Queen's note: big thank you to Kitra for helping me with a spot I was stuck at! Also I'm going to go back through and edit/add some new bits to past chapters. This chapter turned out far longer than I expected.

Just A Stray, Just A Cover

Chapter Eleven

Exploring Around

"...flash crystal-line mining?" Crosshairs finally said after a full minute of silence on the lift. The green trooper's general mood still not the best, but was better with his charge safely hidden in the armor pocket.

"Aye, it is lad. Got the second coating looks like." Leadfoot agreed looking around as their lights reflected off the walls of the lift. "It's the fastest way ta' cut through softer rocks on this world." It really was, as red and black wrecker had used the same thing to help build another bolt hole. The flash crystal-line minding basically forced rapid growth in a type of crystal, letting it eat up the rock up as it was fueled by energon. Leaving behind a two layers of residue, with the inner material being relatively fragile that could be easily broken down to a sand or dust that can be swept up. While leaving a somewhat harder, outer shell, until it could be reinforced by a second type energon-fueled growth crystal.

It was quiet effective on organic worlds really. Or, well any world with a lot of rocks on and in it. It did not work quiet as well with looser sediment layers though.

"Should be medical supplies below for you Leadfoot," Jolt said, offering reassurance as he saw the older mech wincing. The Autobot took the step closer, not reaching out but stood not unlike Crosshairs had before. Jolt was standing close enough that the older wrecker could lean on Jolt if he felt like he needed to, but not forcing it.

"What did yea do with the bodies?" Leadfoot asked, still studding the walls around them with a critical optic. Shifting to adjusted leaning on his cane, and Jolt's back, waving upwards with his free hand.

"Bodies…ah, the Decepticons, I covered them," Jot chuckled as he glanced up and then back down to meet Crosshairs' optics, "I'll go back up to bring them down and strip for parts if needed. And keep the humans from finding them, and us."

"Just keep the corpses away from my sparkling. Last thing she needs." Crosshairs huffed, speaking in Cybertronian, very aware of the small form still hiding inside his frame in the armor pocket.

"I'll wait until the little one is in recharge." Jolt snorted, he was not about to expose a youth, even a human to too much if he could help it. "Just keep a scanner on her head from the fall."

"I know that," Crosshairs snapped, and almost as if in response the lift stuttered as the brakes loosened and dropped. All three mechs flung out arms as the lift shuttered, trying to descend on the gravity lift as it jerked from the locks. "What the frag?!"

Leadfoot got his feet, reaching out to the control dais, his hand covering it and pulsing the command to stop the lift. There was a long pause, the three looked around, confused and startled. Jolt was crouched a bit and had a hand on the wall, while Crosshairs had dropped to kneel down and grip the lift with one hand and the other over his chest. Steeljaw had just been wise and flopped over onto his side on the floor. "Fraggin' slag Ironhide..."

The older wrecker limped to one of the four breaks, grunting as he slowly knelt and set his can aside. Using the headlights on his chest to get a better look.

Crosshairs shook his head, part of his attention turning inward, "It's okay," He said in a low voice, being reassuring to Amy in the armor pocket. The mech could feel movement, giving a reflexive protective rumble as the girl right herself, considered before slumping back down. Amy gave a tiny, though currently unheard huff that was a version of Crosshairs' own. Amy looked around the armor pocket, it was dim enough... She scooted to the back and settled there, listening to Crosshair's voice as he asked what happened.

"Nothing that can't be fixed, with some time," Leadfoot vented a sigh like motion. Handy expression sighs were. "Looks like a one of the brakes are loose, the others dropped in response. Check the ones by yea," The red and black mech waved at the other two as he moved to the next lock near him.

Crosshairs shifted, using one hand to grasp the edge of his over armor and flicked it out of the way as he settled on his knees. Using the blunted talons to find the cover over the lift's break there, shifting again to shine his light onto it. It had been a little while since he had to do a lot of repair work, only a few hundred years since he fixed the old shuttle that brought him to this world (Crosshairs wished the thing could have survived reentry now). The habits though never left, as Crosshairs tapped a part of the mechanics inside, feeling how the part moved slightly under the claw. "Hmm..."

The mech gave a small rumble under his breath so to say, reassuring to his passenger as he cleaned out the break, "Lot o' rock dust in this…what did Ironhide do? Set up an' run this lift when the tunnel was being made?"

