Time skip! Until the second movie happens most of these are fillers. I hope it doesn't make it too boring. Most of it is relevant to what's going to happen so don't worry about that! Anyways I DO NOT OWN TRANSFORMERS!

(Clare's POV)

Almost three months went by in a flash. Not much had changed at the base, no new arrivals or anything like that. When I was there I spent most of my time with the twins, or training with one of the femmes. So far I was getting the basics of everything pretty well. Ironhide had even allowed me to resume my weapons training! And better yet was the fact that I had not shot anyone else since being allowed to hold a gun again!

Things were also going well with Sunny and I. We hadn't done more than kiss or...make out from time to time, but I was getting more comfortable with him and my feelings had grown stronger in the short time we were together than I had thought possible. Everytime I saw him my spark skipped a beat. Everytime he had to leave me I felt heavy. He didn't show any outward signs of feeling the same way other than a smirk when he saw me, but I knew that he did.

Opi and I were also spending a lot more time together when we were able. We listened to music everytime we hung out. Hours would be spent discussing different groups, individual artists, and the like. It was a lot of fun to bond with him. Though I did sense that he missed Prowl quite often. I hoped that I at least partially filled the gap that his mate's absense created.

Other than that things at home were picking up as well. Mikeala and I hung out at least once or twice a week after school and we were hitting it off great. She would teach me how to fix cars, and then I would get myself covered in oil and slime helping her with repairs. Sunny was always reluctant to drive me home when he was tasked to watch over me during my visits, complaining that his interior could get smudged. What a sparkling!

Sam and I spent a lot of time with Bee when we were home as well. We listened to music in the garage, played video games with his holoform in the house, and explored new places that he hadn't seen before. Like the mall. That had been Mikeala's idea. Bee seemed curious about everything though so he didn't seem to mind being dragged along to carry Mikeala's bags since Sam was too wimpy to carry them all.

I was actually sitting outside the school with Mikeala and Sam eating lunch right now. The former was trying to talk all of us into going to the winter dance coming up. Sam wanted to go to show Mikeala off. Me? No way in pit was I going to any dance. Not even prom.

"For the thousandth time Mikeala I am not going to the dance. Not ever."

"Come on Clare!" Mikeala protested. "I could see you not wanting to go if you didn't have anyone to take but you have Sunstreaker! Don't you want to show his sexy holoform off to the other girls at school then ride off at the end of the dance in a gold Lamborghini? It's like a less cheesy Cinderella film ending!"

I glared at her. "No. It's a formal dance as in I have to wear a dress and heels. Mikeala do I look like the type of girl to wear a dress?"

"Do I?" She shot back grumpily. "If I can get over my tomboyishness for the dance than so can you! Come on! We can go dress shopping together after school!"

"I don't have money for a dress or heels!" And I was not going to go to the mall and dress shop all day. Besides the dance was in like less than a week! That was really short notice to get things around for it! And so what if that was a total excuse not to go! "There's no time to pick out a dress anyways Mikeala. The dance is on Friday."

"That's in like four days! We have plenty of time!"

Man she was persistent! Fortunately for me I had the perfect excuse! "Sunny will never go to a human high school dance Mikeala. If he won't go then I'm not going simple! And since he won't go the discussion is a moot point." There take that!

Mikeala scowled and stood up from the table.

"What are you doing?" Sam asked her when she stalked into the parking lot where Sunny was parked. We received no response. I realized what she was trying to do. Not that it would get her anywhere! Sunny likely would not even talk to her.

I watched her lean down near Sunny's door for several long moments. She looked like she was pleading with him to take me her face set into a look of frustration. Then anger morphed her features. She made an erratic motion with her hand indicating that they were arguing, or he was ignoring her which angered her.

"He won't squish my girlfriend will he?"

"No. Ignore her until she wishes she could squish him? Yes most likely. That or he may insult her until she wants to spill paint thinner all over him." I loved Sunny some days. Especially when he was doing exactly what I wanted. Wow that sounded controlling.

A sudden shift in Mikeala's expression caused me to sit up more fully in alarm. It was one of smugness and accomplishment. What was that all about?

