CHAPTER 11

"I'm telling you I'm not jealous!" Bumblebee shouted, turning his head to glare at Bulkhead. Bee had gone back into the livingroom to play his Xbox and get his mind off everything. Bulkhead had followed him, sensing that he was annoying him and finding it amusing. He wasn't about to let his friend get lost in the world of Halo.

"Then why are you acting so defensive?" the large green Autobot wanted to know.

"Because I feel like it." Sparks, that was lame!

"You feel like being defensive but you're not jealous?" the big green robot said, making a confused face. "That doesn't make any sense. If you're not jealous you shouldn't feel defensive, though I don't see why you're even acting like this in the first place. It's just Prowl. Why should you care if she spends time with Prowl?"

"Because he-" Bee stopped himself and walked over to the TV. He hooked up his video game and sat down on the couch, picking the controller up off the worn cushion. "Oh forget it. You wouldn't understand."

"No, I don't," Bulkhead said, resting his forearms on the back of the couch. He cocked his head. "Prowl's not going to do anything to her. He told me once that he considers her his student. It's not like he thinks of her differently now."

"You don't know that," Bee grumbled, glaring at the TV screen. "You heard Optimus. He's got loopy emotions right now. Who knows what that's doing to him? He could-" he stopped himself. He didn't want to entertain those kinds of thoughts. It wasn't healthy, especially when he pictured Prowl doing them with Sari.

"You're just being paranoid."

Bumblebee jumped out of his seat and got into Bulkhead's face. "I'm not being paranoid!" an alien jumped out from behind a rock and ate Master Chief. "Now look what you did!"

Bulkhead grinned a big grin but didn't say anything. His expression said more than Bumblebee wanted to know. He started laughing hysterically. "You are jealous!"

"Ah, shut up," Bee growled, turning his face back to the TV screen. "Shows how much you know."


Prowl and Sari walked around the park, observing families and single people who came to the place. Since it was summer the park was more crowded than usual. Some of the children were using the local pool. Prowl watched them laughing and squealing as they jumped into the water or slid down the slides. Sari watched him, aware that he might ask a question. She didn't know what he'd ask about so she had to be ready for anything.

"You know what I always thought didn't make any sense," he said suddenly.

Here we go. "What?"

"Humans," he began. "You.. uh, they, always put on layers of clothing when it gets cold and when it gets hot they take them off." he was silent for a moment then said. "Why can't they just be satisfied with the weather? When it's hot they want it cold when it's cold they want it hot." he looked at her. "Why it that?"

Sari's mind seemed to shut down. She could not think of any explanation. This is going to be harder than I thought. "Uh..." she said, groping for an answer. "It's really complicated. I don't know if I can explain it." she thought a moment then admitted. "I guess it's because humans are picky. They can't decide what they want, especially when it comes to the weather."

He frowned. She could tell he didn't like her answer. He looked back at the children in the pool. She could sense he was about to ask another question so she beat him to it. "People go swimming in pools because it's fun."

"Fascinating." he studied it for a moment then commented. "It seems humans only find water amusing when it's at their disposal. Like on a beach or a pool. But when it rains they do their best to avoid it."

Oh boy. She grabbed his arm and led him away. "Come on, let's find something else to look at."

She led him over to another part of the park where is was much quieter. Prowl observed a couple walking hand in hand. He'd seen plenty of couples doing that when he was a robot and had wondered even then why they did it. He knew why robots did that sometimes but he didn't know if humans did it for the same reasons. He'd meant to ask about it but never had the time. "Sari."

"Yes?"

He pointed at the couple. "I've always wondered why human couples hold hands," he told her. "Why do they do that?"

"Because they like each other," she told him. "It has something to do with love."

"Love?"

"Yeah," she said. "Don't tell me you've never heard of it."

"Of course I have," he told her. "Don't you think transformers can love?"

"I am perfectly aware that transformers can love," she shot back, putting her hands on her hips. "Just looking at Ratchet and Arcee tells me that much. I'm just surprised that you would ask me that."

"Because transformers don't hold hands when they are in love," he replied. "Not like that. They do it for other reasons where I come from."

She almost asked him what that was but chose not to. "Well that's what people do when they love each other," she explained. "It's a very popular." How can it mean things differently for robots? When Ratchet and Arcee hold hands it clearly means they have feelings for each other. Maybe cyber ninjas don't...

"Oh." he fell silent then said. "I feel stupid."

"Why?"

"I'm asking such childish questions," he looking at her. "I should already know these things. I've seen enough of it."

"Don't be so hard on yourself," she said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "You can't know everything."

"Hmm." he folded his arms then changed the subject. "Why don't we look somewhere else now?"

She was more than ready to move on. "Okay."


