Chapter 6: Sunny Digs Himself a Hole and I Throw Air Horns At People

Nicole POV

I glared at Jazz. "Well, Jazz? Can you answer one question with a straight answer?"

He looked a bit torn. "I never meant for you to see that…..Im sorry, Nicole.."

I held my hands up as I sensed another apology talk coming up. "Jazz. Stop. Im tired of being apologized to. Its time I heard some answers."

Jazz sighed. "Ok, well ya do deserve some answers."

"I think I deserve all of them, Jazz."

He smiled and shook his head. "I gotta leave somethin' for the others ta answer." He sighed. "So, where ta start?"

I thought for a moment. "Why were my parents there in that city, with all the Autobots?"

"That was Mission City. When we first came to Earth, we had to tract down your father to retrieve his great grandfather's glasses-"

"His glasses?"

"Let me finish. When Archibald Witwicky explored the Artic Circle, he found Megatron. Do ya now who that is?"

I nodded grimly. "Unfortunately, yes. Don't ask."

Jazz nodded. " 'K. Well, he accidentally activated his navigation system…"

Jazz went into a story of how they hunted my dad down. I stopped him when he mentioned that mech Bumblebee.

"Woah, woah, who's Bumblebee?"

He looked uncomfortable. "Weellll, I'd like ta leave tha' for the others to explain…."

"Jazz, you'd better answer me, before I force it out of you."

"No need for violence…"

"Get to the point Jazz."

He sighed. "Fine. Well, yer dad needed protection, so Bumblebee, who was a scout, became his guardian. They were best friends-"

Suddenly something in my brain clicked. "Bumblebee was my dad's Camaro, wasn't he?"

"Bingo."

I groaned. "And Im guessing that his holoform was who I called Uncle Bee when I was smaller?"

"Your catchin' on."

I groaned again and face-palmed. "Were all of my mom and dad's friends robots, Jazz?"

He looked thoughtful. "No. I mean, there was Maggie, Glen-"

"The computer analysts?"

"Yea, now let me finish my sentence 'fore ya interrupt me 'gain."

"Right, quiet. Sorry."

"Thank you. There was also Leo-"

"Chia pet?"

"Nicole, shut up."

I locked my lips and threw away the key.

Jazz nodded slowly, like he wasn't sure about me interrupting again. "Right. Well, then there was Simmons. And Lennox and Epps. I think that's about it."

I nodded slowly. "Im not sure Simmons counts, really, because he told me once that he was sticking around to make sure I didn't turn into an extortionist like my dad. Though, I think that may have been an excuse…"

Another thought hit me. "Jazz, is Bumblebee at the base, with the other Autobots?"

Jazz grimaced. "Look, Nicole, yer parents death hit him really hard-"

"Hit him hard? Jazz, where is he?"

He sighed. "After yer parents death, he sorta, I don't know…..ran away?"

"WHAT?"

"Look, he just drove off. Nobody knew where he went, an' I don't either."

I was about to say something about how stupid that was to say, since Jazz was dead, after all, when a fabulous question hit me in the face.

"Jazz, exactly how did you die?"

His face darkened, and I regretted asking. Then he sighed. "Megatron."

I paused. "Oh. Im sorry."

"Hey, don't worry 'bout it. Not yer fault."

I paused, as a dark question popped up.

"Hey, Jazz?"

He looked up at my almost-whispered words. "Somethin' wrong?"

I suddenly felt guilty. I looked away, but Jazz put his hand under my chin and lifted my face up. "What's wrong, baby girl?"

I was almost to afraid to say the words, like if I said them that it would make them real.

"Do you think Bumblebee left because of me? Do you think that he blamed me, for my parents death?"

Jazz had a surprised look on his face. "No, Nicole, he was just…upset. He doesn't blame you."

I didn't listen, because I myself believed that I was the reason they were dead. Now that I thought of it, I actually did blame myself.

I groaned. "Damn." I muttered. "Cant do anything right, can I?"

Rubbing the bridge of my nose, I sighed. "Well, Jazz, one more question before I go."

"Yea?"

