Transformers Fan Fiction ❯ Cover Me ❯ Another Normal Day ( Chapter 26 )

Cover Me

By Black Dragon Queen

Author's note: Happy Monday! Now I know that this isn't really plot related but again, necessary to move on. I hope you enjoy!

PAIRINGS REVEALED THUS FAR:

Wheeljack x Ratchet, Inferno x Red Alert, Sunstreaker X Sideswipe, Past Prowl x Jazz

Font Index: “Speaking”, `Thinking', “-Radio Transmissions-”, “Cybertronion” “:Link:”

~*~

Chapter Twenty-Six: Another Normal Day

Barricade watched the other two occupants in the driveway in a state of complete disbelief. It was utterly illogical. Those two couldn't be doing what he thought they were doing- and in broad daylight! In the middle of the driveway! It was unbelievable. Barricade almost didn't want to believe his scanners. That an Autobot would actually go that low, that far down in pride as to give in to the humans request; it was completely incredible; but there they were, clear as day playing an odd Earth game called-

“Go fish.”

“Damn,” `Bee muttered as he moved his cursor towards the pile of fake cards on his screen.

“Okay, have any twos?” Sam smirked down at his laptops screen, a gift from Maggie and Glen in celebration of his new title as the Autobot Dignitary.

“Go fish,” `Bee chirped happily and Sam muttered as he too clicked on the false deck.

Barricade watched the two with a strange feeling of detached awe. “Please don't tell me that this is what you always do after school… please…”

“Nah,” Sam smiled as he moved the lawn chair at an angle as the afternoon sun reflected off his screen. “Sometimes we dress up in odd spandex costumes and fight crime.”

`Bee snorted back a laugh as Barricade said nothing for a good five minutes. “You're kidding… right?” he finally asked.

Sam rolled his eyes. “Of course I'm kidding,” he chuckled. “Got any sevens?”

“Go fish.”

Barricade watched them go back and forth for a while before he sighed. “So you just sit out here playing computer games?”

“Well, usually I sit inside of `Bee's cab, but we thought you might feel left out,” Sam stated as he studied his deck. “Any fours?”

Barricade huffed irritably as he watched a couple cars drive by. “Oh please, don't change your routine on my account,” he told them as he spotted the nosey neighbor woman across the street. “You know you're being watched?” he told them.

Sam glanced up and gave a small waved at Mrs. Selman. “Honestly. We've been here longer than them yet she still acts like we're the ones bringing the property value down,” he muttered as he went back to his computer.

`Bee chuckled. “It's not every day you see a young kid spending quality time with his car. Got a queen?”

“Go fish. Well, not every kid has disguised alien robots as their cars now do they?” Sam told them absently. “How about a king?”

“Go fish.”

Barricade sighed as he watched the two continue back and forth for a while. “Boring.”

“Well, we did offer to let you in the game,” Sam chuckled as he finally snagged `Bee's last card, an eight of spades.

“Oh please, I wouldn't be able to contain all the excitement! I might overheat!”

“Well, what do you want to do?” Sam asked as he closed his laptop and turned towards the mustang with a raised eyebrow.

“Sam!” `Bee cried out surprised.

“What?” Sam asked innocently before turning back to the other car. “Well? Any ideas?”

`Bee grumbled as Barricade began snickering. “Well, how about we camp out in the park and I scare all the dangerous speeders?” The other two were shocked into silence at that request and Barricade scanned the two in front of him. “What?”

Sam managed to snap himself out of his stupor and glanced back over at `Bee with a worried look. “Er, we could do that…”

“You're an idiot,” `Bee finally stated.

“'BEE!” Sam cried out in surprise before he turned to towards the laughing mustang a bit puzzled by the reaction.

“Oh come now Ladiesman217, if we didn't snap at one another, what do we have?”

Sam looked back and forth between the two a little confused. “You guys are strange,” he finally told them as he opened his laptop once more and logged on to check his e-mail. Zero messages. He snorted. `Typical,' he though as he closed it once more and turned back to the two cars. “I can't get if you hate each other or… well not like each other, but rather tolerate one another.”

