*Is cleaning the floors* Another chapter clean. :)
lastdragonrider - Thanks for the advice, but I don't really know what you mean...can you tell I'm new at writing?
Disclaimer: Transformers belongs to Hasbro. I only take credit for this story and my OCs.
Unknown date
Autobot Base outside Jasper, Nevada
Telling the story of how I went from opening my front door to stepping through the window into this reality took me about half an hour.
Ratchet was the first one to talk after I finished speaking.
"It's impossible!" He started, "Just you coming through the Multiverse and living is almost impossible! In addition you claim to have meet the Original Thirteen, and they apparently saved you from death!." His yelling was terrifying and amusing at the same time. "AND, you also claim to have Nanites inside you that are both fixing your injuries and changing you into one of us! I admit, I don't know much of human biology, however, I know enough that when energon is in an organic's blood it's more toxic than anything else on this planet." He concluded.
"If you don't believe me then scan me and see for yourself," I said as I crossed my arms over my chest.
Ratchet grumbled something under his breath, but nodded, "Fine," he said, voice filled with annoyance, then started his scan. Ratchet looking over the scan data when he got a confused look on his face and scanned me again.
"Hey! I didn't say scan me twice!" My protest fell on deaf ears... No, on Audio Receptors. 'What? How did I know that? Come to think of it, how do I know what an optic is? Or how did I know that mech and femme are their version of man and woman? How do I know what the Multiverse Theory is?'
Ratchet's next statement pulled me out of my thoughts. "How... How is this possible?" he said, not looking up from the scan results.
"Ratchet? What isn't possible?" Optimus asked, looking at me curiously then at Ratchet. Still staring at his scanner, Ratchet answered Optimus' question.
"What he said was true. He's changing a Cybertronian... I don't know how, but he is." He walked off to his computer screens and said, "I need to run more tests."
Optimus introduced the rest of the Autobots to Raf, Jack and Miko, but not me, for obvious reasons. I could tell that Arcee didn't trust me. She kept looking at me as if I was going to jump up and yell "All hail Megatron!" At any moment. I couldn't blame her. Up until recently, if someone came up to me and said they were from another reality where I was just a character in a cartoon, I would have said they were crazy.
I pushed my thoughts aside for now, concentrating on the conversation Raf, Miko and Jack were having with the Autobots.
"... Since you three now know of our existence, I fear that as of last night the Decepticons know of yours," Optimus said to them.
Jack said, "Got it. If we spot any strange vehicles call 9-1-1."
I face-palmed. I knew he was going to say that, but it was still painfully bad. "Jack... What are the police going to do? Give the Decepticons a ticket?" I asked sarcastically.
Jack sent a glare my way before continuing to speak. "Can we go now? I mean we don't know anything significant about you besides your names," he said, obviously wanting to just go home and forget this ever happened.
'Wow, that's a pretty good point.. Except the fact we know where their base is,' I thought.
Optimus had the same thought as I did, "You know where our base is located and the Decepticons do not, so it is best that you all remain under our watch."
Arcee threw in her two cents, "The Cons will torture you to find out every little detail they think you know... Or just for sport." Her optics grew distant when she said that last part.
Ratchet turned from his computers, "With all due respect, Optimus. The human children are in as much danger here as anywhere," he said as he looked at the four of us.
"Children!" Jack said in an offended tone.
Ratchet continued, "They have no protective shell. If they get under foot they will go... Squish." He got a disgusted look on his face and slammed his foot down hard enough us humans in attendance to flinch.
"Then for the time being, Ratchet, we must watch where we step." Optimus said, looking slightly amused by Ratchet's behavior.
I leaned toward Raf, "Is it just me? Or did he sound like a Jedi when he said that?"
Before Raf could answer, an alarm sounded throughout the base.
"What's that?" Jack asked, still looking up at the Autobots.
'Oh joy. Agent Fowler is here, this should be interesting.' I thought with a sigh.
Bumblebee beeped a few times and Raf translated, "He says that's the proximity sensor. It means someone's up top."
