I only own Marianne!


Errands

Outside

I climb back into Carrier's back seat with my stuff, and quickly buckle. "Where we go now?"

I hear Carrier sigh as his holoform sets the tiny datapad and a few sheets of paper on the seat beside him. "We have to stop and see the human psychologist so she can give a second opinion."

"An' then?"

"I have not decided. Do you have everything?"

"Yep!"

"Are you buckled?"

"Yeah…" I sigh, and start playing my Pet Pals game, leaving the others in my backpack with my coloring pages. I have Lily sitting beside me, and my backpack on the thingy between the seats. Flutter and Blankie are in my lap.


Psychology Office

Carrier lifts me out of the back seat, then walks around in holoform to grab the papers, before starting for the door. I have the thumb on one hand in my mouth, and Flutter in my other hand.

"Carrier, why we hafta be here?"

"I want to get her opinion on Ratchet's results. We will need her opinion for your schooling, Sweetspark." He sighs. "You will have to call me something different when you start school. Human children may not understand when you call me your Carrier."

"You no like—"

He stops and shifts me to where I'm facing him, even if I don't look in his eyes. My old Dad would have hit me for that, or forced me to look in his eyes, but he just lets me be, so I stare at his chin. "I love that you call me your Carrier. I only meant that we will have to come up with terms to use for your schooling. The human children may not understand if you call a mech your carrier."

"Oh…" I blink. "Bu' I still call you Carrier at home? An' wif Annie? An' atta base?"

"Of course."

"'Kay. Tha' work." I cuddle into him. "Bu' I still scawed."

"I am here. No one will be allowed to get to you." He steps into the building. I shiver from the chill, causing him to help me into my hoodie. I didn't know he brought it in. Once it's on, he picks me back up and carries me over to the door.


A brown-haired woman walks over to us. "Hi. I'm Dr. Caroline Neilson, but you can call me Carol. This must be Marianne, and I'll assume you're Peter." She waves toward two chairs. "Why don't you have a seat, and we can talk about what may be going on with your daughter."

"Yes." He sits in one of the chairs before setting me on his lap, then hands her the papers. "I had our family doctor test her for autism this morning. I have a…similar condition, and we wanted to make sure our daughter gets the most out of her schooling."

"And her mother is…"

Carrier sighs. "My apologizes. My spouse—of sorts—is male. I fill the maternal role in her life, and her father is on a business trip."

"I'm sorry." She looks over the papers before glancing to me. "Everything seems to be in order. What grade is she going into?"

"First. She is six."

She brushes a hand over Flutter. "You like butterflies?" I nod and mime holding a doll. I love dollies. I hate it when strangers try to talk to me. They scare me.

Carrier smiles down at me. "My Mariposa."

"Can you tell me your favorite subject?" I shake my head before turning to hide my face in Carrier's chest, my fingers once again in my mouth.

Caroline sighs. "Well, I did get a list of possible accommodations together for your brother, though I'm not sure why you need them for him."

Carrier sighs. "I apologize. I thought I had mentioned that over the phone. Blake is a survivor of the attacks on the east coast six years ago, and was severely traumatized. He has a hard time dealing with the memories, but the way he copes with it will cause a distraction for the other students in his class."

She slips a paper into a folder before glancing back to us. "I can get you a list of accommodations for Marianne as well. Have you thought of stim toys for her?"

"Excuse me?"

"Toys specially made to help those with disorders on the autism spectrum." She watches as Carrier pulls my fingers out of my mouth again, and wipes them off with a cloth. "You might be able to get her a rubber bracelet, or something similar. It's a good way to stop self-injurious stims."

"What good would that do?"

"It would keep her hands out of her mouth, and prevent her from chewing on them."

Carrier runs a hand over my fingers, this time noticing a small tooth mark on my thumb. "When did you do this?"

I shrug. "Don' 'no'."

"It was not there this morning…"

"Atta base."

"Base?"

Carrier sighs. "I work on a military base, and they allow her to come with me. I had a few things to finish this morning, and with her father on his trip, she had to stay with me."

"I understand." She flips through the papers one more time, then tucks them into the folder before handing it to Carrier. "I completely agree with the Asperger's diagnosis, and I would make it a point to learn about the condition. You never know when she'll get curious."

