Things had been going relatively well for the last couple of weeks. Sunstreaker had been really trying to curb his attitude it was actually quite surprising, especially when he offered to take me to work and back.

Mr Keller was still trying to sort out all the nitty gritty details of the team that will be working with the Autobots' so I decided to get a part time job just to pass the time, and when I'm not there I'm at home or at the base. My job? I work as a waitress in a bar in the downtown part of the city. It pays well and all but, most of the time, I just want to kill the patrons. They annoy me. A lot.

I've been okay though, Annie's getting more and more attached to Ironhide that where you find one the other is sure to be nearby, she climbs all over them it is actually quite funny. Back to the Sunstreaker thing, Barricade's been so busy lately running patrols and working alongside Prowl as an actual policeman that he isn't always around, don't get me wrong but I'm beginning to miss the grouch.

So, anyway Sunstreaker has been filling in for him and Sideswipe is always nearby as well. There has been a few instances where their holoforms had to intervene on my behalf at work, a few patrons had been feeling a bit frisky and ended up leaving with broken arms. My boss Mr Kole, bless his soul, has one insane protective streak over who he employs. When I first started working a few people acted up, I swear I have never seen someone pull a shotgun out from behind the bar so fast, it would have made Ironhide proud. Yeah so things are good; Sides and Sunny (I somehow get away with calling him that) are now my informal guardians when Barricade isn't around, Frenzy and Tsuki are but they tend to stick around my parents so they have someone with them when they are off doing who knows what.

Another thing about Mr Kole, he asked me when, ya know, my next time of the month was and told me I could have the week off when it came. I was a little freaked out but I told him when it was gonna happen and he booked the next week and a half off for me. "I don't want you in pain; my daughter has a heck of a time when it happens to her so I can guess the pain you would be in." He said gruffly, eyes shining with compassion. "I'm a southern gentleman and ain't no young lady gonna be working when she's in that much pain." I swear I could have hugged him, and I did.

So enough of the flashback, here I am, lying at home in my bed curled up while wearing a camisole and a pair of knee length pants in the foetal position while cursing Mother Nature vividly. "Men get off easy, they only have wet dreams, women have to go through this, pregnancy and birthing and I'm not surprised a women's menstrual cycle starts with the word MEN!" I growled, wrapping my arms around my stomach as mom opened the door with a hot water bottle in one hand and a cup of hot chocolate in the other. "How you feeling sweetie?" she asked in concern, placing the bottle on my stomach and the mug on the side. "Is the pain getting any better?" I shook my head and whimpered as a sharp pain clenched my stomach.

She frowned, brushing my hair from my face as she stood up. "I'll go to the store to get you some painkillers; it'll take a little off the pain."

"Are any of the bots here?"

"No why?"

"Because I have a feeling that we may get swarmed."

It was true, I did have that feeling. When the pain first kicked in it was only a small twinge but it still made the bots worry, each of them sending concern and comfort down our links that it made me feel a little better. Unfortunately, any girl knows that the pain gets a HELL of a lot worse when you don't have pain killers on hand and I think if the bots were human they may have had a heart attack.

.:Kira? What is wrong?:. I heard Optimus ask in my mind, anxiety playing on his words as the others sent confusion and fear down our links .: What is going on?:.

'Can't… hurt too much'

.:KIRA?.:

I whimpered mentally, curling up closer round the bottle as I hear mom drive away towards the store a few tears slipping down my cheeks as the bots desperation and shock slipped down our links .:Kira stay where you are, we are coming:. I hear Ratchet say before I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep.

"Kira? Kira wake up youngling, please"

"Ey doc, the lil'lady gonna be okay?"

"I am unsure Jazz, this is something that I haven't encountered before as I am not used to treating humans."

"Hatchet fix her damn it!"

"Be silent you pit born slagger"

"ENOUGH!"

I groaned and opened my eyes blearily, staring at the large group of holoforms that were gathered in my room looking down at me in concern. "That's something you don't see everyday." I muttered, wincing when my stomach started cramping again. "OWWWWW!" Ratchet jumped, scanning me quickly while a frustrated frown crossed his face. "Your stomach muscles are cramping, the pain seems to be resonating from there-

"NO SHIT SHERLOCK"

"-and she's bleeding… Kira why are you bleeding? How ere you harmed? Who did this to you?"

"MOTHER BLOODY NATURE!"

"What? Hatchet do, something already!"

"Sunstreaker calm down!"

I cringed, wrapping an arm around my stomach as Barricade crawled on my bed behind me, nestling my body against his chest as he hummed a lullaby while Sunstreaker gently stroked my back as Sideswipe stroked my hair and Jazz massaged my feet though I twitched a few times. "Lil'lady ticklish huh?" he asked casually but he lost his smile when I glared at him fiercely. "Use that against me and I will never talk to you again." He chuckled and continued rubbing my feet as the others crowded round, sending comfort and reassurance towards me.

"What is going on?"

Everyone blinked and turned to look at mom and dad who stood in the doorway with perplexed expressions on their faces though moms sunk into understanding when she came over and handed me a bag. "Oh honey, did the pain get worse?" I nodded, digging out a box of aspirin and taking two with my now cold hot chocolate. "Did you guys feel her then?"