Ratchet moved to a different computer screen, bringing up a video feed from a security camera. "It's Agent Fowler, Optimus," he said, sounding slightly angry.
"I thought we were the only humans who knew about you guys." Jack seemed confused.
"Unfortunately not, Jack" I said too quietly for anyone to hear.
Optimus answered Jack's question, "Agent Fowler is our designated liaison to your country's government, as he only visits when there are... Issues. It is best that the four of you don't meet him at this time."
Jack, Raf, Miko and I ran to get behind a wall just to the left of Arcee.
I heard the elevator stop at our floor and a second later the angry voice of Special Agent William Fowler was echoing across the room. "Seven wrecks, thirty-four fender-benders, a three-hour traffic jam, and on a particular note, numerous reports of a speeding motorcycle of unknown make, and a black and yellow custom muscle car."
Fowler himself was tall, around six-four, and looked slightly overweight, he wore a grey suit with a tie that was much too small for him.
"So, anything you care to get off your tin chest, Prime?" he asked, not intimidated by Optimus standing just a few feet in front of him.
"I already don't like him," Miko said, referring to Fowler. Miko's comment made me miss a few seconds of the conversation.
"...The Cons are back aren't they?" Fowler asked.
"I have doubts they ever left. Agent Fowler, your planet is much too valuable," Optimus said diplomatically.
"Then I need to wake up the Pentagon." Fowler said.
Optimus stopped him from continuing by holding up a hand. "Hear me, Agent Fowler. We are your best, possibly your only, defense against the Decepticons," he said, likely trying to keep their liaison calm.
"Says you." Fowler was obviously ready to end the conversation by storming out.
Before Bulkhead spoke you could have cut the tension in the air with a knife.
"Hey, fleshy!" Fowler turned toward Bulkhead. "Did any human get splattered on the freeway? No? Well, that's because Team Prime knows when to use force," he said, pulling something that looked important from Ratchet's workstation. "And we know how much to use," he finished by crushing the piece of machinery in his hands.
"I needed that, Bulkhead!" A wrench hit Bulkhead right between the optics. I don't know where Ratchet got the wrench, but he already had a second ready to throw in his hand.
"Enough!" Optimus half yelled, stopping Ratchet from throwing another wrench and Bulkhead from taking cover behind the same wall as us. Optimus continued, "Military involvement will only cause the deaths of countless humans. Perhaps you can accept the widespread destruction of your planet. I, however, cannot."
Fowler was walking back to the elevator when he spoke over his shoulder. "Then deal with this under the radar, Prime. Or I will," he said just as the elevator doors closed.
"Not a very nice guy, is he?" Jack stated, as he along with Miko, Raf and I walked up the stairs toward Ratchet's main computer screen.
"Agent Fowler is concerned for Earth, Jack, as he should be," Optimus said, still looking at the elevator doors.
Ratchet started yelling at Bulkhead about his broken tool when we came closer. "Did you think before you did that! That was a very important piece of equipment! You better hope we have another one in storage, or Primus help me-." He let out string of very colorful language that made Raf cover his own ears.
"So, if you're from another world... Reality... Whatever it's called, where all our world is fiction... Do you know what is going to happen in the future?" Jack asked me after Ratchet ended his rant. I noticed the Autobots seemed to pay close attention to our conversation.
"To be honest, most of my knowledge was about the live-action movies, as I told Ratchet, this reality was a weekly T.V show, one that I only recently had started to watch. I know what will happen tomorrow, but beyond that, I have no more clue then you." I replied.
Raf followed Jack's question with one of his own, "So... What happens tomorrow?"
Before I could come up with a suitable answer, I heard Ratchet curse under his breath, "Damn this Earth tech." He looked up from his computer screens. "Cliffjumper's life-signal just popped back up online."
"Who's Cliffjumper?" Miko asked, confused. Her question was ignored.
"How is that possible?" Optimus asked his medic, just as confused as Miko, but for a different reason.
Ratchet shook his head, "It's not. It's just another bug in the system. This human tech is filled with them."
