So lots going on with the story! I can't wait to get to the part where Clare goes to the base for the first time! Wonder how that's going to play out! Anyways I do not own Transformers!

I stood in the yard glaring at the list in my hand like it was the freaking devil in disguise. There were so many things on it that it literally filled the entire page. Cut the grass, weedwhack, clean the gutters, wash the windows on the house and garage (And she wasn't meaning just on ground level), replant the flower garden, help Uncle Ron with the fountain and path, wash the car, touch up the paint on the house in certain spots. Then there was the inside of the house! Wash and fold the laundry, sweep, mop, and vaccume every room except for Sam's, wax the kitchen floor, scrub all of the bathrooms, wipe down all of the insides of the windows, dust (EVERYWHERE), do the dishes every night, clean the stove, organize the fridge, walk the dogs, etc... It literally did go on to list a crap ton more that I did not care to read.

"Only one more day...one more day." I chanted to myself as I walked by Sunstreaker to grab a ladder so that I could clean the gutters first. Unfortunately for us we had an old piece of crap ladder that scared the shit out of me for several reasons. One: It was a piece of crap rust heap! Two: It liked to suddenly cave in on itself sometimes sending whoever was on it crashing to the floor. Three: I was just plain not a fan of heights! AT ALL!

"Can't believe that Sam gets off scotch free just because he has a date!" Grumbling under my breath all the way over to the house I set the ladder up against it and made sure that it was as stable as possible. I stared at it in trepidation for a moment honestly not trusting it... But Bee and Sunstreaker were there in the backyard in case I did fall so, with one last sigh I climbed up the damn thing with the hose and power washer in hand.

"Freaking asswad getting off just so that he can get off literally..."

Giving a humph I powered the hose and tool on so that I could start on the first gutter, which was chock full of shit! I should have brought my MP3 up here to entertain myself during this process. Well it was too late now since I was already working, AKA I was spraying the gutter and getting hit with all kinds of shit. Sunstreaker was probably having a hay day watching this!

My mind wandered briefly to last night after Sides had left. Sunstreaker had actually come in and sat with me during Jaws and had actually stayed until the end. We hadn't talked much if at all but I hadn't expected him to be open. It was still a start though.

Sides would probably never believe it if he didn't already know! After the movie had finished he had quickly disappeared leaving me to my silence, not even saying one word to me. And he hadn't spoken to me since. He wasn't the only one who hadn't spoken to me either.

Jazz had not once opened the bond so that we could talk. I knew he was busy though helping set up the new base among a multitude of other things so I wasn't too upset.

It was kind of strange how right his presence in my head felt when I knew that most people could probably never comprehend such a thing in its entirety. The bond itself was so much different than just feeling affection towards someone, it was literally being a part of someone else while they were a part of you. I liked it.

A small part of me wondered...what a sparkmate bond would be like? But as soon as the thought crossed my mind I blushed like an idiot and pushed it away. In no way was I ready for that, nor did I really know the details as to how it would work even. Surely for a deeper bond more than just returning a tug would be required right?

Those thoughts plagued me as I cleaned the gutters, working my way up and down the damn ladder for at least two hours. Luckily the damn thing didn't take me out like a bad guy in a Steven Seagal movie. At least not yet.

One moment I was safely standing on the ladder washing the last gutter, and the next there was a loud bark that did not come from any of our dogs...then the damn ladder was nailed by something sending it toppling over with me on it. "SHIT!"

I hit the grass with a thud at the same time that I heard the opposing barks of Mojo and Frankie along with Sam's shouts. For a moment I wanted to lay there and do nothing ensuring that Sam had to handle it, but if I was right which I normally was...it was the neighbor's rottweiler. And Bronx hated Sam and Mojo...with a freaking passion to rival how many things Walt Disney secretly hated.

So after doing a quick check to make sure that nothing was jarred too much I got up and raced into the back yard. Let me tell you the scene I walked in on was freaking hilarious!

