Boo! How goes things guys, how was your New Years? Me, I'm back from Canada at home with the husband (although I need to go back to the frosty land to take care of immigration stuff in two weeks. Poo.). I made some time to write, yey! I made myself a few resolutions, mostly to better myself!

But one was to be better and more stern with myself over my writing, mostly with my updates! Thus, I announce that Thursday's shall be my upload day for this fic! Also, I thought about asking people for requests? I've done a few before and Zanza Flux mentioned Knocks giving Di a bubble bath (I haven't forgotten dahling, I'm just incredibly talented at procrastinating...). So, would that be something for ya'll? Some could be put in this story as a cameo of sort, others could be an OOC/AU drabble that circles around TFP? I dunno, I'm just trying to keep motivated!

... last note, I think Ima post on my tumblr too, just cause then I can insert all sorts of pictures or things for reference. I has 8 followers, a friggen big deal for me! *vibrates in her seat* I loff you all and thank you thank you for taking the time to read, and all of you who have favourited/followed/reviewed... I really sat and looked at the numbers today and asfjsk;grf o.O so much love... *huggles everyone*

But now I STFU, story!


"So, anything?"

Knock Out shook his head, his holoform looking more ragged than ever. "Not a peep, but that's the smart thing to do, keep the channels quiet."

Diana sighed, lying back in her bed again. It'd been nearly a week now since the Autobot Base fell and they'd heard nothing from the others. But like Knock Out said, it was for a good reason. Even so, it didn't make sitting around and waiting any more bearable.

He grumbled, slinking down into the chair that he had pulled next to Diana's bedside. "I'm too afraid to ping them for the same reason." he sighed, rubbing at his face with one hand.

"When was the last time you rested?" Diana asked, tilting her head to the side. "You look worse than me."

Knock Out shrugged lightly, still rubbing at his face. "Just stressed, I'm fine."

"Knocks..."

"Really Di, I'm alright. I've functioned in far worse on far less than I have now, I was a Field Medic for years and years you know. Just worried over things... you, what Megatron's going to do with that Death Palace of his."

Diana frowned, but nodded slightly, accepting his words. "Anything he's going to do, it can't be good. All the more reason to get out of here and look for the others, they'll all be grouping up, coming back here to face the problem."

"If they're alive." Knock Out muttered.

"Don't think like that." she replied, giving him a bit of a glare. "We have to believe they're all alright."

"Well, to their credit... Autobot's are ridiculously hard to kill." he tossed her a little grin, something she laughed at, something she missed.

"I wouldn't know, never tried to kill 'em."

"Word of advice, don't try. Optimus hits like a truck."

Diana rolled her eyes, folding her arms over her chest. "Bad joke, even for you."

He only wiggled his eyebrows at her, laughing when she tried to swat at him with her good hand. As she did, she paused, her eyes widening for a moment.

"What?" Knock Out paused as well, raising a brow at her.

"We've only considered the Autobot's, what about June and Fowler?"

He tipped his head to one side. "They will be monitored too."

"Well sure, but they'd be at the nearest military base, at least I'd assume so. We can just go and look for them."

Knock Out blinked at her. "Are you serious? Your arm's broken first of all, and second, you just want to stroll up to a military establishment, all; hey you don't know me but I know some dude in here so if you could let me and my alien in that'd be cool."

She sputtered at him, rolling her blue eyes again. "I'd word it far more elegantly than that, probably have a few, fucking fuckers let me in, thrown in there. And it's just my arm, I'm fine."

"Obviously not or the humans of this establishment would have released you."

"They said I really just need physio, and I can do that on my own. Hell, June can help me, she is a nurse."

He frowned, shaking his head at her. "I'm not breaking you out of the hospital, and that's that."


"... I can't believe I broke you out of the hospital." Knock Out sighed, he in his vehicular mode with Diana lying down in his back seat.

"Told you." she grinned, nestling herself into a ball and pulling the blanket she'd borrowed from the hospital tighter around herself. "I'm fine and I'll be fine. There's bigger things going on than me, you said so yourself, Megatron's Death Palace is bad news."

Knock Out sighed again. "I know, I know. But you have to promise to take things easy, and do as Nurse Darby tells you."

"Yeah yeah, I promise." Diana smiled, closing her eyes but trying to stay awake. Sleep seemed to win the battle though, because when she opened her eyes next it was to the morning sun and Knock Out shouting at someone.

"I am telling you, go find Agent Fowler, he'll confirm everything I'm saying!" Knock Out yelled, still in his Aston Martin form, though his holoform was seated in the drivers seat, scowling at a pair of Military Police. To his credit, he had cleaned up the holoform, sporting a neat suit and tie, his hair and facial scruff taken care of.

"What's... going on...?" Diana groaned, sitting up and wiping a hand at her face.

Knock Out's holoform glanced to her. "Found the base, but these meat tubes won't let us in." he turned his glare back to the pair of army men, both wearing matching facial expressions of displeasure.

She grumbled softly, crawling into the front seat and opening the passenger side door to let herself out, despite Knock Out's protest that she stay inside. "What exactly is the issue, we do know Agent Fowler, isn't he here? It's important."

The taller of the two MP's frowned as Diana approached them. "Please step back ma'am. This is a military enclosure, we can't have people just driving up and requesting to speak to personnel."