"If there's any chance Cliff's alive..." Arcee left her sentence hanging. Her voice was filled with hope, hope I was about to crush.
Optimus turned toward the Ground Bridge and snapped his battle mask over his face. "Ratchet, prepare the sick bay. If we bring Cliffjumper back he will need it."
I sighed, "It's not Cliffjumper." My statement made everyone stop in their tracks and look in my direction.
Most of the looks I was getting were of curiosity. Arcee's however, was one of anger. "You better explain what you mean, fast" she said threateningly.
"What I mean, Arcee, is yes, Cliffjumper's body is online, but he was gone the moment Ratchet lost his signal, the moment Starscream killed him." I said as I briefly looked at Cliffjumper's tracker on Ratchet's screen before looking back at the Autobots.
Arcee's optics lit up with fury when I mentioned Starscream killed Cliffjumper, but she said nothing.
Optimus took a few steps toward me. "Now it is my turn to ask what you mean," his voice had taken the same tone that he had when he spoke with Fowler.
I grimaced. "Megatron has returned, he brought Cliffjumper's body to an energon mine... and put a shard of Dark Energon in his spark chamber." The Autobots had mixed looks of shock and horror on their faces as I said this. "The shard revived him... But it also made him into a mindless killing machine that will attack both Autobots and Decepticons alike," I finished.
"Do you expect us to stay here and not go and try to save Cliffjumper?" Arcee asked angrily. "Just because you say he's offline doesn't mean I am going to believe you."
"I don't expect you to stay here, nor do I expect you to believe what I say. Just be warned that you may not find the Cliffjumper you knew," I said carefully.
Arcee didn't say anything but she was glaring daggers at me.
"We will go and bring Cliffjumper home," Optimus said, getting between Arcee and I.
Ratchet opened the Ground Bridge at Optimus' unspoken command.
"Autobots, roll out!" Optimus said as he, Bulkhead, Bumblebee and Arcee transformed into their alt modes driving into the Ground Bridge. Arcee was moving noticeably faster than the others.
I heard human-sized footsteps coming toward me. "So... Drama!" Miko said with some humor, likely trying to lighten my obviously grim mood.
"I thought Arcee was going to melt you with her eyes the way she glaring at you," Jack said, also trying to lighten the mood.
I gave a slight smile. "Thanks for trying, guys. I just need to think about something else other than what they may find," I said, looking at the Ground Bridge.
"Maybe we could ponder where Ratchet got that wrench he threw at Bulkhead...or where Ratchet learned such creative cursing," Raf joked.
That made me laugh. "Nice one, Raf," I said as I gave him a high five.
After what must have been several hours later Raf was still on the platform next to Ratchet and Jack. Miko and I got bored and were walking around the main room when Miko suddenly sprinted off to my right.
"What is this anyway, Ratchet?" she asked, almost touching what looked like a control console left over from the previous human owners.
Ratchet answered gruffly, "It's broken, don't touch it."
Miko tried touching it anyway. "I said don't touch it," Ratchet said without turning around. Miko tried touching something else beside the console. "Don't touch that either," he said, again without turning, which made Miko narrow her eyes at his back.
Jack looked at me. "Is there anything we can touch?" he said loud enough for Ratchet to hear.
Ratchet just looked at us annoyed until an error popped up on his computer screen.
"Why are you using human computers?" Raf asked, looking confused.
"It's definitely not by choice. We inherited these computer systems from the previous owners and I make modifications when I need to," Ratchet said, obviously used to the odd pop-up error. However, as he tried to fix the error another dozen popped up, making him sigh heavily. Raf looked at the screen for a second.
"I can fix that," he said confidently.
I could almost hear Ratchet roll his optics before saying sarcastically, "Reeaallly? You do know this is very complex technology for humans, don't you? It's not one of your normal computers."
As they were talking I climbed the ladder next to Raf and got to the top just as Raf said, "Now try it."
Ratchet looked back at the computer and all the errors were fixed. He turned and looked at Raf in shock.
