Chapter 11


Aloha


A reluctant truce had been hashed out between them since Barricade needed Aloha to cut him free and Aloha needed to be able to enter her room without getting ran over. The afterglow of Barricade's little victory quickly died and he fell into a sour mood for the following weekend. Aloha let him have that at least, content with the peace and quiet though she felt a distinct unease in her spirit that he was so displeased. Aloha quickly reminded herself that there was nothing to be sorry about.

Chandler sent Aloha several emails, in a big hurry to set a date for some stupid reason. She was terrified to find out why. If he tried to take their 'relationship' to the next level like he'd implied their last date, Aloha didn't know if she'd be able to keep it up any longer than what it took to tell him to go screw himself. But that would leave her with another failure, and she was so tired of failure.

Aloha sorted through her clothes, her brain and soul heavy. She was having a hard time choosing the day's outfit, because she just couldn't bring herself to truly place effort in it like she used to. Finally, she settled on some skinny jeans and a nice enough top that tip toed between being dressy and casual.

She took a drink, stripped out of her pajamas, took another drink, then dressed.

"He will smell it on your breath," Barricade said.

Aloha narrowed her eyes, "He knows I drink."

"He doesn't want you to."

"He also wants me to love him unconditionally and live in his bed naked so he can spread my legs whenever he wants."

Barricade snorted with low laughter. "Well, he's almost reached half of his goal."

Aloha stopped just short of pulling her pants over her hips. She glared at him, "I will drop these right now and come rub my naked squishy body all over you."

Barricade raised up in alarm and slid backwards, "No."

"Yes." Aloha buttoned her jeans and turned fully towards him while slipping her blouse on. She eyed him carefully, uncertain about what she was about to ask him. "Barricade? Can you...do something for me?"

"Do I look like I'm here to serve you?"

She ignored his biting tone, "I can't...I don't," Aloha huffed. "Can you join with me? Just for a second?"

"And spoil the fun for your mate?" He said the word like it was a mockery.

"No, no. I feel like I'm losing my mind right now, and when I tried meditating earlier I couldn't focus and-"

His field caressed her skin, pressing along her body. Seeking, asking. It was different than the almost violent assaults he usually nailed her with. Aloha closed her eyes and made herself concentrate enough to meet him. The bond that opened between them was cool and soothing, like water. He was the ocean, and she was an oil spill, but he filtered through the ugly and guided her to a serene center. Aloha sent heartfelt gratitude back to him and shared her new calm as a peace offering.

He opened himself to receive it, his acceptance clearing the fog from her thoughts. When she withdrew, he allowed it and the pathway was gently shut. A sharp contrast to what normally happened between them, and somehow it felt so much more intimate.

Aloha slipped her shoes on when she heard Chandler's mustang rumble into the drive way. She walked to the door, leaned down and kissed Barricade on his door frame, then she left.


"You are my second chance."

She was here, sitting on the park bench, poised pretty and smiling like a porcelain doll. Chandler was beside her, his hand cupped around hers and his eyes peering into hers and searching for the adoration he knew was there.

Aloha breathed and her porcelain chest cracked. Pain. Anger. Confusion. Disappointment. But a doll did not feel these things. She smiled sweeter, and a look of relief overcame the pensive stare Chandler had on her.

"You are everything I've ever wanted, and I choose you."

"Chandler...your family-"

"We fell out of love a long time ago."

"Your kids-"

"They're strong."

"My family-"

"Aloha, you don't have a family."

The mask cracked. Just a little. Her smile faltered, lips twitching and just barely turning into the beginnings of a snarl. Chandler sat back, "Whats wrong with you?"

He asked, Aloha told herself, this has moved away from what you needed. End it. She opened her mouth to say so, but nothing came out. What if this was her last shot? What was the possibility of success worth? If she made a choice now, what were the consequences?

Chandler was frowning now. "Do you not want this? I thought you loved me."

"I do, Chandler," Aloha said softly. She placed her hand on his cheek and ran her thumb under his eye, "You are very important to me." Stop.