And then things got even worse because one astrosecond she was standing there alone, and the next Sunny's holoform popped out of the driver's side of the car almost smacking Mikeala in the face with it. He barely paid her any mind as he stormed over to where Sam and I were sitting, a smug looking Mikeala trailing along after him.

"You're not going to this dance or whatever the function is called with a filthy human!" Sunny snarled once he was within ear shot.

"Excuse me?" My eyes followed Mikeala who sat down next to Sam looking quite pleased with herself. Little jerk.

"Your organic friend there told me that in four solar cycles there is a school function that she intends to take you to. She also told me that you have to go with a partner! You are not going with a human! You're not going at all!"

"Mikeala you told him that I was going?! I said I wasn't!"

"You are going even if I have to enlist Bee to drag you there! Come to think of it he can be your date! His holoform is so cute!" She grinned.

For good reason too because as soon as Bee was mentioned Sunny played right into her hands before I could warn him about her plan. "The only mech you are allowed to go to something like this with is me! And I-"

"See Clare he agreed to take you!" Mikeala jumped in mid sentence. Sunny glared at her in response. "He said he'll take you!"

"No he said that I can't go without him! And since I'm not going it's not an issue!"

"You are going Clare." Mikeala growled. Rather impressive sounding for a human too. "Either he takes you or I will bribe Bee or Sideswipe to take you. I'm sure both would love the idea." She leered at Sunny at the last bit. "I managed to get both of their comm frequencies so I can just text them and ask them."

"Mikeala do not antagonize him! Sunny just calm down ok?"

My mechfriend was tensed tighter than a bowstring ready to snap. "I'll take her."

NO! "Sunny no!"

He whipped around in my direction. "I'm taking you!"

"You hear that Clare? He's taking you!" Mikeala smiled at me. "I guess that means we get to go dress shopping after school."

"Mikeala you suck. How am I supposed to afford a dress and shoes with no money to buy them?"

"Ask Jazz. Or maybe Sunstreaker can buy them for you."

In response Sunny plopped down beside me and wrapped a muscular arm around my shoulders. I knew it was more out of possessiveness than an actual need to show affection. That, as I had learned in the last few months, was just how he was. He had to show others what he viewed as his in the only way that he knew how. Either outright aggression or by staking an actual claim on it. By that I meant me.

"Mikeala the bots have a set budget to use each month. They can't waste money on something like a dress or shoes for a school dance. I'm not even going to ask."

"Then I'll buy whatever you want and then you can pay me back!"

"Mikeala-"

"Your boyfriend can even come and help us pick something out! Or better yet maybe not...because then it wouldn't be a surprise. Maybe Sides should come and help us pick a dress out for you?" Mikeala suggested.

Well he was supposed to come take over for Sunny today. Wait was I really contemplating actually going? Yuck! I wasn't so sure how I felt about Sides coming either. We got along great despite the way he flirted with me constantly, but he had been acting strange lately. More distant. Sunny assured me that nothing was wrong but I couldn't help but feel that there was something bothering him. He was still around me often, always joking and laughing like nothing was wrong. But I saw the way he looked at Sunny and I sometimes. Maybe he was lonely? Did he want a femme of his own? Wouldn't it be like rubbing it in his face if we asked him to come with us to help me pick out a dress so that I could go to a dance with his brother?

"I don't know Mikeala. Sides has been acting a little...off lately. Maybe Bee can come if you really think that we need a second opinion?" I noticed Sunny frown at me prompting me to lift a brow at him.

"He'll want to come. He told me so over the bond."

"But Sunny you know how...well he's been acting odd lately. I don't want to drag him along if he's not feeling up to it."

His expression shifted as he communed over the twin bond they shared. After a few kliks he blinked and turned towards me again. "He says that he wants to come so that he can see what you look like in a dress."

My brows furrowed together in puzzlement. "Why would he...never mind. It's Sides." I sighed and slumped against Sunny's side. "Fine but tell him that girls take a while to shop so he better get used to the idea of being at the mall for a few hours because of Mikeala."

"Hey!" Said girl protested.

We both ignored her. "He says that it's ok, and that he really wants to go."