Sam was holding onto Mojo who was yapping like a maniac at Bronx as he circled Sam like a predator looking for an opening. Frankie was cowering behind Sam's legs fearfully, and Sam was armed with a spatula from the kitchen. I couldn't help it! I just busted out laughing like a maniac!

"Wha-what the heck do you think a spatula is going to do against a 120lb rottweiler Sam?!" I choked out earning myself a glare from him.

His lack of attention allowed Mojo to somehow get loose from his hold, and the next thing we knew Mojo was chasing Bronx around the yard yapping at him. And Bronx was barking back but he seemed not to know what to make of Mojo at the moment...and there was Sam chasing after Mojo with his spatula...

My entire body doubled over as I laughed so hard that I almost choked. Somewhere during all of this Frankie had hid underneath Bee's front tire where it was safe. Bee would keep him safe so I really paid it no mind, not that I was able to stop laughing hard enough to find it in myself to be concerned.

Someone came up beside me, Mikeala if the black rider boots were any indication. "What are you laughing...at?" Her voice trailed off.

Somehow both Bronx and Mojo had switched to hating Sam at the moment and were now chasing him around the yard. Let me tell you it was by far the funniest thing I have ever see! I could stop it...since Bronx loved me but where would the fun in that be?

"How did this happen?" Mikeala watched Sam scramble up onto Bee with wide eyes.

"Sam tried to steal their omelets. Now they have to cap a bitch."

She stared at me. "Seriously?"

"No of course not! It's just a normal neighborhood dog fight...only its gone cross species since all the contestants want to kill Sam now." I grinned like a maniac as Sam cowered on top of Bee's roof waving his spatula like a psycho.

"Are you gonna help him?"

"Do you want me to?"

"Yes. I would like it if my boyfriend did not get himself eaten by dogs."

With a dramatic sigh I lifted two fingers to my mouth and whistled loud and shrill catching the attention of all of the dogs. All puppy heads snapped in my direction with perked up ears and rapidly wagging tails before they all tore in my direction.

Bronx closed the distance between us with a huge leap right into my awaiting arms. "Awww Bronxy! Did Sam try and spatula your butt?!" I laid him on the ground and rubbed his belly making him thump his leg against the ground. Mojo and Frankie circled around me yipping for attention too.

"Really Clare?!" Sam sputtered as he climbed down from Bee's roof. "You could've done that like five minutes ago!"

Oooh hands were on the hips! Hands were on the hips with a spatula in one! I snickered and gave Bronx one last pat. "Of course I could have but where's the fun in that?"

He gaped at me while the bots rumbled behind him in what sounded like laughter, even Sunstreaker. "What the hell Clare?! I could've been eaten by that thing!" He pointed at Bronx with a scowl.

I held up a finger to silence anymore of his protests. "But you did not! I saved you before you became doggy chow! As far as I'm concerned you owe me now beeotch!" He didn't respond to me so I shrugged and stood up with a finger pointed across the street. "Go home Bronx!"

As soon as the words were out of my mouth his black and brown furry self took off without another incident. As amusing as having him over was, his owner really needed to leash him to keep Sam from peeing his pants.

Once he had disappeared I reluctantly retrieved the ladder to put back in the garage since I was not planning on doing the windows today. I grabbed my Aunt's gardening tools and new blooms to plant before carrying them out of the garage and over to the ruined section of garden.

Sam and Mikeala were gone as was Bee leaving me Sunstreaker alone in the yard. Over the course of the next few hours I ripped up the dead plants, prepared the soil, and started digging out the holes for the new plants. I was content for now to let silence reign over us. Well it was more like I didn't think that Sunstreaker would respond to me if I did talk to him. He seemed to only open up very little and in intervals. That was ok though not everyone was open and spontaneous like Sides and I were and I had to accept that when it came to Sunstreaker. That did not mean that I would not tease him or annoy him when I was feeling the urge.

Night fell before I even knew what had happened with me being so busy planting all kinds of flowers from daisies to roses and almost anything in between. I sat back once I was finished and wiped a trickle of sweat off my brow. "Man it's freaking hot!" My back groaned when I stood and stretched my arms over my head to relieve the kinks that had built up from being hunched over for so long.

