Chapter 50 - Going Home

(WPOV)

"Oh! Here they come," Will said with a grin.

Ratchet looked at Kae in concentration for a second and scowled.

"That's a scary face no matter what species you are," General Moreshower commented mildly.

"There is shrapnel in your shoulder still," Ratchet growled at Mikaela softly. "and the locals are rapidly destabilizing."

"Yeah, I know," she frowned, Will looked a bit more closely at her, there was a strain in her eyes he'd not seen yet. "Not here though, please? Everyone just finished commenting on how brave and strong I am. It'd be rather a let down if I broke my concentration just yet. How much longer before it's polite to roll out?"

"We go now, you got shot, even if you continue to put on a brave face it would be considered uncouth to let you wander about with shrapnel still in your shoulder," Moreshower growled. "Let's get you to the hospital."

"No," Mikaela protested immediately, "I'd really rather have Ratchet look at it."

"Which is quite a coincidence, because I'd really rather look after her myself," Ratchet grumbled firmly.

"Wait wait, hold up there for a second!" a young man with a reporter's badge slung around his neck shouted out, drawing a ton of attention. Mikaela turned to look at him impassively as a small circus ran toward them. "You have shrapnel in your shoulder, but you'd rather have this guy look after it?" the man asked incredulously.

"This is his holoform," Mikaela stated calmly before gesturing toward Ratchet. "In reality, it's that guy who'd be looking after me, as he has done frequently in the past. And yes, I trust him absolutely."

"Sweet talking me is not going to convince me to let you go back to servicing the jeeps when we get back," Ratchet rumbled in quiet amusement.

"Oh come on Ratch! I've still got one good arm going!" Mikaela protested immediately.

"Nothing doing, you're going to get some rest," the Medical Officer stated urbanely, winking his holoform out and standing straight beside Ironhide. "Now shall we roll out? Field medic or not, the front steps of the White House is not my preferred operating theatre."

"Why's that?" The reporter asked curiously.

"Mikaela is human, as are you," Ratchet rumbled sternly. "Your systems are far more vulnerable to airborne pathogens."

"Another question?" another reporter asked as the circus turned to look at Ratchet.

The medic promptly looked irritable.

"Very well, but please make it quick, Mikaela is one of my charges and I do not enjoy postponing the care of those under my protection."

"As a medic, do you have any worry about the possibility of alien bacterial agents being introduced to our planet?" the reporter asked quickly.

"As a medic, and as a conscientious being it is a constant worry to me that bacterial or viral cultures could potentially be introduced to a new planet-"

"You should see his regimens for that," Ironhide added with a snort. "He's tripled the security measures from the Cybertronian standard."

"What was the standard?" another asked curiously.

"Upon entry into an atmosphere our frames heat to the point that any biological agents hitchin' a ride don't stand a chance of survivin', but he still insists on full scans and sterilizations. Worry wort." the weapon's master snorted.

"I swore an oath to do no harm," Ratchet growled.

"Let him be," Optimus rumbled with a low chuckle, looking at the weapons master. "We have work to do, and translating the oath of healers will take hours."

"Still have a signal?" Mikaela asked calmly, looking up at Prime. He nodded. "Hippocratic oath." she stated calmly.

The bots' optics dimmed for a second.

"Close enough," Ratchet nodded.

Optimus rumbled a quiet laugh as he leaned down, offering Mikaela his hand. She smiled up at him and lightly sat in his palm again.

Will couldn't help but grin at the absolute trust the girl had in the titan. But then, she really did have damn good taste in trustworthy people.

"What, you're walking the entire way?" another reporter asked in a shocked voice.

"Don't be ridiculous," Lennox laughed.

"Auto-bots, roll out!" Optimus commanded, he straightened and rapidly transformed around Mikaela. In moments she sat relaxed and gently smiling in his cab. Icing on the bloody trust cake. Even General Moreshower stared.

