Queen's note: Soooo... this turned out to be longer then I thought it was going to be.

"Also text like this is spoke Cybertronian language."

Just A Stray, Just A Cover

Chapter Ten

Hatchway

Quite honestly, Amy was happy to be left out of the adventure of trying to find the entrance of the bolt hole. She was still hurting, making a face off and on as her body tried to tense up. Reacting to the impact with the ground an hour and a half ago, a headache had started a bit ago yet after a careful scan Crosshairs did not seem to be worried. She was now sitting in a small sunny grassy spot with some chocolate bars to nibble on. It had seemed odd that Leadfoot suggested the things, but the shaking had slowly eased in intensity after Amy ate a few. It was not so bad right now, though the girl was still soar.

There was a soft huff of air to her right, and Amy looked up from her semi-nest of sitting on a throw blanket Crosshairs had grabbed on that last 'shopping raid.' It was not the nice and big blanket Bumblebee had given them, that thing was for at night. Amy looked over and then up at the giant mecha dog...wolf? Cyber-wolf was what Leadfoot and Crosshairs called the big creature. The girl was not all that sure about Steeljaw still, not after seeing him tackle her guardian down.

Right now though, the mechanical creature was calmly laying around her in a crescent shape with his legs stretched out. Steeljaw was as scary looking as he looked like a weird dog. That malformed or broken muscle have him a distant look like an American bull dog, not as flat really as the organic dog, but some of the canine fangs stuck out. One on the right side at an odd angle where there was a burn light scar-mark. Steeljaw had a lot of scars really, from the cropped ears, one a little longer and one looking torn, to around his middle behind Amy, and the half sized tail. He had a scruffy mane like 'fur' around his neck and shoulders. Not completely like an organic dog, but close, and adding to that bull dog like look to him.

When Crosshairs had finally given up and set Amy down in order to use both hands in his search, Leadfoot had directed Steeljaw to come to her. There had been a Cybertronian order of, "Guard." That was repeated in English so Amy knew what was going on. That had been about a half an hour ago. Every few minutes as the two Wreckers yelled across their search area at each other, Steeljaw would shift and lean his head slowly over to Amy, at first sniffing then making a sad seeming sound when the girl dared to bat at the big snout with an empty water bottle when it got too close.

"No..." Amy said as the big snout came closer again. Holding her new water bottle from the pile to her left, she did not bop Steeljaw this time. Only leaning away as wide green eyes staring at rusty-golden optics.

Steeljaw paused and did not move closer, but rested his head down. Seemingly please at the progress he gotten so far.

"What the frag, it's over there now?" Leadfoot's voice boomed out in the semi distance, not for the first time Amy jumped a bit.

The girl glanced at Steeljaw who perked up his ears a bit. After a moment of listening to the Cybertronians causes the Cyberwolf only shifted to move over and cross his forelegs and settle his head on them. It let him get a little closer to Amy again without her noticing just yet. His lack of a true response reassured the girl to start nibbling on another piece of dark chocolate.

"How can there be more than one hatch?" Crosshairs finally snapped out from where he was. Almost lost to sight behind some trees the trooper turned from his spot to glare at the red and black mech, putting his hands on his hips for a moment. Then pointing to the new spot he had gotten a response from.

Now that Steeljaw was not focused on being on guard for just Leadfoot- and still feeling guilty for the attack on Crosshairs- Steeljaw could focused on the small sparkling sized being. Amy did not seem just like the other organics he was used to seeing, and she smelled as much like a Cybertronians as a human. She smelled like Crosshairs to Steeljaw in fact, and very faintly of some other mecha the Cyberwolf.

Cybertronian scents did not shake off as quick as one would expect, and Steeljaw was a good at his job of tracking.

"I donna know what yea're talking about lad," Leadfoot snorted from his spot, tapping the end of his cane on the ground with dull muffled thumps. "It can't fraggin' be there as I've gotten three different pings back- in different spots! How many hatches did that paranoid mech have?!"

