A/N: Was listening to some music the other day and thought Linkin Park's "Leave out All the Rest" fits TC and Lana's "relationship" so well. Give it a listen if you've never heard it before and see what I mean.
OH and btw I'm making up the city where Lana is from…I'm guessing the Con Base would be off the coast of California somewhere so just assume she's from an "every city".
A Pet Squishy
Chapter 13: "Dealing"
Lana watched the blue and orange flames of Thundercracker's thrusters wink out of sight and the great rumbling of his engines faded into lonely cricket chirps. He was gone. She was free. Slowly she brushed herself off and kept staring at the sky.
Now she knew what had been spoken—or at least she had a really good idea. Thundercracker had been ordered to get rid of her. For what reason she didn't know, but here she was on the outskirts of a city in the early evening, alone. The revelation of her freedom tried to seep into the concrete of her disbelief. Was she truly free or would he come storming back? She waited for several long moments but the sound of her master's engines never returned.
Still shell-shocked, Lana began walking toward the city just a mile or so away. She soon found a road and began following it. Her mind was so jumbled by the whole event. Every now and again she'd glance over her shoulder, expecting to see the towering form shadowing her—nothing but grass and a few trees. Lana walked on down the road until she happened upon a brightly lit convenience store. A family in their SUV was filling up at the gas pump and she could see a clerk reading behind the lonely counter inside.
Phone. Her mind registered the first step of what she should do. She needed to call someone. Her parents perhaps? No…first she needed to know the date. During her captivity she never figured out how long she'd been missing. Was it weeks or months? Or—perish the thought—a year? Had a missing person's report been filed? Was she posted on one of the countless store bulletin boards for missing people?
So many questions screaming for answers.
Figure out the date and where you are, THEN call.
Lana timidly walked into the convenience store and approached the man reading behind the counter.
"Help you?" he asked without looking up.
"Umm. What city is closest to here?"
He put down his car magazine and gave her a disbelieving stare, "Hucksby."
She was home after all. Her eyes darted around until they found the "If you were born on this date…" cigarette calendar. July 15. Lana leaned heavily against the counter. Five months. Five months she was gone. Had it truly been that long?
"Where's your phone?" she asked quietly.
The clerk pointed to the back and resumed reading. Lana dumbly moved toward it, picked up the phone, and dialed home. It rang twice.
"Hello?" her mom's voice sounded so foreign after so long, but so welcome to her ears.
Lana held back her crying, "Mom…it's me."
…
The next day on the Nemesis…
Thundercracker lifted another heavy metal part, bracing his legs against the platform while Hook connected it in place. The moment he had returned to the Nemesis, Starscream immediately set him to work for his contraband punishment. All night and into the next day he'd toiled, bearing heavy loads as the Constructicons refitted the Nemesis's drive core with newly made parts. The engine reconstruction was an ongoing process since the materials needed to reform the new parts as well as the Energon required were scarce and often ill-equipped to deal with the massive ship's specifications. Parts were continually being remade and rebuilt after each energy or resource raid. Often the fragile Earth materials used to reformat the engine were insufficient so trial and error was the only course of action.
Thundercracker got the unenviable job of being the weight bearer. On top of that, slave-driver Scrapper was harassing him verbally to "hurry up" and "quit being a lazy slagger". But somehow, though his joints were trembling and his energy reserves were quickly dwindling Thundercracker couldn't shake the emptiness he was feeling. His spark chamber just felt hollow. Once he dropped from energy drain he'd be hauled back to his quarters for recharge. But there would be no comfort there—just his berth and an empty cage.
Hook finished the weld and immediately Scrapper was yelling, "Thundercracker! Get this converter up to the second level now!"
The blue Seeker felt the shakiness in his metal set in as his energy core threatened to shut off due to lack of fuel. He wasn't sure if he could manage to fly down and up with the heavy chunk of metal and wires.
Scrapper dealt out more orders and like clockwork Hook and Scavenger moved to the second level to await the part. Grimacing, Thundercracker jumped down, igniting his thrusters just as he neared the floor and landed. He staggered.
Scrapper roughly shoved him toward the part, "Get MOVING flyboy! We don't have all slaggin' day!"
Thundercracker didn't retort but knew he'd never have the energy to lift and fly the part up to the second level. Scrapper, however, wasn't going to take no for an answer. Weakly he lifted the heavy chunk of metal and activated his thrusters. He got a few feet off the ground before a red light flashed in his vision.