There was a long silence as all three mechs paused.

"Likely..." Jolt vented a sigh, lifting a hand to run over his helm staring at the brake he was kneeling by. "...yeah, Ironhide wasn't the best for some conduction."

"He was okay at basic construction, an' weapons," Leadfoot snorted, cleaning out the break he was beside as well, settled down himself with the improvised cane beside him. The red mech's motions where sure and quick, in better practice then the other two by far, "He wasn't an engineer, Primus I bet Crosshairs knows more an' that fragger is a weapon's smith."

Jolt glanced up, peering over at Crosshairs' back, surprised to hear that tidbit of information. That mech was a smith?

...that would explain why Hound of all mechs tolerated Crosshairs so much.

Crosshairs snorted, reaching into the casing of the brake, going by feel more then sight as he found the problem. Pulling his hands back he dug into subspace, pulling out a small pack of tools and find what was basically a screwdriver, only something that was for his scale, "Leadfoot, yea wouldn't happen ta have a grease gun? What I have won't work for this scrap."

Leadfoot glanced over, noting Steeljaw was laying down on the other side of the lift from them as jolt was closing up the brake he was by. "The junk got in?" He asked sitting up, reaching down to lift a panel of armor on his front and pull out the requested tool. Or rather two parts that he twisted together to make the tool. The Wrecker tossed the tool over to the younger one once Crosshairs looked up.

Crosshairs caught it, by the handle on reflex as if catching a firearm. He looked the device over, but found it a standard make so other than making sure the canister was tightened. The green mech brushed off some bits of ruck and crystal dust before carefully working the grease into the mechanics of the brake. He was aware of Leadfoot moving to check on Jolt's brake, using a blunted talon to help push the grease in the opening the outside all around the piston.

"Alright let's do this slag," Crosshairs said, picking up the screw driver he had set a side, moving to brace himself as he started to wedge the end in the tool between the wall of the tunel and the piston in the brake. Making sure he would have the leverage, Crosshairs shoved down and forward. Inside of his armor pocket, Amy adjusted to the new angle and looked around the dim glow as Crosshairs grunted. He gave a more neutral sounding growl as he worked the piston loose of its jammed position. The mech got it loose enough to wedge in the claws of his other hand.

"Need a hand lad?" Leadfoot asked looking over.

"I have it old mech," Crosshairs huffed as he lifted up on his knees and back, pulling the piston back and into place. "There." He smirked, reaching into the mechanism to kept the pison in place as the trooper picked up the grease gun again. When he was finished the mech held it out as Leadfoot started to reach for it to use where Jolt was. "I think this will work until we're down, an' yea can look at it with the grave lift off."

"Will have ta clean all of them out." Leadfoot said, snorting as he made a mental note to smack Ironhide nest time he saw the mech.

Jolt had slipped backwards, letting the two Wreckers work. The blue mech arching an optic ridge at Steeljaw, and when the cyberwolf wagged his tail, Jolt reached over and down to offer a scratch. The Autobot shook his head, but waited calmly for the lift's locks to be fixed. When the lift started to move again, Jolt waited a moment then stepped over to help Leadfoot up all the way to his feet again, and then grabbed the cane.

"I'm ready for this slag to be done," Crosshairs grumbled, watching the tunnel wall seemingly move. A rather impressive illusion in the dim lights even to a Cybertornian's optics, "we're almost a mile deep now…should still be warm enough for Amy, yeah?"

"Aye, it should," Leadfoot considered before waving a hand downwards as he leaned on Jolt's back. "between the equipment, yea're own frame- and hopefully some better cloths fer her. But at minimum it'll be about... twenty five ta thirty?"

The red and black mech paused to consider before nodded, his metallic beard clicking softly with the motion. "Maybe keep the lil' lass in the pocket fer a bit," as if Leadfoot was expectation Crosshairs not to, he resisted the urge to snort at that. "An' well turn on some of the heaters around where yea pick she should be."

"Are the tunnels only a mile deep?" Jolt asked, looking up at the tunnel walls, catching a glimpse of lines in the crystal. Where the lines connecting to just the lift hatchway? Or had Ironhide listen to Ratchet about sensors... well he must have or the hatch system would not have worked as well as it had for keeping these two out before.

