There's a saying, "home is where the heart is".
I never really got it, before.
I loved Mom and Jack, but Jasper was never really "home" to me. I was too willing to run away, go anywhere else.
I'm not sure where I was, when it hit me...
No matter how bad it could have gotten, 'Jackie, I never wanted to go anywhere unless I knew that you were going with me.
-0-0-0-0-0-
Wheeljack took Jenna to the top of the Nemesis not long after Team Prime's Cybertronian members bridged in from Earth. He knew that, outside appearances aside, she had to be reeling from the choice she made.
Picking Cybertron over Earth could not have been easy for his partner.
"We can leave the prisoner sorting and the early politics to the others," he said, and she snorted from his rotator-cup. "I think we'll be alright as long as they don't do something completely scrap-brained like making Smokescreen emperor of the planet."
"Cybertron wouldn't last five hours," Jenna joked, going right along with him, and Wheeljack smiled. "So, what did you want to show me?"
"Cybertronian sunsets look a whole lot better when you're not watching from behind a screen," Wheeljack informed her. "This is your first night on Cybertron. Let's do it right."
"Alright." Jenna tilted her head to the side as Wheeljack opened a door and stepped out onto the top deck. "Odd time to bring this up, but you-... Uh... You weren't too worried about me while I was stuck on this flying death-trap, were you?"
"I always worry, kid." Wheeljack glanced at her before looking forward as he continued to make his way toward the front edge of the ship. "You didn't exactly have the best track-record, when big 'Cons set their sights on you." He raised an optic-brow. "You were in rough shape when you met up with us. They hurt you?"
"No."
"Kid."
"No," Jenna insisted. "I mean... they didn't lay a claw on me. I was just put into a position where I could have died, but I figured it out. I always do."
"You always get lucky."
"Luck can be half the battle." Jenna gave a small smirk. "On the plus side, I did some damage. I almost made Knockout let me go by singing every annoying ear-worm I could think of."
"Oh, that's evil." Wheeljack chuckled. "Thank the Allspark you were on our side of this war."
"Jenna Darby, Decepticon techno-organic," Jenna began, deepening her voice and giving a goofy-creepy grin. "Throwing paint-bombs, shouting snark, kicking ass, and taking names. Get too close, and you'll be humming 'Bohemian Rhapsody' for the next month. Cower in terror before the 'Con Artist!"
"Your mom would have come out and done the 'angry mother pose', and you'd have been on our side in two seconds."
"Fuck, yeah," Jenna agreed immediately. "I can face Megatron, robot dragons, giant monsters, zombies, and brainwashed 'Bots—but an angry June Darby? No, thank you! I don't care if the dark side has cookies!"
"You're ridiculous."
"Yep." The teenager snickered, then she blinked as they arrived at the edge. The sun was half-gone, split by the horizon, and the sky looked as though it had been set on fire while the land below shone like molten silver. "Whoa." Jenna stared at the planet, stunned, then she slowly smiled again. "It's beautiful, 'Jackie."
Wheeljack looked over at her, grinning. "It's home—and thanks to you, we won't have to rebuild it by hand. In a few years, it'll be up and running again... Everyone who's left'll come back."
"Think I'll get to meet some more Wreckers?" Jenna asked, looking at Wheeljack excitedly.
Wheeljack blinked, then his smile returned. "I'm sure you will. They're tough ol' things."
"Um..." Jenna grew a little sheepish, reaching up and tugging on her hair. "Think they'll like me?"
"They'll love you," Wheeljack assured her. "A Wrecker's a Wrecker, no matter where they're from. They'll love you, and Miko too. It'll be like the good ol' days."
"Better."
"Huh?"
"Better," Jenna said, then she smirked as she punched one of her palms with the opposite fist. "Because I will not hesitate to throw hands if even one of those tough ol' things makes my genius partner feel bad about being able to think circles around them."
"Oh, you're gonna defend my honor?"
"You betcha." Jenna crossed her arms, grinning. "I'm leading the Wheeljack Protection Squad. I've already got some recruits lined up, but they're mostly just there to give morale support and make sure your jaw stays up as I take care of business. Can't let you lose all dignity, can I?"
"My hero." Wheeljack deadpanned as he reached up and flicked her off of his rotator-cup. Jenna shouted in surprise, her optics widening, then she blinked and spread her wings to right herself.
Jenna landed on her feet, grunting quietly, then she blinked again and stood up, looking down at herself in disbelief. "That... didn't hurt."
Wheeljack tensed, then he turned around and got down on one knee, frowning as he rested a servo on her shoulder as well as he could with the difference in size. Jenna looked up at him, her optics wide, then she huffed out a soft laugh and gave a crooked grin.
"You okay, kid?" The Wrecker asked her. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-"
"I'm glad you did." Jenna rested her hand on his thumb, almost-beaming. "There are your good ol' days."
Wheeljack blinked, then he smiled. "Hm. Yeah, kid."
/\
When Wheeljack and Jenna returned to the bridge, Jenna sighed as she looked over at where Optimus was while the others milled about, taking care of various tasks.
"It's hard being the good guy sometimes, isn't it?" The girl asked, and Wheeljack looked at her with a raised optic-brow. "But someone's gotta do it."
With that, the girl spread her wings and flew over to the two mechs, landing on the monitor. Optimus looked at the techno-organic in blue, surprised, and Jenna took a deep breath.
"... Soundwave," she said, and everyone in the bridge looked at her. "Jack told me about the Shadow Zone, how it's a different dimension where you can't touch anything or communicate. It's like being a ghost..." She took another deep breath. "And it would be wrong to leave Soundwave there."
