Fallen Angel (Transformers Fanfiction)

Chapter 23

 "Leaving? Yeah, yeah, I know. Ratchet came in and told me." Cliffjumper stretched his arms out for the third time in his conversation with Bumblebee. "Crazy how everything can change so quickly. One day I'm hiding my secret, the next I'm going to the human world." He frowned. "Where, though? I don't know how the human world works." 

"I'm sure the humans will help you," Bumblebee said, referring to Jack, Raf, and Miko. "And Bulkhead. He loves the humans." Cliffjumper nodded and smiled. 

He'd woken up a few hours ago, every limb sore and everything itchy, it was embarrassing. He was refraining from itching, though he wanted to. "Where's Arcee?" he asked. 

"Hopefully sleeping. If not that, then sitting on her bed plotting murder." 

"Sounds like her." Cliffjumper limped to the exit, Bumblebee scampering after him. 

"Don't get too sappy," he wrote. 

"Don't say that stuff. I'm just saying goodbye before Ratchet chases me out of here." 

He walked down to Arcee's room and heard soft muttering. Plotting murder. Cliffjumper knocked and heard a startled scream, something shattering. "Primus! Go away! I'm sleeping!" 

"It's Cliffjumper." 

"Get your butt in here and say nothing." Cliffjumper snickered and cracked open the door, seeing Arcee with her arms tightly crossed and her face flushed red in embarrassment. "How are you?" 

"I'm fine," he said. "You?" 

"Mm, yeah, I'm good." She shuffled awkwardly in front of something. Cliffjumper peered around her and saw a vase shattered on the ground with a blade stuck through it. 

"So, you know I'm leaving, right?" he said. She sighed, dropping her stiff position. 

"Yeah," she said. "You agreed? I was kind of hoping you wouldn't. Optimus wasn't going to force you to go." 

"Yeah, well, I went to get some air outside and was mobbed. I think we all need a breather and with me here, no one's going to get it." He put his hands on her shoulders. "Don't worry about me. I'm sure I'll be fine, and I've got Jack, Raf, and Miko to help me out."

"Where will you go?"

"No idea. I have a lot of questions, but before I go, I challenge you to one last pickpocketing game. And if you say no, I have instantaneous bragging rights."

"Fine." She tensed, then darted out the door behind him. "Readysetgo!"

Of course, she won that round, lock picking Cliffjumper's door and waiting for him in his room the whole hour. Nothing in the rules against it; it was fair play. 

"Okay," he grudgingly said as she grinned happily and gathered up his loot. He flopped onto his bed, making her yelp and bounce, some of the objects flying out of her grasp. 

"Hey!" she said. 

"You're so little," he said, reaching up and patting her head. "Even Jack is taller than you!" 

"Not my fault! Maybe my growth was stunted!" 

"Or you're just, you know, short." She whacked him and he snorted, rolling away from her. She threw herself over him, dragging him off the bed. He grunted when he hit the floor with a loud thump, surprised yelling coming from below them. 

"That was Ratchet," Cliffjumper said. "Hurry. He's going to come in here and ask me what I'm doing." 

"Packing," Arcee said. "That's what you should be doing." 

"Can a short little pixie like you fit in...a case?" 

"You can try." She smirked, then sighed. "But I can't go. Optimus will need me." 

"I know." He helped her up and sat on the bed. "You think I could come back and visit a little bit?" 

"Definitely. I'd like to see anyone try and stop me." 

"Cool." They lapsed into silence and Cliffjumper blew out a breath. "Well, I really should get going. Ratchet said he would take me to the humans and get a bit of information on where I should go unless I'm going to become what they call a 'hobo'." 

"Let's hope not." 

"Yeah...but you only live once...." She raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, it's a horrible way to live." He nudged her. "Cheer up. I'm not dead." 

"Whoever said those things about you will wish they were." He ruffled her hair, making her yelp. "Hey!" 

"Chill," he said. "You should be sleeping. Bumblebee's onto you, anyway." 

"Fine. You'll say goodbye in the morning?" 

"Yeah. Now go to bed." 

"Ugh. Fiiiine." Cliffjumper smiled and shook his head as he stood up, walking to the door. 

"You don't need me to tuck you in, right?" 

"Get out." 

"Okay, okay, I'm going." He stepped out and closed the door. "Going on another adventure!"