"They normally are, unless there's a second level under it," Leadfoot said, pretending not to notice Crosshairs lifting a hand over his armor pocket again. Really there was nothing wrong with him having a charge, even if the trooper had said a bunch of slag about humans since he arrived. At least as far as he was concerned, Leadfoot had seen all sorts take care of younglings. "Don't think this is a true base lay out, but should be plenty of supplies down 'ere."

Crosshairs rumbled, lifting a hand out to briefly let his claws run over the tunnel wall, the crystal lining barely scraping it. He pulled his hand back, glancing over the claws again and once more making a note to take care of himself. The mech huffed and finally glanced at the other two as they started to enter the entry area to the tunnels. Crosshairs was not the only one to reflexively extend his scanners in the semi-dark, or peer over the edge.

The passage started to open up, spaces between the indentation lines for the brakes dipping away and giving the first peeks into a dome like space. Large enough that a few more mechs other than the current three could still have standing room. Crosshairs estimated Hound could even roll once, but not twice. There was an eerily familiar air to the pace, and it took Crosshairs a moment recognize what it was that was strange and not. The doom had thick supports curving upwards and ridge like striations between them. There was a few glyphs painted or carved into the walls, only one Crosshairs could read from the lift and it was so cheesy and seemed more like something Optimus Prime would write rather than Ironhide.

...and Crosshairs couldn't help feeling a tiny bit better seeing, 'Now Hope' writing in a large glyph as the first thing he saw coming in. At least what he could read from the lift

Crosshairs heard Leadfoot give an amused snort to the side as he spotted the same thing. It was enough to start and draw Jolt's attention, only the mech's could not focused for more than a moment before one of the brakes stuttered.

"For Primus' sake!" Three voices grumped out in unison as the rest of the brakes all triggered on the last indentation. Crosshairs was in a better position with bent knees and his over armor working like a counter balance to keep him upright. While Jolt had grabbed tighter to Leadfoot and shot out his other hand to grasp one of the brake depressions with his other hand to keep them upright as well.

"That was not the brake I worked on!" Crosshairs growled out flexing his claws.

"This slagging scrape pile is getting fixed," the red and black wrecker growled himself checking on Stealjaw. Leadfoot relieved to see the cyberwolf was still on the lift, with his legs sprawled out and looking very confused but still there.

"Maybe we can lighten the load on the lift." Jolt offered after making sure the older mech was up right, but even he seemed a little exasperated at this delay just on the edge of. He glanced down at the distance to the floor, judging it was in jumping range but also not a comfortable one.

"Go ahead and jump off if yea can," Crosshairs dared to flash his fangs, only a split moment of a sneer, not wanting to risk his person getting zapped (or Amy inside for that matter).

"It's not a bad idea lad," Leadfoot aloud, a little more considering compared as he got his pedes stable back under him. Pulling out the grease gun again and tossed it at Crosshairs The Wrecker glanced at his cyberwolf and the middle of the lift that showed some of the glow of the beam from. "Them gravity lifts are safe enough ta' jump in wit' or wit'out the lift disk. Think yea can take Steel' down?"

Ignoring Crosshairs' look and comment before Jolt couched and peered over the edge again, able to make it through, "I can make it, of Steeljaw won't wiggle about."

"He's been down a lift before, but hold his paws an' Steeljaw will be still." Leadfoot gave a whistle-chirp for attention, clicked his talons to get the malformed cyberwolf to go over to Jolt, "Be good."

Steeljaw gave a soft woof like sound, padding to the blue mech. His tail stump wagged as he lifted to flop forelegs over Jolt's belt knee. Enjoying the scratching of mecha talons on his neck.

"Yes, be a good wolf Steeljaw, and I'll get you down." Jolt said in cybertronian as well, wanting to be very clear, but he had once carried the beast over a river since the attack.

Steeljaw made a chuffing like sound as he was picked up. Waving a paw at his mas before the cyber wolf had to pay attention; Jolt pulled the dog-like beast over his shoulders. Adjusting the wait, Jolt took the half step over to the edge, but paused at hearing a snort. The blue mech glanced over at crosshairs while grabbing a fore and hind paw.

"You can take him down if you want Wrecker." Jolt offered with a slow smile.

