CHAPTER FIVE

XXX

Jack got home at the perfect time: early enough that his mother was not home from work yet, but late enough that it would not be suspicious if he was, for some reason, found at home. He could always say his shift ended early, or he got home faster than usual.

His little picnic with Megatron went about as well as it could, the tyrant triple-checking that the place they selected to settle in was safe, then watching Jack eat while they traded short, brisk conversations. He could not say that he was enjoying Megatron's company any more than usual, sighing softly with disappointment when he realized this did not change tonight's plans.

Well, better get some homework done before he gets back. And before Mom does too.

Sitting at the desk he felt his phone start to buzz multiple times, the new WiFi connection bringing in all the messages that he did not receive internationally.

Oh scrap.

He had not anticipated not receiving any sort of reception at the Angel Falls, nor that anyone would be messaging him during his outing with Megatron - like his mom.

"Please don't have called the police," he muttered, flipping open the phone.

Miko said you had work. Why didn't you tell me? I could have driven you.

His heart stopped, realizing this was much worse than his mother.

Arcee.

Jack?

Jack?

Jack, why aren't you answering?

Jack, I drove by your work. Your bike isn't on the rack. Where are you?

Are you safe?

Why aren't you at work?

Why aren't you answering me?

Multiple messages with the same base message flooded his phone, as well as several missed calls from Arcee, Miko, Raf, and even a few from the base.

Scrap. What if they tracked my location?

He breezed through each message, trying to come up with some kind of excuse that made sense. He hated lying, especially to Arcee, but things were different. Now he was protecting her, even if she didn't know it.

Finally, he called her.

She picked up within half a ring, her voice demanding and sharp.

"Where have you been?"

"Arcee, I'm sorry," he said, trying to sound as upset as possible. It was not terribly hard, as Jack was seriously freaking out. "I forgot my phone at home when I went to work. And I was running late, so I didn't get a chance to just shove my bike on the rack. I'm sorry, if I had known you would freak out I would have met you outside . . ."

"I went through the drive-thru," his veins went cold. "You weren't there."

"U-um . . . I didn't have drive-thru duty that day. I was at the cash register up front," he tried to keep the lie going, desperate. He wondered if Soundwave had somehow tapped his phone, and was now listening. It would barely be a surprise, though he would not appreciate it in the least.

There was brief silence.

"Then I must have just gone through at a bad time," she said finally, her wound-up voice tightening just a touch. "I'm sorry. I must have overreacted."

"No, no!" He assured her, spinning his chair slightly. "I get it. With the Decepticons, Optimus . . . we're all on high alert."

"Just don't forget your phone again," she said, slightly warning. "Or I will tear that place apart brick, by brick, and hunt you down."

"Yeah, no problem," he said, promising her while simultaneously trying to not soil himself. "I will do a better job next time."

"Good. I'll see you tomorrow?"

He paused, feeling the guilt twist in his stomach slightly. "Definitely. But I'll probably be bringing homework."

She chuckled softly. "That's alright, partner. I'll have Ratchet bridge you in when you're ready."

"Thanks, 'cee," he smiled a little at her laugh. "See you then."

He hung up, taking a deep breath and sighing softly. Crisis averted - for now.

Jack knew exactly what would happen if Arcee found out that he was hanging out with Megatron - she would first keep him and June at the base, securing them in total lock down then attempt to spring a trap on the Decepticon. Perhaps even worse, she would give him a very stern talking-to, then Mom would give him a talking-to, then Optimus . . .

With a sigh, he ran a hand through his hair.

Maybe not Optimus. He's Orion Pax right now. But if we do get his memories back, yeah, it'll be a very stern talking-to.

The only way Jack could justify this was that he wanted to protect his friends, and perhaps eventually get Megatron to trust him enough to share something useful with him. He doubted the leader of the Decepticons would allow himself to be deceived enough for such a plan to work, however he was arrogant. Though Jack wondered how arrogant he was being, acting as if sharing a bed with the most dangerous creature in the universe was just some inconvenience.

It was difficult to keep his concentration on his homework as a hundred worries filtered through his mind, jerking up a bit when heard the garage door open. Mom was home.

"Jack? You home, sweetie?" She called.

"I'm here!" He answered, standing, seeing to his dismay that he barely got through a page of work. Oh well, he had all day tomorrow.

"How was work?" June smiled, setting her stuff on the dining table. She shed her nursing jacket, her eyes sparkling up at him; she was none the wiser to his activities, and it made him internally cringe.

"It was . . . good," he said, not sure what to say. Unfortunately, she was his mother, so she was good at knowing when he was lying. He decided to at least tell a part of the lie he had told Arcee, to solidify his alibi. "I forgot my phone - big mistake, Arcee almost tore down KO Burgers to find me."