"Ok. I'm not looking forward to wasting an entire afternoon shopping but...at least he'll make it more entertaining. Hopefully." I wanted to ask Sunny what was wrong with Sides. No I wanted to demand an answer from him. He wouldn't answer me whenever I asked. Demanding would most likely only start a fight. Still...I was worried about Sides. I wanted to know what was wrong with him. And Sides wouldn't tell me either no matter how many times I asked.

Each time he would give me an odd look, one that seemed sad and longing. Then he would either walk away from me or make up some excuse for his behavior. Maybe dragging him to the mall would be a perfect way to make him tell me? Only time would tell.

The warning bell rang suddenly giving us the five minute warning. Sam and Mikeala quickly got up to go to their next class leaving me alone with Sunny. I sighed and gathered my things quickly.

Sunny stood when I did. "Well I'll see you for a few kliks after class?"

He nodded.

"Ok. See you then ok?" Standing on my tippy toes I pressed a soft kiss to his lips.

He pressed back briefly then pulled back allowing us to go our separate ways.

After school...dress shopping. Ugh.

After school ended Sunny took me home so that I could change into a more comfortable outfit consisting of a pair of my gray track pants, and loose black Gir t-shirt. Sunny had only raised a brow at my outfit choice without actually commenting.

We only hung out for maybe a half hour before Sides showed up to relieve Sunny from Claresitting as he called it. By relieve I meant he came storming into my room and toted me down the stairs over his shoulder like a caveman. So fast that I had no time to say goodbye to Sunny.

He threw me into his alt mode and drove me to the mall where we met up with Mikeala. This is where we were right now.

Mikeala had no problem finding a dress she liked. A white dress that had a tight bodice with straps that tied around the neck and billowed out at the hips. It looked really nice on her...I think? Well she also chose white three inch heels to go with it. Don't ask me how she was going to walk in them without killing herself.

Anyways she had her dress and after another two hours I still had not found one that I would even wear. Sure she had forced me into a few such as a black skin tight dress that ended at my knees. Umm can I say hell no? Well I did. Right to her face. After that she had forced me into a dress of nearly every color, some of which clashed horribly with my hair and eye color at least in my opinion.

She was actually starting to get frustrated that I would not pick one. "Look Mikeala, if you insist on dragging me to this damn dance I am at least going to find a dress that I do not hate. Do you understand me? I am not a willing participant in any of this. The only reason that I am going is because you played on Sunny's possessive male instincts."

"Don't you mean possessive mech instincts?" Sides piped up helpfully. He was currently standing behind us while we looked through several dress racks.

"You know what I meant Sides." Green? No. Pink? No. Baby blue? No. Brown? Pit no. Nothing in any of these stores even looked fragging wearable! Ugh! They even had those...feathery looking dresses like a rooster's aft. I shuddered just looking at them.

"Clare I understand the importance of finding a dress that you like but we've been in almost every store in the mall! You have to pick one sometime!"

I huffed. "Or I can just not go."

"You are going!" Mikeala snapped grumpily. She pulled out a mermaid style black sequined dress and held it out for me. "What about this one? Black would go good with your hair and eyes."

"Black goes good with everything..." It was hideous. I wouldn't even be able to walk right in it, which was the main reason that I did not like it. "I wouldn't even be able to walk in that monstrosity Mikeala."

She pouted before placing it back on the rack. "You have to pick one sometime Clare! Either find one in this store or we're going to a boutique after!"

A shudder racked me from head to toe. Oh no anything but that! I renewed my efforts to find something to prevent that outcome. What really sucked was that we still had to find shoes to match whatever dress I chose. Oh joy.

"What about this one?"

When I turned towards Mikeala I was shocked when I did not immediately want to throw up upon seeing what she was holding. The dress was dark blue, navy if I was correct. It was strapless and had a sweetheart neckline, tight bodice, cut outs on the left side with a crystal wedge. It was also pleated and had a slit up the left leg all the way to the thigh, and was backless. So it was a little revealing...

Mikeala must have taken the look on my face as a good thing. "You like it!" She looked the dress over from top to bottom. "It's really pretty. We should have you try it on!"

All I could do was nod dumbly prior to being ushered into a dressing room. I stripped down out of all of my clothes besides my underwear and pulled the dress on. It squeezed my chest making my boobs look bigger...not that I needed or wanted that, fit me like a second skin, and was still comfortable to move in. It billowed out at the thigh but not too much which meant that walking in it would be no problem. It also stood out in great contrast against my pale skin, blue markings, and my hair and eyes.

