Disclaimer: Don't own them. Just play with them. Don't really gain anything from that.
A/N: Wrote the story out of a real urban legend from where I live, although the ghost hitchhiker seems to be almost every where in the world. Oo;;
"talking"
'thinking'
line- time skip
Haunting
The Porsche passed the railroad crossing at high speed. It had been a busy day today and he'd taken the first chance for a break and left as fast as he could away from the Ark. The night was cool and Jazz couldn't help but slow down and relax. With a slow song and a clear road ahead, he was greatly enjoying the rare peaceful moment. Up ahead he saw the figure of a human on the side of the road and Jazz slowed down to see if it needed help.
It was a young human femme and she was doing the human signal for a hitch hike. Knowing it was dangerous for humans to be walking alone during the night or to be taking rides from strangers; Jazz stopped and opened his passenger door.
"Get on, littl' lady, just tell Jazz where t' go and he'll take ya."
If the femme had been surprised by a talking car, she didn't show it. In fact, she entered the car without hesitation. Jazz thought that maybe the humans had begun to accept them in their world and left it at that. The femme closed the door and he waited a couple of minutes to see if she gave him directions, but she stayed silent. He began driving and for a moment there was nothing but the sound of his radio.
"Ya goin' to tell me where t' go, littl' lady?
"My name's Jessica. I just want to go home," she replied softly and Jazz wondered what exactly had happened to her.
"Ya don't sound so good, Jessica. Maybe we should go t' another place where they can help ya," he told her in his most soothing tone. The last thing he wanted was to scare her off.
"I'm alright. Just a little cold. Just take me home, please," she almost begged him and Jazz felt bad for the young femme. He didn't know what was wrong with her, but if she wanted to get home to her family, then he would do that for her. Besides, they would probably help her more than he could. He turned the heater up to make her more comfortable.
"Where's your home, Jessica? I can't take ya there if ya don't tell me," he told her, knowing there was a crossroad ahead and having no clue where to go.
"Right on the crossroad," she said and Jazz took the time to study her.
She was wearing a short pink shirt and blue jeans. Her face paintjob had glitter on it. She had a jean jacket thrown over the driver's seat and even with the heater on she was still shivering. He made a right and continued driving.
"I was at a party. My friends left and I had to walk home," she broke the silence, "Turn left here. The last house."
"Ya should've called someone t' pick ya up, littl' one. It's not safe t' be out alone at night. Specially for cute littl' femmes," he told her and she laughed softly.
"Are you hitting on me?" she asked amused and Jazz noticed that it was the first time her tone changed.
He pulled up on the last house and opened the door. All the lights were off, which told Jazz that the humans inside had already gone into recharge. The girl just stood motionless for a couple of minutes.
"Uhm… Miss? This the house?" he asked while he rechecked to verify that he didn't make a mistake while following her directions. With only a few commands from her there was no way he could've erred. She was simply not moving.
"That's my house," she finally said and let out a relieved laughed.
"Finally!" she cried and got out of the car. Jazz felt her walk in front of him.
"Thank you for taking me home. It's been so long," she said while placing a hand on his hood and leaning to give it a kiss.
"You're welcome, littl' lady," he said embarrassed. He was thankful none of the other Autobots where there or they would never let him live this down.
It was then he noticed that the girl was gone. There was a light on inside the house and he figured the femme had entered while he was distracted. He turned back towards the Ark with more speed than was legal since it was getting quite late. Halfway there he noticed the human had left her jacket on the seat.
'No problem. I'll just take Spike tomorrow and he'll give it back and check how she's doin'.'
He returned to the house in the afternoon. Spike got out of the car and he saw the human knock on the door. Jazz watched as an elder human femme opened the door and, after Spike gave her the jacket, ushered the human boy inside.
Jazz waited patiently for a little more than an hour. When Spike got out of the house, Jazz noticed he was a little pale. He said nothing as Spike entered the Porsche and they were both driving out of there.
"Spike? What did they say? Somethin' happened t' Jessica? I knew I should've gotten her t' a hospital or the police, but she pleaded me t' get her home…"
The teen cut him off, "Jazz, if what they said was true, then maybe you did the right thing by taking her home."
"What d' ya mean?" the black and white mech asked confused.
"Just… drive to the cemetery, Jazz. I… we need to check something," said the boy and Jazz did as asked.
As soon as they reached the cemetery, Spike got out of the Autobot, who quickly transformed. Jazz followed the human boy, careful not to break anything as they walked around the cemetery.
"What are we doin' here, Spike?" the saboteur asked wishing the boy would stop and explain things.
"Checking something," replied the boy while looking around, "They said it should be around here."
"What should be here?" the mech asked, annoyed at the lack of explanation.
"Jessica. They said Jessica should be around here," Spike snapped while turning to look at the shocked Bot.
"What? But that's not true. I saw her yesterday night. She came from a party."
The boy looked at Jazz for a moment before continuing his search. Apparently he decided to tell the saboteur what he knew, or rather what the people in the house had told him because he started talking.
"They said that three years ago their daughter, Jessica, went to a party with some friends. At some point, they left and she had to go back on her own. She never made it. She got run down by a drunk driver and died instantly. The only reason they didn't call the police on me was 'cause this isn't the first time someone has pulled over at night and returned the next day with a jacket claiming it belonged to…" Spike stopped mid sentence and his eyes widened.
Jazz turned to look at what had caught the human's attention and he felt his systems freeze. There was a jacket on one of the tombstones and zooming in he could read the inscription on it.
"Jessica Halliwell
1965-1986
Beloved daughter
May you find your way home
And to ever lasting peace."
Jazz turned around and Spike followed him as quick as possible. When they got back to the Ark they both stayed silent and didn't tell anyone what had happened.
It was another peaceful night and Jazz was driving down the now familiar road. He wasn't supposed to be here. They'd just gotten word that Megatron may be planning something big and they needed to be prepared for battle at any given moment. Jazz knew he was asking for a severe punishment, but nothing could've dissuaded him from going on a ride tonight.
Jazz passed the railroad crossing; his sensors scanning for the person he knew would be waiting this night. It didn't take long for him to spot the familiar figure of the human femme. He stopped and opened the door. The jean clad girl entered without saying a word.
"Jessica."
"I just want to go home."
"I'll take ya."
"I know. You always take me. I never make it."
"One of these days, littl' lady."
"You turned the heater on."
"Ya always complain 'bout the cold."
"I'm always cold. I want to go home."
"There's you're house up ahead."
"Thank you"
He stopped and she got out of the car. The kiss on his hood completed the ritual and he watched as she vanished on the second step. He still wondered how he could've missed that the first time he brought her here. He didn't have to check if she'd left her jacket. He knew she always did.
He turned around and headed back to the Ark, Tomorrow he had a cemetery to visit and a jacket to deliver. Maybe he could get Spike to accompany him and get her flowers.
Edited: 1/22/09