He sighed, "I know its a big decision, but we were made for each other."

"Can you give me some time to think? About what I'll say to my dad." She needed to get away, to figure out what she needed.

He made a face. Aloha fought the urge to slap him.

"Chandler, this isn't something you can just do on a whim. Do you honestly expect me to just drop everything I am when you ask me to?"

"And what exactly do you have to drop? You have no job. No friends. No family."

"I have my dad."

"Isn't he ready for you to leave?"

Aloha stared at him for a while, seriously wondering if all of the time she wasted with him could ever be worth what she had originally set out to do. She really, really needed a drink. With a sigh, she stood up. Chandler scrambled after her, "Aloha!"

"I'm going home." She ignored his protests, slinging her purse over her shoulder. Chandler trotted up to her.

"Aloha, what is-"

"I know that you have your very stupid opinions about me, but I want you to know that they're wrong. I have a family. My dad is my family. He is the only family I've had all of my life and I will never chose someone, especially some idiot who thinks I owe him the world, over him."

His hand gripped her arm, tight. She was too unsettled to grimace, pivoting instead to face him. "Chandler. Let me go."

"What the hell is wrong with you? Its like you're a completely different person. I knew you'd been drinking!"

"Because drinking so clearly tops cheating on your wife and wanting to abandon your kids on the bad morals scale. Also, its none of your damn business what I do."

"Yes, it is. You're my-"

Aloha jerked free, "I'm not your anything."

"Get your ass to the car."

"I'll walk." Aloha stubbornly turned away from him. Chandler took her by the wrist and squeezed.

"No," He spat, "you won't."

She swung around to strike him but he caught her fist, spun her around, and dragged her to the parking lot. Aloha fought him the entire way but was easily overcome by his much larger body. She sat down stiffly in the Mustang and glared out at the passing scenery as Chandler drove her back home.


Barricade


Barricade stiffened at the foul storm cloud trapped beneath the female's skin.

What he could still sense from their earlier transfer told him that she was an absolute wreck under the perfectly neutral expression on her face. He watched as she bypassed any greetings or even a glance in his direction and went straight toward the appliance that held her precious store of liquid toxins. His optics narrowed when she grabbed more than one and left the space again. He followed her motions through the house. She was going into the back yard, where she promptly sat in the dirt and started drinking.

Anger coiled in his spark. If she continued to do this to herself, she'd ruin all of the fragile organs in her body, and they would fail her.

He waited for her to return. Minutes turned to hours-she was taking her time with these rather than tossing them back in a blind haste to numb all of her problems. When she finally did come back, she only sat one empty glass down. The other, half full, went back into the fridge. She shut the door with both hands and stayed there, still and silent as stone.

Barricade considered attempting to soothe the darkness from her, but held back. Something about her posture, her mannerisms, her stillness-it was all very familiar to him. He knew that contact was the last thing she needed, even if it was intended to heal. If she wanted him to intervene, she'd signal for it by asking or seeking him out with her life force.

So he allowed the silence to settle, and watched over her as she fought a war within herself deep into the night. The female unlocked her limbs without so much as a grimace at midnight and moved slowly toward her seat-bed. Barricade eased down on his axles, sensing that her fragile body was beginning to wind down into it's recharge cycle.

She laid down with her back to him, pulling one of the thinner blankets all the way up to cover everything including her head. Barricade allowed himself to drift toward recharge as well.

A soft curl of her energy brushed against his field, not looking for anything but reassurance that he was there. Without prompting, his field soothed over it with the same gentleness he'd approached her with earlier, and didn't fight to hold contact when she retreated.


I'm so sorry this is late. Hopefully the content will make up for it. Thanks to everyone whos been reading, following, favoriting and reviewing! It means worlds to me that you enjoy this story. Once again, I've slacked on responding to reviews. Bad Demonatron.

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend, and wish you all a good week as well. Thank you for stopping by!

Aloha, Chandler and the story belongs to me. Barricade and Transformers does not.