Disclaimer: I don't own transformers in any shape or form. I write this fic for my own amusement and to practice writing. I make no profit from it. I also have no money.

Warning contains: violence, drama, secrets, pretenders, Cliffjumper, ooc-ness, deviation from canon and slow story.

Just a warning I'm skipping Miko, Jack's and Raf's adventure aboard the Nemesis and meeting agent Fowler. So this chapter takes place after Jack states he doesn't want anything to do with the Autobots and Miko visit's Jack to try and convince him to come back.

More to Jack Than Meets the Eye ch4

Jack thinks about stuff

Or

Time to move things along

As Miko left Jack turned back to his bike, checking the chain and grabbing a can of lubricant.

"Normal" Jack muttered as he thought about Miko's words. "It's been some time since my life was normal…"

Putting down the can of lubricant Jack picked up a wrench and started to tighten a few bolts.

Finding it hard to keep his mind on the task at hand. Jack slammed his hand down in frustration. He thought about what had happened earlier today. How Miko, Raf and Jack had been discovered by agent Fowler. How agent Fowler had been captured by the Decpticons. How Bulkhead had somewhat reluctantly gone to rescue agent Fowler and Miko had followed the large Autobot. How Jack and Raf had gone after Miko and almost gotten killed.

"This isn't my problem." Jack started to mutter to himself, "This isn't my fight. If the others want to put themselves in danger… then whatever but I don't want to be part of any of it! Even if…even if…"

Sighing Jack picked up the can of lubricant and turned away from his bike with the intent of cleaning up. From the corner of his eye Jack saw a bright light. Turning towards the light Jack saw a red muscle car with its headlights on.

Sighing Jack watched the car pull into the driveway and wondered if he could just ignore the red muscle car.

It was then that Jack heard a masculine voice say, "Hey there, buttercup."

Jack felt his eye twitch at the name and asked, "Buttercup?"

"Your new nickname of course!" The automobile replied happily.

"I thought I was small fry…" Jack said in exasperation.

"Yeah…but after thinking about it small fry didn't really suit you." Cliffjumper replied.

"But buttercup does?" Jack asked in disbelief. Neither of the nicknames seemed to fit to Jack.

"Sure it does!" Cliffjumper happily insisted, "it really captures your bright and positive personality!"

In response to Cliffjumpers teasing Jack gave the Autobot a bland look.

"So anyway, what are you doing?" Cliffjumper asked changing the subject.

Jack looked at the lubricant can and wrench in his hands and asked, "what does it look like I'm doing?"

"Like you're about to have a good time," Cliffjumper teased.

Jack gave Cliffjumper a confused look and thought, 'so Cybertronian think that maintaining a bicycle is a good time?'

Seeing jacks confused expression Cliffjumper chuckled and said, "never mind, Autobot joke."

"Anyways," Cliffjumper continued, "I came here to talk about…"

"I really don't want to hear it," Jack interrupted, "Miko was just here and we talked."

Cliffjumper was silent for a few seconds and then said, "you don't trust us."

It was a statement, not a question but it was the truth.

"Distrust a bunch of alien robots who have been fighting a war on earth for an undisclosed amount of time without the general public knowing?" Jack sarcastically said, "no that can't be it."

"Listen here buttercup," Cliffjumper began to say and then paused, "I mean Jack. I know that trusting someone can be difficult and having Arcee as a partner…"

"We all have our issues," Jack said then whispered, "and secrets. Arcee's not the reason I left."

"Right right," Cliffjumper teased, "she's the reason you wanted to stay."

Jack choked and sputtered at Cliffjumpers claim.

Getting his emotions under control Jack asked, "why should we…why should I get involved in your war?"

"Huh?! You're not part…" Cliffjumper began to say.

Jack interrupted, "you're getting us involved. What? You actually think taking a couple of teenagers with you when you fight a bunch of homicidal robots isn't getting us involved?"

"We wouldn't take you…" Cliffjumper exclaimed.