"Why?" Bulkhead scoffed. "I say it's the least he deserves, after what he's done. He's tried to scrap all of us, he kidnapped Fowler, he captured Smokescreen, he took you and Ratchet, and I think we all remember how some of our Christmases went."
Jenna shifted uncomfortably, looking down. "Yeah. I know, and I remember."
"Then, why are you trying to help the faceless creep?" Smokescreen questioned her. "He's in a place where he's not gonna be able to hurt anyone ever again. I say we leave him be."
"It would be wrong!" Jenna looked up, frustrated. "Look, I hate him just as everyone else does, but..!" Jenna glanced around the bridge, at all of the 'empty' places. "We can't just leave him to starve and die, trapped in that place and watching the world move around him like he's not even there." She looked up at Optimus, frowning. "... We're not like them."
Optimus remained silent and just looked at the girl for a moment, then he smiled down at the techno-organic in a way that Jenna thought was almost-proud.
"Arcee, Bumblebee—open two ground-bridges," he ordered, and everyone blinked. "Everyone else, prepare yourselves... Bulkhead and I will be entering the Shadow Zone to find Soundwave and bring him back."
"Heh." Jenna's body relaxed, a small grin forming on her face. "Thanks, Optimus. This is gonna be..." A weight off of an already-heavy conscience. "A load off of my mind."
Several minutes later, Optimus and Bulkhead were emerging from the Shadow Zone with an oddly-docile Soundwave in stasis-cuffs.
"Punched you in the face to see what would happen," Bulkhead admitted to Wheeljack shamelessly, and the smaller Wrecker deadpanned. "What? Nothing happened!"
"Well, that's that," Arcee said as she and Bumblebee closed the ground-bridges, and she looked down at Jenna. "Happy?"
"Good guy," Jenna replied, crossing her arms again from her place back on Wheeljack's rotator cup. "We're the ones who are supposed to do the right thing.
Arcee just rolled her optics. "Whatever, I concede the moral high-ground. This is a bad idea."
"Maybe," Jenna agreed, then she blinked as Soundwave turned his visor-covered face towards her. Wheeljack reached up and gripped one of his blades on instinct, his optics narrowed.
"Soundwave... Grateful." The Decepticon bowed his helm before raising it again. "Techno-organic."
Jenna blinked, then she slowly nodded. "You're welcome."
"The techno organic must be destroyed."
Wheeljack froze upon hearing his own voice in the recording Soundwave played, but Jenna surprisingly did not react. The techno-organic just seemed tired, drained—like she had gotten to the point where she was just accepting these things, come what may.
"... It wouldn't have been right," she told him quietly. "I don't forgive you and I doubt I ever will, but no one should die like that."
"Soundwave... Deserved."
"Maybe." Jenna shrugged. "But I know what it's like to be trapped, starving and in-pain and helpless... Something like that won't happen on my watch, no matter what side I have to pick a fight with."
"... The techno-organic must -not- be destroyed." Soundwave bowed his helm again after playing the altered recording. "Soundwave... Remember.
Jenna blinked again, then she gave a small grin. "Whatever you say, you overdramatic boom-box."
Soundwave's visor lit up with a smiley-face emoji.
"Not that this isn't a lovely little bonding moment -y'know- using possessed-me's voice, but I'm checking out," Wheeljack commented dryly. "Let's just toss him in with the others."
"Whatever," Soundwave played a recording of Jenna's voice, a pair of devil horns appearing on his smiley-face emoji.
Jenna snorted, and Wheeljack just deadpanned. "Shut up. I still can and will kill you."
"It's hard being the good guy sometimes, isn't it?" Soundwave tilted his helm. "But someone's gotta do it."
"Why, you little-!"
"He records everything, keeps the information," Elita-1 said, and everyone looked at her. "What? I think everyone's forgotten my little 'Con phase. I know Soundwave... He's showing you that he's remembering what's been said, learning from it." She glanced at Jenna. "He's not good at saying 'thank you' or 'I'm sorry', but this is as close as it gets. Do with that what you will."
/\
Jenna raised an optic-brow.
"Miko is gonna kill us for this," she remarked.
Bulkhead nodded. "Yep."
"What she doesn't know won't hurt her." Wheeljack waved it off, smirking. "We'll invite her to the next one. Word on the street is that Bumblebee's gonna be made a warrior in the morning."
"Ooh, that's gonna be fun," Jenna decided, then she cringed as a loud crash rang out. "Arcee told him that the bar was too low, but nope."
"Some 'bots never change, but Smokescreen could use just a bit more common sense," Ultra Magnus agreed, but he was giving a small smile.
Music played across the top of the Nemesis, and Arcee berated Smokescreen as he laid on the deck in defeat, gazing up at the bar held by a snickering Lupa and Leona.
Nearby, Optimus danced Elita-1 around, both of them smiling and seeming more-relaxed than they had ever been.
The Wreckers were standing by Ultra Magnus in solidarity, at least until something other than Smokescreen's ridiculous limbo music came on.
Sari and Bumblebee were sitting on the ledge at one side of the Nemesis, looking out over the city below together.
"Yo." Jenna nudged Wheeljack's helm with her elbow, her optics wide as she pointed at the pair. "The ship is sailing, the ship is sailing!"
"Really?" Wheeljack looked over at Sari and Bumblebee, his optics wide as well, and Ultra Magnus and Bulkhead just looked at them in confusion. "Details, kid!"
Jenna tapped a spot beneath her right ear before cupping her hand around said ear, activating her advanced hearing mod. Her optics narrowed as she picked up the conversation.
"So, my dad's cool with me staying on Cybertron for as long as I want," Sari was saying. "As long as I keep in touch, that is. You know how he worries."