Steeljaw was unfazed at the argument, and more concerned with the small form. He was not sure how, but working through what sense he had, the malformed cyber-wolf decided that Amy was a sparkling. An odd sparkling, but one none the less. Maybe something new? He knew it had been a long, long time since he last saw any kind of sparkling, and realized he missed them. Steeljaw was just smart enough to realize that he was part of the reason why the odd sparkling was hurting, and that he was supposed to protect her now. So he wanted to try and make things better with cuddles.

It was just a matter of getting closer-

"No yea stupid old codger it's not over here." Crosshairs finally snapped, able to take out some frustration out on the other just as stubborn Wrecker, "It's not changing location- What the frag?!"

"Hah! Yea pinged it again didn't yea?!"

Amy blinked back and for the between the two mechs in the trees, calmed down now from the yelling as she realized this was just like Crosshairs picking fights with Bumblebee or Hound for his strange sense of...fun maybe? Something shifted to her right and she turned in time to see Steeljaw leaning forwards. Amy yipped as a large, smooth but thankfully dry glossa poked out a little. The girl scrambled a bit, but was too slow to advice the doggy like kiss from the cyberwolf. Steeljaw's remaining half tail wagged, thumping on the ground and against a smaller tree as he succeeded in the first stage of cuddles complete. He got bopped on the snout again with a full water bottle this time, but kept the end of his glossa poked out to try and look friendlier. Nosing at Amy in attempts to get her into cuddling.

Steeljaw could be nice! See? He liked sparklings, even soft weird ones!

"Crosshairs!" Amy finally yelped out in complaint, not as scared as earlier but unsure.

The argument between the mechs, half in that fax machine like language, paused. Both Wreckers glancing over but after seeing it was more of a puppy-love attack than anything else, they relaxed.

"He's just luvin' on yea lass." Leadfoot reassured after leaning around a tree, shaking his head but as he could also see the tensed moment in the other mech smooth out from where he stood he was not as worried.

"Just smack his muzzle." Crosshairs added, repeating what he had told Amy before looking for the hatch.

There was another bop, heard only in the lull of the argument and movement of the mechs. Steeljaw huffed but nuzzled the girl instead of pulling back.

"It's not working!" Amy complained, almost pinned but wiggled free a moment.

Crosshairs shrugged, he had put the fear of Primus into Steeljaw and knew the creature would not dare to really hurt the girl now. Even as a big paw nudged her back onto the blanket, "Give him a scratch then June-Bug. Looks like yea're stuck- Frag!" Croshairs had turned and just about tripped over a heap of mossy rocks jutting out of the earth. Stumbling and correcting his balance before Leadfoot could notice.

Amy squeaked, trying to bop the big creature once more. It must have worked somewhat as Steeljaw drew back enough to twist himself to half roll over. The false fur like mane flattening as the cyberwolf pulled a move eerily like an organic doge to be half on his back, curled up still around Amy. With his head upside down and mouth opening in that doggy like grin, it looked honestly silly with his bent fangs on one side. His hind legs half in the air now, one stretched out upwards as the tail wagged.

See? He was cute! He was big but he was nice! Right? Right? Wag-wag goes the tail.

As Amy was safe from harm, Crosshairs turned back walked to the last location he got for the bolt-hole hatchway. The mech sent a ping and grunted in annoyance at finding the location changed again, while behind him Amy was heard going, "Nooo?"

The girl leaned away from the sight of the alien dog-teeth. From her level it looked... well kind of scary, yet crosshairs was not trying to save her... that meant it was safe now? Confused the stiff girl waved her water bottle at Steeljaw while Leadfoot cursed, and then her guardian again. The argument starting up again as if the two Wreckers had not had a life and spark threating meeting not even two hours ago. Was that something that Autobots, or Wreckers...

Was that something that Cybertronians just...did?

Steeljaw was rolling back over, his big snout coming closer again as he sniffed and then paused. He looked up and around, ears pricked and scenting the air. The wagging tail didn't stop as he gave a light bark light sound, but as he dipped his head and poke the tip of his glossa out to sneak another kiss in to a yip-laugh. The actions were dismissed as Steeljaw continuing to try and win Amy over. Seeming to get some more headway as he acted like he was hurt in pulling back and swiped a forepaw over his muzzle at another bop. The next soft woofing sound was passed over, even as steeljaw looked up and back.

