Author's Note:

I just want to say thanks again to all of my reviewers! :) You guys are awesome, and glad you're liking the story!

"Wheeljack? Are you okay?"

Wheeljack's rear view mirror twitched so he could see Miko. She was idly plucking her guitar strings, and he shifted. "What do you mean?"

She shrugged. "Well . . . I don't know . . ." Her toes tapped. "You've just been . . . weird lately."

"Weird?"

Miko nodded before blushing slightly and pursing her lips. She dropped her head guiltily. "Whatever. Forget I said anything."

Wheeljack's side view mirrors twitched. "Forget it? You brought it up, Babe, finish it out. Weird how?"

She scowled when he pressured her, and she looked out the window, watching the empty landscape whiz by on their way to base. "Well . . . You've been . . . WEIRD. Every time we're alone, you want to go see everyone else."

His mirror twitched again. "Yeah? So how's that weird?"

"Well I don't know!" Miko burst. She slouched in the seat, focusing on her guitar with more intensity than before. "Can't we ever have some alone time anymore?"

Wheeljack fought down a chuckle. "Of course we can. I'm not avoiding you if that's what you're thinking."

She wrinkled her nose. "You're still being weird."

He puffed out a sigh through his vents. "Miko, what is it really?"

She shifted in the seat, somehow slouching down further, so far down her knees hid her face. "You've been weird ever since we went and saw Bulkhead at the dock," she finally said in a rush. "You don't want to talk about him, you get mad at Bulky more often now, and you don't want to hear me play anything . . ." Wheeljack's engine hiccupped. "So . . . Is it something with Bulkhead? Are you all right?"

Wheeljack's in cycles slowed. How to dodge this bullet? Before he could even think on it that long, Miko burst, "Aha! See, I knew it was Bulkhead!"

With a start, Wheeljack realized he had decelerated and given himself away. With an irritated grumble, he muttered futilely, "It's nothing, Babe, don't worry about it."

"Nuh-uh," Miko said, sitting up now with a shake of her head. "You told me to finish it out, so I did! Now it's your turn. What's wrong?"

That sickening feeling clenched his energon tanks. "Miko, please, just let it go."

"No! You've pressured me for answers on things I didn't want to share, so now it's my turn! What's wrong? Are you just missing him?"

He vented. "Yeah. That's it. I just miss him."

Miko narrowed her eyes. "I don't believe that."

Wheeljack grunted. "Well thanks. I feel trusted."

"I do trust you. Just not when you're lying."

He growled shortly, beginning to slow his speed again. "Who said I was lying?"

"I did." Miko pinched her face at him. "It's written all over your face."

"You can't even see my face."

"It's an expression." Her finger tapped on the edge of her guitar. "So? Fess up. What's wrong?"

His engine growled again at her. "I told you already. I miss him. With the twins here, he would have been ecstatic."

"Oh yeah. Blame it on the twins."

He slammed on the brakes, pulling off the side of the road as he snapped, "Well if you don't believe me, then what do YOU think it is?"

Miko huffed, straightening herself in the seat from where her head had whipped back into the seat. "Look. I don't KNOW what you're problem is, but clearly I'm onto something or else you wouldn't be lashing out so much. I've seen Mrs. Davis work with some people when they come over to the house. I can tell you're hiding something."

His engines idled as hot as his temper. Damn her. Damn that Mrs. Davis. Damn it all. "Miko," he finally said tightly, "it's nothing. Drop it."

"But-"

"I said drop it!"

Miko winced back into the seat and dropped her head, submitting beneath him and sitting quietly. Wheeljack vented sharply a moment before he heard Arcee's voice like a little annoying conscience in his processor:

You don't EVER lose your temper at your human partner, no matter what.

He grumbled. Damn her too.

It took him a moment to suck up his pride, but finally, he muttered, "Look. I'm sorry."

"No you're not."

She pricked his irritation again. "Yes, I am," he persisted, but Miko interrupted again.

"I don't trust you when you're lying."

"I'm not lying!" he snapped again before he could stop it. After a moment of reeling back his temper, Wheeljack finally admitted, "I don't want to talk about it, Miko."

She scowled down at her guitar. "Fine. Then don't. Let's just get to base."

Her venomous response cut across his audio receptors. That guilty feeling began to constrict his chassis. "Miko . . ."