"Like yea'd know what the slag ta' do." Crosshairs snorted as he took the supplies, and as he noticed the smirk from the Autobot, he scowled. "Go get fragged."

"Really?" Jolt smirked at crosshairs, for a moment willing to play along- maybe Leadfoot's bad humor could be to blame, rubbing off on the electric mech a little. "I wouldn't have thought you were the type to want that with someone riding in your armor pocket."

It took two seconds for the innuendo to sink in.

It took three second for Leadfoot to burst out Laughing.

It took just under second before Crosshairs to last out, his cleft pede connecting with Jolt's side.

"Serves yea' both right," The older mech said with a chuckle after checking to make sure Jolt had used his grapple to get himself, and Steeljaw, into light of the grav-lift. With his pet safe, Leadfoot just decided to be amused at what happened, shaking his head at the other wrecker growling at the ledge when Jolt's voice laughed as he rode the beam down to the floor of the chamber. "Yea' got this lad?"

Crosshairs flexed his hands, and with effort kept himself from gripping his chest over his armor pocket and passenger. Instead he narrowed his optics at Leadfoot while unhocking the font clasps of his over armor to have better range of movement, and to attach the tools to the inside carefully. "What do yea' think yea old rusted cranker?"

Leadfoot smacked Crosshairs with the improvise cane, loud enough to clang, but on the outer shell of the over armor. "Stuff yea're own slag, an' help me down."

For a moment, Crosshairs was really tempted to kick, or push the other wrecker off the lift as well. His mood starting to sour again like when he found his human huddled in the red and black mech's hands... Part of his attention turning inward in a reflex he was not sure where it came from, but after that moment pulsed a reassuring feeling at the small form that leaned on one wall of the armor pocket. The mech resisted the urge to vent as he glared at the offending cane, then offered a hand to clasp forearms with Leadfoot. It was not too hard to brace himself on one of the brakes themselves and swing Leadfoot off the lift and into the beam of the grav-lift.

Crosshairs did smirk at hearing the protests on the way down as he turned his back to that edge. The green and black mech made a face now that he was alone, before stepping to the stuck brake. It was not too hard to repeat what he had done before, only it took some more time to work leverage on the stuck piston. Crosshairs shifted to brace one pede up on the wall, feeling it catch on a ridge in the crystalline coating, and then he shoved.

The piston slowly started to move, bit by tiny bit as the grease worked into the innards of the brake system. Crosshairs took a long moment to just carefully work the brake loose again. He did not expect it when it suddenly released with an audible clang. A split second later he could hear the other brakes giving in and then gravity set in.

"Oh sag, I'm gonna kill 'Hide," he snarled as he let go of the brake and got his feet back under him while fancing the closest exit on the lift. One hand shooting out to stabilize him by grasping the brake rigging as he quickly stepped over to it. In the few moments he hand, Crosshairs checked the distance to the ground again. His other hand briefly going up to the armor pocket, she would be fine, if he jumped that much he knew.

The green mech jumped well before the lift reached enough velocity to be unsafe to jump from. The mech's over armor spreading out to help slow and control the fall. He landed and tucked into a roll with the practiced grace of someone who had done this a thousand times. When Croshairs finally came to a stop he had one hand firmly over the armor pocket, growling at the lift that crashed into the ground and its housing.

It was not broken completely, but most definitely damaged enough that it would get some repairs before it worked smoothly again.

"What the fraggin' pit mech?!" Leadfoot demanded as his cyberwolf trotted ahead and over to Crosshairs. Steeljaw giving a little confused and worried whine, where was the sparkling?

"She's just fine," Crosshairs snapped back, knowing what the older Wrecker was about to yell about. "I'm a paratrooper old mech. You think my frame can't protect a sparkling from any sort of drop in that pocket?"

Jolt hesitated from saying anything looking from the lift to the green and black mech. He then really stared at the mech as Crosshairs lowered the hand off his chest in a calmer way after a pause. The younger wrecker reached out as his claws retracted, scrubbing the wolf's head and ears with a soft word that Amy was just fine. Jolt chirped at Leadfoot, tilting his head at the lift.

Leadfoot growled and made a face, he knew Crosshairs was an aft, but outright endangering his charge? Not all that likely. He was tempted to reach out and smack the younger mech, but Crosshairs was well out of reach. Primus he still wanted to smack the mech as Crosshairs grinned wide back at him, baring fangs. The other wrecker was a godo half a chamber away, well out of smacking range. There was no way in hell that Leadfoot was going to throw one of his tools at Crosshairs, or his saporting cane.