I quickly walked by Sunstreaker to return the tools to the garage bypassing him again once I had done that to make my way inside. Pausing just outside the door I looked over my shoulder at him. "If you want you can come in." With that I disappeared inside to shower and do my homework.

If he wanted to come he would. I kind of hoped that he did.

Roughly half an hour later I stepped out of the shower and wrapped a huge fluffy blue towel around myself. I stepped into my room and froze when I saw Sunstreaker standing there looking over the walls that I had painted. His eyes snapped over to me then quickly averted back to the walls.

"Ummm let me just grab some clothes to change into." Without waiting for a response I practically sprinted over to my dresser and tore some undergarments...making sure to keep them hidden, and some blue pajamas. With them in hand I sprinted back into the bathroom and slammed the door shut before leaning on it.

'He had seen me in only a towel! That was the most that anyone save for Ratchet had ever seen!'

My cheeks heated up for once actually staining my cheeks, only it wasn't red it was purple. I turned to my mirror and poked at my face curiously. A purple blush? Well I did have blood and energon AKA Cybertronian blood coursing through different parts of my body. Maybe it was the energon showing through from my protoform or whatever?

I quickly smacked my cheeks to ground myself before I dressed myself and threw my hair into a loose side braid. Once I was finished I steeled myself and walked back into my room.

Sunstreaker was just where he had been when I had last seen him. I just stood next to my desk awkwardly as he inspected the mural stretching across all of the walls. It was nothing special to me really, just a night sky with the full moon casting light off of a field of blue roses. I had done it a few years ago when I was in a funk and it had just stayed there.

"Did you paint this?"

My entire body jumped at the question that broke the silence. When I looked up he had his head half trned towards me, the same aloof expression on his face. Only it was less pronounced and a mild curiosity was showing through. "Yeah a few years ago. It's not that good or anything but at the time I was more worried about making sure it fit what I was thinking and feeling."

"In art that's what matters." Sunstreaker shrugged carelessly. "It doesn't have to be good enough to sell so long as the one who painted it feels good about it."

Holy crap he was holding an actual conversation with me without someone prompting him! "Yeah I guess so. It did make me feel better when I painted it... But you're the first person besides family that has ever seen it."

"I don't let just anybot see my paintings either. Not that I've done any in a while." The last part was muttered under his breath in a longing tone.

I don't think he wanted me to hear it but I did anyways. "Why not?" With some hesitanse I made my way over to plop down onto the bed near where he was standing.

"Because there's no room for art in war." He muttered.

"That's like saying that there's no room to express yourself Sunstreaker." His gaze shifted and seemed to pin me down intensely. It made me want to fidget nervously but I didn't. I had something to say and when I did nothing stopped me, not uncertainty or fear. "Some people don't talk well because to them words just can't cover what they feel. Some people talk a lot because they feel too much inside. And everyone needs a way to really speak no matter what it is, even if it's something as small as a friendly gesture from someone who can't speak. We all have the right to express ourselves in any way that we can. And no one can tell us that it's wrong. Even now when you are constantly fighting you feel something be it anger or sadness, and keeping it inside will only exaccerbate it not make it better. There is always room for expression be it art or something else, because for you art is an expression of yourself and there is no right or wrong time for that."

Our eyes remained locked with my gaze most likely blazing with my certainty. I was not wrong nor would I ever admit it even if he didn't believe what I had said. Because I did believe everything I had said one hundred percent no matter what anyone else thought or said.

After several long drawn out moments he turned back to my mural. "Maybe."

My lips twitched up into a small smile. "Maybe maybe." I grinned and jumped up from my bed to grab a sketch pad and some drawing pencils from my desk before pushing them into his arms.

He looked at me in surprise. "What are you doing?"

"Giving you something to draw in! I'm guessing that the government isn't going to provide you with art supplies so I figured you could use this for now!" A wide grin spread across my face as I went on teasingly. "And who knows? Maybe drawing will make you act like less of an aft?"

He frowned at me.

