Optimus wisely gave the trio the next day to get their bearings after Mikaela's unsettling outburst. The injection Ratchet gave Mikaela had evened her out by the next day. The quartet woke up the next morning late for their shift. They didn't know that Optimus had given them the day off. Jazz had been the first one to come on line about 8 o'clock that morning. He couldn't believe he had recharged so long. He tried to unfurl himself from the mass of metal limbs that Bumblebee and he were at night around the two small beings they tried to get close to at night when they needed the physical connection to their humans and each other. He was certainly glad they had straightened out the Autobots that had arrived recently about the nature of the bonds because any other bot would have been sparkmated by now with the intimacy displayed between Jazz and Bumblebee except for the twins it was as if Jazz and Bumblebee had been sparked together. But as he tried to free himself he brought Bumblebee online with him and so the children followed suit. Mikaela felt rested as did all the others but they were all surprised at the length of time the slept. When Jazz told them what time it was they all jumped up and got dressed and raced to eat breakfast as the Autobots ran to Teletran-1 to report for duty. Optimus heard the two jogging mechs and turned to find out what was wrong.
He waited till they came in the room to ask "What's happened?" with urgency in his voice. They looked at him and though the might be upset with them because they were so tardy.
"Gee Boss man were seriously in the bad here…The kids and us didn't get up till just now… We didn't know how late it was. We have no idea why we slept so late! It hasn't happened before unless one of us was hurt. I don't know…" Optimus held up his hands to silence Jazz's explanation.
"It's alright Jazz and Bumblebee. You have the day off to help Mikaela feel better. You all need to help make sure she is balanced during this time. Ratchet has made some pills for her to take for the duration of this time in her cycle. You never have to be worried about being late when problems with the bonds occur. We know that there will adjustments to make as well as unique needs. I will do my best to stay on top of them but you need to communicate them to me if there is a problem they others will be more than happy to help. Do not risk the health and integrity of each other or the bonds. So go now and tell the children to relax and have a little fun today. They have so little of it." Jazz and Bumblebee were relieved and smiled.
"Thank you Sir!" Bumblebee all but chirped. He ran out of the room to tell the others to relax. Jazz stayed behind.
"Optimus," he addressed. Prime gave him a comforting look.
"I know its been difficult Jazz old friend." He said in return.
"Not difficult just new and different. It took gettin used to, to have such a new role now. I can't carry out the duties of a lieutenant anymore." Optimus nodded but smiled.
"You carry out duties of a much more important nature, guarding the sparklings that will give birth to others. And I can tell you enjoy it. I know its different then what you used to do but the kids need you now more than any of our contingents did. You are apart of them now." Jazz smiled thinking about his charge and Sam.
"You know those slaggin sparks ain't so bad. They keep me on ma toes more than any mech did that's for pittin sure. They are good kids, can't complain when it comes to sparklin sittin. It can be a slaggin drain though," he chuckled. Optimus laughed with him. Then he turned serious after a moment. "When do you think would be a good time to let them out of here? I mean to get some air somewhere else other than here? Maybe a trip to the Witwicky house?" Prime sighed.
"I think we are trapped between a…. 'rock and a hard place' as the humans say. We have to get them out sometime or they will run off before they go crazy from being in one place so long. I think it would be a good idea to possibly do so today. It is quickly approaching time for the next pod to arrive and I will have you go meet them also. But today I feel it is prudent to send you, the twins, and Hot Rod out for a while. You can take the kids to a park for some fresh air. No indoor places. They can be grabbed by humans to easily there. They must be within visual range at all times as well as 20 feet or so proximity. Stick to drive thrus for food." Jazz nodded as he received his orders. "You may all go this afternoon after the sparklings have lunch. Relay my orders to them and make sure they follow them. You have my permission to take whatever action necessary to protect them you need from humans or otherwise." Jazz saluted him with a nod and walked out of the room. Optimus hoped he wouldn't regret his decision to let them out for a while.
