there's a million&one ways
A/N: I've had this chapter stuck in my head for months! I'm so glad that I finally got to write it! :D
Pairings: Annabelle Lennox w/ Starscream vs. Annabelle Lennox w/ Ironhide
Disclaimer: I do not own transformers © Hasbro.
Annabelle braced herself for a hard, jerky landing. She pressed her head into the seat so that she wouldn't be tempted to watch as he toppled to the ground. The trees snapped out of the seeker's way, falling to the ground in a bundle of crackling and thumping. Their leaves moaned in the metal-made breeze. The seeker's engines deactivated, leaving only an ominous silence. She peered over her shoulder to see they had landed, flawlessly. Cold winds burst into the cockpit as he grabbed her. She hugged her torso tightly and instantly wished to return to his warm, 76 degree Fahrenheit cockpit.
She glanced up, hoping to see a break in the clouds, but there was no relief in sight. A cold wind rustled the pines and moved over the grass, commanding it to sway like waves on her pond at home. Cowardly birds flew away from the disturbance. The forest held its breath. Even the mightiest of predators were humbled at the sight of Starscream.
He broke the silence when he spoke, "Don't fight what I'm about to do – it'll keep you safe while we are here." He pulled out from a compartment above his cockpit a new set of clothes. He dropped the skinny jeans, royal purple turtle, and black high heel boots at her feet. "I made sure Barricade got the right size."
She lifted up one of the boots, immediately thinking how much it would hurt to where them in this unruly terrain. "You can't expect to wear this?" she said, holding the boot to him. "Unless you plan on carrying me all the way there."
"You're a light enough thing that I can carry you without any problems," he answered bluntly. "Now go ahead and change into the clothes."
"No," she snapped. "I am not changing clothes in front of you."
"Then I'll do it for you," Starscream growled.
"NO!" she shouted at the top of her lungs. "I refuse to have some sexual predator undress me and redress me like I'm some sort of Barbie doll." She slid out of the overly large cargo pants. Anna glanced down at her bare legs, sickened by rough edge of her unshaven legs. She quickly collected the dark skinny jeans and pulled them over her legs. The human reached for the high-class boots. She examined the four-inch heel before sliding her feet into them. She hit a snag, literally. Annabelle had begun to pull the turtle neck over her neck when she realized – remembered – that she would look like a fool since her arm was still bandaged to her chest. She looked to Starscream, who was smirking at the circumstances like – like he had planned it. She narrowed her accusing gaze on him.
"Need some help?" he asked in a voice that sounded too innocent.
Anna turned her back to him. She slowly pulled her camis off and held them tightly in her freehand. "Just get it done and over with," she growled.
He glided his claw over of the bandages, causing her to shiver at their icy touch. "You know – " He sliced one bandage free. "On Cybertron, there is no such thing as sex or any translation for it into our language." The seeker carved his way through a few more bandages. Anna flinched s his claw rested against her back. "That's because there is no such thing as that in our race." He brought his mouth close to Annabelle's mouth and breathed, "So I cannot be a sexual predator." He cut through the last of the bandages.
She exhaled a deep, warm breath before filling her lungs with an extra large breath of cool air. Anna used her injured arms to cover her breasts as she tried to slip the camis back over her chest. She reached for the turtleneck and warily pulled it over the camis. The human bit down on her tongue in response to the shots of pain running through her chest and wrist. She threw her head over her shoulders, looking at him with a seething hate. "Happy now?" Annabelle questioned.
The decepticon placed her on the ground, carefully to set her on a dry patch of ground. "Almost," he responded. Starscream opened a hatch near the top of his wrist, releasing hundreds of tiny, hallow, ebon' orbs. They bounced to the ground and rolled to a stop. Anna reached down and grabbed one. It had a polished finish like a diamond and was as smooth as the slick surface of glass that had been sprayed with Windex. "I need that," he spoke matter-of-factly.
She was about to open her mouth and make a smart remark when the black orb rolled out her hands on its own – well under Starscream's command of course – free will. The ball joined the growing clump of orbs. They simultaneously cracked open to reveal miniature, transforming components. The components clicked together and formed two identical structures. It took Annabelle a moment to realize that they were feet, human feet. She gawked as the orbs efficiently formed a six foot, two inches tall, gleaming humanoid. The figure's amber optics stared at her for a second, smirking like Starscream.
At once, the grey metal shifted, absorbing all the natural tones of a healthy tan. A perfectly ironed, navy United States Air Force uniform adorned his body. There was one flaw to the uniform. A patch on his arm that would represented his rank in the Air Force was replaced with the all too familiar NEST insignia. The thing raised his head – the head she had designed for Starscream's hologram – and eyed her. "It's just me," he spoke. "Starscream."
