Chapter 170 – One Foot in Front of the Other

(LPOV)

Lena woke up and just about jumped out of her skin. She didn't have skin.

Or lungs.

She wasn't breathing!

"Shh, shh Lena it's okay, you're okay," her Jolt's voice murmured soothingly.

"I'm not breathing! I can't breathe!" Lena gasped out. Frankly, she was astonished she could speak, let alone gasp it out. She wasn't breathing, after all.

"My Lena you don't breathe anymore," her Jolt murmured in gentle amusement. A gentle hand caressed her face. Lena's eyes snapped open. No. Her optics onlined.

Her Jolt was there, a gentle hand lingering on her faceplates as she looked at him in astonishment.

He was there.

And he wasn't huge.

Okay he was still huge. But now she was too.

She was huge... and she could hold him?

Tentatively, Lena reached out and caressed her Jolt's cheek, beaming as her bot pressed his face somewhat more into her hand.

The doors slid open. That wasn't right...

"Rise and shine lovebirds!" Ironhide's voice roared out. In a second, Lena was flat on her back, Jolt half laying on her, twisted around with his cannon aiming for the door.

Aaaww.

"Good, now you've got that out of the way, hurry up and declare your intentions technician, we got us a base full of mechs drooling at the chance to be competition." Ironhide grinned at the door.

"There isn't any competition," Lena murmured softly.

"Maybe not in your optics sweet-spark," Chromia's voice piped up cheerfully. "Have they declared their intentions yet? Do I get to drag her away yet!?"

"What? Why?" Lena groaned softly. She was incredibly comfortable, laying here in her Jolt's arms.

"New bot on base! New femme on base! Party!" Chromia trilled gleefully.

Jolt retracted his cannon again, and Lena snorted softly.

"This happens a lot?" she murmured with a small smile.

"It does," Jolt sighed, looking down at her mournfully.

Her dear bot.

"I thought we already declared our intentions," Lena murmured with a small smile, looking up at her bot.

"Mm, you're in your adult body now, Optimus has decided that we should declare our intentions again, save on the misunderstandings he and Kae experienced."

"Well then, Technician Jolt, I declare my intent to worm my way into your spark and become your bonded mate if you'll still have me." Lena stated with a broad grin.

There was a weird popping sound. It was coming from her Jolt, he collapsed, right on top of her.

Uhh... crap?

"Chromia!" Lena called out worriedly.

The femme was laughing. That was a good thing... right?

"She don't beat around the bush does she?" Ironhide snorted gleefully, Lena squirmed somewhat to look at the gathering group of bots at the door.

"Tap on his helm dear," Kae murmured. Lena looked at the femme worriedly, she was unarmoured, and leaning against Optimus still. "I'm fine Lena," she added with a small snort.

Lena shrugged and looked at her Jolt. Actually, she was kind of hesitant to tap on his helm, he looked so peaceful... regardless, she reached up and gently tapped on her bot's helm, a moment later his optics brightened.

"You... you still..." Jolt choked out softly.

"It's your turn," Lena smirked at him. That smirk disappeared the second Jolt rolled off of her, she sat up, terrified. What if... wait... what? Jolt was on his knees in front of her.

"Lena Davies, it is my intention to love you to the end of days and beyond, even after you realize you are far more beautiful and exquisitely built than I will ever achieve. Even should your spark turn away from me I will love you to the end of days Lena." Jolt whimpered out.

Everything in her being, in that second, wanted nothing more than to snatch her Jolt from the floor and use every female means necessary to make him realize she would never turn away.

Except her body wasn't really co-operating!

She had her arms though, so Lena did her best to squirm to the edge of the berth and grab ahold of her Jolt.

"Quit kneeling on the ground, you're too far away for me to kiss," she grunted, hauling on him as best she could. About all she managed was to pull herself off the berth and crash on top of him.

Close enough. Lena hauled her face to her Jolt's and kissed him soundly. That was good for another round of that popping sound. Bugger.

How was she supposed to beat the thoughts of her leaving out of her bot's processors if they kept popping!? She reached up and tapped on his helm again.

Jolt's optics onlined. Again.

"I am never going to look at another bot the way I look at you." Lena informed him flatly. She kissed him again. His processors popped.

Lena rolled her optics and tapped on his helm again.

And once again, his optics onlined.

"Try to stick with me gorgeous. Where was I? Right, I am never going to look at another bot the way I look at you, I don't ever want to touch a bot the way I want to caress you, and the only spark I want in my chamber beside my own is yours."

"And your sparkings, if you ever have them," Chromia added cheerfully.

"Mm, good point, and the sparkings you get on me sometime in the future. You with me?" Lena demanded flatly.

