Part 26...sigh folks this is coming to a close within the next few chapters.
Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers, but it's hella fun to manipulate
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After two hours of sobbing, and a gallon of hot chocolate, Amy sat in the attic bedroom with Sarah and Mrs. Epps. Goldbug and Meister had long since gone back downstairs to play with Epps's two little girls.
Amy sniffed, and set the mickey mouse mug in her lap then pulled the blanket farther around her damp shoulders. Luckily Amy's things were still at the Lennox house, and hadn't been packed up or thrown away. She sat on the bed in an Applejack screen Tee, black pajama shorts, and white socks. She took a deep breath, and looked up at Sarah.
"I can't do this alone." Amy choked on a sob.
"Hey now, don't start the faucet again," Sarah smiled. She brushed Amy's bangs from her face, and stared at the shimmery locks. "Did you know your hair is blue?"
Amy sniffed, and shook her head.
"It was all wet, and looked black, but that's here nor there." Sarah said.
"This man who booted ya, he isn't worth whatever he was givin' you." Mrs. Epps said, and stood. She walked over to the small round table where Trigger was kicking around a ping pong ball. The ball fell to the floor, bounced under the bed, and got stuck inside an old, discarded sneaker. Naturally the little eyeball went after it like white on rice.
Amy sighed. "Maybe you're right." Her chest tightened when she said that. "Oh who am I kidding?" she sobbed.
Sarah sighed. "Come on Hope, let's leave Amy alone for a while."
Mrs. Epps followed Sarah, and the pair walked out of the attic.
The door closed with a soft click, and a small light burnt out in Amy's head. She sat up, and looked at the far wall ahead of her. She looked down at her hands then at her legs.
Trigger fluttered up to perch on one bed post, and squeaked at Amy.
Amy nodded.
Sarah looked up as Amy padded into the living room doorway. "Hi Amy, feeling better?"
Goldbug crawled up to Amy, and hugged her legs.
"Ohh, that's sweet." Sarah cooed.
"I'm," Amy cleared her throat. "I have to go talk to someone...can you watch the girls until I get back?" she asked.
Sarah nodded. "Sure, but where are you going?"
Epps and his wife exchanged a look.
"I'm not sure." Amy said. She crouched down, and picked up Goldbug. "That is, I don't know where he is right now."
"Who?" Will asked.
Amy sighed. "Bumblebee."
"Frag, watch that beam, Cliff!" Bumblebee growled, ducking as a 2x4 at least 30 feet long that had already clipped his right antennae twice.
"Oh, sorry little bro, didn't see ya there." Cliffjumper teased.
Bumblebee shook his head, and stepped on a nailhead, pushing it into the baseboard. "Okay, the baseboards are down.
"Beams are up!" Cliffjumper announced, his hand looking like a drill of some kind.
Bumblebee ducked out of the wooden skeleton of a house, and stepped back. "Okay, where's that plasterboard?"
"Wait on that." Cliffjumper said. "If we're here, what's to stop anyone from seeing us?" He asked smugly, figuring he had Bumblebee in a corner, and violating their secondary directive. Don't let humans see you.
"This neighborhood was evacuated because the American government thinks there is residual radiation." Bumblebee said.
Cliffjumper frowned. "Plasma cannons don't leave residual radiation. Ion traces maybe, but nothing to phone home about."
"Humans don't know that. They assume everything is dangerous, and should be cordoned off." Bumblebee said.
"So what are we doing here?" Cliffjumper asked.
"We're building a house." Bumblebee said, lifting a piece of plasterboard to his shoulder.
"Yeah, but why?" Cliffjumper held up a hand as Bumblebee tried to pass the plasterboard over to him.
Bumblebee paused a moment. "Because she wants to come home."
Cliffjumper accepted the plasterboard.
In an hour they had the outside of the house finished. In two hours they had to revert to human synthoid form, and put up the inside plasterboards. Three and half hours later a blue Lotus pulled up outside, and a young woman stepped out with a look of astonishment on her face.
"Oh my god." Amy gasped breathlessly. She walked around the side of the car in a short jean skirt, and blue sweatshirt. Her blue flip flops padded against the damp grass as she walked slowly toward the house.