"Heh. Yeah," Bumblebee agreed. "But he always means well. You get that from him."
"Yep." Sari grinned, then she sighed and looked out at Cybertron. "Can you believe how long it's been since we met? It seems like just yesterday I was some sheltered kid running after a robot dog, completely oblivious as one of my dad's weird experiments went bad but somehow stumbling across the only vehicles on-site that could talk."
"Or beep," Bumblebee joked. "I couldn't believe you could understand me, or how loud you could scream. Bulkhead and I thought it was some sort of sonic attack."
Sari cringed. "Whoops."
"No harm done." The scout chuckled. "We all went around saving each other that day, didn't we? We saved you, I saved Prowl, you saved Prowl-"
"After you brought me underwater and to your ship, sneaking me in like a secret pet or contraband Twizzlers at a movie theatre," Sari teased, and Bumblebee looked away in embarrassment. "... What's 'breathe'?."
"Stop." Bumblebee glanced back at her, smirking as he nudged her with his servo. "I had just woken-up from a fifty year nap. Cut me some slack."
"Mostly lore, so far," Jenna reported to the Wreckers, squinting. "But in the reminiscing, wholesome way."
"Of course." Sari rolled her optics, then she sighed and looked down. "So much has changed." She looked down at her servos. "I've changed... If I hadn't met you guys, I-I don't know who I would be or what I would know about myself or the universe. You've changed my entire life."
"And you've changed ours," Bumblebee assured her, then he reached up and rested a servo on the back of his helm. "Especially mine."
Jenna blinked. "Whoa, Stripes is making his move."
"Hm." Sari looked at Bumblebee with a soft smile, blushing a bit. "Come on. It wasn't all that." She looked at her hands. "I made a lot of mistakes."
"So did we, and we always bailed each other out," Bumblebee reminded her. "You were there for me just as often as I was there for you." He reached over and held his servo under her hands, curling his fingers slightly. "And you know that I never blamed you for what happened, back then. I was the idiot."
"So was I. I jammed a key powered by the Matrix of Leadership into my chest just so that I could fight with the big 'bots."
"And save me, which you did."
"Then, I stabbed you."
"... I got better." Bumblebee shrugged, his wings twitching. "Evidently, I'm pretty good at that."
Sari scoffed, but she looked at Bumblebee with a grin. "You're the worst."
"Yeah, but you love me," the scout told her bluntly, smiling. "Don't you?"
"Yo..!" Jenna's jaw dropped. "The scout's got freakin' brass ones! Stabbing Megatron in the chest apparently did wonders for his ballsiness, my God!"
"I mean, I think that's a given," Wheeljack joked, a smirk on his face.
Ultra Magnus just shook his helm, but Bulkhead raised an optic-brow. "Can someone please tell me what's going on?"
"Heh..." Sari's face flushed darker, as she reached up and rubbed the back of her neck nervously. "Don't be an idiot. You know how I feel, Bumblebee."
Bumblebee just smiled and cupped his servo at her back, turning his gaze back to the sunset. "Yeah, Sari. I know."
The techno-organic in orange glanced up at the young scout, then she smiled too and looked out at the view with him.
"... Wow." Jenna blinked, deactivating her mod and lowering her hand. "I knew it was only a matter of time, but... I was not expecting the mature and mutual acceptance. Good for them."
"Canon?" Wheeljack asked, raising an optic-brow. Jenna looked at him and nodded in affirmation, and Wheeljack grinned. "Yes! Elita-1 owes me ten shots of high-grade!"
Jenna blinked. "High-grade?"
"Oh, haven't you heard?" Ultra Magnus questioned her, giving a smirk of his own.
Wheeljack actually formed a holoform on his rotator-cup to cover Jenna's ears with its hands, its eyes and his optics narrowing as the white Wrecker gazed up at his commander. "Don't."
Jenna laughed as she watched Wheeljack, Bulkhead, Smokescreen, Lupa, Leona, Bumblebee, and Sari dance around to some decent party music. Ultra Magnus, Elita-1, and Optimus were speaking close to one of the entrances to the ship, and Arcee was also watching the spectacle from the sidelines.
"Not going in?" The blue and pink femme glanced down at the techno-organic.
Jenna hummed softly. "Wings too big to maneuver well in a small space like Sari's jetpack, don't wanna get stepped on."
"Or maybe you just don't want to go in without backup," Arcee commented, smirking, and Jenna rolled her optics. "... I get it, you know?" The femme looked back at the dancers, frowning. "The only time I would join in on these things was when Cliffjumper was able to make me. He was the only one who could."
"Hm." Jenna looked up at Arcee. "I wish I could have met him. He sounds like quite the character."
Arcee gave a small smile. "He was, though I don't think Earth would have survived if he and Wheeljack were ever in the same room."
"Heh." Jenna grinned. "Out chaotic dumbasses, raising Hell. Personally, I don't think Megatron would've known what hit him."
"Yeah." Arcee snorted. "That would've been good."
Before Jenna could reply, a new song came on.
...
You know I want you.
It's not a secret I try to hide.
I know you want me,
So don't keep saying "our hands are tied".
...
Jenna tensed, then she groaned and took two handfuls of her hair to try and hide her face, smiling awkwardly.
"Of all the songs from the The Greatest Showman soundtrack to come on, that one? Someone, hit 'shuffle'!"
Arcee chuckled. "Oh, I don't think so. This is too good." The femme looked at the others. "Nobody change the song!"
"Arcee, why..?!"
...
You claim it's not in the cards;
Fate is pulling you miles away,
And out of reach from me.
...
