Short, but here it is. Leave a review and let me know what you think.
Stephanie sat in Prowl's hand as she listened to the news that was on their TV. She couldn't see the pictures, but there was enough being said in the broadcast to make up for that. She didn't really pay any attention to the sports or politics, because she felt that none of it concerned her. The weather though, that was a different story. That affected everyone whether they had listened to it or not. The forecast for the next day? Another hot one.
Once the news was over Prowl turned off the TV and trained his attention on the girl lounging in his right hand. "Did you enjoy today's events Stephanie?"
"I was having a great time until you… glitched and I found out that I was the one who caused it." Stephanie answered softly.
"Stephanie, I do not want you to blame yourself for what transpired. What you and young Annabelle were doing was completely logical, although it did not seem to be such when I first heard you speak. The apparent nature of what you stated seemed to be highly illogical, and that is what caused my processors to temporarily cease functioning. I am well aware that the result was not intentional, and I will retain no animosity because of it, so further lamentation of your actions is ill advised." Prowl said evenly.
Stephanie thought about that for a moment before a frown crossed her face. "Jazz… what'd he say?"
Jazz looked up from the model car he was putting together and chuckled. "What he said Steph, was dat he don't want ya ta blame yourself. You an Annabelle was mindin your own business, an playin a game that made sense. It just didn' seem like it at first! Tha's what blew his mind! He knows ya didn' mean it, an he ain't mad at ya, so stop beatin yourself up about it."
"Okay. I wasn't too sure about a lot of those words, but I kinda figured that he said something like that." Stephanie replied sardonically.
"Jus relax Steph. You'll learn what tha words mean an how their used by listenin ta Prowler talk." Jazz said easily. "Learnin how ta spell em is something else though!"
"Tell me about it." Stephanie said sourly. "Half the words he says sound like you learn em in collage!"
"Nah… not quite half, Steph." Jazz answered with a laugh.
Stephanie giggled a bit at that before she yawned tiredly. "Wow. This is the first time in a long time that I've been tired but still want to stay up."
"I would suggest that you obtain your rest Stephanie. Jazz and I will not vanish while you sleep." Prowl said while lowering his hand to the floor.
"I know… but talking with you and Jazz is the best thing I've done before bed in years." Stephanie said as she yawned again.
"I am unable to dispute that statement Stephanie. From the miniscule amount of information I have regarding your previous lifestyle, I would surmise that there was very little you were able to do prior to sleeping." Prowl told the girl while she climbed off his hand.
"You got that right Prowl! The only thing I could do before bed was remember what life was like before I got hurt… back when I had a family." Stephanie said sadly.
"Well Steph… I know tha we ain't the kinda family ya had, but ah'm hopin you'll like stayin wid us." Jazz said quickly.
"I am in agreement with him. We can not replace your original family, nor would we attempt to, we can see to it that you are cared for much as they would have done and we will also endeavor to improve the quality of your emotional state as well." Prowl said seriously.
"Yeah, we definitely want ya ta be happy here Steph. Like Prowler said, we ain't your parents, but we can still take care of ya." Jazz said while he watched the girl walk over to her bed.
Stephanie didn't say anything as she got in her bed, but her thoughts were racing. "I am happy here. I don't have to worry about getting eaten on by rats and roaches, and both of you are great. I couldn't ask for better friends."
"I have discovered that you are quite pleasant and enjoyable to be around. I find you to be quite intelligent despite your recent lack of education. You are also very resourceful; otherwise you would not have fared as well as you have on your own." Prowl told her.
Stephanie couldn't help but smile at that. It was one of the few times that Prowl had said something she actually understood. "Both of you sleep tight and have sweet dreams. I'll talk to you in the morning."
"Good night to you as well Stephanie. I hope that you also have pleasant dreams." Prowl told her with a nod.
"I want ya ta sleep tight Steph, cause we ain't gonna let nothin bother ya." Jazz told her with a smile.
Stephanie laid on her back, pulled the covers up with her right hand, closed her eyes and smiled at how she knew that she was going to sleep in a clean bed with blankets, actual sheets, and even a pillow. She had two friends… Friends. Only a week ago, she would have scoffed at the idea of have anyone that she knew she could trust. Now she was in the same room as Jazz and Prowl, and she knew that she could actually trust both of them. It was an unbelievably strange concept. She released a sigh of contentment before she fell asleep.
"So I was da one tha killed Steph's family."
Stephanie's blood turned to ice in her veins while she froze in horror. Waking up to hear those words wasn't something she ever wanted to do, but none the less, she just had, and it tore her heart out. She just knew that she had to have heard wrong. There was no way that Jazz had just said that. Not when Prowl had already told her that Jazz didn't have a weapon powerful enough to do it.
"No Jazz, you did not." Prowl said sternly.
Stephanie couldn't help but agree. She hadn't known Jazz for very long, but she knew… she just knew that Jazz was a good person who wouldn't… couldn't do something like that.
"Brawl was attempting to cause as much damage as possible. That is why he still fired his primary weapon after you had deflected the barrel away from an area with even more human civilians. Had you not deflected that shot nearly two dozen humans would have died as a result. Ratchet clearly saw the trajectory that was originally intended, and it was not any of the Autobots! Brawl intended to kill as many humans as possible to force the Autobots who were present to withdraw, thereby granting victory to Megatron. You were attempting to spare lives Jazz, and in that effort, you were successful." Prowl continued in a firm tone.
"Ah wasn' successful enough Prowl… cause it was Steph's family tha paid da price." Jazz muttered forlornly.
Stephanie got out of her bed with tears streaming down her face. "P… Prowl… are you… are you saying… that a lot more people… would have died… if Jazz hadn't… hadn't done what he did?" She stammered out between wracking sobs.
"Yes, Stephanie that is exactly what I am saying." Prowl said earnestly as he reached down towards her.
"Then… then they… they didn't die for nothing!" Stephanie wailed as she fell to her knees crying harder than she could ever remember.
Prowl scooped the young girl into his hand, and felt his doorwings sag as she remained limp and sobbing her heart out. "Your mother, father, and younger sister died so that many other could live. Their deaths bought valuable time for others to escape the battle. They couldn't have known it at the time, but they are heroes… and you should be very proud of them." He told her softly.
"Steph… Ah… Ah'm sorry…" Jazz began before words failed him because he had no idea what to say.
"Nuh-uh! You… you don't have… have to be sorry… for anything! He did it! He fired because he wanted to kill someone… and he did… he just didn't get to kill… the people he was aiming at." Stephanie sobbed angrily.