-.- Mercy's on the violent side today unfortunately... But hey it's a new chapter... so yays to the crap ton of caffeine that's got me wired... yay!

Many thanks to everyone that's reading this. And of course top honors to Answerthecall.

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers


Chapter 28: Cake

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Mercy glared at the crowd of drooling men, a torque wrench held defensively in her grip as she glared at them. "I said back off! You aren't getting any until the birthday girl shows up."

"Then get her here already woman! I want cake before ol' Ratchet finds out about it." A tall bald african amercian man groaned.

"Oh come now Epps it's not like you're that deprived of sweets."

The crowd parted to reveal a tall forties-ish brunette in with Autobot blue eyes garbed in a lab coat, a chartreuse dress shirt and dark slack standing there, his arms crossed as he eyed the cake and the woman defending it.

"Damn it!" Epps grumbled under his breath.

"Don't even think about it." Mercy growled her green gaze full of the promise of pain. "No one touches this cake unless he wants to suffer through testicle retraction."

Ratchet raised a brow at the woman's brazen declaration before a slight smirk lit his face.

"Okay Mercy I found her!" Blue cheered as his holoform and Oliver walked into the room, one had his hands over her eyes while the other was covering her ears. T hey stopped short of the cake and removed their hands leaving Annabelle to stare at the massive double sheet double layer cake.

She stared with wide eyes before turning and tightly hugging Mercy. "Thank you! I can't believe that you remembered!"

"You doubt that I would remember your birthday? As if. I'm just sorry that I wasn't able to make it key lime like I wanted to... Now... cut your cake before I have to maim someone."

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Will was buried under yet another stack of paperwork when Optimus' holoform entered his office.

"William."

"Oh hey Optimus what's up?"

The raven haired holoform smiled grimly. "I believe you remember the boy that has been residing with Bluestreak?"

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A clean cut black haired holoform wearing a dark uniform wandered the base, despite the orders from Ratchet not to do anything taxing on his systems. But after several stellar cycles of being tortured and bound tightly, Prowl for all his rule abiding self needed to do something besides lay on a berth... even if that meant using his holoform. He had used it since the last planet he had been on and was still not used to using it. He was even more leery of using his holoform after the Decepticons had snuck up on him and captured him while he had last been using it.

Prowl had just left the med bay after hearing report the human doctor had given Jolt about what he had learned from Barricade. To think that the ex-Con had fallen in love with one of this planets natives... it hurt his processors as he fought the glitch that had almost occurred from the original thought of that. He was waking past the humans offices when he past the one assigned to the colonel.

"I believe you remember the boy that has been residing with Bluestreak?" Prowl froze at Prime's voice.

"You mean Oliver right?"

"Indeed. Bluestreak has informed me of a situation with the boy." Prime vented. "It appears that the boy is a runaway."

"... The higher ups aren't going to like that." Will said quietly.

Prowl frowned as he let his logic get the better of him and he scolded himself for eavesdropping. Prime will inform me of the details I'm sure of it... he thought as he moved away quietly as he backtracked to make his way to the rec room.

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Torri smiled as she listened to Mercy grumble and growl at the soldiers that were clamoring for a second piece of cake before the others had even made their way through the line for the first time.

"I swear this is like college all over agian..." Mercy groaned to her as she handed Torri the extra slice she had set aside.

"What having 'nam flashback's?"

Mercy smirked. "Never take a pizza through a guy's dorm. Hey! Get the hell outta here Epps! Save some for the others!" Mercy slapped his hands as he reached for another slice.

"Haha buen intento Epps." one of the men smarted off in spanish.

"Shut it Fig! Oi how come she's got two?" Epps eyed Torri.

"Because one is for the guilt trip I'm going to be giving your commanding officer considering he's not present." Mercy said with a wink as she stepped aside and let the cook take over the cake duty. She took the cake from Torri and made her way over to the one that the soldiers were steadily avoiding, the one they had deemed 'Ratchet'.

"Aren't you going to partake my masterpiece?" she asked with a grin.

"I do not require human food."

Mercy shook her head. "Blue sure likes his cake." she said pointing over to him. He was currently avoiding a finger dabbed with frosting being wielded by a giggling Annabelle. "So it can't be that bad for you. Besides if I remember correctly, Blue told me that the holoform converts the stuff it ingests into that ener-stuff you guys live off of."

"It is called energon."

"So... Keith over there told me that you'd be out for my head for making the cake. So when can I expect my demise?" she smirked before she was whacked on the back of her head. "Ow!"

"Stop antagonizing him Mercy." Torri sighed as she came up behind her sister. "And get that cake to Will before it gets stale."

"Hmph. Doesn't matter since I'm shoving it in his face." Mercy snarked as she stalked away.

Torri sighed in annoyance as she took a seat next to Ratchet. "I swear she's going to be the death of me." Torri rubbed her temples. A chuckle had her shooting a glare at the holoform. "I'm serious."

"I'm sure you are Torrine."

"Torri please. I'll even go by Hawkins if you insist but don't call me Torrine. It'll ease the tension since we're stuck working together."

Ratchet shook his head. What is it with these humans and their instant use of nicknames? "Very well then Torri."

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"Ha!" Blue cried as he lobbed a lump of frosting hitting Annabelle in the cheek. She squeaked and swiped Oliver's slice and smashed it into Blue's face much to Oliver protest.

"My cake!" Oliver cried. "Seriously must ya always use my stuff to assault him? You still have half of your slice left!"

"Sorry Ollie... but call it revenge for signing me up for that stupid crown." Anna smirked.

"Gah..." Blue groaned as he wiped the frosting off. The two stared at him for a second before bursting out in a fit of snickering and giggles. "What?"

"The frosting... left ya blue..."

Bluestreak sighed as he looked at the icing on the napkin. "It would figure..."

"Bluestreak." Blue stiffened at the voice which drew the two teen's gaze towards the man standing with his arms crossed. His blue eyes coldly glaring at their target.

"Hey Prowl... I see you finally got out of the med bay." Blue smiled weakly at his brother.

"Oh I'm still in the med bay... Blue we need to talk."

Blue shifted uneasily at the stern tone in Prowl's voice. He had a nasty feeling in his tank that he was not going to like whatever it was that the older praxian was going to say.

"Is that your older brother Blue?" Oliver said as he blinked at the holoform. Oliver stood up and held out his hand when Blue mutely shook his head. "My name's Oliver." He said as he smiled. "It's a pleasure to meet ya."

Prowl stared the boy over as he put the boy's face to memory and began running a facial comparison through another processor as it searched the national police databanks. The boy held out his hand for well over a minute before he realized Prowl was not there for a pleasant reason. He sighed at the boy's nervousness crossed his feature... and as his search came up fruitful. "I wish I could say the same Jacen."