Jolt stayed flat on his back, staring at her. He looked rather dazed.

::. Jolt, recommend reaching up and holding her to your spark.:: Optimus' voice rumbled. It was weird though, it was a voice that she could swear was in her head!

But the next second Jolt had animated, his arms snapping up to crush her body against his.

It was a nice feeling.

::. Good, now sync your processors and start babblin' your love for that femme before she starts gettin' pissed at you technician.:: Ironhide's voice rumbled gleefully. ::. Femmes don't much like bein' kept waitin'!.::

Under her, her Jolt's spark quieted, then hummed back to the way he always sounded.

"I will never leave you behind," he whispered.

"Good," Lena smiled at her bot. And kissed him again.

(OPOV)

Jolt's processors popped. Again. For good reason, Lena had done an excellent job casting herself. Optimus wasn't entirely certain if she realized she was still completely stark naked, though.

"Chromia what am I doing wrong!?" Lena complained, squirming somewhat to look at the femme.

"You're doing just fine Lena!" Chromia laughed at her.

"Why are his processors still popping!" Lena demanded.

"You're gorgeous dear, and naked. On top of him." Arcee chimed in gently. "Shall we see to your armour now that you are online?" she continued as Lena released an embarrassed squeak.

"Jolt'll definitely have a fighting chance when you have your armour on!" Flareup snorted gleefully.

"What makes you think that?" Ironhide asked innocently.

Lena squirmed around somewhat and glared at them, Optimus couldn't help the soft chuckle as his Kae leaned against his chest somewhat more, laughing right beside him.

"Take it as a compliment, Lena," Kae chuckled as Cee, Chrome and Flare strode into the room.

"C'mon Lena! Let's get your armour!" Flare trilled gleefully, lightly tugging on Lena's hand. The newest femme nodded and squirmed off of Jolt. Beside him, Kae frowned. Lena was very obviously struggling to get to her feet. Unsuccessfully.

"Okay somebody tell me how the scrap to do it!" Lena finally growled, laying flat out on her stomach. "Did I do something wrong!? Why can't I get onto my feet!?"

"Because we didn't get the chance to have you practice walking in the exo," Ratchet grunted behind him. Kae shifted slightly and Optimus helped her move out of the medic's way, allowing him access to the room. "We're going to have to teach you to walk again."

"Oh, great, and the lot of you are going to laugh at me while I try it out, aren't you?" Lena groaned, she squirmed on the floor just enough to bury her face into Jolt's chest.

"Only a little," Jolt murmured, reaching out and gently rubbing her back.

"No time like the present," Ironhide rumbled cheerfully, striding in and unceremoniously hauling Lena onto her feet. "The sooner you're walkin', the sooner we're teachin' you how to shoot."

"And fight! Have you got your swords formed yet?" Sunstreaker called out cheerfully.

"First step's to get your balances in order," Ironhide rumbled cheerfully. "Gonna need them for all this stuff. Walkin' shootin'-"

"Launching yourself onto Decepticons," Sideswipe interjected cheerfully.

"Full wheelie spins with your blades out-" Sunstreaker continued.

"Flipping Jolt onto his back," Chromia added with a broad grin.

Lena looked completely dazed, Ironhide holding her upright and Jolt scrambling to his pedes to allow her to lean on him.

"Balances?" she squeaked softly.

"Look through your systems dear, you have them," Arcee murmured soothingly.

Lena made a face before her expression went blank. A few moments and her body straightened somewhat, swaying back and forth. Obviously she was experimenting with the balances, finding what worked, what did not. Another moment and she stood properly straight.

"Right, balance, now, legs," she muttered to herself. She began struggling to move, Optimus frowned somewhat, she did not seem to be... strong enough to walk...

"Ratchet," his Kae murmured the next moment. "Pipe her the frame modifications for strength?"

The medic grunted and strode toward Lena, offering her a cable. The little femme shied away from it somewhat, an evident vestige of her human heritage.

::. Optimus to Lena.:: he sent with a soft, probing signal; looking for her presence on the Primary.

Lena frowned, her spark humming through the frequencies.

::. Can you hear me now?.::

::. There it is.:: he smiled as Jolt stared at his intended with a broad grin.

::. You sorted your comm!.:: the technician sent cheerfully.

::. Good, here are the frame modifications.:: Ratchet added, sending a data-packet along the frequency as the cable extending from his wrist retracted back to his frame.

Lena's body began shifting slightly, a function that she evidently found fascinating.

"Right, balances, strength, now legs." Lena muttered to herself. One pede forward, followed by the second, a third step and she was away from Ironhide's supporting hands, four, five and she began staggering somewhat. Two more staggered steps and she began falling.