"Did they bury you? Or whatever it is you Autobots do to honor your offlined?"

Jazz shook his head slowly. "No. Ratchet fixed my body, but I don't think they were able to work up the nerve ta bury me."

I nodded slowly, an idea slowly forming.

Jazz looked at me suspiciously. "Now, don't go do something' stupid. Ya hear me?"

I nodded, marking a cross on my heart. "I hear you, Jazz."

"Good."

I heard him all right. But did that mean I was gonna listen?

No. Listening isn't really one of my strong suits.

Nicole POV

When I woke up, I realized that:

1) We weren't moving.

2) I wasn't cold or wet.

3)There was loud music playing outside. Loud enough for me to hear it.

I looked at the clock, and was shocked. It was freaking 10:00 P.M! I had slept for…..I did the math in my head.

A little more than 15 hours.

Holy shit….. That was unnatural-

"Finally."

Barricade's voice made me jump. "Jeez, Barricade, don't scare me like that! You scared the crap out of me."

"Sorry. You've just been asleep for 15 hours. I was getting worried, Ironhide was blaming me, and Ratchet kept wanting to scan you."

"Man, sounds like I missed a lot."

"You did. Ironhide kept telling me over a com link that once I wasn't looking, he'd shoot me."

"Don't worry about that. I talk to him. Sooner or later…."

"What?"

"Nothing. Where are we?"

"The apartment."

I looked outside at the three story apartment building I had shared with 'Cade and Taylor. That was when I realized where the music was coming from.

"Taylor threw a party again, didn't she?"

"Yeah."

"And where's Optimus and the others?"

"Inside."

I stared at the dashboard. "And what did they think they could accomplish by going inside?"

"Don't ask me. I told Prime it was a bad idea, but he said it couldn't be that bad."

"Well, he's never seen how many people Taylor invites to parties has he? For a country chick who donates to charities and helps out at the soup kitchen, she goes a bit over the top with parties. Parties and liquor."

I sighed. "Wish me luck, 'Cade." I said opening the door.

Barricade's hologram appeared beside me. "No need. I'm coming with you."

"In that case, you go in first." I walked towards the stairs, and started the climb to the third floor.

We reached our door and it was unlocked, so I went ahead and opened it. I pulled Cade back as a man that lived a few doors down ran past me with his hands on his mouth.

I shook my head as he leaned over the rail and threw up. "Man, I really hope the floor is clean."

I walked inside, and I swear my eardrums burst. The music was freaking loud, so loud that I could barely hear an air horn some idiot was blowing over the noise. The lights were turned off with the exception of a small multicolored disco ball that was some how now attached to the ceiling.

Our already small apartment was now so packed, I doubted that another person could fit in it. Barricade must've realized this because he muttered, "I'll go give the key back to the manager and pay the remaining rent off." He started backing out of the door.

"Deserter!" I yelled at him, and I swear he smirked as he walked down the stairs.

I took a deep breath and walked in…..

Just as I saw Sideswipe get pushed past me. He waved at me, smiling.

I glared, and continued on my mission to find Taylor.

I tried heading to the small kitchen first, hence the word 'tried'. People pushed this way and that, and by the time I stopped, I was in the area where we kept the washer and dryer.

Something was banging around in the dryer, and two people were sitting on the washer, making out. Two very familiar people.

I looked closer. "Taylor! SUNNY!"

I pulled Taylor back, then smacked Sunny upside the head. "You dolt! You were supposed to come in here to get her, not make out with out her!"

Sunny rubbed his hologram's head, wincing. "You know, these holograms feel pain."

"Well, too freakin' bad! You deserved it. For God's sake, Sunny! My best friend! She's not even the same species!"

"Neither is Barricade."

"Shut it." I dug my nails in his shoulder and grabbed Taylor's arm.

Her light blue eyes were bloodshot and her freckles stood out against her red face. The usually wavy dark blonde hair was now sticking out in all directions(literally, there was something in it making it stick up).

Taylor watched the whole little me-smacking-Sunny-in-the-head with a faraway look in her eyes. She acted like she wasn't all there.

