Jack was bored. He fidgeted restlessly in the hospital bed. He wanted to move. He wanted to leave. He wanted to escape.

But he was denied that luxury. His lame body was cemented to the mattress, refusing to obey his will. Even the smallest of movements required all of his strength. Wires and tubes were attached all along the teen's body, practically acting as restraints. Should he disturb a single one, alarms would blare and alert anyone nearby of his attempted movement.

Jack had already learned that the hard way. He simply wanted to stand up. But once he placed his weight on the soles of his feet, his legs crumbled underneath him. The fall ripped several of the monitors from his skin, filling the air with deafening noise. A swarm of nurses had rushed in, only to find the army brat in a heap on the floor. Jack had been trapped ever since.

He fell into a bland routine. A steady stream of people would come in and out of his room, always with a different purpose. They would check his vitals or replace his IV. Sometimes they would give him "medicine," mostly vitamins and he could only guess what the others were for. Jack didn't know what good they would do, but he was able to keep them down, so he took them anyway.

Then they would practice "exercises" with him. They started simple. Sometimes the nurses would have him lay flat on his back and carefully push his leg back, then forward again, lifting one limb at a time. A nurse would instruct him to push or pull against them, which Jack could only guess was to measure his strength. Once they were satisfied, they brought out a medicine ball.

It was bigger than Jack's head, lighter than most of its kind and made of palpable rubber. A nurse would gently toss it to him, only for the ball to bounce out of his hands. And when he tried to throw it, the ball would usually miss its target. Frustrated was the least Jack felt. He couldn't even play catch. The nurses only cooed at him, telling him he was getting better with each pass. Jack wasn't convinced.

Then Gonzalez would come and check on him. The teenager bristled every time he stepped into the room. Yet the doctor would only smile at him, talking in that fake polite tone. As if Jack was a child. The army brat would not fall for his façade. Not after DiBiase.

It was almost a relief when Lennox would come and visit him, usually with a cup of dark energon. Jack assumed he was the only one brave enough to touch the vile substance. Yet it was the only thing the boy looked forward to.

The dark energon was warm as it settled in his stomach, radiating to his limbs. He felt renewed energy and strength with each dosage, even if it was brief. And yet, it still felt absurd whenever Jack drank it.

There were no talons scratching his scalp, no murmurs of encouragement, no powerful presence wrapping around him. No push against the bond, as Megatron send a wave of assurance—

No.

Megatron wasn't here.

Usually Lennox stayed, even after Jack finished the dark energon. Sometimes they simply sat in silence. Sometimes they would talk. Lennox would ask about his nightmares, but Jack wouldn't reply. He didn't want to retell the graphic scenes, not even to the former Ranger. Occasionally the NEST commander mentioned his offer, that he could invite someone else. Jack denied him every time.

This was no one's burden but his own. So he would deal with it himself.

Jack hadn't seen any of the Autobots since his awakening. Lennox would talk about them, usually telling him about how they were concerned for his welfare and relaying messages from the team. Most of them came from Arcee. Mostly telling him how to stay strong.

It made Jack want to scoff. How could he be strong? The army brat was freed from the chains of MECH. He was rescued from the clutches of Megatron. But nothing had changed. He was a prisoner. He was a prisoner of the Autobots. He was a prisoner in his own body.

Not even sleep could save him. If anything, it taunted him. Exhaustion would wash over Jack and the boy wanted to fall into its sweet embrace. But instead he only fought it. Because every time he fell into slumber, he would be drowned by the nightmares. Most of Jack's nights were spent laying awake, staring into the darkness.

It was the only friend he had.

Most of the medical staff left during the night, with only a skeleton crew left behind to keep the clinic operational. They tended to leave Jack alone, and he was just fine with that. He enjoyed the blissful silence. That was until there was a heavy thud from the outside hallway.

Jack jolted at the strange noise. What was that? He raised his head from the pillow, just to hear another loud thump. Then another and another. It sounded like someone was repeatedly slamming something against the floor. Curious and slightly concerned, the teenager shakily climbed into a sitting position.

It was a long, painful process, and by the time he rose, the thuds were just outside his door. He almost jumped when the door handle jiggled. What? Who would visit him at this hour? Lennox had left hours ago, so had the rest of the nurses. Jack bullied Gonzalez away for the night.