The front door opened, and three figures stepped out.
First a blonde in a yellow jacket with black stripes up the sleeves, and baggy jeans. The second a man with spiked red hair, wearing a worn black jean jacket, leather pants, and a red tee. The third a white-haired girl with small green barrettes in it, wearing a white peacoat, the edge of a teal dress sticking out the bottom, and light green converse.
"Thanks for comin' out so soon, Moonracer. Not to bug ya or nothin', but would you like to get a little celebratory high grade with me?" Cliffjumper's voice floated over the yard.
"Oh, sorry Cliff," Moonracer scuttled behind Bumblebee. "I'm already going somewhere." She walked ahead.
"Aww, where?" Cliffjumper called.
"Somewhere!" Moonracer called then looked ahead, and saw a girl standing on the grass. "Um," she started then looked back at Bumblebee and Cliffjumper. "Are you expecting someone?"
Bumblebee looked up, and gasped. "Amy!"
Moonracer turned back, and stared with wide-blue eyes. "Oh." She shifted awkwardly then walked up to her and hugged her. "He's not good enough for you."
Amy sighed, and patted her back. "Don't." She gently pushed Moonracer away smiling. "I'm fine." She said as sweetly as she could although inside she was breaking apart. She looked up at the sight of her house almost completely rebuilt then looked at the blonde standing on the dilapidated walkway. "Did you do this?" She asked, and walked toward him.
Bumblebee nodded. "I did it for you."
Amy gasped, and covered her mouth with one hand.
"You expressed that you wanted to come home, so," Bumblebee gave a little shrug. "I re-built your home for you." He held out a hand.
Amy jumped on the blonde, and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Thank you!" She sobbed. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
Bumblebee hugged her back, smiling.
"This made my day, and I need to talk to you." Amy said, stepping away from the blonde.
Bumblebee nodded. "Sure, anything."
"Okay," Amy glanced at Cliffjumper who was sitting on the hood of his alt mode trying to impress Moonracer somehow. Amy looked back at Bumblebee. "But not here." She took his hand, and let him down the walkway.
Moonracer, and Cliffjumper watched the pair of sports cars as they left then looked at each other.
Cliffjumper grinned. "Wanna follow 'em?"
Moonracer frowned, and folded her arms.
"What?" Cliffjumper shrugged.
Moonracer slapped him then grinned. "Last one there's a greasy axel!"
Cliffjumper rolled his eyes, and pixilated until he disappeared into the dark. The truck's headlight turned on, and the engine revved.
A mint green Neon drove past ahead of the truck.
Goldbug stopped in the middle of charades as one of her new friends tried to mime to each other, but her Autobot eyes were off somewhere else. She stared at the black clouds, heavy, pounding rain, and thunder drowned out by laughing and playing. Just like her eyes, her mind was off somewhere else; somewhere far away, somewhere in the rain where no human could imagine, and in that place was someone she barely knew, but dearly wanted to see.
Thunder clapped overhead, and gale force winds howled outside. Black clouds blocked the skies, and rain pounded against the windowpane. The lights inside seemed dimmer with the heavy weather, and with every bolt of lightening to the tall antennae that could be seen out the window of the security office glowed blue.
Jazz turned as the antennae flashed blue followed by another loud clap of thunder. The blue reminded him of the blue Exige that was now his girlfriend, and the two girls who he barely knew.
"Ehem!"
Jazz turned abruptly, and looked at the doorway. "Evenin' doc."
Ratchet gave a little nod. "Lieutenant."
Oh frag, 'ees gonna kill me. "Befo' ya say anythin'," Jazz stood.
"Before I say anything, I will say this," Ratchet growled, holding up a hand, and directing it toward the smaller white lieutenant. "That young girl has done everything short of worshipping you."
"Worship?!" Jazz snapped.
"No, she leaves that to Trigger, but she loved you! All she did was love you, and I can not to the depth of my spark imagine what in the pit came over you to repel her as forcefully and abruptly as you did!" He roared.
Out in the hall, Firstar jumped about five meters from the door, her optics wide. She placed a hand to her chest, and sighed.
"In one week, she has suffered more than we Autobots! So much that now she is forced to live her life as one against her will!" Ratchet shouted. "I don't know what you said to her, but she is not talking to anyone except Bumblebee!"