But I turned and raced back over to my desk giggling like mad. I plopped down and pulled all of my books and school supplies over so that I could get started with my homework. Something else occurred to me suddenly and I tore open my art supplies drawer to grab an unopened pack of oil pastels to give to him. "Here you can use these too!" I tossed them onto the end of my bed carelessly.

He barely even looked away from me to acknowledge the package that I had thrown. I didn't pay any attention to it as I focused on my chapter questions for AP history.

He didn't speak again so it was easy for me to ignore him while I worked on my questions. I already had most of my makeup work done anyways so as long as I was diligent I could get it all done tonight. That was what I was gearing myself up to do as I breezed through my assignment in maybe five minutes if that.

And Sunstreaker never made a freaking peep. Not during that assignment or any other one.

I was actually wondering if he was even still there but I waited until I had finished everything to look over in the direction he had last been. He was now sitting down against the wall underneath the window scribbling away in the sketchbook I had given him. His normal gruff look was present on his face only it seemed softer than normal almost more content even. I smiled softly before I stood to go downstairs and get something to eat to feed my rumbly tummy. Yeah I couldn't come up with something that rhymed with tank to make that comparison so rumbly tummy it was!

Sunstreaker looked up from what he was doing minutely before going back to it like I didn't even exist. Well it wasn't like I expected him to act differently anyways.

And I didn't because that would not be like him. So I left him there to his peace to go downstairs and heat up some leftover pork chops and rice from dinner last night. I got some milk and carried my items back up to my room.

I still had to eat and pack my things to go to the base for the weekend! The thought had me practically running back upstairs startling Sunstreaker when I stormed into my room, sat my plate and cup down, and proceeded to stuff everything I wanted and needed into my Gir duffel bag. And I may or may not have alternated between that and eating, and this may or may not have been more like me running around my room with a pork chop sticking out of my mouth while I munched on it like a cow. And Sunstreaker may or may not have looked at me like I was a freaking idiot for that. Pfft!

His downer attitude could not dampen my good spirits! Not unless I let it and I had no intentions of doing so! I did a happy dance as I stuffed underwear, bras, pajamas, day clothes, my travel toothbrush and toothpaste, my nintendo 3DS XL, my tablet.

"Nothing else is going to fit into that bag." Sunstreaker muttered when I moved to put portable speakers into it, and when they wouldn't fit I jumped up and went rocky balboa on my bag in an attempt to shove everything into it. "Keep doing that if you want to break your stuff femme."

I pouted as I took the portable speakers out and sat them aside... "No fun."

"I don't really know why you're bringing all of that anyways since you'll spend an entire solar cycle in the med bay after Ratchet updates your processor. He plans on doing it as soon as you get there."

As soon as I got there?! I slumped down and slunk over the side of the bed nearest to Sunstreaker. "How bad is having surgery?" I wouldn't know myself because I had not had any sort of operation done, not even stitches.

Sunstreaker hardly even looked up from his sketchbook when he answered me. "It'll be better for you since you're a femme. If you were a mech he'd be rougher than necessary."

My mouth formed a tiny 'o' shape. For some reason that sounded like something Ratchet would do and I didn't even know him that well. He was gruff and grumpy though kinda like Sunstreaker. Huh...maybe they were actually related somehow? Similar genes making them both act like aftholes.

As if sensing that I was thinking something not so nice about him the object of my thoughts looked up at me through narrowed eyes. Of course I made sure to blink at him curiously as if I was completely innocent. "What?"

"You have that look on your face femme that usually means something stupid is about to happen."

I gaped at him. "You are so rude!" He said nothing to me so I huffed and finished eating and packing before I got ready and crawled into bed with the covers pulled up to my chin. "Night Sunstreaker."

I quickly fell asleep.

The next school day came and went before I knew it meaning that it was now time to go to the new base! I had left my bag with Sunstreaker who would have to drive me to the base now that school was over. He wasn't best pleased that he would have to have me inside of his cab but it wasn't like he had a choice.

As soon as the bell rang signalling the end of the day I bolted out the front doors of the school like a freaking mad woman towards the brightly colored Lamborghini sitting in the parkling lot and getting no little amount of attention.