Her eyes swiveled to me and she smiled. "Hey, Nicole. How was your trip in Germany?"

Definitely not all there.

I started to drag Taylor and Sunny away to find the others, when I remembered the banging in the dryer.

Turning around, I opened the dryer carefully. It wasn't on, but who knew what could be in there.

The second I cracked the door open, something screeched and jumped at me, thus making me scream.

I got the gray and white mass under control, and looked it in the smudged up face.

Spice.

Her green eyes were wide, and she looked like, well, like she had been in the dryer. I kissed her nose and she mewled at me. "Finally, someone sane." I muttered.

I stuck her under my arm and grabbed Sunny's ear. "Come on, Sunshine, we're going to go rescue the others. And find out who stuck my cat in the dryer."

He literally growled at me. I think it was because of the Sunshine name.

I pushed people out of my way, all the way to the small stereo system. I unplugged it and handed the cord to Sunny as people complained. "Guard it with your life. And you might have to."

Then I walked a few feet away from him, and shouted, "Hey, look! The blonde haired dude by the stereo unplugged it!"

I'm pretty sure every head turned towards Sunny. Once they all processed what I said, they started shouting and surging towards him.

I saw Sunny's face, and laughed. He saw me and glared. 'Payback' I mouthed to him.

'I'm going to kill you' he mouthed back.

"I'd like to see you try! If you survive!" I shouted out loud. I turned my back on him and pulled Taylor to the coffee table.

A few people were dancing on it, and one of them had a blow horn. I pushed them all off and grabbed the horn out of the guy's hand.

Standing on the table, I whistled. When no one looked, I blew the horn until it ran out. They all shut up and looked at me.

I held up Spice. "What idiot put this cat in the dryer?"

A dude in the back raised his hand. "I did!"

I threw the horn at him and hit him on the forehead.

When I had their attention again, I said, "Okay, would the following please get up here: Optimus, Ironhide, Sides, Arcee, Ratchet! And Sunny if your still alive." I said after a moment of debating. "And the rest of you get out of here!"

Slowly, said Autobots made their way to the table. Sunny had a few drinks spilt on his shirt(actually, a lot), and Sideswipe was trying to pry some girls hand off his shirt. But the others looked like they had been smart enough stay out of other people's ways.

"What happened to him?" Optimus asked, looking down at the guy I had threw the horn at.

Sunny snorted. "Nicole went physco on him."

"Shut up, Sunny. Don't dig your hole any deeper." I looked around for Ratchet. "Where'd Ratchet go?"

Ironhide grunted. "He was smart enough to stay outside. Is this always what it's like here? And good throw."

I jumped down and smiled. "Thanks. Now, let me go grab some clothes, and then we'll leave."

As I walked away from them through the now clear(and dirty) room, I heard Sides ask "What hole?"

Sunny smacked him on the head.

I huffed my way out of my room. Every piece of clothing of mine and Taylor's was gone. And I mean every piece. Perverted thieves…

I walked into a empty room. Apparently they left me.

Then I heard the voices outside the door. Or maybe not.

Spice followed me as I open the door and walked onto the front balcony. Sunny was sitting on a bench beside the door, holding a complaining Taylor. Sides was a good five feet away, while Ironhide and Optimus were looking over the rail. Talking to Ratchet I guess.

Sunny looked at me and held out Taylor. "Here, take her. She keeps trying to run off." He smiled. "Oh, and she slapped Sideswipe."

Said Autobot frowned. "I was only trying to help her. That's twice I've been smacked on the head tonight. "

I tried not to laugh. "Suck it up, Sides. You're an Autobot. Im sure you've dealt with more threatening things than a drunk country chic."

Taylor glared at me. "Nicole, I am not drunk."

Oh this was gonna be good. "Well, Miss. Alcoholic, can you walk in a straight line?"

"Of course." She sounded like she was getting sober.

But then she placed one foot in front of the other, and tried to put the next one in front of the first one. She missed the invisible line by a few inches.

She giggled as she toppled into me. "See, perfectly straight."

I rolled my eyes. "Sure. Now why don't you go with the boy you were kissing? We're going to take a trip for a while, kay?"