The handle shook more, almost violently. Fear began to claw at the boy's chest. He recalled the last time he was in the Autobots' care, MECH had followed him and snatched him while he was sedated. Had they come for him?

Thinking quickly, Jack looked around at the half dozen machines around him. There had to be a panic button somewhere around here, right? The teenager frantically fumbled for it, but he never found it. The door was ruthlessly swung open.

Blue eyes met blue optics.

"Why do you humans make your doors so weird," Arcee complained.

Jack stared at the impossible sight before him. The Autobot was right outside his door, still in her full size. She was balancing on all fours, crouching low to the ground which had to be an awkward position for the Cybertronian. The door framed half of her body, mostly her helm and shoulders.

"H-How—" Jack stammered, at a loss for words. It took him several attempts to speak. "How did you get in here?"

"I walked, obviously," Arcee shrugged.

Crawled seemed to be a more appropriate term. Had she stood up, her helm would surely be in the ceiling. And she was the smallest of the Autobots. Jack realized that was the only reason she was able to traverse the human-made hallways, which were wide and tall to allow a steady flow of people. And a very determined femme, apparently.

Jack went on to the next question. "What are you doing here?"

"You won't talk to me."

"I'm stuck in a bed right now, in case you haven't noticed."

Arcee's optics darkened with guilt at that and her voice lowered. "You shouldn't here."

"At least we agree on something."

There was an awkward pause between them. Arcee shifted her weight and her optics wandered, obviously uncomfortable.

Finally she decided to ask, "How are you holding up?"

Where did Jack even start? He felt terrible, both physically and mentally. He was too scared to go to sleep. Pain radiated across his body constantly.

He spoke honestly, "I hate it here."

The Autobot leaned forward and craned her helm to observe the interior of the room. It was hardly big enough to contain her size.

"Can't say I blame you," she admitted. She finally settled her gaze on him. "Looking to get out of here?"

"Can't see how." Jack raised his arm to show the monitors latched on to him. "I can't even get up to go pee without having every doctor in a five-mile radius storm in thinking I died of a heart attack."

"I can help with that. If… you want me to."

Arcee ended her offer with a hesitance, as if she feared she was overstepping. Jack's stomach knotted. He wasn't expecting to talk to his guardian. He wasn't expecting this absurd situation at all. He still didn't know what to say. But he couldn't stand the idea of staying confined any longer.

After a long moment of thought, Jack nodded. "Please."

Seeing the poor boy's desperation, Arcee nodded back. She shifted her weight and closed her optics in concentration. Nothing happened for several seconds. Then Jack felt it.

A buzz in the air. An invisible force that reverberated the air molecules around him, creating a sharp ring in his ear. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end. Jack recognized it was the same sensation he would receive when a Cybertronian flared out their field. No, that wasn't it. An EMP pulse.

Sure enough, the machines around him let out sounds of protest as they were overloaded with electromagnetic energy. The screens flickered and the numbers measuring Jack's vitals went haywire. Then the monitors went black, shutting down with a hum. Arcee opened her eyes.

"Did it work?" she asked.

"Well, I guess we have to find out," Jack replied, reaching for the wire taped to his chest right over his heart.

The teenager paused and swallowed nervously. Last thing he wanted was for Gonzalez to come rushing in, only to find his path was blocked by a robot that just tried to sabotage his equipment. Before Jack had a chance to change his mind, he forced himself to tug on the patch and it ripped off as easily as a band-aid. The army brat braced for the orchestra of noise to assault him. Yet there was only silence.

He gasped with relief. It worked! With that, Jack slowly, but excitedly, removed the wires—his restraints for the last several days—one by one.

"I hope you have a plan to put all those back," Arcee commented.

"I'll figure out something," Jack shrugged, sounding unconcerned.

"I'm sure you will." The Autobot then leaned back on her heels, reaching up to her chest as the plating of her hood moved to the side. "Oh, I got you something."

She pulled out a flimsy material from her subspace and tossed it onto Jack's lap. Sweatpants and a sweatshirt. The teen raised a quizzical brow. Arcee averted her gaze.

"I, um, thought you would want to be more comfortable," she explained awkwardly.

Well, she wasn't wrong. The only thing covering Jack was a rough cotton hospital gown that didn't even close at the back. Last thing he needed was to get caught only to flash everyone involved.

