"Wildspark?" A rather annoyed voice was heard on the other side of her door. The medic frowned as she picked her head up off her desk, the datapad sticking to her forehead from where she'd fallen asleep on it. She scowled, plucking it off and tossing it aside, hands folded neatly in front of her. It was never good when the cops came knocking on her office door at the medbay. It was always something she tried to avoid. But she could only hide under the desk so many times before they caught on.
"Come in," She said dryly. She was, needless to say, surprised when the door opened, a very irritated Prowl shoving someone in. It took Wild a moment to recognize the dingy femme, the vibrancy she always had long since gone. She had a pair of cuffs keeping her hands behind her back, resting just over her tail. Wildspark sighed, "What'd she do, officer?"
"You know her?" He bristled slightly, doorwings hedging higher in his obvious disapproval. Wildspark just eyed him, her own doorwings flared wide and high, "You should know by now associating yourself with femmes like this is highly looked down upon," He sniffed, glancing down his nose at Lei.
Wild placed her hands on her hips, "I'm a medic, officer, and I believe I deal with enough scum bags a day to not have to worry about you. How about you walk your pretty, little aft back out of my office. Leilani is falling under my condition since, when you cuffed her, her shoulder has popped out of place. Any ticket she has will be paid by me and she will be free to go once I discharge her," She said, daring him to argue, just wanting him to say something.
Instead he eyed the femme that had her legs splayed under her, tail haphazardly across the floor. He shook his head, "Suit yourself. You want to deal with the queen whore than be my guest," He said tersely, turning on his heel and leaving, Wild waiting until he was gone before slipping around her desk.
She sighed, sinking to her knees in front of Leilani, "Lei? Sweetie what'd you do to yourself this time?" She whispered, looking her frame over, wiping a few smudges of dust off Lei's frame. So she'd been in the Slums of Kaon again. She sighed, reaching around her to take the cuffs off, Lei's frame just sagging into hers, tears seen in the exotic femme's optics as Wild examined her wrists.
The medic's frown only deepened at seeing the puncture marks on her wrists, tell tale signs that Lei had been back trying to get relaxed with her drugs, something she'd thought the femme had finally given up on, successfully. She sighed softly, shaking her head, "Come on. Let's get you into a room and let you clean up," She said softly, turning to help Lei up and move into the quarters Wildspark had attached to her office. Lei could use her own personal washracks and hopefully clean herself up.
"If you need anything, anything at all, Leilani, don't hesitate to ask," She murmured, Lei nodding as she moved into the washracks. Wild watched her, her movements slow, labored and it almost looked as if she'd been in a fight. She waited until Lei was turned away and in the washracks before she moved to make the phone call.
She could only hope he'd answer and be willing to help.
~~~~~
Leilani's hands were shaking, trembling horribly, by the time she stepped from the washracks. Her paint was dull, nowhere near as shiny as she was known for. She hadn't bothered with polish, figuring she was going to be stuck in medbay for awhile.
It was sad. She didn't even feel like polishing herself up. She flicked her optics off, rubbing at her face tiredly now.
What she didn't realize was someone else was in the room with her, sitting on the very edge of Wildspark's berth. The mech was watching her, giving a faint smile at seeing she was at least moving. The shakes were just from the drugs wearing off.
"Good to see you're doing better Madam," He said softly, moving to stand and help her sit. She paused though, green optics narrowing now suspiciously.
"Who are you?" She asked, voice barely above a whisper. She watched as he chuckled, shaking his head.
"Sorry about that, just call me Karma. It's easier," He explained, "And you? Hate to call you Madam all the time," He pointed out, moving to help her sit, mindful of her tail. It looked fragile and the last thing he wanted was to get slapped for messing with it.
Leilani watched him before giving a small, fleeting smile, "I'm Leilani...Lei will work just fine," She nodded, the headfeathers on her crest falling flat along her helm, "You must be a friend of Wildspark's I'm guessing? Or did Prowl send you here to interrogate me and figure out more drug dealers?" She mumbled, head falling into her hands, trying so hard not to cry.