"I will. Thank you for your time."


Car

"All done wif her?"

"Yes, we are finished here."

"Where next?"

"The grocery store, then the library."

"When eat?"

"Are you hungry?"

I wave a hand side-to-side, causing him to check the time. "It's only eleven, Mariposa. Can you wait an hour?"

I nod. I can wait a little. "Juice?" He nods before stabbing the straw into the juice box Sire sent. "Do not squeeze it. I do not wish to smell like apples."

"'Kay!"


12:00 pm

I help Carrier pack the trunk of his vehicle mode with bags, then climb into the car. "Eat now?"

He nods, and hands me the large container from my lunch before setting my thermos into the cup holder on my booster seat. "Tank you."

"As soon as you finish, you may have your candy."

"Yay!" I hurry with the home-made lunchable Sire made, then hand Carrier the empty case and lid.

"Energon."

"I know." I take a long drink out of the straw connected to the thermos, then take the cookies and crème candy bar from him before eating it one square at a time. "Now where go?"

"Your school, then the mall."


Freedom Academy Parking Lot

"Where Blue go?" He hadn't left the base with us. I just noticed he still hasn't shown up.

"He will meet us at the mall. For now, it is just you and I." He helps me out of the car. "Flutter!" He sighs before getting her, and hands her to me before carrying me toward the elementary school.

Once we're inside, he sets me down and takes my hand before leading me to a sign that says "uniforms".

"Mr. Savage, I brought Marianne in to be measured."

The man turns to us. "Peter Tranquilli. Jazz said you'd be by."

Carrier sighs before leading me over to him and a woman with red hair. "Hold still for a few minutes, Sweetheart. This won't take long." She measures me from head to toe, then around my chest and waist, then measures my legs, and finally, my neck and arms, while Carrier holds Flutter. Once she's done, she moves to check sizes on something, then turns to us with a large stack of uniform parts, which she hands to Carrier before kneeling to me. "I can't wait to see you on Monday." She smiles. "I'm Ms. Weaver. You'll be in my class."

Carrier nods at the information before handing her the papers about me. She reads through them quickly before nodding. "Come, Marianne. We still have to get Blake's uniforms from the high school."


High School

"My brother is visiting a friend, but I have his measurements." Carrier hands a sheet of paper to the woman handling uniforms.

She glances over the paper before handing Carrier another huge stack of uniform pieces.


Mall Parking Lot, 12:30 pm

Carrier lifts me out of the back seat before taking my hand. "I will not be able to carry you through the store, so I need you to hold onto me, okay?"

"'kay…"

"I might be able to find a wagon for you…"

"Prowl!"

Carrier sighs before talking softer. "You know you cannot call me that while I am using my holoform." He kneels to me. "And you will have to refer to my brother—"

"As Blake, I 'member." I look at my metallic lavender flats. "Bu' what I call you?"

He sighs. "We have to talk about that once we are home."

"O-kay." I can't take Flutter in, and I can't call my Carrier what he is. It's frustrating! Before I have the chance to tell Carrier that, Bluestreak leans down to pick me up, and I quickly wrap my arms around him.

"It's all right, Mari. We'll figure this out as soon as we get home. Right now, we have to finish this, so we can start school on Monday."

"School?" Bluestreak nods. "Without Sire?"

"Jazz will be home in a week, Mari. Trust me. He'd never leave you like this."

"Bu' he almos' did!"

Carrier sighs when he gives me a confused look. "She has already started to develop her powers, Bluestreak. She had to revive her Sire two days after meeting him."

"What?"

"I wa' in LA wif everyone else when Scweamer an' Megs 'cided ta 'tack everyone for the All Spark. I hitted Sire, an' then Megs wipped him in two. I hadda use fire and b'ing 'im back." I burry my face in his shoulder. "Wha' if Sire no come back?"

"It's not a dangerous mission, and Prowl would make sure he'd come home safe, Sweetspark." He sets me down. "Now, let's find you some school supplies."

"Where Carrier?"

"Mari—"

Carrier steps over before Bluestreak can finish, pulling a pink collapsible wagon.

"I ride?"

"That is why I bought it, Marianne. Get in."


