Chapter 13: In flagrante delicto

June walked as quietly as she could through her darkened house, a smile across her face. It wasn't often that work would get done early, especially not a few days early when it took more than one. But when it did happen every once in a blue moon, the only sound that could be heard from the staff was them clambering to get out of the hospital. It was always a relief to get home to her nice peaceful abode, especially when the moon was still high in the sky. Most weeknights she was there able to get the desired amount of sleep, but sometimes on the weekends there was just so much work to do, especially with taking care of the work that temporary nurses left for her.

That out of the way though, she needed to be home. Even if Jack was the most trust-worthy child she could ever have the pleasure of raising, it just felt right to be there for her son, especially in his maturing years. It was sad to say that once his father was out of the picture she was the main source of income for them. That meant less time to be spent with him...to her he was the world. But it needed to be done. For him. To ensure that he have the best future she could provide for him. It was the endless cycle of parents wanting more for their offspring.

Simply to liven her mentality, June decided to peek into her son's room. With how he talked about things it was highly unlikely that Miko and him would've canceled their little movie night. And since the girl wasn't on the couch she must've fallen asleep watching a flick with him again. Even if she wasn't the most...appealing female ever, the little Asian always was cute curled up next to the boy. Though she'd be ashamed to admit it, the woman had thought over quite a few times what it'd be like to have such a daughter-in-law. But that notion was usually shaken out of her head the moment after it'd formed. It was just humorous.

The smile fell from her face a bit as she touched the door to her son's room. It was ajar. But what had brought her face to the state it was in was a noise. The door across from the room she was currently at was opening. It wasn't the fact that it wasn't Jack that came out of the bathroom that got to her. And it wasn't the fact that Miko gave a loud yawn that did either. No, what shot a bullet through June Darby's mind was the fact that the Asian girl had emerged from the bathroom stark naked.

After scratching her armpit, Miko blinked and noticed the older female gawking at her. The girl's eyes grew to the size of dinner-plates while her cheeks heated up more than she'd ever felt them. She could've sworn she saw the hallway lighting up a bit from their redness. Hesitantly she looked at the door to Jack's room before returning her glance to his mother. June's eyes followed in a similar pattern, her jaw somehow lowering even further from the ideas that popped into her head from the viewable connection she was seconds the two females stared at each other, their minds racing. After what seemed like an hour, the older woman coughed and stood up to her full height. Miko bit her lip.

"Well...better not keep him waiting..." June said quietly, her eyes closed and her cheeks red. Miko took a step back in shock. Was she really...giving her permission?...

"Wait...you're not gonna...talk to us or any of that crap that a parent's supposed to do?..." Miko asked. She was stupefied. A stern face formed on June's.

"Not yet," she told her. Miko gulped. Slowly she marched to Jack's door. Stealing a glance back at the woman, Miko gave a nervous wave and slipped into the room. In need of the comfort after such an encounter, Miko practically dove into the covers and snuggled up into Jack's arms.

"Why hello..." he murmured sleepily and gave her a kiss on the head, "You see someone break into the house or something?..."

"...something like that..." she said quietly burying her face deeper into his chest.

Jack hummed a little tune to himself as he walked down the hallway. As with most of his and Miko's "bonding" time, last night would be a night Jack would never forget. If nothing else, THAT was one thing that she seemed to be an expert at. And the boy couldn't be more thankful for it. Every night now was pure bliss. The emotions, the intensity, the sheer colliding love. It was all so much to take in. It was their purpose and life being realized to the fullest and shared with each other. The most intimate and private of acts coupled between them as they wrestled beneath the covers the bed.

Had Jack still been in the bathroom he might have noticed the smile forming on his face in the small time-frame he'd been walking. Unsatisfied with the normal air, Jack took a deep breath in vain hope that the Asian girl's scent might somehow work its way into his nostrils. It was a futile gesture of course. She was in the dining room and he was in the hall. Of course he'd be there in a matter of seconds. The smile widened at the thought of her. He would come in and give her a kiss right on the cheek. And after the events of the previous night it would more than likely evolve into much more than just that.

Jack really did have to say that he could not have ever predicted that they'd wind up in the relationship they were now in. They were so...opposite...but maybe that's what they liked about each other so much. They were there to get in each other's way. Counteract their differences. Miko was there to break him out of being a distanced teenage boy, and he was there to keep her from getting herself killed in her stupidity and immaturity. Sure there'd been hints that he'd picked up on with her wanting to game with him more then Raf and persisting at trying to one-up him even after she knew that the team realized her occasional importance. But he never thought they'd actually...get to this point. They really did love each other. In his state of bliss, Jack finally slid through the kitchen and into the dining room.

