As they drive slowly, painfully, back to the compound Winnie looks quickly over at the holoform. "Are you going to tell G about the cut when we get back?"
"Why should I?" Bumblebee asks. "I've already taken care of it... I can't guarantee what Lifeflight will do, though."
"I just don't want them asking about it. Thank you." They are quiet for a moment, and then Winnie asks, "How do you know?"
"How do I know what?"
"When something is up."
"With G?"
"With anyone."
"Uh... I think you need to rephrase your question," he says. "I know what's up with G because I'm directly bonded to her, so everything she does I have a general idea of. About the others... please explain."
"You just... I don't know... never mind." She looks out the window and pulls into the compound clearing.
"What? Now I'm curious."
She stops and takes him out of gear. "You know what people are thinking about. When you talk to people you just know what is wrong. You... I don't know." She pulls the keys out of the ignition and sets them on the dash.
"Winnie... I don't know. That's just how I am. I can't help but notice things like that... when you've done what I've done, like fight in the Pits... it just comes to you. I don't know. It's how I am."
Winnie looks over and opens the door. "Sorry." She climbs out of the car and looks around.
"I'm not," Bumblebee says. "It's a helpful skill."
"No, I mean... I didn't mean to pry." She turns and walks over to the fenced in field, where Brawny is.
"Ask me questions, Winnie. It's nice to talk to someone."
Winnie walks over and leads Brawny out. "Can you hold him for a bit? I lost my cloak in the woods during the storm and need to get it."
"Yep."
Transforming, Bumblebee stands up and takes the reins. "Thanks," she says before turning and jogging out into the woods.
Winnie picks her way through the trees. She didn't notice the other night, but debris litters the floor. Birds chirp in the sunshine, and as she nears the path, she took she sees cloth flapping in the breeze. Her cloak is still hanging on the bush and she yanks it down and heads back to the clearing.
...
Bumblebee watches Winnie walk back out of the woods, and he proffers the reins to her. "I see you have a couple of tears in that."
Winnie takes the reins and sticks her hand through one. "Not the first time, I'll fix it." She throws it over the Pa'li's back.
"I'll follow you and open the warp bridge," Bee says, transforming again.
" 'Kay." Winnie swings onto Brawn's back. She kicks him and trots to the road.
Bumblebee rolls out, following her back to Base. The warp gate opens, and Bee watches as Winnie disappears through it.
...
The horse doesn't break in his stride as she rides him to the stables. Bee follows her to the stable, and as she pulls the gear off, he leads brawny out into one of the pastures behind the stable.
"Remember," he says, "Number three. Brawny is in number three."
"Thank you!" Winnie calls after him, hefting the saddle onto one arm.
"Here, give me the saddle. I'll go put it back - you go inside and see what G's up to."
"Thanks," Winnie says, laying it to the side while he walks back. Turning, she jogs up to the porch.
Opening the porch door, she is thrust into a warm, baked-goods aroma.
"W-Winnie!" Lifeflight exclaims, sitting on the counter, covered in flour.
"Oh good, you're back," G says. "Come over here and be my guinea pig."
Winnie flicks her hair over her cheek and smiles. "Sure thing. What happened to you, Lifeflight?" she asks, taking off her muddy boots.
"I mixed," he says. "Come try! G can bake."
Winnie leaves her boots by the door and walks over. "Smells good." She pokes the floured medic. He smiles and looks up at G.
"Magic," she says, holding out a plate.
"What's happening- BROWNIES!"
"And blondies," G says, laughing. "No offense, Winnie."
Winnie swipes one of them and laughs. "Like I would." She takes a bite and her eyes widen.
"These are heavenly," she says with her mouth full.
"You bet," Bumblebee says, pulling a yellow one off the plate.
"Who wants some lunch?" G asks. "Any requests?"
"Food please!" she says, sitting next to Lifeflight.
"Sandwich? Soup? Something else?" G asks, looking up at Bee, then to Winnie.
"Energon," Bumblebee and Lifeflight chime, and G looks back at Winnie.
"Whatever is fine with me. Did you peeps already eat?"
"Just batter. The only one who's eaten is Oneshot because he was impatient. So... what you up for?"
"Um... soup? Anything is fine with me," she says, watching Lifeflight's rotors flick.
"It's your choice," G says. "Lunch usually goes pretty light around here with everyone but me."
"What would you like, then?"
Rolling her eyes, G shifts her stance. "Anything you'll eat, dude. Grilled cheese, ramen, energon, sandwich, tuna sandwich... anything ringin' a bell?"
