CHAPTER SEVEN

It's Detroit Like You've Never Seen It Before!

***

"Screamer, I can walk by myself."

"No, you can't."

"Yes, I can – now would you please put me down!?"

"Not until we get you those crutches!"

"I only need one!"

"Fine! Not until we get you that crutch!"

"As soon as I get it I'm going to start hitting people, namely you!"

Ah, it was just like old times.

Right down to him giving me a ride piggy-back-style down to the local chemist to get a pair of crutches, oh, excuse me, a crutch, so that I could walk by myself.

It was fairly humiliating.

To pass the time, I started singing. "She'll be coming' round the mountain when she comes…"

Starscream pointed to the river. "Want to go for a swim?"

"Shutting up." I assured him.

"However…" He said, as we continued walking. "I have missed your lovely singing voice…"

My heart-spark began to race. "Likewise…"

We went the rest of the way in silence. At the chemist, the receptionist took one look at me, or one look at Starscream, I should say, and her face went red. "Ah, y-yes, can I help you?"

"I need a pair of crutches and a sling for my girlfriend please." Star said very clearly.

"Ah y-yes sir, right away sir!" She hurried into the back room.

Once she was gone, I kicked Star in the side with my good foot, then tackled him to the ground and sat on top of his chest.

"I am not your girlfriend anymore, Starscream, and I said one crutch and NO SLINGS!!!!" I fairly yelled, glaring at him.

I noticed that he was staring up at me, and then he smirked.

I suddenly realised how I was sitting on him, and leapt up again, just as the receptionist came back in with the crutches and the sling.

She glanced from me to Screamer and back again, clearly confused.

"Leave us." Screamer ordered, and the receptionist complied.

Once she was gone, Starscream said: "Emma…"

"I don't care if you threaten me, abuse me, or actually do throw me in the river," I said firmly. "I am not going to do what you say."

"Emma, please use the crutches and the sling, for me?" I gaped at him in shock. His red eyes were imploring, his face pleading.

Wordlessly, I took the crutches and the sling from him, and found that it was indeed possible to use two crutches and a sling at the same time. It took a bit of getting used to, but I managed to get the hang if it as we left the chemist (the receptionist forgot to ask us to pay her!).

If I had've looked to my left, then I would've seen the smirk on Starscream's face.

But I knew it was there.

*

"Got any money on ya?" I asked suddenly.

"Why?" He asked, and then he stopped dead in his tracks. 'Oh no…no…"

"Yup." I said with a big grin. I kept on going.

Screamer hurried to catch up with me. "Wait, please Emma, I'll do anything!"

I kept on walking.

Screamer's eyes were alight with true fear. "I mean it – you don't have to use two crutches, or wear the sling!"

"Mm-hm-hmm…" I just mused with a smile, and kept on going.

"You can hand me over to the Elite Guards – anything but this!!" He begged.

Oh-ho, I was enjoying this.

"Please, I'll do anything!"

I glanced at him. "Anything?"

He stopped. "Yes?"

I lunged at him, and grabbed the wallet stuffed with American dollars out of his pocket. Then I grabbed his hand and yanked him into a clothes shop.

"But I thought..!?"

"I never said we weren't going in here!" I laughed.

"Oh, I hate shopping!" He groaned. I watched him look around suspiciously. "Where's the boyfriend chair?" He wanted to know.

WHACK!!

"Ow!!" Starscream was left holding his head, as I sauntered off casually, getting a good use out of my crutches after all.

*

Two and a half hours later, Starscream and I were back at the hotel, me with not as much shopping as he'd been dreading.

I was in the shower (with plastic bags over my bandages) and I was singing. Hey, it's what I do.

"Konda wa itsu aeru ka nante
Sonna kaoshite yoku ierutte
Omotteta yo nande darou
Nani mo ki ni naranai FURIshite
Ii wake suru nara kikou sama de
Tsunagatte taikara

Mou kao mo mitakunai megurokawazoi
Arienai tenkai odoru KEETAI
GOODBYE MEERU naraba wasuretai
Hold me tight but dokka kietai
Anytime shiberisugi no KY
Chirari miseru tsuyogari na I cry
Namida no kouka wa dore kurai?

