"WHA' D'YA MEAN HE'S OFFLINE?" Jazz yelled when he heard the news from Optimus Prime.

"There wasn't enough time Jazz. Prowl's processor was under too much stress. His self repair systems locked when he panicked." Optimus Prime tried to soothe. But Jazz wouldn't listen. He took a few steps back and began pacing in front of Optimus. He began muttering to himself and franticly stomping back and forth faster. "Ratchet is doing everything he can to save Bluenote. His spark is still pulsing with life." Optimus said.

"Bluenote's spark won' last withoutta body!" Jazz shot back. Optimus Prime intercepted Jazz's pacing by stepping in front of him and holding him by his shoulder.

"That is what I came to talk to you about." Optimus Prime confessed. Jazz was instantly still. "You are correct in knowing Bluenote's spark will not pulse on its own forever without a body to host it. That is why Ratchet is performing... " Optimus Prime paused. Jazz's optics watched him anxiously.

"What?" Jazz demanded.

"...spark transplacement, on Prowl." Optimus Prime finished. Jazz stumbled backwards.

"WITH WHOSE SPARK?" Jazz panicked. He answered his own question. "No. NO no! Tha Hatchet can't do that! That aint fair!" The logic to the problem revealed itself. Prowl had only a body, and Bluenote had only a spark. But unlike an organic heart transplant, giving Prowl Bluenote's spark would not only give Prowl life, it would also give him Bluenote's soul. Since it was impossible for an Autobot to host two sparks at once, there was no telling who would be saved. Prowl or Bluenote.

"We have no other choice, Jazz." Optimus Prime explained.

"But w' can't tempt fate like that! One of 'em is gonna have ta offline if w' do that! An' we'll have no control over who it'll be! Tha's just... not... fair!"

"It is what we have to do. Bluenote gave his life to defend Prowl. Bluenote would want us to give Prowl a chance."

"WHO GIVES A SLAG ABOUT PROWL?" Jazz yelled. Optimus Prime shot a furious and surprised look at Jazz. Jazz stomped one foot closer to Optimus and threw his hands up. "Don' ev'n say it! Ah know whatcha gonna say! An' ah for one, would rather take chances wi' losin' Prowl than chancin' his life an' Bluenote's! An' ah say that in the nicest way ah can.

"You may have no kind regards for Prowl, but I certainly do. I've noticed that in your past vorns of training, you and Prowl were as distant as could be. Whatever it is that makes you two so incompatible, that is no reason to threaten Prowl's life in front of me!" Optimus Prime growled.

"Ahm just sayin' Bluenote'll always be a better Autobot than Prowl. If either of 'em deserve ta live, it oughta be Bluenote."

"So this is no longer about what is fair, but more about what you want." Optimus Prime concluded. Jazz felt embarrassed, when he ran out of things to say to Optimus Prime. He turned around and began to march away from Optimus Prime, not caring that his leader hadn't dismissed him. "Jazz!" Optimus called. Jazz forced himself to stop, but he refused to face Optimus. "As I recall, you were very concerned about Prowl when I first told you of his condition. So the answer to your question "Who gives a slag about Prowl?" is you. You care." Optimus stated firmly. Jazz still didn't look back at Optimus when he answered.

"Ah care more 'bout ma best friend." Then Jazz stepped farther away from Optimus and continued on his way.

Several breams later, Jazz found himself waiting outside the med bay. It didn't take long before he was pacing again. He'd heard that Ratchet began the surgery before Optimus Prime even talked to Jazz. So obviously Jazz still had no say in the matter, and he wished he did. He wished he knew how to save all of Bluenote guaranteed. Though he wouldn't admit it to Optimus, he wanted to save all of Prowl too. He couldn't explain his actions to Optimus. Everything was getting too tangled.

As Jazz paced back and forth in front of the med bay, every Autobot made sure to steer clear of Jazz. They didn't dare approach him while he was so agitated. Eventually Jazz's pacing began to slow. By the time the surgery was complete and Bluenote/Prowl was stabilized, it was late in the night. When Ratchet opened the med bay door, he sighed when he saw Jazz, curled up in the fetal position and lying against the wall. Ratchet walked out into the hall and gently jostled Jazz's limp body with the tip of his ped. When Jazz didn't move, Ratchet kicked at his arm harder. It startled Jazz awake, and his upper half shot up so fast. Then he looked at Ratchet and realized what was going on.

"Get up Lazyaft." Ratchet said. Jazz slowly stood up, keeping one hand on the wall for support. Worrying and stressing out about Bluenote for so long made Jazz exhausted. "The surgery was a success." Ratchet informed. Jazz wondered how far the true meaning of that sentence could be stretched. "We lost one, like we expected." Jazz mentally prepared himself for what was coming next. "Jazz... Prowl survived." Despair hit Jazz's spark. He held his hand over his visor, so Ratchet couldn't see coolant tears leaking down his face. Jazz bowed his head and kept absolutely silent, without even a single whimper. But Jazz's posture still gave away his pain and misery. Ratchet put his hand on Jazz's and coaxed it away from his visor.

