Ghosts of the Present (Rescue Bots AU)

5. Dreams

"No, Cece!"

Frankie frantically pulled her latest school project back from her baby sister, "My diorama is not for playing with!"

She wanted to feel sorry when Cece began to cry, her latest 'toy' having been snatched from her grasp, but this was the fourth time today that the little toddler had gotten a hold of her belongings. Drool was still being cleaned out of her phone case, there was mashed graham cracker smooshed into her comforter, and don't even get her started on the condition of her hover boots.

"Anna!" She called for reinforcements, and her step-mom was in the room shortly after. "She's getting into everything!"

"She's just-"

"'Learning by exploring her environment,' I know... But why does she have to explore my room...!?"

Frankie watched her step-mom and half-sister leave the room, and then hurried to her laptop to check and see if Cece had gotten to it yet. Fortunately, it was crumb-free. She tapped a few buttons, and then after a few moments, the video feed appeared of Cody looking back. "Hey, Cody."

Morning, Frankie. Cody yawned, still dressed in his pajamas.

"I'm sorry, did I wake you?"

No no... I've been up for a little while. He shook his head hard before looking back at her a little less weary-eyed. Anyway, what's up?

"I just wanted to talk to someone who isn't too attached to Cece to hear me out. I love her and all, but sometimes she's really hard to like."

I know what you mean. I live with Kade, remember? Cody's smile faded a little as he mentioned his brother, and Frankie knew exactly why.

"He's still not talking to them...Is he?"

No... I think Heatwave feels that he did something to make him upset. Grief is a weird thing...

"Especially when those you were mourning come back like it never happened."

Heh. Especially when that happens... I've got to get up and ready to head to the Mainland for Graham's graduation, but we'll talk later, alright?

Frankie nodded, "Tell Graham I said hi!"

Her friend's face disappeared from the screen, and she turned to the mess left in her sister's wake. "Well...This mess won't clean itself... Maybe that should be my next project."

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Cody shut down the video feed and then got up from his chair, stretching before looking at the pile of clothes settled on the foot of his bed. With all the excitement of the week, he hadn't actually gotten any laundry done. "Now to pick through it and find something less smelly than the others..." he mumbled.

He settled on a nice white shirt, black trousers and his usual jacket, which fortunately had been washed recently enough for him to know his father would approve of him still wearing it. He quickly changed and then hurried out of his room and down the hall, knowing breakfast would be getting cold.

He walked out into the kitchen, finding his dad and sister eating their scrambled eggs and ham quietly; one reading his newspaper, the other doing the same, but on her phone. Kade, however, was scarfing his food down like he hadn't eaten in weeks.

Cody quietly took a seat at the other end of the table. "Morning, Dad."

Chief Burns lowered his paper and then folded it, setting it down to look his youngest in the eyes. "Good morning, Cody. How'd you sleep?"