"Hi Mik-MOM!" Jack yelped upon seeing the woman sitting across from the girl. Miko chanced a nervous smile back at him and nudged her head signaling for him to take a seat. Just as shaky as she seemed to be, Jack slipped into a chair, his vision continually switching between the two females. Calmly, June lifted her cup of coffee and took a sip. "I uh...didn't expect to see you home this early..." Jack stuttered rubbing his arm. Noticing the glass of orange juice that had been prepared for him, he decided to take his own drink, even if simply to calm his nerves. He felt Miko's hand give his a squeeze. Sheepishly he smiled at her.

"Got off work early," June replied setting down her cup, "now then. How was your night?" Jack lifted a brow to Miko, a suspicious smile lifting. To his surprise she didn't return the look. She didn't even put her eyes on him...in fact...she seemed...cautious.

"It was...fun," he decided to answer for both of them. June nodded.

"I'm sure," she said. Needing some more comfort, Jack took another sip from his glass. "So what all exactly do you two do in bed?" Then spit out the mouthful. Jack's eyes bulged and he began hacking on what little of the liquid had gotten caught in his throat in surprise.

"W-WHAT!" he managed to choke as the coughing died down. June's expression lightened a bit. She'd always wanted to see if she could get someone to do that. The humor was quickly dismissed of course. They had rather serious business to talk about. Warily Jack eyed Miko. Her face was just as red as his. "M-mom...what are you-"

"Saw Miko last night when I came home," June told him, "after you were in bed." Jack glanced at his friend in disbelief. Miko just gave an innocent smile back. The boy smacked his forehead. So this was how it ended. Not with a breakup or one of them getting killed in a meaningful scene...no, it was from his mom finding out by coming home early from work. "So...how intimate have you been?" his mom asked. Jack was surprised that she didn't just yell at them right then and there.

"...define the highest level of intimacy please..." Miko said poking her fingers together in embarrassment. June's eyes widened as she peered at her son. Jack felt like he could die in his seat.

"Mom uh...well you see...we're teenagers and uh...a boy and girl...in uh...bed..." he tried to come up with an excuse. It was a lost cause. June just kept her arms folded in full awareness of the vainness of it all.

"I take it you've been using protection?" she persisted much to his dismay. Jack's face was getting redder by the second. It'd have been one thing if it was a private conversation, but he was being asked this right in front of his...partner.

"Um...well...I don't really know where to get uh...condoms..." he cringed. That would be it. It had to be. This would be the point where his mother would drag him into her room and start smacking him over the head or something. And it certainly did seem like it with how horrified an expression she now had. Fortunately for this particular moment, it wasn't a private conversation.

"Relax Mrs. D. My host parents never let me leave the house without taking that stupid pill," Miko told her distastefully, "Besides, I'm sure what we're doing feels SOOO much better than having some tube of plastic sliding in and out of...uh...I'll shut up now." Everyone in the room was blushing by that point. June's sigh broke the long silence that followed. To Jack and Miko's complete and utter shock she smiled.

"Well alright," she sighed. Jack and Miko blinked and stared at each other.

"All...right?..." Miko asked making sure that she'd heard the woman correctly. June nodded.

"It's not like I could stop if I tried if you really do like each other like that," she shrugged, "I was a teen once too. I know this kinda stuff. Just so long as I'm not becoming a grandma just yet. Besides Jack, you're the most responsible boy I know. I trust you." More happy than she'd been in a long time, Miko wrapped her arms around Jack and placed her head at his shoulder.

"Oh kickass! Can't believe you're mom said we're allowed to...uh..." Miko trailed off as her and Jack stared at the adult in the room. She had a rather testing look on her face from the sudden excitement. Jack and Miko gave her doubtful smiles.

"...we won't do it while you're here," Jack assured her.

"Sir?" a distant voice. Megatron shook his head woozily. In the back of his mind he could still feel the pang of the detestable violence that had swam over his mentality. "Sir?" the voice repeated, "Yoohoo...can you see me?..." Megatron found himself asking that as well actually. He knew that his eyes were open, but all the he could see was a blur. A reddish one to be precise. Now that he thought about what the voice sounded like he realized who it was. The Decepticon groaned clutching his head. Knockout gave a sigh of relief. "Well at least you haven't become one with the Allspark." Shaking off more of the pained effects, Megatron turned around a bit. He was back on his warship!

