I don't cover any of Bee handling 6th grade because he's not staying there. I've got plans to incorporate his time in 7th in the next chapter. Thanks for sticking with me, and I hope you enjoy the chapter. I've had a rough week, and Fanfiction's the only way I can feel secure, so I usually spend all my time on my computer when it's not an easy week.

This last week my family tried to have me committed (AKA, locked in the loony bin) because I had a meltdown over their stealing my phone and cutting off my wifi when I'd done everything they'd asked of me. Things are better now, but I'm still shaken up.


"Normal Talk"

"Bee's Talk"

"Bee's Talk Holoform"

"Bee's Text-To-Talk"

"Other Side Over the Phone (Comms)"

'Thoughts'

~Bond communication~

~Telepathic communication~


Bee Starts School

Wednesday, August 17, 1994, 6:00 AM

"Dada! I up!"

I sit up and smile over at the toddler before shifting to holoform and getting her up. "Good morning, Little One."

"Mo'in'. Wan' baba!"

"After you're dressed, Angel." I change her, and dress her in a yellow sleeveless onesie with silver and brown rhinestone flowers and silver sequin shorts with a silver bow, then slip her into a yellow cardigan for the time being, and put her new silver flip flops with sequins and straps on her tiny feet. "Now…" I fill her bottle before handing it to her. "Want to eat?" she shakes her head, so I set her into the play area in my room before following her inside and closing the gate.

"P'ay me?"

"Yep. I'm going to play with you."

She toddles over to me with an armload of blocks. "Wan' 'inky."

I nod, and reach up to her dresser/closet combo, doing my best to not curse the annoyingly small size of my human holoform before finally snagging her silver and red pacifier, and join her on the floor before handing it to her. She pops it into her mouth before starting back after more blocks. I grab the bin and start stacking the blocks, knowing she's going to knock them down. It's her favorite game anymore.


Before I know it, an hour's passed, and it's time for me to get Bumblebee up for his first day of school. I leave the playpen and return to my normal form before picking Mariposa up and starting down the hall. Once there, I knock on the door. "Bumblebee? It's time to get up. You've got school today."

I hear him moving around for a minute before he opens the door. "Good morning, Ratchet."

"I've told you to call me Carrier, Bee…" I sigh heavily. "You need to start getting ready. I'll be in the kitchen with Mari when you're done. Don't forget your energon!"

"I won't!" He slips back inside and closes the door.

"All right, Little One." I glance down to Mariposa. "Ready to go get Bumblebee's lunch ready?"

"Bumbee ea'?"

"He'll have to if he's at school."

"Oh…" She giggles. "Wan' go! Bumbee ea'!"

I chuckle and carry the toddler into the kitchen. I set her into her activity walker before activating my holoform and turning to the fridge so I can get a lunch together for Bumblebee. I pull out the jam and a few supplies to make a turkey sandwich, as well as his new thermos and containers.

"Dada!"

"Mari, I'm busy."

"Wan' fishy!"

"Not right now, Mari. I'm trying to pack Bee's lunch."

"Fishy!"

"Mari…"

"FISHY!"

I sigh heavily and lay a handful of the fish-shaped cheese crackers on the tray before pouring them into Bumblebee's snack container and sticking it into the lunchbox with two matching sandwich boxes, a pack of carrots and dip, an apple, two cookies, and a thermos of energon. I turn and grab a fruit roll, then toss it inside the lunchbox along with a frozen tube of yogurt and a small can of chips. I sigh heavily as I zip the box, then check the time. "All right, I need to get your diaper bag ready, and finish getting you ready." I pick her up and carry her into our berth room before setting her into her playpen amd activating my holoform so I can pack her diaper bag. Once that's done, I grab her brush and pull her hair into two ponytails before clipping two silver sequin bows at the hair ties, then undo her cardigan and replace it with a cap sleeved silver sequin shrug. "There. Now if you can manage not to get dirty in the next two minutes, we're good."

"Ratchet?"

I return to my normal form and answer the door. "Yes, Bumblebee?"

"You ready? It's almost time to leave…"

"Mari and I are both ready, Bee. Got your backpack?"

"Yep!"

"Phone and charger pack?"

"In my pockets."

I hold out the yellow lunchbox. "Lunch?"

"Thanks."

The three of us start toward the main room: Me with Mariposa and her new backpack diaper bag in my hands (I left her stroller in the compartment so I wouldn't have to fool with it outside of trips), and Bumblebee with his backpack and lunchbox in one hand.

I hand him Mariposa and her bag before transforming, then wait for him to activate his holoform and buckle Mariposa in before getting settled on the bench seat. Once he's buckled, I pull out and start for the elementary school.