Megatron boarded Team Charr's starship the Darksyde a few hours after the incident in Barricade's apartment. Barricade was still with him though he wasn't sure why. He knew his usefulness had ended hours ago. Something else must be keeping the Decepticon Commander from killing him, he figured.

When the two stepped into the control room of the ship all the weapons were trained on the Autobot's chest.

"Stand down!" Megatron ordered.

Strika stared at him, a little uncertain. "But he is an Autobot!" the large femme protested, her accent as thick as ever. "Why is he even on this ship?"

"Because I want him to," Megatron informed her. "He is the one who broke me out of the stockade and I don't wish for his termination just yet." he looked down at Barricade. The Autobot met his gaze for a moment then looked away. "I am considering letting him join our fraction if he proves trustworthy."

The other Decepticons exchanged looks but didn't comment. They all put their weapons away. Megatron smirked. "Much better." he looked over at Barricade. "Why don't you make yourself comfortable? We will discuss your initiation later."

The Autobot nodded, but he wasn't sure he liked the idea. He didn't comment on it though. That would not be a wise decision.

Now that that was done Megatron turned back to Strika. She had her arms folded and she did not look very happy. He knew she did not like it that he was allowing an Autobot to come with them but he didn't care about her feelings. He was the leader here, not her. Even if it was her ship. Soon that little problem wouldn't be an issue any longer. Before she could say anything about it he walked past her and looked out the ship's windshield. "Strika," he said suddenly. "Set a course for Earth."

"Earth?" she exclaimed, startled. "Why would you want to go back to Earth? That planet is overrun with humans."

"I have unfinished business on Earth," he replied, looking back at her. "Now obey my order, or do I have to have you replaced?"

She held his gaze for a moment then turned away, focusing her attention on Cyclonus. "You heard him," she snapped. "Take this boat to Earth!"


Prowl and Sari had moved to a much quieter part of the park where the trees grew thick and healthy. They'd spent the last hour observing people doing stuff and Sari did her best to explain things though most of the stuff he already knew or figured out himself. Eventually they just gave up and walked around, enjoying the rest of the morning. Sari felt a bit disappointed. Things weren't as easy as she thought they would. As time went on he asked less and less questions. She wasn't sure if that was because he knew the answers or because he didn't want her to short circuit her brain trying to explain things. Emotions weren't the easiest things to to understand.

"Don't worry about it, Sari," he told her. "Next time I want to learn about an emotion I'll wait until I experience it for myself before asking you about it."

"Okay." That'll probably make things much easier. At least then he won't be observing it second hand. that got her wondering. I wonder what kind of emotions he's experiencing right now?

Until then she'd been grabbing his hand or putting her on his shoulder. If he had been a normal human she bet he would be acting like those morons she saw on those date movies. But this was Prowl. He wasn't likely to feel anything from that, techno organic or not. She looked up at his face. It was rather handsome. She nearly feel over when she realized what she was thinking. Whoa! Where did that come from?

Prowl , who was blissfully unaware of her thoughts, looked up at the trees. They were fully covered in leaves right now because it was summer. He heard birds singing and smiled. Sari noticed the look and her weird thoughts vanished. "What?" she asked.

"Nothing," he said, looking at her. "I was just thinking how peaceful it is here."

"Oh." she looked around. "Well it is pretty quiet here. I wonder if nobody comes here very often." Here we are. Alone together. Just you and me. she gasped, realizing what she was thinking. Stop that!

He smiled, still not noticing the look on her face or the fact that it was turning red. "It's nice."

"Yeah," she agreed, keeping her voice level. "Hey-"

Suddenly he stopped in his tracks. The girl almost walked into him. "What gives?" she demanded.

"Shhh!" he ordered, putting his finger to his lips. "Do you hear that?"

She just stared at him. "Hear what?"

"Listen."

She fell silent. After a few seconds she became aware of a faint noise. A low mewling. "It sounds like it's coming from over there," she said, pointing toward a clump of bushes.

"Wait here," Prowl said, looking at her. "I'll be right back." he walked cautiously toward the shrubbery. When he reached them he put out his hand and pushed the dark green fronds back. When he saw what was under them he relaxed.

"Prowl?" Sari asked, from the trail. "What is it?"

"Come and see," he told her.

She walked to the spot and looked over his shoulder. There in the grass lay a mother cat and three little kittens. "Aww," Sari cooed. "They're so cute." she reached out a hand to stroke one of the kittens but Prowl grabbed her hand. "Hey, what gives?'

"I wouldn't do that," he told her. He noticed the suspicious look on the mother cats face. "Not unless you want your hand torn off."

Sari pulled it back. "But what are they doing here?" she asked him.