And crosshairs knew it.

The trooper shook himself, looking around in this main chamber. Noticing to his far left was a horizontally tunnel, only with a lowered celling. The mech walked over and rested a hand on the wall, noting that he might have to duck to back it through. Anyone bigger than average sized mech would have to get down and/or crawl through the first part of the tunnel for those really big mechs. Or just transform to roll through.

Crosshairs glanced to the side, noticing the painted glyps Ironhide had wrote, able to fully read what he glimped before on the lift. It was far from something Optimus Prime level of reassuring, but siting it seemed to the mech.

Now hope fraggers, you're safe. Get some recharge and energon.

The group split up soon enough Crosshairs first to stoop and walk through to the rest of the bolt hole. Finding once it was past that first lowered part he had plenty of head room. If it followed the basic lay out, this main tunnel would expand out for almost a mile, with two or three four way junctions of the same sized tunnels. Then smaller tunnels between them and off those to open into store rooms, a medical area, as well as room like spaces. How many of those were completely Crosshairs could not quiet tell as he walked.

Judging from the look of this base, the eerily familiar feel of home with how there were curved rib like supports like those back on Cybertron. Or it its lower levels. Only a few of the lights overhead turned on, sensing movement, maybe every two or three. Just enough to see by and find the generator in one of the first side chambers. Making a face, Crosshairs sent a ping to Jolt, the Autobot might need to jump something. Crosshairs grabbed one of the smaller packs of medical supplies in another chamber, continuing deeper.

Thankfully Leadfoot seemed done with the grumpy mech for now, and Jolt was not going after him either. Not that Crosshair could get out of the base any other way. As it turned out, there was also air scrubbers down here that the wrecker found and turned on. Though the air was still good so far, but Crosshairs was surpized at finding several crates that Ironhide filled with things he thought any posable human companion might need. It made him pause and consider, realizing that dispite the prep for humans turning on them... Ironhide had also expected organic allies that needed safety down here too.

That was... that was not something Crosshairs had expected. He glanced down at feeling movement in his armor pocket, walking down to his right on the first junkion tunnel. Looking over a few painted glyphs that told of rooms and walked that way without thinking.

"Primus... I'm getting soft. You awake in there bug?" Crosshair asked, lifting a hand to tap his armor for a moment. He could not hear anything until the mech cracked open his chest plates. Getting a squeak at cooler air. That made him smile.

Crosshairs gave a yawn like motion suddenly, resetting his jaw and the mandible joints. He had been clenching tighter then he should. Now that he was alone for the most part, the mech wanted a chance at true rest. He lifted both hands up to his chest, fingers brushing over the spot his armor pocket was under. The blue-green optics glowed brighter in the semi dark as the mech glanced up to spot a side chamber off this tunnel branch.

The mech looked around this room he had picked out, it should be far enough but not so far, pausing to listen. Making sure no one had followed him, and once sure did he set about making it his. The mecha added a few things that he had out of from subspace for his charge to use, though put it to one side and away from the berth and on the ground. Crosshairs came back to sit on that, stretching out his legs before he opened the armor pocket. "Yea can come out June-Bug, it's just us right now."

He could feel the girl shift inside the pocket. Stirring at his voice once more, yet Amy stayed put where it was warm, dark and feeling safe. The girl did not seem ready to move just yet, and that was fine with Crosshairs. The mech turned to slowly relax on the ground level berth with his legs stretched out and a hand on his front. He lightly tapped his armor with a blunted claw, trying to coax his charge out. The sound did not last too long just enough to let Amy know where to go.

Crosshairs dimmed his optics, turning his attention inward. A low purring started with every movement from inside the armor pocket. Not that Amy was moving too much, as she was still braced against the movements before. She was happy to settle as well, at least for a bit. The whole time listening to the purring as Amy was soon napping for a little while, exhausted from the extra-long day.