The drive isn't long, and soon we're pulling up to the school. I've activated my holoform in order to blend in as well as I can. "All right, Bailey. Behave today, and have fun."

He pulls out the smartphone and types for a moment. "I will, Dad. See you later!"

This is even harder for me to deal with than the simple Cybertronian he usually uses is. "I'll be back a little after three. Have fun."

"I'll try. See you!" With that, he runs into the building, leaving me standing beside my vehicle mode.

I climb in and glance back to Mariposa with a sigh. "Well then… Guess it's time to start on those errands…"

"Go bye-bye?"

"Yep. We've gotta get groceries, and go to the mall."

"P'ay pawk?"

"We'll see if we have time to after Bee gets out of school."

"Otay."


Grocery Store

I pull into the lot and park before switching on my holoform and climbing into the back of my vehicle mode to get Mariposa and her diaper bag. "Ready to go shopping?"

She giggles and nods before reaching up for me to pick her up.

I back out of my vehicle mode with her in my arms, then walk over to the carts. I pull one out before setting her diaper bag in the basket, then put her in the child seat at the top and buckle her in. Once she's secured, I start for the store's entrance, looking over my grocery list as I do. I need to see what all I can find here, so I know what I'll have to get at the mall.

I hear a phone go off as my pocket vibrates, so I quickly reach around to grab the cell phone I have to use in Holoform. "Hello? Rick Anderson."

"I'm calling from Jasper Elementary…"

I sigh heavily. "Don't tell me Bailey's already in trouble."

"Nope. He's been great, actually. We started him off with testing, since he's never been in a formal school system, and Mr. Edwards is planning to send him up to middle school. I've taken the liberty of sending you the supply list for seventh grade."

"Do I need to come pick him up, or…"

"No. We're letting him go through with his classes for today, but he's been told he's being moved up. We only require that you fill out the parent information sheet in the middle school tomorrow."

"I'll come in when I bring him in tomorrow, then. If that is all…"

"Yes, Sir."

"I'm sorry if I sound rude. I'm in the middle of the grocery store with an almost sixteen-month-old, and I need to get our grocery shopping done for the week…"

"It's understandable, Sir. I'll let you go."

"Goodbye." I hang up the phone and move to put it back in my pocket.

"Dada? I p'ay?"

"Not right now, Sweetheart. We need to shop."

"Wan' p'ay."

"I'll get you a toy phone if you be good, okay?"

"Otay." She gives me an innocent look. "I goo'."

I nod, and start through the store, picking up lunch items for Bumblebee, Mariposa's meals, and a few other necessities—Mariposa's toothpaste, diapers and wipes, and her shampoo, body soap, and laundry detergent. I get the milk and juice last, rather than first, and put them in the cart before turning to walk Mariposa to the checkout.

"Dada. Wan' p'ay…"

Right. I'd told her she'd get a phone if she behaved herself. "I'm getting it, Little One." I slip into the toy aisle and grab a phone that looks similar to mine before heading up to the register.

I set the stuff in the cart on the register, and watch the cashier ring everything up. "Your total is $556.52." I nod and swipe the card. "Thank you, Sir."

"You're very welcome, Ma'am."

"How old is your daughter?"

I smile as I start loading the bags back into the cart. Fifteen months."

"She's a cutie."

"Thank you." I sigh heavily, wishing I could get the bags loaded faster. I'm already sick of her chatter.

"Are you seeing anyone?"

Not that I didn't expect that, but I did expect her to be a lot less blunt. "You're not my type."

She huffs and crosses her arms. "Well!"

I finish loading the cart and take it out to my vehicle mode before loading the bags inside with a sigh. "Some women today… Can't even let men decide things for themselves." Granted, I'm not human, but I've witnessed women throwing themselves at men before, then being offended when the man says no, and this just proves my point even more.

I slip out and grab Mariposa before getting her settled in the built-in child seat in the rear-facing seat behind the driver's seat, then climb into the front in holoform, just in case anyone's watching. I drive to the base and pull in before driving straight to where the humans' kitchen was, and pull in through the doorway Agent Fowler had made for me when I took Mari in. Once inside, I park and activate my holoform so I can put Mari in her walker and put the groceries away.

Once the groceries are put away, I put Mariposa back into the carseat, and start back into Jasper.

"Dada? We go?"

"To get breakfast, then we're going to the mall."

"Yay!"

I groan as my phone goes off. "Hello?"

"Hey, Rick. It's June. I was calling to see if you wanted to come over and get some cupcakes. Jazzy's school sent them home with me, and I was wondering if you wanted some of them for your kids."

"I can stop by in a few minutes. I'm taking Mari out for breakfast."

"All right, Rick. I'll see you soon. Thanks."

"Don't mention it." I hang up the phone and glance back toward Mariposa. "We're stopping at June's really first."

