Collapsing suddenly causes problems, mainly for the person who collapsed. Everyone walks on eggshells around him now. They seem to expect him to collapse even though Ratchet told them it was from exhaustion and not eating that morning. He lied, but they should believe the half-truth either way. Arcee was the worst. After Arachnid, Arcee has been paranoid about her coming back for revenge.
'Not on her, but for me. I honestly don't think I am that memorable or worth it. She can be just as worrying as my mom sometimes' he thought while pushing Acree up to his driveway. He was seriously late since the bots got a delay at the mine. Raf and Miko were already home before the mission happened so they weren't in trouble. This was the third time he had to walk her up and mom was getting suspicious. He occupied himself mindlessly chatting with Acree as he opened the garage. They were cutting off abruptly from their banter.
"Understand what Jack, you breaking curfew for the third time this month?" His mom shocked him, standing in the open garage.
"Mom," he exclaimed, but he wasn't surprised. She could always tell when he was getting out of control. It's how they have survived for so long.
"Or why your boss called about you missing another shift at work? Maybe the email I received from your art history teacher, who was concerned that you've been falling asleep in class." His mom made the pose he never likes to see. The hands-on-hips and disapproving scowl. He's seen it far too much in this month alone. Trying to defuse the conversation with humor didn't work.
"Jack, I have been hearing rumors about you racing, but you know better. I know after how much we moved you won't be doing this without a reason. You finally have friends, a job and seem to enjoy it here... It's been around six years since I have seen you this free." She said with a sad and guilty look. "If somethings going on you know I am here for you, but this has gone on for over a month. I let you keep the bike because you said it won't distract from everything else and you would be on your best behavior." She exclaimed while pointing at the said bike. Jack knew he needed to steer mom away from her next topic. He still hasn't gone over his past with the bots. Well, only Ratchet and he didn't know all the gritty details.
"I know mom, and I am sorry. I just have been getting comfortable so I am taking more freedoms, nothing like before will happen again." He said slightly panicked while gazing at Arcee.
"If you blew up a power station again then we will be having real problems. This is just a gentle reminder of where your priorities should lie." She said in a no-nonsense voice.
"Okay, consider me reminded. Plus, I don't think I can blow up another power station in an accident even if I tried." He replied chuckling dryly, continuing to wheel Arcee into the garage. He never liked confronting his mom, and lying just makes his skin crawl. She was right that he should tell her, but how do you say it? Do you just blurt it out or do you hint at it? There is just no right way. Before he was fully inside his mom blocked him again.
"I meant, let's see if a few weeks without your motorcycle will do the trick." She states, walking inside the garage. He was shocked. He may have done some crazy things before to make her mad, but they were all accidents and she didn't punish him for them. They just packed up and moved, which was often punishment enough in his book. Stammering he tried to protest but was cut off when she spun around with an angry face.
"No buts, you're grounded from everything but school and work. And if you want to take a bike to either, you'll pedal." She said pointing to his neglected bike in the corner. He hasn't used that for a while and when Arcee couldn't pick him up he just walks. Small towns can be nice sometimes. He was shocked out of his thoughts by his mom's face. She was still making her angry face and the eye contact was making him wish to sink into the floor.
"Serious face, Jack. If I see that motorcycle out of the garage..." She paused, but he understood. She was trusting him to keep his promise to stay out of trouble. She was giving him one more time to prove that they should stay here and not move. He simply nodded and her face lifted into a sad smile. She leaned over and kissed his forehead like she did when he was young.
"Now go wash up and get some sleep. I love you." She said before heading for the door and closing it behind her. He watched her go with a sad expression. He didn't want to leave. Jasper may not be the entertainment capital of the world but it happened to hold a secret he and his friends knew. 'One that I have grown dependent on' he thought as he felt the metal tin in his pocket as he walked Arcee fully inside.
"I'll miss you while you're grounded, but you're going to have to tell me how you blew up a power station? That's a story the rest would want to hear." Arcee joked and the tension lifted.
"Don't worry I'll visit you every day here and that's a story I would rather not tell. It wasn't exactly a pleasant experience." Jack stated. Then Arcee proceeded to tell him how she won't be here. Which made sense now that he thinks. Of course, she can't stay here. The Autobots did missions daily. They had other stuff to do than be real vehicles. That still didn't stop the panic.
"No, you don't understand. That's her serious face. That's the face she makes right before we move again. She gave me one more chance to get back into the groove. I am honestly surprised she is doing even that. Look, I feel bad enough having had to lie to her, but if you're not here that's it. We are moving again. I finally have everything settled here. I can't just blow her off like that, not when she's giving me a chance." He exclaimed, panicked at what to do.
"Deep breaths, Jack. Your mom works late nights and sometimes till morning. I will try and be here before she gets home. But... no promises." She consoled or at least tried. Jack just hangs his head and walks to close the garage door.
"I am not sure why you would think she would move you just over this though. From what little I know about earth families that seems like an extreme punishment." he just sighs at her question.
"Let's just say attention is just something we don't want and leave it at that." He said before closing the door on her and the garage.
Turns out keeping an Autobot in a garage is even more difficult than one might think. It wasn't even a day before he got a call from his mom. She was going to be early. What's also worse, she wants to make me dinner.
His mom was a health nut. Ratchet only scoffed and said he should be grateful to her. When Ratchet first meets him the medics scan picked upon his well-balanced diet. That was until he just couldn't stomach it, literally.