"Th-thanks," said the teenager, taking the clothes in hand.

When sitting up alone was difficult, trying to dress himself was even harder. Jack gritted his teeth as he forced his limbs to move, awkwardly moving his weight to properly slip on the sweats. Arcee looked like she wanted to help, but she was hesitant, likely because she either did not want to taint Jack's dignity or still did not fully understand human privacy. The doorframe was too narrow anyway even for her small frame. By the time Jack was done, he was panting for breath.

Noticing Arcee's concerned stare, he forced out in a light tone, "Better."

"Do you think you can stand? I can come in, if I have to…"

Arcee moved forward as if to worm herself through the doorway, but Jack stopped her.

"No, I… I can do it. I have to try."

The femme paused, almost looking like she wanted to argue further. But when Jack gave a determined look, she nodded in compliance. She shifted back, but kept her watchful gaze on her charge.

With a shaking hand, Jack pulled back the blankets. He dragged his legs over the side and pressed the soles of his feet to the floor. He gripped the edge of the mattress to steady himself, yet he couldn't stop his limbs from quivering. Gathering what was left of his strength, Jack slowly rose off the bed.

Instantly every muscle in his body screamed with protest. His knees quivered underneath him, the only warning before they buckled. Before Arcee could work up a gasp, Jack braced himself on the rails of the bed.

"I-I'm okay," he assured hastily.

Arcee only shook her head. "This was a bad idea. I'm sor—"

"I need to do this."

A rubber ball wasn't going to make Jack feel any better. He needed to walk with his own two legs. To prove he was still functional. To prove Airachnid was not going to control him.

Jack held onto the railing so tightly that his knuckles turned white, but he forced himself to move his grip with one heavy hand at a time. He leaned against the bed as he clumsily shuffled his feet across the cold floor. He must have looked ridiculous, like a baby learning to walk. If the look of pity in Arcee's optics was anything to go by.

Jack's muscles were burning with agony by the time he got to the end of the bed. His head was throbbing and suddenly it was hard to breathe. He was practically wheezing. Yet he refused to stop now. Arcee did not voice another complaint.

There was only a few steps between them. Yet in those few steps was nothing but open floor. Nothing for Jack to brace himself on. The boy made a face.

"I got you," Arcee assured, stretching out a servo towards him.

It took another minute for Jack to regain his breath. One hand still on the rail, he stepped forward, even reaching out for the femme's extended limb. Then the world listed. Jack let out a shout as the floor rushed up to meet him, which turned into a pained moaned when he landed with a hard thud.

"Jack!"

There was a terrible noise, loud enough for the teenager to flinch at the sudden ferociousness. The room around him was still spinning, but he managed to lift his head. Through his twisted vision, he saw that Arcee had pushed herself through the doorframe. Her upper body poked into the cramped room, her shoulders and wings preventing her from going any further. That didn't seem to deter the femme, who squirmed forward to reach the fallen boy.

"S-stop!" Jack exclaimed. "I got it!"

Arcee paused, but she still looked horribly reluctant. She could only watch as the army brat climbed to all fours. Not wanting to crawl the rest of the way like an infant, Jack moved his legs underneath him. He waited until the world stopped spinning to straighten. Only when he did, his legs wobbled, so much so that he pitched forward.

Only to fall onto a solid arm.

"I said I got you."

Jack glanced up, meeting Arcee's warm smile. His heart twisted. He only saw that smile a handful of times. That smile she only reserved for him. That told him that everything was going to be okay. That they were partners.

"I'm alright," Jack sighed, even though he was still shaking and panting. "We can go now."

Arcee nodded. She wiggled to move out of the doorframe and back into the hallway. Yet her frame did not budge. Her optics paled.

"I'm stuck."

"What?"

"I'm stuck!"

The Autobot wiggled again, more violently this time. The wall around her protested.

"Whoa, whoa! Hold on a second!" Jack gasped, raising his hands.

Arcee obeyed, but the teenager assumed it was only because she didn't have much of a choice.

She grumbled in discontent, "Why is everything on this planet so tiny—oh, stop smiling! Help me!"

Was he smiling? Jack quickly smothered the curl of his lips. He knew it shouldn't be funny, as his partner had gotten into the predicament all because of him. But seeing Arcee with a pout on her faceplates, like a child who was denied a cookie, the boy couldn't help it.