Shifting metal was heard, and Jenna blinked as someone grabbed her wrists and moved them aside to get her hair out of her face.
"Hey, kid." Wheeljack's holoform smirked. "Why don't we give these losers something to shut their traps, huh? It's been a while since we've put 'em in their place."
Jenna blinked again as he released her, then her optics widened as he offered her a servo.
...
But you're here in my heart,
So who can stop me if I decide
That you're my destiny..?
...
Jenna froze, and Wheeljack's holoform rolled its eyes before he just grabbed her hand and tugged her close. She rested a hand on his shoulder for support, and he gripped her other hand while resting his other hand on her side.
"... You are the worst," Jenna decided, glaring at her partner and deadpanning as her face warmed up.
Wheelack's smirk never faltered as he started dancing and she hesitated only briefly before starting to dance as well and falling into sync with him. "I know."
...
What if we rewrite the stars,
Say you were made to be mine?
Nothing could keep us apart.
You'd be the one I was meant to find!
...
Jenna sighed, shaking her head, then she looked up at the holoform with a grin.
"What's the face?"
"Ain't it obvious?" Wheeljack spun her around before pulling her back. "I'm joining you in humiliation, kid, 'cause you won't loosen up. So, this is the part where you say it."
...
It's up to you, and it's up to me!
No one can say what we get to be!
So, why don't we rewrite the stars?
Maybe the world could be ours,
Tonight.
...
Jenna raised an eyebrow.
"I'm supposed to know what 'it' is?"
"Figure it out by the count of five, or I'll make you do a dip," Wheeljack threatened, his holoform's eyes narrowing as his smirk turned devious.
"You wouldn't dare," Jenna disagreed, only to blink as her partner pulled her closer and meet his eyes in surprise.
Wheeljack looked like he was having the time of his llife as he gazed down at the flustered techno-organic. "One."
...
You think it's easy,
You think I don't want to run to you?
But there are mountains,
And there are doors that we can't walk through.
...
Jenna shook out of her state and feigned uneasiness.
"Oh, dear. Whatever shall I do?" She pondered, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Can I get a hint?"
"Two words," Wheeljack replied, continuing to dance the techno-organic around in circles. The others were starting to go back to their business, but that would go out the window if Wheeljack did anything crazy that made Jenna laugh or shout—and he knew it. "Six letters total, if I've got my English right."
"Bite me?" Jenna offered, only to snort as Wheeljack deadpanned. "Oh, you walked straight into that one."
...
I know you're wondering why,
Because we're able to be
Just you and me
Within these walls!
But when we go outside,
You're going to wake up
And see that it was hopeless after all..!
...
Wheeljack sighed and tugged his partner close again, making their chests touch as he looked down at her.
"I guess I did, you punk," he relented, and she gave a smug smile. "... Three."
"Rude," Jenna teased, but she continued dancing with him regardless.
Wheeljack snorted. "Have we met?"
"You seem to have my mother convinced that you can be a real gentleman." Jenna raised an eyebrow. "Quite the deception. You sure you and that 'Con didn't end up swapped, way back when?"
...
No one can rewrite the stars!
How can you say you'll be mine?
Everything keeps us apart,
And I'm not the one you were meant to find!
...
Wheeljack sped up the steps a bit with the rise in music volume, a sly grin on his face.
"Wouldn't that be a plot-twist?" He joked, and Jenna chuckled. "I think that Bulkhead would have the biggest reaction, Mr. 'That's My 'Jackie' gettin' sent through a loop."
"If you are the 'Con, you certainly got the stick pulled out of your ass." Jenna went on with the charade, causing Wheeljack to snort again. "Was that my doing?"
"Definitely," Wheeljack told her as he spun her around. "You bring out the best in me, kid."
...
It's not up to you,
It's not up to me—
When everyone tells us what we can be!
How can we rewrite the stars,
Say that the world can be ours
Tonight?!
...
Jenna huffed out a laugh as Wheeljack pulled her back into his arms.
"Careful, Bulkhead will hear you. Wouldn't want your boyfriend to get anymore jealous than he already is."
"Oh, I don't think that's possible," Wheeljack remarked, gripping her hand a little tighter. "I'm being dead-serious, kid." He gave a small smile. "Everything changed after I met you." The girl was taken aback, and his smirk returned. "Four."
...
All I want is to fly with you,
All I want is to fall with you—
So, just give me all of you!
...
Jenna sighed as she and her partner continued to dance around, shaking her head.
"Two words, six letters," she mused. "Something that makes you this cocky, and something it's apparently my turn to say." She blinked. then she gave a small smirk of her own. "Oh, I getcha."
"Then, you better say it. Time's almost up."
"I'm not one for surrender, 'Jackie."
"Better figure it out, 'cause there's no winning."
Jenna raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really?"
...
It feels impossible!
It's not impossible!
Is it impossible?!
...
Wheeljack blinked.
"Uh-oh. What are you thinking, kid?"
"Bigger they are, the harder they fall," Jenna replied, then she suddenly hooked her left foot around his right ankle and pulled. "Five!"
"Whoa!" Wheeljack fell back, his eyes widening, but Jenna gripped the holoform's hand and wrapped an arm around his waist to keep him from hitting the deck. He placed his hand on her shoulder to steady himself and looked up at her, seeing her devious grin. then he huffed as he realized she had caught him in a dip. "Really?"
"There I go again, shattering expectations," the techno-organic teased as Bulkhead, Sari, Bumblebee, Smokescreen, and the Predabots howled with laughter. "But don't worry, 'Jackie."
"Why not?"
...
Say that it's possible!
...
Jenna stood up straight, helping Wheeljack back onto his feet.