"Come out Clare I want to see!"

"I wanna see too!" Sides whined.

"Shut it Sides you can see her when she comes out!"

I undid the lock and stepped out of the dressing room putting an immediate end to their bickering. My teeth dug into my lower lip as I worried it nervously twirling my body around so that they could see it. "So? How bad does it look?"

"It looks great on you!" Mikeala complimented me. "You have to get this one!" She stepped forward and turned me more slowly so that she could look me over at every angle. "Yup this dress was made for you."

"It does look very good Clare. Sunny will like it."

"Thanks Sides."

"Ok so it's decided that you're getting this one! Now go change back so that we can get you some shoes!"

I was shoved back into the dressing room so that I could change back into my scrub clothes. "No high heels Mikeala!"

"Yes high heels Clare! Or at the very least some cute flats!"

"Why must you be such a dictator about shopping? I thought that you didn't even like girly stuff?" I muttered when I stepped out of the dressing room with my new soon to be purchase. A very expensive 230$ dress...that I had to pay back later.

Mikeala paid for it then ushered Sides and I into a shoe store across the way. We spent roughly half an hour in there trying on different heels, yes heels. She was making me get a pair with at least a one inch heel.

In the end I chose a pair of silver strap heels with the smallest lift I could get. We bought them officially ending our shopping trip before going to get something from the food court for Mikeala and I to eat.

I got some orange chicken and white rice and sat down at the table where we had left Sides. I handed him a fork so that he could try some while we waited for Mikeala to come back from getting her sub. "So Sides...how have things been lately?"

He paused in stuffing a piece of chicken into his mouth to regard me. "Fine. It can get a little boring on base when Sunny's with you since I don't have anybot else to prank with. Other than that it's good. Optimus actually told me that there were some new arrivals coming in sometime in the next two days. Four Autobot signatures. Jazz thinks one of them is Prowl."

I perked up in excitement. "Really? Opi told me about him a while back."

"Yeah Jazz thinks it's him. He says that the bond has been pulsing the last few days and that means that Prowl's getting close. That reminds me!" He scooted closer to me and plucked another piece of chicken from my plate. "Prowl is gonna find out that he's a creator now! I wonder if it'll make him glitch?"

"Glitch? Sides that's mean!"

He laughed. "No it's not! Prowl may be Jazz's sparkmate but he can be a major aft sometimes. Besides the glitches don't do any permanent damage to him so he's always fine after a few kliks."

I took a drink of my Dr. Pepper. "Why would finding out that Jazz adopted me make him glitch?"

Sides got a devious glint in his eye. "Oh no reason... Hey you should call him danniluk when you meet him!"

"Danniluk? Doesn't that mean femme creator? Why would I call him that?"

"Well because it'd be weird to call the both opi right? How are they going to know which one you're referring to when you say it? C'mon it'll be funny to see his reaction!"

He was forcing the subject to stay as far away from being centered on him as possible. Maybe he didn't think that I could see that? Either way it still bothered me. "Maybe. But maybe you can stop changing the subject for once?"

He looked away from me, bright red hair swaying with the movement. "Nothing is wrong Clare. It's just I feel left out sometimes. Sunny has you, and me? I don't have anybot."

My spark pulsed painfully at the dejected look in his eyes. "Sides...that's not true. You'll always have Sunny even if I know that's not what you were referring to. And I'll always be your friend no matter what happens promise!"

"That's not...what I meant."

The air around us got thick like an electric current was crackling all around. "Maybe...you could try asking Flareup out? I mean you were meaning that you didn't have a femme of your own right? Maybe Arcee or Flareup-"

"I'm not interested in them like that." He cut me off abruptly.

Oh...maybe... "Are you umm into mechs? Is there a mech you like?"

He looked at me in horror. "No. No I'm not really into mechs Clare. I mean it doesn't bother me when other mechs are into each other, but I'm not into them myself. I'm a femmes mech all the way. Sunny and I both are."

"Oh...so there's nobot you're interested in here then." I murmured.

"Nobot that I can have." He murmured so softly that I barely heard it.