"I don't know," he replied, watching the mother cat. "It seems like she had them here." he slowly moved his hand toward the mother cat. He figured if he was real careful he wouldn't get it shredded. He had always liked cats, even when he was a robot. When mommy cat didn't swat at him he moved the furr from her neck and exposed a ragged red collar. "Somebody owns her."

"Who?"

He touched the tiny brass tag hanging from the collar and read the address printed on it. "Carly Witwicky."

"Carly Witwicky!" Sari exclaimed. "I know that name. Her husband, Spike, works for Dad. I sometimes played with their son. Why would she leave her cat out here?"

"I don't know," Prowl said, getting up. "Mrs. Witwicky might not have left her here. She might have just gotten out of the house or something." he studied the cats for a moment before saying. "I think maybe we should take her home."

"But we can't do that!" she protested.

"Why not?" he demanded.

"Those kittens are still too young to be moved," she pointed out. "Their eyes and ears are all closed up."

"So?"

"They're blind and deaf," she answered. "It would not be wise to move them until they can see and hear.... plus." she looked back at the mother cat. "The mother cat is in Mommy Mode. If you try to move those kittens she'll go after you."

He looked back at the cat. "Why would she do that?" he asked. "We're only trying to help."

"Mothers are very protective of their young," she replied. "If they see people messing with their children they get mean."

"Oh." he watched the mother cat move her head down and start washing one of the kitten's heads. "She must really care for them."

"Yes, she does," the girl agreed. She sat down on the ground and gently reached out her hand. The mother cat sniffed it then allowed her to stroke her furr. "She loves her babies and would rather give her own life then let something bad happen to one of her children."

Prowl joined her and stroked the mother's head. "So she's selfless."

"Exactly." she looked at him, a small smile on her face. "Like another person I know."

"Who?" he asked, looking at her.

She lifted a hand and poked his forehead. "You."

"Me?"

"Remember," she said. "You gave up your life to save the lives of thousands of human beings. " she reached up and laid a hand on his shoulder. "You are not even from this planet and you died to protect it."

He looked into her eyes then down at her hand before looking away. Looking at her at that instant had caused a strange feeling to shoot through him. "I might not be from this planet but I've come to love it as if I was built here," he explained, scratching the mother cat under her chin. Looking at the mother cat was easier than looking at Sari right then. "I could not let Megatron destroy it. There are too many things I care about here-" he shot her a glance. No reaction. Good. "There are too many people I care about as well."

She stared at him. "What do you mean?" she wanted to know.

He looked back at her and opened his mouth as if to explain himself. Then he seemed to reconsider and returned his attention to the cats. "It's not important," he said. "Just forget I said anything."

For some reason Sari felt that it was.


"Will you leave me alone!" Bumblebee shouted.

Bulkhead was following him around and talking about how Bumblebee was acting toward the whole Prowl and Sari issue. Bulkhead had not left him alone and he wound up abandoning his video game because the big green robot was too distracting.

The other Autobot grinned. "Come on, you have to admit the way you're acting is funny," he prompted. "I mean she's only helping him out with being human and all. I don't see why you're acting so irrational. It's not like they're doing anything else."

"I don't care whatthey're doing!" the yellow Autobot shouted, doing a one-eighty. He got right into Bulkhead's face. "and I'd be happy if you would just stop bothering me about it. I know what she's doing. I don't have to be reminded."

"If you know what she's doing why are you acting like this?" the green robot wanted to know. "If it didn't bother you that she's spending so much time with Prowl since we got back you wouldn't be so upset."

"Will you stop saying that!" Bee snapped. "I just don't see why she couldn't let me come along with them. I'm her best friend for spark's sake!"

Bulkhead stated what should have been obvious. "Maybe because you wouldn't be of help."

"How would you know that?"

"Well are you human?"

"No."

"Then how could you help them?" the large green robot wanted to know. "You don't even care about the stuff they're doing. You told me already. You thought it was boring. You said you'd rather play video games, which seems like the only thing you care about."

"I do not care only about video games!" Bee exploded. "I care about other things too!"

Yeah that was true but since landing on Earth three years ago Bumblebee seemed to care more about the electronic junk the planet created than anything else. "Then maybe you should show it better."

The yellow colored Autobot pouted. "Ah, leave me alone."

"All right," his friend consented. "Whatever you want. Just remember what I said."

Bee waved him off. "Yeah, yeah."


Since they couldn't do anything for the mother cat and her kittens they left them where they found them, but remembered to mark the spot so they could come back later. Prowl wanted to bring mommy cat some food when he had the chance. Plus he had to remember to let Carly know where they were so she could come get them herself.

"So what now?" Sari asked as she and the cyber ninja walked out of the park. "Where do you want to go now?"

