TMWolf:Alrighty! Chapter time! Also, a happy birthday to my Mom! :) Going to be celebrating her birthday this weekend... most likely at Gringos. If you have never been to Gringos and you like mexican tex/mex (think Taco Cabanna for tex-mex)... THEN GO. SERIOUSLY. SO GOOD. x3 Or Pappasitos. I dunno. ANYWAYS. I see all you people like the green monster taking a hold on Sideswipe, tee hee! :P Oh, and Jazz's little -ahem- "warning", ha ha~ I think you'll all like this chapter, too ;) Some Sideswipe/Cat fluff just to give a little heads up. Also, some good family fluff time, too! :D FLUFF FOR EVERYBODY! -throws it around-
So today's song is from Of Monsters and Men - Little Talks. I don't think they're super popular yet, but they're a great indie/folk song band! I have quite a few of theirs now and I think they're great! I'd recommend them! :) The lyrics don't have much to do with it, I guess, but the little fits :P
Now for the lovely reviewers! Thank-you all so much! :D All your reviews are loved and appreciated!
Angel897: Yay! :D thank-you very much~!
Autobot-Bre: Aww thanks! Hopefully you'll enjoy the Cat/Sides moment in this one ;3
Cascadenight: I know right? They're meant to be best friends forever :D Aaaand it's kind of half-and-half on Jazz misjudging :P He's being a good big-bro-protector, and, yeah, I guess it is sweet, isn't? But oh man, there's so much hidden stuff to him, ha ha :D And you want more Cat & Sides? Well, you get some in this chapter ;)
EverBear01: LOL nice! xD Jazz is just that cool ;) Ah~ sanity breaks. Gotta love those, and thanks for choosing my story to read then! x3 Glad to be of service for those breaks, too! And you're in luck! There's some "major" Catswipe- nice ship name by the way- in this chapter :3
Hakusho14: And it's only the filler parts between movies! And they're note even a couple yet, tee hee! ;D Time for some sparks~!
Iceshadow911247: ...YOUR COUSIN IS AWESOME. ;^; And yeah, they get red. I think mine do when I'm embarrassed, and so did a lot of kids in my school. Darn those bodily functions- revealing our hidden emotions! D: AND LOL YES. I remember that one. Weird looks? Not bad. I find weird to be a good characteristic :) Oh, it's not the Sideswipe doesn't like Sam... he just doesn't like 'Cat giving the guy so much attention ;) And no I haven't, actually! D: No fair!
Kago of the Funk: GURL. I UPDATE WHEN I WANT -does stupid/funny snap-strut with dumb face) lol, just kidding. And yes, Sam should bet WAAAAAY more, but he thinks its all a joke, ha ha ha~ Also- Stabby McWheelfeet? I think someone's been reading TFWiki... and that nickname is freaking hilarious for him xD
Kaaayyytteee: Jazz and Sideswipe. They know how to make people like them ha ha. About Cat/Sam... I actually think they could work, too. I've honestly thought of a version "B" where they did get together, ha ha xD And there is one more thing, but that's a secret that's going to be around for a long time ;)
Megan666: Ha ha, well good then! :D And yes, 'Sides is soo jealous ;) And it's not necesarrily that Jazz "liked" her in that way, but he COULD have, but he was her brother so it never happened, so to speak :P Roller coasters are the best! Makes me sad our main amusement park went away back home :/ And oh! Well, that's different. Not wanting to go anywhere is just fine :P Sometimes it's better that way, to be honest. Less potential for bad things to happen (like lose a passport -COUGH-COUGH-) And, as I already told someone else: GURL I UPDATE WHEN I WANT -does stupid, funny snap-strut- :P
Mercedes Wolfcry: yuuuuuuup~ 'Sides gotta watch himself ;)
Starscream's Prime: I guess that means Jazz can make people laugh, smile, and silent. Dang. He IS good, ha ha xD
Szynka2496: ...fffffffffuuuuuuuuu- no fair D: Wait- when's your vaca then? June? (Mine's my last final on May 9, nyahahahaha~ :P ) And yupyupyup, Sides is jealous, bwahaha~ And LOL that's okay on AHM. It's IS pretty dark. But that's kind of why I love it xD;; I thought it took a really intense/new look on the characters that I LOVED! Megatron finally- in my opinion- stopped being just a psychotic-power hungry asshole and actually had MOTIVE to his actions :) And ooh! The Tales of the Fallen is good from what I've seen on TFWiki, though I haven't personally read them~ :3
TheBlackRose: whhhhhy thank-you xD Glad I could make Jazz keep you on your toes... uh, kind of. Or, well, surprise you, ha ha~ :P Lots of mysteries to Jazz, I will tell you that~ And THAT satisfied your romance parts? Dang- now I'm wondering what will happen when it DOES get romantic, ha ha~ :P
Topkicker26: Gurl, it's all good :P I know people have real lives so it's not always easy to work both in xD and ouch! That does sound tough! :/ I guess go read some good books or watch movies or do whatever gets the muse going? And aww, thanks! :3 I try my best with them... I gave myself too many to work with xD;; AND YES I DID WATCH THE EPISODE WITH NEMESIS PRIME SOOO GOOOOOOOOOD. ...Oh Primus- a SPACE portal! lol! That thing was sooooo funny! xD Apparently there's a Skyrim (Viking-Dragon game) where you can have it fall down from space, bwahahaha! And Wheatley is fantastic :) That british accent helps x3 And yay for you and your friend! :D And, yes. A little jealous, but he doesn't really need to worry at all ;)
...Aaaaaand action!