"No. We're not talking about it. Let's just go."

He refused to move. "No. We need to talk."

"Oh so NOW you want to talk?"

Her disrespectful tone pushed him. "Watch your tone."

"You watch yours!"

Wheeljack vented sharply. "Look, I just want to keep one fragging thing to myself. Am I not allowed that?"

Miko sniffed her nose at him. "Was I allowed that when it came to my dad? I felt better after I told you!"

He prickled at her accusing tone. "This is different!"

"And how is this different!"

"I don't want to lose you!"

The words popped out before he could stop them. Miko suddenly sat up, alert, and he felt his suspension sink to the ground beneath her scrutiny.

Damn it.

Miko blinked at him. "What are you talking about?"

Wheeljack shied away, starting to drive forward some. "It's nothing . . ."

"No!" She grabbed the wheel as if to stop him, and he obediently stopped. "What are you talking about? I'm not going anywhere! As much as you annoy me . . . What's wrong?"

"I . . . I . . ."

Before Wheeljack could stumble even more, he got a ping in his communications. "Wheeljack," he heard Ratchet say, "we've got an incoming Cybertronian escape pod. Optimus needs your assistance."

Wheeljack shifted. "Um . . ." Miko was looking at him. Her big brown eyes were worried. His spark sank. "Look, not right now. I'm having a discussion with Miko." He cut the line before Ratchet could harp at him, and he ignored all other tries to communicate with him.

When Wheeljack failed to say anything more, Miko leaned forward, putting her hand on his dash. "Wheeljack . . . What's wrong?"

A foreboding emotion clotted his throat.

If she hates you after that, she never really loved you.

He was just a random human! If even that! What did he know about how Miko was going to react to the news? Wheeljack felt sick. Finally, he whispered, "Miko . . . I'm sorry."

Miko's brows cinched. Her fingers nervously drummed on the back of her guitar. "What are you talking about?"

"I . . . Miko, I . . ." A tremble ran through his body. "I killed Bulkhead."

She paused. She blinked. "What?"

"Don't make me repeat it!" he rasped. His mirrors twitched away from her. He couldn't look at her. Not now . . . Vents cycled irregularly in his systems.

He heard her laugh. "Wheeljack, that's stupid. What the heck are you thinking that for?"

A frustrated sound rumbled out of him. "Miko, I . . . I was the one that took him out! I was the one that—because I was so selfish—I took him out! I got him killed! I couldn't diffuse the bomb! He died because of ME! It's my fault he's dead, and it's my fault that—that—"

He stopped. He shuddered once more, hunching down close to the ground as he waited for her to lash out at him, waited for that hatred to come . . .

Primus, I can't deal with this . . .

After a moment of silence, she finally said, "Wheeljack . . . You're an idiot."

His rearview mirror flicked to her. "What?"

She kicked his dash. "You are—! A royal fucking idiot!" She kicked him again for good measure, and Wheeljack recoiled as if she had done real damage to him. She was angry. He felt his spark sink. He had known it, Primus, he had known it . . .

"I'm sorry," he whispered weakly. He opened the passenger side door to let her out, but she just kicked him again, tears beading in her eyes.

"Stop it! Just stop it! Argh, I can't believe you're being so STUPID!" She kicked him again, and Wheeljack shrank as much as he could.

Miko pinched her brows. She took a breath before squinting her eyes at the dash. "You. Are. An. Idiot."

Finally, he ventured a weak, "I gather . . ."

"You. Think that you. Killed him."

The raw wound pulsed in irritation. "Well I clearly did!"

"Did you plant the bomb?"

His processor stalled, confused. "N-No, but—"

"But nothing!" She kicked him again. "You're an idiot. Dreadwing put the bomb on him. Dreadwing killed him."

His temper flared hot again on the side of the road. "I was the one that brought him out when I knew it was a trap!" he snapped. "I let him get captured! And then, when all it would have taken was to diffuse the bomb—fucking blue wire! I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!"

"So?" Her flat response made his processor stall. She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes at him. "It's not your fault Dreadwing planted the bomb. And you can't fix everything, Wheeljack, so stop trying!" He flinched. "Look, we know that nothing would have stopped you—OR Bulkhead—from trying to avenge Seaspray, so there's no use in trying to take the blame for that. And besides, scrap happens in battle, you know it does! Bulkhead getting captured wasn't your fault. And you can't know everything. It could have been the red wire."