"That's what we humans call getting served," I said dryly now leaning against the desk in front of Raf.
Ratchet sent a glare my way and I smiled in return. Then my eyes widened as the computer screen behind Ratchet changed. It now held the test results of his scan of me... It was highlighting several anomalies.
It only took a split second for Ratchet to see where I was looking and change the screen back to normal, but I still had time to read one thing that was highlighted over the image of my chest.
Test completed.
Anomalies now classified as Unidentified Foreign Objects.
Recommendation: More thorough medical scans of highlighted areas to determine origins of Unidentified Objects.
That made my blood run cold. 'There's something inside me that is not even identifiable by the Autobots?' Ratchet and I just stood there, neither one of us saying anything. He knew I read at least part of the test results.
Raf ended the silence, "Zech? Why are you so pale?" He clearly didn't have time to read the text on the screen.
"It's nothing Raf," I said as evenly as I could, and walked toward the elevator.
"Hey! where are you going?" I heard Jack ask me.
"I'm going to get some air." I replied, just as I hit the button that said 'Top Level.'
As the elevator was much faster than any I remember being on, the ride to the top was short. The first thing I did when the elevator doors opened was look for a good spot to sit and think. I found a lone tree on the far side of the mountain above the helicopter pad. I took the time to think about everything that had happened to me over the last day. I wondered how my brothers' lives went on after I died in my reality. I saw how they reacted at my memorial service, but was I clueless as to how their lives turned out years after that. I also thought about how I was changing into a Cybertronian and Solus Prime would basically be my mother. Even as I sat there, I could feel some faint throbbing that she said I would experience.
What most confused me was that I knew things I couldn't possibly have known before I woke up in the Pocket Universe. It wasn't as if I learned things rapidly, or I just heard the words somewhere, I simply had expanding knowledge of my new world, and I couldn't even grasp how it was happening...it just was. I sat on the roots of the tree for at least half an hour, not only pondering new life, but grieving for my old one. I finally stood up and got back in the elevator, having said good-by to my old life in my way by not shedding tears. I hadn't truly cried since I was six. When something affected me enough my eyes would become moist, like looking at the news reports, but I didn't consider that crying. The opening elevator doors snapped me out of my thoughts. Stepping out of the elevator I saw that Raf, Miko, Jack, and even Ratchet were watching me.
"Do I have something in my teeth?" I joked as I put my arms behind my back.
"So... What did you see that made you go out there?" Jack asked simply.
I shrugged, "I don't know," I began, looking at Jack then turning to Ratchet. "What did I see, Ratchet?" I asked as I narrowed my eyes.
"Something you were not supposed to see until I confirmed my findings and spoke with Optimus about it," he huffed.
I sighed, "Fine. I just would like to know about it as soon as possible. After all, I'm the one with the anomalies."
He just grunted in acknowledgement.
I didn't have enough time to start a conversation with anyone before I heard Optimus' voice through the computer.
"Ratchet, bridge us back! Use the arrival coordinates now!" He yelled. You could hear explosions in the background.
Ratchet quickly started entering numbers into a computer next to his main workstation and pulled a lever. Now that I really looked at it, the activated ground bridge was a breathtaking sight. It was like seeing the Northern Lights in a tunnel.
It was a sight I normally would have gawked at had it not been for the impenetrable wall of blue flame directly behind the bots. Arcee was the first one to clear the ground bridge, followed closely by Bumblebee, then Bulkhead. Before Optimus even cleared the ground bridge, Ratchet pushed the same lever used to activate the ground bridge to turn it off. Optimus transformed into his true form as he was still moving. He flipped, rolled and landed on his feet in one smooth maneuver that he made look easy but I doubt that I would ever be able to do. Jack, Raf and Miko's jaws looked as if they would fall off even more than when I said I was from a different reality. Of course, I still had a look of awe on my face even though I knew Optimus was likely to do that. They didn't.
"Cutting it close, aren't you?" Ratchet said, looking at the rest of the Autobots "What about Cliffjumper?" Was his tone concerned? I couldn't tell.