As was habit, Optimus took a step forward and in the midst of supporting his Kae, wound up with the little femme in the circle of his arm, leaning against his chest as she began sorting her balances again.

"Sorry," she muttered.

Optimus snorted, he couldn't help it.

"It is the duty of a Prime to carry and care for others," he teased her lightly.

Lena snorted then looked up at him.

"Huh, I'm what, twenty times my human size? And you're still huge!"

Optimus grinned down at the tiny femme and cautiously released her as she turned.

"Central's better for this stuff," Bumblebee called out cheerfully, bouncing to stand beside Lena. "Here, we'll get you to Central and you can fall over as many times as you want without squashing humans!"

Thus, surrounded by bots, Lena made her first journey down the corridor. Jolt had one side, Bumblebee her left. The femmes led the way with Ironhide behind them.

Just in case she began stumbling again and the two mechs on either side – both of whom could likely carry her unaided – couldn't hold her upright.

Optimus was chuckling as he scooped his Kae into his arms again.

"I can walk," she murmured into his auditory receptors.

"Where is the fun in that?" he rumbled cheerfully.

(MPOV)

I lounged in my Optimus' arms. He was still experiencing the tail end of being over-protective of me. Not that I minded, I was still a bit unstable on my own feet. The soldiers were cheering as Lena was paraded into the Central, several following the auto-bot procession and scrambling onto the catwalks.

"Is the audience really necessary?" Lena demanded flatly.

"Ah do believe it is," Jazz grinned at her. "Y'ah th' closest thin' ta'a sparkin' as we've seen in vahns."

"Then go get one on Flareup or something," Lena grumbled under her breath. Sort of.

"I heard that!" Flare called out with a laugh.

"An' ah'm tryin'!" Jazz added in the same quiet tone Lena had used.

"Holy crap I can hear everything!" Lena squeaked, she stared at Jazz in horror. The saboteur shot a broad, cheeky grin at her.

"We all can," he smirked.

"Crap." Lena stated flatly.

I smiled as my Optimus gently settled me into my place in the central, then laughed as the rest of the bots promptly formed a ring around Lena. A quick glance around proved Ratchet to be missing, not missing, striding into the central carrying some extra plate metals for Lena.

"For your armour," he announced cheerfully, depositing the pile at her feet. "Do you have anything in processor for your alt-mode yet?"

Lena pursed her lip plates.

"If I pick one now does that mean I can't change it later?" she asked worriedly.

"No," Ratchet snorted. "If you don't like a form, you change it, simple as that."

"Or a paint colour!" Sunstreaker piped up cheerfully. "Hurry up with the armour Banshee! Then you can pick out what colours you wanna be!"

"Sunny made a special trip just to stock up for you," Sideswipe added gleefully.

"Don't call me that," Sunstreaker added offhandedly, obviously more focused on Lena than the nickname. Adorable.

"He actually used his holoform and talked to the salespeople," Sides continued with a grin.

"Okay how do I do it?" Lena frowned, looking down at the pile of metals.

"Hmnph, should start by laying it out proper for her," Ironhide rumbled, then the Weapons Master promptly got down on his hands and knees and began sorting through the pieces. "That'll make some good greaves there, bend this up proper it'll be a good set of chest- no! These are better! Thicker! Chest-plates. Right. These here'll do up a good bit of armour cross your back, probably use these for your door-wings... you gonna be a car Lena?"

Lena stood stock still in shock, looking down at Ironhide looking up at her as the Femmes settled the plate metals in a pattern around her.

"Y-yes?" she squeaked softly.

"You don't gotta be a car if you don't wanna," Ironhide snorted.

"No I'll be a car!" Lena immediately stated, her eyes lit up then. "I know what car I wanna be!"

"Do you have the specifications?" Ratchet asked calmly, looking at her.

"BMW I8," Lena smirked.

"BEAM RIDER!" Jerry shouted from the catwalk.

"Ah shaddup Jer," Lena snorted, looking up at him.

"There's our Lena!" Will called out with a broad grin. "Nice to have you back Lieutenant."

I smiled and settled somewhat more comfortably in my place as Lena beamed around herself.

"Soldier! You're out of uniform! Put some pants on!" Jacobs shouted from the doorway. Lena immediately covered her chest and crotch.

Dead silence.

Then – as though they'd cued each other to do it – Sunstreaker, Sideswipe, Bumblebee, Skids and Mudflap fell over, howling with laughter.

Lena glared at them.

"You're doin' it wrong femme," Ironhide snorted in front of her.

"I what!?" Lena demanded flatly.

"You're coverin' yourself like a human does. Should be more concerned for the couplings along your sides if you're gonna do that. Which you shouldn't. Femmes should be allowed to bare their protoforms as proudly as mechs if not more-so. Only because of war do we wear this armour."