"You wouldn't have to!" Jack shouted, "Optimus already explained, just knowing you is getting us involved. Hell, Miko just ran out onto a battlefield and a Decepticon warship!"

"Well so did you…and Raf." Cliffjumper muttered.

"Because," Jack started to explain then made a frustrated sound.

"They could have died…" Jack muttered. "Humans don't have built in armor they're…we're fleshy, squishy things. It doesn't take much for one us to get hurt or…killed."

"This isn't our war." Jack said, "this isn't my war. I don't know anything about Cybertron, Autobots, Decepticons or your war."

As Jack realized what he had said he started to feel uncomfortable and awkward.

The garage was silent for a few seconds.

"I see," Cliffjumper said, "well it's probably for the best."

"What's that suppose to mean?" Jack asked.

"The Autobots don't really need bots or well humans who aren't committed to the cause," Cliffjumper explained.

"So what, you're not upset or anything?" Jack asked.

"Although it is a real shame," Cliffjumper said ignoring Jacks question.

"A shame," Jack asked curiously.

"That you wont be able to see my glorious face anymore." Cliffjumper explained flashing one of his headlights in what Jack assumed was suppose to be a wink.

Jack let out a laugh at Cliffjumpers statement and felt the tension leave his body.

"Yeah right," Jack laughed out, "a real tragedy."

"You know it!" Cliffjumper said, "anyway I'd better be getting back to base."

"Well then bye," Jack said.

"Yep, back to base." Cliffjumper slowly said then asked, "you sure you don't want to."

"No," Jack said.

"Alright, your loss," Cliffjumper sang out as he revved his engine and quickly backed out of the driveway.

Jack watched as Cliffjumper left. When the Autobot was finally out of sight Jack began to tidy up the garage.

It had been surprisingly easy to talk with Cliffjumper, comforting even. Jack paused as he put the tools away as he thought, 'even if it was easy to talk to the bot I still don't feel comfortable enough to reveal any of my secrets.'

Letting out a sigh Jack headed into the house and walked towards the kitchen with the intention of cleaning himself up. As Jack turned on the facet and lathered his hands Jack heard his phone ring.

"Shoot," Jack muttered as he rinsed his hands and wiped them on a towel next to the sink. Reaching into his pocket Jack pulled out his phone and answered the device.

"Hey," Jack said in greeting.

"It's mom," Jack's mother voice happily said over the phone.

"Oh, hey mom," Jack said as he sat down on one of the chairs at the kitchen table, "what's up?"

"I just wanted to let you know I'm taking the night shift," June answered.

"The night shift?" Jack asked in surprise, "so you're pulling a double shift."

"I'm afraid so," June said, "anyways there's some tofu and asparagus in the fridge for dinner. Don't forget to clean up after yourself and finish your homework."

"Okay okay…" Jack said, "I know the drill. Dinner, dishes, trash, homework and be in bed before twelve."

"Eleven," June corrected.

"Eleven," Jack repeated back.

"I'll see you in the morning and I love," June said.

"Love you too mom," Jack replied as he hung up.

Jack set his phone down on the kitchen table then walked over to the fridge. Opening up the fridge Jack took out the blue lidded tupperware and opened it. As soon as Jack opened the lid he made a face of disgust at the smell.

Gagging Jack walked over to the trash and dumped the contents of the tubberware into the trash.

"Now for the dishes," Jack muttered as he headed over to the sink.

Rinsing the dishes in the sink Jack then placed them in the dishwasher. After staring the machine Jack turned to his right and opened a cupboard. Digging around in the cupboard Jack pulled out a bag of chips. Eating from the bag, it wasn't long until jack started to feel sick to his stomach.

Jack sealed the bag of chips and tossed the bag back into the cupboard.

"Now for the trash," Jack muttered.

Walking over to the trash Jack grabbed the plastic bag and pulled. He then tied the bag and set it on the floor walking over to the cupboard Jack pulled out a new plastic bag and placed it in the trash. Jack picked up the used trash bag and headed outside to the trashcans.