Energy level critical. Initiating emergency recharge.
His thrusters quit and he fell to the ground, optics darkening with recharge. Scrapper growled, kicking the fallen Seeker ruefully.
"Scrapper to Starscream your 'friend' burned out." the Constructicon spat.
"Then move him to his quarters," was Starscream's succinct reply.
"I don't have time now." Scrapper snipped and turned off his communicator just as Starscream was about to rant.
He shook his dark head resuming his work, "Seekers…fanciest built wimps in the Decepticon armada."
Shortly, Skywarp and Starscream both arrived.
Starscream frowned upon seeing Thundercracker lying where he dropped in the middle of the engine room. His fierce eyes darted around the room until they found Scrapper up in the higher rungs of the engine room.
He only needed to make a motion with his head for Skywarp to assist him in moving Thundercracker over against the wall out of the way. Immediately, Starscream rocketed off the floor and Skywarp followed until they were hovering near the Constructicon leader.
Unleashing his distinct voice Starscream shouted, "WHAT is the meaning of THIS Scrapper?"
The Constructicon lifted his head with annoyance, "What are you whining about now Starscream?"
"Do NOT use that insolent tone with ME, crank shaft! Why have you left a member of my trine lying in the middle of a work zone when I ORDERED you to take him to his quarters?" the second in command darted forward, tipping his head aggressively.
The Constructicon leader gestured passionately to the engine, "I called YOU to move him. I'm too busy to worry about a defective cog that can't take the workload. This engine isn't going to repair itself. Megatron…"
"SILENCE!" Starscream snarled, "My trine is only effective if all of my members are fully functional and UNDAMAGED and I will not let some low-ranking, dirt pusher endanger that!"
Starscream's insults were halting the other Constructicons work efforts as they listened to their leader get reprimanded. Several were dangerously poised, ready for an order from Scrapper. Skywarp noticed it and tensed only inwardly. Getting the Constructicons mad was like playing catch with a live plasma grenade. One wrong move and Devastator would make a grand destructive entrance right on top of their heads.
Scrapper's visor glinted, "YOU were the one who ordered this particular work regiment. Don't blame me if he can't handle it."
Starscream jabbed his null ray right in the Constructicon's chest, "I never said to leave him in the middle of the floor once he dropped imbecile! Use that two bit processor you claim to have!" The Second in Command pointed down to Thundercracker with a deadly tone, "Now…finish what you should've done in the first place! Return him to his berth."
A long tense silence passed until finally Scrapper conceded, "Long Haul, return Thundercracker to his quarters."
Starscream lit his null cannon until it heated up then he burned a dark circle into the Constructicon's chest who hissed painfully.
"A small reminder to you Constructicon to OBEY the orders of your superiors without QUESTION," Starscream rasped.
Starscream and Skywarp flew back down to the ground where Skywarp loaded his friend up into the Constructicon's flat bed. Then he was returned to his berth.
…
Several long hours later…
Thundercracker came out of his recharge realizing he was back in his quarters. The last thing he remembered was shutting down in the middle of the Nemesis engine room. His systems slowly booted up and he pushed himself into a sitting position. He looked over toward his work station noticing the enclosure he'd made for Lana not so long ago. The blue Seeker got off his berth and approached the four modified Energon cubes. He sat in his work chair, pulled the enclosure closer to him and stared into each compartment. Thundercracker's optics dimmed despondently as he stroked the empty cage, tracing the new little openings he'd cut out only a couple days before. Lana never got to use those little doors.
As he sat the door to his quarters suddenly hissed open to reveal Starscream.
"Are you functional?" he asked.
Thundercracker stood up, "Yeah."
Starscream casually glanced around stating, "Good. Megatron has ordered a new raid in the Northern Hemisphere in the next few megacycles. We will depart shortly."
"Understood. I'll be ready." Thundercracker nodded.
The Air Commander's optics fell on the enclosure and then flashed at Thundercracker.
Starscream's voice took on a pragmatic, yet dangerous tone, "I don't agree with Megatron on most of his decisions, but there's one thing we CAN agree on."
True to his skill, Starscream fired a lightening quick bolt from his null cannon and in a shower of burning debris the enclosure behind Thundercracker exploded. The blue Seeker jumped to the side, shocked. With a brutal swat, Starscream smacked Thundercracker's face with the side of his null cannon.