"How!?" the reporter squeaked.

"She's tiny and has shrapnel in her shoulder," Will shrugged with a laugh. "It's a habit of theirs, he usually transforms around her rather than Mikaela trying to climb into his cab. NEST! Let's roll!" he finished in a shout.

Ratchet and Ironhide transformed quickly. Will, Epps and General Moreshower scrambled up into Optimus' cab as the rest of the soldiers jogged toward the Auto-bots idling carefully toward them.

Cameras winked and flashed as the girls took point, Optimus driving carefully behind them back down the route they'd taken. After three miles Mikaela took off her shoes and rose from her seat, sitting curled up in the hammock stretched in Optimus' sleeper as Epps snuck into the passenger's seat.

"Tell me when we're clear," she murmured softly.

"We're clear Kae," Optimus stated in a worried tone, onlining his holoform as another processor came online.

"I meant to say thanks," Will said, raising his eyebrows and turning to look at her. "I can hear all sorts of wickedly awesome things since you've fixed my ears, Kae."

"No worries," her voice said quietly, "Are there any children or people with delicate ears within hearing range?"

"Go ahead and say it," General Moreshower stated firmly.

Mikaela promptly grasped at her shoulder.

"Ow ow ow fuck shit bastard fuck OW!" she said in a pained tone.

"Kae you should have asked to leave earlier," Optimus rumbled in that tone. Will glanced at Moreshower worriedly, to find the man smiling.

"That, is the tone of a man who loves his woman to the end of days," Chris Moreshower murmured with a grin. Optimus' holoform whipped around in consternation. "It's okay son," Chris said, relaxing into his seat. "I'd'a been a hell of a lot more surprised if you didn't. Kae's an honorary officer, still a civilian. Protocols don't cover mercenaries, and they sure as hell don't cover aliens. And if you keep it quiet enough they never will."

"Thank you, General." Optimus rumbled, turning back to his Kae. Will jumped slightly, looking at the tattoo on her chest as it glowed slightly beneath the diamond Optimus had delicately placed around her neck. It had changed. Prime's mark had been integrated into a new one.

The same one that rested above the hammock now.

Whoa.

(CMPOV)

"Wait a second, hey, Ratchet?" Will called out with a frown. The radio crackled.

"Major Lennox?" Ratchet asked, anyone could hear that frown.

"How's Mikaela going to hold up in the C17?" Will asked in a worried tone, "that thing gets some wicked air pressures, and we got a storm coming in."

"That." Ratchet stated in a flat tone. "Is going to hurt more than getting shot again."

"How long would it take for the nanites to heal her up enough to travel?" Chris asked curiously.

"Once I get that shrapnel out? Overnight," Ratchet stated, it was crazy that he could hear the bot shrug. Chris grinned, he hadn't had an AWL in years.

"I hereby authorize the NEST unit to commandeer a clean motel, order pizza, beer and wings and invite the General." Chris stated blandly. There were whoops of laughter and cheering over the radio.

"You're tagging along for an AWL night aren't you?" Lennox looked at Chris with a grin.

"I like this spot," he grinned, relaxing in the driver's seat.

"Wait until Epps finds Mikaela another book," Optimus snorted. The man in question burst out laughing. He turned in the passenger seat to look at Mikaela with a shit-eating grin.

"You didn't," Mikaela stated flatly. There was silence in the cab for a second. "You did, didn't you?" she demanded, "I'm starting to think the lot of you are complete addicts!"

"A second book doesn't make us addicts!" Epps laughed, he looked at the General and grinned, digging into his duffle bag and handing the man a book. "Right, when you look at that what do you see?"

"I don't know, romance novel," Chris grumbled, looking at the cover and spine. Epps retrieved the book and handed it to Will, who grinned.

"Nice choice of cover," he laughed, handing it down the line to Optimus, who glanced at it and chuckled before handing it to Mikaela.