All the bots except Arcee lowered their heads in sadness. Arcee was just looking at a wall but not seeing anything or anyone in the room. Miko started to run up toward the railing. Before she had taken three steps, I grabbed her arm just hard enough to stop her from moving. I had reacted much faster than I thought I could.
Miko spoke before I had time to ponder this. "Hey! What gives?" She asked loud enough for the bots to hear, causing them to look in our direction.
I whispered, "Miko, if you were going to ask what that explosion was about, or if there was a fight, then don't say anything. The Autobots just lost a friend and brother-in-arms for the second time in two days."
A look of understanding crossed Miko's face and she walked back to her spot next to Jack. I gave the bots a quick look and walked back and leaned on the desk next to Raf.
"Arcee, did you find Cliffjumper?" Optimus asked gently. I noticed all the bots were looking at Arcee with concern in their optics, even Ratchet.
Arcee crossed her arms over her chest and when she spoke her voice had no emotion at all, "It wasn't him, at least... Not anymore..." She put a hand over her spark chamber. "He looked like a failed Con experiment from the war." She looked at me, "Looks like you proved your story was true," she said with a slightly angry tone.
I sighed, "It was my not intention to prove anything Arcee, it was to warn you of what you may find... I'm truly sorry for your loss." I immediately regretted my words.
"What could you, a seventeen-year old possibly know about loss?!" Arcee yelled, she was beyond angry at this point, she just plain pissed.
Before I could answer, her optics grew dim and she fell to one knee catching herself on a generator just before she collapsed. Bumblebee beeped in distress, walking closer to help Arcee up. The other Autobots also looked worried.
"I'm fine, just dizzy," Arcee said, holding up a hand and leaning on the generator even more.
Jack, Miko and Raf didn't say anything, they just looked at the Autobots in shock, most likely realizing they were more than just machines.
The blue beam of light coming out of Ratchet's wrist told me he started a scan of Arcee. His scanner beeped when it went over Arcee's hand. He paused and scanned her hand again and the same thing happened. This result made him stop the scan.
"What is this?" he asked, looking at some purple liquid that had dark smoke coming off it.
'So that's Dark Energon. It gives me the chills just by looking at it,' I thought. In the cartoon they tried to make Dark Energon seem mysterious and sinister, but here it felt... Evil. I couldn't truly explain it, but I didn't want to get any closer to it than I had to.
"I don't know. Cliff was covered in it... Leaking it," Arcee said. It was obvious she was still a little dizzy.
Ratchet scraped the Dark Energon off her hand with what to him was a small knife, but to a human it would be a medium-sized sword.
"Go take a decontamination bath now!" He said urgently.
Bumblebee helped Arcee up from her sitting position and walked with her over to a circular chamber more than large enough for any of the Autobots to step into.
"Optimus?" Jack asked, making the mech in question turn toward him. "I-I hate to bug... But... No bars." He said, holding up his phone toward Optimus.
"A security precaution, the silo walls prevent all unauthorized communication." Optimus said as he looked at Jack.
Looking down at his phone, while trying to dial a number, Jack said, "Well, not to be extreme, but if I don't call my mom like right now, the cops will probably start searching for me."
Optimus leaned down closer to us, "Have you broken a law?" he asked, looking directly at Jack.
"Um...curfew...it's after 10:00 P.M" Jack answered.
Raf's eyes widened. "If I don't get home soon I'll be grounded for a year."
"Hmm... Earth customs, I hadn't considered. But we are still responsible for your safety." Optimus said as he stood to his full height. "Bulkhead, accompany Miko home..."
Before Optimus finished giving Bulkhead his orders, Miko cut in. "Awesome! My host parents will freak!" She said excitedly, leaning toward Jack, which made him back up.
"And maintain surveillance, in vehicle form", Optimus finished his orders.
Bulkhead acknowledged, "Understood. Curb-side duty." This made Miko sigh with disappointment.
"Bumblebee," Optimus addressed his youngest soldier, "You will watch over Raf." I saw Raf give a faint smile. "Ratchet," Optimus was cut off by the mech he tried to speak to.