Jack looked up and down, trying to analyze what was before him. As he observed before, it was Arcee's shoulders that were the problem. That and her limbs were at awkward angles. One held him upright while the other was wedged between her and the door, preventing her from gaining any leverage.

"Um… you don't happen to have any soap on you?" Jack asked.

"Not funny," Arcee growled.

"Okay, I guess we're just going to have to use brute force."

He shifted his grip on her arm to her shoulders, leaning his weight against her. Jack doubted he could actually push the several ton robot out, especially in his weakened state, but he hoped at least he could provide just enough exertion to help her out.

"Move a little, try to get your arm out… There! That's it! Okay… On three. Push with your legs as much as you can. One… Two… Three!"

Jack shoved against Arcee's shoulders with as little strength as he could muster. Meanwhile, the Autobot readjusted her stance, pushing back with her heels. One arm was braced against the outside wall and the other against the floor, so all four limbs pushed as one. The metal of the door groaned loudly and Jack feared they would tear the whole wall down.

Then suddenly there was the scrape of metal on metal and the army brat yelped as he fell forward onto a curved chest. The world shuddered around him and there was a deafening thud. For a moment, Jack feared their plan had failed (or they really did destroy his room). That was until two arms wrapped around him.

"Don't tell anyone about this," Arcee hissed.

Jack had to smother his giggle and merely nodded against her, not daring to challenge her. They reoriented themselves until the teenager was back on his feet and Arcee was properly on all fours.

"I want to walk," Jack told his partner.

"I'll help you. Lean against me."

With that, the odd pair made their way through the corridors. It was a slow and torturous process, each step was a struggle. Jack nearly had to lean his entire weight against Arcee while the Autobot wrapped a supportive arm around his waist. By some divine intervention, they didn't run into anyone during their journey. That was except for a woman posted at the nurse's station, head buried in her arms and her snores reverberating against the walls.

It was not a moment too soon when they finally made it outside. Jack gasped as the cool, stale air of the hospital was replaced by a warm, humid atmosphere. The smell of anesthetics and disinfectants faded away and the scent of salt tickled his nose. It was a clear night sky, revealing dozens of stars speckled across a black canvas. The quarter moon shone down on them.

Jack breathed deeply, trying to inhale as much fresh air as possible. He needed this. Even if it was brief, even if it was just a tease of freedom. He was happy.

"Come on, I know a place where we can get a better view," Arcee offered.

The army brat supposed despite the starry sky, their surroundings weren't the most appealing. They had stepped into the parking lot at the back of the hospital, filled with only a handful of unoccupied cars. The buildings of the rest of the base surrounded them as ugly grey walls. Streetlights polluted the darkness with glaring white light.

There was a sound of transformation beside him and Jack glanced over to see that Arcee had taken the form of a motorcycle beside him. There was a purr of an engine, almost as if invitation. After a moment of hesitation, the teenager shakily climbed on. It was no means graceful and he practically fell onto the hood as he gripped onto the handles for dear life. Mindful of her frail partner, Arcee drove slow, weaving down the empty roads.

Soon a great noise echoed from the distance, like the growl of a massive beast. It was a sound Jack recognized. The dull colors of the buildings were replaced by sloping white dunes. Grey asphalt morphed into lush green beachgrass and sea oats. Beyond that, the inky black waters of the Atlantic Ocean stretched all the way to the horizon. Yet it still managed to reflect the cool light of the moon, making it look like thousands of diamonds lay beneath the water's surface.

The sight was so foreign and familiar at the same time. Jack had lived in the desert for the last several years of his life, devoid of a single body of water. The last time he had seen it was when he had visited Diego Garcia, but it was not under the best of circumstances. And yet the steady roar of the foamy waves crashing against the sand echoed in the army brat's ears from a distant memory.

Jack only remembered glimpses of Georgian beach that he and parents visited. He was only a child back then, happy and horribly naïve. When he thought Dad would stay forever.

Arcee rolled to a stop, waiting patiently as the teenager lifted himself off and promptly transformed. Jack had to cling to her leg to stay steady. He had trouble walking across solid, flat ground. The boy wasn't too confident about traversing the uneven, soft sand of the dunes. His guardian must have seen his face of apprehension.

"I can carry you, if you want," Arcee murmured gently.