I opened my mouth to ask him what that meant when Mikeala finally came over and plopped down beside me. She looked between the two of us clearly able to sense the tension in the air. "Umm so Sides how are you liking Earth so far?"

There must have been a collective sigh of relief from both of us due to the topic change. Sides alllowed his moroseness to fade away so that he could chat with her. "It's pretty cool. A lot different from Cybertron too! But there are some things that I can do here that I used to do at home!"

"Like what?"

Street racing. Sides had taken me once. Thankfully nobot found out about it otherwise we both would've gotten busted big time. Sides did win the race by a long shot though which was cool. We had spent the prize money on a gaming system and tv for the twin's room. Nobot had asked how they got it. Or maybe nobot knew about it. Well besides Sunny...but he never asked. Then again he probably didn't need to.

"Street racing! Some of the humans that compete are pretty good drivers. A few times they almost made it challenging for me."

Mikeala hummed in interest. "Took the first place prize huh? Not bad. Then again I doubt that any human car no matter how suped up could compete with one of your engines."

"Probably not." Sides grinned cockily. "I'm a speed machine. Nobot can keep up with me."

I snorted out a laugh. "Must be all that practice you got running away from Ratchet's wrench."

He nodded enthusiastically. "Probably! I got a lot of evasive training out of it too!"

"Only you Sides...only you." I sighed dramatically. He pouted causing Mikeala and I to burst into laughter. After a few astroseconds he joined in laughing as well leaning on my shoulder to steady himself.

After a few moments we all calmed down and finished our food, or Sides helped me finish off mine, in other words he kept stealing it. Once we were done Sides and I walked Mikeala out to her motorcycle and said our goodbyes to her. As soon as she left we got into Sides' alt mode and left to go back to my house.

Neither of us said much to each other for the rest of the day and night.

What was wrong with him?

On Wednesday I got the surprise of a lifetime when opi picked me up from school to take me to the base. He said that he had a surprise for me. I was already pretty sure that I knew what was going on though.

I sat through the terrifying plane ride anyways, eagerly bouncing in my seat the whole time. Opi laughed at me but left me to my own jittering in peace. It was probably because he was as happy as I was! No he was probably even happier than me!

We got let off of the plane and drove into the hangar which was a frenzy of activity. There were four bots that I had not met before, one that I vaguely recognized from the door wings and black and white paint as Prowl, another huge silver bot that almost looked like he had a potbelly, and two smaller red and green bots. The last two were wrestling around and beating the snot out of each other while every other bot in the hangar pretty much ignored them.

Prowl was much more focused on watching opi's approach.

Opi slid to a stop and opened his door so that I could get out. I slipped out allowing him to transform into his bi pedal mode, taking the time it took to observe Prowl as closely as he was observing me. We locked optics and the rest of the world just seemed to fade away into a dull hum in the background...like a gravitational pull was tugging at me. I realized with a start that his spark was calling out to mine guided by opi's bond with me. It only took me a moment to return the tug I felt and when I did another consciousness flooded into mine.

It was calculating and almost seemed cold. Analytical and practical. He was the exact opposite of opi and I, and yet there was a warm affection that flooded the new link we shared. My human disguise passed through my mind as if to question why? Did he want me to change?

[He does. He wan's ta see ya.]

[Ok.] I activated my TCOG sequence allowing my nanites to matter shift into my armor. My clothes were automatically subspaced for later leaving me standing before him in bot form in an astrosecond.

His chassis rumbled with a soft purr as he reached for me and lifted me up from the ground. He settled me against his chassis which let me tell you was pretty high since he was a few feet taller than Sunny.

Opi watched us interact with a warm smile and a bond pulsing with contentment and joy. I'd never felt him so happy and I knew it was because Prowl had accepted me as much as he had. We could both feel that.

It filled me with equal parts joy and elation. I had a new bond, another parent. For the first time in my life my family felt complete. Like I wasn't just a castaway that my Aunt and Uncle had been forced to care for. I'd never realized really that I felt like that much of a burden until now. But I had, and the reality of this situation made me understand that though that had not been the case some part of me had thought it to be true. Neither of my adoptive parents would ever allow me to feel that way I was sure of it.