"Knockout, what is the status of the artifact?" Megatron muttered. Knockout couldn't believe what he was hearing. Even after all that the leader was still fixated on that objective?

"We lost it sir," Knockout told him. The titanic Cybertronian's teeth gritted. Angrily he hopped to his feet and pulled the medic into the air. Megatron's glare made his Spark run cold. "Sorry sir, but we had...bigger problems at the time," Knockout dared to apologize. He could've sworn he saw steam coming out from the linings of Megatron's plating.

"What would have been more important?..." he seethed, "Battling the Autobots? I think not..." Knockout blinked.

"But sir...that's what you were doing..." he told him, "...and then Starscream whom you very viciously decided to dent the wings of..." Now Megatron was the one to blink. Slowly he set the smaller Decepticon back on the ground and reclaimed his seat.

"...what?" he asked, "I don't remember any of that..." Knockout's eyes narrowed slightly.

"...Sir...you wouldn't have happened to have been using Dark Energon again would you have?" Knockout inquired, a touch of disapproval in his voice. Megatron competed with the suspicious look.

"So what if I have?" he asked darkly, "I'm the leader of our faction. What I say goes. And besides, not like you would be able to do much to stop me..." Knockout rolled his eyes. He wasn't even threatened by the vicious nature of his commander anymore. They were idle words that were just there to get him out of the situation.

"Soundwave had to restrain you," Knockout told him. A wave of surprise washed over the taller Decepticon. "You ripped apart about three or four of our troops before he decided to step in. For everyone else's sake, you can't be pulling this scrap." Megatron's head tilted downwards a tad. Was he really losing himself to that dark influence?...

"I'm...sorry...really..." he sighed, "It's just...what do you recommend we do doctor?" Knockout's eyes widened. Megatron had never asked for his advice before.

"Well...we should probably do a scan of your systems to see how much the Dark Energon has multiplied by now," Knockout told him. Megatron nodded.

"Do it."

Miko was too enraptured in the game she was playing to hear the door near the bed close. Gaming always took her mind off of things, even things she didn't mind.

"And how is my favorite little Asian after all that?" Jack whispered into Miko's ear. The touch of Jack's arm sliding around her waist sent shivers up her spine. Not at all detesting the idea, Miko leaned back allowing the boy's arms to pull her against him even more. Her unquenchable desire ever yearning for more, Miko grabbed the hand that had settled at her pelvis and slid it up to her breast inciting a light gasp from the squeeze it gave. With a small moan she leaned her head back into his neck and brushed her lips along the underside of his jaw, the blush of his cheeks joining her's.

"Well...a bit better now..." Miko replied quietly. Jack tensed up a bit from the pressure of her lower body pressing against his front. Looking down towards her butt she giggled. "And I'm guessing I don't need to ask how you're feeling..." The coloring in Jack's face intensified. "But thanks...squeeze again." Miko let out an excited "eep!" as he did so. Unable to suppress her rising primal urge any longer, Miko whirled around in his arms and pushed his body down into the bed with her's. Viciously their tongues lashed at each other. It was always so invigorating when they'd breathe into their mouths, filling the other with their air.

A natural reaction to him by now, Jack slowly slid his hands down to Miko's lower back where they squeezed instigating even more of a violent slithering from her tongue while her body rubbed up down against his. In return, Miko's hands also began to wander. Mainly it was down his front. More firm than his cautious touch, the girl slid the appendages across his tummy and sides to which he shivered quite a bit. Then he felt the pressure reach his lower body. That's the point that he broke apart from the girl. Panting, Miko grinned and began to slide one hand in when he grabbed her arm. Wondering just why he was acting so negatively, Miko looked up. Jack's face was full of regret and turmoil.

"Remember?...not while mom's around..." he reminded. Sighing, Miko just collapsed onto his body. Better to have something than nothing at all.

"And here I was hoping to have a good shower today," she murmured. Sympathetically, Jack ran his fingers through her hair.

"You can still take one silly," he told her.