The passenger door opened up for me allowing me to quickly dive into the plush black leather seat where I was promptly wrapped in my seatbelt as we backed out and started away from the school. I was practically bouncing in my seat while watching the city flash by right outside of the window.

Sunstreaker hadn't said anything to me but I had not expected him to. It was Sunstreaker after all.

But I guess my fidgeting and squirming must be getting to him because after a few more moments he sighed. "Can you not sit still Clare?"

"No!" My entire body did a full body shudder of pure excitement that I could not have stopped even if I wanted to. And then I was bouncing even harder in my seat like an overcharged energizer bunny! When I got excited about something I just couldn't stop myself! And since I got to see Sideswipe and Jazz today I was a ball of happiness, excitement, and mischieviousness. I was already planning out all the fun things we could do after I got out of having my update done.

"Well you're making it hard for me to concentrate on driving."

"I'm sorry! I'm really not trying to annoy you but when I get super excited it's hard for me to calm down!" I blabbed. If Jazz was paying any attention to me right now I bet that he was incredibly amused by how I was acting. Not that I would know since I had hardly been able to sense him in the last two days. I instantly deflated against my seat and pouted. I missed talking to him and feeling him in my head.

Sunstreaker grunted. "Now what's wrong?"

"Do you and Sideswipe ever block each other out? Cause Jazz has been blocking me since I got home." I pulled my knees to my chest and leaned my chin onto them. Sunstreaker was probably the last bot to ask about something like this since I wasn't sure if he would even answer me. If he didn't I would ask Sides later.

It was quiet save for the sound of the wind as we drove for what felt like forever. I shrugged when he didn't respond after almost five minutes. Forcing him wouldn't-

"We don't block each other out often."

My eyes shot over to the dashboard as surprise shot through my entire body. Had he actually answered me? Well obviously he had because I had heard it so that was a stupid question. "Probably only if you get mad at each other?" I guessed calmly when inside I was beaming.

"Mostly." He grumbled. "We're both frontliners so our job is normally pretty straightforward, so we have no reason to hide anything from one another in the field. We watch each other's back and fight together which for us means that we utilize the bond a lot more than most. Twins never hide anything from each other."

"Sounds like you're both really close." Which I kind of already knew from watching them interact with one another. It was kind of interesting to watch how when one moved the other subconsciously shifted to be closer, and when the other shifted or moved it was the same. Two moved as one.

"We're split spark. The only other bond that can actually compare is a sparkmate bond."

"Sparkmate?"

"Ratchet will start explaining it all for you when we get there." Was his reply.

I pouted...which fell into a full out dropped jaw when I saw that he was driving us into a yard full of large planes. What?! Why were we here? "Ummm why are we at an airport Sunstreaker?" I squeaked as I looked down at his door to see if it was unlocked. It was and as soon as he stopped I was going to run like a freaking cheetah in the opposite direction of the airport.

"The fastest way to the base is by air. So we're going to- HEY! Where are you going?!" He yelled when as soon as he stopped behind a large cargo plane I yanked the door open and took off like a bat out of hell. I heard the sound of him transforming, and the heavy sounds of his peds pounding after me.

"I'm not flying! That was never discussed!" I yelled back without looking behind me. Images of the plane falling to the ground before exploding in a fiery blaze assaulted me and in each and every instance I was in the freaking plane! Nope! No way! We could take a freaking boat!

"Femme get back here!"

I dove behind a stack of crates once I was sure that he was not within seeing distance of me and cowered. No planes! No flying! My entire body shivered as I sat there and rocked back and forth on my aft with my mind running rampant on all the bad things that could happen while flying. Safest form of travel my aft! Think about all of the horrible things that happen when shit does go down on planes! High jackings, engine failures, being flown into freaking buildings by terrorists! No! I was not getting on a plane!

While I was sitting there hiding I suddenly felt a tug on the bond that Jazz and I share. Oh thank god or Primus or both! [Jazz! Sunstreaker is trying to get me on a plane! A PLANE! I can't handle high places!] I cried desperately.