Annabelle moved hesitantly forward towards, entranced by the raw perfection of his symmetrical face. She stopped short of his chest. Even with her four-inch heels, she fell short of his height by a solid five inches. She brushed her skinny fingers against the rim of his hat. She drew in a breath but didn't exhale. It felt real! Anna pulled the hat off his head and drew it close to her chest.
"You won't find any flaws in it," the figurine informed.
She glanced up at him with the widest, more fascinated eyes he had ever seen. He loved how such a simple and outdated technology could intrigue her so much. He loved her attention. "How?" she asked.
He grabbed the hat from her and placed it atop her head. The holoform stepped forward into her space. Her eyes never left his, not even to see him snap a necklace onto her. "That's my little secret," the thing whispered into her ear. The holoform stepped backwards, giving the human a chance to see what he had placed on her.
Anna lifted the chain, almost afraid that she would break it if she applied too much pressure. Three colorless diamonds were suspended from the 18k white gold chain. They were perfectly circular without a flaw in or on them. She knew this was an expensive piece and wondered how Starscream acquired it. 'More like stole it,' she thought. Annabelle placed it carefully onto her shirt. She looked up to him. "Thank you," she said gratefully.
"I'm not done," he explained, his tone of voice resembling that of a young boy ready to show off his newest toy. The holoform grabbed her left hand tenderly so not to injure her sprained wrist. He raised it high enough so that she could see him slip a thick, white gold band onto her ring finger. "There," the figurine said. "I think it fits perfectly, don't you?"
She stared at the thick white band, watching the bloody purple diamonds glitter without the help of raw sunlight. The diamonds were outline in a thin, handsome yellow gold trim. She realized, as she stared at it greedily, that the diamonds were strategically placed to form a Cybertronian word: mine. The word was had such a simple but elegant design that border-lined beautiful. "It fits perfectly," she finally answered.
"Good," he spoke, his voice returning to its usual sour tone. "I was worried I had wasted all that time for nothing."
"So that's what you were doing when I was asleep," Anna surmised allowed. He nodded. "So do I get to know what we came all the way here for, Twenty-two?"
"My name isn't Twenty-two," the holoform informed sharply. He straightened himself out to become rigid. "It's Second Lieutenant Daine James Dagwood. And you are my fiancée, Annabelle."
"Won't I look a bit young to be with you?" she questioned.
"I think you'll do just fine," he answered. "You're only here for show anyway."
"Great," she muttered. "Now I'm some trophy wife."
"Trophy fiancée," Starscream corrected. She narrowed her gaze on him, pretending to burn him with her fake pyrokinesis powers. He moved towards her again (which disappointed her since she had faint hopes of burning him with her fake powers) and grabbed her. The holoform lifted her easily into her arms.
He briskly walked over the ground, careful to avoid the mud pits. Anna wrapped her arm around his neck, scared of falling down should he misplace a foot. "What about your other form?" she inquired, trying to find a better topic for them to discuss. .
"I'm still there," he explained. "I'm just putting my concentration into this holoform. " He ducked, avoiding a bare tree branch, and walked out of the view of his Cybertronian form. Anna looked forward at the endless row of trees and sighed. He glanced down, rolling his eyes. "What's your problem now?" he asked.
"I didn't say anything," she retorted.
"But you sighed," he insisted. "When you sigh, it's not a good sign."
"What are we doing here?" Annabelle questioned, changing topics.
He saw what she was doing but didn't resist, anything to keep them from arguing. "We came here to divide and conquer," he responded.
She leaned her head against his arm while watching him. "And you say I'm the one who's not up to any good," she chided. "So what does this holoform of yours have to do with it?"
"The Russian officials wouldn't appreciate it if I flew through Moscow in my bipedal form nor do I think they want their citizens to know that aliens are actually real," he explained. He shifted her weight slightly to put less pressure on her fractured ribs. "This form also provides protection since they won't know what my true form looks like. It's a disguise, Anna."
"But they know what you are?"
He nodded. "They know that I am a NEST agent who wants to cash in on a good secret, and they respect that. They invited me to attend a meeting that could benefit both of us should we work together. They promised me that I would get what I need," he added.
"And what would that be?" she asked, slightly sarcastic.
"The largest shard of the Allspark," Starscream informed. "I need it so that I can rebuild another New Allspark."
"And what do they want?"
"The autobots," the seeker answered blankly. "They want to dissect them so that they can learn about how our technology works."
Anna's heart sunk to the acid pit known as her stomach. She felt the acid begin to break it down. "They can't do that," she muttered. "You can't let that happen! They're my family!" He was silent, unmoved by her words. "Twenty-two!"
