[ti]Ep 2[/ti]Routine Pickup [Closed, Raf]

[Bumblebee]

Episode 2 | Week 2 | Day 3
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Bumblebee had never minded picking the kids up from school. It was a short distance from the base, meaning he didn't have to have a buddy tag along ((Double checked with Zer that it's okay)) because it was relatively safe from MECH – even they weren't stupid enough to attack a bot in the middle of a populated town. His favorite thing though? Between the base and the town itself? The long, almost-straight dusty road. That, and the freedom. He was free, if only for a few brief moments.

...Sort of free, anyway. There was constant checking in on the comm, and rules. Ohh the rules. He had to go straight there and straight back. No detours. No getting distracted. Ugh. Whatever. He was, for all of thirty minutes or so? Free.

Free to speed down the road toward the town of Jasper, free to sing as loud as he pleased, free to gloat by himself as he sped past others on the road who were sloooooow. Well, at least until he got closer to the town - then it was speed limits, sticking to the rules, and silence. But until then? Bumblebee had a need for speed.

–

--Back in a bit, pickin' up Raf!--

He chirped happily, calling out to whoever was around and listening. Eagerly vaulting down from a railing where he'd been sitting and killing time, landing with a thud. He'd spent the past hour staring at a clock that moved way too slow. Minutes dragged on and on, and the second hand on the clock taunted him. He'd tried scowling at it, silently willing it to go faster, but still, seconds ticked on - time passing infuriatingly slow. He couldn't even read it properly – he just knew when it made an 'L' shape it was 3pm, and therefore time to get going.

He'd been going stir-crazy today. It was quiet at base without the kids, even the two noisy ex-cons didn't fill the silence. At least not the way the kids did. Most welcomed the quiet - they could work and go about their duties without tiny and loud squishy things running underfoot, but Bee had grown used to them being around - they had a certain.. Ambiance. Plus, Raf was someone to hang out with. A friend.

He hurried toward the tunnel that led to the outside world, and there was the familiar sound of metal and whirring as he shifted forms in an instant. There was a skidding of tires and a cloud of dust, and off Bumblebee went before anyone could lecture him about being careful and sticking to the speed limit.

It was so nice out today. The sun was high in the sky and there wasn't a cloud in sight. Perfect driving weather, as far as Bumblebee was concerned. There was nobody to overtake today, the road was mostly quiet. A shame, but it meant Bee had the road to himself. He accelerated as he made his way down the road, faaaster.. faster! He was oh so totally breaking all kinds of rules here, but he couldn't help himself. Moments like this were few and far between, and Bumblebee was going to take advantage.

He made record time getting from the base to the area just outside Jasper where he'd begin to slow down. This would be the fastest pickup yet! Making a mental note to drive a little slower on the way back, to save himself from any lectures about being too quick – the other bots weren't stupid, but thankfully neither was Bee.

Decelerating as he made his way into the town, navigating the familiar roads and pulling up outside the school in the usual spot where he parked when he was on pickup duty. He was a little early, but he didn't mind. The people of Jasper were used to Bumblebee's altform, he was a reoccurring sight at the school. That didn't mean they didn't 'oooh' and 'aaah' over him occasionally though, and he would be lying if he didn't enjoy the stares from people. A shiny yellow and black Camaro, what was not to love?

Here he would sit, waiting ever patient for Raf to finish his day at school.

[Deleted]

So far the week had proved a little too exciting for Raf. By nature, he was about as sedate as a rock. He never wanted to exceed his comfort zone or, say, leave the familiar presence of his laptop. If he could get away with carrying a tablet with him everywhere, he would have. Unfortunately, the laptop he had was a bit of a luxury in the very highly competitive (and numerous) household. Even if another sibling managed to pry the electronic from his twitching arms, they'd have to tease out the password and he'd proven himself to be entirely capable of making a password that would make the NSA weep. Said laptop was in his bookbag resting against his side.

When the bell rang for their sweet release, he was only too ready to escape. In his arms he clutched a box nearly as big as he was. Jutting just over the top of it, the partially painted globe of what looked like Jupiter bobbed on a string. He was a little late from getting out and missed the tidal flow of students on his rescue mission. Which was just as well, as he bounced into the water fountain and the fire extinguisher before he even got to the entrance way. The box wasn't heavy but it was cumbersome and blocked out a significant portion of his vision. As evidenced when he nearly fell down the three stairs leading to the sidewalk.

Making a sort of graceful recovery, and not losing all of his belongings in the process, Raf shuffled his way toward the usual meeting spot. At the eye-searingly familiar sight of Bee, Raf grinned and distractedly tucked a painted styrofoam bob back into the box before Jupiter went into retrograde on the ground. Sure, he hadn't actually asked Bee if he would help him out but it wasn't like the Autobot to turn down a small trip around town. Especially with the confined nature at the base as of late.

