His first reaction, was to slam the door, but I did that thing in the movies where they catch it with their foot. It hurt. A lot more than I expected. I bit my lip to keep from crying out.

"Please! Antonio! Don't you ever want to do something bigger with your mechanic skills?!" I asked him, hoping to catch his attention. Everyone in our school knew he was a brilliant mechanic, but they knew it wasn't a very good job, he would try to do something else, with higher pay.

It did catch his attention. He opened the door a crack.

"What do you want freak! Is your alien thing with you?" He asked looking up. He was talking about Prowl.

"No he's not. But this little guy is. And he's hurt pretty bad. Also, I need you to fix my car." I explained. He looked confused then sneered.

"Why in the world would I help you?" He asked with disdain.

"You aren't helping just me. If I don't find that robot, and help them with the war, a lot of people could die!" I shouted. He raised an eyebrow.

"Fine! But the moment I'm done you leave, got it." He growled.

"Promise, and you'll never be bother by this again." I promised.

"Alright, get in here. Before you're seen." He said, I stepped inside with MC and Jack and Antonio closed the door behind me.

"Who's the kid?" He asked looking down his nose at little Jack.

"That's Jack, he's also helping." I explained. He shrugged and led me towards his garage.

"Lemme see the little robot." He said gesturing towards MC. MC eyed him warily but shyly moved over and sat down. Antonio looked him over and pulled some tools out.

"Hold still." He told MC, as he began to work. After a long while I couldn't bear the silence.

"Is he going to be ok?" I asked him.

"I don't know, he's an alien. I fixing what I know, but other than that, I have no idea. Don't ask that." He snapped.

"Sorry." I said, getting quiet again.

"Hand me that." He said pointing to a silver tool. I grabbed it and handed it to him. He used it. This continued for another few minutes.

"How did he get broken?" Antonio asked finally.

"A bigger robot kicked him like a soccer ball." I deadpanned. He withheld a laugh.

"I thought the big robot was your friend." He pointed out.

"Different big robot, this one had a chainsaw, he almost killed me. He gave me this." I said, pointing to the drying cut on my face.

"Ow." He said looking at the cut.

"Ya know, I feel like I shouldn't be treating you this nice. But I'm too in shock right now to care." He said in a dull casual voice.

"Gee, how great." I muttered. He rolled his eyes.

"Just remember, I'm helping you." He reminded me. I nodded innocently.

"Oh of course. I'll try not offending you." I said with mock innocence.

"Always got a sharp tongue." He muttered to himself, but he knew I heard him.

"Just so you know whitey, when I'm done you leave. And if you ever come back you'll be sorry." He warned me.

"Trust me, this is a onetime thing." I said narrowing my eyes. Poor Jack was silent for the whole 'on edge' conversation. So was MC.

"I fixed everything that looked wrong." Antonio said finally. "Now get out."

"Wait, I'm going to need you to fix a car as well." I said. He growled in frustration while wiping his Energon and grease stained hands on his pants. I didn't tell him Energon was equivalent to blood. MC didn't seem to 'notice' either.

"Fine, where is it?" He asked gathering up his tools. He acted like helping was the last thing he wanted to do, but he loved mechanics. He was eager to work on something else. I could see it in his eyes.

(Five minutes late at the boys home garage.)

"That's the piece of crap you're going to save the world in." He asked looking the car down.

"No, it'll be a wonderful piece of crap when you're done I'm sure, and I'll let people know that you fixed it." I offered.

"Hell no, I don't want to get mixed up in this." He said. I shrugged and he bent down to examine it. Another few minutes of silence.

"You know, the only reason I'm helping you is because I don't want your big alien friend to some kill me. The moment this is over its back to you being our punching bag, this changes absolutely nothing." He said absent mindedly.

"You've said so." I replied slightly annoyed. Neither of us was happy with the arrangement, but he'd already seen Prowl, and he was the only mechanic in town.

"Are you sure you aren't helping because you want to save the world?" I asked him.

"No, it's because I don't want to die and now you're in my debt." He answered. I groaned, of course I was in his debt now. I couldn't just walk in and say 'here fix my alien' and then follow up with a 'see ya.'

"What exactly would you want me to do?" I asked warily.

"You got a twenty?" He asked. I sighed and rolled my eyes but fished in my back pocket and unearthed a twenty dollar bill. Not exactly sure why I had that with me… oh well, I handed it to him. He took it and pocketed it.

"This still doesn't make us even." He answered. I crossed my arms.

"What does then." I challenged.

"After all this is done, you have to come back. We still need someone to be on the bottom. The kids in our school still need someone to look down at so they can look up at us." He threatened. I almost called it quits and told him to leave with the twenty right now. But then I looked up and saw a little glare on MC's face, Jack was looking angry too. I couldn't just back down again, I couldn't just let him continue to walk over me.

"No Antonio." I said. He looked up with a frown.

"Sorry, didn't catch that." He said menacingly.

"I said no, I'm not coming back. Once I save the world including your sorry aft, I'm out. You'll never see me again. I'm done with you guys. For basically my whole life you've made me feel completely worthless. It's only worse because I've probably only seen my mother for a total of an hour this entire year, my dad went to war and you made it impossible for me to have any friends to talk to." I began, my voice beginning to rise. He looked taken aback and his eyes had a little guilt. I continued.

"Because of you, hardly a soul has cared about me! So I will not allow you to say that in payment for you helping me save the world I have to come back and be your punching bag. I am putting my life at risk here, your fixing a car. So consider it lucky that I don't make you fix my car by threatening to nuke you with my robot!" I yelled, he cast a terrified look at MC.

"I-I, alright, I'll fix the car. And… uh, thanks. I guess, for doing all this." He said in a small voice.

"Now that we have come to an understanding, thank you as well, for fixing my car." I replied in a much nicer voice. He nodded slowly and then turned back around and continued with the gears. MC and Jack both smiled at me and Jack flashed me a thumbs up. I returned it.

That felt really really good to get out. The weight of a ship was lifted off of me and I took in the wonderful feeling of nice long breaths. I wouldn't ever come back here, I would explain to mom that dad was staying somewhere and I went to live with him. But I would never come back, this was my past my history. But history isn't always pretty.

The moment Antonio finished I would leave to find Jazz, Jazz would help me find Prowl. Prowl and I would be reunited.

We just might be ok.

Well chapter…something or other. So sorry this update took so long, it was hard to write the exchange of dialoge between Sage and Antonio, but I hope it was ok. I forgot to shout out last time for a reviewer and for that I am so so so sorry, but thanks so much to JupiterGalaxy.

Shout outs!

Calliope-Beautiful Voiced

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antonie-triskova

thanks so much you guys are what keep me going, reviews are so appreciated. BTW, next chapter they find Jazz, promise.

Keep writing Keep reading Nova out ; )