A/N: Hey all! This story takes place a couple months after "Thoroughly Clean," and "Overload Funk." This is in Ellieworld and is an exploration of the type of relationship that forms between Sunstreaker and Ellie. Minor spoilers for "Children of Megatron." I just had to get this out because it was pestering me. As always, let me know what you like and what you don't. Beta'd by Khalthar – many author thanks. Tracy

Disclaimer: Transformers(c) is the property of Hasbro and whoever they sold the rights to. The plot and original characters are the intellectual property of the author No infringement was implied or intended. No financial gain has been received. Characters and events are fictional. Any similarities to actual people or events is purely coincidental.

Sunstreaker the Trusted Guardian

A gentle rub on the left front fender is what woke Sunstreaker from a blissful, if light, recharge. The fact they were currently at the base instead of at their private quarters is what kept his low-level scans active enough that he didn't immediately attack whoever woke him; even as he emerged from recharge, he knew it was Ellie.

The scan of her appearance told him instantly that something was bothering her and she was having trouble recharging. He never spoke a word as he quietly opened his passenger door in invitation. The teenager gratefully accepted the unspoken offer and sank into his simulated leather bucket seats, pulling her warm throw snugly around her shoulders. He closed and locked his doors as he darkened his windows to opaque blackness before he addressed her.

"What's wrong Ellie?" he asked in a sleepy voice.

"Can't sleep."

"Mmhmm.

"Why not?"

"Don't know."

"Would you like to sleep with me tonight?" he asked instead of pursuing the reason.

He knew his little savior well enough to know that she wouldn't be able to refrain from telling him sooner or later. He'd learned through experience that it was usually sooner when he didn't try to pry.

"Alright," she answered as she snuggled further into the seat as he reclined it for her comfort.

"Where's Optimus?" he asked after a few minutes of silence.

"Discussing strategy with Megatron about how to take down Galvert," she answered quietly as she rolled onto her side in the seat.

Sunstreaker chuckled at the nickname she insisted on calling Galvatron. He had once asked her where she came up with it and had to grin at her answer; "He's a galvanized perversion of Megatron's body. So 'Gal' and 'Vert' put together make Galvert." Once the rest of the Autobots, and some of the 'Cons that Ellie had taken care of, found out about it, the name had stuck . . . much to the annoyance of the subject mech.

He allowed the silence to reign in his interior as he sent an informative ping to the Prime that Ellie would be staying with him until he could come and collect her. Optimus sent back a grateful acknowledgment with an additional, "I am not exactly certain as to how long we will be, so expect to keep her all night," missive before he terminated the comm.

The golden Corvette allowed his systems to fall into a standby state, the equivalent of a human doze, when the teenager let out a sad sigh.

"Sunstreaker?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you know why Bumble is mad at me?"

"What? Why in the universe do you think he's mad at you?" he was completely alert now.

"Promise not to tell my dad?

"I think I did something that I shouldn't have and I don't want to get him in trouble for something that was actually my fault."

"I promise that I won't tell your creator if it isn't something that might prove harmful to anyone," he swore to her. He wasn't about to just give her a blanket promise that he would have to break if it proved to be something dangerous.

Ellie huffed out her frustration. She knew that it was going to be the best answer that she would get from the golden mech.

"A couple months ago, I was helping him get cleaned up after he helped get that family out of that flash flood?" she turned the statement into a question, asking if he remembered the incident.

"Yeah?" he remembered the occasion well, along with the startling fact that she had, inadvertently, given the young mech his first overload. The fact the younger scout had grown so hyper-protective of the femmelet that he'd even tried to pick a fight with him is what onlined his optics to what had to have happened.

"Well, I think I shocked him."

"You mean he shocked you."

"No, I mean Ishocked him.

"My birthmark started to hurt, then, all of a sudden, I felt all prickly and weird… sort of like when Ratchet or Livewire are scanning me. Then, I saw a bright flash and must've passed out. When I came to, I checked on him and he was leaking Energon and was unconscious too.

"I think I hurt him."

Sunstreaker was stunned for a moment. Unlike what most of the other Autobots would be very quick to believe, his first impulse was not to laugh at what she had confessed to. No, his first instinct was to take her away to the farthest, deepest, safest hole he could find and keep her there. The knowledge she had actual, viable spark energy, even if it wasn't a proper spark, would be akin to marking herself with an all-frequency distress beacon to every scientist, xenophile and unmaker agent in the known universe. They would all want to probe, prod and dissect her to try and figure out "why" and find out if she would be able to carry a developing spark.

"No, femmelet, I can promise that you didn't hurt him," Sunstreaker replied seriously.

"Then why'd he leave? And why does he avoid me when he does come back?"

"Because what happened between the two of you made him feel very good. He could be afraid that if he's around you for too long, he'll try to get you to shock him again, and it might hurt you."

"You're not just sayin' that, are you?"

"No. This is something that I would never lie to you about."

"So, . . . is it something that I have to tell my dad?"

"Eventually, but I think it can wait for a while. You should tell Ratchet though. If you were the one who did the shocking, then he's going to need to be aware of it so he can keep an optic on your development."

Ellie huffed and mumbled an inaudible reply before she snuggled deeper into his seat. He knew that she was going to do some thinking on the best way to tell the surly medic that wouldn't get anyone into trouble.

{"Did I hear that right? She was the one who initiated the spark share with Bumblebee?"} Sideswipe asked, incredulously, over their bond.

{"Yes. That's what she said, and I have to believe her."}

{"Well . . . frag! If she can spark share, then we're going to have our hands full when the word of it gets out; keeping would-be suitors away from her might be a full time task."}

{"I know, but now that we are aware, we can keep a better optic on her… and we will!"}

{"Yeah, I guess you're right.

{"I'm surprised that she trusted you enough to tell you about it, after what Barricade did . . ."}

{"Good night, Sideswipe,"} Sunstreaker hissed over the bond, not wanting to think about the 'Con shock trooper.

A brief wave of apology-affection-chagrin flared through the bond before the silver Corvette closed it.

The golden twin thought about the fact for a few moments that their small, human charge had actually trusted him enough to confide in him in complete confidence. Inexplicably, he felt humbled by the notion.

"Thank you, Ellie," he gently whispered to her slowly relaxing form, "for trusting me. I won't betray you."

"Love you, Sunny," he heard her mumble as she finally succumbed completely to her much needed recharge.

^"I love you too, femmelet,"^ he thought to himself as he accessed his core programming, deliberately brought his Guardian Protocols online and focused them on the small femme in his passenger seat before he entered his own rest cycle.