"Um, Bee, can we take a short trip across town? My science teacher was going to throw out last years science fair projects. There's some good stuff in here! I've relied on hand me downs before and someone else would probably like these." Though he wasn't sure how scientifically accurate it would be by the next year. But that was progress for you. "There's a Goodwill taking donations?" The cockatiel crest of his hair bobbed as he hopefully looked around the edge of the box to gauge the Autobot's reaction.

[Bumblebee]

Sitting still like this underneath the warmth of the afternoon sun was quickly getting to Bee, and soon he found himself starting to zone out. Lazily watching his surroundings – the occasional person walking past the school, sometimes a person with a dog, cars traveling down the road, sometimes he was lucky enough to spot a critter of some kind blissfully going about their day. There were parents sitting in cars waiting for their children, buses waiting in stands to ferry children home.. Nothing ever changed. Parking in the same spot was kinda' boring.. Maybe he shouldn't have raced here so quickly, as now he had to sit here and wait for double the normal time.

Minutes seemed to drag on even slower now than they did when he was staring at that stupid clock back at base. He just wanted to pick up Raf, get back to base, and hang out!

~~~RIIIIING!~~~

SLAG! The familiar sound of the bell ringing snapped Bee outta' his zoned-out-daydreaming, and he was now very much awake and alert. His boredom quickly turning to excitement – the type of which could only be rivaled by an overly excited puppy. That bell signaled the end of the school day, which meant that within a few minutes Raf would be making his way over to the Camaro, and a few moments after that, they'd be heading back to the base for cartoon watching and homework helping.

As the waves of excited kids trundled their way down the steps to freedom, Bee was watching closely for Raf. C'mooon Raf... He waaaited... and waited. The mass of kids got thinner, and thinner.. Until there were only a few stragglers, and then nobody.

That excitement quickly faded, and turned into worry. Way too much worry. Raf...?

Oh no. Oh no oh no!

Was he supposed to pick up Raf today? Where was he? He wasn't usually late. Was he sent home early from school? Was he sick? Did something happen? Was he supposed to collect him from elsewhere? Was he on a school trip? Was he hurt? Did MECH get him? Primus no..

After pretty much every terrible situation had gone through Bee's mind, and just when he was about to maybe-possibly poke on the comm if he was even supposed to be here.. He saw...

A walking box.

A walking box that was coming this way.

A walking box that ALMOST FELL DOWN THE STAIRS.

A walking box with a familiar cockatiel crest of brown hair poking out over the top-- It was Raf!

The relief Bee felt must've been like when you thought you lost your mom at the mall, only to find her again. Raf was fine. MECH didn't have him. He wasn't hurt or sick. Way to jump to every possible bad conclusion ever in the span of two minutes, Bee! What the frag was Raf carrying, though? Bee couldn't see it properly in his alt form, he could only see that it looked like a pain in the aft to carry as evidenced by the fact Raf was clearly struggling, and almost wiped out on the stairs to the sidewalk.

He listened to Raf's question, and the passenger door flung open before he could even finish the sentence - trip across town? Bee was all for that. Once Raf and the box were safely inside, the door closed, and Bee replied. A flurry of excited beeps and squeaks that was probably answer enough.

--Yeah, sure! What ya even got there anyway? Ya went through it right? There's nothing in there that ya need for yourself?--

That was something Bee had always admired about Raf, he was always thinking of others. Bee didn't mind taking him on errands, he knew Raf's parents were busy, and Bee didn't need much of an excuse to take a ride around Jasper. It wasn't like they were going outside the town, or even too far out the way. At least it wouldn't take long, it was just a short drive from the school, and he could totally swing it so they'd be there, and on their way back at base within the scheduled time. An added bonus to this new plan was he wouldn't have to drive extra-slow on the way back, either. And if Raf took a little too long? Bee could easily make up the time with speed.

Once Raf had his seatbelt on, and the box was securely on the backseat? Bee would slowly pull from his parking spot and began to head further into town toward the Goodwill. He sort-of knew where it was, and intended to go directly there.

[Deleted]

Raf had already combed through the box contents just to make absolutely sure there wasn't something he or his siblings could use. However, as much as he enjoyed the academic process, his brothers and sisters weren't exactly dancing in place over the thought of hand me down science projects. They'd be less likely to use an old microscope. They were busy testing the awkward frontier of dating and social life.

Safely placing his bookbag in the seat beside the box, Raf buckled himself in the front and glanced back at the contents at the question. As if to confirm there wasn't anything he might just need. Most of the projects were below his grade level but that didn't mean he couldn't enjoy a mobile of the solar system as much as the next guy. It's just that another unfortunate family might need it more.

"I helped pack it up and combed through it. There was a neat mobile but it's a little inaccurate for me. I could always make my own with a more exact science than the textbook ones." He kicked his feet a little, a small smile on his face at the prospect. That's exactly what he could do in his spare time. Construct a model of the solar system using smaller properties but in the right placements down to the exact distance. Maybe his science teacher would display it in class.