After Jazz gave them the news and they both swore they would follow Primes instructions to the letter they were just about giddy. Since they had nothing better to do this morning they all caught some local news and weather for the day on the TV and went to play some cards in the rec room. The twins came in just as they were dealing the cards and sat down with them. They had monster cards to play with and they had the humans play on teams with their guardians. IT was a fun time that morning as they played poker with the twins. A lot of cursing and laughing later Sunstreaker got the pile of washers that they played with. He won hands down today. They all laughed as it was nearing lunch time and they ran to get something to eat for lunch. The sparklings were well fed by 1 and they decided to check with Optimus one more time and then leave. They decided on their drive plan and what streets to stick to and what park was suitable for their purposes. They found one in the city that was actually close to Mikaela's old home that was now only occupied by her mother she called once in a while to tell her she was alive and she had moved out. Her mother didn't really care once she had received the news. It hadn't surprised the woman that her daughter ran off with her boyfriend as soon as she could having been a crack head for so long. She just needed her next fix and she'd be ok. That was all that had mattered.
The park was in a nice area that was somewhat secluded by a grove of trees from the housing tracked that had been put in there recently. It was a large park with plenty of grass to run on and stretch. On the drive over they both rode in Bumblebee and they enjoyed the time together and being out and about. The twins flanked the yellow camero and Jazz brought up the rear as Hot Rod lead the way. Hot Rod had become pretty familiar with tranquility since he had taken over their job in the mornings for patrol. He hadn't minded since he liked to roam. The trip there was uneventful. When they got out and looked around happy to be out of the base that was beginning to feel like a prison they ran to the play equipment to sit on the swings and talk. Mikaela and Sam sat side by side on the swings in the middle of the day with no one there because all the other kids were at school. They sat there quietly for a moment soaking in the surroundings. Nice grass under their bare feet and sweet smelling maple trees about along with some pine trees also. They ran their feet in the grass and smelled the fresh air and then settled into a conversation about when Mikaela had come here with her father when she was young. She had loved her father but he had been on the wrong side of the law and when he went to jail it had torn her mother and her apart. But as she told Sam about the time he brought her here before he got deeply into the car theft ring that ended up getting him in trouble he had been a mechanic and brought her here to play and get ice-cream one summer day. She told him with a smile no sadness filtering in the link. She swung a little back and fourth as she told him and enjoyed the quiet company of the man who was going to marry her one day. Sam told her about how his father used to take him to the zoo and ride with him on the train for hours on end on the weekends because that is what he wanted to do. They laughed but felt something was missing since they couldn't talk and be with their bonded. It felt kind of lonely a world where they couldn't interact with their bonded Autobots. Now as they started to swing they had a contest of who could swing the highest and jump off. Then Sam ran after Mikaela because she won and laughed at him. It was a sweet game of chase over the green grass and the sand box that held the play equipment. They ran everywhere. Once they got too far and Bumblebee let out a loud chirp that sounded like a car alarm that got their attention quickly. They came closer to the cars waiting in the parking lot as they ran a muck by themselves soaking in the alone time with each other.
Now this was a great park in tranquility so great that a certain person lived in the housing track behind the park. A person Sam given some thought to but probably not as much as he should have. A few phone calls with mysterious explanations about government and top secret work did little to appease said person. Walking home, he heard a familiar voice laughing in the park behind his house. As he walked through the trees he saw Sam and Mikaela fall to the ground in a fit of laughter after he had tackled her. Miles' jaw flew open. He stood stock still watching his friend roll around the grass with the jocks concubine. And if he hadn't been happy before he was furious now. He dropped his books and ran towards Sam. The look of hurt, betrayal, and anger on his face would have melted a stone had Sam been in any sort of mind set to see beyond the beautiful woman in his arms. But Miles was quickly closing the distance between him and his 'best' friend.
Course the Autobots by now were starting to get edgy. They had seen the boy come into the park and scanned him closely. They had never seen him before and the twins as well as Hot Rod were all ready to drive to his aide. Jazz was just about to jump into root mode and scoop up his humans. But Bumblebee sat there not entirely calm but he remembered Miles and was certain he wouldn't harm him….probably. He radioed the others about the situation and how Sam had known the boy approaching and that they should probably let the boys handle it since Sam hadn't seen him in almost a month. Bumblebee did have the sense enough to honk and warn him though that someone was approaching. Sam looked up. When he met Miles' eyes he just about fainted.
He hadn't thought about what would happen once he saw his 'best' friend again or what to do now that he was here. The fear and regret flooded the link to all three bonded to Sam. He knew he was in for it.