"Mate? She actually have the book!?" Chance's voice called out over the speaker gleefully.

"Oh she's totally got it in her hands now man!" Epps laughed. "Shh!"

"You're sure?" Mikaela looked at Will with eyes that were laughing in spite of the patch of blood beginning to show on her shoulder. Brave girl.

"Go for it," Chris stated curiously.

"Epps, you got me another girl porn," she said with a bright laugh. "Alright, fine, you want me to break it down again?"

"Let's get it started in Ha! Let's get it started in Here!" Bumblebee played the clip gleefully. Chance whooped.

"She's screwing with us," Chris stated flatly, looking at Will.

"Alright!" Mikaela grinned, "We have another harlequin romance, Blue Lagoon. Aaand... oh look at that, page one-oh-one. We got us a slow courtship today boys. And I quote," Chris stared at the girl as her voice dropped into an absolutely sultry tone, the quirk of her lips twisting it into a lightly mocking lilt.

"'Violet stood at the marble balustrade, leaning delicately into the fragile moonlight that washed the roses in stark greys. Jacobs strode toward her with a decisive step' – yay! It's Lonnie! Get that out of your head!" there were howling groans over the radio, and the sounds of the Marine in question being ribbed as he laughed. "'Reaching toward her and sliding a gentle hand to cup her waist. She turned to face him, gasping as he caught her hand and brought it slowly to his lips' – aw Jacobs you old sweetheart!" Mikaela began. Chris was shocked to hear the play in her voice, bouncing from a sultry purr one second to a bawdry ribbing the next. Optimus' holoform was watching her with rapt attention, grinning as the men on the radio and in the cab laughed.

"And let's see... wow Jacobs, you really took your time luring her into... damn, away from the party, into the horse carriage, woo! Got a little play going across London, into the Manor, Jeeze, she's even describing how floral the veins in the marble look! Can you believe it!? Chintzy marble! Fuck. Jacqueline Nye is either an interior designer or a sniper who's been taking a few hoots before lining up the shot aaand ah hah! 'Violet gasped as Jacobs pulled her roughly against his firm chest, clinging to him as he delicately undid the pearl buttons running down her back' – ultimate nightmare! You think the hooks on a bra are bad? There's only two! – 'his lips feathered kisses along the bared skin of her shoulders.'"

"Hokay, two pages of undressing her, one page undressing him, she's helping this time, hooray! Aaand, three pages of acrobatic sack dancing due to the fact that Jacobs served in India and discovered a long lost Kama Sutra. Ooh Ooh! 'Violet screamed as Jacobs thrust deeply, stroking a place deep inside, driving her mad,' Jacobs found the G spot! Go Lonnie! Hey Graham! Is there anything in British history to suggest that Queen Victoria knew just how many of her soldiers went AWOL in India?"

"Of course not! She was the Empress!" Graham howled back, struggling to talk between guffaws, "we Brits invented the don't ask don't tell! Stiff upper lip! We carry on!"

Mikaela laughed and frowned, grabbing her shoulder.

"And then of course you bloody brits had to go and ruin perfectly good Gin by pouring quinine into it!" she shot back at him with a grin.

"Mix drinks!?" Chance shouted, "Blasphemy!"

Chris watched in shock as Mikaela closed her eyes and leaned back. Listening to the continuing banter between the Auto-bots and soldiers with a small smile. Optimus' holoform moved to kneel beside her with worried eyes.

"It's alright, Optimus," she murmured softly, opening her eyes to look at him again. "I broke my concentration, that's all." her good hand reached up to cup the holoform's cheek. The holoform reached up and took her hand from his face, pressing a gentle kiss to her palm as he knelt beside her.

He stayed right there for the rest of the ride.

And never once let go of her hand.

"If that's not love," Will leaned forward to murmur to Chris, his voice blending into the bawdy banter streaming over the radio. "then it is something better."

Chris looked at the Major and nodded firmly.