[Bumblebee]

Bumblebee may have had a need for speed and a love for racing and showing off. But the moment a human was in the passenger seat of his altform? It was safety first, adhering to speed limits, and being overly careful on the roads while in the town of Jasper. That rule was especially true for Raf.

He slowly pulled from the parking spot outside the school, waited at a zebra crossing patiently for school students to pass, then continued on.

--Make ya own mobile? That sounds like fun! Maybe I could help? How was ya day at school, anyway?--

He beeped cheerfully – no sign or hint of the near panic he was in only moments earlier, before Raf had entered his vision outside the school. He'd never minded helping Raf or the other kids with their homework and projects, infact he enjoyed it – humans had always fascinated him, and Bumblebee ended up learning a thing or two while helping out. And unlike Ratchet? Bumblebee didn't take over the entire thing. Bee still had horrible flashbacks of that model volcano...

He navigated the city of Jasper with ease, having driven around this place many times now. Stopping at stop signs, waiting at lights.. Giving way when he was supposed to. Rules rules rules...

He stopped at an intersection. Blinker on, waiting for the light to turn green. They weren't far from the Goodwill store now. After what felt like an eternity, the light changed to green, and Bee pulled across the middle of the intersection and turned left. Then it was straight for a little bit.. Then a right.. Then straight.. Before he pulled into the parking lot of the Goodwill. Ah-ha! He totally remembered where this place was! 

He drove around the lot slowly, looking for a spot to park. There were plenty of open spots, but he wanted something closer to the entrance of the store. Raf had struggled with that box enough as is, and it wasn't like Bee could shift forms and help him out – so the closer to the store the better.

It took a moment for him to find a space that was both close to the store and also not a handicapped spot, but eventually he found one. It wasn't exactly prime position outside the front door, but at least it was in front of the building. Plus he could see into the front part of the store from here for the most part, so he could keep an eye on Raf. He was overly protective of the little guy! Once safely parked, the child-lock on the door was released.

--Go straight in and straight out, yeah? I'll wait right here for ya.--

[Deleted]

"That would be great, Bee."

The idea of Bee helping him make the model brought a warm blanket of happy to Raf. Followed by the icy chill of Ratchet's idea of helping. Raf would have suggested the medic needed a hobby but the words would likely bring about a snarl from the gruff mech. Still, when he wasn't trying to improve the groundbridge or communication hub, Raf could see Ratchet enjoying a sedate hobby like building bottles in ships. Surely he couldn't over complicate that...

During the ride, Raf mildly drummed his feet from the seat. He was careful not to bash the backs of his heels against the seat or the floor, however. He was always incredibly mindful of where he was putting his appendages. Always aware that he was a guest and a passenger. Sometimes he felt bad about riding in Bee with his shoes on but Raf was too sheepish to ask if he should take them off.

At the welcome sight of the Goodwill, the young man perked up in his seat and waited patiently for Bee to find a spot. He would gladly have walked across the parking lot (putting himself and likely Bee in danger from box-related viability hazards) but Bumbebee had other plans. Which was just as well. The day was rather warm and all this work was thirsty making.

"This shouldn't take me but a few minutes. All I'm doing is dropping them off." Wiggling out of the car and squeezing the box out after him, Raf gave one last shy grin to the car before shuffling for the front doors. He made it nearly to the doors when a familiar voice called at him from across the parking lot.

"Raf! Thank god!" An older female hopped up and down in front of a battered pinto. She bore a striking resemblance to Raf, down to the same eyes and hair. Before Raf could escape, she ran across the parking lot, crossing in front of a slow moving car. Ignoring the blaring horn or the curse words being directed at her, she skidded to a stop beside him. "I'm so glad to see you. I need your help. Mom is going to kill me if I don't get these donations to the shelter. But I have a rally to go to. I can't miss it. We're having the game tonight. I can't be late!"

It took a moment for Raf to realize his sister was wearing the local colors of the high school down to the miniature pompoms decorating her sneakers. Cringing, the male glanced back at Bumblebee before looking over at the other cheerleaders piling out of the pinto like it was a clown car. How had so many fit in there with the donations??

"But I-"

"I know. I wouldn't be asking if you didn't have a friend who had a licence. And it's short notice. But I couldn't reach anyone else. Dad's at work, Mom asked me to do this, who knows where the other idiots are. You're like my only hope! Here, I'll even drop these off for you!" Without waiting, she yanked the box out of his hands leaving him standing there with his arms still up and blinking a bit foolishly.

"But we-"

"Is he going to do it?"
"You're the best, Raf!"
"What a guy!"
"Knew we could count on you, cutie!"

At the volley of encouragement from the collected cheering squad, Raf turned about as red as a tomato. He didn't shuffle, but inside he was squirming in embarrassment. He couldn't even look at their overly hopeful faces. Or at Bumblebee.

"...Ok."

With a whoop, the girls unloaded several baskets of baked goods with military accuracy. His sister disappeared into the thrift shop while Raf floundered in a sea of awkward before retreating back to Bee. He gave him a 'what do' look before the gaggle of organized ladies surrounded the car.