Jack didn't have the will or strength to argue, nodding in permission. As if the boy could crumble into dust at any moment, the Autobot delicately scooped him into her arms. Normally the teenage boy would be embarrassed being carried like a baby, but the steady, stocky motion of her long strides was almost lulling.

Arcee placed Jack on a patch of flat, dry sand and knelt beside him. The pair sat in silence then, almost looking peaceful as they stared out over the ocean. Yet Jack could sense the thread of awkward tension between, each wanting to speak, but not knowing what to say. Finally, after a long time, Arcee let out a deep sigh, vents expelling hot air built up her systems.

She spoke timidly, "Jack… I owe you an apology."

The boy blinked. He certainly wasn't expecting that. "F-For what?"

"You needed me. You needed me to protect you but… I left you."

Arcee's optics dimmed and Jack swallowed. He didn't want to mention the bitterness he felt when he thought he was abandoned. He still wasn't convinced otherwise.

Before the army brat could think of a response, the Autobot went on, "I thought if I saw you again, I… I could make things right. But then… I realized I was too late. He took you."

"Arcee…"

"I could detect the traces of dark energon. I could smell him on you. And… I got angry. And the worst part is that I don't even know who or what I'm angry with. But I know I took it out on you… a-and that wasn't fair."

Jack was speechless, simply because he didn't have a proper response. Of course Arcee knew about his secret meetings with Megatron. Ironhide had discovered that fact in a single moment. No doubt the rest of the Autobots were aware, judging by their wary stares. And the truth was, Jack had no excuse.

Megatron had come to him, and he didn't push him away.

Because the teenager didn't want to be alone.

While the Autobots…

Jack swallowed. "Megatron said when I was kidnapped by MECH, you didn't try to find me…"

Arcee's optics went bright. She shook her helm, saying, "No. When Raf and Miko told what happened, we didn't stop looking for you."

The army brat blinked at that. Jack looked up at his guardian with wide eyes as she leaned closer to him.

"Starscream told us where MECH was holding you and we managed to track down their base. But we arrived only to find Megatron had gotten there first."

Jack stared, trying to process the words, even as Megatron's voice rumbled in his ears.

"Soundwave failed to detect any activity from them."

"He lied to me…" The teen's voice was a broken whisper. "Why would he do that?"

"The same reason why Megatron gave you dark energon, why he visited you in Jasper, why he saved you from MECH. He has tried to kill everyone that gets close to you," Arcee added with a darkened expression. "All so he can have you to himself."

Jack expected his heart to be filled with black rage. But instead, his chest hurt with a pain he was all too familiar with.

"It always the same thing," he hissed under his breath. "Everyone I love either leaves me or betrays me. Who can I even trust? Who's next? You?"

Jack sent an accusatory glare and Arcee looked hurt.

"Jack, I—"

"You already left me once. How can I accept you apology when I don't know if it will happen again?"

In the corner of his vision, the teen swore he saw Arcee flinch. Part of Jack knew he was being harsh. But he wasn't stupid. Galloway had ejected him from the Autobot base twice. Once the security advisor found him, the teenager would be removed. And Jack had a feeling Galloway wouldn't be so forgiving a third time.

"I won't," Arcee suddenly spoke, breaking his thoughts. The Autobot's optics had brightened. "I won't leave you again."

"How can you promise that?"

Arcee shifted even closer, so her electric cerulean optics met Jack's stormy blue eyes. "Because partners don't ditch partners"

"Partners don't ditch partners."

Jack still remembered that day, when he spoke those words to Arcee. When he first met Airachnid, when she first tried to kill him.

"And you are my partner, Jack," Arcee murmured to him. "No matter what happens."

The army brat could have never expected that his heart being torn in opposite directions would be so painful. Part of him wanted to believe her, wanted to believe that everything was going to be alright. But it wasn't alright. Nothing was right.

"No, I'm not," Jack retorted in a mutter, looking away from Arcee's intense gaze. "I'm… I'm a monster."

"That's not—"

"I killed someone."

Jack could sense more than see the Autobot stiffen beside him. His eyes were trained on the sand in front of him, but he only saw a pool of blood.

"H-he hurt me. I don't know how it happened, but I remember I… I wanted to destroy him. A-and—" Jack shut his eyes tight and buried his face in his hands. He could still feel the wetness cloaking his skin, he could still hear the sound of Marcus's gurgling gasp, fighting for a breath that would never come. "—it-it felt good."