Target

We get school supplies—mine pink, while Bluestreak gets several different colors. I also get a pink backpack and lunch box with a purple castle, while Blue gets a red backpack and lunch box.

Carrier sighs. "Now, the psychologist mentioned stim toys…"

"Peter?"

"Toys to stimulate her. They are helpful for—" He sighs and pulls my hand out of my mouth again. "Preventing harmful stims—which are behaviors she will use for stimulation—such as chewing on her fingers." He points out a new dent—the old one went away already. "She suggested rubber bracelets, but there is little chance of finding them unless I order off the internet, and we have no way of doing so."

I give him a hopeful look. "Binky?"

"What is a—"

I smile and point to the baby section, close to where we're standing. "Binky. Calm babies."

"I think she means this." He holds up a pack of butterfly binkies, causing me to nod.

Carrier sighs heavily. "She is not a baby, Blake." He takes the package anyway. "But if it will keep her fingers out of her mouth, we shall try it."

"What about this?"

"What?"

He holds out a blankie with ribbons. "Really, Blake?"

"There's a lot of textures, and she seems to like them." He smiles at me. "Especially with how closely she clings to that blanket she and Jazz made."

"What do you mean, the blanket she and Jazz made?"

"Her blanket, that she carries everywhere. Jazz told me they made it together, from a kit, her second night in the base."

"Fine." He glances over the information. "Get two."

"Why?"

"I need to set up a corner for when she needs quiet."

"Time out?"

Carrier shakes his head before kneeling to me. "No, Sweetheart. It will only be there for when you cannot handle something."

"Oh…"

"And you may help with it, if you want." He motions to a large rack of booster seats. "Get one for your car. I need to find one for Jazz."

"Car?" He gives us a puzzled look before it clicks. "Right. For my car. Duh."

I smile up at him, and watch Bluestreak grab something that looks like a necklace with a clip off a rack near the checkout. It's butterfly print, and yellow.


As soon as Carrier pays, he opens the binkies, clips one onto the thingy Bluestreak grabbed, and slips it over my head. "Maybe this will help you keep your fingers out of your mouth?"

I nod. "I try."

We stop in a store full of girly stuff, and I climb out of the wagon near a mirror. "Blake, watch her." I watch Carrier as he gets hair ties, before grabbing something else. When he turns back, I can see sunglasses in his hand. "Try these on."

"What?" He nods, so I slip on the heart shaped polka-dot sunglasses.

"Isn't that something Jazz would get her?"

"Fluorescent lights are known to bother their eyes. I want to be safe, just in case."

I make a face. "They flash a lot…"

Carrier nods. "As I said…" He slips them off before crouching in front of me. "Hold still, Sweetheart. I need to see how this looks." He slips my butterfly tiara out, then slips a pink heart tiara with combs in the ends into my hair. "Blake?"

Bluestreak steps over to me. "I like it, but why—"

"She is a princess." Bluestreak raises an eyebrow, causing Carrier to sigh. "Jazz insists." He slips it back off, and walks away so he can pay, using cash Captain Lennox gave him before we left the base. Bluestreak, meanwhile, slips my butterfly tiara back on.


The Children's Place

I glance down at the binky hanging from around my neck before popping it into my mouth. We're standing outside The Children's Place, and Carrier is checking his lists. "Go in here."

"Why?"

Carrier crouches to the wagon. "You need some new things to start school with." He stands and walks over to a rack before grabbing several pairs of knee socks, and, after making sure they're seam-free, grabs a couple backs of regular seamless socks, then turns to a rack of underwear before grabbing a large pack, then turns to pay.

"Why I no getta help this time?"

He sighs. "Marianne…"

Bluestreak turns to me. "He just wants to get done so we can get you back home. Besides, I think the dress code is pretty strict where he's sending us."

"Dress code?"

"What we have to wear to school."

"Oh…"

"Come on, Blake. We need to get your socks next."


Payless ShoeSource

We stopped in Journey's for a few minutes, then came straight to the shoe store. Now Carrier's talking to a salesman about Bluestreak's shoes, and I'm looking at a pair of dark blue Mary Janes with dark pink stars. I really want them, but Carrier's probably getting me the plain ones.

