again pulled some strings,.. you will now be living with Jack and me."

Miko looked perplexed by the wave of information she just received.

"Fowler do you have anything to add on this matter?" June turns her head and asks.

"Nothing for now." He answers. She nods in response. The bunker is once again quiet. The children's gaze once again dropped down to their laps. The Autobots didn't dare intervene. Though they wanted to, the bots new it wasn't their place, yet.

June shuffles on her feet a little and looks around the room as she tried to piece together her next sentence. She thinks about everything they want through in the last couple of days. She thinks about what the kids did to end up here in front of her injured while her son still lays in his hospital bed dazed and hurt. New Orleans… New Orleans….

Darby lets out a strange chuckle as a tear comes dangerously close to slipping down her cheek. She sniffs, "So New Orleans," she begins with a strange tight smile. "Six Flags. You kids really fooled us. You all must have been so proud to get away with that lie….. Except wait! No, you didn't lie did you? You all told us you wanted to go to Six Flags and you did go to Six Flags. Very clever children very clever. So how is it that three clever children such as yourselves end up in the emergency room? That doesn't sound to clever to me that sound stupid…" Fowler put a hand of June's shoulder in order to ground her border line hysteria. June closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. She wills her voice to return to calm and curt. "You lied to us. You two and Jack senselessly put your lives in danger and it….."

"itwasntjacksfault." A quiet voice cut in. June looked at Raff.

"What?" She pressed.

Raff, with tears running down his red cheeks spoke up, "It wasn't Jack's fault. He told us not the climb the steps and we did anyway. On our way down the stairs started to collapse, Jack pushed us down the rest of the way before it completely fell apart. H…he saved us." He weezes out.

June looks directly at Raff. She sighs and relaxes her face slightly, "I know Raff, Miko told me while you two where still in the hospital. And though I am proud of my sons actions he still lied to me. Rest assured when he is well enough he will get his own version of this exact conversation…. Raff thank you for telling me the truth yourself. That being said from now on you three will only but aloud four places: home, school, this base and church on the weekends if you so wish. You will exit out of any extra circular activities. If you want to go anywhere outside these four places you will need either Fowler, myself, or a Bot to accompany you. If we can't or don't want to go then you will not go. Do you understand?" She finishes

"Yes Ms. Darby."

June nods at their reply and looks at her watch, "I have to get back to the hospital you to will stay here till it is time to got home. Miko, your personal belonging have already been moved to my house. I will see you in a few hours."

Fowler starts walking towards the elevator, "I need to head back to base to clear some stuff up. I won't be back until tomorrow Goodbye."

Fowler's gone, June just took off in her car. Now left the last bump of the day.

Optimus steps closer to inspect the children as they both sniff and wipe away their tears.

"Children what you did today was foolish." His deep calm voice rumbled. Arcee quickly stepped forward. "Foolish? It was stupid, it was beyond stupid…."

"Arcee that is enough." Optimus cuts back. "What the children did certainly goes beyond acceptable behavior, however, the children have already been reprehended accordingly by their own guardians we have no room to add more anger and punishment." He pauses and continues "However this may be children your actions in the past couple of days has worried and hurt us deeply. You lied to us and put yourselves in unnecessary risk. We are gratefully you are alive and yet deeply saddened by your actions."

Miko looks up "We're really sorry. We didn't mean to hurt you or Jack or June or Fowler."

Raff continued, "We didn't think and please don't be mad at Jack he saved us. I know he lied with us but everything wouldn't have ended up so badly if Miko and I just listened to Jack." The poor boy rambled.

Bumblebee stepped forward, "nfievtfvcrwi5pdkry"

Raff smiled, "I'm ok, I'm sorry Bee." He apologizes personally to his bot.

Miko looks over at Bulkhead, "And I'm really sorry too Bulk." Bulkhead grumbles and shakes his head,

"You really through me on this one Miko but I can't stay mad at you I'm just disappointed." Miko nods. Miko and Raff both sit back on the couch and rub their eyes. They are exhausted both emotional and physically.

Optimus speaks up again, "You two are still recovering. Lie down and recharge we will turn down the lights. Raff and Miko nod and do as instructed. Moments later the light go off. They both hear the sound of the bots moving from their spot to go back to work. Some transform and leave the base. The rest wonder out of the main common area and to their posts. The bunk is now quiet once again. The storm has passed.

I would say sorry about the wait but at this point I don't think anyone would believe me. Anyway here's a new chapter months to late with a Starbucks in it's hand. Hope you enjoy. Comments are welcome.