When Amy stirred again, she made a face as she wanted to stay, but thirst and other bodily needs made themselves known. The girl inched out of the armor pocket, drawn to the faint light outside. It was not bright at all, but just enough for the girl to reach out and grasp the end of a blunted claw as it moved closer. Having a little help in being pulled the last bit out from under green plating was… really needed. The girl blinked a bit taking in what she could in the faint light and noticing the natural bio lights on crosshairs, who was no longer repressing them like he was on the surface. Then all at once Amy realized she was in a room, or the walls curved a little and had that fain crystalline sheen, but a room none the less. Only it was a room to Crosshairs' size scale, the berth he was lounging on a good ten feet up, and a few shapes in the semi dark that looked like a desk and a chair on the other side of the room.

"Hey lil' bug..." Crosshairs rumbled wrapping his hand behind the girl's back, watching the girl's face as she took in everything. The mech kept his touch lighter than normal at noting a small flinch, "How yea holdin' up?"

Amy made a face again, this time at a slight pull in her back and side, not nearly the same level of hurt as before what Jolt did to her. The girl scooted a bit back to lean into the large digits behind her. "Okay...but I have to go... and I want... um, I need some water please?"

"Thought yea might need it, ta do both." Crosshairs huffed softly, not his annoyed sound though as the mech sat up. Sifting to hold the girl in one hand as he stood back up, the green and black mech paced over to the small thing he had made for Amy to take care of her business while they were underground in the bolt hole.

Crosshairs had a little foresight-

"It's really dark..." Amy's nervous voice said and Crosshair paused midway of putting her down, the mech's own frame blocking out most of the dim light from the tunnel.

Now it was the mech's turn to make a face, turning on his headlights from his car form again. "Right, humans can't see in the dark. Sorry bug." Crosshairs added as he watched Amy flinch in his hand, covering her eyes from the glare of sudden light. "The main lights in the tunnels should be turning on in in a few hours. Leadfoot's working on them, but I can get the lamp working."

He lowered the girl down to just beside the device. It was boxy like a port-a-potty, and in the inside a little though made of metal not plastic. Although it had a few... well alien like things on the back and to the left side. Almost like a generator, not too big to a human but tiny for the mechs. With one hand Crosshairs used an edge of his blunted talon to open the door and draw Amy's attention to a switch, "Once yea're done, push that, but stay away from the opening. It'll burn what's in there when yea're... finished."

With his other hand, he pulled out a device out of his left thigh holster. A small thing that had been slid down one side of the holster, Crosshairs flipped it up, clicked it and the device, a chip in his hand started to glow with a white-ish color.

"What is that?" Amy asked as the glowing thing was lowered down to her level, the round device could not be looked at directly. It seemed to have a silver-metal base, round and a relatively small dome of glass or crystal that reflected the light. The thing looked like a coin in Crosshairs hand, though was a good foot and a half wide.

"A... its nothing for yea to worry about right now bug, take care of yea'r business. Just don't touch the chip, it gets hot." Crosshairs said standing back up, Amy was smart enough to listen to his warning. He really did not want to get into Cybertronian physiology and the equivalent of pressure points that were heat effected. More so when the child was already sleepy and distracted.

Crosshairs brushed off his over armor, glanced up at the main light. That would not turn on automatically unless someone pinged it with a basic code to turn on. He turned to walk over to the desk, having only glanced at it before taking the chance to rest and calm down. Now he sat and pulled over the light, finding it a basic reflecting crystal and glass tube attached to the base. It felt like to Crosshairs' claws that there was human made metal covering the internals, thin and softer to the touch. Yet lifted easily enough for him to check the power source.

"Hmm... not the best of things Ironhide, but at least it just needs an energon chip." Crosshairs muttered as he checked the drawer like spaces, coming up with two chips that much have been tossed in. He huffed, sliding a chip in the right slot and once the light turned on, the mech shut off his own headlights. He could hear the girl giving a faint sigh as he adjusted the brightness. Something to give enough light, but... well not keep his charge awake.

"...Crosshairs?" Amy's voice pipped up. She was standing near the small heat chip, though not too close as it was warm, and the temperature in the bolt-hole was stable, but on the cooler side.

"All done?" Crosshairs glanced back, setting the cover back over the base of the lamp. His optics flicked over to the berth, pushing the lamp back a little farther before standing up. The mech felt a small smile quirking up a little as he saw the girl nod, and lift her arms hopefully when he stepped back to her. Then he did smile as Amy willingly climbed up into his right hand, squeaking softly at finding the large water bottle that was waiting for her.