XXXVI. Little Talks
"I see you had a good time last night," Sarah Lennox grinned, a twinkle in her eye while she wiped baby food from Annabelle's mouth. She then picked up a plate next to her and spooned scrambled eggs onto it before handing it over to the welcoming hands of the redhead, whose face was lit brightly with a smile. Catherine gave loving thanks as she sat down and took her first bite. As usual, the blonde-haired woman was the embodiment of perfection when it came to cooking.
"Yes, I did, actually. More so than I've had in a very long time," she laughed, taking another bite. "Sorry I missed dinner by the way. You know I always love your cooking—it's the best."
"Well, I'm glad to hear it. Although, I was hoping maybe Sam was your boyfriend. Oh, don't give me that face—Sam explained things and I'm happy you two finally made up. He didn't say what exactly happened, but it seems like things are alright, so I suppose it doesn't matter all that much anymore," the older woman hummed, shuffling the last of the eggs onto the other plate and picking up her own fork.
Catherine nodded with a mischievous look to her eyes, "Yeah. I've forgiven him, but if he plans to make it up, I don't plan on stopping him. Oh, by the way, is it okay if he comes tomorrow?"
"Sure! He's welcome here any time he wants. A friend of yours is a friend of ours."
"Thanks!" the redhead laughed, but paused as she glanced around, noticing the absence of a certain father figure. "Where's Lennox, by the way? I figured he'd be eating with us."
"Ah. Well, someone has to take care of the horses, and it's not going to be you or his cousin who's off for the break, so that leaves my husband. He's to make up for when you were last here, anyways."
The redhead snickered, "Sweet revenge! Don't be too hard on him. This is his break, too, after all."
"Oh, I know. He always finishes up pretty early, and we figured we might go out shopping around lunch."
"Nice. Wait—how about you guys go on a date or something?" Catherine spoke up, and Sarah looked at her curiously. "Yeah! You and Lennox should go out to a fancy place tonight. I'll look after Annabelle and everything! I've taken care of three of the most annoying dogs ever, so she shouldn't be too hard. She goes to bed around eight anyways, right?"
Sarah paused to think, "Well… A date would be nice… What kind of dogs were they?"
"Huskies. Friggin' Huskies. I don't know if you've ever had any, but they're basically little kids."
"Hmm… What do you think Annie?" the blonde woman smiled, lifting up her little girl and rubbing their noses together. "Would you like Catherine to watch you tonight? I think she'll be up to it if I show her exactly what to do."
Annabelle giggled happily, flailing her arms with bright eyes, and both women couldn't help laughing with her. Sarah then settled the baby on her hip and, turning toward Catherine, nodded.
"Alright. It's a deal. She honestly doesn't need all that much to get her to sleep, so I'll just give you the rundown before Will and I leave."
"Alright! You get a nice date with your husband, Annabelle gets bonding time with me, and I get the house to myself. Tonight is going to be fantastic!" Catherine grinned, winking mischievously and getting a laugh from the older woman. "Naw, but seriously; I'll keep everything nice and tidy. I mean, with Lennox doing all the chores, I'll just have to put Annie to bed and just listen for if she wakes up, right?"