"Oh wow, look at that car!"
"Hubba hubba."
"Hey, Raf, who is your friend? Are they single?"
"This makes my car look like crap, guys..."

[Bumblebee]

Bumblebee sat and waited patiently as Raf moved from the seat, got the overly-huge box, and exited the car. He wished he could do more to help, that box looked annoying to handle – but at least he'd managed to secure a spot in front of the store so Raf didn't have far to walk. A playful wiggle of his side mirrors in response to the shy grin that was directed at him, as if silently urging Raf to go ahead. He would then sit and wait as Raf shuffled to the front door of the Goodwill, keeping an eye on him and the awkwardly sized box. This wouldn't take long at all. He trusted Raf to go in, and back out. And not get distract-

Slag.

Bumblebee heard the female voice, and a quick, subtle adjustment of his mirrors later he saw where it came from. Bee would continue to watch quietly. His first instinct was to go on the defense and high alert, due to his over-protectiveness of Raf – not that he could do much in his alt form - but that quickly faded. It seemed Raf and this girl were related. Bee knew Raf had many siblings, he'd seen a few of them while waiting at the school. They never seemed to really want much to do with their brother, occupied with their own lives and their own friends. Not that Bee minded, it meant he could ferry Raf from school to the base without worry of Raf's siblings wanting to come along for the ride. Nor were there ever any questions as to just who was picking Raf up from school.

That was Bee's first thought. That his sister would want a ride somewhere. The holoform sitting in the driver seat made Bee look legit, and the situation normal enough – a young male, very late teens, blonde hair and blue eyes.. Dressed in casual clothing. This meant that his true form wouldn't be given away, and it would be a one time thing.. Right? So he hopefully wouldn't have to explain it to anyone. He knew the rules on human contact and staying hidden – but it wasn't like his actions, or Raf would out him. He was just a simple 2014 Camaro as far as Raf's sister was concerned. The holoform couldn't talk, of course - but maybe she'd just assume he was the silent, broody type. Hopefully she wouldn't question why her much-younger brother was hanging around a much-older male. Raf could come up with an answer for that, surely.

He zoned out for a split second there, getting ahead of himself and starting to panic over a situation that might not even happen. Raf would be smart enough to say no if anyone else ever asked for a ride, right? He tuned back into the conversation just in time to hear the part about taking the donations to the shelter, and the part about not wanting to be late for a game. Okay. Good. She wasn't asking for a ride. Phew. That was one crisis averted.

This was painful to watch. Especially now that Raf's sister had backup from even more girls. Where did they even all come from..?! Bee watched as they surrounded Raf, showering him with encouragement. He felt bad for the little guy.

C'mon Raf buddy, stay strong. Don't let them talk ya into-

Slag.

Bumblebee knew that Raf was oh so very outnumbered and stood no chance against the peer pressure, compliments and encouragement from the gaggle of cheerleaders. The moment the box was taken from his arms and they began cooing at him, it was game over. Sigh. Bee didn't want to let Raf down, this was all on him now, and he would be the one who got into trouble if they didn't follow through with this and get the baked goods to the shelter.

The shelter wasn't too far away, was it? He couldn't recall where it even was.. Trying to think.. Was it across town..? There was no way they'd make it there and back to base within the allocated time, though. Damnit. Ugggh Raf, why did you have to say yes!

He watched in dismay as the army of cheerleaders began unloading the baskets of baked goods. He couldn't get out of this. Stuck in alt-form, all he could do was watch and play along. He felt annoyed. Not at Raf, but at the cheerleaders and Raf's sister. This wasn't fair on Raf. They outnumbered him, and used their girly-charm against him, how could he say no to them? Raf was too kind to say no to anybody! This was just mean!

...Annnd then the girls surrounded Bumblebee, arms full of baked goods, and from their mouths came the 'oohs' and 'aahs' he never got tired of. Yes, yes I am amazing. Yes, I do make your car look like crap. He was loving the attention. Any and all annoyance and distaste he felt toward these ladies for taking advantage of Raf's kindness? Magically washed away as they boosted his ego. He wasn't even mad anymore. The holoform would lean forwards, pulling a small handle under the front seat which made the trunk pop open so the girls could unload the baked goods. The passenger side door would unlock, so Raf could get in quickly if he needed – although Bee was perfectly content to sit here for a while and listen to the compliments.

[Deleted]

Thankfully, Raf was spared having to explain how his young friend could afford such a car. His sister swooped back out of the thrift store to usher the cheerleaders away. The cloud of girls departed the two, but not after humiliating Raf further by attacking him with copious amount of hugs and one giant, pink kiss mark on his cheek.

Scrubbing at his face with his sleeve, Raf climbed into the car and refused to even look at the steering wheel for a moment. Not until the offending mark was gone. He even smelled like a noxious mix of perfume from the gaggle of cheerleaders. Thankfully the smell wouldn't linger. But, for the life of him, Raf couldn't figure out why anyone would try and chase after those strange creatures for fun. Maybe dating just wasn't for him.