The Air Commander frowned with narrow optics, "Weakness we NOT be tolerated— especially not in MY trine. Fail me on this mission and I assure you you'll be LUCKY to be used as spare parts!"
Without another word Starscream left and not two seconds after the door closed Skywarp teleported inside. He looked at the mess created by the demolished Energon enclosure and then at TC.
"Bad cycle?" he quipped.
"Shut off, Warp! I don't want to hear it!" Thundercracker snarled, denting his wall with a vengeful punch.
The black and violet Seeker put up his hands, "All right. All right. Sorry I asked."
"Just go away Warp." the blue Seeker grumbled, beginning to scoop up the debris on his work table.
Skywarp felt something soft and thin brush his heel thrusters and he looked down. The frayed, half-burned remains of a brightly colored parachute had fixed itself to his heel. He bent down, plucked up the scrap of material and rope, and then he held it out to Thundercracker. The blue Con finally noticed the parachute that had once been Lana's hammock and accepted the scrap.
"Look, I know you liked that squishy TC, but it's better she's gone. You see that right?"
Thundercracker kept staring at the parachute, his optics hollow. Skywarp released a hot gust from his shoulder vents and then lightly punched his friend's shoulder.
"Ah, you'll get over it. In a couple megacycles we'll be flying, blowing stuff up, and getting some more Energon and you'll feel better. Huh?" he slugged Thundercracker's other shoulder.
Thundercracker programmed a fake smile and nodded, "Yeah. Yeah…"
Not fully convinced Skywarp elbowed the blue Seeker's cockpit, "Aww come on TC, you KNOW you like to sonic boom those buildings! All the glass exploding, the foundations crumbling, other jets spinning out of control, eh? Eh?"
Though he honestly didn't feel like placating his friend's violent obliviousness, Thundercracker decided to get it over with.
He slugged Skywarp back, "Yeah! Yeah I do."
"Atta boy!" Skywarp clapped him on the back, "That energy is as good as ours!"
"You know it is!" Thundercracker returned the enthusiasm.
Skywarp saluted briefly and teleported. Thundercracker's smile disappeared like ice in a skillet once he left. Yeah he liked fuel raids, he liked unleashing his great physical power on their targets, but such things were fleeting. When the raid was over he would return to his quarters…alone. If he didn't return, well, who would care anyway? He sat down again, lightly rubbing the parachute cloth between his fingers.
……
Three weeks later…
Lana had never bent the truth so much in her life, but what choice did she have? She couldn't tell her parents or the detectives she'd spent the last five months in the possession of a giant alien robot who kept her as a pet. They'd probably institutionalize her for post-traumatic stress rehabilitation.
Instead she cooked up a simple story. She'd met a handsome stranger at work and on a whim left school to be with him without telling anyone. They lived together for five months and then she decided he wasn't really the one for her so she returned to school. As for the explanation of how the house she'd lived in was completely destroyed she feigned innocence and claimed she knew nothing about such a thing; she would've been with "Terry" at the time.
Though her parents were considerably outraged and hurt by her story they quickly forgave her in lieu of their separation and Lana's profuse apology. They immediately insisted she live with them for awhile before she started a new semester. Lana quickly reapplied to her college for the fall semester, eager to try and get back in the swing of things. She found a nice apartment within her budget, moved in, and was awaiting the following week when classes began.
It was surreal living in her old life again. She still could barely believe she was really out and about doing the things she was doing more than five months ago. Yet, she couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something was amiss, something wasn't feeling quite right in her head.
Lately her dreams were often about her time on the Nemesis. Most were nightmares of almost getting stepped on or vaporized by malicious metallic giants. Yet, a recurring dream was of her sitting in Thundercracker's hand, him stroking her like a tiny kitten. They never said anything in the dream, but when she awoke she could faintly feel the ghostly metal fingers still brushing her skin. It was almost as if somewhere in her subconscious she actually missed Thundercracker.
"That's ridiculous," her mind would chastise, "You're just remembering what happened, it doesn't MEAN anything."
Then her curious mind would ask, "I wonder how he's doing?"
"Oh don't start that! He's a giant robot Lana, he's FINE. In fact he's probably deleted you from his computer brain and is back to stealing energy and blowing up boats." her other side cynically surmised.
Her curious side would shrug, "Maybe. I wonder if he's still lonely though."