"Bumblebee?!" Jazz shouted. "Da frag ah ya talkin' 'bout?!"
"Bumblebee, the youngest of the Autobots second only to YOUR TWO DAUGHTERS!" Ratchet shouted.
Firestar burst in before oil and lubricant started flying. "Doctor, we need you!" She exclaimed, grabbing the C.M.O.'s arm.
Ratchet growled, and stormed out.
Jazz looked at Firestar, and nodded. "Thanks."
"Don't get me wrong, lieutenant, there is an emergency, but so help me if you don't at least make amends with that girl, I will not restrain the doctor again." Firestar walked out of the room, and paused a moment to quell her tears, and slight sobs.
"Nurse!" A small orange femme slid out of a room down the hall.
"Coming." Firestar cleared her throat, wiped her faceplate, and walked down the hall. She reached the door, and glanced over her shoulder a loud slam that was the security door closing, and the form of Lieutenant Jazz walked down the hall.
"What did you want to talk to me about?" Bumblebee asked as he followed Amy into a park, and towards the swing set.
"Jazz." Amy sighed.
Bumblebee frowned slightly. "Oh?" He shifted, and folded his arms. "What has the lieutenant done now?"
Amy sat down on the swing, and twiddled her thumbs. "He broke up with me."
"Unlikely." Bumblebee grunted.
Amy looked up, her hands grasping the chains. "Why do you say that?" she leaned her head on one chain.
"Because lieutenant Jazz is infatuated with you." Bumblebee leaned against one of the slanted poles supporting the swing set.
Amy looked down at the ground, and shook her head. "Not anymore. You heard what he said about the girls."
"He had no forewarning about Meister and Goldbug." Bumblebee said. "Which brings me to my next point; Why didn't you tell the lieutenant?"
"Because I didn't know!" Amy exclaimed.
Bumblebee started.
"Don't look so surprised. If I knew I was going to have kids, I would have told him! We discussed the possibility of having cute little spark-lings of our own, but do you know how he reacted?" Amy almost shrieked in her frustration.
Bumblebee shook his head.
"He freaked out, and avoided the subject all together! He acted like I just pulled a gun on him, or something." Amy rolled her eyes, gesturing outward with one hand.
Bumblebee gave her an incredulous look.
"It's an analogy, Bumblebee." Amy groaned, placed her outstretched hand to her face.
Bumblebee nodded. "I sincerely hope so."
"It wouldn't be an analogy if it were true." Amy growled.
"No necessarily." Bumblebee turned to Amy, leaning his left side against the pole.
Amy moved her hand from her face and frowned up at the blonde. "You're changing the subject."
"The lieutenant loves you, there is nothing to discuss further other than how you intend to make amends." Bumblebee said pointedly.
Amy glared. "I'm not the one who insulted the children by comparing them to Decepticons!" She shouted.
Bumblebee opened his mouth to say something then closed it, and sighed.
"He's so...so..." Amy growled, clenching her hands into fists. "Irritating!" She roared. "Infuriating, actually. God, I can't believe he said something like that!" She stood up, and stormed around in a circle, rambling angrily in Japanese.
"Amy, I am not trying to insinuate that you are at fault, but," Bumblebee walked up to Amy, and stopped her mid storm. "Perhaps you should use better judgement than the lieutenant, and not let him out of his responsibility so easily."
Amy wiggled her right foot in agitation. "Say again?"
"Make up with him." Bumblebee said. "Whatever he said to you, forgive him, and let him think you are moving on. Believe me, he will speak to you if you insinuate you are moving past your relationship."
Amy's leg stopped wiggling, and she looked up at her friend. "What if he just brushes it off, and plays the "I hope you're happy" card? Hmm? Did you think about that?"
"If he dismisses the insinuation, he is not the right sparkmate for you." Bumblebee said, his grip softening on her arms.
Amy continued to frown. "What if he doesn't catch the insinuation?"
Bumblebee chuckled. "He will. The lieutenant is boisterous, and at times a bit aloof, but he is not ignorant or unattentative when it truly matters." He gave a slight smile.
Amy took a deep breath. "I hope you're right."