"It aint fair. Tha was Bluenote's spark." Jazz sobbed lightly. "Why'd it have ta be Prowl?"

"The only way to describe what happened is, Prowl's processor was stronger than Bluenote's spark in the end."

"Well o' course it was!" Jazz said bitterly.

"I think you should go talk to Prowl, Jazz." Ratchet tried to nudge Jazz's shoulder, but Jazz pushed Ratchet's hand away and marched around him. He folded his arms and turned his back to Ratchet.

"Why? Bluenote's gone. An' Prowl hates me." Jazz pouted. He could feel Ratchet's optics on him, so he continued. "Prowl n' ah have been paired up on too many missions ta count. An' ev'ry one was a failure."

"You think Prowl blames you for that?" Ratchet asked.

"We're both ta blame. Bluenote gets... got along wit' ev'rybody. He even b'came friends w' Prowl, an' Prowl never lets anyone in. He always keeps ta himself." Jazz ranted. He paused and calmed himself. Then he turned around and looked at Ratchet again. "Prime was right. Prowl an' ah aint compatible. We're too different, understand? Why should ah go talk ta him when he took ma best friend's life? On accident or whatever, ah don't care! Unless ya gotta real good reason, ah aint talkin' ta him!"

"How does this sound as a good reason? Prowl doesn't have any memories of Bluenote. In fact as Prowl's altered memory recals, Bluenote didn't tackle a Decepticon and wrestle him down into the Rust Sea to save him. You did that. Prowl thinks you risked your life to save him." Ratchet explained.

"Tha' doesn't make any sense! Ah wasn't even there!" Jazz said.

"Have you ever been outside of your body watching yourself?" Jazz made a face and tilted his head. Ratchet continued. "I can't be certain, but I don't think Bluenote's gone. It is possible that Bluenote and Prowl have become one, in a way. The part of Prowl that is Bluenote couldn't make sense of himself protecting Prowl. So Prowl and Bluenote blocked out everything that Bluenote was, and replaced it with you."

"Prowl's still Prowl, but with Bluenote's spark. Bluenote's still ma best friend... an' Prowl is 'bout half Bluenote." Jazz guessed. Ratchet stepped back and opened the med bay door open to Jazz.

"Prowl has spoken of Bluenote's own memories in the sense that he was in the place of Bluenote. Though that only happened once. He mostly remembers his own memories. But on rare occasion, he'll start to speak or think like Bluenote. As I said, I think you should talk to him." Jazz began to walk in when Ratchet added. "Jazz? Don't mention Bluenote."

Jazz slowly treaded up to Prowl's medical berth in the med bay. The lights were dimmed over him. Prowl laid on his front side with his doorwings stretched straight up. Jazz thought about how painful it must be for Prowl to keep his doorwings up to avoid anything coming in contact with them as they healed. He couldn't relax his doorwings and spread them horizontally for one moment. Nothing could rub against his doorwings until they completely repaired themselves. Jazz looked at Prowl's face. He looked so uncomfortable, like he'd been forced into recharge during a stressful overload.

"Prowl?" Jazz whispered. Prowl's optics brightened, but not by much. He focused on Jazz.

"Jazz." Prowl replied weakly. "That was so brave of you. But why did you do it?" Jazz figured Prowl was still mistaking him for Bluenote.

"'Cause we're best friends. Ya know that." Jazz spoke directly to Bluenote. "You're right. Ah did defend ya. Just like when we were younglings. Skycut an' the other 'Cons were hittin' ya. Remember ah got on Skycut's back 'n got 'im ta stop? Right?" Jazz was trying a risky move, referring back to his and Bluenote's last day at the day care. Bluenote and Prowl's memories began to overlap.

Prowl's intelligent processor was able to sort it all out so it made sense. He sorted his own memories and Bluenote's into a chronological order all together. Prowl's processor convinced him that when he saw Bluenote's memories, they were his and he was looking through his own optics instead of Bluenote's. But when he saw Bluenote in his own memories, he convinced himself that he was remembering Jazz instead. When Jazz, Bluenote, and Prowl were all together in Prowl's memories, (which rarely happened because Prowl and Jazz didn't get along) Prowl's memories simply disappeared and Bluenote's took over, convincing Prowl there were only two. There was a long pause before Prowl responded.

"I do remember. I was so lucky to have you as a friend back then. I'm sorry my guardians made me crush your audiotoc." Jazz just stared in amazement. Bluenote wasn't gone. Although Jazz did consider the fact that the flashbacks could only be temporary, and Prowl could delete them once he came to his senses, Jazz didn't care. He wanted to hang on to Bluenote for as long as he could.

"That's okay! Ah know ya were just a youngling. Ya didn't have a choice." Jazz cried. Prowl weakly chuckled at him.

"Did I miss something?"