"I said a good one," she grinned up at him half-heartedly. Smiling back, Jack nuzzled his face into her hair. At least they were still together. That had been his biggest fear. A parent somewhere would find out and BAM! No more relationship...and possibly no more Miko period. Not to say that wasn't a bad thing sometimes, but with how things had developed...they needed each other. Not just for the intimacy, but for their friendship too. On whatever insane level of mentality, they enjoyed each other's company. They liked all the times they would argue and fight. It gave meaning to their otherwise dull lives.

"...you know what? Fuck it. Let's take that shower! Need to loosen up after that whole mom thing!" Jack exclaimed. Miko looked up at Jack in wonder. She didn't know where that sudden burst of confidence had come from...but she liked it. Soon she had quite the sizable grin on her face. Using what force he could muster, Jack wobbled out of bed with the girl in his arms bridal style. "...yeah...Arcee's right...you're heavier than ya look..." Miko shot an annoyed look at him which he smiled back at as they emerged from his room. Just he was about to reach the bathroom though, something caught his eye. At the end of the hall was his mom staring at them.

"...uh..." she blinked in confusion. Out of hesitation Jack dropped Miko and turned to his parent.

"H-hi mom," he waved uneasily, "We were just uh...playing around. We were gonna use the shower if you don't mind." Now her eyes widened.

"...together?..." she questioned. Jack rubbed his arm.

"Yes, together," Miko responded somehow cautious and annoyed at the same time rubbing her butt as she got back to her feet. The two teenagers continued the unsettling stare-down with the grown up for about half a minute before anyone spoke again.

"...alright..." June eventually murmured, "Just don't take too long. And be VERY careful, you could slip and-"

"Mom, we both know how to use a bathtub," Jack interrupted in embarrassment. June sighed.

"Alright, but be sure to wash your hair and under your arms and-"

"MOM!" Jack turned his face away from Miko, his cheeks bright red. He could hear the girl giggling next to him. Giving them a anxious smile, June nodded her head and continued her trek to her room. Still chuckling to herself quite a bit, Miko opened the door and walked in.

"Hey uh, Miko, sorry about droppin-"

"You can make it up to me in here," she told Jack yanking him in and locking the door behind him.

"Well guys, it's about time for me to pick up Miko and Jack," Bulkhead announced. All that he received from the red and white Autobot was a tilt of his head. Ratchet was forever toiling away at whatever peaked his interest.

"Have a good time," Raf told the hulking Cybertronian. At the lounge area the smallest human was currently racing a virtual car against Bumblebee in a video game. From the looks of things, the Transformer was quite the expert and by far the best opponent Raf had to look forward to. Even after the green car had driven off, Bumblebee and Raf were still neck and neck. It looked like they were both going to cross the finish line at the same time when suddenly the screen darkened...actually...the whole room darkened. Bumblebee's eyes went wide and he began to hop around excitedly.

"Relax Bee, let's just say we both won," Raf laughed to his partner. Shoulders slumped in annoyance, the Autobot picked the smaller being up and walked over to Ratchet. Before they'd arrived at the console the power had flickered back on.

"What's up?" Raf asked.

"Oh it's this stupid artifact..." Ratchet grumbled. Raf looked at the computer screen. The medic seemed to be analyzing the data of the triangle that Jack and Miko had brought back in their most recent endeavor. In the center of it appeared to be a circular jewel-like structure. "The scrappin' thing's giving off too much power whenever I try to really get a good inspection of it," Ratchet sighed, "Hence the power malfunctions in the base..." Raf rubbed his chin as he approached the computer screen closer.

"...have you tried comparing the energy it gives off to anything archived?" the human asked. Ratchet lifted a brow.

"No...but how exactly would that help?" he replied.

"Think of it like this," Raf told him, "If scientists have something they've never come in contact with before they compare and contrast it to other findings to pinpoint what exactly it's closest to. This might not look like anything else you have on record, but if this gives off so much energy surely you could fiddle around with the energy readings of artifacts you guys have had in the past. Then you might be able to get it under better control after some analyzation of its comparison." Ratchet blinked, his mouth sunken a bit.

"...you really are one smart kid," he shook his head in disbelief. The only wonder Ratchet had about the whole issue was why he hadn't thought of the solution first.

"And be careful!" June Darby waved. More to satisfy her than to give actual response, the boy and girl waved back through the window. Once she was out of sight, they slumped back in the seats of the green vehicle letting out sighs of relief.

