Ky: okay guys, thanks so much for the reviews!

gypsy rosalie: thanks so much for the kind review! I'm glad you liked her name, it's, as I said, my favorite authentic Mexican name ^^

I hope Up is sweet enough, I wanted him to be sweet without getting him too OOC.

AngelofDeath: thank you for the sweet review I'm glad so far every likes her name :D! I intend to keep updating for awhile, no worries.

Guest: Again thank you for the kind words, every review counts in my heart ^^

LyssaKay: Demand met! And feel free to demand an update, it makes me more motivated to do so! I'm glad everyone thus far has given a nice review, and I only hope chapter two meets every ones standards!

A promised, let me explain, briefly, the time line of this story. The first chapter was, obviously, set during the Quinceañera. This chapter is two years after that, Taz has been in the Academy- which is explained in the beginning -and is now near her graduation it will then hop to her graduation, and then skip again to when she is placed on team with Up in the end of the Robot Wars. I will end it just before the giant battle where Up has His injury. Half because I am not all that amazing at battle scenes, and because I like Up's interpretation in Starship and intend to leave that as it is. Sorry if it all seems a bit rushed, but the first portion of my story does a lot of skipping.

On an off note, anyone reading this, if you would also pop over and read my new Joe Walker x OC fic, that would make me happy. Even if you're only going to flame over my OC, I'd love some reviews! Also, sorry for whatever Spanish I put into the chapters, I use Google Translate so it may help to use that while reading.

Once more, I don't own anything but the plot and whatever little OC here and there I throw in.

Chapter Two: Still Us, Just More Us

Our Story

Taz stared at the math book on her lap and sighed. She wished this was as easy as the combat lessons she had; she could simply stab the book with her knife and be done. Instead, as one of her final graduation requirements, she had to pass Calculus... She sighed and tossed the book off to the side with her other notebooks and school supplies. She was sat against the trunk of a grand oak tree, one of the few on the hovering orbital pad that the Ranger Academy resided on. The pad itself was about the size of ancient New York City and set up like old time College campuses. She was on what would have been called the quad, a large field with a stone courtyard at its edges, and a few trees sprinkled around.

Taz had been at the Academy for two years and was nearing her graduation, hence the calculus book. She had the dreaded math class and a few more mandatory physical education classes before she was no longer an ensign, but a real soldier. She glanced around the quad and watched a few of the other students walk around, talking and laughing. Most of them were younger then her, new ensigns or underclassmen. Even though she was their age, now seventeen, she had been bumped up to a higher grade in the Academy because of Up and her father's status. She leaned back against the grass, thinking about her entrance to the academy.

Once she had been deemed worthy of leaving the hospital she and Up had been at after her family's massacre, he had taken her to the flat given to him for when he was on leave. The flat had two bedrooms and bathrooms, and a small living/kitchen/dinning area. While Up pulled the strings needed for her new dream, Taz stayed in the flat with him. It was a week later that Up came back to the flat and sat beside Taz on the couch, a thick book on her lap and a hand weight in her free hand. She had been determined to start building up muscle for her new dream. He looked tired, but Taz waited for him to speak rather then commenting on this fact.

"Well yer in, kid," Up said with a smile. Taz gave a very unlike her squeal and hugged Up, her book flying in the process, and the weight hitting the floor with solid clunk." On the condition that I go with you."

"What?" Taz asked. She wasn't upset, she hoped Up never had to leave her because he was all she had, and as of lately, all she needed.

"General said you can be admitted, and skip the two primary grades," Up said leaning back against the couch," But I'd have to take a sabbatical leave of duty, to teach at the Academy and pose as your legal guardian. Basically I have to be there in case anything goes wrong, or you need papers signed. It's not bad, you'll be graduated in two years and then assigned to a team. So it won't be forever. What matters is you're getting what you want: you'll be a Starship Ranger if it kills me."