Even now, the sickening sense of satisfaction curled in Jack's chest.

The teenager was disgusted with himself. He could not blame Arcee if she was just as disturbed. Her response was only silence.

Jack couldn't stand it, filling it by continuing, "Something's wrong with me, Arcee. I-I feel so angry, all the time. What if the blood-bond is changing me? After everything I've been through, everything I've done… w-what if I becoming more like Megatron?"

Jack didn't know if there was an answer to that. He didn't know if he wanted to hear the answer to that. He was aware of the dark thoughts that had been circling in his head, waiting to descend like vultures. The human wondered what Optimus Prime would think if he only knew—how repulsed he would be. What did Arcee think?

"Listen to me, Jack."

When the boy didn't move, a careful, but warm servo cupped his cheek and tilted his head to look back up at his guardian.

"You are not cruel, and you're not evil," Arcee said firmly, shaking her head. "You are a very good person, and very bad things have happened to you. But they don't have to define you."

The Autobot shuttered her optics and let out a heavy sigh, as if she were lifting a heavy burden off her shoulders.

"After what Airachnid did to me, to Tailgate…after she hurt you, all I wanted was to make her suffer. But down in the caverns, when we fought, I didn't think about that. All I thought about was saving my partner. Do you see, Jack? It's not just about Decepticons and Autobots. We all have a light and a darkness in us. What matters is which one we choose to act on. That is what determines who we are."

"Arcee…"

Jack fumbled for a proper reply, but when he found none, his head fell into a nod. He didn't resist when Arcee pulled him into an embrace. It wasn't until he buried his face in her shoulder he became aware of the stinging tears spilling from his eyes. The teen went to wipe them away, but just then a wave of exhaustion washed over him and he couldn't find the strength to lift his arm. He was so tired.

There was a solid, comforting stroke along his back. Arcee whispered, "You can sleep now, Jack. I'll watch over you."

This time the boy did not protest. He closed his eyes, relaxing his partner's hold, underneath the stars. He did not dream that night.

Jack woke up to a rumble echoing across the sky. He started into an upright position, only to find a metal arm wrapped around his middle. Instantly memories flooded over him as the boy recognized where he was. He was still on the beach… with Arcee.

The stars had disappeared, replaced by a pale sky. Not blue—the sun hadn't risen yet. But it wouldn't be much longer until it did, as the horizon over the ocean was alit with fiery shades. There was another growl of thunder, yet when Jack glanced up, he was greeted with a cloudless sky.

That's not thunder—

Just as the realization dawned on Jack, he noticed a shape speeding down the coastline. Even in the soft light of dawn, the boy could recognize its silver sheen.

Jack's heart jumped in his throat.

"Megatron?!"

What was he doing here? How he did find them? He supposed if the warlord tracked him down to a paramilitary base in the middle of the mountains, then Megatron could find him anywhere. Jack scrambled out of Arcee's hold, ignoring her startled grunt, and jumped to feet. Yet his guardian didn't seem to share his panic.

"Relax," she soothed. "He's a friend."

Friend?! Since when was the Decepticon leader—

Jack stared at the unidentified object, only to realize it was not Megatron. It was certainly a human jet, but it was too far for the army brat to make out the model. Starscream? No, the cruel Air Commander was not a friend. Then who was it? The Autobots weren't flyers!

The jet slowed significantly as it neared the pair, yet that did nothing to ease the deafening roar of its thrusters. Just when Jack thought the flyer would crash until them, it transformed.

A large mech landed beside them, throwing a cloud of sand high into the air. He was certainly a Seeker, complete with a lean, agile frame, tall heel-thrusters, and broad wings. But rather than the silver armor like Jack first suspected, the boy realized the mech's plating was mostly white. There was red details across his frame, complete with the crimson badge of the Autobots on each wing.

Jack didn't know how to process what was in front of him. A Seeker with the Autobot sigil?! How was that possible?

"Ah, Arcee," the stranger greeted with a formal tone. Blue optics trained on Jack, full of curiosity and interest. "Is this your human I've heard so much about?"

"Yes, his name is Jack," Arcee answered calmly—friendly even. As if the mech's appearance wasn't bizarre at all. "Jack, meet Skyfire."