"Where?"

"To a military base with giant robots that transform into cars. Now go with him." I pushed her towards Sunstreaker.

He glared at me. "Why did you just tell her about us? And why'd you give her to me?"

"Because, you kissed her, to answer your second question. Your punishment."

"She kissed me first! And what's wrong with that?"

"Oh, Sunny. Dear, dear Sunny. I cannot even tell you how wrong that was."

"But what about you and Barricade?"

I paused for a moment. He pointed his finger at me. "See! Ha! You cant beat that."

I grinned at him. "No, I cant. But what I can do, is answer your first question. Taylor, while she is drunk, wont remember anything that happened while she was drunk. Which means she wont remember what I said about you…"

"Or the kiss." Sides finished for me.

"Exactly. Congrats, you win smartest twin of the day award." Sunny glared, but I continued. "The only way she will know it ever happened is if Sides, me, or you, Sunny, tells her."

Sideswipe grinned. "Perfect blackmail material."

Sunny groaned and sat on the bench beside a now snoring Taylor. "Why me?"

I patted his head and started towards the stairs. "Because, you taught me well. And I love pressing your buttons. But don't worry. I'll get Sides one day, and then both of you in the next."

Just as I was halfway down the steps, I turned and ran back quickly. "Where's my cat?"

The elevator doors were closing, but I could see Spice sitting in there with Sunny and Sides(holding a snoring Taylor) for the trip down to the ground.

"Lazy cat." I muttered.

Optimus and Ironhide had already made their way down(though they could have just turned off their holograms). As expected, Ironhide was arguing with Barricade.

I tuned them out and went to the elevator just as the door opened. Spice ran out and rubbed against my legs, meowing. I looked down at her. "Oh, sure, when your hungry you need me, but desert me if you have to walk down stairs. God knows you need the exercise."

"I hate you." I heard Sunny say as he carried Taylor bridle style out of the elevator.

I leaned down to pet Spice. "Trust me. You'll be doing that more often now."

The bickering stopped, and I looked up to see what had made them stop. Barricade, Ironhide, Optimus, Ratchet, and Arcee were staring at Sunny. I snorted. They'd be doing that a lot more now that Taylor would be here.

With Sunny.

I walked over to Optimus. "So, now I'm ready."

He looked confused. "Where's your clothes?"

"Some idiot took them. I guess that means Taylor gets to go shopping…. Damn, I am not looking forward to that. Come on, 'Cade."

I started walking towards Barricade as they turned their holograms off. Sunny was the last, since he had to put Taylor in the passenger seat. I almost felt bad for blackmailing Sunny, until I saw how gently he was handling her. That, and the small smile on his face. God, what had I started?

Getting the driver's seat, I yelled to Optimus, "We'll follow you !"

As we pulled out, I heard a laugh in my head. It was a bit unsettling…

'That was…entertaining.'

'Oh, come on, Jazz. Now you show up. Good choice of timing. Where were you when I was looking for them?'

'Watchin' the show through yer eyes.'

"Jerk." I muttered out loud.

"What?" Barricade asked.

"Nothing, 'Cade. Nothing. Just thinking of some idiot who I asked for help from in the party. He's being a jerk."

'Hey, now, you coulda just used the AllSpark ta locate their signatures.'

'What? You know what powers the AllSpark gave me?'

'Well, not all of 'em…'

"Frag you, Jazz! Why cant you give me a straight answer-" I realized I was talking out loud. Shit, shit, shit.

"What? What are you talking about, Nicole?" Barricade asked. He sounded like he was a bit worried. I would too if he started talking to himself…

'Real fragging great, Nicole.'

'Shut it. What do I tell him?'

'I don't know. You dug this hole yerself.'

'You helped. I guess…I'll tell him the truth.'

'That yer goin' crazy, or yer just talkin' to an alternate ego?'

'The real truth, Jazz. And how'd you come up with that?'

No answer.

Well, here goes nothing….

Barricade POV

Nicole didn't say anything as she got in.

I redirected my attention to following the Autobots. So when I was going over a bridge, I was surprised to hear her mutter 'Jerk.'