"You don't have faith in Jazz?" Bumblebee asked, looking slightly amused.
"No!" Amy yanked her arms away. "I mean," She growled, and stamped a foot. "That's not what I meant. I mean I do have faith in him, but...I..." Her face fell into a sad frown. "I'm afraid that he won't notice, or care. He's been so distant lately, ever since I showed up back at the base in that new body. Sure, he was happy to see me, but since the very beginning there was this distance between us that only got bigger, and damn near killed me. Then he goes off to Sarah and Will's the first thing he hears about that little spider bastard taking my place."
Bumblebee laughed. "You-" He doubled over. "You think the lieutenant intentionally left to see the rumored girl?" Small tears sat at the corners of the hologram's eyes. "You...you talk abou-about him being unattentive?" He fell on his back, laughing so hard, Amy's face grew red in embarrassment.
"So what do you know that I don't?" Amy folded her arms indignantly.
"He was dispatched! As in, he is first lieutenant to Optimus Prime, not to mention the head of security to the Autobots." Bumblebee said, managing to quell his amusement.
Amy's frown deepened. "And?"
"It's his job to investigate such instances!" Bumblebee exclaimed. "He was ordered to go, not that it helped your predicament any."
Amy held her head. "Don't take an attitude with me Bumblebee, I don't know about these things. I'm not an Autbot." She groaned.
"I thought you were comfortable with it." Bumblebee said, standing up.
"I guess I'm not as comfortable as I thought I was." Amy sniffed.
Bumblebee hugged Amy. "Please don't start crying again, it dims my spark to see you upset in any way." He leaned his head on Amy's.
"I'm not crying." Amy said. "I swear, my nose is running though."
Bumblebee's brow furrowed, and he stepped back from Amy. "What did you say?"
"My nose is running." Amy sniffed again.
"I was afraid of that." Bumblebee sighed.
"Why? What does that mean?" She asked, wiping her nose with one hand, and coming back red. "Eh?! Am I bleeding?" She shrieked.
Bumblebee examined Amy's nose. "A synthoid's condition is derived directly from the bipedal mode's condition when active."
"Meaning...?" Amy droned.
"When an Autobot is in stasis, but the synthoid is active the point is moot." Bumblebee said.
"What's happening to me?" Amy asked, her vision swirling. "I'm getting dizzy.
"It's the cyber venom." Bumblebee caught Amy as she swooned. "Your body isn't properly vaccinated."
"But..." Amy swallowed hard. "Ratchet...got it...it all...cured it." She stammered.
"Apparently not enough. I'm no chief medical officer," Bumblebee lifted Amy into his arms. "But I'm willing to bet you're still poisoned, and now you've been moving around, and the venom has had time to spread." He carried Amy to her alt mode, and laid her on the hood then tapped into his internal, narrow-beam transmission systems to contact all Autobot frequencies.
-Are there any Cybertron agents in the field on or off duty-
The dark-skinned hologram driving the white and blue Solstice accelerated as his long-range sensors swept for the signal origin.
"Jazz he'a what's ya sitch, Bumble?"
-Lieutenant!- Bumblebee sounded startled. There was a minute of silence.
"Bumblebee, ah ya receivin'?"
-Yes- Bumblebee said slowly. -Amy needs immediate medical attention. Her body is not properly vaccinated to counteract cyber venom; her systems are locking one by one.-
Jazz wanted to slam on the breaks so he could think, but he didn't have that kind of time. "What is her current status?"
There was a short pause.
"Bumblebee!" Jazz shouted.
-She's still active. Her optical sensors, and audio receptors are operating at approximately sixty-three percent. Her vocal processor is offline. The rest of her systems show eighty percent and higher on my sensors.-
"A'ight stay de'a, ah contact Ratchet. Don' move 'er 'cause th' cybeh venom'll only spread,"
-Affirmative.- Bumblebee said shakily.
"An' fo' her sake, don' panic, kid. I'm thirty-fo' clicks away, ya jus' stay whe' ya ah. I got ya on mah sensors." Jazz assured him.
-Understood.- Bumblebee said.
"Look at that, it actually stopped raining." Sarah smiled at the quiet night. She closed the kitchen door, and walked into the living room to turn out the few lights the little girls had left on.