He looked down at her when she called his name. "I can only do so much, Anna," Starscream answered. "And that's one of the things I can't do. I wish I could, but I can't. Not now at least. After all, everything is fair in war." It amazed him how easily the lies trickled out of his mouth. "But if I can reclaim my spot as High Lord of the decepticons, then I can rebuild our spark. I can end this war so that you can see them." The seeker paused as he brought her close to his chest. She was close to crying, very close. "These are the last words you want to hear, but remember, they would take you away from all of this in a half a nanosecond. They don't want you to know that this is where you belong."
He emerged from the forest, behind a hotel. He walked coolly onto the sidewalk, stepping lightly over the cracks. They rounded the side of the dilapidated hotel where an ebony BMW and driver dressed in military clothes awaited them. Starscream placed her daintily onto the ground, holding by her arms to help steady her. "I need you to be strong," he whispered into her ears. "So that you can show them you belong in this world."
"Awe, Second Lieutenant Dagwood," greeted the driver in a thick Russian accent. He outstretched his hand to Starscream. "It's a pleasure to meet you." The seeker took his hand and shook it. "I was worried that something had happened when you didn't show up." The wrinkled man turned towards Annabelle and smiled warmly. "I didn't know you were bringing company."
"I'm terribly sorry about my lateness, General Arsov," he spoke in a voice that could melt chocolate. He wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close to him. "But I took my fiancée on an early morning walk. She loves the woods." Starscream looked down at Annabelle with eyes soft enough that they appeared to be human; she realized why his eyes were so soft, it was a message. 'Don't let me down.'
Anna smiled towards Starscream before directing her attention to the man. "It was the last minute thing," she answered. "I've never been to Russia and I didn't want to miss out on its beauty." She held out her hand and the general gave it a light kiss. Starscream tightened his grip on her waist. "I'm Olive-Ellen Aberdeen."
"Beautiful name, Miss Aberdeen," the gray hair man complimented. She noted how his breath smelled of cigarettes and alcohol. "It matches you perfectly." She blushed. "Where would your luggage be, Second Lieutenant?"
"They lost it," Starscream answered. "But I figure it gives Olive a chance to go shopping for both of us."
"My wife is the same way," he chuckled. General Arsov looked at his watch and added, "We'd best be going. My superiors don't want you to be late to the meeting." He opened the door where Annabelle slid onto the black leather interior. Starscream followed closely behind, only letting her out of his reach so that he could sit down.
The door closed behind them, making Annabelle flinch. The sound reminded her too much of what her ribs had sounded like when he had crushed her. An unfamiliar image in the rearview mirror caught her attention. A brunette with hazel eyes stared at her with her same shocked expression. She brought her hand to her head, watching the virtual image in the mirror to make sure it was really herself.
Another head butted into the picture, his. He pressed his warm cheek against her cheek, smiling happily at the image. The two in the rearview mirror looked like perfectly normal people. The contrast between his sandy hair and her dark auburn color was striking. They were the type of people that would be the role model couple for their community, but Annabelle knew the truth. Underneath this perfect exterior were two monsters: one made of metal, the other flesh. She and Starscream were the type of creatures that belonged together because they would turn on their family or kill someone to get what they wanted. It came down to one word: ruthless.
"I told you, you looked beautiful," Starscream complimented. He pressed his lips against her cheek, turning her cheeks tomato red. She wrapped her arm around his and concaved to his body. She rested her head on his broad shoulders before closing her eyes. The world suddenly felt like it was spinning out of control. Already nauseated from the thought of being on the same level as Starscream, the thought that she was the one setting all of this in motion was enough for her stomach to dangerously twist itself into a tighter knot. She curled her toes into his boots, thankful that Starscream couldn't see the full extend of her sudden illness.
"Is she going to be okay?" the general asked as he pulled out of the hotel's drive.
"She's just got a touch of the flu is all," Starscream dismissed. He took his free arm and gently rubbed her shoulder like he really cared. "It's okay," he murmured so low that only she could hear. "The feeling will pass."
She flicked her eyes towards him. Did he know what she was feeling? Had he experienced it himself when he realized how far off track he gotten or how he realized that he was really nothing but a subtler version of Megatron. "Why don't you go to sleep?" he suggested in a voice that cared. "You'll feel better."
Annabelle didn't believe sleep would help her feel better, not when she knew this path she was taking would lead her away from her family and force her to throw them out like they were garbage. But Anna knew what she was doing, and that made her a lower life form than Starscream. She was willingly gambling them for a slice of either heaven or hell.
She recalled him placing his head on top of hers while he talked with the driver of things that didn't really exist; such as what college this Olive had attended and what her major was in, what they (Daine and Olive) planned on doing after he retired from the service, or if they would ever have kids (which Starscream had answered with a strong "no"). What Anna couldn't remember was how she had gotten onto this fluffy, oh-so comfortable bed. Her body sank into the soft mattress without any resistance.