Karma frowned, moving to sit next to her, a small frown there as his arm moved to rest gingerly over her shoulder, just a friendly reassurance, nothing more. He chuckled softly, "Nah. I'm the one Wild calls when she wants to help her friends," He chuckled softly at seeing a small smile quirk at Leilani's lips despite the fact she was still shaking. He patted his shoulder, "Trust me, I'm not going to be helping that arse of an officer anytime soon. And neither will you. You're in Wildspark's care and she's letting me take care of you. Is that okay with you?" He asked, moving to try and look her in the optic.
Lei had to give a soft giggle at the comical image of the mech all but hanging upside down to try and look her in the optics. She smiled, sitting up, wiping the few tears that had escaped away as she nodded, "As long as I'm not dealing with Prowl I'm happy," She said softly. She didn't think she could deal with the black and white Datsun screaming at her again for 'how wrong her life was' and what she shouldn't be doing. She knew she was a fuck up, she didn't need him ripping open old scars anyways.
Karma gave a small chuckle, "See? I'm not near as grouchy as that officer either. I like to think the stick up my arse was removed when I was a sparkling. His just got lodged further," He sighed, nodding solemnly, "Poor stick..." He said, almost sounding remorseful for it.
Lei couldn't help the soft giggle, hiding her smile behind her hand as she shook her head. She was surprised by him, usually the mechs and femmes she had had to deal with after going through something like this were put there by Prowl. Weasel the information out, and then they were gone. They always wondered why she had trust issues. Good reason why.
Karma watched her though, gently placing his hand on her arm, "Leilani...Wildspark wants me to try and help you," He murmured, "She wants me to help you get to the bottom of this, to help you," He murmured. Lei's smile fell, hands curling against her knees.
"There....is no helping me," She whispered, shaking her head, as she tried to shy away from him now.
Karma grabbed her wrist, forcing her to look at him, "Lei, listen to me," He insisted, forcing her to look at him, "There is help for you, and I want to help you with your addiction," He said quietly.
Lei was stone still, her optics dim now. She frowned, "Please tell me Wild told you..." She whispered quietly, not looking at him now. When she saw him nod from her peripherals she sighed, "It's...not so simple as just one," She shook her head, quiet now.
He frowned, "Leilani, I'm here to help regardless of what's bothering you. I know of the drug addiction, it's not too hard to figure that one out," He whispered. He took her hand gently, turning it over to see the puncture marks, a frown there. Leilani seemed like too nice a femme, there had to be something behind this. He sighed softly, "What else is there?" He asked softly, hand still holding his.
She snorted, "I'm a whore and I own a strip joint, what the frag do you think?" She said, trying to drop her head into her hands. Karma didn't let her though, chuckling softly.
"So you're addicted to feeling good. It's understandable, Lei. I'm here to help as much as I can. Perhaps you'd rather go somewhere other than the medbay? A home, perhaps, where you feel comfortable?" He offered, patting her shoulder gently.
Leilani shook her head, "I...live in a motel room at best," She whispered, hands clasped in her lap as she shook her head, "Nothing but a mess there," She sighed, "Better off here than anywhere else I could come up with," She mumbled.
"I thought you had income from the bar," He murmured, not going too much into detail. He frowned at seeing her posture slouch before he put two and two together, wincing. So the money went to her drugs. Made sense. She wouldn't go for the cheap stuff, she'd go for the stuff that knocked one on their ass for days.
Karma frowned, "Well Wildspark is going to need her room eventually," He explained, "Perhaps we can find a better room for you to rent for a bit," He smiled, nodding to her.
She frowned, "Karma I can't afford that, that's why I was in the trash hole I was," She mumbled. She didn't have a warm fuzzy about this, but it couldn't be helped anyways.