Up had been good to his word, they had moved the next day from his flat to the teacher's suite at the academy. Taz was obligated to stay with Up since he was posing as guardian until her next birthday, when she would be eighteen and a Starship Soldier in charge of herself. She had endured plenty of teasing because she lived with Up, and because she was younger and smaller then everyone. It was all worth it, though, because it meant she was that much closer to her dream of being a Starship Ranger.

"Hey look it's Dora the Explorer!" a voice shook her from her thoughts, she sighed, closing her eyes and hoping that Smythe and his gang- her worst tormentors -would let her be. It didn't work, they circled her and she sat up to give them her normal bout of anger and take whatever they had to say so she could go back to studying." Whatcha doing Mexico? Trying to find the troll bridge to cross with your best monkey friend?"

"Back off idotas! I am not some pint sized crema de hojaldre!" Taz snarled. Smythe grinned and began miming the ancient cartoon show, adding Taz's name here and there to get the girl even more angry. Taz was about to take out her knife from her combat boot when she was tilted up and onto someone's back, only to find her arms slung around Up's neck and him charging at the bullies. She was laughing, then, giving her own battle cry and watching as they chased the group into the cluster of dumpsters.

"Thought you could use a lift," Up grinned when they returned to her study spot. Taz smiled at him and watched as he picked up the Calculus book." Now, let's get you ready for that final!"

Yes, as long as she had Up life was as it should be.

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"Lopez, Taz," General Xiao called. Taz made her way up to the stage, her crisp dress uniform feeling odd on her tiny body. She walked across the stage, saluted the General, and took her diploma before joining the other new graduates. She spotted Up in the front row, with the other teachers and rising stars of the Rangers. He winked at her, and she felt her lips twitch from the stoic expression she was supposed hold." Congradulations new Rangers."

Once they were dismissed, Taz wove through the sea of her class mates until she found Up. She smiled, and he smiled back, words not needed yet he reached out and pulled her into a tight hug. She hugged him back, happy for the familiar feel of his muscular arms, the warm scent of cinnamon- his favorite gum that he chewed whenever he could -and his sharp aftershave. She pulled back and smiles at him, her big brown eyes happy and hopeful.

"I'm very proud of you Miss Lopez, Valedictorian and youngest ever Ranger," Up smiled, his mustache moving with the gesture. Taz smiled wider and tugged at the tight bun her hair was in, under her military issue cap." So, what says you to a movie, piazza, and ice cream back at our place, as celebration?"

"I say there's nothing I'd rather do," Taz smiled. They headed back to their suite and Taz headed straight to her room. She tore her dress uniform off, at least having the right mind to fold the uniform and stow it in her drawers. She yanked on a pair of red plaid pajama pants then tugged on a baggy gray tank top she was pretty sure and once been Up's. She let down her hair, aching it fall in loose curls around her face, in the mirror. She looked so tiny in the baggy pants, tank top that fell nearly to her knees, and unruly hair around her innocent face. She sighed and headed out to the living room, smiling as she saw Up scrolling through the pod screen movie options, a huge bowl of popcorn ready on the table.

"How about Karate Kid? I've never seen the one with Jackie Chan," U said absently. He hadnt changed yet, and still wore his own dress uniform. Taz took the pod remote from him and nudged his shoulder to go change. He grinned and stood moving towards his room. Taz started the movie as she waited, watching the opening credits. Up returned in a pair of gray plaid sleep pants and a matching tank top, his taunt over his muscles and chest." This looks like it'll be a good one..."

They watched the movie and Taz soon found Up's head on her lap, her hands absently playing with his rapidly graying hair. She thought about the upcoming week, her new assignment as a soldier, possible separation from Up, and this new tension that had been bubbling between the two in the past month or so.

"Up..."

"Put on whatever you want, Taz I'm half asleep..."

"Up, No se trata de la película..." She sighed.

"Now Taz you know I only understand your Spanish when it's the elementary stuff, or the curses," Up said sleepily.