His side view mirrors twitched to her. "How did you know there was a red wire?"

She shrugged. "Didn't. But in the movies, it's always the blue or the red."

Wheeljack slowly processed her words, and then, finally asked, "So . . . you're not mad at me?"

She scowled. She kicked his dash again. "If you keep that up, then YES I'm mad."

The weight that had been pressing on his spark suddenly receded. "You mean . . ."

I was worried about nothing.

Miko snorted and crossed her arms. "Please. You're such an idiot sometimes. Let's get back to base."

Feeling small and stupid, Wheeljack pulled out onto the road again. Now thoroughly chastised as they drove to the base, Miko muttering all the way about how stupid he was being, he almost missed the red pickup truck that passed by the opposite lane.

His spark jumped. For a split second, he almost slammed on the brakes to see if it really was the chief, but he didn't want to slag off Miko anymore than she already was. He watched the little sputtering red truck disappear in his rearview mirrors, wondering if it really was who he had thought it was . . .

"What's your story, Smoke? How'd you get here? How many blasters you packing?"

Wheeljack watched idly from the side, arms crossed and optics roving over this newcomer judgmentally.

Elite Guard. THIS should be good.

To add insult to injury, Smokescreen said uncertainly, "So, these are the life forms we're supposed to protect?" He blinked and glanced back to Ratchet. "Are they ALL like this?"

Wheeljack stiffened. Didn't like his human, eh? And, to get him even MORE slagged off, Ratchet had to add, "Fortunately not."

Heads were going to roll before the end of this day . . .

At least Arcee was with him. She wanted to drill the newbie as hard as he wanted to. So, Wheeljack heard a rather sketchy story from Smokescreen with the rest of them about his unlikely landing on Earth. Wheeljack and Topspin exchanged a glance over Miko's head, brows arching.

What a newbie.

Then again . . . this could be VERY fun . . .

"That's it!" Smokescreen came to conclusion. "My life's story. Not exactly the glory I envisioned for myself . . . until now!"

Wheeljack almost groaned. It was either going to be fun or absolute hell.

"Being here with Optimus Prime? I knew I was destined for great things! I mean, now that you have help, how hard could it be to end this war?"

Wheeljack opened his mouth to lay into the fool with all his might, but a low growl cut through the conversation. Wheeljack winced slightly.

Oh, scrap. Twin Twist was NOT happy.

The blue and white bot came limping in, optics narrowed to slits as he hobbled threateningly towards Smokescreen. The kid fell silent, optics popping for a moment as he looked at his handicap. "Take a good look, Newbie," Twin Twist growled. "THIS is how hard!"

There was a long beat of silence in which Smokescreen just stared, not sure what to think, and finally, Optimus said, "Smokescreen, I would suggest you take some time to become acclimated to your new surroundings. A tour of the base would be an excellent start."

Miko jumped before anyone else could. "Sure thing!" but a half second later, Twin Twist groaned, leaning against the upper balcony. She made a face—every Wrecker was her Wrecker. "I mean—Jack here offers a very informative tour."

When Smokescreen looked at Jack and Jack looked back with the most uncertain face Wheeljack had ever seen, Wheeljack smirked and stepped forward.

"I got ya covered, Newbie," he said. He jerked a thumb towards the hall. "Let's go."

Smokescreen fell into tentative step with Wheeljack, and Wheeljack caught Optimus's assertive look. He just grinned and winked, letting the Prime think on what THAT could mean.

They didn't talk for the first stretch of hall. Finally, Wheeljack flicked a hand. "Prime's recharge room is back there. Ours are here. Pick an empty one and get cozy."

Smokescreen nodded and said, "Sir."

Wheeljack's faceplates twitched with the urge to smirk. So intimidating the new kid was already calling him "sir" and they were of the same rank? Ohohoho, THIS should be fun!

When he failed to say anything more, Wheeljack stopped so abruptly that Smokescreen almost ran into his back. Wheeljack looked back at him and arched a brow. Smokescreen flushed, and he pointed to one of the rooms. "Guess I'll take—"

"That's Bumblebee's room."

If possible, he flushed more. He gestured to the next. "Then that one?"

"That's mine."