"I don't have any homework," Jack started to say. "So maybe I'll watch a movie."

Jack lifted the lid to the trashcan and dropped the trash inside as he muttered, "mom wont be home until tomorrow…"

Jack placed the lid of the trashcans down and said "mom wont be back home till tomorrow …and I don't have my designated Autobot babysitter anymore!"

Jack headed back to the house but paused as he reached for the doorknob, "that means I can…"

"Wait, no." Jack started to say as he argued with himself, "if mom finds out she would totally freak."

"But its not like there's anyone to tell her," Jack reasoned.

"But then again there are all those crazy robots driving around," Jack stated.

"On the other hand they probably don't interact with humans much, seeing as not many people know about the Autobots or Decepticons," Jack said.

Shaking his head Jack opened the door and entered the house. Walking over to the sink Jack washed his hands and sighed in thought, 'its been a while since I've done that.'

Jack dried his hands and grabbed his phone off the table. Heading to his room Jack ran his hand through his hair. Reaching his room Jack opened the door headed for his bed and pulled back the covers. He then walked over to his dresser and placed his phone down. Pulling out the contents of his drawers Jack threw them onto his bed and began to pile the clothes up. So that when Jack drew the covers over the clothes it gave the appearance of a body laying underneath.

Looking over his work Jack turned towards his door. He eyed his phone on his dresser but decided against taking the device with him. It wasn't as if Jack would be able to use it anyway.

Leaving his phone on the dresser Jack exited the room and headed for the front door. Leaving the house Jack pulled out his keys and locked the door. He then started to walk along the sidewalk taking notice of the darkening skies. As the sky continued to darken Jack eventually came to a large drainage ditch and carefully climbed down into it. The ditch brought back memories of when he and Arcee had been chased by the Decepticons.

Shaking his head Jack walked until he was directly under a large bridge that was used to cross the ditch. The bridge gave some protection from any wandering eyes.

"I'm not going to think about it," Jack muttered as he looked around making sure the coast was clear, "I don't want to think about it."

Seeing that there was no one around Jack crouched down and concentrated. Jack felt a familiar feeling of energy under his skin, a buzzing sound came to Jacks ears and a bale blue glow surrounded Jack. The blue light expanded, then the light faded only to reveal a kneeling form of a large blue and black robot.

Lifting its head the robot revealed a white face with bright blue eyes. Shakily the figure stood and nearly fell to his knees as he lost his balance. The sound of static came from the robots mouth.

Suddenly the figure started coughing.

"I'm never going to get use to that," the figure said in between coughs.

As the figure stood up to its full height, if one where to compare it to the Autobots its height was perhaps slightly taller than bumblebee's but had a slimmer body type.

Jack looked down at his hands and slowly clenched his fist. He really would never get used to it. When he was like this, it was as if something just clicked, as if this was somehow right. It was completely different from the feeling he had when he was in his other body, the body he had known for most of his life.

Shaking his head Jack chided himself for thinking that way. Jack then made his way over to the wall of the ditch, jumping up and exiting the ditch.

As his feet hit the ground Jack crouched and felt himself fold into himself. The sensation of the transformation didn't hurt but it often made him feel queasy. As his parts stopped moving jack found himself in the form of a car. Not just any car but a black and blue Bugatti Veyron.

'It always feels so weird,' Jack muttered as his engine roared to life and his tires kicked up the gravel underneath them. Jack sped down the gravel path and made a sharp turn onto the smooth concrete road.

As Jack continued to drive his thoughts kept going back to the events of the last few days.

'No,' Jack thought to himself, 'I don't want to think about that. I don't want to be involved.' Increasing his speed Jack continued on as the building of Jasper Nevada disappeared and the only thing before him was a stretch of road and desert. Making a sharp turn Jack drove off the road and headed into the desert not having a care in the world.