"Ooh, grilled cheese?"
"Yep. Cheddar or Jack?"
"Cheddar, please. You want me to do anything?"
"Sit down."
Winnie watches G prepare the sandwich. "What else has been happening?"
"Nothin'," G says. "Here."
"I'll j-join you," Lifeflight says, and Bumblebee transfers him from the counter to the island.
"So, how'd your day go?" she asks, taking a bite.
"Great!" Lifeflight says, "A-Although y-you missed-d proper breakfast. "D-Did you get the trees o-out?"
"Sorry about that. Yep, I got the trees out... cows 'n' trees, trees 'n' cows." She wipes some of the flower off his foot.
"That-t's good," he says. "N-Now the rebuilding-g can start."
"Probably tomorrow, I'll start. These are good brownies."
"It's all G," Lifeflight says, "I-I c-can't-t bake."
"Don't give me all the credit," G says. "You mixed."
"Wh-What you told me t-to,' Lifeflight says, looking over his shoulder.
"Well it takes both to make a good brownie." Winnie says finishing up hers. Lifeflight smiles and his rotors flick.
"One cheese, grilled," G says, setting down a plate in front of Winnie. "Milk or energon?"
"Milk please. Thank you Gil."
"Yep."
Pouring a glass, G slides it over to Winnie, and starts in on her own sandwich.
"Thanks." She looks to Lifeflight. "So, Mr. Brownie-Mixer..."
"Yes?" Lifeflight asks, looking up at Winnie.
"What are you doing after lunch?" she says, taking a bite from her sandwich.
"N-Nothing that I know of," Lifeflight says. "D-Did you want t-to do something?"
"I dunno..."
"There's a creek a little ways down from the stable. You could walk down there," Bee says. "It's cool and secluded."
Winnie's ears turn a little pink at the last word. "Neat." She takes another bite.
"C-Could we g-go there?" Lifeflight asks, perking up. "A creek! Th-There must b-be a lot of flowers-s down there."
"Sure. Would you want to come, Gil? Bee?"
"I'm going to sleep, Winnie. G?"
"I've got to take Blade to medbay for a booster... Sunray is here with the others. I don't know, maybe. But you two go ahead. There are no creatures except deer around here, guaranteed."
"That's good to know." She smiles and looks over at Lifeflight.
"Y-Yeah... c-can I h-have a bite?"
"Sure." Winnie breaks off a piece of warm, cheesy, bread and sets it on the edge of the plate. Reaching forward, he picks up the piece, monstrous in his hands, and takes a bite, rotors flicking up in surprise.
"This is good!" he says, eyes wide.
"See? If you let me make food for you this would happen more often," she says, poking his shoulder.
Lifeflight takes another bite, and G sets a shot glass of energon down next to him.
"Th-Thank you," he murmurs, and Bumblebee sits down beside Winnie.
Lifeflight slowly consumes most of the bread piece, and yawns when he is finished, just a small bit remaining.
"You wanna stick around here?" she asks, finishing her own lunch.
"You can always go down later," Bumblebee says.
Lifeflight yawns again. "I-I think-k I have n-no choice."
He rubs an eye, smudging some of the flour. "Wh-Where will you g-go, Winnie? W-Will you stay?"
"Yeah. If you want me to I mean.."
"Y-Yeah," he mumbles, sitting down on the counter and leaning over his knees. "D-Don't leave..."
"Okay...I won't." She smiles, and picks him up gently.
Lifeflight sighs as Winnie picks him up, and she holds him next to her chest, he leans against her, feeling the warmth through her shirt.
"What day of his size change is this?" G asks. "Three?"
Winnie nods. "Yeah."
"Wow. Well, three down, four to go, at least. Where you guys gonna crash? I have a book or three that you could sit down with too."
"Um... couch? Is that alright?" she whispers as the little mech falls asleep against her.
"Sure," G says softly. "You gonna read or sleep?"
"You know I can't sleep," she says, smiling. "If you have something extra to read, that would be good."
"Yep... what do you want? Got plenty of reading material if you want to check out the library before crashing."
"I'll check it out. Thanks, G." She says and turns towards the library.
Winnie walks in and nods at Shield who is sitting in one of the chairs. Walking over to one of the bookshelves, she runs her free hand over the spines. She chooses one and slides it out, smiling.
"What did you pick?" Shield asks, not even looking up from his book.
"Robin Hood."
"I read that," he murmurs. "Enjoy."
"I have too. And I will," she whispers. "Enjoy your book, too."
"Thank you," he says, shifting in his seat.