Watashi na ri ni ai saretai afureru no ni kimi ga mienai
Nido to kimi no aenai sonna ki ga suru n da?
Tsutaetai no ni umai kotoba mietara nai watashi tabun
Uso demo ii no ni ikanai demo ienai yo

Kushami suru to deru hen na koeto
Kusha kusha ni warau BUSAIKU na kao
Tomaranai ase me wo kosuru kuse
Dou setsu maranai AITSU no tokusei

Nitemo nitsukenai futari no SUTAIRU
Muda ni Shy SENSU wa yayanai
Uso tsuku toki no fukumi warai
UZAI tokku ni BAREBARE mendokusai

Tamatama kareshi gai nai TAIMINGU de
Hima tsubushi teido no koi tte
Tomodachi ni mo ii wakeshitete
Masaka watashi ga oikaketeru?nande?

Tsumaranai JOOKU wa ittsumo kudoku
Douko made mo tsuzuku aki aki na TOOKU
Sono tabi ROKKU konda wa watashi kara Knock

Watashi na ri ni ai saretai afureru no ni kimi ga mienai
Nido to kimi no aenai sonna kid ga suru n da?
Tsutaetai no ni umai kotoba mietara nai watashi tabun
Uso demo ii no ni ikanai demo ienai yo

Nigitteta te ga hanaretara
Kimi wa itsuka wasurechau no?
Watashi no koto

Watashi na ri ni ai saretai afureru no ni kimi ga mienai
Nido to kimi no aenai sonna kid ga suru n da?
Tsutaetai no ni umai kotoba mietara nai watashi tabun
Uso demo ii no ni ikanai demo i enai yo…
"

I didn't realise Starscream was standing there until I heard him say: "Ah Em, how I've missed that lovely voice of yours…"

I gasped, and was glad I was facing the wall. "Screamer, please! I'm…naked!" I was so glad I was facing the wall.

He laughed. "You say that like it's crime." He was serious then. "Em, remember – we interfaced."

"Yes, but Screamer, you're not the only one…" I gulped. "Who, uh, shares my heart-spark…there is another…" I gasped. "Oh, which reminds me…about what happened…uh…"

How could I tell him about Honey Bee? Not to mention Shooting Star?

'Oh, Screamer, I had your baby but I also had one with Bumblebee, and because of the time between when I slept with you and when I slept with him your daughters are now twins'.

Aurgh.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the hotel door. "Room service!" A maid called out.

"Oh, perfect." Screamer said sarcastically, and went to get the door, letting me off the hook and allowing me to get dressed, thankfully.

*

"Do you know what this movie is about?" I asked Screamer, pointing to the screen.

"I'm…not sure…robots, I think…" He replied, blinking a few times.

We both squinted at the screen.

Champagne and high-energon will do that to ya.

"Who's the main character?" I went on, leaning back against my pillows. "What's the plot?"

Next to me, Screamer rolled his red eyes. "How should I know?"

I was becoming drowsy. "Aurgh…I might not remember this tomorrow, so it doesn't matter…we could be watching that movie with Megan Fox and Shia whats-his-name in it for all I know…and I wouldn't care…"

"Why?"

"Because, although both of them are hot…"

"No, I mean why wouldn't you remember it?"

"Uh…what were we talking about again?"

"Never mind."

*

Starscream's P.O.V:

I watched Em nearly falling asleep at my side, her broken leg sticking out in front of her, and her broken arm resting across her stomach. Her head was on my shoulder.

She seemed really out of it.

I glanced at her left hand. The ring glittered there, making me feel sick.

I could also see that it was eternally welded to her finger, making it impossible to remove.

No problem.

I had another plan.

She would marry me, one way or the other.

Even if I had to make her drunk to do it.

Was that particularly right?

Oh well, since when had I ever cared about what was right and what was wrong?