"We picked up on her pain and rushed over, she's bleeding and we can't tell why or where!" Ratchet growled but when mom started giggling and dad turned red in the face he snarled at them. "I don't think a threat to your child health is a laughing matter!"

"Ratchet this is perfectly normal."

EVERYONE blinked at that and stared at her as if she was crazy. "How is this normal?" Sunstreaker asked while looking down at me who was now bright red. "Mom, if you are going to give them this talk it is not going to be in here!" she chuckled and back off, waving the holoforms through the door and when it shut behind them I looked at dad. "See what I have to go through?" I asked bluntly, scowling at him when he laughed and came over, laying on my bed and pulling me towards him in a hug. "I know, sweet heart I know. They really love you." Nodding I curled round him and tucked my head under his chin, snickering evilly when I felt the bots shock, fear and embarrassment float through our links. "I think the bots know what's going on now."

"What? The fact that you're having the time of the month?"

"That and I think they are picturing what would happen if I got angry."

"… The apocalypse?"

"Close enough"

He laughed and shook his head, pecking my forehead lovingly as he stroked my hair. "Have a nap Kira, I'm sure the bots will calm down by the time you wake up."

I slept until late evening and when I woke up I was surrounded by their holoforms, again.

Optimus had red hair with blue streaks, a sharp face but gentle eyes haunted by the past that made you just want to hug him, he was at least 6ft 2"

Ironhide had black hair and hardened features, a scar running across his face much like on his bipedal mode, he was even taller than Optimus.

Everyone else was round about 5ft9" to 6ft. Bumblebee looked like a teenaged with blonde hair and dimples, Sunstreaker looking just a bit older while Sideswipe looked the same except with red hair. Ratchet had neon yellow hair that matched his alt mode and he looked like a gruff grandfather that still had muscle. Prowl and Barricade were like fraternal twins, each had black and white hair but Cade looked gruffer than Prowl who looked stonier. Mudflap and Skids looked like young rappers, Jazz looked a bit older than them but still had the rapper appearance. Driftstream looked just a bit younger than Bumblebee with black and green streaked hair.

All off them were curled up on my bed beside me or in some of the chairs nearby asleep, all but one that is. "Hey Ratchet." I whispered, running my fingers through Dirftstream's hair as his head was placed on my stomach. He looked over and smiled gently, brushing my hair from my face as he checked me over. "Your mother has explained exactly what happened, it is a… painful thing for human women yes?" I nodded carefully, smiling when he pecked my forehead gently. "I have , along with the others, researched the female menstrual cycle and can now cope with what needs to be done to prevent such pain again."

"It's okay Ratch, you didn't know what was going on."

He hummed to himself quietly before ruffling my hair as Optimus' voice reached our ears. "Never the less Kira, we failed in being prepared for this and for that we apologise." Groaning in irritation I sat up, carefully positioning Driftstream so he was laying his head on my pillow as I manoeuvred round the room to hug them both. "I don't expect you to protect me from everything, just from rogue Decpeticons… and human males who are feeling frisky." I whispered, smiling when the both wrapped their arms around me and hugged me tightly, pulling me to sit between them as we sent affection and contentment towards each other but I sent it to everyone in the room and, somehow, I think It reached Sunstreaker as well even though I haven't sent him a link again yet. "I get you want to protect me but I have to make a few mistakes in my life, its part of growing up. I love you guys and I know you'll always be there to catch me if I fall."

"Always and forever Kira."

I grinned, moving around the room to hug the others who had just woken up, slinging my arm round Sideswipes and Sunstreaker's shoulders as I smirked at them. "You sure you can put up with me for that long? I'm known for being a pain in the ass."

"You already are."

"Hey Sunny, you ain't exactly a ray of sunshine either you know"

"Stop calling me that!"

"Why don't you shove it and accept that fact that you're walking monkey food!"

"Frag you, you stupid fleshy"

"And we're back to fleshy! Of course I'm fleshy I'm a human! Come on say it with me H-U-M-A-N!"

"That's it!"

"Okay, make way, wide load coming through he's huge!"

I bolted from the room with Sunstreaker hot on my tail as I snickered at him, sending him comedic glances behind me which made him grin despite himself as everyone else roared with laughter. "Sissy!" grinning I scooped Annie up and held her as I ran. "MAKE A BREAK FOR IT HE'S GOING TO SPROT BANANA LEAVES MUAHAHAH!"

"Sissy?"

"Yes Annie?"

"He gone"

"What?" I turned my head to see behind me and sure enough he wasn't there so I put Annie down and shooed her away to her room as I resumed running for the front door.

SLAM

"Look at all the pretty colours…" I muttered as a smirking Sunstreaker stood there by the now open door. "Now who looks stupid"

"You do….. All six of you."

"RATCHET I THINK I BROKE HER!"

"I wanna be an air born ranger!"

"What?"

"I am the eggman I am the walrus Koo, Koo kachoo!"

"Ratchet she's gone crazy! She's singing random things!"

"Ain't no stopping us now! We're on the move!" As I sung this I moon walked out the door.

"Sunstreaker?"

"Yes R-Ratch?"

WHACK

"Wow flying wrench of doom!"