“What?”

“Are you crazy?”

“He's a `Con!”

“He's a `Bot!”

Sam blinked as the last two sentences were said in tandem and began snickering. “You may not like it, but you're more alike than you think,” he said under his breath but once more, superior robotic hearing won and the other two heard him.

“We are not!” was shouted back at him in stereo.

Sam began snickering again and if they could have, both vehicles would have blushed at that. “Er… How about the drive in?” `Bee suggested. “There's that new comic book adaptation coming out isn't there?”

“'Bee, you know we can't do that,” Sam protested. “There's no `driver' for Barricade. I mean that hologram really can't interact with other human's right? It's just a hologram.”

Barricade sighed despondently. “True. Our holograms are just a pretense of an actual driver. Sadly if anyone were to try and pat them on the shoulder, their hands would just go right thought them.”

“That's what I thought,” Sam turned back to `Bee with a small frown. “I would think you would know that `Bee…” `Bee's silence was enough to convince the other two that that was probably the whole idea. Sam sighed and rolled his eyes. “Any other ideas?” There was a moment of silence and Sam shook his head. “Another round?” he asked as he picked up his laptop once more.

“Well couldn't you call that wrench monkey friend of yours?” Barricade suddenly asked, desperate to keep the monotony at bay.

“She's gone this weekend,” `Bee explained smugly. “Her weekend to visit her father.”

Sam nodded as he looked back at Barricade regretfully. “Sorry.”

“Well what about the other one?” Barricade insisted, refusing to give up and allow Bumblebee the satisfaction. “Miles.”

Sam blinked in surprise. He honestly hadn't thought of that and instantly felt guilty that he hadn't thought of his long time friend first. “Well, I suppose I could give him a call…”

“Yes! Go, call him,” Barricade prodded.

Sam gave the mustang a sideways look but nodded as he stood from his seat and set the laptop down before he made his way into the house. Bumblebee waited until he had entered the building before addressing the `Con. “Okay, so what are you up to now?”

“What?” `Cade asked innocently. “I just want to get out of this slagging driveway. Is that such a terrible thing to ask?”

“You get out of this driveway,” `Bee told him firmly. “You follow us to the school almost every day.”

“The school…” Barricade scoffed. “That's nothing. That's just going around in circles. I want to go somewhere else for a change. You know, a change of scenery…”

“Well, why don't you?” `Bee asked in exasperation. “It's not like we're keeping you prisoner. I really don't care what you do or where you go anymore.”

Barricade snickered. “What, are you saying you trust me? I'm touched.”

“Yeah, right,” Bumblebee scoffed. “While I know that you won't harm Sam or his friends, why do I get the feeling that the rest of the city is out of luck?” Barricade chuckled evilly and `Bee sighed in frustration as Sam came back out into the drive.

“Miles says he'd love to go,” Sam told them with a grin. “So let's go pick him up and get going.”

“Great!” Barricade instantly turned over his engine and waited for Sam to climb into `Bee as the boy grabbed some essentials. “Just one question. What's a `drive in'?” Sam and `Bee just laughed as the yellow camaro backed out of the drive. Barricade growled as he pulled forward to follow. “Hey! I'm serious here. What is it?”

~*~

Sam knocked on the door for a third time and began tapping his foot impatiently. “Where is he?” he muttered as he waited, risking glancing into the house through the window on the door. He looked back at the two cars waiting in the driveway and gave a small shrug at them when he heard the door suddenly opening behind him.

“Um, Sam?” Sam whirled back around to find Miles standing there looking a little embarrassed. “Sorry. I had to finish the dishes.”

“Oh,” Sam blinked in surprise. “That's okay. So you ready to go?” he smiled as he turned back around to head down the steps towards the two cars. “'Bee offered to carry the lawn chairs so we can sit outside and-”

Sam suddenly felt a tug on his shirt and paused, turning back around to see Miles holding onto his sleeve with a bit of a blush on his cheeks. “Um. Would you mind if… if…” he glanced over at the two cars and leaned forwards towards Sam. “I don't feel really comfortable with um, Barricade.”