"The shelter isn't too far away. I'm sorry, Bee. I should have said no..." Twitching his feet, Raf buckled himself in and composed his hands across his lap. He could have said no. But he hated disappointing anyone. And who said no to taking food to a shelter?? Well, besides his sister with questionable goals. She wasn't all that bad. But like all of her friends, she found her needs to be a larger burden than her siblings. It was kind of annoying but she had her redeeming factors at times.

[Bumblebee]

Bumblebee was so wrapped up in all the attention that he didn't notice Raf's sister make her way from the store. Only when the cheerleaders seemed to disperse and leave with her, did he suddenly realize. Awww, he was enjoying that. All good things must come to an end, and eh, maybe he'd see them around town. Wasn't like there were any other cars like Bee in the town, afterall!

His gaze shifted to Raf, finding it odd that the little guy didn't seem to lap up and lavish in the attention given. Attention was awesome! At least Bee thought so. He was quiet as Raf got into the car, closing the door behind him. He watched curiously as Raf wiped at his face. He'd seen the lipstick, but decided not to comment. The little guy obviously didn't want it there, and Bee wasn't about to draw attention to it.

--Aah it's alright. They did kinda gang up on ya. And besides, it's helping ya family out, so that's good, right?-- He sounded cheery, like he didn't mind. He didn't want Raf to get into trouble with his parents for failing to do the errand forced on him. He knew they probably wouldn't ground him if they didn't do this, but there was always a chance that could happen, and Bee didn't want that! --We'll just have to go a liiiittle bit faster on the way back to base is all.-- maybe it would be Bee that would get grounded, they were supposed to be back around now, but there wasn't much Bee could do about that.

Once the area was free from cheerleaders and other pedestrians, Bee would reverse out the parking lot and pulled back onto the road, starting to drive. Shelter, shelter.. Where even... Ehh.. The town of Jasper wasn't that big, so he could just drive around till he either found it, or Raf pointed out where it was.

[Deleted]

Raf had a sneaking suspicion the lipstick mark wasn't budging from his cheek. But he was blushing so hard, one could hardly tell the difference. Thankfully, Bee didn't say anything about the girls or the smooch mark. If Miko knew he'd never hear the end of it. Sometimes she couldn't let go of a thing and would ride someone about it endlessly. But Bee knew when not to say something. It was a rare gift.

"The shelter is at the corner of Elm and Cerdo avenue." Avenue was being generous. In all the time Raf had lived in the town (his whole life) he had always felt that 'avenue' was a bit generous for the road. It wasn't even one of the main roads through the town and the state only just maintained the road. But it was a shelter for the unfortunate, so it was tucked back from the main drags of the town by a few streets to give some measure of privacy and sanctuary to the masses.

Jasper was such a small town, but like any town, it had its vices. And a side effect of such was a small population of people who didn't have homes of their own. Most of them were drifters that just happened to be passing through and was guided to the shelter so they weren't outright sleeping on the streets. Some were just unlucky individuals. Raf didn't like to speculate one way or the other why they were there. His mama had always told him it was rude to guess as to why.

Absentmindedly, he scrubbed at cheek while Bee drove. The lipstick mark was just as stubborn as ever.

[Bumblebee]

Bee would drive slowly through the town. Stopping at red lights, stopping at stop signs.. Obeying traffic laws and rules. There was quite a bit of traffic, given people were making their way home from picking up kids from the school. It was almost aggravatingly slow at points, but.. It couldn't be helped. They were already going to be late getting back to base. Bee could speed, weave around this slower drivers and get this over with - oh how he wanted to, but he wouldn't do such a thing with Raf in the car. Unless it was an emergency, of course.

--Elm and Cerdo? I know where that is!--

At least he thought he did. He recognized the street names at least – he knew they were in one of the quieter parts of town – one that he hadn't been to. He had a general idea, though, and Raf could direct them as they got closer.

Thankfully Jasper was small, so once Bee had gotten through most of the heavier school traffic, it was smooth sailing until they reached the quieter parts of the town. He pulled from the main road, and a few turns here and there? They were almost at their destination. He drove slower through these areas so he didn't miss the street names, also giving Raf more time to try and scrub the stubborn lipstick from his cheek which he still hadn't commented on.

--It's around here, right? Oop! I see it!--

He felt a little.. Awkward driving around this area. Something he couldn't quite place. It was eerily quiet and mostly free of traffic, but he had a feeling that an awesome muscle car such as Bee didn't really belong here. At least they wouldn't be here too long!

He pulled into the parking lot of the shelter, moving to find a space as close to the door as he could – just like he had done at the Goodwill.

[Deleted]

Raf was going to petition every lipstick maker to ask just what they put into the recipe to make it stick so swell to his cheek! He'd even used his sleeve to scrub at it. And while it had faded the mark, the ghost of the kiss was still there as bright as ever possibly sinking radioactive isotopes into his skin. There was no way something as simple as basic minerals went into the fabrication of the stuff.

With a small sigh, he gave up on any attempts at getting the mark off just yet. This was his burden until he got to some soap. He just hoped he could get it off before Jack or Miko saw. They'd never let him hear the end of it. And Raf knew Miko. She somehow had a sense for these things. She'd be at the base waiting!