Opi joined us in a family hug while the rest of the bots moved away to give us some privacy, and together the three of us revelled in our newly established family unit. It was nice...but in my experience all good things must come to an end.

Unfortunately it was my big mouth that set the series of events into motion that ended our peaceful embrace.

"Umm so Jazz is opi...does that mean that I have to call you danniluk?"

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZT! I was suddenly yanked away when Prowl's helm exploded in a series of sparks that sent him plummeting to the ground with a loud thud.

Opi sat me on the ground next to him where I proceeded to freak out. "Oh my god I killed him!"

Sides' and Sunny's laughter echoed across the hangar causing me to whip around and glare at them. "It is not funny! What if I killed him!"

Ratchet stalked past the twins delivering two swift smacks to their helms before kneeling next to Prowl. "He is not offline Clare. His logic center glitched. Prowl here suffers from a glitch that scrambles his cerebral circuits when something surprises him. You calling him danniluk made him glitch."

"Oh...sorry I didn't know."

"S'alright sparklet." Opi reassured me. "Why don'cha go on ova an' meet Hound an' da otha twins? Dey were all anxious ta mee'cha."

"Ok. Umm he's not going to be mad at me right?"

"No. It was an accident sparklet. When 'e wakes up he'll be jus' fine. No' go on an' meet everybot else ok? Ah'll call ya when 'e wakes up." He gave my helm a soft pat before shooing me away towards the others.

I was a little wary of the second set of twins both of who had paused in their wrestling to watch me, so I passed them and bounded up to the large green and brown colored bot. He watched me with a small smile when I activated my electromagnetic manipulator and scaled his armor until I was at face level with him. "Hello."

"Hello."

"What's your name?"

"Hound. What is your designation?"

"Clare. Why are you so big?"

"I was built this way. Why are you so small?"

"Because I'm a midget."

"What's a midget?"

"A small person."

"But you are not a human." He reasoned.

"No but I'm tiny, therefore I am a midget. Midget power!" I fist pumped.

He copied the motion of fist pumping for some reason. "Why do you do that with your fist?"

"Uhhh it means that I'm excited!"

"You are excited to have midget power?"

I laughed. "Yup!"

"I see. You are quite lively aren't you? The twins must get along well with you."

I hadn't noticed Prowl come back to just before Hound's statement. "Yup! I'm actually dating Sunstreaker." There was a loud clang which had everybot whipping around to where Prowl had glitched again.

"He's ok! Jus' glitched again." Opi reassured everyone.

"Whoops. Is that gonna happen a lot?"

"It is Prowl so probably." Hound responded off handedly. He didn't seem that worried about it so I let it go. That and the other set of twins came over to poke and prod at Hound's peds to get him to sit me down. He looked reluctant to do so however.

"Ey Hound! Put dat perty lil femme down so we can take a goo' look at 'er!" The red one demanded.

"Why would any femme wanna see yo'r ugly glitched aft? Set 'er down so I can see 'er Hound! I'm da betta lookin twin sweetaft. Once yo' come ta Skids yo'll neva look back!" The green one declared rambunciously.

"Umm they did hear what I just said about Sunny right?" My optics drifted over to where my mechfriend was standing scowling at the little set of twins. Sides was standing right beside him glaring just as heatedly.

"They tend to only hear what they want to hear." Hound informed me tiredly. He lowered me towards the ground to place me between both bickering mechs. "Be careful with her she's smaller than you." He warned.

They seemed to ignore it in favor of crowding around me pushing and shoving at one another like idiots. The red one finally shoved the green one out of the way. "I'm Mudflap the betta lookin' twin! Dat green piecea scrap is Skids. Bu' yo' can forget all 'bout 'im if ya wanna."

"Ey!" Skids jumped up and shoved Mudflap out of the way almost making him hit me. "Yo' glitch aft nigga!"

I gasped and smacked Skids so fast that my servo almost wasn't visible. "DON'T YOU EVER SAY NIGGA OR NIGGER AROUND ME SHITS! THAT IS SUCH AN OFFENSIVE HUMAN SLANG WORD AND IT'S RACIST!"

"Awww she glitch slapped yo' ya stupid half bit!" Mudflap guffawed.

