Author's note: As always, thanks for any comments, favs or follows and just dropping by to read my story. Appreciate you being on this little journey with me.

And so we continue...

Chapter 37: Unfamiliar Territory

Lennox P.O.V

''Give Prime some time to come around,'' I shouted out to the bathroom door as OC sat sprawled by the tub, rinsing her hair, mouth and face, ''maybe he'll realise he's made a mistake?'' I offered hopefully.

OC snorted and hiccupped as she turned the taps off and placed the removeable shower head in the tub. ''Lennox, the dude is over nine million years old,'' she groaned out loud as she grasped the side of the tub and tried to haul herself to her feet,'' I strode over and helped her. ''I don't think I can afford to wait for him to come around!''

I laughed as I helped her towards the towel rail, and she haphazardly lunged at the nearest one. I stood back as she gingerly pat the towel over her face and wrapped it around her hair like a turban. ''When you put it like that OC – Prime is quite the cradle snatcher wouldn't you say?'' I grinned mischievously at her.

She flicked the towel back over her shoulder, clasping at the rail for support as she did so. Brown and gold flecked eyes stared pointedly into my own chocolate-coloured eyes as she shook her head and began to shuffle to the medicine cabinet above the sink, rummaging around. ''You're a dick Lennox.''

''Would you like me to go?'' I teased as I pointed to the door and took a step in its direction. '''Cause I CAN leave…''

OC froze, a panicked look crossing her visage as she shook her head. ''NO!'' She groaned again and returned to her task. ''I mean, you might as well stay now, ya know, seeing as you're here.''

I walked towards her as she continued to fossick around in the cabinet. ''What are you doing?'' I asked in mild irritation.

''I'm trying to find some asprin,'' she bit back tersely, her headache clearly getting the better of her.

Sighing in frustration, I placed my hands on her shoulders gently guided her aside. ''Here! Let me have a look and you go and start getting,'' I gestured to her outfit that clung to her curves, ''ahhh, ready for bed.''

OC nodded and began to shuffle towards the door slowly. Pausing in the doorway, she leaned against the frame as she slowly reached behind her back for the zipper. ''Thanks Lennox. I know I can be a pain the arse, but I really do appreciate what you've done for me tonight,'' her smile broadened, ''what you are doing for me tonight.''

I returned her smile warmly. ''You're welcome.'' Even with her hair in a towel turban, her make up removed and the beginning of dark circles under her eyes, she still looked beautiful as she leaned against the doorway smiling at me. /Prime's loss…/.

She began to pull the zipper down as she turned to walk to the bedroom, and I caught a fleeting glimpse of her bra. I listened to her shuffle towards the bedroom and heard the unmistakable sound of the dress being thrown on the floor. A familiar heat began to build within me at the thought of her standing in her room right now, out of that dress. I shook my head and returned to my self-appointed task. ''Ahh, asprin! Comin' right up!'' I yelled perhaps a little too enthusiastically in a bid to hide my inappropriate thoughts, as I placed my hands on the item and closed the cabinet door behind me. /NOT cool man! She is heartbroken, somewhat drunk, and vulnerable and you're acting like a horny sleazebag Lennox! Get a grip!/.

''Found it yet?'' OC's voice drifted hopefully, if somewhat desperately, from the direction of the bedroom.

I rattled the packet in my hand triumphantly as I strode from the bathroom to her bedroom, ''Yeah, it..'' I paused in the doorway. OC was wearing high cut, lacy midnight blue satin briefs and a tight, white tank top that seemed to accentuate her full breasts. Her hair had been freed from the towel and her damp, wavy black locks hung loosely about her shoulders and face. She was paused on the edge of the bed, slightly bent over as she was about to climb in. I felt myself swallowing nervously as I stared at her.

''Lennox?'' OC began to move again, lifting the sheets and sliding in between them, she began to settle herself in. ''Ahh, any chance I can have them please?'' she cast me a puzzled glance.

I coughed as I mentally berated myself and moved towards her bedside table. ''Yeah, as I was saying, they were tucked right up the back corner,'' I fumbled with the asprin as I pushed three out from the packet. ''On the top shelf behind some expired cough mixture.''

OC reached out her hand and I quickly placed the tablets in her palm, handing the glass of water that had been on her bedside table. She smiled gratefully at me as she swallowed the tablets and set the glass back down a little too heavily. I returned her smile as I stood with my hands in pockets, not sure what to do next. Flopping heavily back against the pillows, she sent me a curious and somewhat frustrated look. ''Are you just gonna stand there or what?''

I chuckled nervously as I ran my right hand through my hair and glanced between her and the open door. ''I wasn't sure if you wanted me to stay in here with you or just, ya know, in the apartment on the couch or something?'' I folded my arms across my chest and swayed almost imperceptibly on the spot.

OC snorted and rolled her eyes in apparent incredulity. ''Lennox,'' she patted the empty space beside her on the bed. ''Get your arse over here and stop being all weird. It's just me.''

I chuckled as I took my jumper off and walked around to the other side of the bed, casually throwing it on the chair in the corner of the room as I passed. ''That's kinda why it's weird OC.'' I slipped my shoes off and hesitated as I stared at the figure under the sheets. I still had my jeans and black t-shirt on.

OC propped herself up slowly, her face scrunched up in confusion. ''Hunh? Why is it weird? 'Cause it's me?'' She snorted out loud. ''Lennox - we're mates!''