The site of the shelter was a welcome relief even if the building was a squat, ugly thing. What had once been a lawyers office turned resident shelter. It had never been pretty to begin with. Raf supposed it was functional in the way any lifeless architecture could be. Boxy, with one floor above ground floor. It was a long building but narrow in the front giving the illusion of being small. And the color was that of dust. And not even pretty dust like sand from a red dessert. This was just 'ugh' put into a color and slapped onto the walls.

But for the residents, it was likely the best home they could have for now. Raf's mom routinely donated her time and energies in such places as this. It was vital to the community, she'd always said. Raf may not have liked the building but he didn't fault the people who lived and worked inside for that.

When they parked, Raf unbuckled himself and worked on opening the door. All he had to do was drop off the pastries and then they were free! It was such a liberating feeling. Maybe that's why so many people volunteered. Just to taste that sweet freedom at the end of the task. A sense of accomplishment. Raf just wanted to get back to the base and do his homework.

"This shouldn't take too long. I'm just going to drop these at the front desk and then we can get out of here." Raf smiled at the thought and shuffled for the building with an armful of baked goods. Mostly breads and sweet cakes. His mom was a pretty decent baker. But, and he'd never say this, his older sister was actually better.

Inside the building was much more cheerful. Someone had at least invested in a few potted plants and painting the interior a livelier color. There was plenty of light coming in and the front office had at least some attempt at welcoming. Which was better than the parking lot. The receptionist, a volunteer not much older than his older sisters, had familiar praise for him and his family. Raf had to spend five minutes going through the same ol, same ol. Yes, his family was doing well. Yes, his mom was still working in the same place. Yes, his dad was doing fine. Yes, he had grown. No, he didn't have a girlfriend. Was it just him or did the lipstick mark burn more at the comment?

Arms relieved of the burden, Raf shuffled out of the door and was about to let go of it when behind him, someone yelled. Well, it wasn't so much a yell as a cry for help. And while Raf was the first person to offer aid in a situation for help...For one irrational moment, Raf had the urge to run to Bee and to tell him to just drive. Just go! But that was silly. That was very much a Miko thing.

Instead, he cringed and partially turned around to see what (now?!) was happening. A woman a little younger than his mom had waddled into the office and was in the process of either reenacting the chest bursting scene from a Scifi movie or she was going into labor. Oh..Oh no! Not good! Not his forte! Raf backed away from the building but, like sensing the movement of wounded prey, the only two people in the office turned to him. The volunteer held up a hand and Raf's heart sank into his shoes. Noooo.

"Raf, wait! She needs a hospital!" The volunteer, just now realizing that maybe this whole giving time to the needy, looked about as lost and frightened as he had the first time he'd seen two giant aliens fight it out. Compared to that, this wasn't really all that bad. Still not good, though. No.

"I'll call!" Raf fumbled for his phone and had his fingers jabbing the buttons before the woman shrieked another banshee wail of pain before turning her pained face to him.

"No! I can't afford an ambulance fee. Might as well drop the kid here."

Both Raf and the volunteer paled at the very thought.

"No, no! We'll get you to the clinic. It's not even that far! Raf, you got a car, right?!" The volunteer looked on the verge of tears and Raf was two seconds away from bolting.

"I'm twelve!!"

"Well, your driver can take her! I walked here!" she all but wailed. It was kind of funny. When upset, everyone started to reach the same octave.

"Nnnnarugh! Someone make up their mind already!" The voice that came out of the labored woman could rival Ratchet on his worst day. Apparently she was done with waiting. "Now, I'm not going into labor yet. These are just early contractions. But someone had better get me to the clinic soon. Or we're having this kid here." She breathed out through her teeth and from the set of her jaw, Raf was mildly impressed. It looked like the baby was going to claw its way out from the way she grew all pale.

Raf realized two things: one, he didn't want to assist in a delivery. That really wasn't on his bucket list. He could go the rest of his life and not see someone do that. And two: Bee was going to shake him like a maraca. With a cringing look, he turned to look at the flashy car parked so close and yet so far...

[Bumblebee]

Bumblebee's mind was elsewhere once he pulled into the parking space and to a stop. Mostly thoughts on how if this went by without a hitch? They could be back at base just in time to watch the last half of his favorite cartoon. They were already past their curfew, but at this point he didn't see why he should radio back to base to let them know why. This would be the last leg of their little detour, and they'd be back at the Omega base soon – he could explain everything then.

--Okiedokie!-- He chirped happily at Raf. He knew this wouldn't take long; it was literally just dropping something off and then they could be on their way. He'd already mapped out in his processor the fastest route to take so they could make it back to base as quickly as possible, as it was Bumblebee who would get nagged at for being late.