'This is bliss,' Jack thought, 'no worries, no responsibility, not a care in the world. Just him and the open road…well desert.'

Jack would never be able to explain the sense of freedom or rightness he felt when he was like this. It was like every thing just sort of clicked into place when he transformed. The truth was that throughout most of his life Jack had always felt a sort of wrongness about himself. A sense of wrongness that had always weighed on his shoulders, it had been like he was supposed to be someone else or be doing something.

Then Jack had found out he was different. That he had always been different. For about a year now he had known he was different but at the same he hadn't known what he was. But now he may be able to figure everything out.

'The Autobots,' Jack thought as he revved his engine in frustration. 'I don't want to think about it!"

With these thoughts clashing in his mind Jack found himself transforming near an outcrop of rocks. In anger Jack punch the formation of rocks and growled in anger.

As the punches continued Jack yelled out in a mixture of anger and frustration, " I cant believe this is actually happening! The first time I find out something about what I am! What I could possibly be and I get pulled into an alien war!"

Jack paused in his attacking of the unresponsive rocks and sighed. " I mean seriously is this a Saturday morning kids cartoon…Am I going to develop some weird but highly useful power to take on the forces of evil."

"Yeah right," Jack muttered as he face-palmed.

Jack stood there in silence for a few seconds and then kicked the rocks in one final act of frustration.

"I don't want to be part of any war!" Jack declared to himself as a rock the size of his fist broke off the rock and bounced off his head.

Jack rubbed his head and sighed. He took a few more seconds to study his surrounds before he transformed back and started to head home. It was a nice night but it would be best to head back home. Jack had work tomorrow and while his mom may have said she wouldn't be home until much later there was always the chance she would come home early.

As the light of the sun shone through the window Jack grumbled as the light hit his eyes. Rolling over Jack pulled his covers over his head and tried to go back to sleep. His plans though were discarded as he heard the front door open and close. Pulling back his cover Jack blurry looked at his alarm clock, which read seven o'clock. He still had about and two hours before he had to head out for work.

Sleep giving way to curiosity Jack got up and ran his hand through his hair and started to dress. Finishing Jack left his room and headed for the kitchen where he could hear various sounds.

Entering the kitchen Jack found his mother standing before the stove a skillet on top of a lit burner.

"Mom it's seven, did you just get home?" Jack asked

June turned towards Jack and rubbed the back of her neck, sheepishly June said, "looks like it. I thought I told you I was pulling another double shift."

"Yeah you did," Jack replied.

Jack listened to his mother yawn and close her eyes. June then wobbled a bit on her feet and quickly opened her eyes in surprise. It looked as if June was going to fall asleep on her feet.

"Maybe you should go to bed," Jack suggested.

"I will," June replied, "right after I make myself something to eat. "

Jack stared down at the pan and lifted an eyebrow and said, "so sautéed dishtowel? Looks good."

"What!?" June questioned as she looked at the pan in surprise only to find a dishtowel browning in the pan.

June swore under her breath as she dumped the contents of the pan into the sink and turned on the faucet. As the water ran over the pan and its contents June brought her hand to her head and sighed.

Jack looked on with worry and then headed towards one of the bottom cabinet drawers. Opening it Jack pulled out a clean pan and placed it on the stove.

"Mom," Jack began to say as he put his hand on his mother shoulder and guided her to the kitchen table, "I'll handle breakfast, you just take a load off."

"But," Jun stared to say.

"I still have an hour or two before I have to be at work," Jack explained. "I was going to make my own breakfast anyway I might as well make enough for two"

June chuckled and said, "my hero."

"Yeah yeah," Jack muttered as he walked over to the fridge and gathered the ingredients to make omelets. Placing the items near the sink Jack grabbed a cutting board from the counter and a knife from a drawer and started to prep the ingredients. Soon the sizzle of the pan could be heard and kitchen filled with the aroma of cooked vegetables and eggs.

"Smells good," June said as Jack grabbed two plates from the cupboard.

