Can't Run Away Forever

[illdriveyoushoot]

She takes the bus now, more often than not.

She'd sold her old bike, dragged her dad off for a 'new start'; pretty much vanished off the grid for a while. Mikaela had done as much as she'd been allowed to do, to get away and keep from being found.

Keep from being found by her friends, at least.

A part of her - the bitter part - is sometimes upset that they never did. That they never tried, never suspected. But then again, the way she had broken up with Sam, real and so very angry...

That same bitter part, while upset, isn't surprised she'd been so easily forgotten.

And then Chicago had happened, freedom had come with a price for everyone, and...

Well. Being left alone was more understandable, after that.

So now Mikaela takes the bus, to and from her little backwoods, podunk gas station/convenience store/one-car garage quick-e-mart, the best she can get on just a highschool degree in this economy, expunged record or not. She does register and occasional garage work, and she has a good shot at making manager in the spring. Her dad has his own place, finally, moving in with a woman with little patience and no tolerance for his crap.

She's too good for him, and Mikaela is happy for them.

But being on her own leaves her with too much time to think, and despite no lack of offers, hints, and the same old innuendos, she's had no one since Sam. She's lonely, and alone in a world where no one remembers or cares who she is or what she's given up.

In short, it sucks, and playing at 'normal' isn't at all what it's cracked up to be.

Comments

[oneshallstand]

It probably was a sign of how tired Optimus was getting that he didn't even think about that; instead he simply obeyed, bending his elbow as necessary to keep from pressing too much against the wall or door.

It also gave him something to brace against. It wouldn't be the most comfortable of repairs, but few ever were in the first place. And maybe the weariness would override some of that, anyway.

[illdriveyoushoot]

"Exactly, thanks."

Mikaela noticed his lack of objection or grumbling, but she wasn't going to risk ruining it by pointing it out. Instead she simply got right back to work, peering inside the largest armor gap Optimus' position created in his shoulder armor.

"Oh yeah, I think I see the source already. Easier to get at - but it looks like some joint-fluid supply lines and smaller energon lines got severed entirely?"

Mikaela winced, easily able to trace the path the large-caliber shell had taken through his shoulder.

"What the hell did they shoot you with...?" Mikaela hissed quietly, biting her lip until it stung. "Gonna have to jury-rig replacement parts for these lines."

Luckily, the garage had no shortage of spare parts.

[oneshallstand]

It went without saying that Optimus was only so aware of the scope of the damage; he had readouts, yes, but only a medic could fully interpret them, or someone with a direct visual. As it was, it only confirmed what they both already knew;

"I think I will be staying here for some time."

At least he'll have decent company?

[illdriveyoushoot]

That he would.

"Looks like it."

She didn't even have it in her to be sarcastic. The scope of the repairs needed... It was hitting her hard and it was all she could do to keep her wince hidden when she was facing him.

Sorting through the shop's supplies, Mikaela was able to pick out a selection of tubing of the right gauge, and small pipe clamps to attach them to what was left of Optimus' own fluid lines. A lot of their parts just didn't have even similar replacements among human supplies, so Optimus would be stuck repairing many smaller bits automatically. But the ones that did, like tubes and simple knobs or bolts, or things that could be replicated by bending metal into simple shapes...

That she could do. And he needed fluids to get to the right places if he was going to self-repair at all.

Returning to his open shoulder, she gave him a light tap. "Right. Heading in."

Back to work.

[oneshallstand]

It may have just now been hitting her- but for him, this was reality simply setting in. And that reality meant he was already starting to lose focus, exhaustion overcoming any lingering wariness. He didn't even flinch as she began to climb back in, but at least the quiet thrum of his engines showed that he hadn't simply fallen in to stasis.

Towards unconsciousness, yes. But not a permanent one.

[illdriveyoushoot]

It took her a while to notice his unusual silence. Mikaela was too busy working up to her elbows in leaky piping.

Despite the dire situation, the relative ease of the fix allowed her to fall into an efficient rhythm; clamping off dripping lines, measuring and cutting tubing, and fitting in a harder bit of plastic to serve as a coupling under the clamps between old and new tubes.

Drying, deprived fuel lines quickly began to cycle once more, one after another. It would make a lot of fiddly integration for Optimus' repair systems, once he was properly on the mend, but it was better than not being repaired at all.

Mikaela tried to keep up a semi-steady stream of commentary as she went, mentioning when she was clamping or unclamping a line, so Optimus wouldn't be surprised. But the talk was bland and didn't really require any response unless the huge 'bot objected, so she wasn't surprised by any lack of any response. It was only when she pulled out with a grunt, legs cramping from kneeling down for so long, that the silence seemed to linger.

"Optimus? I've finished with your shoulder. I think I got it all?"

She paused, placing an alarmed hand on his armor after the moment stretched; relieved to still feel the vibrations running through him.