Upon which her mind would reply, "Just let it go Lana. You're free again, back to your old life. Don't dwell on the past. Besides, you need to start thinking about a job again."
Lana leaned back into her pillow, the weight of all she needed to do pressing into her brain like so many needles.
…
Seattle Space Needle…
Sirens wailed below, people screamed running like ants from a flooded anthill. Thundercracker tuned it all out as white noise as he sat on the flat saucer section of the Space Needle. His landing had sent the entire occupancy of the structure fleeing for their lives. However, he hadn't chosen the tower as a target for destruction; he just wanted a place to sit alone for awhile. Sure the ruckus the humans were making would probably stir up the military or perhaps a few Autobots, but to be honest the Decepticon Seeker didn't give a flying frag.
He stared at the little human specks scurrying below on the street through his night vision. A slow smirk lifted his mouth plates. He'd always thought humans were funny when they ran. His smirk lowered as he rested his chin in his hand.
Real happiness had been in short supply for the blue Seeker lately. He did the raids, he followed orders, and he fought without hesitation. But nothing seemed to be as gratifying anymore. His Spark had lifted one night on a raid when he spotted a redheaded female hiding inside the wreckage of a building. But…it wasn't Lana. Often he wondered how she was surviving. He'd sometimes bring it up to Skywarp, but after his friend stated, "He'd rather pull his hard drive out through his optic sockets than hear about that squishy," Thundercracker decided to keep it to himself.
The Decepticon continued to stare down at the city streets until he sat up straighter with a thought dancing across his mainframe. He stood and quickly launched off of the Space Needle into the sky.
…
Lana stirred in her sleep, awakening from another dream. She groggily stared at her clock glowing next to her and groaned upon seeing the time: 3:32 a.m. How she hated to wake up in the middle of the night. Brain still foggy with fatigue, Lana snuggled her pillow, trying to force sleep upon herself again. Quite suddenly one of her knick knacks fell over on her dresser. Lana jumped, squinting in the dark of her room. Then, through the slats of her sliding glass door blinds, the street light outside darkened. For a moment Lana felt relief sweep over her; she always hated that orangey yellow glow. A car alarm wailed, honking incessantly which sent Lana's face deeper into the pillow.
She was about to curse whatever idiot had set it off when a loud bang jolted her awake and the car alarm abruptly ceased. In an instant Lana rolled out of bed and jerked the blinds up. For a moment she thought she was still asleep when blue metal filled the window outside her balcony. The redhead unlocked the sliding glass door and stepped out onto the balcony, gripping the metal rail.
Her jaw dropped. She wasn't dreaming. There was Thundercracker, looming in the parking lot, grinding an unfortunate car into the concrete with his foot to silence the alarm.
"What are you doing here?!" Lana squeaked intensely.
The huge Con turned around a little too quickly and took out a chunk of roof and siding from the other apartment complex across the way with his wing. Lana winced, partially covering her eyes. Several lights flashed on accompanied by loud screams and shouts. Thundercracker grimaced but was fixated on Lana standing before him. A smile lifted his lip components as he bent down to her relative eye-level.
"You look healthy," he rumbled.
The young woman glanced around, noticing silhouettes of frightened and probably angry apartment tenants in the windows.
"What are you doing here?" she repeated in a heated whisper.
He shrugged his high shoulder vents, "Visiting."
"Visiting?" she repeated as she waved her hand to shoo him away, "You'd better go everyone's going to see you!"
The Decepticon glanced around noticing the commotion but he didn't seem that worried, "All right."
Lana tried to protest but he plucked her right off the balcony and shot up into the air with a roar of thrusters. Wind whipped Lana's thin night gown as they flew high above the city. He held her tightly but gently, insuring she wouldn't fall.
"What are you DOING?" Lana shouted at him. "You're not capturing me AGAIN are you?"
He shook his head and angled downward toward an open field outside the city. With a grace belying his great size the Seeker landed in the tall grass surrounded by trees. Gradually he began holding his former pet in cupped hands.
Lana stood up in his hands gesturing passionately, "All right what do you want from me NOW? Haven't you put me through enough stress?"
Thundercracker stroked her back, "I just wanted to visit and make sure you were surviving."
"Yes, I'm fine," she snapped pointing angrily in the relative direction of her home, "Now please take me back to my apartment and leave me alone so I can get some sleep!"