"That's about it. She's gotten much better about not waking up in the middle of the night, too, so you shouldn't need to worry about that. Anyways, we'll go through it all later this evening. You go have fun in the meantime."
"Well, I'll gladly do that, but I feel like I'm kinda free-loading if I do," the redhead frowned, setting her elbow onto the counter and pressing her cheek into her palm. "I mean, technically I kind of am…"
Sarah huffed, "Catherine Wolf! You are by no means free-loading! This is your home and you belong here! Now go do something fun before I choose for you, is that understood, young lady?"
"Okay! Okay! I'm going!" Catherine yelped as she leaped from her seat, hands held up high in surrender, and rushed off to the back door. She paused to turn her head and give a grin to the blonde-haired woman, who gestured for her to get going. Not wanting to invoke the woman's wrath, the redhead went out, narrowing her eyes in the bright sunshine. It was summer time, and while the heat was not nearly as bad as Diego Garcia, it still formed a few beads of sweat on her brow as soon as she stepped out onto the dirt lot. She paused to breathe in the country air, which was especially fine and clear this morning, and she suddenly wished the Lennox's had a dog. Certainly, the ranch felt a little empty without a four-legged companion running about, and that in turn made her think of Steeljaw.
She snickered a little, imagining the large, metal lion romping about the land, racing the horses or playing carefully with them. He would have done well on a ranch, she supposed, but he was still on active duty guarding the shard, and, according to the message Teletraan received this morning, he was quite alright spending time with his human companions. She had to admit it made her a little jealous, but at the same time her motherly pride was glad for it.
"Ah, so what to do today?" she mumbled aloud and she began to walk. There was no path to the lot, just a large plot of dirt with varying amounts of grass around it. There were well-tended plots of flowers at the edge of the house, but everything else was obviously naturally grown. Except for the garage, tool shed, and horse barn, of course, the last of which echoed the familiar sounds of horse hooves clopping against a paved floor. She hummed pleasantly as she turned and headed that way. In the building she found Lennox putting their gray-coated gelding—aptly named Gray—back into his stall.
"Sooo… How are the Ladies and Gents treating you this fine morning?" she called out once the brown-haired man had closed the stall door. Lennox glanced up, smiled a little, grabbed a towel off the tool box, and made his way towards her. His shirt was soaked through already—or well, she didn't know how long he'd been out there—and he had some dirt on his face, but he was as cheerful as always.
"Not bad, actually, which is nice since I don't have you doing all the work," he chuckled as he chucked the towel at her, which she caught on reflex, but quickly threw back as she realized how wet it felt.
"Ugh! Don't throw your nasty sweat towel at me!" she hissed, and the man laughed. "Anyways, Sarah said I had to go do something fun, so do you know where Sideswipe and Jazz are?"
"You expect me to know? You're their keeper," he smirked, and the redhead rolled her eyes as she set her hands onto her hips before giving him a look. He waved it off with another laugh. "Alright, alright, kiddo. They're someone out in the field or the streets. Stretching their legs is what they said, I think."
"You 'think'?"
He shrugged, "Like I said— you're their keeper. Anyways, I'm done with my chores, so I'm heading inside. Have fun looking for them!"
"Thanks," she grumbled, dodging his dirty hand, which had aimed to rough up her hair. She got a few chuckles from him while she secretly stuck her tongue out at his back, and turned towards the fields. The land went for a good amount of acres—she could never remember how many—but she couldn't see an Autobot in sight. She frowned, using her hand to shade her eyes from the sunlight as she peered out at the trees, but again nothing. She huffed, but fell onto her backup plan; it was Allspark power time.
She didn't even need to close her eyes as she conjured the mental image of the two in her head, and used her abilities to search for their presence. She knew now she was locating their signature, but preferred to call it "aura" or something more mystical. Whatever the case, even with little to no Energon absorbed in her, she could always find it, although only to a certain distance. Thankfully, the whole ranch was within her range, and she was able to pick up on one she knew quite well. She was a little taken back when she thought she felt it reach back to her—almost like how it had happened with her drones and Steeljaw—but it stopped in the next moment. She supposed she shouldn't have been so surprised. It was Jazz, after all, and he always seemed to have some kind of weird connection to her. It probably came with being an older-brother guardian.