Not true, but it most certainly messed with him even more. Smokescreen shifted his peds and finally said, "Then assign me one."

"Do I look like your sparkbearer?"

He watched Smokescreen's jaw tighten. He tilted his head pointedly to the room opposite of 'Wheeljack's'. "That one?"

Wheeljack gave a careless shrug and continued on. They went about three strides before he stopped again at the door next to 'his' room. Smokescreen again almost ran into him. Wheeljack jerked a thumb. "If I ever catch you in this room, I'll send you to the Pit and back."

"Sir!"

That was Arcee's room. The real reason he hadn't wanted him in the room next to her. Wheeljack continued on, enjoying harassing the new kid. The base opened up to a fork, and Wheeljack jerked his thumb to the right. "Training rooms. The one on the far end is my laboratory, so stay out unless you want to get blown up."

Smokescreen nodded sharply. "Sir!"

Wheeljack moved on, wondering if the kid was taking that seriously or not. It would certainly be interesting . . . He cast a glance behind him. "So? What do you think about the organics?"

Smokescreen looked at him, and finally he said, "Well, they're organics, sir. What am I supposed to think about them?"

Wheeljack narrowed his optics. "I asked you, soldier. Not the other way around."

Smokescreen flushed hotly with embarrassment. "W-Well, they seem all right."

"Don't cushion the truth for me."

Smokescreen nodded and snapped to a salute. "Sir!" Wheeljack almost smirked—he could get used to this. "They seem rather weak, but I'm not one to make assumptions so early. Though the female one seems to be a little . . . annoying."

Wheeljack gave a noncommittal grunt. He moved on, leaving Smokescreen grasping at straws as he tried to keep up. Wheeljack then asked, "And what do you think about Arcee?"

Smokescreen gave a nervous laugh. "Well, she's pretty, but she sure has trust issues."

Wheeljack grunted again. "I trust you to keep your optics elsewhere."

Smokescreen backpedaled so fast Wheeljack thought he would trip over himself. "N-No sir! N-Not like that, I—I would never! I just—I mean, I didn't think—"

"Didn't think what?"

His face was so hot it practically glowed in the dark. "N-Nothing! S-Sorry sir, I-I promise it won't happen again, sir!"

The more this went, the harder it was becoming for Wheeljack to hide his pleased grin. Instead, he just pointed down the hall of the next fork, saying, "Energon stash. You'll get your ration with the rest of us. Routine checkups done by Ratchet."

Not that they were TOO routine, per se. They were usually banged up enough in between battles that Ratchet just fixed them up then, but he bet that Smokescreen would go get a check up because he had said it—and have the WORST check up of his life. Wonder how long it would take him to realize it wasn't necessary?

After a short span of silence, Smokescreen finally tried tentatively, "Uh, sir, I never did get your name—"

Wheeljack whirled on him so suddenly Smokescreen all but ran into him. He narrowed his optics to slits. "You don't like Miko?"

Smokescreen's jaw gaped. "I—I wha—"

"That's MY girl you're talking about," he growled aggressively, making Smokescreen quail and step back. Wheeljack stepped forward, poking his finger into the kid's chest, successfully making him blanch of all color. "If you've got a problem with the female organic, you've got a problem with ME. If she has a problem with you, I have a problem with you. Her word around here is the law. If she doesn't like the look of your face, I'll rearrange it until she likes it. Got it?"

Smokescreen's little wings twitched, and he shrank beneath Wheeljack. "Y-Y-Yes s-sir!"

Wheeljack's lips flattened. "I trust you'll treat her with respect and honor. If she's unhappy, I'M unhappy. If she wants ice cream, I want ice cream. If you don't know what ice cream is, you might want to figure it out. After all, I can make your life here VERY miserable, and we wouldn't want that, now would we?"

Smokescreen's optics were wide with intimidation. "N-No, sir!"

Wheeljack suddenly relented again and turned away, bringing him down the hall of relics. "I trust we have an understanding?"

"C-Crystal clear, s-sir."

Wheeljack didn't bother to correct him on his rank.

"I can't believe you guys are replacing me!"

"No one is replacing you, Twin Twist. For one thing, Smokescreen's too green!"

"And once you've got him trained, then what?" Twin Twist spat. "He's in, and I'm a doorstop!"