The new mech regarded the scene before him, not quite sure how he had been missed, granted his colors were different right now. Surely the two Wreckers had not just missed him? Even the human squeaked when she turned to see were the malformed wolf was looking. Bright sapphire blue optics regarding her with some confusion, but there was no hostility in his gaze. Bemusement maybe as the mech came closer, walking his normally pace, though his steps where muffled from the layers of moss and pine needles.

Amy stared back, leaning back against Steeljaw at this new stranger. The mech tilted his head to one side as he knelt down, reaching out to start scratching along Steeljaw's hips. His long slender fingers were clawed like Leadfoot, but something closer to Crosshairs. Blunted claw tips, but the digits seeming solid looking but flexible metal. He scratched up and down the cyberwolf's back, tugged on the moving tail in play before reaching up to rub the wolf behind the ears. "Good boy Steely, but what is this?"

The mech was about as tall as Bumblebee, just a little shorter then Crosshairs. But he was a little broader in the shoulders then the paratrooper as he did not have any over armor, or the leaner scout frame build. The car parts-kibble that was visible were a darker hunter green but the armor under was a mix of darker and lighter blues. A few hints of silver were here and there on him, more highlights on chest, shoulders, arms and in his face. The blatant Autobot emblem on his forearms made possible fear ease back into confusion for the girl.

Was this that other bot? Jolt?

Amy blinked and stared back at the face that was studying her back in return. It was oddly... owl like. This Autobot had an almost softer look to his face, the silver highlights helping with that despite not being as human-like as Crosshairs as he had a swept back crest and finnels framing his face. The bright blue optics were alike to Bumblebee's shade, only not as large, nor having that grumpy air to his features that Hound and Leadfoot had.

"Hello little one," Jolt said softly, tilting his head as he shifted, his free left hand reaching out. Not slow but he did not reach to pick the girl up right away, turning his hand palm up in an offering. "You're new."

He would have noticed a human before leaving, and as there was a new mech around to him, she must have come with him. Another Wrecker of all things by the sounds of it. The mech rolled his optics at the cursing back and forth.

"Are... you Jolt?" That was the name used right? Amy was unsure as she hesitantly touched on to the blunted talon tips, watching as impressed into her palm before sliding up her arm lightly. Making the limb turn to expose the scrapes and bruising from her fall, and a strange tingling-chargy feeling came from where Amy was in contact with the living metal.

"I am, what happened little one?" Jolt nodded, arching an optic ridge before there was that familiar buzzing feeling of a scan ran over the girl. He shifted closer a bit, glancing to the other two that still have not seen him. Primus he missed Ironhide and Jazz.

"I fell." Amy admitted, this was so different from her 'meeting' with Leadfoot, and even Crosshairs. Jolt felt... strange up close but also had that nice feeling to him that she got from Bumblebee. She glanced at Steeljaw, "Off Crosshairs when he jumped on him."

The girl watched as the mech's other shifted from rubbing the cyberwolf's ears to dropping down and messed with his jaws fearlessly. Steeljaw flattened his ears, knowing what it was for and Amy started to feel a little better about the creature. She squeaked as the large hand beside her moved as well, Amy gasped softly as she was picked up, and that tingle-charge feeling became more dominate.

Jolt sat back, bringing his other hand up, he would not do anything more to Steeljaw, who must have been dealt with already if he was trying to charm the human. He tilted his head again, his optics flickering to a lighter shade as he scanned again in his own way. Using his abilities on a very low charge to find where the damage was on the human. He had found out how to do this with NEST after he first arrived, learning about the humans' bio energy and how to restart a heart. Jolt hummed softly, bringing his right hand up under the to let her side on his palm. Giving her a stable place to sit as the Autobot brushed the side of a talon against her head and touched the short red hair, finding it cute. Jolt would not know that Amy's hair was longer than it used to be and seemed a better color, along with her skin tone, though to him she looked paler under a sun burn and thinner then he knew was good.

