I own nothing. This is set after Predatory, by the way.

ENJOY!

There's a song that's inside of my soul.
It's the one that I've tried to write over and over again.
I'm awake in the infinite cold.
But you sing to me over and over again.

Jack Darby is in love with Miko Nakadai. There was no denying this fact. In fact, he felt something the moment he laid eyes on her.

It was the day Arcee and Talida told him that Optimus Prime wanted to speak to him and Raf. At first, he objected. But when he heard HER voice telling him to go for it, he changed his mind in an instant. Arcee wasn't happy about another human discovering them. But he didn't care. He found himself intrigued by this young girl.

Arcee had transformed into her bipedal mode and extended the side-carriage out for Talida. Jack climbed on and gripped the handle bars. He felt Miko's smaller frame climb on behind him. And when she wrapped her arms around the waist…well, as the cliché goes, he felt sparks. He tried his best to hide his blush. But without a helmet, it was impossible.

"Hey. Are you OK?" Miko had asked him cautiously.

Jack only turned to her and smiled before saying,

"I'm fine."

So I lay my head back down.
And I lift my hands,
And pray to be only yours.
I pray to be only yours.
I know now you're my only hope…

She had run off. Snuck away with Bulkhead when he went off to rescue Agent Fowler from the Decepticons. Naturally, Jack worried over her safety. He still didn't know the young girl that well. But he still wanted to be her savior. So he, Raf and Talida snuck along with them to help their new friend.

But when they were trapped in a computer room aboard the Decepticon ship, Jack made sure that his anger over her getting herself in danger was known.

"It's your fault that we're stuck in this intensity! What were you thinking, Miko?" Jack hissed.

"Did I ask you to follow me?" Miko retorted.

"You want us to be a band! Doesn't that usually mean playing together?" Jack shot back.

"Well, maybe I decided to go solo!" Miko countered.

"Well, maybe I have some regard for your safety!" Jack blurted.

Miko was taken aback by Jack's confession. But what she didn't know was the fact that Jack had just practically confessed his feelings for her.

Sing to me the song of the stars.
Of your galaxy dancing and laughing,
And laughing again.
When it feels like my dreams are so far,
Sing to me of the plans that you have for me over again.

Jack was at home working on his bike when Miko visited him. He decided he didn't want a part in a war that had nothing to do with him. Optimus allowed him to leave and Ratchet bridged him back home. He knew that his choice would affect his relationship with Miko…if what they had could be called a relationship. But he certainly was surprised when she had Bulkhead drive her over.

"So this is where you hang, huh?" she had asked, "Back home in Tokyo, I have loving parents and two purebred cats, Chi Chi and Ding Dong. I went to the best school, took piano lessons since I was three…"

"How nice for you," Jack remarked.

"No. How boring," Miko corrected.

Jack turned to look at her in surprise. His broken bike leant against the garage wall forgotten. Miko had a better life than him. She had two loving parents, pets, went to the best school in the country and was able to take piano lessons. He was born to a single parent, he had no pets, they were barely able to get by and his job prevented him from pretty much having a social life. He told her to continue,

"It wasn't me. Why do you think I jumped at the chance to transfer here?"

"To Jasper, Nevada? The entertainment capital of the world?" Jack scoffed.

"Yeah, well, the brochere lied. Piano lessons were starting to look pretty good in fact. And then, the last couple of days happened," Miko said.

"Do you have a point?" Jack asked.

He didn't mean to be so rude to her. But he wanted to hide his growing feelings for her. And if this was the only way to do it, then so be it.

"I saw what you did today. When you saved Raf. When you came to save me!" Miko gushed.

Jack couldn't help but smile a little at the compliment. But he immediately covered it up.

"I was raised to be responsible. To my schoolwork, to my mum, to my best friend, my job!" Jack boasted bitterly.

"Dude, hear me out! You're no fry cook! You're a rock star! Stop trying to pretend you're normal, Jack. You'll never fit in. You were born to do so much more," Miko complimented.

Jack fully glanced into her eyes. Blue met brown and he knew he was lost. But he still held his ground. He wanted to come back. Really. He did. But he also didn't want to suffer through the hurt he would feel if he lost her.

"Thanks, Miko. But I think normal suits me fine," Jack grumbled.

And I lay my head back down.
And I lift my hands,
And pray to be only yours.
I pray to be only yours.
I know now you're my only hope…

"Want some help?"

Jack turned from the stove where he was cooking macaroni and cheese and saw Miko in the kitchen. Jack had finished adding all the ingredients for the sauce and is stirring the sauce over low heat. He only had to stir for two more minutes. The pasta was nearly done too.

"Yeah. Can you keep stirring the sauce?" Jack requested kindly, "I need to check the pasta."

"Sure," Miko nodded as she took over.

Jack smiled. There was no reason why he couldn't put their alone time together to good use. As he continued to stir the pasta, he turned his head to look at Miko. He let his eyes wander over her body. Her brown hair with pink highlights was out of their pigtails and flowed to her shoulders elegently. Her brown eyes were inquisitive and darkened whenever they were together. He didn't know why. They just did. Then he let his eyes wander past her delightfully full lips and her neck down to her chest. Her breasts weren't big. They were adequately sized. And she had all the curves in all the right places. If only her clothes weren't covering those curves…

Jack snapped himself out of his perverted thoughts and went back to the pasta which was now cooked. He went over the sink and poured the contents of the saucepan – pasta and all – into the strainer in the sink. He shook the utensil a couple of times, making sure all of the water was out. With that task successfully completed, he carried it over to Miko who continued stirring the white sauce.

"Now I need to pour the pasta into the sauce and then stir it all together before putting it in the oven," Jack told her.

Within moments, the dish was in the oven and the timer was set for fifteen minutes. At first, Jack and Miko just sat there looking awkward. Then they glanced into each other's eyes. That was it. Jack's self-control was blown. Before either of them could say anything, Jack had Miko pressed against the wall and his lips were crushing hers in a firey passionate kiss.

I gave you my empathy.

I'm giving you harmony.

I want your symphony,

Singing in all that I am.

At the top of my lungs…

I'm giving it back…

Immediately, Miko kissed him back with a fire of her own, pushing herself away from the wall and closer to him. He growled and pushed her against the wall harder, trapping her with his hips. She whimpered in delight at the friction between the two of them. It was delicious. Deliberately, he ground his hips into hers harder. Her mouth opened wider as she gasped and felt her eyes roll to the back of her head in ecstacy. Taking advantage, he shoved his tongue into her mouth, his hands gripping her thighs tightly as he wrapped her legs around his hips, demanding to be closer.

Miko knew Jack as the shy, usually outspoken leader who is sometimes afraid to take charge. But she's never seen him like THIS. And to be honest, she liked seeing this side of Jack. And wanted to see this side a lot more often.

"I love you," he panted as he licked and bit at her neck, "I love you so much."

"I love you too," she moaned as he licked her collarbone.

Immediately, he crushed his lips against hers and her hands desperately pushed the hemming of his shirts up his chest.

The macaroni and cheese in the oven was forgotten as Jack and Miko explored their love for each other. Physically and emotionally.

And I lay my head back down.
And I lift my hands,
And pray to be only yours.
I pray to be only yours.
I pray to be only yours.
I know now you're my only hope…

OK. That could've been done better. It's nowhere near as good as the Optimus and Arcee one-shot I did in this story. But I'm eager to get this up. It's another one of my Christmas presents for you guys. And yes! Jack and Miko are officially dating there.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

And I'll try to get Sick Mind up before the New Year. But my mum's birthday is on Wednesday so I'm gonna be a bit pressed for time. I'll see what I can do.