Chapter 4: Getting closer

Jade let out a small moan as she opened her eyes. She found herself in the front seat of Cliffjumper; she sat up to find that they were moving along the highway.

"Mornin' sleepin' Beauty," A man sat in the driver's seat. His skin was a light colour; his hair was flaming red with a black cowboy on top. And his eyes were a lovely electric blue. He wore a long-sleeved red dress shirt and a pair of black jeans. On his waist was a black leather belt with a bulls head. His feet had a set of BLACK COMBAT BOOTS. "Had a nice sleep?"

Jade gave him a nod and asked: "I'm sorry, but what happened?"

"Starscream blew the mines." Cliffjumper told her.

"Oh," Jade let a small sigh then almost had a heart attack when she realized something. "Where's Raf and Miko?"

"Bulkhead and Bumblebee took them home." Cliffjumper looked out the window and smirked. "My twin looks happy to see you alive."

Jade raised an eyebrow at him and turned to look out Arcee was driving along beside them. He didn't have a helmet on so Jade could see his face. He looked worried but a few seconds later and he let off a smile. His eyes were trained right on her. He lifted one hand and beckoned her over.

"Looks like, Arcee wants you to travel with him now."

Jade cringed. "I still remember the last time." And that wasn't the only time, she'd had a bad event with a motorbike.

"Arcee had told me that it you had cons chasing after you at the time."

"So?"

"So it may be more enjoyable if you tried it again without Decepticons around."

"Ok, one ride." It was then that Cliffjumper's door opened up. "Whoa, whoa, wait you mean I have to jump out?"

"That's the idea." Cliffjumper leaned over, grabbed her with both hands and threw her out to Arcee, while still driving. Jade let off a scream.

Arcee caught the screaming Jade in his arms with ease. She stopped mid-scream and glared at him. "Are you normally such a screamer?" He asked, grinning at her. He moved back and placed Jade on the front seat. "Ready?"

"No," She answered, placing her hands on the throttles.

"Pity," He disappeared from behind her and revved his engine. "Fun time," He did a wheelie and zoomed ahead of Cliffjumper.

"Whoa!" Jade squeaked. She soon started to see the fun in it. She let out a laugh. The speed sent a thrill right through her.

"Told you," Arcee chuckled. "Where's your house?"

"It's the old warehouse in town, we're just a few blocks away from it." Jade answered him.

"Warehouse?" Arcee questioned.

"I don't have a mother and my boss already has a large family, so she let me have an old warehouse that belonged to her family." Jade tightened her grip on the throttles. "Could I take over? I'll show you the rest of the way."

"Alright," Arcee muttered. He knew drop the topic. "Let's get you home."

Once they arrived. Arcee and Cliffjumper found the garage area large enough to transform.

"I'm off to bed, ok?" Jade told them as she walked for the STAIRCASE.

"Good night," They replied. Once she disappeared, Cliffjumper looked at his twin.

"You like her," He teased.

"As do you," Arcee retorted.

"Well, we are twins." Cliffjumper replied, reminding Arcee that twins shared their sparkmates.

"Good to have you back Cliff,"

Cliffjumper smiled at him. "Good to be back, Arcee."

Jade jolted awake to the sound of a voice beside her. "Wake up," It growled, it was Arcee.

"Take it easy, on her, Arcee" Another voice chuckled, Cliffjumper.

"We need to get to base." He snipped.

"It's Saturday," Jade mumbled into her pillow. "Go without me," Jade then felt the covers rip off her.

"I would, but Optimus told us to keep an eye on you." Arcee snorted. He then went wide-eyed at what he saw. Jade had only her underwear on, for the previous night had been rather heated. "Opps," He muttered.

Jade quickly re-grabbed the covers, bushing madly. She grabbed a taser from her bedside table and zapped Arcee with it.

It didn't do him much damage, but it did make him disappear.

"What happened?" Jade questioned.

"You seemed to have broken his holoform." Cliffjumper sniggered.

Jade snapped her head over to Cliffjumper. She put the taser on him, making him disappear as well. "Pervs," Jade muttered. She stood up and put on a pair of blue jeans and a white t-shirt. She walked down the STAIRCASES to the garage where Cliffjumper was waiting for her. "Where's Arcee?"

Cliffjumper looked over at her. "He went to cool off."

"Whatever," Jade started to walk to the door. "I've got to pick up some groceries from the store."

"Hang on," Cliffjumper transformed and drove over to her. His holoform hopped out and held the door open for her. "Let me drive you."

"Didn't I break that?" She asked eyeing the holoform off.

"Turns out you just reset them." Cliffjumper shrugged. "Can I give you and ride, or not?"

Jade sighed and sat in the front seat while Cliffjumper shut her door and walked around to the driver's side.

"So what's a holoform?" Jade asked as Cliffjumper pulled out of the garage.

"It's like a hologram but solid." Cliffjumper explained. "You can make to look like whatever you please. With the holoform I can feel everything like I would with my real body."

"You shouldn't walk in on a girl who's only in her underwear." Jade muttered.

"My, apologises," He replied with a smile.

Jade shifted a bit. "Then again I might have over done it with the taser."

"I don't mind," Cliffjumper looked over at her. "Besides I believe that it was worth it."

Jade's cheeks turned light pink.

'Just a little more,' Jade thought, stretching herself up on tippy toes to reach a tin of pineapple. She so far had gotten very thing she'd need for a few weeks. She was quite glad Cliffjumper gave her a ride. In the past she had to always go to the shops after school so she could have something for dinner that night and something for breakfast and lunch the next day.

"Here," A hand grabbed the pineapple before her. Jade looked over to see Arcee's holoform. He held the tin out to her. "I'm sorry for earlier."

Jade took the tin. "It's ok; I might have gone overboard with the taser."

"Might?" He asked.

Jade glared at him. Lord, he really got under her skin. "Do you want my forgiveness or not?"

He rolled his eyes and changed the subject. "Do you have all your groceries?"

"Yes," Jade replied a little annoyed.

"Come on then," He grabbed her hand and led her over to the checkout.

It was then a blur until they got back to Jade's house, where they helped Jade place her groceries and other items away in their place.

"Should we go now?" Jade asked.

"That would be best." Cliffjumper nodded.

Jade took the stairs down to the garage, while Cliffjumper and Arcee teleported their holoforms down to the bottom. Jade sat in Cliffjumper's front seat. They were driving along in the desert when Bulkhead and Bumblebee called them on the comlink.

"Arcee, Cliffjumper we have a problem." Bulkhead said in a grave voice.

Arcee had told Jade and Cliffjumper earlier that Bulkhead and Bumblebee were back at base looking after Raf and Miko, while Optimus and Ratchet went off to do a recon.

"Bulkhead, their children," Cliffjumper laughed.

It was then that Bumblebee let of a few beeps, making Cliffjumper and Arcee pulled hard on their breaks.

"You're where?!" Arcee half-asked, half-yelled, "She's where?!"