He steps over and sets a box with black tennis shoes in them beside me before kneeling in front of me with a measuring thingy. "I need you to stand on this."

"Want the ones with stars."

"Excuse me?"

I point to the dark blue shoes. "I wan' those. They gots stars."

"Marianne, Sweetheart…" He sighs heavily before skimming through the requirements, then glances at the shoes. "If they have it in your size, I cannot see why not." He looks closer at the sizer, then grabs a box. "Try these on for me." I do, and watch as he feels the toes before nodding. "Take them off."

As soon as I do, he takes both boxes and walks over to pay. "What did you choose, Mari?"

"I gots star shoes!" I point to the ones like the ones Carrier's paying for. "What you get?"

He sighs. "Black tennis shoes, but they're red on the bottoms, and he's getting red laces, too, so…"

"You like red? But you—"

He laughs softly. "Yeah…your Carrier doesn't really understand that either."

"Hurry up, Blake."

"Sorry, Peter!" He turns to me. "Come on, get in. Your Carrier's in a hurry."

I look around. "What time is it?"

He glances at his wrist, where a red watch appears with his holoform. "Almost two. Why?" I wave a hand in front of us, to Carrier. "Right. Maybe he wants to get you home. He wanted to get you into a schedule…"

"Why?"

"It's supposed to help with transitions."

"With what?"

"Changes. Sorry."


Toys R Us, 2:00 pm

I look down at my new phone as I try to pick a screen I like. Carrier got Bluestreak and I each an iPod with matching headphones, and got kid music, and some country for me. After that, he got all of us the same kind of phone with different colors—red for Bluestreak, blue for Sire, silver for himself, a white and gold one for someone else, and a dark pink one for me, and put everyone's numbers in each, along with Optimus, Ratchet, and the base. Bluestreak's putting the twins' and Bee's comm numbers in his, and Carrier made sure he had everyone's comms in his, then sent the numbers to everyone.

We also stopped and got me a piece of pink and gray diamond fleece, for a stim. Now we're looking for special stim toys, as Carrier called them, and something to use to make my calming down corner.

He finds that first—a light pink and yellow tent kit that looks like a little house, with butterflies all over it, and it comes with beanbags and pillows. He grabs a light pink "tangle", then gets two more of two others. "One is to stay in your corner, but the others will go into a bin by the door, where we will keep your stim toys, for trips. The pink one stays with your school supplies."

"Okay."

"I need you to help me choose a few more, okay? Things that will make you feel calm and safe."

I climb out of the wagon with Bluestreak's help, and walk over by him. We're beside a rack of stuffed animals and rag dolls. "This!" I pull a velvety rag doll.

Carrier nods, and grabs a similar one with brown hair. "For your corner. She will have to go in the bin, though."

"Okay… She's for scary things, like needles and ouchies!"

"All right. Do you want anything else?"

I nod, and grab a lavender teddy bear. I shake my head and pull his arm back when he tries to grab another. "For corner. So I can have Flutter all the time!"

"Okay. Is that all?" I nod. "I need to pay. Blake, watch your niece."


"Where now?"

"We have to find some stories for Blake to listen to, then we are going to the library. I want to get some books to read to you."

"Okay! I like 'a read!"

He pulls the wagon into a bookstore. "Just get a few for now. We can always buy more later."

"Yes, sir."

I look up at Carrier. "He' quiet right now…"

"I know…"

"You worry?"

He nods before laying a hand on my shoulder. "When he is quiet for very long, the trauma comes back, so he is forced to re-live the event in his mind. Sometimes, something will trigger it, but sometimes it happens without anything to cause it."

"Blue scawed?"

Carrier nods. "He is scared."

"Of what?"

"You are too young to understand it, Mariposa. I promise you, I will tell you about it when you are older."

I nod. I know I'm little, but I'd still understand. That doesn't mean I want to know why Bluestreak's so upset and hurt right now.

"I'm ready."


2:30 pm

Carrier and I climb into his vehicle mode. "Thirsty."

He nods, and hands me the water bottle Sire sent. I get a drink before handing it back to him. "Can'y?"