June raised an eyebrow. "That was irresponsible of you," she said, her son not surprised as she took Arcee's side. "What if Arcee needed your help? Or Miko or Raf? What if I had called you?"

"I know, mom," he assured her. "Believe me, Arcee already made sure I would never forget it again, I promise."

She laughed softly, gently brushing part of his hair away from his face. The gesture made him flinch briefly, which surprised both of them. He realized what he had done when her brow furrowed.

"Everything okay?" She asked.

"Yeah, I'm sorry," he gave her a reassuring smile. "I just wasn't expecting it. Um . . . do you want anything in particular for dinner?"

She put her hands on her hips, a slightly amused smile on her face. "You, cook? After work? Are you sure everything is okay?"

He mirrored her smile, despite the absolute terror in his head. If he did anything more suspicious, she would become legitimately concerned.

"Is it a crime to decide I want to cook something for dinner?" He teased back, earning another laugh.

"Alright, alright," her eyes twinkled, giving her son a peck on his forehead. "Let me change into something more comfortable - how does spaghetti and vegan meatballs sound?"

"Sounds great," Jack said, grabbing the necessary ingredients from the pantry and freezer. Though tofu was something he never liked, the "meat"balls actually were not that bad, especially when they were smothered in tomato sauce. And he much preferred their smell over whatever emanated from the KO Burgers.

Glancing outside the window his heart briefly jumped into his chest, seeing the sun already beginning to set. The sound of the Groundbridge was audible in the kitchen - as he had already discovered - and his mother had superhuman hearing. If Megatron decided to bridge, it had to be while they were making dinner, together, in the kitchen. Somehow, fate would make it so his mom would be walking down the hall when the tyrant decided to pay a visit, and she would not only hear it, but see the green glow accompanying it.

A sweat started to break out on his forehead.

Please, please, please just time it right.

Warming up the water to boiling, he glanced outside as the last rays of sunlight began to disappear. From what he knew, Megatron had impeccable timing, waiting until it was fully dark before he arrived. It seemed like things were going to go horribly.

The sound of something starting up caused him to jump, the young man whipping around and fully expecting to see his mother in the doorway, hearing the same thing he did. Instead, the noise persisted, and he realized with a breath of relief that it was the shower. Of course mom would want to wash up after a long shift in the Hospital.

Dumping the pasta in the water once it reached boiling, he placed the lid on and waited patiently for June to finish up - she was the queen of five-minute showers, so the pasta would barely be done by the time she finished.

Then, the dreaded sound came from his room, and one last look outside confirmed it was dark out.

Deciding Megatron would probably prefer a brief conversation over Jack ignoring him, he quickly shuffled into his room, opening the door and stepping inside. He closed it, looking at the deep red optics which glowed across the room.

"We're making dinner right now," he said, keeping his voice low on the off-chance his mother could hear him, walking closer to Megatron. "My mom is here, so try not to make much noise."

"I will maintain stealth," Megatron promised, gazing at him in amusement. As long as Jack remained in the home, he could content himself with this - it was when he was conveniently away that annoyed the Decepticon.

"And don't rifle through my stuff," Jack shot him a stink-eye. While he was confident the Key to Vector Sigma was safe, he did not want to risk anything if he could help it. The look earned him a chuckle, Megatron leaning forward just a bit. Even sitting he was almost Jack's exact height, which made him all the more uneasy.

"As long as you have nothing to hide, I have no reason to," he rumbled back, causing chills to sprout down his arms.

I do have something to hide.

Jack just continued to give him a look. "I'll be back when dinner is done." He promised, turning and leaving as soon as he heard the shower water turn off. Making his way back to the kitchen, he cursed when he realized the pasta water was about to boil over, running and snatching the lid off of it just in time.

Whew.

Stirring the noodles he also prepared the meatballs and heated up some tomato sauce, everything warming in their pans when June came back, dressed in sweatpants and a soft t-shirt.

"Everything going okay?" She asked, picking up a wooden spoon and giving the noodles a good whirl around the pot.

"So far, yeah," he joked lightly, grabbing two plates and glasses. "Nothing spilled over yet."

And my secret is still safe, for now.

"Oh my goodness, you remember when the gravy for our biscuits just . . . exploded?" June asked, shaking her head with a chuckle. "I have no idea what I did wrong, but it must have been something intense, because I have never had my gravy explode like that."

"That was a mess," he agreed, smiling at the memory. "And we had to use WD-40 to unstick the pan from its gravy prison."

June laughed. "Yes. We did. Hopefully tomato sauce doesn't do the same thing!"

