Live in Country

Adjusting

"Cliff's gone for good," Arcee told Tico after telling everyone else what happened at the mine. "I know and I knew it was a long shot, to begin with, but what's wrong with a little hope right?" Tico asked with a smile. Arcee knew that little hope goes a long way, which was something I had held close to my heart. "Optimus no signal and if we don't get home our folks are going to call the cops," Jack said showing his phone to the prime. "Jack's right OP it's nearly curfew on top of the fact that these three need guardians," Tico said coming over to the rest of the group. "That is true thank you for the reminder of your curfew. Bumblebee you are with Raf, Bulkhead with Miko, and Arcee with Jack," Optimus said. "Wait what about Tico she doesn't have a guardian anymore. Cliff was hers before he died," Vince said pointing out that Tico didn't have a guardian anymore. "I talked to Ratchet and he was more than willing to be partnered up with Tico in light of the situation," Optimus said. Tico looked over to the medic and gave him a smile knowing that it was something that was outside his comfort zone in the long run all things considered. "Aren't you two leaving as well?" Raf asked us as he saw us staying where we were.

"It's the weekend which means we stay here and Dad along with Vince's folks think both of us that we are staying at a ranch 1 hour and a half out of town they know the bot's holoforms so we are covered," Tico said giving the new trio an explanation on why the two of them are staying with the bots. "On top of the fact that Fowler knows that both of us work with the bots so on that front we are also covered as well," Vince said pointing out that the government and the military know that two high school students are working with a team of transforming alien robots from space. "Dad knows about the bots?" Raf asked. "He doesn't but all he and Deigo know is that I befriended a group of ranchers that hired me on as a ranch hand this past summer after my birthday and the reason for the alibi was Cliffjumper whose holoform looked like a cowboy so it was a believable story to tell the both of them," Tico said. Vince explained that he also took the story as well when he joined the team because Optimus dropped both of us home that night and it was a convenient story that both of us used all the time.

We also explained because of the story our folks let us stay with the bots on the weekend because of work and they bring us back home Sunday afternoon. The new trio was impressed with the continuity that both Vince and Tico had created over the last two years of the story. They left and Vince and I started to get ready for bed when the bots had their holoforms on when Tico walked back into the main room with a box. "What's in the box?" Tico asked the team. "Just open it and see," Ratchet said with a faint smile on his face. When Tico opened the box in question, Tico saw that it was several of Cliff's jackets that he had to use with his holoform when he went out along with one of his cowboy hats as well. "We thought you might want something more tangible to remember Cliff," Bulkhead said looking at the jackets and the hat in question. Tico took one of the jackets out and put it on along with the hat to see how it fits and it was a little big. "I need to fix the jackets to fit me but other than that it's perfect thanks guys," Tico said before putting the box near my stuff.

When it comes to certain stuff that Tico has that she wants to keep out of her Dad and her brother's hands she would give it to Fowler to keep for safekeeping. He knows that she doesn't want to risk certain things when it comes to her family and so anything related to the bots that Fowler keeps off base won't get into her family's hands. So having jackets with Fowler won't be a big deal as long as Tico keeps one with me along with the hat. A good thing about Tico being the civilian liaison for the bots working with Fowler, the government, and the military is that there is a fully stocked fridge and kitchen at the base with food so the human members don't go hungry when they're here. It was one of the things that Tico talked to Fowler about when she started to work with the bots overnight at the base along with creating an area near Ratchet's work area that can be used for sleep that's concealed while having an open space to relax.

When Vince joined up, both areas had gotten updates for both of them along with the fact that he had to learn from Tico to keep the bots a secret and to work with them as well. The government and the military are aware that both kids work with the bots but officially Tico is the civilian liaison which does have some perks to the job. Such as health insurance, college paid for, and a job with foreign affairs or the state department if she wanted the job. This is also being offered to Vince as well which was nice in the long run. With the fact that both are getting paid to work the bots which is a good amount of money.

Having to think that Tico has to move forward knowing that she wouldn't see Cliff again is something that is going to take time to adjust. Arcee is going to take a bit longer because Cliffjumper has been her second partner that she lost during the war so it is going to take longer for her to heal. Tico on the other hand learned early on that people come and go but they are always with her no matter where life takes them. This is just another chapter in this thing called life and Tico has to figure out how to work with Ratchet more often along with the fact that things are going to be different now with the Cons back in action.