"Even when I have to catch you or take the lead, you're still my hero," she assured him, smiling as she offered him a hand.
Wheeljack blinked, then he grinned and took her hand. "Softy."
"Damn straight," Jenna agreed, then they resumed their usual position and started dancing again. "But what's wrong with that, 'Jackie?"
"Nothin'."
...
How do we rewrite the stars,
Say you were made to be mine?!
Nothing can keep us apart,
'Cause you are the one I was meant to find!
It's up to you,
And it's up to me—
No one can say what we get to be!
...
Jenna laughed as Wheeljack spun her around again.
"Oh, how times do change!"
Wheeljack rolled his eyes. "Don't be a pain, or I'll take it back."
"Nah." Jenna snorted as he pulled her back and they continued. "You know I'm awesome, softness and all." She smiled deviously. "And God knows you'd be in trouble if I didn't have a soft spot for you, oh partner of mine. I could totally kick your ass."
"I know, kid."
...
And why don't we rewrite the stars,
Changing the world to be ours..!
...
Wheeljack suddenly leaned the girl into a dip, smirking.
"But that doesn't mean I wouldn't put up a fight."
"Hey!" The girl complained, and Wheeljack chuckled as he helped her stand up straight. Jenna pulled back and punched his holoform in the arm, grinning. "You jerk!"
Wheeljack crossed his arms, smiling deviously as she turned and started walking off. "You ended the countdown before you said it! I owed you one!" He followed her to the front edge of the ship, away from the others. "All things considered, think that went well. Admit it, you had fun."
"... That was pretty great," Jenna admitted, looking back at the holoform with a fond expression. "Even if you were a jerk about it, but what can I expect from a Wheel-jackass?" She blinked as Wheeljack held out a hand again. "'Jackie?"
After a moment of looking at that annoyingly-smug face, the girl rolled her optics and took his hand, letting her partner pull her into his arms again so that they could dance out the rest of the song on their own.
...
You know I want you.
It's not a secret I try to hide...
...
Wheeljack smiled as he spun her around before pulling her back, his expression fond.
"You really have gotten better at this," he told her. "Though, you're still a bit of a wallflower—for a Wrecker, that is."
"Arcee says that I just don't go in without backup," Jenna replied, giving a light grin. "So, that's on you."
Wheeljack raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Is that so? Well, I guess I'll have to keep that in mind for next time."
...
But I can't have you...
...
Jenna nodded, humming quietly.
"You better, Wheel-jackass," she told him. He spun her out, gripping her hand, and Jenna blinked as—over the edge of the Nemesis—she was just barely able to glimpse the Well of Allsparks.
...
We're bound to break, and my hands are tied.
...
Wheeljack pulled his partner back and into his arms as the song ended, and he grew worried as he saw her expression.
"Kid?"
"Huh?" Jenna was shaken out of her thoughts, and she looked up at Wheeljack in near-alarm before putting on a small grin. "Sorry. Just thinking of something." She raised an eyebrow. "Wanna go for a drive?"
Wheeljack blinked, then his smile returned. "Heh. Sure, kid."
/\
Jenna laughed as Wheeljack took a sharp turn at a street corner, her optics body as her upper-body went halfway-out the shotgun window.
"'Jackie!"
"There's a good spot," Wheeljack noted with a smirk in his voice, his right rearview window raising as if to gesture to a quickly approaching building.
The techno-organic grinned as she raised one of her bombs and threw it, the sphere exploding on contact with the wall in a burst of blue, green, white, and purple. "Got it!"
"Nice one! How many have we tagged, so far?"
"Twelve, in this city alone!" Jenna sat down properly and looked at Wheeljack's wheel, still smiling broadly. "Would've been more, but we had to prep our little surprise for Bumblebee back in Kaon—and tag as much of Megatron's shit as possible."
"Of course."
"'Twas obligatory."
Wheeljack chuckled. "You should do a fly-by once the Omega Locks do their job, tag at least one building in every major city. Bet the doc would skip a spark-pulse or three."
"Don't give me any ideas," Jenna advised, leaning back in her seat. "You're the worst enabler, you know that?"
"Oh, yeah."
"And somehow, you're also the biggest helicopter-'bot." The techno-organic squinted. "Hell of a paradox there, ain't it?"
"Hey!" Wheeljack spun his wheel back and forth a bit just to jostle the girl around. "Someone's gotta hold this partnership's common sense. It wasn't going to be you."
Jenna snorted. "Touché. Now, where to?"
"There's somethin' I've gotta check out, somethin' Bulkhead mentioned," Wheeljack admitted. "We're headin' to Tagan Heights, Cyberton's second-largest industrial capital. We're in Altihex right now, so it's just across the Sea of Rust from here."
"Hm." Jenna gave a small grin. "If I remember correctly, we're in the northeastern hemisphere and Tagan Heights is in the southwestern hemisphere. We would be going halfway around the world."
"Yep."
"Hm." The girl shook her head. "You make it sound so easy... I still can't believe how fast you can go when you really open up. You were holding back on me, back on Earth."
"That's because Earth's speed limits are ridiculously slow and you insisted on me following them."
"So you wouldn't crash or get pulled-over by a state trooper!"
"One, cop'd have to catch me first," Wheeljack began, and Jenna rolled her optics. "Two, I don't crash."
Jenna raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah, Cactus Face?"
"We agreed to never speak of that!"
"Too bad!"
/\
The drive to Tagan Heights took three and a half hours with Wheeljack going at his maximum speed over what he informed Jenna had once been the Sea of Rust. The young techo-organic was half-asleep by the time they arrived at her partner's intended destination, her optics drifting shut in spite of the music blasting through the speakers to try and keep her awake.