Sam blinked in surprise at his friend before glancing back at the two cars. `Well, I guess I understand,' he thought. `He is a Decepticon and I suppose that it would be a bit nerve wracking.'

“Are you mad at me?” Miles' voice brought Sam out of his musing.

“What? Why would I be mad?” Sam asked him completely puzzled.

“Well,” Miles shifted nervously. “I know that he's your friend and all…”

“What?” Sam jerked a little in surprise at this statement. “Well… we're not really friends… I mean. We're just helping him and… well I mean…” Sam trailed off as he looked back at the cars and started in realization. He had never really thought about that. Sure they were having the `Con living in the garage but with Bumblebee constantly running interference for fear of Sam's safety what did Sam really know about the saleen patrol car?

“Sam?” Miles voice was a soft murmur. “I'm really sorry. We could go see it another time and-”

“What? No,” Sam protested giving his friend a wide smile. “No, that's fine. I'll just go with Barricade. You can go with `Bee.”

“Really?” Miles perked up. “Are you sure it's okay?”

Sam managed to pull off a hesitant smile. “Yeah. It'll be fine.”

Both boys jerked when they suddenly heard a rather loud groan from behind them and a sinister chuckle. “Don't worry,” Barricade's voice floated over to them though he was obviously speaking to `Bee. “I'll take good care of him.”

Sam flushed as he realized that both mech's had heard their conversation and Miles was shuffling his feet nervously. “Sam?”

“No it's fine,” Sam told him as he finished going down the stairs and made his way towards the two vehicles trying to seem nonchalant. “So Miles is going with `Bee and I'll `drive' Barricade,” he explained firmly.

“Sam…” Bumblebee began.

“So let's go!” Sam finished, before `Bee could start in with the whole “don't trust him” routine, already opening Barricade's dented drivers door and slipping into the seat.

Miles shook his head as he moved towards the yellow camaro as the drivers door swung open for him. “I'm sorry,” he mumbled as he slipped into the plush leather seat.

The yellow car sighed. “No, it's quite understandable.”

“-Are we all ready?-” Sam's voice came through the radio.

“Oh, yeah,” Miles replied hesitantly as he snagged the seat belt and clicked it into place. “Um… could I put the seat forward?” he suddenly asked the disguised Autobot.

`Bee chuckled. “You don't have to ask every time Miles,” he told him gently. Miles blushed as he pushed the little button and moved forward, finally getting his feet on the petals. `Bee waited for Miles to get comfortable before he finally put himself in reverse and moved back, freeing the `Con who had been stuck in the drive ahead of him. “Well, let's get this show on the road.”

Sam frowned as he heard `Bee's mutter over the radio. “I don't think that he's happy with this…”

“Oh, just let him stew for a while. It's not like I'm going to take off with you,” Barricade chuckled as he started following the other car. “Why is it that I'm always following that ugly bumper?” he muttered more to himself than to Sam.

Sam smirked before he settled back into his seat. “I'm sorry.”

Barricade slowed slightly. “What?” he asked confused, certain he hadn't heard right.

Sam sighed as he rested his hands on the steering wheel and dropped his head back on the headrest. “Just about everything.”

“What are you talking about?” Barricade asked, genuinely puzzled. “Are you talking about saving my life?”

Sam blushed as he looked back down at the dash. “Well no. I mean about everything else that happened. That Optimus refused to see you about a truce… that you had to suffer Mikaela's `gentle' healing, for being stuck in the garage. For having to listen to my mother-”

Barricade gave a small chuckle. “Believe it or not, I like your mother. She's a very interesting human and quite quick to grasp things.”

Sam smiled fondly. “Yeah. People often think that she's a bubblehead when they first meet her. Then she starts talking about one thing or another and she's quick to surprise people.”

Barricade chuckled again before getting back to the previous topic. “Then why are you apologizing? To a Decepticon, no less?”