"It's not about the movie, Up, it's about this week," Taz said sadly. Up opened his eyes and glanced at the girl above him. Her eyes were worried and sad, something Up didn't like at all.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you, we got assigned to a watch mission in the Argon Nebula. Borin' as hell but good for your first mission-"

"Did you say 'we'?" Taz asked in a disbelieving tone. Up nodded curiously and Taz gave him an astonished glance." But I thought we would be... Well..."

"Separated?" Up asked. Taz nodded and bit her full lower lip. He reached up and smoothed a thumb over her lips to stop her bad habit." Taz..." She turned away from him, her eyes hazy from confused tears she wouldn't let fall." Aw c'mon pajarita..."

"Did jou just call me a little bird?" Taz sniffled with a slight smile. Up smiled and nodded, sitting up to pull her closer to him, his hands rubbing comforting circles on her back.

"I got one of the language teachers to teach it to me," Up admitted," I like it... You're kind of like a bird, and you're smaller than me..."

"How the hell am I like una pájara?" Taz asked, leaning her head into the crook of Up's neck.

"Because, you're quick, and agile, like little birds in the trees," Up said," You're resourceful, like birds... And when I'm around you, I feel like I can fly..." Taz smiled and lifted her arms to wrap them around his shoulders. Up hugged her back, and kissed the top of her head. She tried not to think too much about this action." Taz, I won't let them separate us, okay? We're a package deal, parjarita..."

"Promise?"

"Promise... Now and forever..."

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Taz was growing to hate the mundane watch missions the G.L.E.E. was sending her and Up on. They were easy, and often in nice places over a span of either months or weeks, but they were boring. It was nearly a year after her graduation, nearing Taz's nineteenth birthday, and most of the missions she and Up and been assigned to we're watch missions or transporting supplies. They had gotten a few actual missions, and they had done well; but the fact that they wouldn't work with anyone but each other, made it hard to assign them missions. She leaned back in the desk chair she was sitting in, and nearly fell backwards. She gave squeak of surprise as she felt meme one catch her just before the chair hit the ground.

"Gotta be careful, Taz," Up smiled at her, his face inches from hers as he had bent to catch her chair. He pecked her nose and she laughed, a throaty chuckle, when his mustache tickled her nose." You may be my parjarita, but you can't really fly, silly..."

"Just thinking of how boring this is..." Taz admitted. Up righted his best friend and her chair and then moved her to the desk, taking her chair, now eye level with the small girl." I mean I know it means we get to stick together, but I was trained for combat! Top of my class, and everything! I should be out there kicking major robot ass! Me está volviendo loco al quedar atrapado en una oficina!"

"I know love, I know," Up said putting his hands on her hips. He traced his thumb over the subtle curve there and Taz suddenly forgot why she was aggravated. He had been doing this a lot more lately; touching her whenever he could, calling her his little pet names, and kissing her in friendly ways. Taz wasn't complaining because she liked this shift in their relationship, but it was confusing too, because she thought he only saw her as his ward, his responsibility, and his best friend." How about we have a Karate Kid night, once Krayonder and, Specs, get here to relieve us?"

"The Jackie Chan one?" Taz asked hopefully. Up nodded and smiled, causing Taz to return the simile and sling her arms up around his neck, tugging him close for a faux hug." Even if it is aburrido como el infierno, I'm glad I don't have to be away from you..."

Up looked like he wanted to say something, but his WristCom beeped, meaning Krayonder and Specs were about to relieve them. They separated and returned to casual poses, as the two Rangers entered the office. There were slight casualties exchanged, then Taz and Up left. Though they now had separate rooms on the ship Taz almost always stayed in Up's room, or he hers. Neither of them felt right not sleeping in the same space, after doing so for nearly four years. They got to his room and changed into pajamas before plopping down to watch the movie.

"Jou looked like jou wanted to say something, earlier," Taz said halfway through the movie. She was snuggle up in Up's arms, half asleep and entirely comfortable. She felt him stiffen up under her, his hand once playing with her long hair freezing it's motions." ¿Que era?"