She smiled as she started off, heading towards the trees. While her eyes couldn't see it, the white-armored mech was amongst them somewhere, relaxing. She hadn't felt Sideswipe, so she supposed he was off on the streets. That would be like him—he preferred the pavement to dirt. She was a little surprised Jazz wasn't with him, but, then again, the saboteur was far more patient and calm than the younger, silver mech. It was almost funny how nearly opposite they were.
She let her thoughts meander around that for a bit longer before they dwindled off while she walked. She was glad for her NEST gear shorts and loose shirt—it made the heat bearable, although the tall grass tickled her calves. It certainly made her trip to the trees, which was actually rather far, somewhat interesting, but she was definitely glad to finally be in the shade when she reached the thick brush. She'd already spotted the lone mech about a minute ago, and so slunk between the tall trunks to where he sat in such a way that it looked as though he were meditating in the large space that he had adjusted himself by the looks of the fallen vegetation.
"Hey, Jazz," she called out as she came up beside his leg, turned around, and pressed her back against it. They were folded underneath him while his hands lay perfectly still on his lap, and it immediately made her think of the Japanese anime shows she used to watch. His visor was off, but flickered on and retracted as he looked down at her with a grin and held his hand out to her. She took it, of course.
"Mornin', shorty. Glad ta see ya found me," he hummed as he set her on top of his leg where she settled down into a relaxed, prone position.
"Not hard now that my range is as big as the ranch. All the practice has paid off," she mused. "Although, I thought… Er, well, did you… uh… reach out to me? Like, did you feel me feel you and feel back? I know it's possible, since my creations can…"
"Ah, so ya started ta figure dat out. Yeah, I reached out ta ya."
She jerked up, "Whoa, seriously? Wait—does that mean the others can feel me, too? Like Sideswipe? Or Prime? Or Ratchet? I've reached out to them before, so did they ever 'feel' me, too?"
"They can feel it, but it's not as strong as when ya 'feel' for me or ya creations. It might register on their scanners, but they won't know ta reach back. Not all 'o them will be able ta, either. Only certain ones 'o them can," the white mech replied, and Catherine bit her lip curiously.
"Only certain ones?" she began with a murmur. "Which ones, though..? Prime and Ratchet can I'm pretty sure… I think maybe Sideswipe, but I don't know. You can, and so can the drones and Steeljaw, but I don't think any of the new guys can so… Oh my God—Jazz! Are the ones that can 'feel' me the ones I've used my powers on?"
A small smirk flickered onto his faceplates, "'Atta girl. Ya getting' it now."
"I've been thinking about that whole 'feeling' thing, too. I mean, I might be crazy, but ever since Elita-1 told me about all the spark bonds… I've… I've been wondering if maybe I have one with Teletraan, Blaster, Cybermon, and Steeljaw. I did manage to finally ask Ratchet, but he said even with Energon blood I shouldn't be able to, but he has to be wrong—I can feel my creations too well to not have a Creator Spark Bond… But how? I thought only sparks could make bonds…"
"C'mon, shorty, if ya wanna get it don't ask the questions—just think 'bout it fo' a minute," Jazz spoke, touching the redhead gently to calm her. Catherine looked up, nodded, and pulled herself into an Indian-style position with her elbow resting on her knee and chin in palm, prime for thinking. It didn't take long for her thoughts to get something together, and she almost smacked her palm to her face, but instead let her mouth hang open for a stupid moment.
"The Allspark!" she gasped, but then frowned again. "But wait—no one has a bond with the Allspark. Or, well, no one ever said they felt anything from it. Although, they knew the Allspark as the Cube, which wasn't sentient… but I am… Jazz… Is it because that I have the Allspark's power in me… that I can make spark bonds?"
"Yes."
She stood up to begin pacing on his leg, "But then that means I've been exchanging spark signatures if what Elita-1 said is right, but I shouldn't be able to since spark bonds require very specific sparks and I'm human, which means I don't have a spark. But apparently I've been spark bonding with everyone, which shouldn't work! Or is that something the Allspark does? And what kind of bond is it exactly? I mean, I can sense feelings, but that's it, so I don't know how close that makes it. And they can't feel me as well as you, so I guess that makes it one-way, but… Argh! This is so weird, Jazz! I know you said you're not supposed to tell me, but can you at least answer me a yes or no?"
He nodded once she turned to face him, and she took in a deep breathe to prep herself.
