American Woman: Part 1

Alexis was waiting outside of the school for her teacher to show up. It had been nearly a week since every one had learned that Ms. B their social studies teacher was actually some kind of reincarnated autobot. The girl was still in shock a bit that her teacher, no her friend, had something like that placed on her shoulders, and she was more than worried about her. The changes in the older woman had been painfully obvious at first. For about two days she hadn't been in school but had managed to collect her self and come back to teach. It was like though, a different person was teaching the class now.

Her love of being a teacher was still there, and her passion for the subject was still plain. There was though a haunted look to her face, like she was fighting with personal demons. Things in her mind that had grabbed hold of her and weren't letting go. All of the guys seemed to be too scared to try and say anything to her. Either they didn't want to make the teacher turned autobot mad, or they didn't want to offend Optimus by sticking their noses where they didn't belong. Alexis though, had marched right up to the leader and asked him if there was anything she could do to help. The conversation was still fresh in her mind from the night before.

"Help," Prime had looked down at her, "I'm sorry Alexis, I'm not sure what you mean?"

"I wanted to know if there was anything I could do to make Ms. B feel better. She seems so sad since She…" She had trailed off not really knowing how to finish.

"Oh I see what you mean now." The leader nodded, "If you want to know what you can really do to help her, the best thing would be to just be her friend Alexis. What she needs right now is something that I'm afraid I can't give her."

"I want to do something for her," She said again, "She was so nice to me when we first met. She's such a good person, I don't like seeing her so sad."

"I know, I don't either," He had looked away from her for a moment, "Frankie has some… memories in her mind now that I imagine are making her unhappy. She can't get rid of them, but maybe if she had some one to talk to…"
"I understand, I promise I'll do my best to be there for her Optimus. She might be older than me but I think …" She had stopped again and looked up at the leader.

That's probably what had bothered her the most, what had compelled her to not wait for her friend, and teacher to come to her. When she had looked up at Prime, there was a pleading look in his eyes. Alexis could see that he wanted to help this woman that he loved but had no idea how. So, she was now here waiting for the teacher to show up and come talk to her, weather she wanted to or not.

Frankie finally appeared at the door to the school and came out. She had her glasses off and was wiping at her face like she'd been crying. She shut the door behind her and set the glasses back on her face, then made her way down. Alexis stood up off the bottom step and turned to face her.

"Ms. B?"

"Hey Lex' what are you doing out here all alone? Where are the guys?" The teacher did her best to put up a cheerful face for the girl.

"They went on to the base, I stayed. I wanted to talk to you."

"Oh, well I can't really talk now. My friend is coming into town tonight and I have to go pick her up." She started to walk off and something clicked in her head. She turned back around and faced Alexis. "Hey why don't you come with me to the airport? I've told Danni about my best student. I bet she'd love to meet you."

"You sure Ms.B? I don't want to intrude on you and your friend."
The teacher smiled at her, a real smile for a change, "You're not intruding Alexis, and in fact nothing would make me happier if I could introduce one of my best friends to another one."

That took a second to click with the girl, "What you mean me?"

"Of course I mean you," Frankie smiled again, "And Alexis, would you do me one quick favor?"

"Sure thing Ms. B." The younger girl beamed up at her.

"Would you please stop calling me "Ms. B.?" From now on you can just call me Frankie. Like all of my friends."

The girl smiled up at her teacher and headed over into her truck. Neither of them right then were really paying that much attention to another car that was down the parking lot from them. A black sports car with a strange slash on the hood, which sat there watching them as they drove off. Then crackled his communicator to life and reported in to his commander.

"Sir?"

"What is it Wheeljack?" the deep voice on the other end replied.

"Sir, the human woman you've been having me watch just took off some where with the human Alexis. Should I continue to follow the two of them?"

"Very good, I'm most interested in seeing who this girl is going to meet today. Once she has retrieved her friend, return here with your surveillance tapes."

"Yes sir," Wheeljack paused for a second and then mentally shrugged and asked, "Sir, if you don't mind telling me, why are you so interested in these human females all of a sudden?"
There was a very long silence on the other end of the communications line and then the decepticon leader spoke, "Let's just say the woman is connected to something that may affect me. I wish to see if it's true."

"Very well sir, I'll continue to follow her then."

"You do that Wheeljack." The commander told him and broke the connection.

The black and red sports car sat there for a moment longer and then pulled out to follow Frankie and Alexis.

About twenty minutes later the two girls made it to the airport and stood there waiting. Alexis was looking out the window at the plane when she heard her teacher friend give an interesting excited little squeak and then head down the hallway. A few seconds later she returned grinning with another woman in tow. The other woman couldn't have been more opposite of Frankie if someone had created them to be that way on purpose. She allowed her self to be dragged down the hall and then grinned as Frankie turned and presented her to Alexis.

"Lex' this is one of my best friends in the whole world, Danika Romanji." She grinned and then turned back to the other woman, "Danni this is my best student and another good friend Alexis."

Danni grinned and held out her hand to Alexis, "Hey there kiddo, nice to know that someone out here has managed to thaw the ice princess!"

"It's really great to meet you Ms. Romanji, Ms. B… uhh... Frankie has been telling me all about you while we were waiting."

The other woman tossed her head back and laughed, "Really?" She turned and then looked at Frankie, "Who are you and where is my friend?"

Frankie responded by looking horrified for a second and then blushing, "I'm not that shy Danni!"

"Well you must not be any more since this smart kiddo here has managed to get on a first name basis with you."

"You get a real kick out of teasing me don't you?" Frankie mock frowned at her friend.

"Well for one thing, I'm and artist and you are a Poli-sci professor, it's my job to annoy you. Second it's a best friend's prerogative to drive you nuts!" Danni grinned and then motioned to the baggage claim. "Well come on you two, you can tell me about this weird western town while we collect my bags and then I can buy you two dinner at the nearest Chinese buffet!"

"Oh!" Alexis grinned, "I've always wanted to go to one of those!"

Danni smiled more and lead each of the two other girls away with an arm around their shoulders, "Hehe I can tell I'm gonna like you a lot kiddo! Come on."

Wheeljack sat in the parking lot and watched the three girls head out to Frankie's truck and then take off. Danni was still talking a mile a minute and by this point had the other two going about the same rate as her. He made sure to get good shots of all three of them and then head back to the base.

He wasn't going to question what his leader wanted with all of this information but it wasn't his job to question things like that. Still there was something in the air, and something about those three women, specifically the teacher. Just once during the whole time he had been watching them at the air port he had thought they had caught on. The woman had turned and looked right at him, a corner of her mouth had tilted up slightly and she had gone back to watching her friend. There was more going on here than just simple surveillance, Wheeljack headed back to the moon base hoping that some time the answers would be forth coming.