"You jus looked really beautiful, even under the office lights..." Up said. Taz froze, her breath catching in her throat at his words." I think you're most beautiful here, though... Totally at ease, relaxed, happy... In ratty PJs and snuggled up with me... My Taz, mi parjarita..."

"Up..." Taz pushed away a little bit, moving so she could look her best friend in the eyes." You've been acting different lately... I like it, but it's a little confusing since I'm supposed to be your best friend and now... You're a acting like you want more, or at least more from me." Taz paused and decided to take a chance leaning in to touch her nose to his. She grasped both his hands with hers, tugging them up so they were palm-to-palm, then tangling their fingers together." And... What if I do? Want more from you, I mean... Would that be okay?"

"I think it would be more then okay," Up said shakily. He nuzzled her nose in a faux butterfly kiss, then glanced up at her half closed eyes.

"Puedo darte un beso, Taz?" Up asked, his tongue still a little clumsy over the Spanish, but getting better. Taz swallows nervously at his question, but nodded. That was all the permission Up needed, he leaned down and covered her mouth with his. Taz's mouth felt aflame where his lips hit her own, and she tugged her hands from his to tangle in his hair, his own finding purchase at her lower back. She based when his hands lido the back of her tank top, his fingertips hot against the tender flesh of her lower back. Up took her gasp as an opportunity for his tongue to explore her mouth, her own meeting his to fit for dominance seconds later. A few more moments of battling and they pulled back for air. Up skimmed his mouth over her jaw, down her neck and shoulder, then across h collarbone and just above her slight breasts. Taz tried to catch her breath, but it was harder and harder with every movement his lips made against her skin.

"Te amo, Te amo Dios..." Up wasn't sure what she was saying, but whether that had to do with the fuzzy feeling in his brain from her kiss, or his rudimentary idea of Spanish, he didn't know. He yanked her back up for aother smoldering kiss, lips to lips and as aflame as the first one. The moment Taz realized what fell from her lips- in Spanish thank god but still -however, she pulled back.

"Taz..?" Up asked, scared he had done something wrong. She immediately retreated from her panic, his comfort more important.

"Oh you didn't do anything, mi querido," Taz said. She lifted her tiny hands to cup his face, her thumbs stroking over his cheeks lovingly. Up relaxed and lifted one of his hands to cover her tiny one on his left cheek." I just said something that surprised me... Don't worry okay? That was... Ay caramba! It was amazing..."

"Ive kind of wanted to do that for awhile..." Up admitted. Taz met his ice blue eyes with her own chocolate hued ones. " It's silly, since I'm seven years older then you, and you're my best friend... But dammit Taz, you know more about me then anyone in the world, and I know all about you... I love how you have to sleep on your stomach, you're favorite color is bright red, you love apples because they remind you of the farm your abuela had... You hate slow music, and you sing in the shower, you can dance better then anyone, because of the lessons your mama made you take, but you'll never tell anyone that. You talk in Spanish when you're aggravated and you only cry on your birthday..."

"Gold..." Taz said suddenly.

"What?"

"Gold, jour favorite color is gold," Taz said. She lifted her eyes and Up realized they were misty thigh tears he knew she would never shed." Jou have to sleep on your back, jou don't like apples but pears are jour favorite, because jour mother used to grow them in jour backyard, before she was killed. Jou like jazz, jou sing along with every musical because jour older cousin was a theater major, before the war hit hard... Jou can dance to, jou showed me last year when we went out for my birthday, and jou tried to cheer me up. Jou're trying to learn Spanish for me, and jou're actually rather good, and jou only cry when jou talk about jour past." Up's eyes shone in pride and happiness." I know everything, and that's only a small list out of it all... And I've wanted jou to do what jou just did, for ages too."

"So... We're...?"

