A/N: Set pre-DOTM and pre-ROTF; this is taken from a longer work in progress (hopefully it will be appearing here soon!) and was an amusing idea that snuck up on me. Nothing but fluff and stuff. Enjoy! ~~~Epsilon

Disclaimer: Transformers belongs to Hasbro, I, regrettably own nothing (but hey, if I ever win the lotto that could change! muahahahaha!)

Shuffling the last pages of paperwork into a wayward file, Lennox suppressed a yawn. It never ceased to amaze him just how much pointless—and needless to say limitless—paperwork that Galloway was devilishly adept at drumming up for both Elena and himself. The perpetual task of filling out forms had always stuck the Major as not only as a waste of time, but also as a waste of resources—just think of all the trees that went into making said obnoxious little forms!—and a waste of his patience. This time a resigned sigh managed to escape him as he looked up into the optic lenses of the Autobot leader. It was bad enough that Lennox had to sit through the annoyance of paperwork, but what set his temper on edge was the knowledge that Galloway's forms seemed to be deliberately calibrated so that Elena and Lennox were both forced to involve the Autobot Leader in their pencil pushing sessions. It was this nuance that made Lennox despise said deskwork—not that he didn't like spending time with Optimus—it was just that he knew Optimus' time—an already valuable commodity—was much better spent elsewhere.

"Do not become discouraged, Major."

"I'm sorry Big Man, but its hard not to. It just feels like Galloway and his minions are getting closer and closer to finding a legal means of forcing you and the Autobots into giving them your weaponry technology. And this—"here Lennox emphatically shook the stack of files at Optimus, "—Doesn't feel like it's helping much."

"I trust that your endeavors are not in vain."

Tucking the file under his arm, Lennox lifted a brow and wondered sincerely if the Autobot's had anything like paperwork back on Cybertron. However, whatever snarky retort Lennox could have invented was safely snatched away by a cheerful, girlish shout that echoed over to them.

"Daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy! Guess what!" Jubilant, Lennox's daughter bounced up and down in Bumblebee's palm as the cheerful yellow Autobot carried her over.

"Hey JellyBelly." Instantly a smile graced the worn soldier's features as he beheld his daughter, all giggles and sunshine from atop her decidedly alien perch. His daughter and wife's presence on base was one of the few—if only—bright points of his day—nothing against the guys, Elena or even the 'bots—and seeing Annabelle now, so happy and carefree, lifted Lennox's spirits. Annabelle continued to giggle as Bumblebee moved to join them; with one of her tiny arms wrapped around one of the yellow scout's digits and the other firmly fastened around a fluffy, stuffed toy bumblebee, she seemed to be the picture of happiness.

Hardly able to contain her excitement, Annabelle jumped up and down in Bumblebee's palm: "Down bumbee! Down, down, down bumbee!" She squeaked in her eagerness. As soon as he complied, Annabelle scampered over to her father who was quick to sweep her up into his waiting arms. Lennox enjoyed the moment, hugging his daughter, his pride and joy, with the fierce love of a father—how much he hated it when he was separated from his family! With the short attention span of a typical still small child, Annabelle wrapped her arms around her Daddy's neck, returning his hug before repeating her request that he "guessed what!"

Setting her down on the ground, Lennox pointed towards Optimus, "Hey, manners first, kiddo! You forgot somebody!"

Just as eagerly, Annabelle turned her beaming smile towards the Autobot Leader, "Hi Otmus!"

Solemnly, Prime inclined his head at the young child, "Hello, little one. Bumblebee tells me that you have something of importance that you wish to share with us."

Taking a moment to pause over his words, Annabelle bobbed her head, "yes, yes, yes!" Faster than he expected her to, Lennox watched as his daughter darted towards Prime, latching onto the paneling on his leg and shaking it—or rather endeavoring to do so, as if she truly could move such a titanic being—in the fashion she would have tugged on her father's shirt, "Guess what! Guess what! Guess what!" Through it all, Optimus looked down at her mildly.

"There are an infinite of possibilities that 'what' could be, little one."

Confused, Annabelle tilted her head backward, still hanging onto the bright flame decal panel of Optimus' ankle for leverage as she looked back at her Daddy, now upside down, for help.

"You gotta give us a hint, Jellybelly."

Wordlessly her mouth formed in a yawning 'O' shape as she considered, but once more enthusiasm was quick to take the reigns, "You gotta guess!"

"C'mon Jellybelly, tell us."

A long, drawn out moment of a considering, "Mmmmmmm…."before she at last conceded to an, "Kkkkkk!" In a whiplash like movement—Lennox's own neck ached just watching her—Annabelle snapped her head up so that she could now look at Optimus right side up as she exclaimed, "Me and Bumbee saw a UFO!"

Not understanding the thick silence that so swiftly descended between them, and oblivious to the sudden tenseness in her Daddy's stance as his gaze flew to the Autobot Leader's, Annabelle instead sought to explain, "Otmus, that means me and Bumbee saw an…an…un-eye-dent-ee-fried flying object! It was soooo cooool! I saw it first!"

"Indeed, little one? That is quite a discovery." Lennox couldn't help but admire the even and seemingly unperturbed tone that Optimus addressed Annabelle in; particularly since Lennox's heart rate—to say nothing of his blood pressure—had decidedly kicked up a notch or two within the last few minutes. Decepticons? More Autobots? Or an entirely new race? Lennox didn't want to dwell on the possibilities.

Preening under the praise, Annabelle at last let go of Optimus, instead readjusting her hold on her favored stuffed bumblebee toy, tucking it securely beneath her chin as she hugged it tightly. She looked up at the great countenance before her with wide wondering eyes as she addressed him seriously, "Do you think one day I'll get to meet a real alien?"

Optimus—Lennox had to give him credit—never hesitated, "Perhaps one day, little one."

This was apparently the right answer as it incited another wide grin from Annabelle, "That's what Bumbee said, too!"