"Okay. Can I form any of the three spark bonds with anyone?"
"Yes," he replied at once, and her eyes widened a little.
"O-okay. Wow. That's, uh, pretty intense. Um. Okay, uh… Do I control which one I make?"
"Yes."
"How? Oh, wait—that's not yes or no. Um… Do I control it by, um… by… uh, my, uh, interactions with everyone?"
"Yes."
"Alright, so that means I'm not a Spark Mate to everyone then," she began, breathing a sigh of relief. "That'd be, uh, awkward, and I'd feel bad if I got in the way of that for somebody. So, um… If it's based on interactions… Do you and I have a sibling bond?"
"Ya got it."
"Huh. Okay. Cool. I guess that'd explain why we're pretty much in synch most of the time. Well, kind of. I think there's more to it, but I'm not sure," she hummed, no longer pacing, but still rubbing her chin thoughtfully. "I wonder… If I can make a bond with anyone, and they're based on interactions, can I change the bond? I mean, I'm already defying most of the logic Elita-1 told me with just being human with bonds."
"Yes, like all 'o the other questions. Ya done good, shorty. Ya still gotta long way ta go, but ya doin' good," the white mech smiled down at her, and she raised a brow.
"Now that I think about it, you're being awfully revealing today. I thought I was supposed to figure it all out on my own?"
"Ya had it mostly figured out when ya asked ya questions. When it's just confirmation, it's s'okay for meh ta answer ya questions."
"Huh. Well, that's convenient. But man—I can make spark bonds? Just—holy crap! That's… That's weird. What am I supposed to do about this? I mean, I did it without their asking and it seems like one of those things you're not supposed to 'accidentally' do or force onto someone or whatever. Do any of them know? Should I even tell them?"
Jazz's hand brushed against her belly, effectively stopping her ramblings and footsteps, and brought her gaze up to his optics. She calmed at once and let herself act as a dead weight on the metal digit, using the mech as her means to stay upright. He smiled then, knowing she was alright, and lowered her down gently.
"There. Now that ya got the coolant goin'," he began, settling back into a more relaxed position. "Ya don't need ta worry 'bout none 'o that. The bonds ya made won't affect 'em 'o their own ability ta bond with others. Ya can say ya bond is 'special', 'Cat, so don't ya worry 'bout ruinin' anyone's solar cycle."
Catherine stared into his optics, testing his words, though she already knew he was sincere. She didn't need her powers to know, either—there was simply no reason for him to lie, and she could tell by his tone. And for that she smiled and pulled herself up and more over his digit so that she hung, her belly pressed into the metal, which was thankfully smooth. The white-armored mech chuckled as she carefully brought her up to his optic level, and she nestled her cheek into her palm, supported by her propped elbow.
"Mmkay," she said softly, a smile still on her face. "So long as it doesn't screw anything up. I guess it being a spark bond doesn't really change anything, anyways. I mean, I'd say I have a 'bond' with all of you guys already, whether it be a as a brother or like an uncle or grandpa. So, you know what? I'm not going to freak out about it."
"Sound like a plan ta me," Jazz chuckled. "Ya might find they don't mind, just like ya don't. I know our bond's done meh a lot 'o good, so maybe it'd be the same fo' them, yeah?"
"That'd be cool. I'd rather not have anything change, anyways," she hummed, but paused as she noticed an odd twinkle in the blue glow of his optics. She almost didn't want to know what it was for. Almost. "Okay, what're you cooking up now, bro?"
"Oh, just wonderin' a little somethin' is all," he purred, and she raised a brow, urging him to continue. "So… no 'boyfriends' in those bonds 'o yours that I should know 'bout?"
Catherine glared darkly for a few, silent moments before smacking his face, and the white-armored mech just laughed.
-O-
Catherine managed to get a few good hours with Jazz, whom decided to lay off his teasing much to her relief, and then Teletraan was woken from his nap with a text message from Lennox. Apparently she had been out longer than she thought, and it was time for lunch, which promptly made her realize she was hungry. Jazz was kind enough to give her a lift back on the basis that it was an "apology" for any teasing, and she happily accepted. It helped beat her time walking between spots, and she was glad to bound her way back inside while the Cybertronian transformed to gaze out down the road, where the silver-glare of Sideswipe's alternate form glinted in the sunlight.