Miko stood near Twin Twist's helm, Topspin standing beside the sullenly sitting Wrecker. This . . . wasn't what she had expected. He had been doing quite well, but now with the appearance of Smokescreen, he had gotten real depressed . . .

REAL quick.

"Twin Twist," Optimus's comforting voice rang out, "your place among us is not in jeopardy. But there is no dispute that we have long required additional firepower. It is essential that our team learns to work WITH our new recruit—not against him."

Twin Twist snorted on a scoff. "You better hope the kid's blasters are as big as his mouth! Tch, how hard could it be . . ."

Miko jumped when she got a text message, not having expected it. She flipped it open, and then, she puzzled at the message from Wheeljack.

Ask Smokescreen for a paperclip airplane

Miko hiked up her brow. The hell? She texted him back:

What for?

Trust me just do it

I dont want it

Then when he gets it tell him you dont want it

Should i even ask?

Trust me youll catch on quick

Miko frowned, only half listening to the conversation about super-speed red energon until she heard the new kid's voice again.

"Now you're talking!" Miko looked up quickly as Smokescreen walked in, Wheeljack coming behind him with the smuggest smirk she had ever seen. He winked at her, and she gave him a hesitant look back. When his Wrecking buddies looked to him, he just smirked more deeply and nodded.

I bet he just harassed the fire out of Smokescreen.

She could only imagine what that poor kid was thinking as he said, "Let's scramble up some 'Con circuits!"

"Given your limited field experience," Optimus told him strictly, "I believe further training is required before you are battle ready."

His optics popped. "Optimus, with all due respect—"

"Furthermore," Optimus interrupted, "we Autobots live on this planet as robots in disguise. You will need to obtain an Earth-based vehicle mode."

"In order to maintain a LOW profile," Arcee stressed with optics narrowed accusingly. "If that's even possible for you."

Smokescreen grinned then. "If you're talking wheels, bring 'em on!"

Miko watched as Wheeljack grunted and stepped forward. "Optimus, I can help teach him a thing or two about battle if you'd like."

Miko didn't miss the way Smokescreen froze, and while she didn't think that it had slipped Optimus by either, Wheeljack WAS the best pick. Optimus nodded. "Smokescreen, Wheeljack will be in charge of your training." An almost wicked grin from the Wrecker. Miko watched uncertainly as Smokescreen seemed to deflate where he stood. "Ratchet, bridge us out!"

So, as Optimus and Arcee and Bumblebee bridged out, that left Topspin with his brother and Wheeljack with Smokescreen, and the kids with Ratchet. It wasn't until the bridge was safely shut and Optimus out of sight that Miko gave the most dramatic sigh of boredom she could muster. Smokescreen's head snapped to her.

"I wish I had a paperclip airplane," she said just loud enough. "I really want one . . . I bet it'd be fun . . ."

Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Smokescreen's optics flare in no small degree of alarm as he wondered what a paperclip airplane was. He looked helplessly towards Wheeljack, and the Wrecker just gave an unhelpful shrug. Smokescreen gulped.

Still, Ratchet cut in obliviously with, "Jack, I'm going to bridge you and Smokescreen near the highway. He can look for his alt mode there."

Jack hopped down, easily taking up the mantle of the teaching human for Smokescreen as they bridged out. Miko waited until they were safely gone and the bridge closed behind them before she looked to Wheeljack with raised brows.

"Do I EVEN want to know?"

Topspin grinned at Wheeljack's devious look. He nudged his brother. "Don't worry, Twist, I think Wheeljack's set poor Smokey up just fine around here . . ."

When Ratchet gave them a look, Wheeljack laughed and raised his hands in surrender. "Easy, Doc! I didn't do anything to the kid!"

"I'm not sure what your 'ANYTHING' means . . ."

Wheeljack rolled his eyes. "The kid's gonna get along just fine," but he winked at Miko, obviously trying to get some message through to her that she was missing out on. Topspin, however, busted out laughing, and even Twin Twist seemed to perk up a little.

Topspin grinned rakishly beneath his visor. "Miko, next time announce that you're the queen of this joint."

"And demand a throne," Twin Twist added.

Miko blinked at all the conniving Wreckers. Wheeljack was too pleased with himself to have done anything BUT trouble. Topspin and Twin Twist were nearly the same, all looking at her as if she held the keys to the city.

Slowly, the dots were connecting.