"DEAR GOD!" Miko cried pulling on her pigtails, "That. Was. Torture!" Jack was too busy rubbing the sides of his head to really pay much attention to her own whining. He was still trying to cope with the fact that his mom now knew about everything. His insides rattled. The entire time in the shower neither of them had been all that calm. Just that fear of the other person in the house...being there...waiting for a slip-up. The unknown consequences of breaking the rules that'd been set up for something so private now that it was known. The situation was all so nerve-wrecking...his mom just simply having the knowledge was what was getting to them.

And not only that...how calm she'd been about it. Normally Jack assumed that a child, especially his age, would've been beaten senseless for such stupidity. But nope...she'd been just fine with them being so close. Granted she'd obviously been a bit annoyed. That could be seen clear-as-day on her face whenever Jack and Miko were together now. But she did nothing to stop it. It's like she was abandoning her job as a parent...something that did not sit well in his stomach. She was the only one he had to look up to...

But at the same time...it's what he'd hoped. Sure he'd never imagined that she'd actually be fine with him and Miko, but he had hoped beyond hope that they could stay together in some way. And she was allowing it! Even after finding out what all they'd done! The whole matter was a double-bladed sword. Pros and cons to both aspects in his mind.

"But really, you should have seen the look on her face last night..." Miko cringed at the memory, "...me just coming out of the bathroom with nothing but...well nothing on..." Jack blushed at the thought. "Jaw just hanging there...eyes wide..."

"Can we please not talk about it?..." Jack murmured.

"R-right..." Miko chuckled nervously. For quite a while the car drove in silence. This obviously bugged Bulkhead since he was so used to commotion from his partner.

"Alright, so...anything else up with you two besides the embarrassing incident that you'll likely never recover from today?" he asked. Miko's eye twitched.

"Not helping..." she grumbled. Deciding it best to keep his voice synthesizer as inactive as possible, Bulkhead flipped on the radio. "Well...either way...well we're alone now!" Miko realized happily, "Except for the Rustbucket Wingman-Dropout here."

"HEY!"

"So...happy fun time that we couldn't have at home now?" Miko suggested. Jack glanced at her for a few seconds before giving a slow nod.

"I'm still here you know. Would appreciate it if you didn'-" Bulkhead's voice died as Miko turned down the volume on the radio. With a wink she leaned towards Jack. Though a bit hesitant, the boy did the same. But the lips never touched. Their eyes closed and their mouths pursed...but they never touched. Their faces just hung there frozen in front of each other, their blood pumping viciously through them. Miko was the one to break away first.

"GOD DAMNIT!" she growled hitting her head against the car's window. Jack just leaned back, shame written on his face. The girl hadn't wanted to admit it, but June knowing about everything had gotten to her too! That's why she'd been gaming! To forget about the whole mess! That's why she'd tried to be the active one when they were together afterwards. Being the one that never thought more than five seconds ahead, she never took notice, or would have wanted to, that she'd feel the deep sinking feeling of dishonesty and that crap afterwards in the wake of her imminent enjoyment. She just wanted to forget about the whole thing...

"...I miss when this was a secret relationship..." she grumbled. The comment made Jack laugh lightly.

"You seem to dislike a lot of things that my mom does," he noticed. Miko nodded her head all too eagerly.

"You can say that again. Her trying to play parent to me and Raf and telling us what do...and her finding out about the Autobots and all that crap! She doesn't play by the rules!"

"That's probably a good thing if they're YOUR rules," Jack informed. Miko puffed out her cheeks in annoyance. But the jest did at least liven her mood a bit...a bit. There was still the lingering sense of the embarrassment from everything. Miko and Jack shared a sigh. Time really seemed to be the only thing that healed such issues. Sure the scars would always be there, but it'd get better.

"Well...okay...so mom knows...we just gotta...make the best of it," Jack admitted. Miko turned her head to him once he'd placed his hand on her's. She could see the burst of confidence that he'd had when he gave in to the shower request beneath his face. "I still love you...and you still love me...that doesn't change...so...how's about we just accept it and-mmm!" Miko's lips pressed firmly against his as Bulkhead wheeled into the base, her breaking point reached and their troubles and fears for the moment thrown to the wind.

-end of chapter-

Well, believe it or not...that scene where they're at the table with Jack's mom is the VERY FIRST THING I ever thought up about this story. It was late one night, I was in bed, and I thought that scene up out of boredom. And that's what this story all started from. Figured I'd go back to more of the Jack Miko focus of the older chapters with this one.

Here they be in bed: warahi(dot)deviantart(dot)com/art/Red-Handed-307809018