His apologies and assurances came flooding back to me. [Ah'm sorry baby girl, bu' ya gotta get on da plane if ya wanna come an' see meh. Sides is 'ere waitin' for ya as well. Don' ya wanna see 'im?]

[Yes. But I'm scared of heights! I can't handle looking out the window and seeing the ocean flying by thirty thousand feet beneath me! I'll swim there instead how about that? That sounds good right?] I briefly peeked out around the boxes to make sure that Sunstreaker was not laying in wait. He was nowhere that I could see but for some reason that did not make me feel any better.

[Ah can see if Sunstreaker will let'cha sit in 'im during da flight. Want meh ta?]

My fear spiked to insane heights. [No I want to swim or take a boat.]

There was a sigh and a fair amount of amusement and exasperation emanating from him. [Ya can' swim or take a boat. Sunstreaker said 'e woul' let'cha ride in 'im if ya jus' come out from ya hidin place.]

[No. I will never willingly get on a plane.]

A sigh. [Fine. Ah'm sorry ta do t'is to ya sweetspark.]

What the hell did that mean? Unfortunately I wasn't given too much time to wonder what he meant because in less than an astrosecond I was being snatched up from my hiding place by a large gold servo. Oh now I knew what he meant! "NOOOOOOOO! NOOOO PLANES!" I shrieked at the top of my lungs...or vocaliser.

"Relax femme. Flying is completely safe." Sunstreaker walked back over to the open cargo plane and up the ramp, waiting until the back end had closed to shift to alt mode.

I ended up a quivering mess in the passenger seat as some military men came in and fastened Sunstreaker down making him grumble about organics touching him. He wrapped the seatbelt back around me securely once they were finished. Not that it made me feel any safer really, cause if and when this fucking plane went down I was going to end up a metal and flesh pancake...or shark food. One or the other.

My anxiety was so bad that as soon as the plane started gliding forward smoothly I let out a small squeal, turning reflexively to actually wrap my arms and legs around Sunstreaker's seat. Said bot sighed tiredly but otherwise did not yell at me to stop or anything.

Not that I would have because as soon as I felt the plane jerk up from the ground I screamed and started bawling as I clutched to him, spewing nonsense about plane crashes and terrorist attacks and becoming a pancake. All while I clutched at the seat and cried into it like a freaking baby. Screw my normal demeanor! I was freaking terrified!

Sunstreaker sighed again, for the first of many times during the flight.

Roughly...I don't even know how many hours later since I hadn't looked away from the seat the entire flight, we landed on solid fucking ground. I sniffled as Sunstreaker informed me that we were now on solid ground again and that meant that I could stop clutching at his servo now. But I kept it up until we were unfastened and allowed to roll down the ramp.

As soon as his tires actually hit black top I renched my door open and leapt out onto the ground to hug it. "LAND! SOLID LAND! HOW I HAVE MISSED YOU!" I started laying kisses all over the black top as I cried. "I hate planes! I hate flying! Screw whoever made me get on that plane!"

Sunstreaker shifted up to his true form and shook his helm at me. "Everybot is watching you."

Oh I had noticed the other Autobots standing at the door watching me with amused optics. Every single one of them besides Ratchet really. Anyways I saw them there and I did not care about whether they saw me pay my respects to the ground or not! "I don't care! I MISSED SOLID GROUND! YOU ARE NEVER GETTING ME ON ANOTHER FUCKING PLANE EVER AGAIN! Who's bright idea was that anyways?"

"How else did you think you were going to get here?" Ironhide muttered.

"Well seeing as how I didn't actually know where it was!" I snapped irritably as I stood and dusted myself off. "For all I knew we could've just drove! Or taken a boat like a normal sane ass person not that giant cylinder death trap!"

Sideswipe slid forward with a shit eating grin. "Did you enjoy clutching at Sunny the entire time?" He waggled his optic ridges at me suggestively.

Before I could even answer him Sunstreaker had reached out and smacked him across the face. "Shut it Sideswipe!"

