A/N- Those who are interested in the full effect and setting the mood, I recommend listening to 'Nothing is real'- Goo Goo Dolls. :)
Thank you to everyone who's reviewed and given me their input on likes and dislikes! 29 reviews now, whoop!
Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers, as much as I wish it were true. Amy and Kayla are MINE! :)
On with the show!
It's been six months now, since Megatron was cast into the ocean under lock down. Since Kayla attained a new weapon, that now doubled at a prosthetic Cybertronian hand. Since I had adapted to live on base with Kayla. She stayed as a mechanic, or as they saw it, a medic in training. I've been trying my damnest to help out where I could, but I had no real training in anything they needed. We still hadn't figured out why Megatron wanted me, but I was past that now, he was long gone.
It's been a six months since he died.
My life seemed so bland now, without his constant presence. I had all but given up on the music on my iPod, everything seemed remind me of the trip up to Mission City. Things I would normally find funny, I blocked out or turned my head. I couldn't smile, at least, not in the real world.
What I mean to say is, I've been having... dreams. Not the sick perverted dreams that let my mind wander to what could have happened out on that oasis. No, I would dream of him, of his voice, his smell.. but I never saw him.
A few times, he had even told me to stop my pity partying, go out and turn on some loud music, hang out with Kayla like we used to. I wouldn't listen, it was just all in my head.
Wasn't it?
Kayla groaned in frustration at the sight of two trouble making mechs. Their names were Skids and Mudflap and man, were they major pains in the aft. Currently, they were laying on berths across the room from one another, yelling insults... again. Ratchet growled at Mudflap "Shut the frag up or I'm gonna give you more than just a broken arm!"
The brown, short mech snorted and hushed, but that only fueled his brother into goading him more. "Haha, Madflap's in troubleeee! OW!" The green mech covered his head with a hand as Kayla glared at him, a wrench in one hand and the welder in the other.
"Ya heard tha man damnit!" She cursed, her accent throwing the words off. "Hush it er I'll knock ya out and destroy yer vocal processor!" Skids gulped and looked away, ashamed. Once Kayla's accent became apparent, everyone knew the'd be in trouble. Ratchet threw her an impressed look and she shrugged, smiling. Ratchet's been rubbing off on her, and not in the way she had hoped for.
Kayla nodded at the silence and continued her work, but just as she started to weld, Mudflap commented "Tha'd be nice."
"That's it! Cmere you fragger!"
Skids pushed Kayla out of the way roughly, causing her to fall off of her platform and onto the ground 15 feet below. Her back gave a pop as she hit the ground hard and she groaned.
"Frag it you two!" She heard Ratchet growl, followed by the clashing of metal together as Ratchet pummeled them with his wrench, effectively putting them into forced stasis.
Kayla picked herself up slowly and her back gave another painful pop "I'm gonna have a bruise.." she groaned. Damn those twins.
Ratchet's hand came into view and she gladly stepped on so he could lift her to his face "Are you hurt?" He asked calmly.
Kayla rolled her eyes "No more than usual when dealing with them. We really need to find another way for me to help work on them, they like to push me from that perch." She jerked her thumb towards the large contraption that resembled a swiveling light, where her tools sat on a rack on top of the head.
Ratchet raised an optic ridge "Yes, I believe we could work something out. Maybe just let me handle the fools from now on. I'd rather this not happen a third time." Kayla laughed "Alright, I can do that, no complaints!"
His smile in return made her day just that much brighter. Maybe one day he will look to her as more than an assistant. Until then, she'd wait and hope. They never talked about when she shot Starscream in the face. Her Mech, she had called him. She was embarrassed that she had let it slip, but nonetheless, he remained silent.
Later that night, Kayla popped the door to her room slowly and tip toed inside so she wouldn't disturb Amy. Locking it, she snuck to Amy's room and glanced in. A smile was set on Amy's face and her hands were clenched around the body pillow lovingly. Kayla smiled, she knew of the dreams.
As she backed out of the room she closed the door silently "I hope it's a good one, girlie."
I stood in the darkness, warmth filled me to my core. The endless blackness was unnerving, but calming. I stood staring for what seemed like long minutes before I heard his voice "Amy?"
Relief washed over me "Jazz.. "
A puff of warm air hit my face "Yeah, Ah'm here." I reached out into the darkness, but I felt nothing. "Where are you?"
His chuckle sounded empty "Ah'm everywhere. Ah've been watchin ya, sweetspark."
My heart stopped "Watching me?" I felt a ghost of a hand slide up my spine and across my middle "Ah told ya Ah wouldn't leave."
Had he seen my depression? Does he know I sleep all day just to hear him? "Yes.." He answered my thoughts easily.
"How?" At that, his voice went quiet. "Tell me, how? Why, why can I hear you?"
"Ah dunno. Ah think Ah'll find out soon, though." The feeling of hands ghosted along my face "Ya still have mah body?"
I nodded weakly "I wouldn't let them destroy it.. I couldn't make it final..I can't.."
He sighed "Good"
I looked around "What?"
"Ah'll come back in a few nights. Ah'll be able to answer then."
The world around me started to brighten and I felt ghostly lips touch my own. "Wake up, sweetspark."
"I don't want to..."
My eyes fluttered open and I sat up quickly, sweat running down my face as my pupils dilated. Was it a dream? Was it real? I touched my fingers to my lips lightly. It sure felt real.. There's no way I could imagine those lips, his lips. I guess I'd have to wait a few days, maybe he'd be back. I grudgingly accepted the wait time and glanced at my alarm clock. 9 am.
I sighed and pulled myself out of bed, dressing in jeans and blue short sleeve button up. I leaned on the counter in the kitchen, watching the coffee slowly drip into the glass pot. It's rumbling breaking the silence in the room as I took deep breaths of the amazing smell. My mind kept revolving around my most recent dream. It was so different from the past ones, it was like he was trying to be noticed, to be heard.
A shuffling noise brought me from my thoughts, Kayla waking up. She dragged herself across the white carpet while still curled up in her black robe, picking out sleep from her eyes. I knew better than to talk to her until her coffee was at least half empty, but today it seemed she had different plans.
"Morning Amy." She greeted. I nodded to her, but said nothing. She shuffled lazily past me and opened the box of doughnuts she had acquired yesterday, digging one out and beginning to eat.
She leaned against the counter opposite me and stared at me with a tilted head. "You looked like you were havin a good dream last night."
I inwardly cringed "Yeah... I had a new one. I think his passing might be messing with my head more than it should."
Kayla took another bite "What do you mean?"
"I mean.. Ugh, I can't explain it but, this one felt different." At this, she stopped halfway into a bite "Felt different? How do you normally feel?"
I shrugged as I reached forward and began to pour myself some fresh coffee "Usually I just hear him whispering to me, like he's angry that I'm mourning his loss. I normally can't really feel anything." I set the pot back onto it's collection dish and swirled my mug around "This time though, he spoke to me about coming back. He.. he told me he'd be back in a few nights, and.."
As I paused, Kayla leaned in "And?"
I looked back to her as my eyes started to water. My hands clenched around the coffee mug painfully as it's warmth burned. "I felt him Kayla, I heard him, I could taste him on my tongue when I woke up... I can't.. I can't just ignore that kind of dream."
"Then don't." I looked to her in surprise as she held a hand on my arm, then pushed the coffee from my hands before I could hurt myself. "Don't ignore his words, what else did he say?"
My mind worked to remember "He knew how I was acting, he told me he was watching me." I suddenly remembered, my head snapping up "Kayla, please say we still have his body!"
Kayla looked to me oddly "Yeah, nobody's touched him since we brought him home."
Relief flooded me and I rubbed my eyes "He said he was glad I couldn't give up his body. I don't know what's going on, but I don't want anyone going near him until he tells me what's going on."
Kayla nodded to me "Of course, Ratchet's got him locked away safe and sound."
I pulled some relief from that and sighed "I guess I need to finally develop those photos, huh?"
Kayla smiled at me "It could help you cope. Let me know if you need anything, I'll be with Ratchet again today."
"Okay.. and Kayla?" She turned back from walking to her room and I smiled "Thank you, for everything. You're the best friend anyone could ever ask for."
Kayla flushed and smiled back to me "Anytime, girlie. I'll always be here for you."
Funny, how alike she was to Jazz, yet so different. It was relieving. I smiled at her retreating back until her door shut behind her, then I set about getting myself prepared for the day.
A few days later, Kayla wiped away the sweat from her forehead as she stood high over Ratchet's neck. He was looking down and baring his sensitive cables to her inexperienced hands. She stood on his shoulder as she reached into the cables and felt around gently, earning a groan of pain from him. Grimacing, she turned back to look at the scans he had provided her of his neck and the damaging object tucked away deep in the cables at the base of his neck.
The object was just a slice of scrap metal, but it was bothering the Medic to no end. Kayla had offered to take it out and with a flushed face he agreed.
Now, her backside rested on his shoulder and her hat was tipped back farther from her face so she could get closer. "I'm sorry Ratchet, it's a deep one."
His body shuddered when she slipped her hands back inside the groove "It's fine. I should be thanking you for doing this for me. I do not have the time to repair myself as often as I'd like."
Kayla laughed at that "That's why you have me now. Don't you dare keep doing that to yourself, ya hear?" She scolded playfully.
His chassis rumbled in approval "Yes mam."
Digging a bit deeper, she finally felt the offending metal. Running a finger across the edge, it cut through her glove and bit into her palm. "Frag." she muttered as she adjusted her grip and tugged the metal harder. Her time around Ratchet had really taken a toll on her language, giving her a whole new arsenal to run with. Ratchet growled in pain as the metal worked its way out of his wires.
Finally, she pulled it completely out and it clattered to the ground as she pushed it angrily off his shoulders. She pulled out her yellow cloth handkerchief and gave her hand a temporary bandage, the cut was fairly deep.
Kayla's right hand transformed into a mini welder and she set to work on repairing the damage she caused by pulling out the sharp metal. Afterwards, she pulled a rag from her back pocket and cleaned round the newly patched wound. When it was all finished, she leaned back and stretched out from her hunched position. "There," She grunted "It's finally out. How do you feel?"
He rotated his neck and shoulders slightly "Better, thank you for the assistance." He looked to her then and laid out a hand for her. Kayla set herself on the hand and tightened her bandage as she waited to be set down. Instead of putting her down, Ratchet carried her to the medical berth and set her upon the small pillow. She looked at him curiously as he transformed to his alt form and his holoform flickered into existence before her.
His blue eyes gazed past his glasses at her injured hand "Take off the cloth, Kayla." She slowly did as told, the newly formed clots tearing open and sending fresh blood down her hand. Ratchet brought over a gauze pad, medical tape, a damp cloth, and some antiseptic ointment and set them before her. "Sit" He ordered.
She sat down as told and he kneeled before her, running water over the wound and gently washing it with the damp cloth. The feeling of his hands on hers, holoform or not, was pleasant and she enjoyed the few moments she knew it would last.
He concentrated on her hands and carefully pat them dry before applying the ointment and wrapping it up neatly. By the time he was finished, her whole body felt super sensitive to his touch. He turned to her with a smile "I think we're done here for today."
His holoform fizzled away and he stood back up, holding his hand out to her again.
"Would you like to refuel with me?" His question threw her completely off guard, was this some sort of act of being nice for what she did, or was he asking her on a date?
Either way, her answer was "Sure!"
He smiled pleasantly and started walking to the door when the human door opened and in walked Amy, carrying odd supplies with her. Kayla tilted her head at the odd sight as her friend walked to Jazz's door, slowly unlocking it and staring in at the medical berth. Ratchet shifted uneasily, he felt as if he was intruding on something very personal.
Kayla smiled at Amy's boldness and waved Ratchet forward, no words were spoken until they finally sat down at the table together.
I stared inside the room as a feeling of nervousness ate away at my stomach. I didn't want to see his body, but I had to see him, if that makes any sense. I pulled my courage up and over me like a blanket and walked inside, setting down my supplies next to the berth.
As the laptop powered on, I stared at Jazz's empty shell. Ratchet and Kayla had patched him up back into one piece and I had cleaned him of all the energon. His arms rested by his sides, legs straight, head looking up. A white blanket covered him from chassis to pedes, keeping his delicate workings from gathering dust.
I frowned at the sight, I missed his bright optics, his laugh... No, I didn't come to mourn. I came here for closure. For peace.
I hooked my camera up to the laptop and downloaded the files I had gathered from the time I had spent with him. I brought up the first few images, all of them were meteors streaking across the clear, starry sky. The next was a bit blurry from when I had jumped out of the way, most of the picture was red, fire covering the black pod as it raced for the camera lens.
The next picture had my attention. It was Jazz after he had thrown the con into the pit he formed. He stood with his back to the lens, hands on his hip plates and his visor bright and turned to the sky. His armor shone reddish in the fire light, accenting all of his body's curves and armor. Above him, the stars shone with the milky way above him, two meteors racing over his head.
I sighed and right clicked the picture, setting it to print out next to me.
The next picture was us at the truck stop, holding our glasses together in a toast. My face was bright and happy as I made the peace sign, much different than how I was now. I brushed my mind from that and glanced at Jazz. His eyes were locked onto mine, a small smirk gracing his perfect lips. His eyes were so blue they were practically glowing with happiness. [Print]
I smiled at the memory and giggled, thinking of his face when he took a drink of the water I had given him. He most certainly didn't like the taste of water, that was for sure.
The next picture as of Agent Simmons, standing proud with a frown as Bumblebee 'peed' on the man.
Then, Simmons in his skivvies, handcuffed to the light pole. His face was pulled into a scowl and he was growling out something to Mikaela.
As my eyes landed on the next few photos, I considered stopping myself. My hand shook as I flipped through the Firefly shots. First one was a normal photo, the lightning bugs glowing and lighting up the scene nicely. The next photo had Jazz's hood in it, but the next caught my attention.
The camera had been angled just right, there I was on his chassis, gazing at his armor with one finger drawing doodles. His gaze was on the sky, his arms behind his head in a state of pure relaxation. Fireflies lazily danced around us, casing soft glows onto our relaxed forms [Print]
The next photo was similar, but I was looking at his face.
The next, was me hovering over his face, one hand tracing his cheek. His visor was a slight bit brighter in this one than the last photo.
In the next photo, I was kissing him. My eyes closed and relaxed, I could see the hint of nervousness in my stance. Jazz's visor was bright blue, very, very close to white. It must have been surprise, for his hands were slightly open as if he was about to hold me still. [Print]
I blushed at the next photo. I was on his hood, his holoform staring me in the eyes and holding me up, his hands on either side of my body. My mouth was parted, as if I was talking.
The next picture, I finally had to stop. Our lips were locked and his body pressed into mine. What struck me the most, was his car form's inner lights were glowing brightly. It almost looked like his emergency flashers were on. All of the fireflies in the area were lit up, responding to his flashing lights. ...[Print]
"Oh Jazz..."
I stumbled over to Jazz's body, curling myself into the groove of his neck, and cried for all I was worth.
Ok, that was really hard to write :( Who else cried like a baby? *raises hand* On a brighter note, Kayla and Ratchet's relationship seems to be blooming finally!