"Hang in there, kid." Wheeljack chuckled as he pulled up on a curb. "We're here."
"Hm?" Jenna blinked, sitting up a bit and rubbing an optic with her fist. "Really?"
"Really. Come on, let's have a look."
"Okay." Jenna opened the door and slid out, tugging her green hoodie on over her armor to withstand a chill in the air. Wheeljack transformed and got down on one knee, offering a servo, and Jenna quickly stepped up and hopped onto her partner's rotator-up when he lifted her to the right height. "What is this place?"
"Megatron fixed it up with the original Omega Lock," Wheeljack explained. "That makes it the only completely-intact building on Cybertron, as far as anyone knows."
Jenna blinked, surprised, and she rubbed her optic again before taking a closer look at the high-rise. "Whoa. Cool..."
"Yeah." Wheeljack gave a small smile. "Cool."
Jenna raised an eyebrow from Wheeljack's rotator-cup as he walked down a hallway on one of the building's upper floors. From the looks of it, it was some kind of hotel or apartment-building.
"I, uh... I thought we were just gonna stay on the Jackhammer until Ratchet finished the cybermatter," she noted, frowning.
Both the Jackhammer and Ultra Magnus's ship had been transported to Cybertron before everyone made their goodbyes on Earth.
"We still might," Wheeljack assured her. "But when I heard that this place had been put back together, I had to check it out."
Jenna tilted her head to the side. "You know this place?"
"It's where I lived," Wheeljack admitted, a little embarrassed. "After I got my job, I spent most of my time at the lab a few blocks over, but..." He paused at a door. "This was mine. It wasn't much, but..." He drew a cracked and dust-covered card from his storage-compartment and swiped it in a slot by the doorframe, and a light went green before the door slid open. "It had a pretty nice view... Go on and have a look, kid."
"Really?" Jenna looked at her partner, surprised, and he nodded as he reached inside and flipped the lights on. The girl hesitated, then she spread her wings and flew inside.
The apartment was small alright, only two rooms from what Jenna could see.
The first and biggest room had no windows, and it seemed to double as a kitchen ("refueling station", she reminded herself) and living room, with bot-sized seating made of metal and a setup for what must have been the equivalent of Cybertronian television. The lights were white, the floors and furniture various shades of grey while the walls and ceiling were white.
It looked clean, but it seemed lonely. Jenna could not imagine her partner there by himself, just as she could barely imagine him spending centuries alone in the Jackhammer. Wheeljack was too lively for that.
Flitting into the next room, Jenna saw a massive window which nearly went from floor to ceiling and displayed the ruins of the first Omega Lock in the distance—alongside what would have once been an amazing view of the cityscape and skyline. That must have been the "pretty nice view". The furniture in the room included a berth, a berthside-table, a desk and chair with a lamp, and a "bookshelf" stacked high and overflowing with data-pads.
Tools and spare parts were scattered on the desk, some of them glowing faintly with Energon that must have come with the cybermatter restoration, and a spare pair of goggles hung haphazardly from the lamp.
Jenna gave a small smile as she landed on the back of the chair and looked around at the room. The colors were still depressing to look at, but this place still seemed much more like her partner.
"Not bad?" Wheeljack questioned her, stepping into the room and resting his servos on his hips.
Jenna looked up at him, grinning. "Not bad." She gave a small smirk and raised an eyebrow. "If I look around, will I find a baby 'Jackie photo-album or some yearbook-pictures of you with robot-acne?"
"Watch it, kid." The white Wrecker walked over and lightly nudged her with his servo, then he sighed and looked out the window. "We have a lot of work to do, won't we?"
"Mostly helping Ratchet, when he starts transporting cybermatter over from Unit E," Jenna reminded her partner. "He's gonna revive this Omega Lock, and then we're just gonna be synthesizing and blasting until your planet's back together."
"Heh." Wheeljack sat down sideways in his chair and looked at the girl. "That's a simple way of putting it."
"Someone in this partnership has to hold the optimism. You put it down, so I'm calling 'dibs'."
Wheeljack shook his helm. "You're crazy."
"If I wasn't, I wouldn't be any fun," Jenna insisted, smiling. Wheeljack looked up at her with a smile of his own, and Jenna hummed before looking around. "Tagan Heights will probably be one of the first places repaired, since it's so close to the Omega Lock."
"That, and it'll be a good source for jobs. Refugees will need to start rebuilding their lives."
"Ooh, right." Jenna nodded. "Living space is gonna get snatched-up real quick, then." She tilted her head again, her optics glinting. "Interested in a roommate?"
Wheeljack blinked, then he snorted. "If she pays half of the rent? Maybe."
"Half? I take up a twentieth of the space you do!" Jenna reasoned. "And I wouldn't be using any of the furniture!"
"Yeah, but you'd be using Energon and electricity. Plus, we'd have to arrange for everything your human-half needs." Wheeljack poked her stomach with a finger, coughing the girl to squirm and snicker. "So, you get a job and pay half."
"Hm." Jenna rested her elbows on her knees and her chin on the heels of her palms. "You drive a hard bargain, Wheel-jackass—but I guess my days as a freeloader off of you and the U.S. government are over." She hummed again. "Who do you think would be willing to hire a techno-organic, anyway?"
"Prime said he'd make sure you got your equal rights."