I thought she meant me, and I asked "What?"

She looked surprised for a second, then said "Nothing, 'Cade. Nothing. Just thinking of some idiot who I asked for help from in the party. He's being a jerk."

'He'sbeing a jerk?' She made it sound like the human she was talking about was right here…

I was going to watch her for a while. Just to make sure she's okay.

"Frag you, Jazz! Why cant you give me a straight answer-" she stopped as a horrified expression came to her face.

I almost stopped at her expression. "What? What's wrong, Nicole?"

She seemed a bit distracted. She bit her lip like she was trying to decide wether to tell me or not.

The she sighed. "Okay, Barricade. I'll tell you. But you gotta promise not to tell anyone. Alright?"

I was really worried now, but I agreed. So she started telling me how there was a mech named Jazz in her head.

Jazz. The dead lieutenant of Optimus Prime.

I almost didn't believe her, but considering how things have been lately…

She had stopped a few minutes ago, and I had spent that time thinking about what this meant now.

"Okay, let's see if this is right. You fell asleep, and in your dreams, you met Jazz. And when you woke up, he was in your head, and you could hear him. And you can talk to him."

She nodded. "That's pretty much it."

"Proof. Give me proof."

She started to open her mouth, but then her eyes turned into a bright blue, instead of hazel, and she gasped.

Suddenly, in a flash of blue light, the human that pulled Nicole from the river appeared in my passenger seat.

He smiled and waved at the dash board, where I was watching everything from. "What's up, Barricade?"

I set the brakes, and Nicole jerked forward in her seat belt, hitting her head on the steering wheel. She yelped, while the other human just frowned.

"Better keep going, Barricade, or the others will get suspicious."

A bit unsure, I started going again. "Who the frag are you?" I growled.

He flickered, like when a hologram is glitching. So he was a hologram. But what was he using to project it?

The human frowned. "This wont last very long, so I better hurry. Little heads up, Nicole, you'll be tired after this."

She poked her forehead and groaned. "I would've liked a heads up from Barricade before he busted my head open on the steering wheel." She said glaring at the dashboard.

"Sorry." Frag, there I go again. Apologizing. I may not be a Decepticon any more, but that doesn't mean I want to be completely nice.

Nicole noticed this, too. "Awww, thank you. 'Cade." She leaned forward and kissed me on the steering wheel, and warmth spread through me.

The other human rolled his eyes. "Sorry ta ruin the moment, but I gotta explain fast, because Nicole's AllSpark energy is runnin' out."

Nicole stared at him. "Your using me?"

"Is that why her eyes are blue?" I asked.

"My eyes are blue?" she asked looking in the side mirror.

The human nodded. "Listen, I cant explain it all now, but Barricade, surely you remember the lieutenant of Optimus Prime? Ya know, before we all landed on Earth?"

"Yes. Jazz."

"Right. Well, that's me. This," he said tugging at the shirt he was wearing, "is my hologram."

I thought for a moment. "Oh." Was all I could really say.

He flickered again, twice. "I gotta go. I'll end up drainin' Nicole's energy."

Nicole slapped him on the back of the head. "Idiot! Warn me next time!"

He smiled. "Take care of her, Barricade. Keep 'er outta trouble."

He disappeared as she aimed another slap at his head. She went limp, and when she didn't move, I activated my hologram and shook her shoulder.

She looked at me and glared. "What?" Then she slumped down even more. "Damn, Jazz wasn't kidding when he said it would be draining…"

"Do you want something to eat?"

She looked at the clock. "What's open around here at 11:00 PM?"

"McDonald's, Wendy's, Taco Bell…"

She sighed. "McDonald's, I guess. Better get Taylor something for when she wakes up. But Ratchet will probably give me hell about it…."

Me: Hello, peoplez! So, I went and did what I hope was a funny and good chap.

Abusive me: It stunk.

Me: Shut it. No one wants your opinion.

Nice me: I do!

Me: No one cares about your opinion either, pansy. So, review people.

Abusive me: Or don't.

Me: SHUT UP! *throws sharp object at Abusive me* DO review!