Primus he was going soft.

"Can I go back to sleep?" Amy asked, fighting not to yawn as she held onto the larger digits around her. Watching as Crosshairs grabbed the chip and then the ground fall away as she was carred back at the berth.

"Yeah, don't see why yea can't." Crosshairs nodded, slipping the small heat chip back, slapping his holster closed and started to stretch out on his back. He paused at sitting though, peering at Amy in the semi light. "...maybe after we get yea changed inta something cleaner."

Between her fall off his frame and her run through the woods, Amy wasn't as clean as she normally was. Though a bath proper might be a while, he could at least get the girl in some cleaner cloths. Crosshairs pulled that brown polishing cloth like blanket out of subspace, put it on his thigh and then the girl.

Amy perked a bit, settling down on her knees before looking up hopefully, "Jammies?"

There was a snort from above her, yet at the following rumble Amy smiled as Crosshairs offered a small bundle. "Yeah yea can have them."

The girl squeaked happily at seeing the blue pajama set, squirreling into them and into some warm, soft socks. This was much better than other cloths and shoes. Only after surrendering the dirty cloths did she pull up the corners of her night time comforter, finding the two pillows in it easily. As far as Amy was concerned it was bed time, and a little more like it normally was. As nice as the armor pocket was, she liked it when the mech scooped her up like this, though slower compared to normal Crosshairs laid back. His legs stretched out on the berth as he tucked the girl and her bundle under his over armor with one hand and attaching it onto his chest with the other hand. This time on the left side of Crosshairs' abdomen, not all the way down to his side, Amy could still slip out if needed, though likely would not.

"Are you going to nap too Crosshairs?" Amy asked, wiggling under the weight of the flex metal, she was feeling a little better as it gave a general feeling of being safe. Like a weighed blanket, if the girl knew about them. It was darker again, and the thick comforter Bumblebee had given softened her spot on the Wrecker's frame. Though the living metal was warm.

"I might," Crosshairs started a low rumbling; laying back he looked up at the ceiling of this chamber. It was so very tempting to settle into a proper recharge for the first time in a few local years. Crosshairs like the other four had been, in essence taking shifts of who gets to nap for a Cybertronian. Crosshairs was not quite sure if he could recharge, not with Amy.

…was this what new creators felt like? Having been basically tired and shortened temper basically, Crosshairs understood why true sparkling could survive so long with an adult in an armor pocket. The mech rested a hand almost over the girl, that protective-possessive feeling that was triggered before back as Crosshairs sent a ping to Leadfoot. Asking the older Wrecker in the text burst to wake him up after a good seven local hours. At the same time, before fully setting on the berth, the mech pulling a few boxes out of subspace with his right hand. Dropping the dry goods and water for the girl in case she stirred without waking him... Crosshairs was not quite sure how she did that.

Reviews! (I'm not dead, I just changed jobs)

Regan:
Steeljaw is the best mecha pupper. He just wan'ts energon, scritches and something to chew on.

Wacko12:
Ironhide and Jazz are gone? says who? (the joy of fanfiction friend XD) and yes, steeljaw needs some love and pets on his broken muzzle

CLM-FFN:
I'm glad you like steeljaw! and how well he's going over. Eeeh, I don't think Leadfoot has another cyber-wolf right now, maybe back on cybertron he had a group of three derps- I mean wolves. But I do headcannon Topspin has two turbo foxes he has to keep in stasis an subspace off and on.

DeadlyNightshade97:
Oooh there will be tensions, as you likely saw here. Crosshairs does NOT want to admit he might not be a good guardian now.

Wolfimus Prime:
...yeah, I live with giant snakes as pets, that's not spookey, sorry XD Hope you liked this chapter too! and If you go to my tumblr you might see a story clip of that meeting soon! (Optimus is a space grandpa/dad for sure...he just wants to hold the tiny that's not scared of his people)

Syd:
Well, here you go!

SoundlyManners:
Only in good ways! Last thing you want is that possessiveness to an extreme... that can get scary (but on smaller scale or being protective, yes!)

Guest 1:
Eeeh, that might take time before Amy dares that. She also needs some healing time for a bit.

Mighty Dreamfinder:
THANK YOU SWEETIE! n.n I'm glad you like it!