“Well, I just feel really bad. It's like nothing is going your way,” Sam continued to try and convey as he shifted in his seat.

“And yet that is not your fault,” Barricade told him evenly. “If anyone is to blame, it's Starscream… and Megatron I suppose.”

Sam glanced down at the dash confused. “Megatron? What do you mean?”

Barricade was silent for a while before he sighed. “Well, your mother managed to pry my past out of me when we spoke so I suppose it's alright to tell you that my life really wasn't all that good back on Cybertron.” Sam looked down at the radio puzzled but said nothing, waiting for the `Con to finish. “I wasn't really amounting to much in my life and when this war started, I thought it would be a way to prove myself. To both Megatron and to the others of Cybertron.” He let out a little bitter chuckle. “Guess it didn't work out that way, huh?”

Sam gave the wheel a comforting pat. “I guess,” he muttered. “Still, I feel somewhat responsible. I mean… You're not really part of the Decepticons anymore, you're too… um… fierce to be an Autobot. So where do you go from here?”

“Well… wherever the road takes me I suppose,” Barricade said dramatically.

“That was really corny `Cade,” Sam snickered.

Barricade laughed again. “I'm speaking the truth,” he said honestly. “You really do not have to feel bad about anything, Ladiesman217.”

Sam sighed in frustration. “You're never going to let that go, are you?”

“Never,” the `Con announced with a laugh. They were quiet for a while before Barricade chuckled softly. “You want to know the odd thing?” he asked his human passenger. “The weird thing was that I only spoke to Megatron once during the entire war.”

“Really?” Sam asked surprised. “Why only once?”

“Well, I was just one of a large legion of troops.” Barricade admitted. “That and I was never really part of Megatron's higher circle.”

“Unlike Starscream?” Sam asked.

“Well I think Megatron kept Starscream in the higher circle of his confidents more to keep an eye on him rather than he valued his opinion.”

“Ah… So when did you meet Megatron?” Sam finally asked.

Barricade was quiet for a long moment and Sam was feeling rather guilty that he had even brought it up, wondering if perhaps it brought up bad memories for the `Con when the mustang finally spoke. “It was during my induction and assigning.”

“Really? What was your assignment?” Sam asked curiously.

“I was a commander,” Barricade stated with pride.

“You were a commander?” Sam cried out surprised and Barricade couldn't help but start laughing at the similarity between the boy and his mother.

They spent the rest of the drive to the theater discussing the three other members of the Race Track Patrol when they finally pulled into line at the drive-in entryway behind `Bee. “Hang on and let me run out and give Miles some cash for the ticket,” Sam slipped out and made his way to the other car.

“Sam!” `Bee whispered loudly the instant Sam came up to the window. “What happened? Are you all right? Did he do anything? What's wrong?”

Sam rolled his eyes at Miles. “Sorry about this,” he muttered as he handed the other boy a twenty.

Miles smiled as he took the bill. “Nah, it's okay. `Bee here told me a lot about his kind on the drive. Though the explanation about Energon kind of lost me.”

“I'll try and explain it in human terms later,” Sam called back over his shoulder as he jogged back to the mustang, which unfortunately was still moving with the line… despite there being no one there. “Barricade!” Sam hissed as he quickly scuttled back into the drivers seat and glanced around. He blinked and gave a tentative wave at the two kids in the car in the line next to him who were staring at them with their mouths still open in shock. “What did you think you were doing?” he finished angrily.

“Um… following the crowd?” Barricade responded. “Isn't that the normal procedure on this planet?”

Sam rolled his eyes as he placed his hands on the steering wheel as they pulled up to the ticket booth. Sam smiled as he leaned out the window and handed the young kid the money. The kid looked down at the rather battered car and gave Sam a raised eyebrow. “You loot a patrol yard or something?” he asked as he swapped out the bill for Sam's change.

Sam gave a nervous chuckle. “Um, kind of. Got it from an auction. Practically a steal.” He heard Barricade stifle a laugh and Sam subtly gave the car a small kick.