He sighs. "All right." He pulls out the small container, which only has four gummies in it, and hands it to me. "Even though it is Ratchet's special recipe, I do not want you filling up on candy."

"Ratch cooks?"

He nods. "He makes special energon treats for younglings that are healthy, but still taste good."

"An' Sire use' Ratch's recipe?"

"Yes."


Library, 3:00 pm

Carrier parks and climbs out before helping me out. "Do not get a lot of books. You will be starting school on Monday."

"I know." I reach up to take his hand. While I love books, I don't love new places.

I grab six Disney books, each one about a princess, then find Carrier staring at the books for adults, with a seventh child-length book in one hand, and a couple large books in the other. From what I can tell, they're mysteries.

We head over to check the books out, and I smile when Carrier not only gets his own library card, but gets me one as well.


Home, 5:00 pm

We pull into the drive. Carrier lets me out with my things before transforming. "Bluestreak!"

He transforms and runs over to us. "What happened? Is something wrong?"

"No. Watch Mariposa for me. I have to get things put away and start supper."

"What 'bout—"

"We'll handle it, Mari. Come on."

"But…" I look around. "Where'd the groce'ies go? An' my toys? An' our shoes, an' uniforms?"

I follow Bluestreak and Carrier into the house. "They're in his subspace. He'll get them out as he works." He taps my nose with the tip of his finger. "And before you ask, he'll get your new stuff put away, and he'll put mine on my berth." He smiles. "So, what do you wanna do?" I shrug. I'm still curious about his past, but I'm scared to find out. "Want me to push you on the swing?" I nod, and run for the back yard. "Be careful, Mariposa. I do not want two injuries in one day."

Bluestreak stops and glances down to me. "What happened?"

I look up at him. "I was runnin' to my toys so I coul' sit wif Carrier an' play, 'cause I cwied again, an' I fell an' skinne' my knee. I' hur', an' Ratch almos' ma'e me pass ou', an I scawed Carrier, an'—"

"Easy, Mari. You're getting yourself all worked up." He lifts me to his shoulder. "Now, what's this about passing out?"

"Apparently she has a weakness against pain. Neither of us were aware of it until she almost fainted while Ratchet was bandaging her knee." He sets the band-aids we'd bought on the counter—both fun ones, shaped like crayons, and big ones, for my knee. "She will be fine, and I am sure it has already begun to heal."

He nods, then starts for the door. "Let's get outside before it gets too dark to play."

"Blue! It's still light out!"

"She is right, Bluestreak. Sunset is not until just after 7:30. She will be able to watch it, if she wants."

"Really?"

He walks over and kneels to me. "Your berth-time is eight thirty, which means you and I can watch the sunset."

"Now, did you want to swing, or not?"

"Yay!"


I look down at my plate of spaghetti. While it's one of my favorites, home just doesn't feel right without Sire.

"Mariposa? Is something wrong?" I stick a few noodles in my mouth before playing with my food some more, then shake my head. "Sweetspark…"

I swallow. "Miss Sire."

"Oh…" He steps over in holoform and lays a hand on my shoulder. "I know you do, Sweetspark. I do too, but we need him in the field, even if it is hard on us."

"'Cause his job is 'portant." Carrier nods. "But we 'portant too…"

"Yes, but your Sire is the best in his field, and I would not risk our Autobots, or the mission, by sending someone less capable into the field."

"But you sen' Hide. He no' a spy."

"This was not a spy mission, either. I needed Autobots that could blend in with the other vehicles in the city. Optimus recommended I send Ironhide." He returns to his normal form and sits back in his chair before drinking from his cube. I sigh before shoving my plate back. "You did not eat very much."

I nod. "No' hungry…"

"At least finish your energon." I nod, and finish the glass before heading upstairs. "I will have your corner set up within an hour."

"Thanks…" I start up the stairs.


Third POV

"Prowl?"

He turns to Bluestreak with a sigh. "What?"

"Maybe I could help her…" He sighs. "She needs something to do, to keep her mind off Jazz being away."

"I know, Bluestreak, but what could I do?"

Bluestreak lays a hand on Prowl's shoulder. "You remember what Jazz said yesterday. She loves you. She's just scared that he won't come back." He smiles. "Besides, you were enough for me when I was in her place."