He left his engine running as Raf made his way from the car – no point in powering off when they'd be leaving again in just a few moments. Making subtle adjustments to his side mirrors, front tires shifting a little from left to right. Tiny attempts at stretching without being obvious about it. He couldn't wait to get back to base and out of his alt form to relax.

His hopes high as everything seemed to be going well, and Raf was shuffling out the door. That really was easy.

..Except it wasn't. Nothing ever was, at least not today it seemed. His gaze drawn by the cry for help. He could see into the building from where he'd parked, and his attention shifted to the woman who had made her way into the office.

Ehehe. She's waddling. Look at her waddling. She looks so silly.

Bumblebee unfortunately knew all about the miracle of human childbirth from watching too much TV – a curious childlike fascination that had left him unable to switch channels at times, so he'd seen a lot of things he probably shouldn't have. It was mostly just the generic hospital shot of a woman laying in a bed screaming, then moments later she'd be handed a tiny screaming bundle of joy and everybody was happy. Something about a water breaking too, but he didn't know what that was in full.

What he did know was that it involved a lot of screaming, and a lot of mess. But that wasn't his concern! Raf was already on his way ov-- Raf no. Don't turn around. No. Raf. No. Stoppit. Raf. RAF.

Internal screaming. So much internal screaming. Raf what are you doing.

He watched in horrified silence as Raf fumbled with his phone. That horror only grew as the woman shrieked again, because clearly the phone was the wrong thing to do.

No no no. No. Nope. No. No. Do not want. No. Did he mention no? Because no. No. Just no.

What Raf couldn't see, thankfully, was that the moment he turned to look at the Scout? Bumblebee had already shifted into reverse. His first thought, and instinct, had been to run away out of panic. He wasn't doing this. He didn't want to do this. No. He was gone. So gone. Goodbye. He couldn't hear the conversation from inside the building, but he knew damn well where it was heading.

He started to pull out of the space – going only mere inches, though, before the guilt of leaving Raf behind made him stop. Damnit. Damnit. DAMNIT. More internal screaming. Bumblebee had been through enough already in his short life without having to deal with this.

The holoform would shift slightly in the drivers seat, sitting up straighter and more alert. The hands tightening their grip on the steering wheel. Bee was panicking. How would they even deal with the holoform? It couldn't talk. What if the woman shrieked at it?! What would he do?! Beep at her?! Raf would have to make up some excuse. But what. What if the woman started having the baby?! His holoform couldn't help with anything! Panic. PANIC.

He couldn't do anything. He couldn't agree to this. Or tell them to go away and get help from elsewhere. He couldn't run away and leave Raf – that was just beyond cruel. He was stuck in alt form. Raf couldn't exactly say no to them, either. Not with this. Bumblebee knew where the hospital was. He could get there fast if traffic allowed. But what if he got pulled over for speeding? What would he do then? Beep-squawk an explanation at the officer with his holoform? The day had already gone horribly wrong, and Bee had a sinking feeling it was going to get much worse.

The dark tinted driver window would slowly lower, and out stuck the holoforms arm. It waved Raf and the woman over. There wasn't anything he could do. He had to help. And just pray that he made it to the hospital before the messy part of childbirth began. Primus help him. All he could do was internally scream and hope this went by quickly.

[Deleted]

If it made Bee feel any better, Raf was suffering internally just as much as he was. He didn't want to get anywhere NEAR the miracle of life. It wasn't a miracle to him. Ok, maybe down on a molecular level it was kinda cool. But that was from far away. Maybe through a tv while he was flipping through the channels looking for something useful. Space was useful. Cartoons were sort of useful. Childbirth? Nope! He didn't need that!!

But if his momma ever found out he bailed on two people who needed help? Megatron would seem friendly in comparison.

His worst fears were confirmed when Bee's holoform waved them over. Yep, this was going to happen. They were going to escorting a woman to the clinic. Who was going into labor. He didn't want to be a jerk and ask about that whole water breaking thing, but he was thinking it loudly.

Sighing, Raf turned to the woman and offered his small hand. At some point she'd crossed the room and her near presence made him jump in place even as she grabbed his hand in a firm, callused grip. Whatever she did for a living, it involved a lifetime of manual labor. This close he noticed her sundress was faded well past its prime and the seams were stressed from over washing and use. It was likely she wore the dress all the time. His momma had said something about only finding one pair of clothes that felt good while in her late stages of pregnancy. Raf's heart kind of squeezed at the thought. It was either that or she didn't own much else. Both thoughts hurt.

"We'll get you there," he mumbled and began to shuffle her over to the car. Behind him, he tried to ignore the volunteers loud sigh of 'oh thank god' because really, he was just envious she was getting out of this.

"You're a good kid..." The woman stressed out, mouth tight in either pain or determination. "My name's Paula. Didn't she say your name was Raf?"

For a woman who was about to forcibly eject a human being from the their body, she was very perceptive. Which was a bit troubling to think of. What was he going to say about Bee?!

"Uh, yeah. It's nice to meet you, Paula. Um, my friend in the car? He doesn't talk around people he doesn't know very well." He affected a very loud stage whisper that HOPEFULLY Bee would hear and take the hint. "He stutters and it can be a little embarrassing to him."