As soon as the spaghetti was ready Jack poured it into a colander, making sure the noodles were good and drained before putting them back in their pot, June adding the sauce and giving it a good stir. They split the meatballs evenly, sitting and eating their dinner in relative silence.

Jack tried to ignore the fact Megatron was likely trying to listen in on their conversation, instead shoving in spaghetti as if it was the only meal he had all day. June did not seem to notice, or at the very least she did not question it, helping him clean up once everything was done.

"Alright, I'm ready for bed," she said, yawning over her cup of tea. "I'll see you in the morning?"

"Yeah - I'll be at the base tomorrow," he said, wondering if Megatron was going to give him an earful for that. "So if you need anything, be sure to call Ratchet."

"Will do," she gave him a good-night peck on the cheek. "Don't get into too much trouble. Good night."

"Good night, mom," he waited until she was mostly down the hall before he opened his door, slipping in. Megatron just watched him, not saying a word as he stood in the shadows of the corner of his room, well out of eyesight for anyone who initially stepped inside. Jack grabbed his pajamas, wondering if now would be a good time to shed the sweatshirt.

No. Too soon. I'll make him wait.

It was strange and uncomfortable to think about letting Megatron see a little more skin, as if Jack was doing a super drawn-out strip tease.

Ugh, don't think about it like that. He probably doesn't even like the look of organics.

Then he thought about what Megatron had said a few nights ago.

Most organics. All but one. I'm not about to make two just yet.

Disappearing into the bathroom briefly, he returned to predictably find the tyrant having migrated to his bed. The covers were even peeled back a little for him, eliciting an internal cringe.

They were getting into a routine, and he was unsure if that was something he was comfortable with. Quite frankly, he could not think of one thing that made him at ease with this situation, however maybe it was time to try and find something. Perhaps start small.

The way Megatron kept sweeping his optics across his frame was not one.

"Don't look at me like that," he hissed quietly, going to bed and sliding under the covers, pulling them close to him.

"I apologize," Megatron inclined his helm just a touch, his optics not wavering from Jack's face. "I am merely taking inventory of your physical state. I know you complained of quite a few mosquito bites."

Jerk. Jack thought as the awareness brought on itching in those spots, a few on his arms and neck. He resisted the urge to scratch them.

"They're just mosquitoes," he said, looking at one of the raised spots. "Annoying at most, really. They'll go away in a few days."

"If you insist," Megatron acquiesced. As soon as Jack was settled in he moved, the young man stiffening as the arm came around him once again.

Pretend you like it. Make him like you.

He suppressed the need to grimace, helping Megatron by shifting into a more comfortable position. After a moment he shimmied back just a touch, ensuring his back was pressed firmly against the tyrant's chest plates, frowning as an amused chuckle graced his ear.

"Usually you are trying to move away," he said, Jack unsure if he was teasing or mocking him.

"Don't test your luck, or I just might sleep on the floor," he replied, shivering as metal caressed the cusp of his pinna. Megatron's lips - or his teeth.

"Merely an observation," came the response, interlaced with a chuckle. Jack hissed sightly as the arm tightened around him just a touch, ensuring he was firmly trapped to the tyrant's frame. He resisted the urge to squirm, instead relaxing his head on the pillow and closing his eyes.

As if feeling his defeat Megatron also settled next to him, his ventilation cycle once again lulling Jack towards sleep.

Sure, that's what he liked. He liked the rhythmic, white noise of his breathing.

A comfort amongst deep, dangerous shadows.

XXX

Jack stuffed his textbooks and homework into his bookbag, also pocketing the Key to Vector Sigma in preparation for transport to the Autobot base. As anticipated, the Groundbridge burst to life in his garage, the boy walking through and smiling as he was greeted by his friends on the other side.

"Long time no see," Arcee said, kneeling down to better talk with her partner. "How was work?"

"You know, work," he replied, wishing she didn't make him feel guilty right out the gate. "How are you?"

"Better, now that I know my partner is safe," she said, only slightly accusatory.

"Mom gave me a talking-too as well," he sighed, "since I told her about it. She still doesn't know we had some 'cons in Jasper."

"It's probably better if she doesn't," Arcee said, Miko piping up from the human's corner.

"Yeah, then she'd be ultra helicopter-mom!" She crowed, leaning over the railing. Ratchet was clearly perturbed by her noisiness, however the medic was busy configuring something on his computer, and he knew once Jack joined them on the catwalk she'd pipe down. "And ruin all of our fun."

"If by 'all our fun,' you mean planting ourselves in middle of an Autobot-Decepticon battle, I think I should tell her," Jack replied, striding past Arcee towards the stairs. He did not want to ask the next question, however he wanted to know. "How is the search for Optimus?"