"Mikaela!" Ironhide's voice rumbled suddenly "You did a brilliant speech!"

"Thanks 'Hide," Mikaela called quietly with a smile. "I'm still going over it in my head, trying to figure out if I said anything that could be used against us."

"Oh hell no!" Lennox said with a grin, turning to face her again.

"Although Galloway's pissed," Chris stated firmly, "I think I'm going to have to run a bit of interference with that man."

Mikaela sat up and watched the scenery out the windscreen.

"Kae?" Optimus asked gently.

"I'm a hundred miles away from my father, it may as well be a continent." she murmured softly.

"That close!?" Ironhide rumbled loudly. "C'mon Optimus! We gotta meet that man!"

"Unless she's ashamed of us," Will added with a grin, turning to see Mikaela's reaction.

"So what you're saying is you're going to drive an hour and a half out of the way to meet my father," Mikaela said with a raised eyebrow.

"All in favour of buzzing Kae's place!" Chris called out with a broad grin.

"After that speech?" Jacob's voice called over the radio, "Man now it's a religious pilgrimage."

"Pull over a minute, Kae you're riding with me, I will not have you walking up to your father with shrapnel in your shoulder!" Ratchet growled. Optimus rumbled a laugh and made to pull over.

"Don't worry about it Ratch!" Mikaela called out with a broad grin, looking at her watch. "We'll hit the shop, there's loads of room for the lot of us and dad's got the stuff we need. Now are you absolutely sure you want-"

"Absolutely," Optimus rumbled, cupping her face in his hands. She looked up at him with wide eyes and smiled.

"Slow down girl," Will grinned at her, "you put anymore love, care and trust in that smile and we're going to have to figure out how to marry you off to him."

Chris observed the most astonishing thing that moment. The two of them glanced at each other, shifting the slightest moment before simultaneously bursting into laughter.

"How the hell do you propose we manage that?" Optimus demanded with a broad grin. "I very much doubt your government would allow a human to marry a holoform. Or a truck."

"Stranger things have happened on that front," Mikaela broke in with a smirk. "it's the consummation that might cause a bit of trouble though."

Optimus promptly sat his holoform in the hammock beside her, laughing and wrapping his arms with incredible care around her shoulders.

"We'd find a way," he rumbled in her ear.

"Oh quit that! Ow!" she laughed, lightly thwacking his chest before clutching at her shoulder again.

"Optimus if you can't stop baiting your spark-mate I'm going to make her ride with me," Ratchet grumbled over the radio.

"Spark-mate?" Lennox asked with a grin.

"Remember how I said Cybertronian has variations not just with tone but with the speed it's spoken?" Mikaela said with a low laugh, twining her fingers into the holoform's.

"Yeah..." Epps said with a shrug.

"The closest we can translate it is a Spark-mate," Optimus rumbled with a laugh, "It can mean anything from close friend, brother, sister, son, daughter, lover, soul-mate. We are all spark-mates in various connotations. Mikaela is sister to Bumblebee and Sideswipe, a daughter to Ratchet, niece to Ironhide..."

"And what to you?" Will asked with a broad grin.

Optimus turned his holoform to lightly cup Mikaela's chin.

"We don't know," he rumbled softly, "she is my spark-mate."

Mikaela touched his cheek and glanced out the window.

"Right on that exit," she smiled. "Hey General, trade you spots."

"How do you intend to drive with one arm?" Optimus rumbled in amusement.

"You were too busy watching the skies to notice that my left arm spent most of the trip hanging out your window." Mikaela shot back at him with a grin, standing up barefoot and walking to the newly vacant driver's seat as Optimus laughed.

"Don't you dare use that arm," Ratchet grumbled over the radio.

"I'm not," Mikaela said innocently, lightly resting her hand in her lap. She promptly began driving one-handedly, turning down a road that Chris wouldn't have been able to see if his life had depended on it.

"Come here often?" he piped up teasingly.