Cutting the omelet in half with a spatula jack place a half of omelet on each plate along with some vegetables.

Jack grabbed two forks, the plates of food and walked over to the kitchen table. He placed a plate and fork in front of his mother and then took a seat opposite her.

As June ate Jack played with the food on his plate while deep in thought.

"Is something wrong," June asked as she noticed that Jack wasn't eating. "Do you want to talk about it?"

In truth Jack had a lot he wanted to talk about, like where he was from, where and how did his mother find him and why could he transform into a car and giant robot.

Jack thought about the past year, the first time he transformed and his mother confused and surprised face. Whenever Jack asked her about himself she became flustered. Jack had a feeling that his mother didn't know much more than he did. Although he was pretty sure his mom knew where she found him. Her refusal to talk about it was frustrating.

"Yeah, every things fine," Jack reassured his mother. "I better finish getting ready for work."

"What, but you haven't finished breakfast," June said in concern.

"Not that hungry," Jack replied.

June gave Jack a concerned look.

"I really am just not feeling hungry," Jack said. "I'll grab an organic gluten free granola bar on my way out, okay."

"Alright," June said as she took her dishes to the sink and yawned. "I think I'll head to bed."

"Sounds like a plan," Jack replied.

Jack watched as his mother headed out the kitchen. It wasn't until he heard his mother door close that he started to move. Cleaning up the mess in the kitchen and then headed to his room to grab a fresh change of clothes. After grabbing his clothes Jack walked to the bathroom closing the door behind him. About twenty minutes later Jack exited the bathroom with dirty clothes in hand. Walking into his room Jack grabbed his phone off the dresser and his backpack off the floor.

Leaving his room Jack headed for the garage. Entering the garage from the house, Jack headed over to the garage door and pushed the door up. He then walked over to his bike and lifted it off the table he had left it on and walked it out the door. Once outside Jack pulled the garage door down and headed towards his bike. Jack got on his bike and started to pedal. As the wind blew threw his hair he grimaced, Jack had forgotten his helmet once again. If his mother found out she would most likely have lecture Jack. Although Jack supposed mom would probably want to know where the motorcycle went.

"I guess I can always tell her the guy I bought it from wanted her back," Jack mused out loud.

As Jack pulled up to K.O. Burger he got off his bike and locked it on the bike rack. Jack looked up at the fast food place and sighed this is normal jack muttered this is where and what I want to do. I want to live like this…"

As Jack stood there thinking he heard a familiar sound. A familiar sound that sounded like a motorcycle's engine, turning Jack saw a Blue motorcycle pull into the fast food parking lot. Jack contemplated running into K.O. Burger but then looked back at the Motorcycle waiting for him.

"Maybe," Jack whispered as he headed for the motorcycle that wasn't just a motorcycle.

This took a lot longer to get out than I thought it would, so sorry about that. Anyway, once again a slow chapter. Everyone already knew that Jack is …you know. So I doubt anyone is too surprised that he transformed.

I decided to leave out events aboard the Nemisis because I couldn't think of anything to add or change. So this takes place after Miko visits Jack and tries to convince him to come back to team prime. I figured that Cliffjumper is probably a bit of a busybody and would try to talk to Jack too. I also made Cliffjumper a bit of a flirt and jokester, thought it would fit from what I saw in the show. The end of this chapter is right when Arcee pulls up to K.O Burger to convince Jack to come back in episode 5.

For Jacks Cybertronian appearance he has a body/frame type similar to Rodimus or Drift from the mtmte comics.

Reviews once again I would like to take the time and thank everyone who reviewed last time. This includes Adjuster, bajy, redlinevcr, Kaleia516, Secret, StayinFrosty212 and 526pvi.

If you were logged in when you reviewed I should have sent you a reply to your review, if you weren't you can find a reply below. If you reviewed and didn't get a reply, my bad, let me know and I'll send one.

Redlinevcr: Thanks, you're welcome

Secret: thanks for the review. ...hm…um…. something like that…