I looked between the two of them clearly sensing some sort of undercurrent going on between them that I could not decipher. Silver servos picked me up while I was distracted with watching Sideswipe and Sunstreaker bicker. In a flash I found myself sitting on Jazz's shoulder comfortably my hands latching onto his audio to steady myself.

Without sparing the bickering mechs a glance my adoptive father/creator turned and started over towards the others. "Was da flight really dat bad?" He asked me worriedly.

"Yes. I have a phobia of heights and planes by association. So I hated every second of it." I pouted waving half heartedly to everyone when we stopped in front of them.

Ratchet tilted his helm at me curiously. "Flying is the safest form of travel on Earth, what is there to fear?"

I scowled at him. "Crashing to the eath from thirty thousand feet in the air." I deadpanned making his optics brighten in amusement. "Planes crashing is no joke Ratchety."

He scowled at me. "Do not call me that."

"Then don't make fun of me for having acrophobia." I shot back. "Or I get to call you that as much as I want to."

He huffed. "Just what we need, another troublemaker." Turning away from us Ratchet looked back at me inently. "After you take your things to your room Jazz is going to bring you to my med bay so that I can get started on your updates. You will stay in the med bay until tomorrow afternoon, unless there are any unforseen complications."

Oh real encouraging! He walked away from me before I could comment on his amazing outlook on life. "He's trying to freak me out isn't he?"

Everyone laughed at me. "There is nothing to worry about Clare." Optimus informed me good naturedly. "Ratchet is the best medic on Cybertron, he has many millenia of experience working on just about any case you can imagine. You could not be in better servos."

"So he's trying to freak me out?" I reiterated with a small scowl. Ooooh I was so going to get back at him after this!

A flash of red came up on my other side. "That's just how Hatchet is!" Sides informed me cheerfully. "We can get him back for being an aft after you get out of the med bay though! I've been thinking of the perfect pranks to unleash on him... You in?"

I gave a mad cackle and nodded. "I am so in!"

"Excellent!" Sides grinned back like a cheshire cat.

"I think that I'm going to make it a point to stay away from these two when they're together." Ironhide grumbled. "In fact I have some things to see to..." With that he turned and disappeared back into the base at a brisk pace.

Optimus turned to me as soon as Ironhide was gone. "Well Clare I want to welcome you to the Autobot base. You may consider it your second home as you are always welcome to come here anytime. For now get your things to your room and report to Ratchet. After you get out of the med bay you are free to do as you please for the remainder of your time here. Next weekend Ratchet and I will have some material set aside for you to study."

I saluted him. "Okey dokey!"

He nodded once before turning and disappearing into the base. Once he was gone Jazz carried me inside with Sideswipe and Sunstreaker following close behind, the latter because he had my bag in his subspace I think he called it... Anyways!

"So I saw what happened with Sam and those earth dogs through my bond with Sunny!" Sideswipe started conversationally.

I laughed and turned to the red mech. "Oh? That's actually pretty normal for Sam! You should've been there in person to see him trying to fend the dogs off with a kitchen spatula while he cowered on top of Bee! It was one of the funniest things I have ever seen!"

We both busted out laughing hysterically at that point. "I wish I would have been there to see it! And I saw everything you did and said!" He laughed harder. "Even Sunny was laughing!"

"Was not..." Sunstreaker grumbled.

Sides snorted at him. "Sure you weren't! That's why your amusement drew my attention in the first place!" He danced up besides Jazz and I and leaned down close to my face making my chest flutter. "He was so laughing! Don't let him tell you otherwise." He winked conspiratorially at me for good measure.

I nodded mutely desperately fighting down a blush caused by his proximity. He really was handsome even in this form even from the beginning. Sunstreaker was the exact same way, but he didn't have a tendency to get right in my personal space like Sides did.

Luckily we arrived at my room which was located in the wing where the other Autobots rooms were. The doors slid open revealing walls covered in band posters and all manner of other things, cds laying about and such. A large metal bed like thing sat against the far wall and on the floor at the end of that was a twin sized bed with blue blankets.