"Still in progress," Ratchet sighed. "And I am still trying to find a way to reconfigure the Groundbridge into a Spacebridge . . . but the technology is extremely complex, and the literature sparse. For all his greatness, Shockwave never thought to take notes."

"We'll find him, or at the very least, we'll figure out a way to get to Cybertron," Jack said, trying to remain optimistic. "We have to."

"We are doing our best," Ratchet answered, a little edge to his voice. "But with the new Decepticon activity in our area, I fear we may be running out of time. I have increased our search parameters and will continue researching for answers."

Jack swallowed a little.

You have plenty of time. He promised not to hurt you.

He paused. Did he? Or did he just promise Jack that he would not use him?

Either way, Megatron could easily weasel his way through an explanation should he go back - even just partially - on their deal. It made Jack uneasy to think about.

"I'm guessing that's my hint to go back out on patrol," Arcee muttered. She gave Jack the barest hint of a smile. "I'll be back before you know it."

"Stay safe," he said, waving her off. Miko just rolled her eyes as he set his backpack on the couch, plopping down beside it and kicking her feet up on the table.

"Homework? Lame. Why don't we play videogames instead?" She asked, snatching a control and waving it around.

"I seriously have to get some of this done," Jack said, pulling out a sheet of paper. "My chemistry grade depends on it."

"Just have Raf do it for you! He can do it in like, half the time, and all the answers will be right," Miko scoffed, looking towards the youngest of their group, who immediately became uncomfortable.

Jack huffed. "I'm not compromising my academic integrity for a grade," he said. "And besides, the teacher would get suspicious if I got every answer right."

Miko scowled. "Fine. Looks like it's just you and me, Raf-man!" She tossed him a controller. "Three out of four. Let's have some actual fun!"

She only earned an eye-roll from the junior, Rafael settling down as they booted up the game. Jack decided to tune them out, instead focusing on the chemical formulas. It all seemed like a garbled, nonsense language, however somehow he was supposed to make sense of all of it. They had since moved past atoms, even molecules, and were learning about basic reactions and the mechanisms behind them - again, pure gibberish.

He gave it a try, though, the time passing by painfully slowly. Without Optimus the base was at a stand-still, trying desperately to figure out a solution to their problems. Of course, all the solutions were obvious, but without the one tool - a Spacebridge - they were stuck.

And apparently the Decepticons were in the process of building a new one - or at least, that is what Ratchet hypothesized, as a Spacebridge was the only most convenient way to get to Cybertron without spending thousands of years in space.

He wondered if he could ask Megatron about it, then shook his head. No, that would likely count as a breach in their "contract." Though he honestly could not tell the Autobots even if he did receive an answer - because then they would start asking questions.

The young man could not contain his deep sigh.

"If it's too hard, just do something else," Miko misinterpreted the frustrated breath, her brows furrowed in concentration. "Like racing!"

"Miko," he shot her a look, and she acknowledged the silent message with another eye-roll. Her persistence was getting annoying, but he was unsure if that was because she was actually irritating or his sleep deprivation.

Eventually, he did get his homework done, and he did get the chance to beat Miko multiple times in their game, though Raf proved to be the best out of all of them. If Ratchet was annoyed by their cheering he kept it to himself, Jack finally relaxing after everything seemed to fall into place.

The Key to Vector Sigma remained nestled in his pocket, pulsing in a gentle reminder of the burden he now bore. He was playing a dangerous game, allowing Megatron to be so close to the relic. However . . .

"Hey, Ratchet?" He asked as he took a break from gaming. The medic's optics flickered from his computer monitors to the young man, tilting his helm and waiting for him to continue. "Do you think . . . that I could keep the Key here? Just for safekeeping? I don't feel all that secure with it just hanging out in my pocket."

The wizened Autobot furrowed his optic ridges. "I doubt you could lose it, as the Key has likely latched onto your biosignature. It would find you."

Jack felt his heart skip a beat for a moment. So if he left it at base, it would somehow find its way back into his bedroom - and could be left right in the open, where Megatron would find it.

Their meetings were supposed to happen outside of this conflict, but Megatron would never hesitate to destroy it if it secured him victory.

"Oh . . . That's good I guess," he tried to not make his anxiety obvious. "I'm just paranoid, y'know? I don't want to mess this up."

"Optimus would not have given you the Key if he did not believe you were capable," Ratchet assured him. "I trust Optimus' judgement, and I would highly recommend you do the same, Jack."

The human nodded slowly, his stomach twisting.

I trust his judgement too . . . I just don't trust me.

Specifically, he did not trust that he could keep the Key safe forever. If Megatron ever found out . . .

He promised.

Despite so, Jack knew he could never trust the word of a Decepticon.