Catherine, meanwhile, became busy with helping getting the food to the table. It was just sandwiches, but Sarah had turned it into a feast worthy of kings by giving them many different choices of meats and cheeses. When asked, the woman simply said she never got to do anything creative being the only one here and Annabelle being too young, so she wanted to have some "fun" and provide a good meal for the two of them. Whatever the case, the redhead was glad for it, and took great delight in making two different halves of a sandwich of her choice, and also playfully comparing hers with Lennox, thus starting the oddest argument over whose was better. In the end, it was decided Annabelle won.
Things then settled into normal talk, most of it steering towards their plans tonight, and Catherine took great joy in watching the two adults smile lovingly at one another, almost as if they were young teens at school going on about a first date. It was a sight to behold, but it also left her mind open to wander a bit, and she couldn't help but wonder how she fit into everything. She didn't mean just for their plans tonight, but rather everything. A look down at her sandwich made her wonder why she was there or rather how she was there. Before, there had been a reason for her to be at the table, but what about now? As much as she wanted, Lennox and Sarah weren't her parents. Annabelle wasn't her sister. This wasn't the house she'd grown up in. So how could they just let her stay and eat their food and be with them so easily?
She set her sandwich down, thinking. Yes, Lennox felt like a father or some adult-figure like that to her—he was always watching out for her and making sure she was alright like a parent would for their child, but Sarah? The woman had let her come in so willingly, and, sure, she came recommended by Lennox, but… but it just—she couldn't fathom anyone being so welcoming. She had her own faults that could make it hard for her to accept people sometimes. Hell, she wasn't sure she would have let someone like her in so easily and to such lengths. It was astounding. It made her feel awkward; out of place; like a leech.
"Catherine, what's wrong?" the woman's voice rang through her thoughts, and she blinked back to reality to find the two adults looking at her with concern.
"Oh. Um…" she began, picking up her sandwich in the hopes eating it would throw them off, but one look into Lennox's eyes told her otherwise. With a short sigh, she put it down. "It's just… You… You guys are letting me stay here and treating me like, well… family, but I'm not your kid, and I know some people do that, but it's only after they know each other a long time, and I've only known you for a little while, so, y'know, I feel like..."
Both adults looked at one another, some unknown thoughts running between them as only a husband and wife would be able then, and then the blonde woman smiled as only a mother could at Catherine. The redhead's eyes widened a fraction, and she felt her pulse quicken a little.
"Oh, sweetie. It's not the time that makes the relationship—it's the experience, and I can say for a fact that it could have been even just a week of knowing you and we would still feel the same. It doesn't matter you're not our child or even niece or any other relative. The moment Will brought you in through that door, Catherine, you were a part of this family, and don't you ever doubt that."
Catherine glanced between the three, taking in Sarah's loving eyes, Lennox' confident, reassuring nod, and at Annabelle's face, smiling as if she agreed, and felt her own lips curve upwards.
"Okay," she replied simply, picking up her sandwich to continue eating, and the rest of them followed, their faces sharing a similar feeling.
The rest of their meal went on joyfully, the two adults continuing to act as young teens, the sandy-blonde-haired baby playing with her food, and the redhead free of worrisome thoughts. Even when the food was gone, the good times continued. Washing the dishes and putting them away was fun, and—for first time in her life—Catherine sat down with her "family" and watched TV. together. It was obviously a normal thing for them, but for her it was something entirely new and grand, and she couldn't keep the smile off her face as she sat in the single-chair and glanced between the show and her new parents. She almost let out an ecstatic giggle at one point, but held it in. Annabelle helped by laughing at the same time, and both parents quickly cooed over their baby.
She could have stayed there forever with them, but it seemed some greater force had other plans as she felt Teletraan buzz again. The little guy was awake now, but he had decided to stay in her pocket. She figured it was because Annabelle made him uncomfortable, but that wasn't a problem as she checked the message he'd received. Her smile turned into a grin and she excused herself, as she was being "summoned". They let her go, and she trotted out into the backyard, coasting by the buildings to the first few hills in the field. They were the ones just before the fenced horse pens where all of the equines were romping about or grazing, not minding the towering, silver figure watching them while he sat on the hill.
"Hey!" she called out, settling herself down beside his left leg. "So how was your drive?"
"Hey," he smiled back. "And not bad. Definitely better than the dirt here. Jazz agrees, so it's not just me."