Anna breathed into the pillow, wrapping her arms around it like a favorite stuffed animal. The pillow smelled of lilac flowers in bloom and comforted her. The smell reminded her of the springtime at the Lennox household. The air conditioners were replaced with open windows and wind. The house would smell like the wilderness and instill restlessness in her heart. Lilacs represented the end of the school year and the beginning of sweet summer freedom.
"You're awake."
The voice caught her off-guard. She jolted into a sitting position and would have head butted Starscream had he not moved out of her way. The human placed her hands beneath her as she swayed. She could feel the room begin to spin. Starscream placed a hand on her arm, alerting her to the fact he was calling her name.
"Anna," he spoke slowly. She looked hazily at him, trying to focus on him and not the bending walls. She reached out for him as she began to lose her balance. The seeker grabbed her by her biceps, lowering her safely onto the bed. "You need to lie down." He pried her trembling, clammy fingers off himself and reached for something on the nightstand.
It was a Coka Cola with a purple bendy straw and god it looked like a slice of heaven right now.
He brought it close enough that she could smell its sweetness. "Can you stomach this?" the holoform asked seriously. "Or do I need to call the nurse so that she can give you a short for your low blood sugar?"
She must have made some motion because he brought it to her mouth so that she could slurp the cool, refreshing drink. It slid down her dry throat like an eel but somehow it was a good feeling. Within a few more seconds, the soda was gone, emptied of its contents. Starscream placed it on the nightstand before looking over her. He had stripped the turtleneck off of her turtleneck after she had complained of being too hot and had a bag of ice sitting on the nightstand in case she wanted it.
Starscream placed a hand on her shoulder. She was still damp. Anna looked up at him with those hazy eyes. "How'd I get here?" she asked meekly.
He stroked her arm sympathetically. This was his fault that she was in this un-well state. Had he remembered to give her water and feed her, then this would've been avoided. Starscream sighed. He'd have to remember next time. "You complained that you were ill in the car. When we arrived here, you tried to get up but nearly collapsed. I carried you up the stairs since the elevators were packed, and I didn't want them to see you were in a stupor," he explained. "I brought you up in time so that you could use the toilet – "
"That's why my mouth tastes funny," she said aloud.
Starscream nodded. "I put you on the bed while I went to get you a few supplies, and then waited for you to wake up." His voiced died as he stared at her. He didn't want to admit that he had failed as her guardian and it hadn't even been three hours, but by the look in her eyes, she didn't know he had failed. All she knew was that he had helped her. To her, he had fulfilled his job. That approval alone was enough to wipe away his resentment towards himself. "Do you feel better?"
"A little," she said.
"That's good," he murmured. Starscream lowered himself so that he lied comfortably next to her. He wrapped an arm around her, offering his warmth to her. Too tired to grab a pillow, Anna rested her head on his chest. He turned on the television and tuned in immediately to Nickelodeon. An old rerun of the first episode of Spongebob Squarepants was playing.
"I haven't watched Spongebob since I was little," Anna muttered. "It brings back old memories." The television screen played off her eyes. The image was clear enough that Starscream, if he wanted too, could watch the television show from her eyes.
"It's amazing what triggers our memories," the seeker commented.
"What happened to the meeting the officials?" she inquired.
"I postponed it," he answered. "I told them you wanted me to stay because you were scared that you would faint. After all, you are my fiancée, and it's my job to take care of you." He affectionately kissed on her crown. Her hair smelled of energon, snow, and him. He thought of it as a nice combination, especially the smelling of him part. "In sickness and in health."
She fought against her cheeks flushing but they continued to turn beat red. "We aren't married yet," the human reminded coldly.
"I could arrange for us to go to Las Vegas if that would please you," he said calmly.
Anna stared blankly at him before the light bulb lit up. "Is that supposed to be a joke, Twenty-two?" she asked.
"It was more like a suggestion," Starscream clarified.
"Do me a favor," Anna stated in a sour voice. "Don't ever, as in forever, mention that again."
He rolled his eyes away from her but they came full circle to rest on her again. "I saw your cheeks flush in the car," he spoke to her softly. "So you can't tell me that you didn't enjoy me doting on you." He pressed his head against hers and took another deep breath of her hair. "Besides," he whispered. "You saw what I did in that rearview mirror; we matched perfectly."
That last sentence was enough for her stomach to do an encore. It tumbled over itself, bringing with it a new wave of nausea. "Go screw yourself," she hissed. Anna rolled over onto her side, not thinking about her fractured ribs. To avoid whimpering, she bit down on her tongue.
"Miss Independent is a coward and doesn't like admitting she has emotions," Starscream said smugly. He leaned over her, placing an arm on either side of her so that she couldn't roll away. "If it makes you feel any better, I feel the same way."