"Your place," he replied instantly. "I still have a few hours worth of driving to finish before I can take the drivers test."

Sari was honestly relieved. Her whole morning and early afternoon had been spent answering Prowl's many questions. She thought she was being helpful but the more questions he asked the more frustrated she'd become. A break was a welcome distraction. Dad was wrong. I'm not cut out for it at all. "All right," she agreed. "Dad's probably got lunch waiting for us back at the Tower."

"I hope it's something healthy," she heard him mutter.


"I hope you're not planning on double crossing him."

Barricade lifted his head to find Oil Slick standing over him. The Decepticon cyber-ninja had his arms crossed and his expression hard as stone under the glass bulb-like cover that protected his face. The police-bot knew right away he and this fish-tank head weren't going to be friends. "I don't know what you mean," he said.

Oil Slick felt that he did. Why else would the Autobot traitor be sitting away from everyone else, brooding? "I don't understand why he has not slagged you yet, but if you want to keep your spark in your chest you'd better not be thinking of double crossing him." the Decepticon leaned toward him, an evil smile on his face. "Because if you are I'll make sure you come to regret it."

Barricade folded his arms and glared at him. The police-bot recognized Oil Slick. He'd once been an Autobot himself. Who are you to talk? "There's a waiting list for that," he retorted. "and if you're so worried about me betraying Megatron you don't have to. I have no reason to because I'm wanted for being a traitor. In case you're wondering I was the one who got your precious leader out of the stockade to begin with. If I wanted Megatron to be taken back into custody I would have done so already but I won't."

Oil Slick said nothing. He just stood there, studying the other robot's face. He let what Barricade said sink in. He got Megatron out of the stockade? By himself?Finally he straightened up. "All right," he said. "You've made your point, Autobot. But just remember I'll be watching you." then he turned and joined Strika over by the controls.

Barricade watching him go, his mouth turned down with a scowl. You don't have anything to worry about. I don't intend to betray you. he looked across the room where Megatron was conversing with Cyclonus, completely ignoring the Autobot. Not if I know what's good for me.

Megatron noticed him watching them. He frowned at him a moment then returned to his conversation. It was obvious he didn't want to talk to him right now. The Autobot rested one leg on top of the other and folded his arms. Of course not. He's back where he belongs, thanks to you. If you were thinking this whole thing was a good idea you were wrong. Megatron might think that some things you do are useful and you might amuse him but he doesn't really care about you. You should have just let him leave by himself. But he's the one who chose to come back. You left with him, remember? Somebody must have seen it. That's got to be what happened. he shook his head.

Megatron shouldn't have come back. If he did there's a reason behind it. He's probably only using you.

If that was true why would he allow him to board the ship?

To make sure you don't do anything stupid.

Yeah that could be it. He didn't trust him. He wanted to make sure he behaved himself. Barricade frowned. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea.

But if things went south he wouldn't stick around. He too could plan ahead.


Prowl's driving lesson went smoothly this time around. Professor Sumdac, worried that Prowl would destroy another one of his more expensive cars brought out an old jalopy he'd driven in high school. The blasted thing was rusted in a few places and backfired large clouds of black smoke. It was also slow as molasses, barely topping thirty miles an hour. The cyber ninja felt like an idiot driving it but realized the professor wasn't going to change his mind and gracefully accepted his fate. Well almost gracefully.

He absolutely refused to drive by any place where his Autobot comrades might be hanging out, for fear that they might spot him. This proved hard to do since most of these places were on the main road and most driving lessons happened on main roads where there was lots of space. He didn't care. He did not want Bumblebee to find another reason to laugh it him. Pride one that round.

The second thing he wanted was an air freshener installed. The interior smelled like three month old gym socks and stank to high heaven. Prowl with his sense of smell upped a thousand percent thanks to his new body, nearly died when the inventor opened the door. He refused to get into the driver's seat until the smell was dealt with.

Professor Sumdac made an unpleasant face but installed a lemon scented pine tree on the rear view mirror. "Happy now, your highness?" he'd asked him.

Prowl ignored the jab and opened the driver's side door of the car. Lemons greeted him and he nodded his head. "Exceedingly."

Then they both climbed in and pulled out of the parking lot.

Nothing bad happened this time around and they got quite a few hours logged in before heading back.

A/N

Tehehehe... actually this jealous Bumblebee stuff is very amusing. XD The part with questions was confusing. I don't want him to seem like an idiot yet I want him to be innocent in some things. I'm trying to make those parts understandable and stuff but I have this wall standing between me and certain issues. I can't break through so I don't dwell on them too much. Don't be angry.

For Prowl/Sariness. I don't wanna go overload so for now its brief instances of the growing relationship.