She chuckled, "I didn't think it was. So. What do you wanna do?"
"I'm not really sure. I figured I'd ask you."
"Huh. Um… I dunno. Wanna just… chill? We can talk some, too, I guess," she inquired, tilting her head at him. He hummed, pondering for a moment, and then shrugged.
"Sure. I guess, uh, did you have… fun, last night?" he inquired, and her face lit up.
"Did I?!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms up. "Last night was great! Sam and I had sooooo much fun! I even won a toy dog, too! It'll fit nicely with my things Sam saved for me… Oh, hell! I forgot them in 'Bee's trunk. Crap. Well, he's coming tomorrow so that should be okay."
"That's… good," he nodded, and she suddenly realized he was probably really bored last night.
"Oh. Um… I guess, uh, sorry, if, uh, things weren't exciting around here?"
"It was fine. Don't worry."
She wasn't convinced, but she let it slide and instead sought for something he might want to talk about. One subject came to mind, and it had been some time since they'd talk about the subject. She also knew it wasn't a sore spot anymore, so she decided to test the waters.
"So, hey… Have you felt anything from Sunstreaker, yet?"
His head tilted, his optics dimming, "I… can feel… something. It's weak and seldom, though, but I've felt it. He's a long ways off still, but getting closer."
"Oh, wow! That's great!" she beamed, and he smiled down at her.
"Yeah," he replied, but his smile suddenly turned to a frown and he looked away. "I, uh… I really am sorry about that. Especially now that I know for sure he's alive."
She sighed, "Sideswipe, I told you—don't worry about what happened. That's in the past."
"I know… but it's just… I was an idiot. I don't even know what I was thinking. Even if I downloaded the memory unit into a Sunny you created… it wouldn't be him. We wouldn't have the same spark. It wouldn't be the same, and it'd only be more painful. But now I know he's alive, so I don't need to worry anymore. He'll come here. We always find each other, no matter where we are."
"Well, I'm glad he's alive then. I mean, I couldn't understand what it's like to lose that, but I wouldn't want it to happen to you. Or, er—anyone. And it might be weird, but I'd say we're better for the incident. Maybe you should be an idiot more often," she winked, and he chuckled softly in reply.
"Maybe I should. I guess that means you have to keep putting me back in my place."
"No problem. I'll even extend my service to 'Sunny' when he gets here."
He laughed loudly this time, "Oh, that'd be a sight to see! You better keep your word on that one. The whole base would pay to see that!"
"Well, then I promise I will!" she grinned, though settled down a moment later. "Hey, 'Sides… do you… do you think your brother would like me, too?"
"Well, we generally like the same things so, maybe. He definitely wouldn't show it, though," he replied, tilted his head thoughtfully. "Why?"
"Well, it would be a little awkward if he hated me and you didn't, am I right?"
"…Yeah, I guess that would be. Huh. Well, I'd just force him to like you then. I'm very persuasive when it comes to my brother. But I don't think you'll have any problems getting him to like you. You've got pretty much everyone else, right?" he smirked and she returned the expression.
"What can I say? I've got the touch," she winked.
He snickered, "Yeah, yeah. Just don't be surprised if he ever looks at you like you're the most disgusting thing on Earth. It's how he shows his, uh, 'love', I think it's was you call it, sometimes, and you won't be the only one."
She laughed a little and then became quiet—Sideswipe didn't make a move to say more— as she sat next to him, staring out at the field. It was a pretty view as always, although the sun was a little hot, being that it was midday. She supposed she should have been blistering being next to a metal leg, but the Autobot didn't radiate any heat whatsoever. It was a nice, convenient trick Cybertronians had to keep them from overheating, which also benefited their human companions. It made things much more comfortable as she sat there with him. Although, the heat level could not help her back, which began to complain due to her odd positioning and so she shifted, turning so she could lean it against his leg. It was always a wonder how comfortable the Autobots' limbs were despite their metal nature.
She let her eyes close as their silence continued, and she found she liked it a lot. Normally, they would be talking and teasing each other endlessly, but the quiet was nice this time. If she listened closely, she could hear the thrumming of his gears beneath the metal or possibly the flush of Energon through his wires. It was fascinating how something they were so like humans, and yet entirely different. They even had emotions, after all—they loved and hated and cried and laughed!