"Oh you, must mean that disgusted feeling that I feel whenever I have to think about sharing my life with you," Anna snarled ruthlessly. She spat into his eye, hitting her target. "We work purely as a team and nothing more."
"You're lucky that you're human," the seeker informed. "Or else I'd kill you for that insult."
"What's stopping you?" she asked.
He pulled away from her and wiped away her saliva. She was indeed the feistiest native he had met on this planet and perhaps Cybertron. He grabbed his hat from the natural oak wood desk and placed it atop his head like it were some sort of crown. "Because this is a fate worse than death," Starscream informed matter-of-factly. The seeker dropped one of those black orbs on the desk before moving towards the door. He stepped half way out the door when he turned to face her. "Now why don't you order some food and watch that brain poison you called television for a little while. Then maybe take a bath. That should make you feel better."
The door was almost closed when Anna meekly yelled out his name. He stuck his head through the door, looking at her with genuine concern in his eyes. Was it the guilt for putting her through this or having to leave her in this condition to meet his second-in-command that brought on his compassion? "What?" he asked roughly.
"Will the feeling pass?" she asked.
"The nausea will pass soon enough," Starscream answered bluntly.
"I'm not talking about that," Anna clarified.
He stepped into the room again and closed the door behind him. Something in her eyes said this was more than low blood sugar. The seeker assumed it was the same thing that was eating at her mind when they had been in the car. He sat on the bed at her feet, giving her his full attention.
She slowly propelled herself into a sitting position. The human stared into the holoform's eyes and wondered if someday she would become a hollow shell like it. She wondered if someday this would all become a disguise to hide her true self. She wondered if that was all Starscream was, a hollow shell. "When won't I feel like a monster?" Anna asked softly, in a voice that said she was ashamed.
He pulled off her shoes to buy some time. "I can't promise you that the feeling will pass," he finally spoke. "But hopefully you'll learn to ignore it in time."
"Is that what you do?" she asked.
He looked up and stared into her eyes. They were the key to the soul, or so said a few humans. Maybe if he looked long enough he would jiggle the lock open and see her soul, but the door remained locked for today. "I have too," Starscream admitted. "Or else it would consume me. I'd become something no better than Skywarp." He placed the shoes neatly on the white carpet. He sighed. "We're all monsters in this war, Anna. Each and every single one of us has one inside of us, even Ratchet. It's how well you hide it that matters."
Starscream stood up. He suddenly wished he had ignored Anna's call. Topics like this were too personal for his good; they made him feel weak like a failure. He gently took Anna's chin and raised it up so that she had to stare into his eyes. He wanted her to believe what he said without question. "But you aren't a monster, Anna," he comforted. "And don't let anyone tell you any differently. It's just your unfortunate luck that you have to live in a world full of monsters."
"I didn't need an elaborate explanation," Anna stated.
"I know," he spoke. "I'm just letting you know because sometimes I forget to hide my monster." He took his hand away from her head, turned around, and left the room without saying another word.
Thundercracker, finally exhausted from their small talk, was contently watching a school of fish continually avoid the hungry seal. Their silver scales twinkled likes stars against the dark blue depths. The deep, rich blue contrasted the flawless white. Their cool colors calmed his circuits and gave him room to reflect on the land. Up here, everything seemed so clearer. The sunlight that illuminated the land was bright like the lights in Koan. Even the air felt cleaner, refreshing like a cool shower. A place like this was frozen in time and a mech could lose his mind in the peaceful silence. From here, it felt like the war was a distant, forgotten memory. It was the most wonderful feeling he had felt these past years. But like this was only a temporary state. His pessimistic mind drew him back to the reality that he would have to return to the war and return to the warm colored battlefields.
Instead of blue lakes, there would be streams of purple energon dripping through the cracks. The ground creak underneath their feet and the buildings above would moan before they collapsed. Their backs would be pressed against the walls as they tried to calculate their next move. At the time, shots would fire above their heads, perhaps striking an unlucky soldier in the head. The clock would tick too quickly and Thundercracker would find himself being shoved into battle without being able to think he next move through. The military programs would command him and guide him through the maze of obstacles. There he had enough time to dodge one bullet only to eat the next one. In that world, the one that he loathed, a mech didn't feel anything. A mech lived as a hollow shell and did what he could to stay alive. The soldier would repeat that cycle over and over until the war ended, and then the cycle would be broken.
'Or would it?' he thought bitterly.
He knelt down along the iceberg's ledge and dipped his fingers into the water. Thundercracker lazily watched the ripples and counted the rings one action produced. He bowed his head to his chest. 'And to think of all the ripples we've created,' he reflected. 'The water will never be still again.' He pulled his hand of the water and rested it on his knee. His optics stared blankly at the fish retreated for the last time into the murky depths. He sighed. Now he'd have to find some other form of entertainment because he found his own thoughts too depressing.