"You had lost everything, Bluestreak. Jazz is just on a mission, and will return within a week."

"And she had to revive him a week ago. That's a lot for a kid her age—even if she takes after you—almost as much as…Praxus…was, for me."

"What would you do?"

"Read to her, maybe play with her? She's six, Prowl. She just needs to be distracted. The first night's the hardest—for both of us—but she'll do better tomorrow."

"I need to clean up. Get your things put away, then spend some time with Mari. Have her ready for bed before 7:23."

"But—"

"I want her ready for bed before we go out to watch the sunset. She can play in her pajamas." He sighs suddenly. "Slag."

"What?"

"We are taking Captain Lennox and his family to church tomorrow. She needs a bath."

"I can do it."

"Bluestreak, she is a youngling femme."

"So? I can handle bathing a youngling, Prowl. I'll get her ready for bed, you clean up, and we'll all be ready to watch the sunset."


Normal POV, Mari's Bedroom, 7:00 pm

I look up at a knock to see Bluestreak standing in my doorway. "Mari?"

"Blue?" I turn away and wipe my face off. "Is Carrier mad?"

He shakes his head before walking over to me, and shifts down to his holoform. "He's cleaning up the kitchen. You need a bath."

"Why?"

"He's taking Annie and her parents to church, and the two of us are going with him."

"Oh…"

He crouches in front of me. "Mari, look at me." I look up at him, but stare at his chin. "I know how you feel right now, but Jazz is going to come back. I was scared the first time he went on a mission too, after Prowl took me in."

"Why Carrier take you in? Wha' 'bou' your parents?"

He looks away. "It's too hard to talk about."

"It's why you haunted?"

"Yeah…" He stands up before picking me up. "Come on, now. We both need to stop moping around this house. Between us and Prowl, this whole house feels sad." He starts the water before turning away.

"Blue…" I look down before undressing. He helps me into my human-sized square tub, and makes sure I don't slip until I get settled. "Don' get soap in my eyes. Pwease?"

He nods before starting to wash my hair, then helping me scrub, being careful of my hurt knee. "Now, let's get you dressed, and maybe we can play a little before Prowl wants us out back."


Bluestreak carries me out back in a yellow cap sleeved nightgown with a pink waistband and rose at an empire waist, a Belle graphic, and a swooped skirt with light pink ruffled trim, and sits beside Carrier on the large bench swing before sitting me between them. I snuggle into Carrier with a sigh, an energon popsicle in one hand while I cling to him with the other.

"What did you do?"

Bluestreak shrugs. "I told her I understood how she feels—watching her today…it was like watching myself that first week in Iacon." He holds up his hands when Carrier glares at him. "I didn't tell her what happened to me, just that I've been there."

"Thank you, Bluestreak."


8:30 pm

Carrier walks in and sits on my bed. "Mariposa?" I look up at him. "I have been meaning to give you something…" He sighs. "It means a lot to your Uncle and I, and I hope you will take care of it." He sets something yellow beside me. "This is a crystal from Praxus. It was mine and Bluestreak's home, before Cybertron went dark. When you are a little older, I will teach you how to grow crystals, but until then, I want you to have this one."

"Okay…" I run a hand over it. It's smooth, and it looks heavy.

He stands up with it. "I will set it on your dresser for now." He sets it down before walking back over to me, and tucking me in, then hands Flutter and Fleecy to me. "Try to recharge, Sweetspark." He hands me one of the binkies he'd gotten earlier—the pink one. "I do not wish to see your fingers in your mouth any more. If you want to chew on something, use these." He checks my dresser for the one on the necklace, then nods. "Your lavender pacifier will stay with your calming corner, but the other two may stay with you." We'd put my baby blankie there, along with my new teddy bear, when we set it up after the sunset. "They are not to go to school with you. If the Tangle is not enough, we will see about other options, but I want you to try and keep your hands out of your mouth."

"Yes, sir." He starts for the door. "What am I supposed to call you an' Sire?"

He sighs heavily. "Obviously, you will have to call me your father, which means you will need to find another term for Jazz."

"You're Daddy."

He nods. "And Jazz?"

"He's Papa."

"Good. Now, get some recharge."

"Love you, Carrier."