Burned (Transformers Prime)

Chapter Twelve | The Final Straw

"So one last time,
I need to be the one who takes you home.
One more time,
I promise after that, I'll let you go."

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"I'm off work again today." Dana spoke into the phone, which was tucked into her shoulder as she put some books in her locker and took some out. "No one has called asking for me to substitute in for them. So I'll be heading over to the science fiction club with Jack."

"Alright. When do you start work again?" Her mother questioned.

"Tomorrow; I'll actually leave school when I go to fulfill my nursing hours and then just clock out and back in when my school hours are over." Dana tried to close her locker as gently as she could, not wanting to accidentally scare her mother over the phone.

"I just wanted to make sure you're getting all your necessary hours in. Have fun at your club."

"I will mom, thanks." Dana said her goodbye before closing the phone, shouldering her backpack and heading to her car. Today her nursing class just met for the lecture portion, so she was dressed in a more Nevada weather-appropriate outfit: shorts, t-shirt, and a light jacket for the slight wind chill.

Her tennis shoes crunched against the old pavement as she headed to her car, unlocking the doors and opening the back to throw her backpack in.

"Hey, Dana."

She turned; it was Sierra. She smiled. "Hey there, Sierra. What's up?"

The red-head girl returned her smile, holding her books and looking a little shy for once. "I've got a question . . . Well, a few questions, actually. You're friends with Jack, right? Jack Darby?"

Dana blinked for a second, a little thrown off, then nodded. "Yeah, we're friends."

"Okay, good." Sierra laughed nervously. "Would you, uh, happen to have his phone number? We're working on a project together and I totally spaced on giving him mine so we could talk about it after school. I know he works a lot and goes to some club, so he's going to be busy and we'll probably be doing a lot of collaborating over the phone."

The nurse smiled and took out her phone. "I can give your number to him, if you'd like. I don't know if he'd be comfortable having me give out his phone number without him noticing."

"I totally understand." Sierra took out her phone as well. "It's 555-7897. Just tell him to let me know that he's the one texting me, and we'll be good to go. Thanks, Dana."

"No problem." After typing in the message, Dana snapped her phone shut again. "I'll see you in class tomorrow, Sierra."

"Yup, see you then." The girl turned and walked away, heading over to her friend's car, said friend looking a little impatient, though Dana kind of figured that was her normal face. She just had the kind of resting face that made her look mad at everyone. In the few times Dana had talked to her, she was actually really nice.

Some people are like that, I guess. She shrugged to herself as she started up the car and pulled out of the parking lot, heading to base.

It had been a week since she had last seen the base, thanks to work. In that time, a new recruit named Smokescreen had joined them, much to Ratchet's chagrin. Apparently Jack was in charge of teaching him about Earth after a run-in with another human, and the rookie seemed to be getting on everyone's nerves.