"Yeah, but 'equal rights' doesn't mean 'equal treatment'." Jenna shrugged her shoulders. "I mean, I bet Ultra Magnus would take me for his reconstructed Elite Guard if I promised to cool down the Wrecker behavior." She noticed the look Wheeljack gave her. "I overheard him and Elita-1 talking about that earlier with Sari, Bumblebee, Bulkhead, Smokescreen, and Arcee. If they're in, they'll have to go through a training-course just to make sure they know the protocol." She looked out the window. "Ultra Magnus is basically gonna reconstruct it as a patrolling and policing force that reports directly to Optimus and neutralizes anything that may threatened to disturb the peace... I think I could handle that."
"You could. I'm sure it would make Ultra Magnus happy."
Jenna snorted. "Oh, yeah. After that, my options are probably being a mechanic or hoping my art draws in some fans."
"I think it will."
"I don't know." Jenna sat up straight and looked at her partner, giving a small grin. "But I'll figure it out."
"There are two more options."
"Oh?"
Wheeljack nodded. "Yep. One, I hire you."
"You can do that?" The techno-organic blinked, surprised.
"Yep." Wheeljack glanced away briefly before looking back at her with a grin. "I, uh... I was pretty much the head-honcho at my lab, by the time I left for the war. If I go back, I'm probably the boss—and I know you know your stuff."
"That's because you taught me."
"Exactly." Wheeljack smirked as Jenna huffed, then he sighed. "Two... you remember our deals, kid." Jenna blinked. "We forget all of this, the apartment and the settlin' down and the jobs... and we go to the Jackhammer." The white Wrecker gave a light grin. "And we travel until we see it all twice."
Jenna's optics shone, and she rested her chin on her hands again. "That sounds-..." She hesitated, then she sighed and her face fell as she looked down, frowning. "I don't know, 'Jackie. You just got your home back, and there's so much to do."
"Then, we leave as soon as the rebuilding's done," Wheeljack suggested, but Jenna did not seem convinced. "Everyone'll be startin' their new lives. We won't be missed."
"You think they'd forget us that easily?"
"No, but they'll be fine without us," Wheeljack told her. "And it's not like we won't have to come back here every once in a while, or drop in on Earth to annoy Doc and your brother."
"... Sounds like a plan, 'Jackie," Jenna decided, looking out the window to hide the strain in her smile. "But you think the Wreckers would go for that? I thought they weren't fans of 'breaking up the band'."
"Tch." Wheeljack was smirking again when Jenna looked back at him. "Like they could catch us. Missed me the first time, and I doubt they've gotten any faster."
"What are they like, anyway?"
"Oh." Wheeljack blinked, then he looked down thoughtfully. "Last I knew, the only Wreckers who might be left—or, at least, have an unconfirmed status—were... Springer, Kup, Moonracer, Rodimus, and Jetfire."
"I remember them from some of your stories," Jenna recalled, perking up a bit.
Wheeljack nodded. "Oh, yeah. Those five were the best of the best, aside from me and Bulkhead." He started counting on his fingers. "You got Springer, who's sort-of the leader behind Ultra Magnus and the one who's probably going to be eyeing you the most—but don't freak out, he's just going to be trying to read you."
"Joy."
"Next is Kup, who's a little crazy—but he's good with advice, so try to stay on his good side," Wheeljack advised his partner, and she nodded. "Moonracer's as tough as they come—don't underestimate her, or she will frag you up."
"Like Arcee?"
"Less-scary, but secretly worse."
"Yikes."
"Yeah." Wheeljack went on."Rodimus is the big optimist, and he's really proud and confident; he and I were sort of in the same boat in the Wreckers, both being everyone's kid-brother during the war, but he and Kup don't really see eye-to-eye."
"Why not?"
"Kup says 'don't do the stupid thing', Rodi says 'watch me do the stupid thing out of pure spite'."
"Oh." Jenna blinked. "Fun times."
"Uh-huh." Wheeljack rolled his optics. "Last up is Jetfire, and he's the brains (at least, I let him think so) and moral-center of the group."
"Jetfire," Jenna repeated. "Odd name... I think."
"... Jet used to be a Seeker," Wheeljack admitted, and Jenna blinked. "Like Starscream and Dreadwing." The girl's optics flashed with fear. "I know, I know. I didn't trust him at first either, but he really proved himself." Wheeljack gave a small, wistful smile. "I wouldn't be here without him. I hope he's alright."
Jenna blinked again, then her shoulders slumped as she relaxed and she nodded. "Me, too."
"Heh." Wheeljack looked at her with a fond expression and reached over, tousling her hair with a finger. "Atta'girl."
Jenna found herself settling down on the windowsill.
Wheeljack called Bulkhead and explained where they were and that they would need to be bridged back in the morning to be in-time for Bumblebee's ceremony, so that was taken care of.
"You alright, kid?" Wheeljack asked, walking over to stand next to his berth.
Jenna looked up at him and nodded. "Yep. Just imagining what the view'll look like a few months from now."
"A Pit of a lot better," Wheeljack assured her, then he sighed and shut the lights off before he laid down. "Frag... We ended a war, today."
"Yeah." Jenna closed her optics. "No more Megatron. That's... something else."
"He'll never hurt any of us again." Wheeljack closed his optics. "And once we get Starscream and Shockwave, that'll be all of the big 'Cons taken care of."
"Yeah." Jenna managed a light grin. "Had to be those two, didn't it?"
"Just our luck."
"Hm." Jenna opened her optics. "Hey, 'Jackie?"
"Mmhm?"
"... We'll be best friends forever, no matter what." The girl glanced over at her partner. "Right?"
"Yeah, kid." Wheeljack smiled, keeping his optics closed. "No matter where you go or what you do in these next few billion years... I'll be here for you, and we'll always be partners."
"Even if I make you mad?"
"We've lasted this long."