Diana frowned. "But this is very important, in case you haven't noticed, Nevada is kind of fucked up, we'd like to help remedy that."

The man shook his head again. "I'm sorry ma'am but I can't-"

Knock Out interrupted the man, an annoyed growl escaping him as he transformed. "Oh for the love of... we do not have time for this! You go tell Agent Fowler we're here and you do it now or so help me I'll punt your mushy ass from here to -!"

"Knock Out!" Diana shrieked at him, looking between him and the two stunned men. "You have a disguise for a reason you twit!"

"Oh I'm sorry, let me just sit there idling while we're at war, nothing like talking about the weather with an idiot like this guy while Megatron plots world domination. In fact, let me get out my buffer, I've got a few good scrapes that could use some attention." he rolled his eyes, gesturing to the MPs with one hand and ending his little rant by folding his arms over his chest.

Diana could only cover her face with her good hand.

"What in blue blazes is going on over here? Knock Out? Kerrin?!" an agitated but familiar voice caused Diana to look up, Fowler arriving in a military jeep, seated behind the wheel and looking between Knock Out and Diana.

"Oh finally, took you long enough." Knock Out scoffed, taking a step forwards, causing both of the MP's to jump backwards.

"Hey Fowler." Diana smiled, relief coursing through her. "Sorry about this, Doc's a bit impatient."

Knock Out snorted lightly, rolling his eyes again.

"Well keep your panties on... you better control yourself son." he pointed towards Knock Out, managing to sound intimidating despite the fact that the Medic towered over him. "Now change back and follow me."

Diana nodded, moving towards Knock Out as the mech somersaulted back, ending the flip by shifting into his alternate form. He opened the passenger door for her, making sure to burn out a tad in front of the stunned MP's as they took off after Fowler.

After a quick reunion with June, they relayed to the pair what they knew; that they had been evacuated in pairs, each of the children leaving with their usual comrade. June settled a little at that news, that Jack was safe with Arcee. But aside from that, neither side knew much.

Hours later and a text from Jack followed by a call from the surviving Autobots and they were on their way to an all too familiar locale, the infamous Harbinger.


Diana could barely contain herself at seeing her friends alive and well, the children especially. The three of them had run to her, the four toppling to the ground in a messy hug.

"Di! We thought you were toast!" Miko nearly shouted, looking to the cast the older woman sported.

"Yeah, what you did... you protected us." Jack smiled, the first to stand and help the others to their feet. "Thanks."

Diana just smiled, reaching with her good hand to ruffle Jack's hair, something she knew he disliked, but did anyways.

"Another indigenous creature?" a new mech stepped forwards, scrutinizing Diana with a steely gaze. "And you..." he narrowed his eyes as he regarded Knock Out, a vague note of familiarity tickling the back of his mind.

The others fell quiet, Arcee being the first to step up and speak. "Ultra Magnus, Sir, this is Knock Out."

Diana didn't miss the way Ultra Magnus flinched at the name, his shoulders squaring and hands clenching as Arcee continued.

"He's a Medic -" Ultra Magnus cut her off.

"A Decepticon Medic." his voice was curt, carrying a vicious tone.

Diana frowned, stepping to Knock Out's side. She was about to open her mouth to defend him, but the Lieutenant spoke again.

"I trust there is good reason for him being within your ranks?" he glanced towards Ratchet and Diana found herself surprised. She had expected him to move against Knock Out, surely. Instead he queried the former Decepticon, placing intellect before brawn. With just a few words from the mech, Diana had developed a wary respect for the hulking Autobot.

"I shoot what you tell me to, repair what you tell me to." Knock Out shrugged, gently nudging his toes into Diana. "But mostly, I'm here for this little pink thing."

Ultra Magnus raised a brow, a curious look drifting over his face, but he said nothing of it, instead turning to the others as the conversation drifted to what they were going to do against the Decepticons, without Optimus.


In a few hours, a plan had been formulated, Knock Out's insight about the Decepticons and their procedures proving invaluable to their plotting. Despite his advice and insistence that they would have the drop on the Con's, Diana found herself fidgeting, waiting for word of what was happening with Jack, Miko, Raf, June and Fowler back at the military base. Diana was pacing in the hanger Fowler had designated the Bot's area, her distress evident enough that Miko had to take her by her good arm and haul her away to sit at an impromptu living area.

Thus, when the Autobot's returned, the four humans leapt up with enough momentum to send their chairs and the feeble card table flying.

"Knock Out!"

"Bulkhead!"

"Bumblebee!"

"Arcee!"

Each little human cried out their relief, darting to their friends, each bouncing on their feet, relieved that their new found family members had returned unharmed... and more so...

"Optimus..." Diana breathed, all eyes turning to the now larger than before Prime, he returning their bewildered looks with a gentle smile.

Knock Out grinned, bending and taking Diana into his palm, setting her in the little nook between his neck and shoulders. "Everything's coming up daisies."

Diana grinned, the other humans chuckling a little at the phrase.

The red mech looked between them, confusion in his eyes. "What, what?"

"Roses Knocks, it's; everything is coming up roses." Diana laughed, kissing his cheek.

Knock Out just grinned, rolling his eyes as the group moved amongst each other, hugs and back pats distributed to all.

"Knocks?" Diana poked at his chin.

"Mmm?"

"How come you haven't brought me roses?"