Skids wasn't too busy pouting to turn and start strangling Mudflap. "Yo'r jus' jealous cause femmes like me mo'e ya glitch aft foo'!

Mudflap shoved him back. "Yea righ' ya stupid glitch! Everybot kno's dat I'm da betta twin in every way!"

I ducked out of the way with a startled squeak when Skids...Shits almost smacked into me again. Luckily I was fast enough to get out of the way so he hit Hound's leg instead. Said bot shifted so that I was safely behind his leg where the idiots couldn't accidentally harm me while they continued to fight about who I liked more.

"Umm I'm not normally the type to judge but they seem kind of...stupid."

"They are." Hound sighed.

Sides and Sunny came over, and the latter kicked Skids and Mudflap away. "In case your audios need to be cleaned out she said that she was mine."

I sighed in relief thinking that that would be the end of it, but Skids and Mudflap proved to be even dumber than I gave them credit for. In an astrosecond both were on their peds in full on confrontation mode. "Yo' ain' mated to 'er! She ain' got yo'r designation branded on 'er!" Mudflap challenged. Was he stupid?

"Yea! Until she bonds ta somebo' she's fair game!" Skids added...like an idiot.

"Are you half bits challenging me?" Sunny spoke up in a clear and deathly calm tone. Oh scrap! He may sound calm but I knew him well enough to know that the tightening in his frame hinted at outright aggression.

"You all need to calm down." Hound interjected calmly. I don't think it was working cause nobot looked any calmer than before.

"Sunny please calm down." I pleaded. The last thing I wanted was for him to get into a fight with Skids and Mudflap...and by fight I meant that I didn't want him to beat them down into the floor.

Luckily Optimus stepped in between both sets of twins before a fight could break out. "That is enough! You will all stand down this instant! I will not have disharmony among my soldiers."

Skids and Mudflap backed off first unwilling to test Optimus. At least they were smart enough not to try his patience like they were trying Sunny and Sides...though I'd rather test Optimus than those two honestly.

Once I was sure that nobot was going to fight it out I stepped out from behind Hound's leg and latched onto Sunny's leg instead. I clambered onto his shoulder by scaling the pristine gold plates of his armor. He regarded me with heated optics though I could tell that he was not angry at me. I nuzzled my helm against his cheek trilling low in my throat to calm him. He tensed before nuzzling me back, discreetly of course.

:Relax, I'm not interested in Shits and Aftflapper.:

He snorted. :I didn't think you were. Doesn't mean that I can't establish my dominance over them.:

:True. Just try not to let them get to you ok?:

He only snorted again but said nothing before carting me over to where Prowl was coming to again. I only hoped that he didn't see me on Sunny's shoulder and glitch again...

"Uhhh my processor is pounding." He rubbed his helm gingerly as he looked up. Upon seeing me on Sunny's shoulder he looked like he might glitch again. Instead he shook his helm as if to dispel an illusion or something. "Jazz?"

"Yea Prowler?"

"Our sparkling is sitting on Sunstreaker's shoulder and he has made no attempt to squish her yet."

Amusement coursed through opi and I. "Sunny wouldn't hurt me." I blocked the bond and left out the instances where he had obviously wanted to, and the one where he had actually rolled over on my leg and crushed it.

"Leave em be Prowler. Sunstreaker kno's betta den ta harm our sparklin'. Don'cha Sunstreaker?"

Sunny only scowled in response.

Prowl looked uncertain too for that matter. But he stood anyways and settled his suddenly cold blue optics on Sunstreaker. "If you do anything to her it will end with you being brigged. Do you understand me Sunstreaker?"

Uhhhh was it just me or were all of these encounters resulting in threats and aggressive posturing? I just kind of looked between the three curiously, instinctually understanding that this behavior was to be expected. Creators were protective, so were opi and Prowl even if I had just met the latter. And Sunny, AKA my mechfriend, was naturally rebellious and possessed an ego that was unsurpassed. So I wasn't surprised by any of their behavior.

But when Prowl...should I just call him dad or something? It felt to impersonal to call him Prowl. Shaking the thoughts off I focused in on the way he was measuring up Sides as well. Before I could ask he opened his mouth and said something that confused the pit out of me.

"And that goes for you as well Sideswipe."