"You fell…you're going to be hurting a lot soon." Jolt hummed at least, glanced up first before looking down. He picked up the blanket on and the things on it, rolling it into a bundle that he could subspace. The Blue and green mech stood, shaking his head at something yelled about wackers. "Come on then little one. Let's go down into the base. Where I can get some energon and you some rest."

Steeljaw rose as well, his tail wagging behind him even as the cyberwolf shook himself. He looked up at the Autobot with another woofing sound, almost with a questioning edge.

"And you can get some energon too." Jolt nodded, grinning in his way. Not really like a human but it was enough of a shift in his face, and the tone of voice that Amy guessed he was smiling.

"But its hidden right?" Amy said, glancing around but Jolt's left hand was blocking her view of Crosshairs. Who gave an alarmed…chirp? Chatter sound?

"From idiots yes," Jolt nodded, and Leadfoot echoed the layered sound Crosshairs made, only there was an edge of insult to it somehow. "Apparently the signal diffuser worked well enough to keep these idiots away."

"Signal diffuser?" Leadfoot demanded, again sounding quite insulted but then also feeling rather...stupid. Of course Ironhide would use one of those; he would know humans were learning some of Cybertronian communications channels and signals. If you did not have the right code, the signal diffuser would send back a different location. "Arh!"

Leadfoot lifted both hands, one still holding his cane as the older mech than slapped his face.

Crosshairs growled, optics narrowed as he got over the shock first and stalked over. He flexed his hands and the blunted claws as he spotted the small form in the Autobot's hands, "What do yea think yea're doin' wit my-?"

"Taking her down where it's safe." Jolt snorted and arched an optic ridge, he was not impressed in the slightest at the Wrecker. Jolt was calm as there was a sharp crackling sound that came from his shoulders and there was a spark that came off one of the silver markings.

Crosshairs stopped suddenly at that, coming up short, his hands grasping at the air in frustration. The two glared at one another over the confused human. Amy looked back and forth between the mech holding her and her guardian, puzzled at the reactions. More so at Crosshairs hesitating, realizing she never saw him hesitate to come pick her up or away from another mech.

"Don't just stand there Wreckers," Jolt said walking closer, freeing a hand and nudging Crosshairs on the arm before pointing at a spot. The blue and green mech sent a ping with the right code, as Jolt had worked long enough with Ironhide to know what it was. "Let's go Leadfoot."

Steeljaw wagged his tail, following Jolt and the girl he was told to guard up to the same rock formation Crosshairs tripped over. It spilt and rose, the rocks attached to two thick metal plates that looked to be as thick as Amy was tall. The opening was big enough for two of the mechs, or just Hound on his own, to walk through at a time. Amy squeaked at seeing the dark hole, leaning back against Jolt's palm as the Autobot came up to it and then walked down a sloping path that curved to the left as it descended. To give headroom form someone taller then Hound, yet there were no lights that were turned on that the girl could see.

Jolt purred down at Amy, gently giving her a pet on the back and ignoring what Crosshiars was spluttering after him, Leadfoot taking up the rear. "It's okay, it won't be dark long. See?" Jolt said as he turned on the headlights from his kibble first. As the other two also turned on lights the hatchway was starting to close, but the tunnel led down to a wider open space and a raised lift platform.

Semi raised, it was actually the outer frame of the lift that was raised out of the stone floor. The lift platform itself was a step down for the mechs. Amy grasped Jolt's fingers, looking around and talking in the oddly smooth walls. She could not turn as easily, feeling stiff still but looked for Crosshairs as he hopped onto the lift after Jolt. Her guardian growling still and glared, looking about to try and take her…but why did he hesitate?

"The lil' lass took a tumble, or two, think yea can help her Jolt?" Leadfoot asked, startling Amy as she tried to look at him.