She opened her eyes and spotted his arm lying right in front of her, and she couldn't help but stare. She didn't know why—she had seen his arm countless times and even been picked up by it—but it caught her interest. If there was a way to describe it, it was like a kid coming across a shiny object they'd never seen before, and like any child, she had to get a closer look and touch it.
It wasn't perfectly smooth silver. There were dents and cracks here and there, like scars from battle or any normal day things. He only had three fingers, but they were edged with small cuts and bent at the same points her fingers were. There were even joints where it attached to the main part, and then the palm itself was separated into three different plates with enough space between them that they could squeeze together if need be, allowing the hand to clench. Through the space she could see the wires and feel their pulse. Staring at it, she realized how like a human hand it was. Even his arm was similar, with joints in the shape of cogs and gears, and the muscles the wires underneath with the skin as the silver, metal armor.
Catherine brought her own hand closer, turning it face up so she stare at her palm along with his, and again the resemblance was uncanny, but fascinating, too. She pressed her palm into his, and marveled at the size difference. It wasn't as big as she thought, but it was definitely there, and yet it seemed to fit in some odd way. Then, to her surprise, the fingers closed around hers. They didn't close all the way, but the cool touch of metal was there, brushing across the warm surface of her skin. She smiled a little as she looked up at him, but faltered when she saw his expression.
She had never seen such a look—the optics dim, but soft and focused on her; his mouth in the smallest, but sincerest of smiles. It was… It was—well, she didn't know what it was, but it was something she had never seen him show. It made her feel odd, but in a good way. Again, she could not say what it was she felt, but it was definitely good. Curiosity got the best of her and, still gazing into the blue oceans that were his optics, she reached out with her powers. Her heartbeat increased at once as, from his spark was a yearning—a desire; a need; a want... for her .
Her face grew hot, and she looked away, though her smile widened. She couldn't begin to fathom why, but it felt right and she could not deny she liked it. She couldn't deny the thoughts urging to run wild, either, and each direction they took made her face grow hotter and hotter, until she could take it no more. She moved her hand a little, and Sideswipe released it at once. She turned away from his limb then, making herself focus on the horses romping about in the fenced pen. All the while, she couldn't help feeling his optics on her, nor keep the feeling of need from her even though she released her powers.
And all the while, she liked it.
XXXVI. End
TMWolf: See? I told you guys there was some good Catswipe fluff :D And this officially marks the start of their romance. Kinda. Of course, they'll never admit those stubborn morons! Fanfiction demands love and romance you two! Get to work! D:
Anyways, so I've always believed that Sarah was the type to totally accept a random young teen Lennox brought in on a storm night and who happened to help save his ass in a battle against an alien race. Or something like that. Sarah's just really freaking awesome, okay? Lennox, too, in his beautiful man-faceness. Sarah got herself a good man ): And, yes, Catherine is STILL worrying about her feeling like she's taking advantage of them. It's in part because she DOES want to be a family with them, and so she's worried about them "abandoning" her, so to speak. Remember the whole breakdown with Sideswipe? Yeah, that wasn't a one time thing. But now, at least for the Lennox family, it's a done deal :)
Also- SO JAZZ FINALLY GOT TO REVEALING CRAP. ABOUT FREAKING TIME MAN. :/ So. What have we learned today, Catherine? You can make Spark Bonds! And what's that? You can make them without keeping others from making a bond with them, too? Gasp! So many possibilities! Anyways- so yes, as the Allspark she can form ANY bond that she wants. I've always kind of thought the Allspark had a bond to CERTAIN Cybertronians. For example, I believed the Allspark was connected to the Primes, if only because the Fallen believed he was the Allspark's chosen one or some crazy crap like that. I also thought Sentinel Prime has some bond, because he was more knowledgeable than you'd think and more than anyone else. Anyways, that's just my opinion, so with Catherine being an sentient, EMOTIONAL being, she can alter and form any bond she wants :P I think you all know what that means~ ;)
Oh, and, yes, Huskies are like annoying little children. I HAVE THREE OF THEM. I know all too well the tribulations of caring for them and trying to get them to do what you want without some kind of reward. They're smart enough to know they don't have to do shit unless they're getting something out it... BUT PRIMUS BE SLAGGED THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL DOGS. Totally worth all the crap they give us xD Love you Bandit, Dasher, and Sophie!
P.S. I am in a good mood. :megusta: