Hey everyone! Long chapter is long! I would've had it to y'all yesterday, but I wasn't able to log in! Argh! Anyhow, here it is! I hope you all enjoy! Please review and tell me what you think!
Also, I could use some help! For a later chapter, (I'm not putting out too many details) I'll need a scary movie from 2007. If anyone could send me some ideas (preferably well-known titles) I'd be very grateful. After I get a certain number of titles I'm going to create a poll on my profile for everyone to vote. Help is appreciated! Thanks everyone!
As always, I own nothing!
~Mel
Alise winced as with one swift motion, Epps kicked down the front door to her house. She sighed as it crashed against one of the walls of the inside, leaving a large crack.
"My mother loved that door."
Epps turned and gave her a sympathetic smile. "Sorry. But it was either that or break a window, and they looked too nice."
Alise had to agree with him. The windows were made with a special type of glass from Sweden that had colorful designs in them. They looked gorgeous when the light shined through them during the day. Her father had gotten them for her mother as a gift and as she thought about it, she would have probably been more upset about them than the door.
They had arrived at her home only moments before. The trip had taken, as expected, about six hours, but they were able to cut off some time with Ironhide's maniacal driving. The drive didn't seem very long either way. They were able to entertain themselves along the way with stories and jokes and sometimes sleep if they needed it. It was certainly an amusing ride to say the least.
When they arrived, it was almost ten o'clock and pitch black, and 'Hide's Topkick form blended in perfectly with the surrounding darkness. They had pulled up in front of the house and Alise breathed a sigh of relief when she saw it was still standing. From the outside, it seemed untouched, both good and bad. While the flowerbed in her front yard was overrun with weeds and the small patches of brush that weren't touched by the desert were tall and untamed, her house itself seemed to be in good condition. The three humans got out, and went to the front door as 'Hide stood guard outside, waiting in the dark shadows. He said he would alert them if anyone were to come near.
When the three reached the door, it took all of about three seconds for Alise to realize that her set of keys were still buried the purse she left in the warehouse in South Gate. But when she expressed her concern to the two soldiers with her, they simply gave each other a knowing look, and then Epps proceeded to break down the door before she even could ask what they were thinking of doing.
She walked through the doorway first and entered the home slowly, almost as if it wasn't her own. It felt slightly foreign to her after being 'banned' from it and not being there for over a month. She walked slowly through the hallway, tracing the wall with her fingertips and drinking in all the details she had missed. She stopped walking and paused in the doorway at the end of the short hall. The place smelled of stale air and dust and showed all the signs that no one had really lived there in a while.
The two soldiers followed behind her, watching her carefully. They hoped that she wouldn't have some sort of breakdown at the sight of the house. They knew she was strong, but she was still human. However, to their relief, she turned towards them and smiled.
"Make yourselves at home if you want," she said to them with a soft look on her face. "I won't be very long."
The two nodded towards her and walked through the closest doorway near them. It led them into the living room. The two turned on the lights in the room and took seats on the couch inside.
When they were settled, the first thing Alise went to was the safe where she kept all her important documents. Opening the safe, she pulled out her birth certificate, passport, and college documents and carefully placed them all into a protective folder, tying the small string at the top to make certain they stayed in. When she finished, she ran to the living room and gave the folder to Lennox.
"Keep that with you," she told him sternly. "If we have to leave in a hurry, we'll at least have what we needed."
Lennox nodded at her in approval.
She turned, and ran into the kitchen on the way to her bedroom. On the way, however, something caught her eye. She looked on the counter to see a crumpled piece of paper lying there as if discarded. Knowing she didn't leave that there when she left, she opened it, but then almost immediately put it down. It was the note she wrote to whoever would find it the night she left with Bee. She knew it had to be Sal who ruined it.
Her eyes started to cloud, but she pushed the tears away. This wasn't the time to cry. The whole point of going there was so that she could start her fresh. She had a new life, a happy one. One without Sal in it.
Disregarding the note back on the counter, she ran into her bedroom and took out two suitcases from her closet, one larger and the other smaller. She opened them and laid them out on her bed. Before she started to pack though, she took out her phone and dialed Sam's number once more. She wanted to call to let them know they had arrived.
"Hello?" Sam answered after two rings.
"Hey, it's me," she replied. Sam let out a relieved sigh.
"You okay?" he asked. She was surprised that Bee hadn't immediately taped into the phone line, but when she heard Sam moving in the background, she assumed he was going to where he was. She heard a door open and close.
"Yeah, everything's good over here. We haven't run into trouble. I'm gathering all my stuff now and then we'll head out."
"It's her," she heard Sam say away from the phone. Then he answered her.
"Okay," he said, agreeing. "Hey, here's-"
"Alise?" Bee's voice cut Sam's off. Alise jumped at the sudden change again, but then smiled.
"Hey, Bee," she said happily, hoping to relieve some of his worry. "We got here a few minutes ago. I'm going to pack my stuff and then we're heading out."
"Okay, good," he said. His voice sounded a little calmer than before, but Alise could still hear some of the tension in his voice.
"Bee?" she asked him gently.
"Yeah, belle?"
"I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I knew you would be worried, but we had to go. And-"
"Belle," he cut her off. It wasn't harshly, just sternly. "I know why you went. Just don't..." He paused for a moment, as if trying to steady himself. "Don't do this again. You have no idea what you're doing to me right now. I feel anxious when you're not with me. And knowing you're over there-" He cut himself off and took a steadying sigh. "Just get back soon."
Alise cringed, but nodded, even though she knew he couldn't see her. "Okay, Bee, I promise."
"Good. Hurry back."
"We will, Bee. I'll see you soon, okay?"
"Okay."
They said their goodbyes, and then Alise closed the phone and started to fill the suitcases. First she started with her clothes. She started packing some of her nicer dresses, blouses, and pants into the larger suitcase for when she would be working, but only her favorites to save time and space. As she was moving back and forth between her bed and the closet, one piece of clothing in particular caught her attention. It was a flowing yellow dress with thin straps. It made her smile because the color reminded her of Bee.
Quickly packing that, she then added some leisure clothes, undergarments, and two swimsuits. She didn't know if she'd need the suits, but she brought them anyway, knowing they'd be in a hot location and that the soldiers would maybe set something up like a pool. Lastly, she put in simple accessories like a few necklaces and hairpieces. She didn't pack any toiletries though, knowing she could get those back in South Gate.
On the ride over, Lennox had told her that she would be getting her own room on base. It wouldn't be anything large or spacious, but it would be a small place to call hers. He told her to bring some items to make it her own, so objects of that nature were what she added in the smaller suitcase. She went into her dresser drawer and pulled out a photo album. It wasn't huge, but it was big enough to cover the bottom of her small case. Inside the album were photos of herself, her parents, places she'd traveled to, and of course, her friends. The pictures ranged both new and old, some being from years prior and others from just a few months before. She hugged the album to her chest before placing in her case, embracing all the memories and thankful she could bring them with her.
She then went to her bookshelf. Alise loved to read. She was the type to have her nose in a book at social gatherings if she got bored, and always seemed to have one at her side. Her shelf was stocked full, so many book residing on it that some had to be stacked on top of each other to fit. It almost felt like a crime to her to have to leave them all behind, but she knew it would be impossible to take even a sixth of them. So she settled on an Alice Sebold novel, one from John Irving, and one from Markus Zusak, three of her favorites, and To Kill a Mockingbird, which she started to read days before Tono's party, but never finished for obvious reasons. She decided not to dwell on the bookshelf any longer, knowing she'd try to think of some way to stuff more in her suitcase. She stacked them in the case.
The next thing she put into the small case were some bottles of nail polish. Alise didn't like to wear makeup, but she loved to paint her nails. Bright colors normally decorated her hands and feet. She took a few bottles of her favorites colors (including a bright yellow, of course) and she packed them in as well, placing them in locations in the case where they wouldn't be broken.
With her small case starting to already reach its capacity, Alise knew she didn't have anymore room or much more time to place much else into it. So the last thing she put in the suitcase was her digital camera. She didn't even know if she'd be able to use it on base, but she wanted to bring it anyway, just in case she was. So she zippered up the two suitcases and took one last look at her room.
She drank in every detail of her little space, knowing it would probably be the last time she would return here. Who knows what would happen to the house? If she didn't pay the bills it would probably be taken in a matter of weeks. This made her feel a little weak at the knees, but she held her head up. It would only be the finalizing of her new life. So she took one heavy sigh and with the suitcases next to her, turned off the lights, and exited the room.
She walked over to the living room where Epps and Lennox were still sitting. When she entered, they stood up and smiled at her.
"You have everything you need?" Lennox asked her, the folder she gave him still in his hands. She nodded. "Okay. Let's jet!"
She smiled. Epps came over to her and took the larger of the two suitcases. They turned off the lights and walked outside, and as they exited, pulled the door closed behind them. They walked over to where Ironhide was still waiting in the shadows and the doors opened out to them. Lennox climbed in first and stayed in the front seat until they lifted up Alise's suitcases. He placed them into the back seat and then went into the back himself. Next went in Epps, and lastly Alise, who still needed a little help getting into 'Hide's massive form.
"Where is our next destination?" Ironhide asked the group.
"Witwicky's," Epps answered. He turned to Alise. "Think they would mind if we crashed there for the night? It's going to be pretty late by the time we get there."
"No, I don't think it should be a problem," Alise said, and Epps nodded in gratitude. Then Ironhide started to pull out of the darkness and onto the road.
As they drove, Alise looked at all the houses they passed. So many memories were flooding her mind from looking at the homes of her neighborhood, and she was able to name every family that lived in each home. Each hit her like a rock each time when she replayed in her mind over and over again that she would most likely never see them again. She then suddenly remembered a certain person that lived on the street.
"Epps? Can we make a quick stop?" she asked him. He gave her a cautious look.
"Where?"
"A friend's house. She lives along his road."
He and Lennox exchanged a look. "Lise, I don't know if that's the best idea."
"Please?" she asked hopefully. "She won't do anything to me or call anyone. I called her after I got to South Gate. She knows I've traveling with Bee. I just want to say goodbye."
The two soldiers looked at each other again and considered this. They both relaxed a little and nodded. "Okay, where is she?"
"A little up the road."
A few homes later, they stopped in the shadows in front of Camila's house. Alise turned to them before exiting Ironhide.
"I'll only be a few minutes. I'll keep it short."
They nodded, but then a voice from the speakers before she got out.
"Be careful, femme," Ironhide told her sternly. "If any harm befalls you, Bumblebee will rip out my processor."
Alise laughed. "Don't worry, rust bucket. I'll be fine."
'Hide grunted, and then the door opened for Alise to exit. She quickly did so and then ran across the road to Camila's. With the cover of nightfall guarding her, she reached the window on the side of the house that she knew was to Cam's room. Taking some small stones from the ground, she started to throw them at the window with a practiced hand. Many times when they were younger, they would sneak to each other's homes in the middle of the night, just to hang out or talk and they would both do just this. She idly thought for a moment that this may have been the reason she was able to hit the cop car Decepticon, who she had been told was called Barricade, with such accuracy. That and the fact that he had been a huge alien robot bent on killing her and Bee.
After she threw a third stone, the window opened, and out looked Camila, dressed in her nightgown. She looked around for a moment, and then she looked down, her eyes falling upon Alise. A look of shock crossed her face, her eyes growing wide. She placed her hand over her mouth in disbelief. Alise gingerly waved up at her, and then made a climbing motion with her hands. Cam nodded. She knew what this meant.
When they used to sneak to each other's homes, they had roll up ladders that they used to climb into each other's windows. They both kept them under their beds, hidden from their parents. Cam's ladder was longer than Alise's was because her window was up higher, but nevertheless, they were both used a lot. Alise waited for a moment for the ladder and seconds later, Cam was at the window, attaching it to the wall for support and rolling it down the side of the house. Alise grabbed onto it and started to climb up. She did so with a little difficulty because it had been so long since she last attempted it, but she still was able to maneuver upward. At the last step to the window, Cam grabbed Alise and helped pull her in.
The two stumbled and fell as she came in and they landed on Cam's bed with a thud. Looking at each other as they laid there, they were both just continued to stare at one another for a moment. Then the two broke out in simultaneous laughter. They sat up and embraced tightly, tears streaming from both of their eyes.
"Oh my god!" Cam started to rejoice in Spanish. She pulled away from her friend and started to examine her, as if making certain she was actually there. "You're here!" She embraced her closely once more. "What are you doing here?"
This time it was Alise to pull away. A sad yet gentle look dawned on her face. "I came to say goodbye," she said softly, wiping the tears from her face. "In person, this time."
Camila's face became saddened. "Sal told me you called," she said. "Then he said he told you not to come back." Her voice cracked at the last word. "I started to scream at him, when he told me. I couldn't believe he would tell you that! He was your friend! I haven't spoken to him in weeks!"
Alise lowered her head.
"What about the rest of the town?" she asked. "What are they thinking about all this?"
"They're... confused. Most of them want to know what the hell's going on more than anything, but no one's out for blood! Only Sal! And a few others..." She shook her head for a moment. "I keep trying to talk to them and convince them that whatever happened wasn't your fault! But none of them-"
"Don't be my advocate, Cam," Alise cut in. "You'll get yourself hurt."
Camila paused and looked as if she was about to say something, but she stopped herself. Then she spoke again.
"He goes to your house every night," Cam continued, returning to the topic of Sal. "Always goes in and checks to make sure you didn't come back. I see him pass here at 10:30 every night."
"Well then he's going to be in for a surprise," Alise told her halfheartedly. "We were just over there. I picked up some of my stuff."
"We?" Camila asked, a little tensely. "Is it here?"
Alise sighed. She knew Cam probably still wouldn't be fond of Bee yet, but she didn't really blame her. The situation wasn't exactly common or understandable, and saying that her last and only experience with a mechanical man was disappointing was a bit of an understatement. However, she did know that Cam would be much more excepting of him in time, unlike Sal.
"No, he's not," Alise said. "I came with some other friends, though."
"Another one?" Cam asked uneasily.
Alise nodded. "One of them is, yes. But they're just like us, Cam. They all have personalities and feelings, and they're real people. Just a little more... robotic."
Cam gave her a nervous look and then shook her head.
"Okay, Lise," she said. "If they're your... friends..." She paused for a moment. "Then I guess I'll just have to trust you. Just be careful, okay?"
"Always."
Camila nodded and gave her a soft smile. "You're happy, right?"
Alise nodded. "Yeah, Cam, I am. I've met some really great people and I have a new job. Interpreter for the military. I can't really say much more than that though. And they want me there and I want to be there."
Cam gave her a genuine look of happiness. "I'm glad to here that."
Alise nodded. She then turned towards the window. "I should probably go. They'll be getting anxious."
Camila nodded. "Okay." She wiped a tear from her eye. "I miss you, Lise."
Emotion flooded Alise as she said this. She felt her eyes start to tear also, and she quickly embraced her old friend.
"I miss you, too, Cam," she said quietly, her voice cracking. She faced her friend. "I'll call, okay? This will not be the last you hear of me."
"It better not," Camila said shakily. "Stay safe. I love you."
"I love you, too, Cam," Alise said. She gave her one last, lingering hug and then climbed off the bed and started to slip out the window. She then faced her one last time.
"If Sal comes..."
"I don't know a thing," Cam finished with a smile on her face. Alise smiled and nodded.
"Thanks, Cam." She smiled. "Bye!" She then climbed back out the window. When she reached the bottom of the ladder, she quickly ran to the shadows to where her friends were waiting. She hadn't been gone for more than five minutes. The door opened out to her and she was once again helped in by Epps.
"Everything, okay?" Lennox asked as she came in. He noticed the tear stains on her face. She quickly wiped them away and gave them a small smile.
"Yes," she assured them. "Everything is... okay."
They all took this as an answer and nodded. Ironhide then started to drive off.
They were only driving for a few moments when Alise started to feel the weight of the day fall upon her. It had been both a physically and emotionally tolling night for her, but she felt it also made her stronger in a way. She needed to have this closure, collecting her things and seeing her home for the last time, talking to Camila face to face instead of over the phone. She felt settled in a way. She rested her head against Ironhide's window and let her eyes drop a little. She watched as the lights of her small town passed by and the occasional car, signaling the departure of them from her home.
A little into the drive, they had to drive slower because it was a two-way but narrow street. Ironhide's Topkick form was already large enough on the path when another truck appeared on the other side of the road. Alise couldn't see the new vehicle very well, but something was familiar about it. They passed slowly it slowly, and she glanced over at it, wondering why she thought it looked known to her. However, she immediately wished she hadn't when she saw the driver.
It was Sal, in his old pick-up, driving to her house to make certain his threat was abided by.
She let out a quiet gasp and sank into the seat away from the window, but she knew he hadn't seen her. His truck continued to drive along the road at the normal pace, and he hadn't turned his head around to look back. But her heart was racing at just a short glance at him. She never knew she would feel this sort of fear upon the sight of her old friend, but it was undeniable. It was in that moment that she realized she didn't want to see him again. Her longtime ally, supporter, friend, was now someone she didn't even want to look in the eyes.
She stayed quiet and simply watched as he drove by, him not suspecting in the slightest that she was only within feet of him. In her mind he was going by in slow motion, and besides her new found fear, she memorized the last time she hoped to see him. Bags were under his eyes and he hadn't shaved in awhile, making him look rough and angry. He looked tired and worn and unkempt, so unlike the Sal she knew before. Then again, many things were unlike her old Sal, his appearance being the least of her worries. Had he always been this way, she wondered to herself, and I'm only seeing it now? She didn't want to dwell on this.
She watched until he had driven away, turning the corner away from the road where she could no longer see him. Away with him drove the fire she used to burn the bridge that lead her to him. Tears brimmed at her eyes.
She looked over at Epps next to her and saw that he had fallen asleep, also looking back and seeing that Lennox had done the same. Neither of them had witnessed her small panic and realization. 'Hide was the only one to feel any change in her.
"Are you functioning properly, femme?" he asked her. She nodded.
She wasn't going to tell him who the man in the truck was. She didn't know him herself anyways. She gave 'Hide a genuine smile.
"I think so, 'Hide," she said lightly. "I think so."
It was three in the morning when they arrived at the Witwicky house. Cutting an hour off their original estimated arrival time, Ironhide had all but flew through the deserted streets from Arizona to South Gate, seeing no reason to abide by the traffic laws considering there was no one on the road. Epps and Lennox had both woken up about two hours into the ride back after 'Hide jumped a hump in the road, but it was still a relatively quiet ride back.
The lights in the main Witwicky home were all off, but the garage was illuminated from the inside. Alise wasn't surprised in the slightest. Bee probably would've stayed up until morning if he had to. The three humans exited Ironhide who parked out in front of the garage. They brought out her two suitcases and started to wheel them along with them. Walking up the path to the garage door, she knocked on the door before entering, leaving the cases outside. She opened it and walked inside. Not to her shock, there was Bee sitting on the floor in his bipedal form wide awake, with Sam crashed on the floor sleeping soundly. Bee's shoulders immediately relaxed when he saw her and he shook his head and sounded a relieved chirp.
Alise didn't say anything. Instead, she all, but sprinted over to the bot, whose hands were already waiting for her. When she reached him, he immediately picked her up and held her close to his Spark tightly, immense relief shooting through him. Alise felt like she couldn't breathe for a moment, but then embraced the feeling and tried to hug him back, tracing little reassuring circles on the metal holding her. A feeling of complete safety was swallowing her and she sighed contently. Bee gave a little purr and then hunched over a little, enveloping her so much the soldiers in the room couldn't see her anymore.
"Never again," he told her fiercely. She nodded into his armor.
"I'm sorry," she told him solemnly. "I promise."
In response, he took her out of his cocoon embrace for a moment and examined her closely as if making certain there wasn't a flaw on her. When he finished, he nuzzled his face into her affectionately. She emitted a small laugh and hugged his face. She placed a small, affectionate kiss on the tip of his nose and another on the side of his mouth. She then buried her face into his cheek. He closed his eyes and started to trace her back with one of his fingers. He took in her scent, her softness, and the small warmth coming from her form. She was back with him. She was safe.
After a sigh, he looked up from the femme in his hands over at the soldiers in the doorway. He gave them a pointed look. They both started to shift uneasily and Alise noticed.
"Don't be angry at them, Bee," she said. "I wanted to go."
Bee looked back down at her, his gaze softening. He sighed looking back at the soldiers again. His look was not as fierce as before.
"If s-she has-s to go anywhere, where s-she is-s even in the s-slightest danger, I'm going," he told them sternly. The soldiers nodded.
"Sorry, Bee," Epps said and Lennox nodded in agreement. Bee gave them a short nod, but Alise smiled back at them in a silent, 'thank you.' They smiled at her in return. Suddenly there was a chuckle from the large garage door from the outside.
"Don't let him guilt you," Ironhide rumbled from outside. "She needed to do this."
Bee let out a high pitched chirp in the direct of the large garage door (waking Sam with a start) and started to stare intently at it. Alise was positive he was using the comm-link.
"Ehh, don't bust your bolts," Ironhide said after a moment, amused. "She's back in one piece, isn't she?"
Bee growled in his direction and his grip around Alise tightened bit. She smiled and lightly kissed one of the fingers holding her. He looked down at her once more and smiled. He looked like he was about to say something, when Sam began to speak.
"Hey, Lise," he said groggily, scratching his head and sitting up.
"Hey, Sam," she said with a laugh. "You think Lennox, and Epps could crash in the house for the night?"
Sam turned his head and jumped a little, just taking in that the soldiers were standing in the doorway. He stood up quickly and nodded.
"Yeah, I don't see why not," Sam said honestly, looking at the two when he said this. "We have the couch one of you can use." They both gave him small smiles. Their faces showed that they were in need of sleep.
"Great," she said. She turned towards the two. "The other can have my room."
The three looked up at her quizzically.
"Where're you gonna be?" Lennox asked.
Alise smiled. "Oh, I thought I'd stay in here tonight." She looked up at Bee, whose eyes seemed to brighten at the thought. He gave her a large smile. After laughing once she turned back to the three others in the garage, who were all looking up at her, smirking.
"Okay, Lise," Sam said laughing.
"We'll bring your stuff into the house," Lennox said, stifling a yawn. She nodded at them.
"Thanks," she said. "'Night, guys!"
There was chorus of goodnights as they left the room, turning the lights out as they went. Then it was only her and Bee. It wasn't completely dark that she couldn't see him, but it took a moment for her eyes to adjust. However, his eyes were glowing in the darkness, looking down at her.
"So," she said after a moment. "How was the show?"
Bee let out half chuckle, half sigh. He pulled her close to his chest and held her there for a moment. They both felt content being with each other again. They both felt whole. Then Bee lifted her chin lightly with his index finger so she looked up at him, into his bright blue eyes.
"I'm s-serious, Alis-se," he said sternly. "Don't ev-ver do that t-to me, again." He shook his head and momentarily looked up at the ceiling before turning back to her. "Dear Primus, when I heard you s-say Ariz-zona, I thought-t I was-s going to glitch! You don't know what-t you do t-to me..."
She lowered her eyes for a moment and then looked back up. She lifted her hand to gently stroke the side of his cheek.
"I know, Bee," she said quietly. "I'm sorry I put you through that. I promise not to leave like that again."
He nuzzled her gently, closing his eyes. He found that now that she was safe in his hands, he could think much clearer and less along the lines of murdering 'Hide and the soldiers for taking her there.
"Good," he breathed and he placed Alise on metal right above his Spark. She snuggled into his chest and closed her eyes as she traced her little circles on him. He traced her form on him for a moment with his finger, causing her to break out in goose bumps, and then he placed his hand over her to keep her warm like he had before when she slept in the garage. Right before she was about to say goodnight, a thought crossed her mind.
"I almost forgot," she said, sitting up. Bee looked down at her, confused. She smiled up at him and cupped her hands around her mouth.
"'Night, Hide!" she yelled out.
In reply, there was a rough grunt from the outside.
She and Bee shared a goodhearted laugh and then she laid back down on him. He placed his hand back over her.
"Goodnight, Bee," Alise said fondly. She placed a last kiss on his chest before resting her head back down for the night. The feeling sent electric pulses up Bee's back.
"Goodnight, belle," he said softly. The both of them then feel into a restful sleep, together again.