"Hm." Jenna finally nodded, seeming to accept this. "Okay... That's good." Something pricked at her optics, and she quickly wiped it away. "I can't really imagine saying 'goodbye'. It wouldn't be right."
"I hate goodbyes," Wheeljack agreed, and Jenna snorted at the loose reference. "'Goodbye' means that you're gone for good. If you don't say it, you're just not there for a bit."
"Easy, Tex... Everything goes away." The techno-organic sighed, curling up in her corner of the windowsill. "So, 'goodbye' really only hurts when you know you'll never say 'hello' again."
"Yeah, still—goodbyes are the worst. But you know what the worst goodbyes are?" Wheeljack asked, shifting a bit on his berth. "The one's you never hear explained or even said. I've had way too many of those." Jenna frowned at him, then she looked out the window. "'Night, kid."
"... 'Night, 'Jackie."
/\
When she was certain that Wheeljack was in deep stasis, Jenna slipped out of the room, spread her wings, and made her way to the Jackhammer.
The techno-organic boarded the ship and made her way to the monitor, and she activated the camera-setting so that footage of the cabin would be recorded. She took a deep breath, her optics wide, then she forced a light grin.
"... Hey, 'Jackie."
When she had finished her message, Jenna left the Jackhammer and spread her wings again, flying off into the night.
The girl arrived at the Well of Allsparks and landed, frowning as she collapsed her wings back into her body and gazed down at the massive pit.
"So... this is the place," she noted quietly, sitting down and looking into the Well. "I still don't understand... Why do I have to die?"
"Because, my little artist, this is the way it must be," a voice spoke, and she looked up with wide optics as a glowing figure sat down next to her and gazed into the Well. "I wish it didn't have to be so, but it does... If it was not you, it would be Optimus Prime or Sari Sumdac. You would never have forgiven me if I had asked one of them instead."
"And they'll forgive you for asking me?" Jenna asked, and he stayed silent. "... I'm going to be falling into your spark. Is there any way that it could -y'know- not kill me?"
"My spark will not be what will kill you, little one. You will be one with the Allspark before you even take the leap."
"... Will it hurt?"
"Yes. The energy will burn you."
"Oh." Jenna remained quiet for a moment, and she looked back at the Well. "... Will they be okay, without me?"
Primus produced a small smile. "Still so selfless, little artist... Yes, I think they will be."
"And... Wheeljack?" Jenna looked up at Primus, frowning. "Will he be okay?"
Primus' expression fell. "In time, I hope."
"... I promised him 'forever'." Jenna looked back at the Well and closed her optics. "Who knew 'forever' would be so short?"
Primus rested a servo on her shoulder, sighing. "It oftentimes is, little one. It is unfair, but it is so... You should go back, now. If Wheeljack wakes, he will worry. He cares about you very much, and time is short." Primus stood up. "Spend every moment you can with him, little artist."
"I will," Jenna whispered, opening her optics and standing up. "I just have one more question for you... When I die, where do I-?" She looked back, and Primus was gone. "Go..?"
/\
Jenna slipped back into the apartment she shared with Wheeljack and flew over to the window. She looked out at the Omega Lock for a few moments, then she looked back at where Wheeljack was in stasis with a frown.
...
"Spend every moment you can with him."
...
Jenna flew over and landed on Wheeljack's rotator cup, collapsing her wings into her body and sitting down with her back to his helm. The girl leaned back, hugging her knees to her chest, then she closed her optics and sighed.
"... I'm sorry, 'Jackie," the artist whimpered, her optics tearing up. "I'm so sorry... I thought we would have more time..."
-0-0-0-0-0-
That was the worst part about all of this.
When you decided to open your spark up, I knew I had to break it.
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*sprinkles in a little fluff mixed with angst before things go from bad to worse*
This is the price you pay for quick updates, my dudes. XD
I know, I know—I'm awful. But hey, you're the ones who make it too much fun for me.
This chapter took a bit of extra research, as well as some artistic liberties as far as geography and characterization, but to be fair... the story is called "The Artist".
… I'll stop, now.
Next time, we get into "Predacons Rising". It's gonna be two massive chapters, both of which are nearly done.
… This hurts more than it did the first time around, not gonna lie.
Damn.
I only own my OCs. Please read, review, check out my other stories, etc. Thanks! :)
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Comments Hall of Fame!
merendinoemiliano
"Beautiful chapter in every aspect"
(Aw, thanks! I was kinda worried that I made it too busy.)
"hoping you're safe and glad you came back."
(I'm as okay as I can be in these times, and it's good to be back.)
"Good work."
(I'll try to keep it coming!)
.
Yoruko Rhapsodos
"I'm already feeling the regret that technically shouldn't come until the bad ending."
(I feel bad that this made me smile.
But writing this also made me smile.
I'm not nice.)
"Cause this one matches the old one in too many ways to think reading all this angst will have the payoff of a happy ending."
( *looking at all of the chapters I have half-written so far*
Oh, geez. Maybe I should explain this, now.
This version of "The Artist" will not be split into separate parts. I will be writing under this one title until the entire story is completed.
So, technically... what you're talking about is the end of only the first third(ish) of the story.
I hope that helps. :) )
"And yet your writing and Jenna & Wheeljack's relationship are too good to stop."
( *squints, checks comments*
Hm. You frequently use a /, but it is difficult to tell if you, Memories/Fangirl, and Vermillion are in the same boat. At the very least, you may be in the same fleet.
I could be wrong, but I've got my eye on you. XD
P.S.: Thanks for the compliment on my writing. It means a lot. :) )
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Ask a Character!
No submissions, this time around. :(
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That's all, for now! See ya! :)