Author's Note: Thanks for the love for this silliness. Reviews are killing me! You guys are great, so I give you something short before heading to work. This is not the Prowl/Lennox exchange that has been alluded to. That's in the next installment.

The base team settled into their evening duties. Thomas's shift was ending. He offered to stay and watch Will, but Epps and Sideswipe assured them that they had the colonel well in-hand. Sideswipe had his biosensors on their charge. Should any of Will's vitals change, they would page Thomas immediately.

The colonel had been quiet for a couple of hours now. They had left him on the couch like he wanted, making it easier for Epps and Sideswipe to watch him from their stations in front of the TV. Occasionally, Will would mutter and roll around a bit. But it was brief and he would settle back down almost instantly.

Every hour, Sideswipe or Ratchet would take a quiet turn around the base's perimeter, sensors wide and searching for any sign of trouble. It was, of course, quiet. The most activity Sideswipe had caught was that feline of the Marshalls' leaking lubricants in Epps's front yard. He continued on, however, following through on Prime's orders conscientiously, no matter how ludicrous he thought them to be.

In between patrols, he was seated on the Autobot couch watching some cheap horror flick. Since Will had usurped the human sofa, Epps had accepted his invitation to make himself comfortable on the other end of Cybertronian couch. The sergeant had propped himself up against the opposite arm, legs stretched out towards Sideswipe. Having had a full human day himself, Epps was soon dozing lightly. Sideswipe had thought about just telling the human to go to his quarters, but the fact was if Will started wandering again, Sideswipe was too big to tail him everywhere. He would have to wake Epps if Lennox became mobile.

Ratchet gave him a wave to get his attention before quietly leaving the hangar to transform for his patrol. Sideswipe gave him a nod before readjusting his sensors on Lennox and looking back to the television. Some crazy woman was running through the misty woods, gasping and screaming as she was pursued by a guy who transformed to a wolf-man by the light of the full moon.

He was just wondering where humans came up with this stuff when the door to the hangar opened again and Prowl's winged frame slid through. Mentally checking his exvent, Sideswipe turned back to the television.

Prowl made almost no noise as he approached, walking directly towards him. "It's very quiet."

"Everyone's out." Sideswipe replied, not looking up from the screen. "Patrol."

"Except you?"

Sideswipe caught the tone. Or perhaps imagined it, though he wouldn't admit it. "I'm monitoring Colonel Lennox."

Prowl's gaze flicked over to where Lennox was still passed out on the couch. His optics cast a faint blue glow over him in the low-light of the hangar's nighttime settings. "A human?"

Now that he wasn't making up. Prowl definitely just used the word 'human' in a way that a lot of mechs would say 'drone'. He didn't like it, but checked his temper marginally. "Don't worry, there's enough optics on this place."

"Is someone patrolling the grounds?"

"Do you, or do you not see the serious lack of medic here?" Sideswipe kept his vocalizer low, unwilling to disturb either Epps or Lennox. "We've been patrolling every hour. I'm keeping one optic on the security cameras."

"With one optic on the television and one optic on the human, I don't see how you have an optic to spare."

"Just don't you never-mind about my multi-tasking abilities." Sideswipe threw out as many unfamiliar words as he could, knowing Prowl's language data pack was still integrating into his systems. "And besides, you've got everything sufficiently riled up. Prime is even out patrolling on his off-shift."

When he didn't get a response immediately, Sideswipe looked over his shoulder at the other mech. Prowl was frowning slightly. "That's not what I intended."

"Yeah, well." Sideswipe growled as he turned back to the television. "It's what you got."

Sideswipe had made all the point he had intended to. He had hoped Prowl would take the hint and leave. No such luck. "How is weakening himself by skipping recharge going to benefit security?"

"You Praxian twit." Sideswipe turned just in time to see those doorwings hitch up indignantly at the insult. "He is out there because you were bitching about security. And now you're going to bitch because he's doing something about it?"

"I was merely pointing out holes in the defense with the intent of rectifying the problems at the earliest convenience." Prowl replied through gritted dente. "I never intended for him to take the responsibility on himself."

Sideswipe snorted. "You've got a lot to learn about Primes."

Prowl was silent for a few seconds before he moved around to stand beside the television. "I know what it is like to be responsible for the lives of others."

"Look," Sideswipe started, "I get it. You have been keeping that old mech and that kid alive. You've probably bounced all over the galaxy, just trying to stay one step ahead of the 'cons. But I'm telling you, you're no match for Prime in the overprotectiveness department. You're not even in the same zip code."

"I fail to see what you would know about it." Prowl's optics narrowed dangerously. "From what I've observed, you have never been in such a position."

"What in the Pit does it look like I'm doing here?" Sideswipe asked. "I just told you I was monitoring Lennox."

"It looks like you're watching television."

"That's just what I want you to think."

Prowl looked over at Lennox again. "What happened to its appendage?"

Sideswipe noted the use of the term 'it' and felt his temper hedge into the mercurial range. However, he just jutted his chin out and confessed with an air of matter-of-factness. "I shut his hand in my car door."

"Oh yes, well." Prowl rolled his optics. "I can see how you would perfectly understand my role as a guardian. Tell me, do your charges survive?"

"Primus, I bet you never make mistakes, do you?" Sideswipe sneered at him. "They drill that into you at the Enforcer Academy, don't they?"

"You're absurd."

"You have no idea." Sideswipe looked over to the smaller sofa to see Will staring back at him. "'Absurd' is Sideswipe's middle name."

"I don't even have a last name." Sideswipe pointed out. Will's vitals were slow, but still within the bounds of normal.

Will made a "pfft," sound. "Details, Sides, details."

Sideswipe watched the human as he took in Prowl's form standing stiffly beside the television. For a few seconds, he thought Will had drifted back off again, but finally he asked. "You one of the new Bots?"

"Yes." Prowl replied slowly, watching Will shrewdly.

"Desgnation?"

"Prowl."

"Hm. Good to meet you, Prowl." Will lulled his head back on the armrest.

"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance as well." The Praxian returned politely.

"Just want you to know . . ." Will was cut off by a yawn. His eyes shut, but popped back open. He looked confused.

"You would like me to know . . . what?"

"Huh? Oh." It was almost like the gears started turning again in Will's head. "Just want you to know . . ."

The meds were catching up with Will again. He slumped down into the cushions.

"Yes?" Prowl prompted impatiently.

Sideswipe was just about to tell him to 'frag off' when Will muttered. "I know twenty-five ways to kill a man with a stapler."

Sideswipe snorted a laugh as Will fell soundly asleep again.

Prowl just stood there, staring at the man. The smooth face was unreadable, but his optics burned brightly as he glared at Will. The irritation bleeding off of him was almost palpable.

After nearly a full minute, he walked in front of the television. "I'm going to take a look around."

"Knock yourself out." Sideswipe returned, not looking up as the mech stalked away.

It wasn't until the door closed behind him that Epps spoke up, clearly awakened at some point by the mechs arguing. "Dude is wound a little tight."

"You think?" Sideswipe retorted.

After glancing over at Will, Epps settled back down on the couch. "Tell me you got that on tape for Sarah."

"Absolutely."