Winnie walks from the library and sits slowly down in the squishy couch. Leaning back she props the book open on her knee. She lays Lifeflight in the crook of her arm, careful not to jostle him. His rotors flick gently and he smiles.
Bumblebee walks in, and sits down opposite Winnie. He slides down, panels facing the ceiling, and is soon snoring lightly. Winnie smiles and shakes her head, and starts to read.
Winnie reads on as Lifeflight sleeps, slowly curling deeper into her side. He barely wakes up when she shifts positions, and settles back into a warmer spot against her side. Bumblebee doesn't move - his panels twitch every now and then. Winnie smiles down at him and her stomach flutters when he snuggles into her shirt. Watching his rotors flick she pulls the arm holding him closer.
Lifeflight moans and his hand wraps around a piece of her shirt. Winnie leans back her book and rubs his arm with her thumb. "Shh..."
Lifeflight shivers at her touch, and his eyes open.
"W-W-Winnie?" he whispers.
"Go back to sleep.."
"Wh-Where... wh-where a-a-am I?"
"You're okay. You're at G's house. Go back to sleep," she whispers.
"D-Depthch-charge..."
"No, he's not here. You're okay now." Lifeflight rubs and eye, and looks around, then up at Winnie. "O-Okay."
He shimmies up her side, until he is curled up over her heart. "I-I can hear y-your heartbeat-t."
Winnie smiles and feels her ears get warm. "Mmm..." Lifeflight mumbles, falling back asleep.
Winnie laughs quietly, careful not to bump the bot and continues reading.
...
A half an hour later, Bumblebee stirs, and rolls off the couch, crashing onto the floor. He groans, reaches up and grabs a pillow, then settles back in. Winnie looks over and laughs silently. Leaning her cheek against the back of the couch she feels the finger sized bruises grow sore. She looks down at Lifeflight. This won't happen again.
As Winnie shifts again, Lifeflight's hand tightens on her shirt. Winnie tilts the book back and looks down at him. She would just close her eyes for a minute. That wouldn't be so bad...
...
A voice starts to find its way into Winnie's sleepy mind. "Winnie? W-Winnie?"
"Mm... five minutes. Ma, five minutes..."
"W-Winnie!"
Winnie's eyes open at Lifeflight's cry. "What's wrong?"
"I-I waited as long-g as I could," he mumbles, sliding down her chest to her hand. "P-Please take-ke me to th-the washroom."
"S-Sorry." Winnie swings her legs around and the book falls to the floor. She picks Lifeflight up and shuffles quickly into the bathroom. She sets him on the edge of the sink and walks back out.
"C-Call when you're done," she says closing the door behind her.
Winnie walks out into the house, and spots a clock. Eight o'clock... at night?! Where is everyone?
"Hello?" she calls softly into the house.
It is all quiet. Where did everyone go?
"W-Winnie?"
"Yeah. Are ya done?" She turns back to the door.
"Yeah."
Winnie opens the door slowly. "Lifeflight... you didn't happen to see where everyone went did you?"
"Bumblebee and G-G were called t-to Base, and S-Sunray is in bed with th-the sp-sparklings. I-I'm s-sorry-y I w-woke you... I-I was afraid to leap off-f the c-couch or take off of y-you."
"I shouldn't have fallen asleep..."
"Y-You needed the rest," Lifeflight says, swinging his legs on the edge of the counter. "I-I st-still-l can't-t reach th-the faucet."
Winnie reaches over and turns on the faucet for a moment.
"Th-Thank you," he says, and Winnie gently picks him up.
Winnie walks out and closes the door. "Wait," she says, freezing, "Do... do you know when the crazy-energy-tear-thing starts?"
"N-No," Lifeflight says, "B-But we ought to find a p-place and stay in it."
"Well..." Winnie takes a cautious step forward and stops.
"B-Bumblebee, when does the fabric ch-change location?" Lifeflight asks through his com.
He receives an answer, and looks to Winnie. "About ten... s-so we have time."
Winnie exhales and walks to the couch. "So how long were you waiting?" she asks turning on the lamp.
"L-Long enough," he mumbles. "B-But it's-s okay."
He smiles up at Winnie, and his rotors flick. "I-I'm glad you stayed."
"I'm sorry. Wish we could've gone to the creek..."
"There's-s always t-tomorrow," Lifeflight says.
"Yeah," she says smiling.
Setting Lifeflight on the top of the couch, Winnie sighs. "Wh-What will y-you do-o now?" Lifeflight asks. "Shower?"