The crunching of snow echoed loudly over this frozen plains, and to his dismay, meant Jetfire was approaching. He focused harder on the fish, hoping Jetfire could read the signs. Thundercracker's wings bristled and he hunched over. "What do you want, Jetfire?" he said, trying to control the emotions in his voice, but it came out more like a growl.
Jetfire stopped short of five feet from his superior. The mech stared at the water, trying to figure out what Thundercracker was glaring at. He knelt beside Thundercracker, mimicking his pose. "You'll watched out for her, won't you?" he asked.
"Why would I do that?" the blue seeker retorted.
"Because I'll do the same for you," he answered. "I can keep an eye on 'Warp should he run into trouble with one of the autobots.
Thundercracker stared at Jetfire for what he was. This was a mech who belonged to this frozen land, because he too was frozen in time. The 'bot, no matter how many times Thundercracker had to remind him, would never draw his weapon until he was fired upon first, and then, he only fired in defense, never offense. Jetfire judged a Cybertronian by their personality and not their faction. He still had his trust in people, a trait Thundercracker envied. Jetfire, simply put, was an open book. A few pages were smeared because of what his superior's had forced him to do, but he was still innocent Jetfire. A little more scared and a bit wiser, but he was still himself.
Energy drained from his circuits when he realized Jetfire's face was unusually grave. "Where is he?" the second-in-command demanded in a weak voice. "What happened to him?" He grabbed the mech his shoulders and searched his optics for answers.
Jetfire was taken back by Thundercracker's shacking. "He's in Russia," the mech answered. "He had a run in with Mirage. If you go now, you'll find him alive."
"Now?" he croaked. "What the hell happened to him?" The snow flew into the air and ice cracked when he pinned Jetfire to the ground. He held his null ray to his head and threatened to blow Jetfire's processors sky high. "I want answers you li'l two faced, traitor!" His voice was desperate and full of weakness, but he could care less. The seeker's mind was focused on his injured bond-mate, and if he had to, he'd hack into Jetfire's systems to get the coordinates and details about the incident.
"Mirage came after him," Jetfire answered. "He shot Skywarp down before hacking into his systems. The autobots know about everything."
The decepticon punched Jetfire in the face, knocking out an optic. "How could you let this happen?" Thundercracker snarled. "You are on our side! Your job is to prevent this kind of thing from occurring! Have the autobots finally gotten to you, Jetfire?"
The ebon' mech, shoved the seeker off of him. Jetfire grabbed Thundercracker by his arms and pulled him down to the ground. He might not have had the dangerous weapons his superior had, but he had size on his side and that's all he needed to pin the seeker in a vulnerable position. "I told you once that I'm not a decepticon," he declared. "I am not an autobot either." He applied more pressure to the struggling seeker. "I'm only on this side to protect my brother and sister. If that means taking over your position through violent means, then I will do so."
Thundercracker went still at Jetfire's livid words. The 'bot's blue optics were ablaze with devotion and logical thinking, and they were the same optics that belonged to a killer. "I could have let Mirage kill him," Jetfire informed. "But I told him to spare Skywarp because I know he is your bond-mate. I believe that bond-mates should be spared, and I would want you to do the same thing for me." The mech loosened his grip on the decepticon. "Now I'm going to give you the coordinates to Skywarp's location and you're going to go there. Is that understood, Thundercracker?"
He nodded meekly.
"Good," he huffed roughly. Jetfire pulled Thundercracker to his feet. "He's forty miles north of Chita, Russia, in a forest. You should have no problem locating him."
"Locating who?" sneered Starscream. He transformed in the air, extending his legs in time to catch his fall. The ice splintered and grumbled under the additional weight. He looked suspiciously at Jetfire's hanging optic. "What the hell happened to you?" Immediately he turned to Thundercracker, who looked ruffled.
"Training accident," the ebon' mech answered. "That's all."
"I have to go," the blue seeker interjected. "Skywarp is injured and needs my medical assistance." He looked unconfidently at Starscream and shot a glare at Jetfire. 'Don't say a word about what happened,' he said silently. "I will talk to you later, Lord Starscream." He shot into the sky and out of hearing range. The seeker would leave Jetfire to tell their leader the bad news; it was, after all, Jetfire's fault.
Starscream hardly noticed Thundercracker's absence. All his focus was on his brother. "Care to explain?" the seeker asked crossly. "Or will I have to extract the answer the old fashion way."
He looked away from his brother. Jetfire didn't want to justify his actions with a lie. He was sick of lies. "We need to talk," he said with little emotion. "Now." His optics were transfixed on the rabbit's foot. 'Must've fallen out in our fight.' He bent down and delicately picked it up. Jetfire's optics never moved from it. "Beginning with Anna," he stated with an absolute tone.