"...Optimus?"

[oneshallstand]

There wasn't any objection at all; hardly a response at all, really, but for minor twitches that were more unconscious response to stimuli than anything else. His systems continued to cycle, if quietly, slowly spiraling down as coherent thought became harder and harder to grasp.

It was just easier to relax, and after going for so long without that luxury, it was an undeniable lure.

Optics shuttered, face perhaps not at ease but certainly relaxed, he gave no response to her query; it was hard to imagine him even still awake at this point.

[illdriveyoushoot]

The moment of alarm passed quickly enough; it was clear that Optimus had pretty much fallen into recharge. Blowing back her hair with a relieved breath, Mikaela smiled. He really deserved the rest.

Giving Optimus' frame a fond pat, Mikaela circled around the prone Autobot, searching for damaged areas to work on that she could actually access. Determined to continue fixing what she could, she eventually moved on to the obviously leaking spot on a thigh. Optimus was a massive job- she already knew she was going to be fixing as much as she could throughout the night.

Cracking her spine, Mikaela got to work.

he's basically just gonna be snoozing for now c:

[oneshallstand]

There was a lot to do, but steady and stubborn effort can get her through it; as for Optimus, he seems minimally responsive at best. It's not the first time he's fallen in to an exhausted recharge during a medic's mercies (as Ratchet can vouch), but it's been a long time since he had any sort of such luxury.

It means he feels, at least, for the moment, safe.

Which says quite a lot.

Babbu ;3;

[illdriveyoushoot]

Mikaela worked for the rest of night. Privately, she ended up being impressed with the amount she was able to accomplish when the need for repairs was so critical. She managed to nudge her way into armor gaps with a surprising ease- Optimus wasn't awake, but he thankfully didn't seem to register her as a threat, either. In the end, it looked like she stopped the serious leaks in two other locations, ending up with a pile of shattered, energon-leaking lines and a small sense of triumph.

But there was still so much more to do…

And it was thirty minutes to opening.

"Optimus? Optimus?" Stepping back with grime on her face and arms, Mikaela stared up at Optimus' slack face, hoping for a reaction when her previous hours of work had done little.

[oneshallstand]

There were a few twitches and motions, but actual consciousness seemed absent; the great Prime remained all but pliant to Mikaela's ministrations, perhaps not aiding but not outright blocking her from doing them. And true to his state, when she called his name...

He, well. Made a bit of a face, but if it was in response to her voice or some dream-stimuli, it remained to be seen.

He may need a bit more to wake up.

[illdriveyoushoot]

Momentarily at a loss over the minimal response, Mikaela gave the nearest wall clock an anxious glance.

"Optimuuus." she drawled, voice lilting up impatiently. "You need to turn back into a truck. The store opens in thirty minutes and I need to clear up all the evidence that you were here."

Stepping up to Optimus' arm, she hesitated for only a moment before slapping a palm down twice on the nearest bit of undamaged metal, just hard enough to make the metal ring.

[oneshallstand]

Well, the sound at least seemed to stir him, if only to have his optics flicker briefly. What was...?

He turned his helm, the blue lights flickering as he tried to pull himself back to the present. He was- he couldn't keep himself down, but he was so tired, and it was far more tempting to simply ignore it all but he couldn't but

Mikaela. Garage. Repairs.

What was she talking about, thirty minutes? He started to push himself up, motions sluggish and heavy. "Hnh...?"

[illdriveyoushoot]

Even knowing it was from the damage and resulting exhaustion, seeing Optimus all groggy and grumbling was a very humanizing thing. If it weren't for the situation, it would have been almost funny, given that Optimus always seemed like such a 'morning person'.

"Optimus. Hey." Blowing out a relieved breath, Mikaela leaned up across his arm, meeting the flickering optics.

"You need to transform for me, okay? Just park next to the building out back and then you can go back sleep- recharge. Whatever. Alright?"

[oneshallstand]

Usually, he is. Usually, he's not dealing with a stifled self repair given the opportunity to work.

He blinks slowly, the words taking longer to normal to process. When they do, he grimaces slightly; there's an irrational protest at the effort that remains unspoken, because she as absolutely right. He can't stay like this...

Exventing once, he makes a vague noise of assent, gesturing for her to give him some room before he starts to fold himself in to the dinged-up semitruck.

There, he transformed.

...and is remaining in place.

[illdriveyoushoot]

Stepping back, Mikaela was relieved enough that, when he finally transformed, she was able to mostly suppress her wince at how painful his transformation still looked and sounded.

Any praise died on her lips when he remained still and unmoving, even after keying the garage door to raise up in the back.

"...Optimus? Optimus?"

Oh, not again.

[oneshallstand]

To be fair, he's not quite back asleep, yet. Not for lack of want, mind, but there's a bleary flicker of his headlights to let her know that yes, he's listening, and what did she want again?