"Yes," Jolt tilted his head, keeping his purr aimed at the girl, feeling with his ability again to find the damaged areas of muscle. "She hasn't stiffened up too bad. Fell off you wrecker?"

"She didn't fall, was knocked off." Crosshairs huffed, the mech shifting to one side on the lift to make room for all three of them as the platform shifted. The para trooper shot a glare at Leadfoot as the older wrecker put a hand on his shoulder, "What-?!"

Crosshairs looked back in time to see Jolt freeing his left hand and sparking visible energy over his fingers in light like trails. Before the green Wrecker could act or react, Jolt was already resting his own blunted talons on Amy's side and arm. The girl unable to lean back anymore as she stared with wide eyes-

There was no cry of pain, no seizing or jerking from the girl. Amy was held secured in Jolt's right hand, so she could not wiggle away. Yet she stared in fascinated wonder as the little lightly like trails of energy crawled from living metal to her skin. Sinking in with a buzzing sensation that was more vibration then shock to her awareness. The girl had tensed reflexively, but as Jolt ran the side of his claw up Amy's own arm, around a small shoulder and back down her side that hurt worst.

The girl relaxed.

The stiffening muscles going soft, as if she had not been hurt in the first place as even the pain faded.

"There," Jolt grinned at Amy, and smirked at Crosshairs as he let the small charge fade and he spoke to the girl, "Does that feel better little one?"

"Yeah," Amy sounded surprised, patting the digit over her lap holding her. She then realized her red hair was standing up and reached up. Squeaking as Jolt glanced down and lightly tapped her head, taking the static charge off the girl. Amy turned and looked up at Crosshairs, who seemed not just flabbergasted but...annoyed? Upset in a way? He was looking over her head now, glaring at blue optics.

"Fer Primus' sake." Leadfoot growled, thumping his cane on the moving lift, drawing Amy's attention to realizing someone must have triggered it (or did it know to move on its own?), "Deal wit yea'r slag later. Jolt, yea help the lass now hand her back over befir Crosshairs tackles yea off the lift."

Amy squeaked as she was shifted, but towards Jolt's front. She looked up.

The Autobot was looking back down at her, meeting the green gaze directly, "Do you want to go back to that mech little one?"

Amy nodded, unsure about what seemed to be going on that she was missing. Did Crosshairs know this mech? When nothing happened after a moment she spoke up, "Yes please."

That was what it took, the holding claws opening partly as she was moved again. Amy pulled her legs up and turned as Crosshairs was reaching out cautiously. It was so strange but the girl was happy to jump ship so to say, wrapping her arms around more familiar talons and then being wrapped in the gunner's field again. Leaving that almost charged sensation of being by Jolt, while below Steeljaw edged closer to Crosshairs.

"Yea alright bug?" Crosshairs asked smoothing the side of his own finger down Amy's back.

"It doesn't hurt." Amy chirped, smiling up at the face she knew best of those around her.

"It doesn't mean you're still not injured little one," Jolt pointed out as he shifted into a hip shot, watching as Crosshairs held the girl closer and shifted as far back as the descending lift would let him move away. Jolt waved at the two, more so at Amy as she looked back. "You may not feel the pain as much for a little while, but you shouldn't go running around. I only numbed the pain for a while. Maybe for the night, I can do that again when it starts to hurt again."

Amy considered this, but as it made sense to her the girl nodded. "Okay... Thank you Jolt."

Quite honestly, the girl just wanted some time to sit with, or hide with Crosshairs... or under his over armor.

"...!" Amy could not help the squeak that came out as Crosshairs started to boost her up. Not to his neck and the collar ridge, but there was a shifting of the mech's chest plates just above the girl. A small open just big enough for her to scoot up into the armor pocket that opened. Amy remembered it from the day before, the warmth of the mech's frame and field, but also that presence. Even if she did not know that it was Crosshairs' spark.

Well, she had wanted to hide with Crosshairs. Amy tucked up her legs as she entered the armor pocket proper, leaning gratefully against the back 'wall.' As armor and pocket sealed mostly shut, still letting air move, Crosshair's field closed in around his passenger.