His hand rested on the brass doorknob. He pressed his head against brown door, knocking his hat off in the process. The smell of grilled food filtered through the door, creating a second barrier, more potent barrier. Sounds of the television reverberated into his audio sensors. She was blissfully unaware that anything was wrong, and more than likely, enjoying her time alone. Starscream twisted the door hand but couldn't find the strength to push the door open. Why should he open the door when he knew he would be greeted with a scowl and nasty welcome message? The 'con bent down and collected his hat.
Starscream's grip on the doorknob turned into a strangle hold. The skin his forehead twitched. It was dawning on him how much he was regretting the group of fools that dared call themselves decepticons. He could his internal pressure rise to a dangerous level, but the warning signs did little to diminish his bad mood. He snorted, disgusted with the news. Even through this body he could feel his spark twist and squirm uncomfortably in his Cybertronian body. An audible growl ricocheted off the walls, and a small child passing by duck behind his mother's leg.
"What's his problem?" asked one of her girlfriends, her voice not at all subtle.
He wanted runaway and fly into the sky and never return. It took the last of his patience not to snap around and break the human's head off. 'What's wrong is that everything has gone to hell in a hand basket!' he screamed to himself. 'And no ne but me seems to give a fuck about it.' God dammit, he wanted to go slam his fist into the nearest wall. Maybe he could sneak out for quick flight and burn a few trees to the ground. After all, what harm could be done? Annabelle wouldn't notice if he didn't return for a few more hours.
He turned around to follow through his plan, only to discover his hand wouldn't leave the doorknob. "Fuck me," Starscream muttered. 'Stupid glitchy holoform doesn't fucking work.' But his hand's grip eased as he pushed the door open. 'Might as fucking well.' With a big breath of air, he closed the door behind him with ease.
Annabelle was sprawled onto the bed, dressed in a daisy white robe. The sunlight passed through the open windows where it played off her brunette hair. Her happy eyes were transfixed on the television. An equally happy smile spread across her lips as she laughed at comedic part of the movie. Lying beside her was an empty plate with a few bites of a cheeseburger left and some cold french-fries. She scooped a spoonful of strawberry flavored ice cream into her mouth. His eyes drifted to the nightstand where a bundle of orchids had found their perfect place in the world.
He glanced into the humid bathroom. Her clothes and wet towels were scattered over the beige Italian marble. A blow dryer and used toothbrush were neatly tucked away in the corner of the ebon' counter. Starscream stared at the mirror and grinned. Cutely written, Anna had scribbled in Cybertronian: "You were right. I do look good as a brunette." Underneath it was silly smiley face. He switched the light off and indirectly cut off all energy to his anger.
He had been right and she acknowledged it. 'At long last.'
Starscream set the two bags he was carrying down onto the beige and white Victorian style bedspread. Annabelle paused the movie and rolled onto her back. A group of pillows support her like the back of a chair. She didn't cross her arms; which he took as a sign that his human was in a decent mood.
"I saw your message," he said objectively.
"Did you now?" she said. "I wasn't sure you'd see it." Anna looked to the bags curiously. "What's in the bags?"
He handed the Express bag over to her. "I had them pick out a few outfits for you," Starscream explained. The human pulled out an electric blue cow neck sweater. She held it over her chest, imagining how it would be on herself. "I only picked things that would compliment your figure." She looked unconvinced at him. "Believe me."
"I'll give you the benefit of the doubt since you were right about the hair," she replied. Anna folded the shirt up neatly before sticking it into the bag. "How are you affording this?" she asked suspiciously. "I don't want to end up in jail and washing dishes."
Starscream chuckled. "I have my ways," he said smugly. He shoved the other bag – she couldn't read it since it was in Russian – towards her. "Now why don't you change into some pajamas? Then we'll finish watching the movie." Her stare was perplexing, and to avoid it, the seeker searched for the purple Hello Kitty theme pajamas. He pulled them out of the bag, offering them to her, but Anna was still staring at him. "Is something wrong?"
"Yeah," she responded insensitively. "You." The human leaned forward to look for something that wasn't there. "I think you should run a diagnostics test because you're being too nice."
He frowned. "I'm trying to compromise," Starscream said flatly.
"Well excuse me, for suggesting something could be wrong," Anna retorted. "You aren't exactly the compromising 'con." She jerked the pajamas out of his hands. She walked hastily to the bathroom, mumbling incoherent remarks about him to herself. He glared at her the entire way and continued to glare even after she had disappeared out of his sights.
He pressed his back against the headboard and redirected his focus on the beige curtains. They shuffled in the light wind. Starscream looked into the next room, examining the fruit bowl on the glass table. He studied the intricate wallpaper and analyzed how it made the rooms feel smaller. His eyes fell onto a small piece paper blowing across the floor. The mech walked into the next room and gruffly picked it up. He crumpled the corners of the paper without knowing it. He flipped it over and recognized it as Annabelle's handwriting.