"Otay. Num-num?"

"We'll go eat right after we leave her place."

"Otay. I 'ung'y."

"I know you're hungry, Little One. We have to meet with June first." I sigh softly as I pull up to June's house. I activate my holoform and climb into the back to get Mariposa out, then head up to the door.

"I do?"

I nod, and move her closer to the doorbell. She slaps it, and I can hear the tone through the door.

"Coming!" The door opens, revealing June with Jasmine on her hip. June's wearing a teal tank top and yellow shorts, and Jasmine's wearing a teal and yellow dress. Neither have shoes on. I look at the toddler with confusion. "Preschool doesn't start till 9:45."

"I understand."

"You're here for the cupcakes, aren't you."

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Come in." She leads me inside and sets Jasmine on the floor by some toys. "They're in the kitchen."

I set Mariposa by Jasmine and head into the kitchen with her. I sigh when I see the cupcakes. "We'll have to take the Elmo faces off before Mari sees them."

"Bailey said she was scared of Elmo…"

I nod. "Her birthparents are obsessed with him, so she sees Elmo as part of her trauma. She didn't like him before they took her, but she cries if she sees him now…"

"Then we'd better get rid of Elmo…" She reaches down to the cupcakes and and peels off the small Elmo faces before turning to me with the plastic container. "Here you go. I need to get Jazzy to preschool now, so…"

"I need to get Mari's breakfast."

"Bye, Rick!"

"Goodbye!" I set the cupcakes on the couch and pick up Mariposa, then grab the cupcakes before leaving the house. "Ready to go eat?"

"Wan' num-num!"

"We're going, Sweetheart." I climb in back and put her into her carseat before slipping my holoform up front so I can "drive" away without June finding out we've met before.


Ma's Diner

I carry Mariposa inside and grab a high chair before finding a seat. I set Mariposa into the high chair, making a face at the disgusting thing, then settle into my own seat. While I don't normally eat human food, I will at times to keep up appearances, and this will have to be one of those times.

"Can I take your order, Sir?"

"A full order of biscuits and gravy with hashbrowns, and two plates, please?"

"Comin' right up."

"Num-num?"

"It's coming, Sweetheart."

It doesn't take long for our food to come out, and I move a half a biscuit and some potatoes to her plate, then cut it and cool it before giving it to her. Before she has a chance to grab a handful of food, I hand her the baby spoon I keep in her diaper bag. I watch her eat for a few minutes before turning back to my own plate and starting in.


I take Mariposa into the bathroom and change her before dressing her in a gold shiny cap sleeved mini-dress, black leggings with gold bows on the backs of the legs, and gold strappy flats, then take out her pigtails and slip in a black headband with a bow. "Ready to go shopping?"

She nods. "No 'Mo?"

"Nope. We're not going to go anywhere near Elmo."

"Yay! No 'Mo! Wan' go!"


We pull into the mall parking lot and I get the stroller out before climbing into the back after Mariposa and her diaper bag. I buckle her into the stroller, then slip the backpack on and start for the entrance.

"Man, it's hot!" a woman wearing almost nothing turns to me and gives me a horrified look—as if I've suddenly turned purple. "Aren't you hot?"

"Excuse me?"

"It's 103! What the hell are you wearing jeans for!?"

I wave my hands toward the stroller. "Baby present, Miss!" I huff. "If you must know, I'm fine. A little heat won't kill me."

"What about the baby you're so worried about?"

"She'll be inside soon enough, and I haven't had her outside that long." I jog past the complaining twenty-something woman and into the air conditioned Target. "Sheesh."

"S'es'."

I look down at the stroller with a grin. "She was annoying, wasn't she?"

She nods. "'Noy." She looks up at me. "We go?"

"To get Bailey new school supplies."

"Otay. I ge'?"

"Not today, Sweetheart." I fill a basket with the supplies, as well as a human sized towel and washcloth, then head to the checkout.

"Did you find everything all right?"

"Yes, Ma'am." I set the basket aside and take the bags when she hands them to me. "49.55 Sir."

I slide the card and sign when she hands me the receipt. "Thank you, Sir."

"You're welcome." I put the bags under the stroller and look down at Mariposa. "At least that one didn't hit on me."

"Dada?"

"We need to get Bailey some socks, and another pair of shoes… Get you a new bouncer… Check prices on toddler beds… find a cover for those gross high chairs… Find Bailey a bike, and you a seat for it…" I look up from my list and start for Journeys. "All right. Let's get to it."

"We go?"

"Yeah, we're gonna go." I push her into Journeys, and grab Bumblebee's socks and gym bag, then start looking for a raincoat. Once I find one, I head up to the register and pay before leaving for the shoe store.