"I'm busy, don't bother me," Ratchet said, not turning from his work at one of the computers.
Arcee probably thought she picked the wrong time to finish the decontamination cycle after Optimus spoke.
"Arcee, you will accompany Jack." When Optimus said this Jack rubbed the back of his neck nervously.
"Ohhh... Still dizzy" Arcee said in an obvious attempt at getting out of guard duty.
"You're fine. I'm your physician, I would know," Ratchet said, still not turning from the computer.
Arcee dropped the act and sighed, shrugging her shoulders.
"So... Where am I supposed to go since I don't have a house anymore?" I asked, looking at Optimus.
"We have no area for you to 'Bunk' as you humans sometimes say, but if we have the time I will make sure to correct that issue." Optimus responded.
Jack, having heard my predicament spoke up. "I might be able to convince my mom to let him stay at my house as long as he doesn't mind sleeping on a couch."
Optimus looked at me as if to say 'Well?'
"It's a place to sleep, I don't mind at all. Thank you, Jack," I said gratefully.
"Bumblebee," Optimus said, stopping the Autobot from driving away in his alt form, "Take Zechariah to Jack's home as your destination is closer than Bulkhead's."
Bumblebee gave a beep of confirmation and opened the driver's side door for me as I had already climbed down from the walkway. As soon as I got inside, Bumblebee's alt mode he drove back through the same tunnel that we arrived through.
The drive as we followed Arcee to Jack's house went slower than to the Autobot base because Raf was tired and not saying much and I couldn't understand Bumblebee. It was roughly forty minutes after we left base before Arcee pulled into a driveway and Bumblebee stopped to let me out. Jack's home was simple, just a single-story house with a one-car garage. There was a mailbox close to the curb and not much grass to speak of on the front lawn. I stepped out on to the sidewalk and moved toward the garage. I heard Bumblebee continue on in the same direction as before.
As I got to the garage Arcee was in her true form. Just then a car pulled into the driveway, causing her to transform in record time. A tall woman with long hair tied in a ponytail got out of the car. Even if I didn't already know she was Jack's mother, the close resemblance would have told me. She had the same black hair, the same steel-blue eyes, and was similar in height. She was about five-ten, barely shorter than him. Jack ran out of the garage toward her before Arcee finished transforming.
"Hey mom... Hehe," he laughed nervously. "Don't... Don't freak, I can explain."
Jack's mother put her hands on her hips. "Can you?" She said, walking toward me, shaking her head slightly. "Jackson Darby, I've told you to tell me when you have friends over after curfew." Jack looked surprised at the speed Arcee transformed, but quickly pretended that my presence was the reason he had been nervous."What's your name?" Jack's mother asked me.
"Zechariah, but I prefer Zech, Miss Darby" I responded politely.
Jack's mom looked at Arcee's alt form and asked me, "Is that bike yours?"
"No, ma'am." I kept my polite tone.
"Do you need a ride home then?" Miss Darby asked, looking slightly confused by the motorcycle in her garage.
"I asked Jack if I could stay overnight. Both of my parents are out of town and my dad wanted me to stay with a friend." I hated lying, but she wouldn't believe me if I told the truth.
Jack's mom sighed, "Jack... You bought this motorcycle, didn't you?" Jack flinched, but before he could speak his mom cut in. "I need to speak with Jack about this, please excuse us," she looked at me when she said that last part. Jack followed his mom inside, leaving me in the garage with Arcee.
I broke the long silence that followed. "To answer your question Arcee... I know a lot about loss." I said, referring to when she shouted at me.
Arcee turned toward me in her alt form, "What?" Her tone was almost surprised.
"You asked me what I could possibly know about loss-" She cut me off before I could continue.
"I know what I asked you," her tone was now angry. "And what was so terrible that you think you know what I'm going through? You don't-" This time I cut her off.