Dear Mom,
I'm alive. I'm writing from Moscow, Russia. I don't know how long I'll be here, but I don't think it'll be long. But I'm writing to you because I don't want you to worry about me. I'm a little scratched up but okay. Twenty-two is taking care of me and is doing a pretty good job at it. He's not like the autobots have portrayed him to be . . . but he is an asshole at times. He tries though to be good and that has to count for something.
You're going to hate me for this, but I need you to not worry about me. As crazy as this sounds, I need to go with him. I need to get away from our home for a little bit for my health. You may not understand it, but trust me; I know what I'm doing. I'll explain this later when I understand it myself.
I'll see you soon.
Annabelle
He reread the letter twice, going every detail of the words and imagining how she would say it aloud. She had put effort into the cursive words and made them as neat as possible. He noticed one important fact: she left out the word "love" and "dad". It was too convenient (when he considered their relationship) that she left those words out. More than likely, Annabelle had left them out on purpose. The mech wondered if they would have noticed that or they would've been thrilled at the fact their daughter was alive. Would they dote over the carefully crafted letters and ignore the fact that she was willingly leaving them to be with him? Would Sarah even inform the autobots that she had heard from her daughter?
Starscream folded the paper neatly at the corners and flattened it against the table.
"Twenty-two? Can you come here?"
He exhaled a breath, shacking his head "no". The mech tucked the paper into his pocket as he walked towards the bathroom. "What do you need?" Starscream asked sourly when he turned the corner into the bathroom.
Just as he had calculated, the wool pants correctly fit Anna and barely drug against the floor. The short-sleeved top fit her too. She turned around to face him with a neutral face. She held the top of the shirt together with her right hand. "Can you button for me?" she inquired. "It's hard to do it with a sprained wrist."
His smirk grew as he approached. "Of course," Starscream said chivalrously. A hint of smugness sprinkled the words. He leaned over and began to button the shirt at his own leisurely pace. Anna watched with keen eyes as his hands threaded the button through the soft cloth. The seeker couldn't help but notice that her skin didn't smell like him but of clean cucumber. As he buttoned the last pink button, he caught a whiff of her hair. The grape fruit scent erased the smell of snow and energon. A small, disappointed frown formed. "There you go," the mech said. He turned away; ready to get away from the closed confinement of the bathroom.
"Thanks," Anna muttered. Starscream stopped to looked at from the corners of his eyes. "For what everything you've done today, Twenty-two. You do better job than what I give you credit for." He shrugged it off and continued to walk away. "Hey!" she shouted. "I'm not done with you!" Anna reached for his hand. Starscream groaned and rolled his head back. His patience was wavering dangerously thin. Keeping him in the room was like walking on thin ice; it was eventually going to give way underneath her. "This won't take long . . . I promise."
He turned around, giving her a tired glare. "It better," he grumbled. Starscream pulled his hand away so he could cross his arms and brood properly. "What do I need to do?" he asked tetchily.
"All you need to do is stand there," Anna snapped. "Nothing else." She back away until she stood side-by-side the decepticon. He watched through the mirror as she snuck her good arm around his back. She leaned into him by placing her head affectionately on his arm. "I don't think we match," Anna spoke after a few quiet but crucial moments. "Not at all," she added in pessimistic voice.
He dropped his arms and used them to pull her close to him. He wrapped them protectively around her waist like she was a prized jewel and held her tight enough, like he might lose her if he didn't. Anna moved with the touch and relaxed comfortably. Starscream hunched over so that his hair brushed against her temple. The human's cheeks flushed at the touch. "There," he whispered in a smooth voice. "Do you see it now?" Starscream and Anna looked into the mirror, gazing at the picture of two people they barely knew.
She nodded. "Daine and Olive are sure living the good life," Anna commented.
"They sure are," the seeker agreed. "But this is as good as it gets for them. The better days are reserved for us – Twenty-two and Annabelle, Starscream and Slipstream."
She turned her head away from the mirror to look at Starscream. "Can we just finish the movie?" Anna asked softly.
"Let's get a new one so that we can start from the beginning," he suggested.
"Okay," the human replied in a quiet but happy voice.
They left the bathroom with their feet striking the ground at the same time; their arms intertwined and fingers tied together. She quietly slipped into his arms on the bed. She hadn't just slipped easily into his life, but he had done the same thing to life. Anna found her place on his chest where her head could rest in the nook between his head and shoulder. Starscream put on a new movie without a complaint from her. They laid there quietly, neither really paying attention to the movie.
A/N: 17 chapters after they first met, Anna and 22 finally have there first official fluffy moment. It makes me so happy. I can promise you guys that their relationship will pick up a lot quicker from there. :3