The kid rolled his eyes. “Whatever,” he said as he handed Sam his change and ticket. Sam smiled and pulled forwards, glad to see that `Bee and Miles had waited for them and soon they managed to find two spaces together at a decent distance from the screen.

“I can't wait!” Miles smiled as he bounced out of the yellow Autobot. “They said the graphics are suppose to be spectacular.”

Sam smiled as he went to `Bee's trunk and got out the two lounge chairs. “Should we head over to the refreshments building?” he asked.

“Oh yeah,” Miles grinned. “I could use some chocolate.”

“Do you really need more sugar?” Barricade asked and Sam subtly knocked on the mustang's side panel.

“Honestly, can't you stay quiet for two minutes?” `Bee hissed and Sam gently whacked the camaro as well as they walked past.

“Be good,” he whispered. Miles looked back and forth between Sam and the two cars before he turned and quickly followed Sam to the small building.

“-What did you talk about?-” `Bee demanded over the comm.'s.

“-Nothing really in particular.-”Barricade responded in an innocent tone. `Bee just stayed quiet. “-What?-” Barricade demanded after the rather poignant silence.

“-I don't believe you,-” `Bee finally told him flatly.

Barricade gave a small sigh. “-I just told him about my old teammates,-” he finally told the other mech. “-Why? You think I was trying to sway him to the dark side?-” he snickered.

Bumblebee growled but soon the two humans arrived bringing popcorn and soda pop. Sam instantly glanced around at the few cars around them and looked back at his own two cars. “Well, no one is running screaming into the night,” he muttered.

Miles shook his head as he sat down in his lawn chair and started munching on the popcorn. “Sam, sit down. It's starting.”

Sam rolled his eyes as he plopped down into his own seat. “It's just the previews,” he muttered as he snagged a fistful of the buttery treat.

“Hey, get your own!” Miles chuckled as he moved the popcorn to his other side. “And what are you talking about? The previews are the best part.”

Sam just sighed as he got out his candy bar and settled back to watch the show.

~*~

The five Autobots stared down at the boxcar turned safe in complete bewilderment as their three companions continually pulled things out of it while Ratchet marked each and every one off the list he was holding. “Are you sure that those energy waves aren't affecting them?” Inferno asked warily.

“Positive,” Perceptor insisted as he watched Ironhide hold up a rather painful looking drill.

“One drill,” Ironhide announced.

“Drill, check!” Ratchet replied automatically and he ticked it off the list.

“This is a making of their own insanity,” Perceptor finished.

“What's a gremlin?” Sides asked his brother.

“Apparently it's something that likes to tinker with aircraft's…”

“Oh…” Sides mulled over this for a moment. “So why are there gremlins in the base?”

“How should I know?” Sunny sniffed.

“Well it is an old military air base. Maybe the gremlins just stuck around after everyone left,” Wheeljack guessed.

Inferno shook his head and moved next to Red Alert who was holding onto one of `Hide's cannon clips. “You want me to take that?” he asked, knowing that Red was more than likely to get offended by the implications that he couldn't handle the clip yet also knowing that if he didn't offer, he would never hear the end of it.

Red smiled and instantly dumped the thing into the larger mechs arms, startling his partner with his quick acceptance of the offer. “Thanks,” Red smiled up at him. “It was getting rather heavy.”

Inferno shifted under the weight, “No problem.”

Wheeljack stared at the smaller mech in surprise at the lack of fussand leaned over to Perceptor again. “Are you sure-”

“For the last time, yes!” Perceptor snapped angrily. “I have no idea what is going on with them either!”

Wheeljack instantly backed off, holding up his arms to show he was no threat. “I was just asking.”

Perceptor huffed as he moved over to one of the other boxcars and sat down on it as they all watched the others with mounting concern. “I'm beginning to wonder about this planet,” he muttered as Inferno wandered over and with a large relieved sigh, set the clip down on the floor.

“You and me both.” Wheeljack and the twins all nodded as well as they watched the goings on before them.

“One toaster!”

“Toaster, check.”

-To Be Continued