*Chapter 9: Jack's 17th Birthday*

Jack woke up the next morning to start work. He smiled when he just turned 17 today. After getting dressed, he walked out of his room to get to the Autobots, June popped out with a grin.

"Happy Birthday, Jack!" She embraced him.

"Whoa, mom! Didn't expect you to arrive so early." Jack said.

"It's your birthday, Jack. Of course I should come here early. I want to spend so much time with you and your new recruits. Including the Autobots, of course." June took her son by the hand and see the area all decorated. Tables are all over, and there is a cake in the middle along with plates and napkins. The Autobots are in their holoforms with the soldiers.

"Wow. You did all this?" Jack asked his mother.

"I helped. Thanks to Orionna."

"Orionna?" Jack turned to see Orionna talking to the commander of the base, giving him a wink. Jack smiled at her and wink back. He will have to remember to thank her for all this. This will be the birthday Jack will remember.

All day, Jack had been hanging out with the Autobots. Outside of the base, they have been spending time in their holoforms and spot a carnival. June suggests that they should go there and come back to base for cake. Jack thinks it's a great idea.
As soon as they got tickets for rides, Orionna looked around the carnival. She could hear the screams of joy in the air, and smell popcorn.

"This is gonna be great! There is so much to do." Jack said to Orionna. "What do you want to do first?"

"Well, I'm not sure. What do you want to do? I never done anything like this." Orionna replied.

"You two have fun! Bee and I are gonna go to bumper cars!" Jazz said, taking off with Bumblebee.

"For starters, how about a mirror house?" Jack asked. "It's like a maze filled with mirrors."

"Okay. Lead the way." Orionna said, but she turned back to Optimus and Ratchet. "Would you two like to come with us?"

"You two go on ahead. Ratchet and I will be around. Have a good time." Optimus said with a small smile. Orionna smiled back and follow Jack to the activity they are going to. Ratchet made a smirk. Optimus noticed him. "What are you smiling about?"

"Looks to me that Orionna has grown attached to Jack." Ratchet said. "Think about it, Prime. She's the one who planned his birthday, and always there to pick him up from school."

"She is just a guardian and a close friend. Nothing more." Optimus said. "A cybertronian and a human relationship is impossible, Ratchet."

"Of course, of course." Ratchet said. "Anything could happen." Optimus rolled his eyes at him before walking away.

XX

Jack and Orionna have been spending time together in the carnival. The mirror house confuses Orionna, but laughed at Jack who keeps bumping into his reflections many times and had to help him find the real path. They play games and won some prizes. They bump into their Autobot team to be in the bumper cars to ram into each other for laughs. Jack had a great time.
Last thing they want to do before they leave is to ride the ferris wheel. Jack and Orionna sat next to each other, nearly touching knees. As they are moving up, they see the ocean view.

"Did you have a good time, Jack?" Orionna asked.

"Hell yeah I did." Jack replied with a smile. "Thanks for the surprise party and everything. Can't wait to go back to base for dessert. You would love the cake."

"Me too. I have fun too. I never have this much fun in years before the war." Orionna said. "It's nice to see the Autobots have a great time. Even my father. He can't get the smile off his face, and it's great to see him smile again."

"It's good to have fun once in a while. Being happy is a good thing." Jack said. He places his hand over Orionna's. The girl blushed a bit and look at Jack. The teen noticed this and pull away. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. I don't know what I was thinking."

"No. It's okay." Orionna held his hand again. "You can hold it. Yet, I feel hot and my spark is beating." Jack could see blush on Orionna's face. She does feel warm when he held her hand. They stare at each other's eyes. They lean in slowly, closing their eyes...

"Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" They hear Jazz chant. Jack and Orionna quickly look behind them to see Jazz smirking at them while Ironhide shakes his head. Jack and Orionna turn back, blushing like mad. Jack ran his fingers through his hair. What was he thinking? He almost kissed the daughter of Optimus Prime. Would Optimus approve the relationship? Besides, Jack is a human. Not a robot.
After their ride is over, they walk off to get to the exit of the carnival to wait for the rest of the Autobots. Jack and Orionna never said a word to each other. Optimus walked up to them as the rest followed.

"Is everyone here?" He asked.

"Present!" Bumblebee said with a grin. "Now to finish the party, back to base." When they are going to the parking lot, Jack was called back by Optimus. The teen slowly turn to him. Optimus wanted to speak with him alone. Jack had a bad feeling, but must remain calm.

"You are not in trouble, boy. There are some things you need to know." Optimus spoke. "Whatever is happening between you and my daughter, it shall not happen. It is impossible. Orionna is not a human."

"I'm sorry." Jack said. "It's my fault. Not Orionna's. Did Jazz open his big mouth?"

"How could I not hear him chant?" Optimus asked, raising a brow at the boy. Jack would chuckle, but couldn't. He knew that he would be told not to be in a relationship with an Autobot. Optimus is not wrong. A human and a robot cannot be together. "I trust you being a good, true friend to Orionna. But promise me. Do not take a step farther." Optimus said.

"I understand, Optimus. I totally get it. But, should Orionna know?"

"She should. I will speak to her. She too, will understand." Optimus told Jack. "I only want to protect her."

"And I don't blame you." Jack said. "But still, Orionna means so much to me. She did this because she cares about me. After what we've been through." Optimus nodded at him. "Well, we should go. The cake isn't gonna eat itself."
Little did they know, in the crowd of people in the carnival, Barricade watched in his holoform. He now had some information to tell to Starscream.

The base had wished Jack a happy birthday to him and had some cake to share. June gave her son a gift card of Hot Topic since he always buys shirts of his favorite bands. Such as Blink-182, Fall Out Boy, and Panic! At the Disco. Jack thanked his mother for the gift card, and thanked everyone of the base for celebrating his birthday. Jack turned to Orionna and gave her a hug.

"Thanks, Orionna. I'll never forget this." He said with a grin. Orionna hugs him back, smiling.

"Neither will I."
When the soldiers retreat to their dorms for the night, Jack said goodnight his mother and the Autobots. As soon as he went to the room of his, Orionna turned back to her father. She recently had a talk with him after the cake. That she and Jack cannot be in a romantic relationship at all. Orionna understands, but at the same time, she is saddened by the rule. She really likes Jack. More than just a friend. Orionna had no choice but to listen to her father and try to ignore the feelings, but her spark says otherwise.