"I saw my mother shot and killed by a mugger right in front me when I was six," I said coldly. That made Arcee pause. I continued, keeping my icy tone when I spoke. "Not only did a mugger kill her in front of me, the police never caught the man responsible." I started pacing, "My father became distant after that, working constantly to bury his grief. My brothers were virtually the only family I had after that. Even when they became Marines and were away for months or years at a time, I was closer to them than to my dad. I will never see them or anyone I ever knew again, so don't yell at me saying that I don't know about loss... Because I do." I was already regretting my rant. I lost my mother years ago but Arcee lost Cliffjumper twice in the past day.
"I'm sorry, Arcee, not only about Cliffjumper, but for my words as well," I apologized, lowering my head slightly.
"Maybe I'm the one who should apologize," she said. I looked at her curiously as she continued. "Since you said that you aren't from this reality I've only treated you with suspicion, thinking you were trying to stab us in the back somehow. But you gave us a warning of what we would find in the energon mine, a warning I didn't listen to. You offered an apology about Cliff's death and I yelled at you for it. I am sorry for my behavior toward you."
"It's fine Arcee, I hope I'm forgiven for my outburst as well," I was both surprised and relieved with her apology.
"You are, just-" Arcee paused. "It sounds like someone's coming," she said moving back to her original spot.
Ms. Darby opened the inside garage door. "You can come in now, I'll show you where everything is in case you need something," she said, oblivious that I was just talking to a member of a hyper-advanced alien race.
I followed Jack's mom through a narrow hallway leading to a medium-sized living room. She said something about the kitchen but I got distracted by what was on T.V. Jack was sitting on the couch watching to my joy one of my favorite shows, NCIS. I didn't know which episode was on but there was a dead Marine in a bathtub filled with cat litter so I'm guessing I missed something.
"Jack, fill me in here," I said, looking at the T.V with interest.
"You watch this, too?" Jack asked, raising his eyebrows.
I nodded, trying to figure out which episode this was as Jack explained.
Jack turned back to the T.V. "The dead Marine's cleaning lady came to... Well, clean. And she found him like that. Gibbs and McGee were called to the scene. Ziva and Dinozzo are in Paris protecting someone." He explained.
Now that I knew what was going on, I turned back to Jack's mom. "I'm sorry I got distracted. I believe you were saying something about the kitchen?" I asked, trying, but failing to sound as if I didn't care what show was on.
Ms. Darby smiled. "I was saying that as it's a weekend, you are free to use the kitchen as long as you clean it up after you're done." I nodded as she pointed down a hallway on the other side of the room. "And the bathroom is the first door on the right. Now the both of you get to bed after this is over, okay?"
"Of course, and thank you for letting me stay here," I thanked her.
Ms. Darby just said, "It's no problem," and walked down the far hall after she got confirmation from Jack that he wouldn't stay up too late either.
A few minutes after Ms. Darby went to bed, I sat down on the same couch as Jack with a plate of leftover pizza I found in the refrigerator, and glass of iced tea in my hand. "Sorry, I accidentally threw you under the bus when your mom asked if Arcee was my motorcycle," I said, taking a bite out of the pizza.
"It's no big deal, I would've had to come up with an excuse anyway," Jack said easily.
We didn't talk much for the rest of NCIS. I found out it was the same year and date as when I left my original reality, and that surprised me. Jack asked where I was from. He got a look of horror on his face when I said Upstate New York.
"How do you live in that cold?" he asked.
"How do you live in this heat?" I countered.
Jack narrowed his eyes. "Touche," he said, just as the ending credits started to roll. "Well, I'm going to bed." Jack said as he got up from the couch.
"See you tomorrow, Jack" I said, walking to the sink with my empty glass and plate. I rinsed the dishes I used, walked back to the couch, turned off the T.V and soon fell into a dreamless sleep.
For those who have read this chapter before, I have no excuse for why Zechariah didn't tell the Autobots who killed Cliffjumper. But now I have fixed it... I think...
This chapter's credit song is "Rise Against - Prayer Of The Refugee" I think when I wrote this chapter I only picked this song because of the title, but it is a really good song and you should go listen to it.