"Ah hope ya don' mind sharin a room wit' meh sweetspark."

"No I don't mind."

Sunstreaker's grunt drew our attention back to where he was standing and holding out my bag for someone to take. Jazz swiped it from him quickly so he turned to leave us to do whatever it was that he did.

"Thanks for letting me hold onto you during the flight Sunstreaker." I called softly making him turn back towards me.

He stared at me with his normal stoic face and nodded.

Sides stayed with us as his twin turned and left after that. He was wearing a small genuine smile that had me wondering what was going on with Sunstreaker. I didn't have much time to thin on it as Jazz carted me into the room with Sides rolling along after us on his wheels.

I was sat down near a small dresser and desk, the former of which I sat my bag onto before pulling out my toothbrush kit and gaming stuff. If I was going to be stuck in the med bay for a good twelve hours at least I needed something to entertain myself with when I woke up! "So where did you get those cds from?"

"Some of da soldiers were kin' enough ta let meh borrow em!"

Humming softly I zipped my bag up and pushed it onto the center of the dresser. "I would have brought some cds if I had known you liked music. Earth music is probably a lot different than what you have on your world isn't it?"

Before I could turn Sides scooped me up in his servos and deposited me on his shoulder. "The earth compositions really are different from anything on Cybertron, but they're still really good. I've found quite a few that I like already."

"Ah 'ave too! I's been so long since ah've 'ad good music ta listen ta! Maybay sometime we can jam ou' ta some when ah'm no' busy!" Jazz looked at me with excited and hopeful optics.

"Sure! I warn you though that I literally listen to almost anything you can imagine so you probably won't like everything that I do."

Both of them shrugged. "Try us."

I shrugged as well. "Ok."

"Well we better get you to the med bay before Ratchet blows a gasket." Sides turned and started back the way we had come.

A pit grew in my stomach as we walked towards where I would be having my first ever surgery... I was sure that most were nervous the first time something like this happened to them so I tried not to let being scared bother me. I did clutch at Sides' audio tightly while he walked to keep myself steady.

We made it to a large set of white double doors...the med bay. Said doors slid open allowing us inside a huge room with several large berths positioned in rows just opposite of a counter with multiple cupboards, drawers, a sink, and various other tools that I did not recognize littering every surface.

Ratchet was waiting near a berth closest to the counter with some sort of covering on it. A machine with tubes was right next to him...I think it was to monitor my spark rate and provide oxygen. Just a guess though. "Put her down here."

Sides sat me on the berth so gently that it made me feel like a piece of glass or something. He poked me in the head teasingly. "Tomorrow it's just you and me...and maybe Sunny if we can rope him into it. Ok?"

"Ok."

Sides backed off and left the room after that, most likely because Ratchet looked ready to wrench him again if he stayed. Jazz came up to me and nuzzled my cheek softly with a purr resonating from his engine. "Ah'll come an' see ya before patrol tomorrow ok?"

A pleasant tingle emanated from the area that he was touching making me want to giggle. It kind of tickled! I felt how amused he felt because of my thoughts. "Ok."

"Ok. Ah gotta go so dat Ratchet can work on ya. He'll take goo' care of ya ah promise."

I nodded. "I know."

With a nod he backed away as Ratchet came around in front of me and slid a small needle into my arm.

Within seconds the world started becoming dull and fuzzy, my body feeling like it was floating away. And the next thing I knew everything went black while I was helpless to stop it.

R&R! We're at over a thousand views already! You guys are awesome! Anyways so far Sunstreaker is winning the poll! For any of you that want Sideswipe but haven't voted I would get to it! Until next time! Time for reviews!

Muirgen79- Thanks!

Izzy-dragon-rider- You're welcome! Yeah they got along for like a minute lol.

HeartsGuardianSol- Yeah I hope to get some more fluff between them especially if Sunny wins the vote. It'll make that transition easier.

XxMichelleMikaelsonxX- I'm glad that you like it!

himelove22- Yeah he better especially when Clare is actually dating those two lol. I have a feeling that he's not going to though XD. Should be fun to watch though.