Shyly, Lena dropped her hands.

"That's better," Ironhide rumbled gruffly. "Now rather than slaggin' around with the modesty, call your armour. You got your specs already or did you want to scan?"

"Specs? Scan?" Lena squeaked softly.

"Have you- no of course you wouldn't," Ironhide snorted. My Uncle heaved himself back onto his pedes and looked around the gathered bots. "Anybot manage to scan one of them I8's yet?"

I smiled and piped him the specifications.

"What'd you scan that for niece?" Ironhide rumbled the next second, turning to look at me with a snort. "You're too big for it!"

"Oh, I thought I'd rewire Bee's t-cog next time he's down for the count," I stated innocently before laughing at my little-brother's squawk of indignation.

(RPOV)

Ratchet idly scanned the newest femme again. Her systems were coming together nicely. He sat down and smiled as his spark-daughter teased her brother. Arcee's spark touched his own, and he hummed contentedly, revelling in the patience of his mate.

Normally, this horseplay with such a young femme would have irked him to no end. But it was time, she was ready for her armour and light activity.

Besides, he'd whipped these mechs into shape before, nobody messed with his wrenches. Idly, Ratchet glanced into his subspace and nodded to himself.

All wrenches present and accounted for.

Just in case the terror twins decided that it was time for Lena to learn their 'Jet-judo'.

Thank Primus Jetfire hadn't reported into this base yet, without a doubt they'd insist that the old flier participate in their 'jet-judo'.

Mind...

Watching Jetfire single-handedly whipping those two younglings would be rather amusing...

~You're underestimating their ability to fight as a single unit~ Arcee whispered in amusement.

~I still think Jetfire would whip them~ Ratchet snorted. ~He has not lived so long, nor gained such respect for being an easy target.~

Ratchet smiled to feel his mate's amused agreement, then smiled that he could in fact, feel his mate's amusement. He felt the flush of adoring love as his spark flared.

He had a mate. One that his spark truly worshipped.

His mate.

Ratchet onlined an extra processor and observed Lena's first transformation. She was hesitant still, but that would pass. It had been so with his spark-daughter as well, although her first hesitant transformations were as a human... Ratchet shrugged. All younglings were hesitant with their first transformations.

She transformed back and Jolt barely managed to stagger to a bench before his processors popped. Again. Ratchet smirked slightly, the poor bot was going to need to get over his stunned astonishment of his femme if he hoped to continue functioning. Mind, that was a nicely turned armour style, her door-wings were rather adorable, curved and semi-transparent. Her frame was strong, if small. Small wasn't the correct term...

Petite.

She looked like a Cybertronian version of the human's pixies.

Regardless, Lena's body was running smoothly. Ratchet nodded approvingly as she transformed back into her alt-mode. She fired up her engines and the arguing began.

Ratchet sat and scowled as the twins immediately began pestering her to transform again. They wanted to start her hand to hand combat training.

"She's gonna be a saboteur like meh!" Jazz immediately stated over the twins. "Listen to hah engine! She's quiet enough t' sneak around propahly!"

"She's going to be a predator!" Sunstreaker growled.

"We've all seen her fighting with swords!" Sideswipe added.

Ratchet made a mental note to ask Lena later if she wanted to learn at least basic first aiding. He looked at her critically for a second as she transformed again. She looked fast, and small enough that she could duck and weave around a battlefield enough to get to the critical cases and stabilize them enough until he or Kae could take over.

"She will make an excellent spy," Mirage piped up in dignified tones. "Jazz and I shall train her to blend in, and I shall see if she is capable of supporting the cloak as Archangel is."

"She will be trained to be a femme first!" Chromia called out immediately.

"An' then we're gonna get her shootin' proper!" Ironhide added with a smirk beside his intended.

Ratchet glanced over and smirked somewhat, Lena was smiling slightly, edging toward the door in the midst of the unit's cheerful arguing.

::. Where are you headed Lena?.:: he murmured on the private comm.

::. Communications, I want to thank Ravage and Soundwave for pulling me out of that mine, and maybe see if he'll teach me the fine points of picking up Decepticon signals.:: Lena responded silently.

Ratchet nodded somewhat.

::. Perhaps stay close to the walls, to catch yourself if you feel you may stumble again.::

::. Yes sir.::

Ratchet grinned and settled back on his bench, glancing around. Kae winked at him.

"She'll make a better Predator!" Sunstreaker was insisting.

"Oh really? Then where did she go?" Mirage stated with a broad smirk.

Silence. The entire unit looked around, looking for the newest - and newly absent - femme.

"Well. Scrap," Ironhide snorted.