Sitting up on the windowsill, staring off into the darkness was Goldbug. She turned, her black hair pulled haphazardly into two ponytails, and looked at Sarah. "She's not coming back, is she?"
Sarah started. "Who?"
Goldbug sighed. "I dunno her name, but I like 'er alot." She sighed.
"You mean Amy?" Sarah whispered. She walked to the windowsill, and stood next to the little girl. "The girl who brought you here."
Goldbug nodded. "I dunno what to call her 'cause she didn't tell me."
Sarah smiled. "You can call her mommy."
Goldbug looked back out the window, her palms pressed against the glass. "Is mommy gonna come back?"
Sarah stroked goldbug's head. "Yes. Mommies always come back."
Goldbug briefly caught a glimpse of her reflection in window. Her big blue eyes stared back at her through lightly browned skin. She didn't recognize herself, but she supposed that was the point. Blending in is was what Cybertronians did best.
"Since you're up, can I brush your hair?" Sarah asked.
Goldbug nodded, still staring out the window.
"Unless you're tired, you can go to sleep." Sarah said, leaning over the girl.
Goldbug shook her head. "I can't sleep until mommy comes back."
Ratchet's optics dimmed against the transmission. This wasn't happening; he had cancelled out the cyber venom. There was no reason for this, none. NONE!
-ANYONE!- Jazz transmitted. -She's dyin', ya gotta help 'er!-
Of course Ratchet was going to help. He was already sitting inside Jetfire's alt mode cargo bay with Firestar.
"Calm down, Lieutenant, we're on the way." Ratchet transmitted.
-Get he'a fasteh!- Jazz shouted.
Oh, so many things Ratchet wanted to say, but none of them appropriate for the moment. An argument would do noone any good, especially Amy. None of this should be happening. He thought bitterly. I should have been paying closer attention to the pod then I could have stopped Tarnatulus from taking her. She would still be human, and happy, and there would be none of this messy business to clean up.
Amy could feel herself sinking slowly into darkness. She tried to scream herself away, but her voice did not come. Her synthoid had long since disintegrated, and now the headlights of the Exige showed on the white solstice in front of her. There was someone calling her name, but she could barely hear it...no, she could barely detect the sound vibrations, let alone convert them into an actual voice.
Whatever happened to just hearing your name? Amy thought. Wish I could cry...not that cold stuff... Her brain was starting to shut down now. I'm scared, mom. She shifted what little of her sensors she had around her peripheral vision, and saw a blonde crouched next to her right headlamp, his hand braced on the blue exterior of the car. His mouth was moving, but she couldn't hear anything anymore. Did you know... I really did name Goldbug after you... She felt a part of her shudder.
The blonde's eyes widened, he turned, and shouted something to someone nearby. Another figure ran into view, sliding on the slick pavement as the rain poured down; the same storm from the ocean. The new figure had a dark complexion, and was almost impossible to see against the blackness behind him.
I...I never...stopped... Amy was nearly out now. N-never...stopped...love...you...
"No, no!" Jazz shouted as the headlight went out.
A thunder other than clouds rumbled overhead.
"No!" Jazz hit the side of the car.
"Lieutenant!" Bumblebee gasped, and ran over to Jazz. He grabbed the taller man's arms, and pulled him away from the blue sports car. He fought against Jazz trying to get back to Amy, but there was nothing either of them could do anymore.
Jazz turned on Bumblebee, and grabbed his jacket. He stared at Bumblebee with tears streaming down his face, mingling with the freezing rain. "She...she's..."
Bumblebee shook his head. "No."
Jazz released Bumblebee, and fell on his knees to the ground. His hands splattered the small puddle beneath him as he barely managed to keep himself up.
A siren howled through the night as a yellow search and rescue truck skidded to a stop next to the cars. A red pick up truck stopped with more care a few meters away.
A middle-aged man wearing a light brown rain coat over a dark brown suit, brown loafers, and a dark fedora jumped out of the truck. He ran around the front of the vehicle.
"Ratchet?" Bumblebee's voice cracked slightly. "She's not...is she?"
Ratchet looked at the blue Exige. "No. Help me!"
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