"No." Jazz lied. "Ahm just so happy you gonna be okay." Then he thought for a moment. "Actually, there is somethin' botherin' me. Ah just lost a friend that ah was very close to. An' see, they had ta put his spark inta a new body ta save him. Now he's a new mech. He thinks he's the bot they put his spark into. His spark's still there, technically still alive. But he's not all there, y'know? Ahm just wonderin', if the body of one an' the spark of another become one, what'll happen ta them when they both die? Does that make sense?" Jazz summed up his predicament the best he could. Prowl nodded.

"I believe that our almighty creator is loving and understanding." Prowl said, speaking of Primus. "When both the sparks of those two bots completely pass on, they will be taken care of and Primus will make things right." Prowl decided. Jazz just stared. That didn't sound like Prowl at all. "Aw Bluenote." Jazz sighed. Suddenly realizing Prowl could have heard him, Jazz quickly sat up at the head of the berth, right in front of Prowl.

"How's the wings holdin' up?" He asked for the sake of changing the subject..

"Not that well. They're really starting to feel heavy." Prowl answered.

"Can ah help? Maybe?" Jazz cautiously reached towards Prowl's doorwings. Prowl noticeably tensed up.

"Ratchet said not to let them touch anything!" Prowl alerted.

"Okay, okay. Ah get it. But they're causing ya so much grief n' tension holdin' 'em up like that. C'mon n' let me help. Promise ah won't hurt ya." Jazz persuaded. Prowl nodded and watched Jazz's every move. As Prowl lowered his wings, Jazz held his hands beneath the tips. When Prowl's door wings were spread almost horizontally, Jazz carefully held onto the ends of his door wings and supported them so they rested just a few inches off Prowl's back and shoulders. Prowl welcomed the support once he realized how much tension was released.

"Thank you, Jazz." Prowl sighed with relief.

"What're brothers for?" Jazz said.

"Brothers?" Prowl perked up.

"Sure we are. Do me a favor n' start spreadin' that around the ship ta the others when ya get better. Alright?"

"If you say so." Prowl yawned.

"Okay, now quit talkin'. Ya gotta get ta recharge."

"I'll have you know, I was dead earlier today. Haven't I recharged enough?" Prowl argued. 'Now that's the Bluenote ah know.' Jazz thought.

"Just shut up 'n recharge. Mouth plates muted, optics off." Jazz ordered.

"Yes Ratchet." Prowl said before following orders. Jazz held Prowl's wings in their relaxed position for the rest of the night. He'd nearly fallen into recharge too, until Ratchet came in to check up on them. Jazz froze when he realized Ratchet could see him holding Prowl's doorwings.

"Ah was jus' umm..." Jazz stuttered. Ratchet ignored him and examined Prowl. He was clearly recharging peacefully.

"How is he?" Ratchet asked.

"You were right. Bluenote n' Prowl're one now." Jazz said.

"And you consider both of them to be your brothers, or just Bluenote?"

"Well yeah, Bluenote's like ma brother. But Prowl... Prowl n' ah are actually spark related." Jazz confessed.

"I never knew that." Ratchet exclaimed.

"Yeah, me neither 'til recently. Ah read it in Teletran's records. Prowl n' ah are half brothers. We have the same mech creator. Designation: Backtrack."

"Interesting."

"Yeah n' ironically neither o' us knew a thing 'bout 'im. See ma creators never really... bonded. An' that gave Backtrack the idea that he could just come and go as he pleased. Didn't matter if ma femme creator was raisin' a sparklin' on her own. Then he just didn't come back, y'know? Ah bet the scandal did the same ta Prowl n' his femme creator."

"That was why you were always trying to..."

"Work with Prowl, be a friend ta him. But it never worked." Jazz finished Ratchet's thought.

"Primus will make everything right." Ratchet comforted. Suddenly Jazz realized something.

"Hey! How long have ya been spyin' on us?" He demanded. Ratchet chuckled.

"Calm down. You'll wake your brother up." Ratchet patted Jazz's shoulder and turned to leave Jazz and Prowl.

"Hey! Where ya goin'?" Ratchet didn't turn around to face him again and kept walking.

"It seems to me that you've got everything under control and you're 'holding things up' quite nicely. I'll be back to check on him by the on-cycle." With that, Ratchet left for his own private quarters next to the med bay.

"Aw c'mon Ratchet. Ah can't hold him that long. Ah gotta recharge too y'know." Jazz complained. Suddenly the med bay lights all shut off at once. "Was that necessary?" Jazz spat at the darkness. As if on command, the dim light over Prowl's berth flickered back on. "Thank you." Jazz hissed. For the rest of the night, Jazz held Prowl though his painless recharge. Jazz knew he couldn't recharge and steady Prowl's door wings at the same time. So to keep himself awake, he contemplated the day's events. 'Ah gotta hand it to ya Bluenote. Ah would've never made it this far without ya. And ah would've never gotten ta know ma two brothers, let alone one.' Jazz thought. 'Bluenote? Ah hope whether you're with Primus or still here, ah hope you're happy with the life ya lead. It was 'n honor ta know ya.' Jazz noticed Prowl began to stir in his recharge. Jazz hummed a simple tune to him. Prowl settled down again. Jazz smiled at his older brother. "Take care o' that spark, Prowl." He whispered.