''Yeah, I know!'' I burst out as I glanced around the room, hands on hips as I stood there, exhaling loudly. ''But I don't usually share a bed with my mates, and face it, you're kinda my only real female mate I have and…''

''Bloody hell Lennox!'' OC flicked the sheets back as she growled at me. ''And I thought I overthought things!'' I looked sheepishly at the floor for a moment at her comment. A small, teasing smile tugged at the corner of her lips. ''There's an awful lot of estrogen in this room right now, I think we're safe.'' She winked at me before she yawned and placed her hand on the light switch in anticipation.

I narrowed my eyes and shook my head at her in mild annoyance before I silently, and swiftly, removed my jeans and reefed my shirt off, discarding them both haphazardly on the floor. I almost fired back a sarcastic reply as I stood there in my boxers, but thought better of it, choosing instead to slide in beside her. The room was engulfed in darkness as she turned the light off.

Almost at once OC, sidled up to me and placed her head on my chest and draped her arm across my stomach, sighing out loud. She chuckled against me, her lips tickling my skin as she murmured, ''See, that wasn't so hard now, was it?''

Her soft, warm body pressed against mine and her fingers seemed to subconsciously caress my side as her arm lay languidly against me. /Not hard at the moment, but if she keeps this up../. I closed my eyes and released a slow and measure breath as I adjusted to the sensation of her against me. ''No. I guess not OC.''

It had been a while since I had shared a bed with a woman, and it felt both foreign and wonderful to once again feel that intimate embrace. The only problem was this woman in my arms was no one nightstand or brief fling, she was a good friend who I just so happened to be rapidly developing feelings for. /Which wouldn't ordinarily be a problem except she was in love with another and until she got over him…/. I began to gently rub her back with my right arm, and she sighed contentedly, the sound coaxing a small, sad smile to my lips.

''Lennox?'' her slurred voice broke the silence that seemed to embrace us.

''Mmm?'' I continued to rub my hand across her back and placed my head on top of hers.

''You know how you said I should give Prime time to realise his mistake?''

I nodded against her head, breathing in her scent silently as I replied. ''Yeah. What about it?''

OC hesitated a moment as if considering her words. ''Well, what if I want him to realise he made a mistake! Maybe I want him to feel like I feel now.''

My hand stilled against her back. ''And how do you feel right now OC?''

She pulled back away from me, peering up at my face in the dark. I could feel her eyes on me, but I could not really see what was in them. /Perhaps a good thing/. ''Well, apart from slightly drunk and incredibly hurt and angry, I want him to know how it feels to want someone he can't have. To feel that ache that will never go away.'' I closed my eyes tightly at her words, feeling the weight of them crash into me.

She sniffed out loud several times as no doubt tears began to fall down her face. I pulled her close towards me and resumed rubbing her back. Her voice was small and filled with self-recrimination. ''Is that wrong Lennox? Am I bad for wanting that?''

I sighed out loud and shook my head. ''No OC. Wanting that doesn't make you bad, it makes you human.''

OC laid her head against my chest heavily as she groaned out loud. ''Being bloody human is what got me into this mess!'' She snorted. ''I'd be better off being a Transformer.'' She yawned as the motion of my hand against her back, the late hour and the alcohol began to take effect. ''That…would solve…. all my problems Lennoxxx…'' Her voice drifted away.

I chuckled as I once again placed my head on top of hers, only just refraining from placing a soft kiss there. ''Or cause all new ones for you OC.''

Instead of hearing a biting sarcastic comment in reply, I heard the rhythmic sounds of deep breathing as OC lay slack jawed against me. My eyes had begun to adjust to the darkness in the room and two slivers of light made their way around the curtain on the window, illuminating the room enough for me to see her eyelids fluttering as she began to dream. /No doubt replaying the events of tonight/.

I sighed as I laid back on my pillow and wrapped my other arm around her, a smile on my face. Despite knowing her heart belonged to someone else at the moment, it felt wonderful to hold her, to be with her like this. A loud bout of snoring erupted from beside me and I sniggered. /Even if she does snore like a tractor/. I stared at her for a moment, brushing some hair from her face. She didn't respond. I leaned down and gently pressed my lips against her forehead, lingering as I enjoyed this stolen moment with her.

I lay back down against the pillow, closing my eyes as I settled. I briefly wondered if I could call in sick tomorrow? /I have to be up in three hours and I am shattered!/. I had tried to get to bed early as I knew what was possibly happening soon. My thoughts quickly turned to Optimus, and I wondered if he was managing to get any rest after the events of this evening, or if he too might look a little worse for wear at tomorrow's meeting. /I doubt Primes took sick days!/.

I furrowed my brow as the thought of Prime crossed my mind. I didn't get why he did what he did this evening. Having seen how he acted that morning in the supply room with OC in his holoform, how could he claim to NOT love her? /And apparently, he kissed her at some point which also makes no sense to act that way and then deny having feelings for that person/. ''What the hell are you doin' Prime?''

Having fought and bled alongside each other for nearly two years, Prime's conduct had always been above reproach. He had always exemplified honour, nobility, and honesty. ''Except tonight it would seem.'' I exhaled again and tried to settle. I am sure Prime had his reasons for making the choice he did tonight, but I couldn't help but feel some anger towards him for having hurt OC so badly.

I stared down at the woman who snored softly in my arms. She deserved to be loved fiercely and dearly and if Prime could not be the one to do that, then it was his loss. I brushed a finger against her cheek lightly. /Maybe OC is right. Maybe he will come to realise his mistake but by then it will be too late, she will have moved on../.

As I felt darkness claim me and I willingly succumbed, two hopeful words followed me down into slumber, /with me../.