Trying to keep your overprotective mom from finding out your son just couldn't eat was a task. The only reason for his mom continuing oblivion was the fact they both were busy. They hardly had sit-down meals with both of them eating. Often they found their eating schedule was separate. Mom would eat whatever Jack had prepared the night before for breakfast and take the lunch he packed for her to work. It was a pattern they had done since Jack was 12, away for a child to help his mother with stress.
Before, when he could consume human food he would make himself breakfast and pack his lunch knowing that school lunches tend to suck. When dinner came around he cooked for two and left his mom's portion for when she got home. When his mom staggered in he ushered her to shower and change. They sat on the couch with a random show playing while she eats, they talk about their respective days.
A simple pattern he was thankful for. He just didn't eat now and his mom wasn't any the wiser, yet. He had a sinking suspicion she will figure it out once she sees their grocery bill next month.
After hanging up on his mom he called Arcee and of course, she was on a mission, just his luck. He groaned as he just hoped luck was on his side. By the time he reached his home, his mom was already there. She was beyond mad. Facing him with absolute disappointment. Though the fact that her attention was on him did allow Arcee to bridge back unnoticed. So he tried to sell that she was there all along. That didn't go over well as his mom accused him of having someone move it.
"Honestly Jack. I didn't want to think you were racing but what else could you be doing? I just can't believe you disobeyed me. If you don't want to move I need the truth." His mom demanded, her steely tone could probably make even Megatron quack in fear. At least, Jack hoped so because he sure was.
Jack tried to salvage this. "Mom, you want to know the truth, then fine." He exclaimed. Then he spilled. He told her about the bots and meeting them and the fact his motorcycle was one of them. He told her the absolute truth and his mom surprised him.
She froze, her whole body rigid and eyes fogged over. She seemed stuck in the past, reliving something. Jack was terrified, he had just broken his mom. Telling her the truth made her snap and he had no clue how to fix it. In his panic, he grabbed his mom by her biceps and shook slightly. The contact seemed to work. His moms' eyes returned to the present and she eyed him then the bike over his shoulder. Jack has never seen his mom like this. She looked lost, face holding a serious expression. The next thing he knew was her arms engulfing him in a hug. Unconsciously he melted into comfort. He heard her hum, breathing in his natural scent. Subconsciously he buried his face in the crook of her neck and breathed in as well. They say smells are one of the most memorable memories and as he breathed in his mom's he had to agree. Her smell calmed him, body relaxing and mind-calming. He felt safe.
Pulling back was surprisingly difficult. They stood a foot apart and his mom brought her hands to cup his cheek. Her eyes were full of a new resignation. Seeing that confused Jack.
A harsh beep brought an end to the touching mood. His mom pulled back and pulled out her phone, a frown overcoming the sweet expression from before. He sighed, knowing she must have been called back in. Kicking his shoe into the concrete to entertain himself till she told him the news.
"Jack, I got called in before this..." she paused and I looked up at her with a small smile. Her frown deepened.
"I have to go." She said while entering the car. Window still down she leaned out eyes filtering from him to Arcee. "We will discuss this tomorrow." Her voice was barely audible over the car's engine. That was the last thing she said before she left. The awkward silence left behind was unwelcomed.
"Well, that was strange." Commented his partner, that 'doesn't exist.
After his mom left everything became a blur. He felt guilty that he hadn't realized his mom hadn't come home that night before. No, she wasn't in her bed getting barely any sleep. She was probably taking a double shift and slept at the hospital. He only knew for certain since he called the hospital to ask a fellow nurse if she was okay. They said she was kinda off but just as scary as normal, maybe even more so. That was somewhat relieving. When he got home late from his long shift he was surprised to find his mom not home.
It wasn't unusual for her to cover for others, but having three shifts in one sitting usually warranted a call or text to tell him not to make dinner for her. This time he got nothing and he found out pretty quickly why. MECH.
They couldn't do much besides go along with the ride. It's one hell of a nightmare-inducing ride. Even when it was all done he could remember everything. He had almost lost his mom. Sitting on the crate with his mom wrapped in a blanket, breathing and warming up gave him absolute relief. They were safe and no one had died. He counts that as a win. The night wasn't over. When he introduced his mom to Arcee she had a sad smile on her face. It was a smile that seems to say she was losing something she treasured. She was resigned.
Shaking himself out of his unwanted thoughts he saw Agent Fowler approach them again. Smiling, Jack waved at the agent. He was curious about what else besides the normal 'they don't exist' spill he had to talk to them about.
"Jack, I have to say I am impressed. You managed to think well ahead and contact us even under the stress of the situation." Fowler said with a rueful smile on his face. "Though I can't say I am surprised, from what little I have been able to whittle out of the bots you seem to work well under pressure." He started before making eye contact with his mom. "You have a very strong son, Ms. Darby." He said before taking his leave.
Feeling arms wrap around him, pulling into his mom's embrace. Arcee was snickering as he struggled to get free from the grip, though he didn't try too hard. His mom's laughter entered not a moment later as she ruffled his hair making it a mess. Seconds later he felt the feel of lips on his forehead.
"My hero." He heard his mom whisper. He stopped struggling and just melted into his mom's warmth. Even if both his mom and him were keeping secrets he was just happy everything worked out.