Protective-affection-possessiveness reflected to Amy as much as showing outside.

Crosshairs narrowed his optics at the blue mech in front of him as he crossed his arms. Almost as he were daring Jolt to try something, though only now after he had Amy safely hidden in his frame. No longer in easy grabbing-stealing range for anyone but him.

"Really? You of all mecha with a human, and a youngling at that." Jolt asked in Cybertronian as he put one hand on a hip and waved at the trooper with the other, "I remember you saying you hated all organics when you first showed up on this world."

"I remember that too," Leadfoot put in, chirping at Steeljaw to come back to him and stop staring at Crosshairs. "An' Topspin throwing a wrech at yea. Clearly something changed."

"No, I still don't like the majority of these humans," Crosshairs growled out, but kept to Cybertronian for now as well. Even as he was extremely aware of the small wait in his armor pocket, keeping his arms crossed over that spot, his look turning to a darker glare at Jolt as the lift kept going down. The only light coming from headlights, reflecting on the crystalline and smooth walls of the tunnel to make interesting patterns, "I'll be happy ta take a ship an' leave this place behind. More so after these hunts, but I'm not so fraggin' blind to blame a sparkling, even a human sparkling for what other idiots do. Nor take it out on the child, like yea're thinking. So stuff the mighty attitude Jolt."

"Mighty my aft, you've been hostile to the humans that were loyal before the attacks." Jolt growled, he did not trust the new wrecker with the girl and it showed. "If you think I'm not going to worry you're mistaken."

"Yea know Ironhide wanted to wipe out most of the humans after doing some research an' finding out what those wankers were doin' to the AllSpark spawned sparkling." Leadfoot suddenly spoke up, making the two younger mechs turn and face him with some surprised as he leaned on the cane. Looking at his own warn talons on his free hand. "Just about wiped out a city on his own if he had been closer to it. An' the Prime was there. He wasn't the only one. Sideswipe, Raodbuster, Topspin, Mirage, Trailbreaker, even myself. Why did yea think Prime stopped telling mechs about what happened at that dam to new mechs?"

Jolt hesitated, he knew humans had the AllSpark but they were able to do things with it?

"Crosshairs may have not liked humans, or still not like 'em. Primus I don't like most o' them still lad. Leave him alone, both o' yea suck up yea're own slag and deal with the present." Leadfoot growled before reaching down and rubbing StealJaw's head, giving the top of his malformed muzzle a scratch with the end of the mech's talons. "'An let the lass rest befir yea start bitching again. Or let me get some energon."

Reviews!

SunnySides:
All the fluffs, and feels. aaannndd...Jolt does Not Trust the Crosshairs with a small child.

Guest One:
Drift will get a moment or two with Amy, but he's not that sure what to think about/knows how to handle kids even less then others. Amy is smart enough to pick up he's not comfortable around her, and Bumblebee is nicer seeming- plus Bumblebee has magically appearing apples. As for going into the fourth movie I could see it doing so, not right away though.

[Cade would have a heart attacks seeing a tiny skinny 13 year old perched on Crossahirs or Hound, pffft]

Regan:
-jumps- noooo, I would never try and kill readers with cute and drama, not at all. What kind of [evil] writer do you think I am? -nibles some of the popcorn from Wolfimus.- No, Jolt would never hurt a sparkling, even a human one if he could help it, and as you likely just read here, he helped her with his zappy powers of...zap. [haarrg...-clutches chest and hugs- thank you so much I'm glad you like my dork story]

Wolfimus Prime:
I'm so happy you like this n.n! Steeljaw is a good boy, he just had scary introduction trying to protect his mech. As for meeting Optimus that will be sometime. As this takes about a year and change before the 4th movie [with a few tweaks in the world as you see because I'm writing it], and...well... good luck getting a sparkling out of the safety of Grimlock's jaws, or any of the titanic Knights.

Wacko12:
As of the story so far, seven mechs have been introduced: Crossahirs, Hound, Drift, Bumblebee, Leadfoot and Jolt. Steeljaw if you count makes it seven and a half.