3:00 pm

I pull up outside the elementary school and activate my holoform before climbing out with Mariposa on one hip. I look around to find several other parents waiting with me.

The woman I saw at the church is here with her newborn and husband, and all three are wearing teal, and the baby and mother are wearing gray, while the father wears tan. They're all three waiting by a white Nissan.

A Hispanic woman is standing beside a yellow minivan wearing orange and gray. It's hard to not notice the slight swell of her stomach, and she's got a three-year-old on her hip wearing a yellow and pink dress and shorts with sandals like Mariposa's from this morning. I can only wonder how many kids she has.

June is here with her red minivan, and Jasmine on her hip. June is still wearing a yellow tank top and teal shorts, while the toddler on her hip is wearing her teal and yellow dress with teal Mary Jane shoes.

A bell rings, and children start pouring out the doors. The first woman kneels with an arm out to hug someone, but the girl that runs to her only scowls. She's wearing a white T-shirt with stripes, a teal pleated skirt, tights, and brown boots, and she's got a jean jacket hanging out of her backpack, which is hanging from one shoulder. "How was school, Sweetie?"

"Stupid."

"Miko…"

"I hate school, and I hate you!"

I shake my head. "So much hate in such a little girl." I glance down to Mariposa. "I hope you won't wind up like that…" She shakes her head, and gives the girl a worried look.

Two kids come out to the Hispanic woman. The first—a ten-year-old girl—is wearing a white blouse and yellow pleated skirt with a yellow scarf and flats, with a black sweater over one arm and her backpack on properly. The next—a five-year-old boy—is wearing an orange polo, an orange sweater vest with bears, and blue jeans, with his backpack on properly as well. A boy walks over from the middle school to join them, nad he's wearing a long sleeved black and orange T-shirt and jeans. "How was school?"

"It was really good, Mamá."

"That's good, Estrella." She turns to the boy. "What about you, Rafael?"

"Second grade's fun, Mamá! There's so much to learn!"

"Great." She turns to the boy from the middle school. "Juan?"

"School was fine, Mamá. You shouldn't be out. Where's Papá?"

"He's at work, Juan. I can still drive."

I turn from them to June. It's not hard to tell the unknown mom of four is pregnant. Jack, Jessica, and Megan are gathered around June. Jessica is in a pink shirt, striped tights, and brown cuffed shorts with brown boots. Her black sweater is hooked over her arm. Megan is wearing a brown T-shirt and gray shimmery skirt with striped tights and flats. She has a denim jacket draped over her arm. Both of them have black backpacks with elephant prints. Jack is wearing a red and orange T-shirt and gray jeans, with a gray denim jacket slung over his shoulder along with a black backpack. "Hey you two! How was your first day of second grade?"

"Good, Mommy!"

"Great! I love second grade!"

"Jack? How was your first day of third?"

"Good… Brandon's ignoring me, though…"

"I'm sorry, Jack…"

"Hey, Dad." He slips the phone into his pocket and reaches over for Mariposa.

Jack glances over to me, and smiles when he sees Bailey walking over. "BAILEY!"

"I'll have to talk later, Jack."

I turn to them with a smile. "We're going to the park if you want to come…"

He pulls his phone out before tapping out a message one-handed. "Really, Dad?"

"Yep. Your sister wants to go." I smile. "And tomorrow, we'll get you a new bike."

He quickly taps out a message. "Yes!"

"All right, then. Climb in. I've got your play clothes in back."

"I'll see if I can't bring the kids down to play later, Rick!"

"All right, June!" I slip inside the back and close the doors. I hand Bumblebee the new outfit before laying Mariposa on the cot. I change her before dressing her in a yellow onesie with a bumblebee graphic and pink trim, white pants with a pink and yellow print, white socks with yellow feet and pink cuffs, and a white floral bow headband, then fasten her into her carseat and take off on the short drive to the park.


I start pushing Mariposa on the swings while I watch for Bumblebee. He's running around, playing with Jack and his sisters. June sets Jasmine in the swing next to us, and smiles at me. "So…what happened with Bailey?"

I smile. "They decided to promote him. He's going into seventh grade tomorrow."

"That's great."


That Night

I change Mariposa and dress her in a white short sleeved onesie and brown footed pants with zebra faces, then tuck her in with her blanket and teddy bear, then return to my normal form and step down the hall to check on Bumblebee and make sure he's getting ready for berth. He's not in his berth room, so I stop and knock on the door to the washrack. "Bumblebee?"

"Ratchet? What—"

"Berth time when you're out."

"I know…"

"You need to be around people closer to your age."

"I'm glad I get to go to school, Ratchet, I just don't like not getting to see Optimus…"

"I know." I sigh softly. "I need to get back to Mari. Make sure you're in berth by eight."

"I will be. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."