Disclaimer: I own none of the Transformers characters. I do own my OCs so if you use them you need to ask me first, please and thank you.

Chapter 38

There must have been a wide spread com alert or something because Jade hadn't witnessed another fainting. She had almost expected it since Ratchet had demanded she use the holoform, as the medic called it, for the entire day to see if there were any limitations. The children had been fine with the idea. At one point or another they had seen her look like she was a human. None of the Cybertronians had seen her like this though, and since none of them fainted like Jazz had then there must have been forewarning.

With a bored air Jade ambled around the base, getting used to acting human again after so long being a Cybertronian. It was weird to be so small again. Well, she was average height for a woman her air, but after being about the size of a house for a so long she felt like an ant being this small. Giving a huff and a pout the young woman ruffling her already wind tangled red hair. She hadn't realized how little there was on base for her to do to pass time.

"Hey there, Cutie!" Arms wrapped around her waist as a firm yet feminine voice spoke in her ear.

A shriek of surprise erupted from Jade's throat as the arms lifted her off the ground with surprising strength. Immediately her jean clad legs pulled up a little while her hands went straight to the arms holding her. A loud laugh rang right behind her as she squirmed, her legs kicking all the while. Suddenly she was set back down and released. Whipping around woman glared at the cheeky smile she got in return.

"Not funny, Jess!" she snarled at the laughing brunette.

"Aw, but you're so cute. I mean, how could I resist when I hear you've been walking around as one of us squishy humans?" Jess grinned, placing her hands on her hips. "And might I say, you're cuter than I expected."

Feeling her face heat Jade crossed her arms over her chest and turned her head away from the soldier. Those very arms that had lifted her off the ground draped themselves over her shoulders.

"Come on, Jade. You know me, I can't resist teasing you. The fact that you're human just makes it easier for me. No need to crane my neck," the brunette said with a cheerful air.

Huffing Jade looked at her from the corner of her eye. "Yeah, I know you. I also know that you aren't supposed to be showing affection in uniform on base. What happened to your personal code?"

"Now how can a follow that when my friend turns out to be a super cutie?" The taller woman leaned in until the two of them were inches apart.

Jade felt her face flare red again. It was true that Jess liked to tease her, but Jade also knew that the woman was a complete flirt to those she thought were attractive. While this was the first time she had witnessed it herself, Jess had told her plenty of stories that had Jade blushing from the woman's forwardness and sheer brazen behavior. It didn't help that the former human held major admiration for the woman currently hanging on her.

"Anyway, I was told by a little birdy that you were bored." Jade snorted in an un-lady-like manner that was ignored. "So I'm here to take you out for a girls' day out. And maybe it'll go through the night." Laughter bubbled in Jade's throat at the blunt innuendo.

"A girls' day, huh?" She paused, "Just let me tell the kids and send out a com and we can go. I'll meet you at the front gate in say, an hour?"

That grin nearly split Jess' face. "Prefect, I'll get changed and meet you there!" With that she hugged Jade one more time before running off.

With a shake of her head Jade ambled off to tell the kids she was off for the day and that Barricade was in charge while she was gone. That was probably not a good idea, but Jade gave him a stern look when he got that mischievous glint in his eyes so he most likely wouldn't do anything. She sent a quick ping of her plans off to everyone else on the base. Jazz was still in medbay recovering from earlier so he would be able to see it when he woke up. When Ratchet let him wake up, apparently the silver mech had skipped several appointments and was overdue for a checkup.

A grin split Jade's face as she drove up to the front gate in her truck, after a quick change of her holoform's appearance so that she looked clean, letting Jess excitedly climb in with her. It felt weird to have feeling in her holoform, but also still feel things from her truck and function as if she was still metal.

"So where are we heading?" she asked as they drove away from base.

Jess threw her a wicked grin, turning in her seat to face Jade's human self. She was dressed smartly in a pair of black jeans and a purple T-shirt and matching black sneakers. "We are going to a movie, then the mall. I also arranged for your cousin's girlfriend to be there." She grinned, looking for all the world like she had thought of the best thing ever.

Jade shook her head at the thought of Mikaela joining them. Sam, being Sam, had let it slip to the entire base that he was her cousin, which then led to the entire base being told a vague version of how she had turned into a Cybertronian. The vague respond of "the government is a prick and hides a lot of stuff" was taken extremely well. Back to Mikaela, Jade wanted to talk to her since she hadn't seen the girl after that first meeting. There was something Jade wanted to clear up that only Sam's girlfriend could explain.

They made great time and got to the movie theater with enough time to buy snacks. Mikeala waved them over to the ticket line, talking excitedly about some really good action movie she had been dying to see, but Sam was too busy to take her. Luckily, the movie was great and Jade had discovered that her holoform could, in fact, ingest human food. She had almost moaned in bliss when she had tasted chocolate for the first time in what felt like forever. The look the Jess gave her, coupled with the smirk on Mikaela's face told her she didn't smother the noise enough. After the movie they wandered the mall with Jade being extremely well behaved by her standards. She didn't like malls; too many people and just overall not her first choice for a place to hang out. She liked the woods or maybe a lake. For the other two though, she put up with all the walking and giggling.

After what felt like ages they got pizza, upon Jade's begging, and sat at a table that was surprisingly clean.

"Seriously, I don't get malls. I mean, you can buy things, sure, but all you do is walk around. If I wanted to do that I would have packed a backpack and gone hiking. At least that's free." Let it be known that Jade only spent a lot of money on her truck and any tools she needed.

"The point is to relax and have fun with friends in a social environment where you could potentially meet other people," Jess pointed her fork at the red-head. Really, who used a fork and knife on pizza?

"And waste money," Jade countered.

"You both have good points now drop it!" the youngest of the group sighed.

There was a lapse in conversation while the three ate their pizza and drank their beverage of choice.

"So Mikaela, I wanted to ask you about something. Something about Sam," Jade ventured.

The young woman raised an eyebrow at the sudden topic change but nodded her consent. Jess was watching with rapt attention as if a real drama movie was playing right in front of her.

"You and Sam are an item, I get that. But I was wondering, with all the time you two have been together, did either of you say the "L" word?" Her blue eyes stared at the mechanic.

"Yeah, we did," she paused to take a sip of her soda, "but I think he forgot that he did because he's avoiding it like he used to."

"How could he forget saying that?" Jess piped in. Jade couldn't even glare at her for that since she had been about to ask the same thing.

"He said it right after he came back to life in Egypt. I think with everything going on and the confusion and fear that he just forgot." Mikaela shrugged.

Jade gasped. She hadn't been told that! Oh, she was going to have potentially deafening words with that stupid cousin of hers next time she saw him. Bee's crush be damned!

"You want him to say it again though, right? Like during a time where he'll remember?" Jess continued, oblivious to Jade's inner plotting.

"Yeah I do, but I don't want to pressure him," she sighed.

Jade snorted. "Please, the only time he actually does something productive is when he's pressured. I say you drop little hints and if that doesn't work then hound him," Jade griped. Unfortunately it was all true.

The conversation moved on to other things and eventually dissolved into mindless games like rating a person's hotness. Over all, Jade had a lot more fun than she was used to. Though next time they were going hiking.