Lana's blue eyes were icy as she stared at him, but then Thundercracker frowned sadly, ruby optics dimming. He looked strangely like a puppy that had just been swatted with a newspaper. The ice melted from Lana's gaze as the Con shifted his feet.
"All right," he complied in the softest voice his great voice could muster.
An uncomfortable swarm of guilt-driven moths fluttered up Lana's chest, drying her throat. She'd pretty much slammed the proverbial door in his face.
She put a defeated hand to her forehead, "WAIT."
The Decepticon was crouched, ready to take off.
"I'm sorry. We…we can talk awhile if you want," the young woman consented, patting the black fingers surrounding her body.
Thundercracker immediately relaxed, optics brightening as he sat down in the grassy field.
Lana, feeling a little more charitable in mood, started, "So, how have you been?"
The Decepticon smirked, "Good…good."
"Really?" her brow arched suspiciously.
His smirk fizzled, "No…not really."
"I'm sorry," she paused, "I take it you were ordered to get rid of me?"
He nodded.
"And…you didn't really want to right?" she surmised.
He nodded again.
She frowned, "Did you get in trouble?"
Thundercracker looked at her with a dry laugh, "Worked me until I ran out of energy. But it could've been worse."
"Won't you get in trouble for this?" Lana glanced around warily.
Thundercracker shook his head with a shrug, "Megatron said I couldn't keep you, he never said anything about not visiting. Besides…he doesn't know."
"Sneaky."
He looked at her as if she had somehow changed, "Are you getting formatted to be a nurse?"
She nodded, "I start my classes in four days."
"Are you able to afford it?" he inquired.
"I'll manage."
"I'll bet you are happier now." he guessed, knowing all too well her aversion to being his pet.
Lana looked down at his hand, "Well…to tell the truth, I think I actually missed you."
"You don't have to lie," he hissed in his vents, "I know you don't really like me. You're just afraid I'll be angry if you don't say that."
She gave him an offended frown, "No really! I'm not lying. I don't know why, but I missed seeing you everyday."
"You do?" he sounded genuinely surprised.
Lana let herself smile as she patted his fingers, "Yeah. You're not really such a bad guy."
He returned her smile, patting her head.
"I miss having you as a pet too," he admitted.
"Now THAT I don't miss," she said in all honestly.
The big blue Con looked at her intently.
"Listen, Thundercracker. I'm NOT your pet anymore."
He lowered his head, "I know."
She continued, "BUT…I would like to be your friend."
"Friend?"
"Yes."
The Decepticon seemed to consider the implications of the word. To admit "friendship" rather than "ownership" with Lana would mean an equalization of humans with Decepticons, something totally against his faction's credo. No one would have to know and besides that, his Spark felt so much better since he saw Lana. He dared to say he felt, happy. Thundercracker didn't want to lose such a good feeling. Decepticon credo or not, he refused to remain miserable.
"I…I would like that," he managed to admit.
Lana smiled, "Me too."
Thundercracker stroked her back habitually, but this time Lana truly didn't care.
The blue Con stood up, "Well, I probably should return you and head back to the base."
"Will you visit me again?"
"You want me to visit again?" he seemed surprised.
The young woman nodded, "Yeah. That's what friends do," she held up a hand, "Just give me a little warning next time. You kinda made a mess of things back there."
Thundercracker glanced around at the field, "Well…why don't we meet here?"
"Yeah. Yeah I can do that." She agreed.
"But…I can't visit too often. Might look suspicious."
Lana thought a moment, "Well…how about we meet the first day of every month at say…midnight?"
Instantaneously, Thundercracker logged that into his internal "clock", "Agreed."
And thus the pact was made.
End
A/N: Merry Christmas everyone! Though I have said END on this I will write a short little Epilogue to clenture this whole story up. This has certainly been fun to write and I deeply appreciate all the support ya'll have given me! Without you guys and your reviews and support I doubt I would write these as passionately as I do.
So…what's next you might ask? Well TOMORROW Tinman is due to be aired on audiofanfic . com so I'm literally a kid at Christmastime. I just can't wait!
As for writing I'm thinking of writing another "Energon Goggles" story involving Rumble and Frenzy. Then I've got one more chapter of "Boys Meet my Truck" and I've still got "Baby Con" to play with. But as for a larger project I'm considering an erotic fiction involving the Decepticons and a Spark devouring femme known as the Succubot. Not sure yet.
In any case I'm keeping up the writing!