Karma chuckled, "Well, you won't be buying any more drugs, so that is a little extra money in your pocket here or there," He smiled, "That's step one, Lei," He explained, seeing the frown. She was oddly quiet, Karma patting her shoulder, "You know what, you'll come stay with me. It'll help for you to be in a positive, supportive situation while you're recovering," He explained, moving to stand.
He extended a hand, Lei frowning as she watched him, her uncertainty obvious, "Are you serious? I mean...I have no way to thank you," She frowned, "Not..conventionally anyways," She said quietly, the frown deepening.
Karma shook his head, "Don't worry about it, Lei. I want you to get better, so there will be no debt," He murmured, coaxing her up to stand, "Come on. We can head that way now and it'll give you some time to relax and get settled," He smiled, nodding as Lei slowly followed him out of Wild's quarters and out of the medbay. He knew Wild wouldn't worry too much about it, and he could always call her later and explain things to her if he really had to.
Somehow, though, he didn't see that happening.
~~~~~
Leilani was quiet, tail flicking out of the way when she followed Karma into his 'home'. She made sure to shut the door, mindful of her tail and the various feathers behind her. Karma was just watching with a faint smile as he moved to show her to where she'd be staying. The room was quaint, small enough for the one occupant it would have, nothing over the top, but it would do.
"It isn't much. Berth's in here, bathroom's just down the hall, got a shower too. If you need anything else just ask," He smiled, patting her shoulder. He gave a soft sound in surprise when the femme turned to hug him tightly. Her arms wound around his waist, face buried into his neck as she seemed to break down. He sighed softly, slowly easing her so they were on her knees, just letting her get it out, "Shh...You're gonna be alright, Lei. I promise," He smiled, just hugging her there.
"You....you shouldn't have to do this much though," Her vocals were laced with static, showing she was close to panicking. He imagined it was rare for her to show emotion like this, or at least where others could see her.
He rubbed her back, "Nah. Anyone else would've, or at least they should've in my opinion, done the same," He said, pulling back and wiping away a few stray tears, "How about you get a few hours of stasis and then we'll talk? You look like you need it to relax," He chuckled, carefully scooping her up to place her on the berth.
He couldn't help but chuckle when her tail flared and flicked up over her, covering her much like a blanket would. He nodded, getting the lights for her, "I'll be out in the main room when you wake up. I promise I won't leave and no one will bother you," He murmured, glad to see her frame relax completely into the berth as he slipped out of the room.
He could only imagine that the slums of Kaon were less than ideal to be sleeping in, let alone when one had enough drugs in their systems to sedate Trypticon. He frowned, moving to grab some energon for himself. He settled down and moved to wait, chuckling to himself as he let her catch up on her recharge. It was the least he could do for the femme.
~~~~~
Karma had dozed, his arms folded under his head on the table. The cube of energon had tipped over, the remnants of it dribbling onto the floor. Leilani couldn't help but be reminded of a drunk that had passed out at the club. She sighed softly, finding a rag to clean up the energon, checking to make sure it hadn't gotten on any of the datapads he had neatly stacked next to his elbow.
She chuckled quietly, mindful not to wake him as she cleaned up the table now, setting the rag in the sink, letting it drip out that way for now as she moved to sit, quiet once more. Her tail rustled slightly before settling around her chair, her hands folded on the table as she watched him sleep. She was surprised he hadn't retired to his own quarters if he was tired and she paused at realizing something.
He'd given up his own quarters for her to use them, and he no doubt planned to claim the couch as his own. Chivalrous glitch. She'd fight him for that couch. This was his place, not hers, and as such she wasn't kicking him out of the only room he had his privacy in. The shower was a different story though.
She didn't dare move him though, not wanting him to wake up and freak out, because in all honesty she'd drop him and then feel horrible. Not to mention she didn't think it'd be something that wouldn't go over too well with her trying to convince him to sleep in his own room.
She didn't have to wait too much longer, Karma shifting about slightly, as if trying to get comfortable and catch those last few moments of peaceful comfort and slumber. She smiled faintly, hands clasped on the table and just waiting, silent as ever.