Wtf? "Umm what does that mean?"

"Nothing." Sunny cut in so fast that nobot had time to answer. I noticed not only Sides give him a weird look, but opi and dad did as well. How many times did I have to sit here asking myself what was up with this situation and the strange undercurrent?

Once again I ended up being sidetracked when opi snatched me from Sunny. "Le's 'ave a lil family bonding time until ya 'ave ta go 'ome."

"Ok. Bye Sunny. Bye Sides." I waved to them as I was carried away.

"Bye Clare! Have a fun family unit bonding time!" Sides called out with a grin.

Sunny only gave a half hearted wave at the same time that we turned another corner.

As soon as everybot else was out of audio shot opi started filling me in on my new dad. "Prowler 'ere is the SIC, Second In Command of da Autobots. He's Optimus's main advisa as well."

"Can I just call him dad instead of opiluck?"

Prowl tilted his helm at opi whom chuckled. "I's da human term fo' mech creator."

"I see. You may call me that if you wish."

I trilled happily making opi laugh at my excited chattering. "O-k! So dad must be really smart huh?"

"He 'as da bes' battle computer of any Cybertronian." Opi claimed with pride. "So yeah."

"Really? That's cool."

Dad gave me a minscule smirk so small that it barely seemed like it was there. The newly established bond between us pulsed with amusement. "Yes it is. I have actually spoken to Jazz about taking over your education on Cybertron's history. There is much more to be learned from an actual teacher than from datapads."

"Yeah cause I can ask you questions and I can't ask a datapad."

"That is quite true. We will get started right away."

[Umm opi does he know that I don't live on base?]

[...Ah 'aven't gotten 'round ta tellin 'im yet.] He admitted. [He migh' freak ou' an' demand dat ya stay 'ere.]

Well that was an issue. I didn't exactly want to put explaining it on opi though. "Umm dad?"

"Yes Clare?"

"I uhhh don't live on base actually. I'm only visiting today to meet all the new arrivals. I live with my human caretakers on the mainland and only come here on weekends."

My new dad froze in his tracks. He looked like he might... BAM! Sparks flew out of his helm as he went crashing to the floor again. I flinched at the loud sound huddling closer to opi's neck.

"Oh no..."

"Ah'll comm. link Ratchet sparklet...don' worry 'bout it."

"Ok. Is-is he going to flip out when he wakes up?"

Opi grimaced. "Maybay."

"Oh...so it's not a good time to tell you that I'm going to be late coming to base on Friday?"

"Why?"

"Ummm because I have a school dance that Mikeala is dragging Sunny and I to."

Opi looked contemplative. "Wha's a school dance?"

I sighed... Why did they always have to ask me? Why couldn't they all just look it up on the internet? You know using the ability to remotely connect to the internet...that all teenagers would kill to have. Yeah that ability.

Oh well... The same way that it was their job to educate me on Cybertronian customs the job of teaching them about human customs fell on me.

Settling in I began to explain it to him while we waited for Ratchet to show up.

This situation could end up working out for me in fact! They could deny me the right to go! Then I could get out of it!

Oh joy!

R&R! So Prowl is in the story now! Hope you liked the introductions! And to Guest user yo- np! Oh and if you want to see the dress here's the link! s/xscape-side-cutout-embellished-strapless-gown/3980333?origin=category-personalizedsort&contextualcategoryid=0&fashionColor=&resultback=4291

Now for some reviews!

DarkshadowXsunny-sides- XD glad to hear that you couldn't stop reading! And yes poor Sides is lonely but it won't last much longer!

Guest reviewer yo- NP!

Coolgal02- Lol just don't make out with your tablet XD. Sides' time is coming very soon! The way I'm doing it is a little different though! And yay BOB!

himelove22- Thanks! And in a way Sunny is wrong in what he's doing as you will see soon!

HeartsGuardianSol- He is...too bad neither of them are thinking about how Clare is going to feel when she finds out. That'll be interesting to see.

Izzy-dragon-rider- I know right? Sunny is just so used to immediately being shoved aside that it hurts him a lot. Who would want to be used as the second choice good only for screwing? Not me. He does need to see things from more than that perspective though. And berth play is coming...

Miyukumu- All of it is coming! Keep checking in for more!