"SO this is your top secret work huh? Rolling around in the grass with your …." He couldn't find a good word.
"Hey now…" Sam started not happy about how he had address Mikaela. "Don't talk about my fiancé like that!"
"Fiancé?!?! When the hell did you get engage??? And Why the hell are you ALREADY to get married now??? With out even a word to you 'best' friend???" Sam sighed.
"Miles….I'm sorry I haven't been there lately. Life has taken some turns lately that I can't go down with you. So much has changed…" Sam felt old all the sudden. He had a great burden. And he felt like he had outgrown all the people at school and his age for that matter for the most part.
"You can share them with 'her' and not me huh? I see how it is you get a girlfriend a car and a job and there is no more room for ol' Miles huh?" He retorted bitterly.
"Look, I wish there was something I could say that would make this easy for you. But I can't tell you anything its top secret…" Mikaela leaned into him closer trying to ease the ache she felt in him through link. Miles was disgusted.
"Top secret huh? It seems your little friend here knows all about it or else you wouldn't be with her still. What is so important that happened to you a month ago that would make your old life just disappear. No one has seen you since the fight at school. I ran out to find out what happened to you only to find out that Mikaela and some mysterious ambulance had taken you to the hospital and then I don't hear anything for two weeks! What gives you the right to fuck with people like that???" He moved in and shoved him hard as he said this last sentence. Mikaela let go of Sam and moved back to let Sam deal with Miles. She knew she shouldn't interfere. Miles wasn't that type of guy but he was hurt and she knew it. The Autobot however seemed to seethe all except Bumblebee who just rocked on his shocks a little annoyed but not worried. The others however shook with the urge to transform. Sam accepted the push with no fight back in him. He knew he had hurt his best friend of many years.
"Miles I don't know what else to say…" he sighed. Miles looked at him it seemed he had tears in his eyes he was unwilling to shed.
"You're a lousy best friend!" He yelled. Sam sighed again.
"I know Miles. I'm sorry." Mikaela wanted to run to him and hold him till the hurt seeped from his gaze at Miles but couldn't not yet.
"Can't you tell me anything? Something to let me know what's happened to you? Just looking at you, Your so different Sam…" Miles knew him so well. It made Sam want to cry. Well knew him well.
"I am different Miles. Something did happen to Mikaela and I that I am not allowed to talk about. But I've made some very special friends and they are looking out for me. So don't worry ok? Things change Miles. I wish they hadn't had to change this way though…" Miles looked at him. He couldn't really hate him. It wasn't his fault that some shit happened to him. Probably some government shit that would never leave him the same. Miles sighed now.
"OK Sam if that is all you can give me….Just drop me a line once in a while to let me know you're alive. I know you won't becoming back to school again. It was announced a few weeks ago…." Sam nodded and just closed the space between the two of them and embraced his old friend. They both knew it was a kind of good bye. They would keep in touch but things would never be the same. Miles hugged him a moment and then let go. The whole scene wasn't very manly but for the moment the two didn't care much.
"I will Miles…" Miles looked at him and at Mikaela.
"At least you won't be alone. Good luck to you and…..Congratulations I guess…" it was as good as they were gonna get out of the hurt teen. Sam smiled sadly but took his proffered hand.
"Thanks man." He said. Miles turned on his heals suddenly and walked back the way he came. With out even a backwards glance he walked off grabbed his books and ran out of the park. He was going to cry and didn't want is old best friend to see. Sam had tears in his eyes too. Mikaela pulled him into a hug and kissed him gently as his tears slid down his face. It was a hard blow to the teen but not a completely unexpected one. He had known it was coming but hadn't planned for it very well. And now he was facing a very large part of his life he was saying good bye too. The sparklings had had enough fresh city air for one day and they walked slowly back towards the cars waiting for them. The teens slid into Bee and the car was already running when they hit the seats and they were on their way back to the base. It took the quartet and the twins a full two hours to get Sam out of his funk once the returned. He had cried a little but then surrounded by his bonded and this pod he began to cheer up. The explosion form Wheeljack's lab that was followed by an 'I'm ok' as usually broke the rest of the tension in the boy as they all laughed till their sides and servos hurt. It wasn't an easy life that that had befallen the two teens and Autobots but it was a good one most of the time nonetheless.