"Shortcut to the shop," Mikaela replied blandly. "Oddly enough this is the second time I've done it one-handedly."

"You got shot before?" Will asked incredulously.

"No! That was when I was eleven," Mikaela laughed, turning around a blind curve that would be frankly terrifying in the dark. "I broke my arm with a few people coming after me. So I chose an easy mark and booked it here."

"So you broke your arm, stole a car, ran away from people chasing you and brought it home to be stripped." Chris summed up blandly.

Mikaela snorted.

"No," she said, "This shop never once saw a stolen car stripped. Uncle cleaned and soft triggered it, took it back and left it in the same place. Which was a no-parking zone, by the way. He went shadow and watched the tow truck take it away. The only time I'd ever driven a stolen car here. Anytime I had to take a contract it went directly into their warehouses. The shop was where we built."

Mikaela took a sharp turn into a blind, well paved driveway, coming into an enormous lot behind an incredible warehouse.

"Who owns that!?" Epps asked in shock.

"Technically? Me." Mikaela shrugged. "My name went on the paperwork, it's a legal shop even if I couldn't really use it, the property tax is insane. Stay here for a minute, please." she added as she parked and swung out of Optimus' cab.

She staggered slightly before straightening and walking around the side of the shop.

"Where do you think she's going?" Epps asked curiously. A single, fat raindrop fell on the windshield.

(MPOV)

"Stay here for a minute, please." I said calmly, parking and slipping out of the cab. I cradled my arm as I walked quickly around to the side. "Sorry Ratchet," I muttered, jumping up and hauling myself one-armed onto the fire escape.

"I thought I told you to not use that arm!" Ratchet growled at me. I almost fell off again.

"FUCK sake Ratchet!" I shouted, "don't sneak up on me like that!"

"Why aren't you using the front door?" Optimus asked curiously. I looked down to see a group of holoforms beneath me.

"You'll see in a bit, Dad's closed up for the night, the only way you'd get through those doors is to blast them down DON'T blast my doors down!"

"Kaelie!?" Dad's voice said above me.

"Daddy!" I shouted with a broad grin.

"Where in god's name did you disappear to? I saw you on the news!"

"Long story, I brought some friends in, will you open up?" I asked with a laugh.

"Give me five," Dad laughed, "I hope you brung them auto-bots with you, be bloody wicked to meet them."

"Nice to meet you too," Ratchet called up.

"Sweet! Kae get back down and use the front, if you bin shot you ain't in no condition to use the stairs." Dad commanded. I obediently swung down, landing heavily on the ground. I sat down on the ground and grunted as my shoulder spasmed.

Optimus promptly leaned down and scooped me up into his arms, carrying me back toward the front.

"I can walk," I protested tiredly.

"Your point?" Optimus stated calmly. He stopped in front of the main door and continued to hold me. I sighed and leaned my head on his shoulder as the door began to hiss.

"Hissing?" Lennox asked in a shocked tone.

"Mmn hmn," I nodded, "you'll see."

"Holy crap man! Those doors are friggen cinder blocked!" Epps shouted. "That's a damned awesome setup!"

"Cinder blocked?" General Moreshower asked curiously.

"So that people couldn't ram their way in," I laughed softly. "That door has stood the test of time, and seen many badly damaged trucks in it's day."

"Keeps the kids out," Dad stated with a grin, "Hello Chris, bin a long time."

"CAL!?" General Moreshower shouted in a shocked tone, "fucking little wet-behind-the-ears greenhorn Cal Banes!? You're his daughter!?" the general turned to stare at me. "No wonder you pulled off jacking that damned plane!"

Yeah, I know, the Banes warehouse is probably not within 100 miles of Washington DC. Fanfic people, what're the chances of the lot of them getting onto a C17 for the sole purpose of meeting her dad? The fuel tanks are massive in those things, it'd be the most expensive roadtrip EVER!