"My son stuttered in his first few years of school. Takes practice to get over it. I heard nerves had a big deal to do with it-NNNNnnn!" She trailed off and squeezed Raf's hand into what he was sure was powder. Welp, it had been nice having two working appendages...

"Ok! Let's get you to that clinic!!!" He all but shoved her toward the car at that point. There was zero chance she was going to fit in the back. She'd just have to sit up front and hopefully keep her hands to herself. After an awkward squeezing moment of Raf worming through the back and her squeezing in the front, Raf had to introduce the driver and God...already he was tired of this.

"Bee, Paula. Paula, Bee. Please drive fast." Paula still had a hold on his hand and didn't seem inclined to let go. But that was just as well. If her hand was occupied she wouldn't accidentally grab onto the holoform and ruin their ah...secret.

"Relaaaaaaaax," she hissed out through clenched teeth, sounding nothing like relaaaaaaaxed. "I'm not dropping her yet." She leaned against the window of the car and waved a hand at Bee. Drive, man, drive!

[Bumblebee]

Bee could do nothing but sit here and panic. Internally screaming and wondering just who he'd wronged recently to have this amount of crappy luck today. What'd Raf and he done to deserve any of this? It was just one thing after another! There went any and all hope of watching the last of the cartoons, he'd get yelled at for being late and not contacting the base, he wouldn't get to hang out with Raf for as long as this was cutting into the precious moments they had after school... And a woman was probably going to give birth in his alt form.

Awesome! Best day EVER! Not! 

He had heard Raf mention about how the driver didn't speak much, which was a tiny, tiny worry off his processor. But if the woman leaned over to grab him, or tried to talk to him anyway because the stutter didn't matter to her? They were screwed. Luckily the holoform was somewhat realistic so it wouldn't be totally obvious, and hopefully the woman's mind would be on more uh.. Important.. Things.. But..

He was worrying again.

Focus Bee. Focus. It's just driving. Juuust driving.

He sat here silently hoping, silently wishing that maybe the employee would step in at the last second and offer to take her instead. That some miracle would happen and he wouldn't have to do this. Sadly, he could only watch as Raf and the woman got closer. Luck was not on his side, it seemed. The holoform would lean over to open the passenger door to make things a tiny bit easier for the pair.

Please don't sit in the front.

Please don't sit in the front.

Please don-

Frag.

It was a good thing that humans couldn't pick up on fields, because Bee was panicking. A lot. The holoform would wait until the woman was settled in the front seat and the door was closed behind her. The hand wave indicating for him to go.

Seatbelt? Yes? You're going to wear it? Yes? NOPE. Well. It probably wouldn't fit anyway! You're huge! But.. Frag.. FRAG! Okay then!

The holoform would nod as Raf spoke and gave a strong but shaky thumbs up, before its hand would slide down to the gearstick and slamming into reverse. He'd pull quickly from the parking space, pushing into gear, before returning his hands to the steering wheel and pulling onto the road. The holoforms knuckles were white as it gripped the wheel, no doubt from the stress and panic of this all. The only movements were steering, and changing gear. His field may be unreadable, but the holoform sure was tense and no doubt gave away how Bee felt.

It's just driving. You can do that. Just ignore the woman. Raf's got her. You focus on driving. You know where the clinic is. Just drive.

He kept his attention on the road ahead and not the hissing-about-to-squeeze-out-a-baby-inside-my-altform woman beside him. She so did not sound relaxed, then again the women he'd seen in those few unfortunate videos he'd watched didn't seem relaxed either. At least she wasn't screaming yet. Hopefully it wouldn't get to that stage. Please don't get to that stage! It was hard enough to focus as is!

He knew where the clinic was. It was on the 'tour list' which Bee gave newcomers to the Omega Base who had appropriate alt modes; just on the off-chance that something ever, Primus forbid, happened to the kids or other humans when they were out and about and June wasn't around.

Luckily it was easy to get to. Unluckily it was across town.

He figured he'd take the fastest route, which meant main roads. Easy. This'd be fast. Simple. And there would be no baby born in here today! Ah-ha! A flawless plan!

He'd take a right turn once he was out of the tiny Cerdo Avenue, and pulled onto the main road only to be met with what looked to be backed up cars just a short ways down the road. He realized his mistake near instant, but it was too late to get out of this now – there were cars already behind him and there weren't any turns off this road for a good while.

What Bumblebee hadn't accounted for was that during the time it'd taken to go from the school to the Goodwill, to wait on Raf's sister and her friends to load up the baked goods and for Raf to escape them, to drive all the way out here to the shelter? It was time for most people to start leaving work and heading home, and there was a lot of out of town traffic due to the game that Raf's sister was cheering in tonight at the local high school.

Which meant one thing. Bumper to almost bumper traffic.

The holoforms hands squeezed and un-squeezed the steering wheel tensely, blue eyes glaring at the cars in front as if he was silently SCREAMING at them to move out the damn way! He could beep his horn. Sure. But would it do anything? It wasn't like the cars in front knew he had a woman about to explode in here! All it'd do was piss people off!

C'mon traffic. Please move. Please. Pleeeeease.

Frag frag frag frag FRAG!!!!!!