"We're still us, just closer," Taz said easily. She slid herself back against Up's chest, his arms automatically folding her into an embrace as they laid together on the couch." But we don't have to tell anyone, right? I don't want jou to get in trouble because jou were my 'guardian' for so long... If we suddenly come out as together, so soon after my graduation, they may assume... I mean, this isn't to say I'm ashamed of jou, if anything it should be jou ashamed of-"

"No, you're right, love," Up said, cutting into Taz's cut at herself. He kissed her forehead and they snuggled together as the ComScreen put movies on all night.

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"Commander Up, Soldier Taz," Up's WristCom beeped them awake two months later. Up scrambled around the nest of blankets wrapped around him and Taz, books- hers she and a bad habit of always reading in bed -journals- his he had taken to writing down things after his first big mission where he had to make logs -and pillows they had moved from the couch." Message for Commander Up and Soldier Taz. Memo: Urgent Re-Assignment."

Up finally managed to grab the device, Taz still sound asleep over his chest and breathing evenly. Honestly, the girl could sleep through a tornado in Kansas... He flipped the screen of his WristCom and scrolled over the assignment. He gave a sigh when he was done; he and Taz were being sent with a team of seven in for a top secret mission. If the mission was a success, not only would the war be unofficially over, but it was dangerous, on epic proportions.

"Taz," Up said softly. The girl gave a soft sigh in her sleep, her lips pulling up into a smile at his voice. Us own lips found a small smile, too, but he had to ate her up and talk with her. He leaned down and kissed up her shoulder and then over her cheeks and nose." Wake up, parjarita... C'mon love, time to wakeup."

"No, cinco minutos, mas," Taz groaned. Up smiled despite himself and retraced his prior path, with his lips, stopping on her nose and moving down to give her a peck on the mouth too. Her lips responded to his kiss, but he pulled back and she gave another groan in her half asleep state." No te burles... No es agradable..."

"Taz, please wake up," Up said seriously. Taz caught the seriousness in his tone and sat herself up when he did. He settled her on his lap and arched her rub sleep from her eyes, slowly becoming coherent." We got a new assignment... It's a secret mission."

"That's good, no more pamby watch missions..." Taz said. She brushed her long hair, a mess of curls around her face, back from her big brown eyes. Suddenly something dawned on her." It's muy peligroso, no?"

"Si, parjarita, si..." Up said." They want us to infiltrate the Robot Central Command... You and I will make our way to the center of the ship, and dislodge the weapons center, where they're holding almost all of their new and central fire power and weapons. It will be shot into deep space and crushed under the pressure. But the mission means we have to get salt security, any guards they have, and probably a mess of a fight around the control center."

"We may die..." Taz said. It wasn't a question, after all, being a Ranger meant you could die any day. This, though, this was a real face to face with death that may come for one or both of them." This may be it... First and last real mission..."

"Yes, Taz, one or both of us could die," Up said. He turned her chin towards him, and saw she had tears in her eyes, tears he didn't want to see." Taz, if I don't-"

"No." It was only one word, but Up understood. There would be no final conversation, not "If I die" conversation or promise. If he died she would keep going; get back up and get the job done, like he had taught her to. Just like she would expect him to if she died. They sat in silence for a long time. It could have been moments, it could have been hours. Neither knew, but it was Brit outside by the time they did move to get a shower and prepare for their last day of watch, and then transfer to Base for their directions, through it all, though, they didn't let go of one another. Their hands white from the tight grip, and bruises forming where Up gripped her tan skin in an almost too tight grip.

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Ky: Alright kids, the next chapter will have intro to the mission, and maybe some of the follow up to it. Them getting in the base ect. and maybe just as they enter the battle with Optimus Prime. Then we'll skip to the rehabilitation and how their relationship changes with Up's change.

Anyway, please review, and let me know how this is going, what you think and as a special thing, tell me you're favorite Starkid Quote! Also, if anyone caught the AVPM reference when Taz and Up were comparing favorite things, I'll give you a shout out!