Karma reset his optics, rubbing at them tiredly before realizing Lei was there as he jumped, "But...I thought..."
"I'm not going to sleep forever. If you were tired you should've taken the berth and I could've easily curled up on the couch. Before you even argue," She held up a single emerald finger, "I am perfectly content sleeping on a couch and used to it. Not to mention I don't recharge normally anyways. I would do nothing but keep you up if you were on the couch. And all of that besides the point, I am a guest, and I am not going to kick you out of your own berth," She frowned, eying him.
"Bu-,"
"No buts," She said, pointing a finger at him, eying him now, as if daring him to make even so much as a peep, "I'm not going to allow you to just up and change everything. It wouldn't feel right to me," She shook her head, "And no offense, for most, sleeping on a couch is the least pleasurable thing they could do," She shook her head, smiling when Karma chuckled sheepishly in defeat, rubbing the back of his helm.
Lei folded her hands on the table once more, watching him, optics dim in her uncertainty now, "I..don't see how me being here is going to do anything to help. If anything I'm going to be nothing more than a burden," She whispered.
Karma scowled at her, "Nonsense!" He insisted, "You'll be nothing of the sort! You're going to shut up and enjoy yourself if I have to suffer through you sleeping on the couch," He mumbled, ignoring Lei's smug grin at that. He ran a hand over his face, "I'm...going to try and help you figure out where this addiction issue started. Try and help you through it. You seem like someone who bottled everything up throughout your life and I think it might do you some good to let it out," He murmured, watching her.
Lei frowned, "Yeah thanks but no..."She said, moving to stand now, turning her back to him. The mech was nice and all, she just wasn't a big fan of opening up to someone else.
He moved to catch her hand, "Leilani listen to me," He said softly, hand clasping hers to stop her, "I want to help you. Whatever you say is going to be kept between you and me, no one else will hear a word from it. This is completely off the record, just me helping you. Please," He said softly.
He couldn't help the goofy smile he gave when Lei's shoulders slumped and she nodded in defeat, moving to sit back down at the table with him. He gave a small smile, moving to grab a cube for her and one for him, sitting back down now and handing her the cube, "So...for starters, what was your family like?" He asked softly, knowing that was usually the touchiest subject.
Lei took the cube in her hands, quiet as she stared down at the top of the cube, tapping a finger to it if only to disturb the surface of it. She didn't look up at him, afraid to now, "Same as any other family on the outside. Father worked with construction in downtown Kaon, Mother did nothing but raise the kids and take care of the house..." She said softly, shaking her head.
Karma frowned, "It was just you and your parents?" He asked, a bit skeptically. The file Wild had given him didn't say Leilani was an only child, and the fact she wasn't coming right out and admitting to someone else being with them was concerning.
"I...had a brother and sister. They claimed my sister died of spark failure," She said quietly, shaking her head.
"She didn't, did she?" He watched her, frown deepening now.
"No. My sister and I were fairly close in age, and my brother was already a youngling. He....didn't like sharing mom and dad. Came into the room we were recharging in and smothered her to death in her sleep. I found out, years later, he killed the wrong sister, according to him," She said quietly, shaking her head. Her hands were trembling, curling around the cube as she focused her attention on that.
Karma frowned, resting a hand over hers, "Let's start from where you feel most comfortable? Some memory that sticks out the most when you were younger and go from there?" He offered. He watched as Lei seemed to think, scanning memory banks no doubt faulty from drug overdoses throughout the years.
She soon looked up with a smile, "When I first got Strobe comes to mind, and it's when I was young enough, you can still see how I grew up," She said quietly, "Right after my sister's death. Strobe....was the world to me," She said softly, a small, distant smile there as her optics dimmed.
Karma perked up at that, "Well that sounds like a great place to start, with a happy memory. Why don't you tell me about that?" He asked, hand still resting over hers, not even thinking about it now.
