This is up much later than I intended, but here it is. chapter 14, hope you all enjoy

Flashback

: bond :

: comlink :

-thoughts-

It was dark in the chamber. The only light in the room was centered on the small mech strapped to table. He knew he wouldn't get any information from him, but that wasn't the point of the exercise. He looked over his shoulder. Good, she was here, now they could begin. He motioned her over.

"Do you know the purpose of this lesson, young one?" he asked as the youngling came to stand beside him.

"To get information?" she responded, gaze intent on Autobot.

"No, to learn how to get information." He corrected.

"Can't you just hack him?"

"You can, but that is dangerous to the hacker and their intended target." He said with all the patience of a creator. "You only hack someone's mind as a last resort, when no other option is viable."

The young femme nodded. He picked up a laser scalpel. "Now where do you think we should place the first cut?"

The femme cocked her head to the side as she considered her answer. "Away from the vitals."

"Why?"

"Because you don't want to kill him right away."

He nodded. "Good." He leant over the Autobot as took the scalpel and began making incisions in his arms and legs. The Autobot jerked his mangled vocalizer struggling to yell, but his optics said everything for him. Defiance, anger, pain.

"Why is his vocalizer broken?" the youngling asked

"So we don't have to deal with his noise." He answered.

"Don't you want him to make noise?"

"The only noise I want is the Autobot giving me the information I require." He replied. "Usually they just scream, beg, and threaten me. Since this is your first lesson, we don't need to hear any of it. When you're older you will need to deal with it."

The femme nodded, accepting what he said.

"Now what do you think I should do next?"

The youngling shrugged. "Electricity?" she suggested.

He nodded. Yes that would be acceptable. He put the scalpel down and picked up an electro-rod.

Jazz woke to screaming. Prowl was lost in another memory loop. Knowing the longer Prowl was in the memory the harder it would be for him to cope with the information. "Prowl! Prowl wake up! It's okay, get up!" Jazz yelled, shaking his mate.

Prowl shot up, his optics bright and frame trembling. "J-j-Jazz?"

Jazz hummed, bringing his mate closer to him in an attempt to comfort. "It's alright, Prowler. I'm here." Jazz said softly. Prowl always seemed fragile after the nightmares. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Prowl considered it. He found that sharing some of the memories with his mate helped relieve choking feeling of numbness. He had only told Jazz the less traumatic memories though. Not the ones that involved Barricade's assignments and training sessions with his creation. He never told Jazz about the memories of battles or interrogations. He never told him of the memory of the watching the allspark being launched into space and the yellow scout with them. He shook his head no.

"Please Prowl." Jazz begged. "I want ta help ya. Please don't shut me out."

Prowl continued to tremble. No. He couldn't, not this. Feelings of reassurance and calm flowed through the bond. : It's okay Prowler. :

After a few minutes of silence Prowl finally whispered, "Interrogation lesson."

Jazz blinked. Interrogation lesson? Prowl had told him how Barricade would give these 'lessons' to his creation; what made this one different?

"You've told meh that Barricade taught her torture techniques before, Prowler. What's different 'bout tonight?"

Another moment of silence filled the room. Still shaking, Prowl turned away from Jazz, burying his face in his hands. "Prowler, it's okay." Prowl shook his head. "Prowl …please."

A static laced whine escaped Prowl's throat. "It was Huffer," he choked out.

Jazz inhaled as he remembered what happened to the loud mouth minibot. During a patrol around the outskirts of Iacon, Huffer had been taken. He was only gone a couple of days before a scouting team found him or what was left of him. With all of his battle armor stripped off, half of his insides missing, and what still there showed electric and acid damage, no one could decide if it was a miracle or a curse that Huffer was still alive. There was very little the medics could do for Huffer. Thankfully he didn't survive the night.

What could he do? How could he comfort Prowl? Jazz shivered. What happened to Huffer was horrific; he wished that some of these memories would just stay in shadow forever.

"It's okay Prowler." Jazz said, bringing his mate close to him. Prowl pressed his face into Jazz' neck. He hated this. He hated seeing all those…those there were no words to describe it. Another sob left his vocalizer.

Jazz stroked Prowl's doorwings and sent pulses of love and reassurance through the bond, hoping, trying to offer some comfort for the night.

Jazz lay in his berth, staring at the ceiling. Prowl had already left for his shift while Jazz had the day off. He couldn't forget last night. It was the first time Prowl hadn't kept a part himself closed off for months now. Hell, they hadn't even interfaced. Jazz knew it was his fault. He allowed that youngling to goad him into a fight and did nothing to stop himself. He wouldn't deny it he wanted to hurt the femme. How could he not? She represented everything about Prowl as the Decepticons used him. She represented Barricade and whoever the slagger that dared touch his mate.

But…Prowl wanted her. It made perfect sense for him to. She was his creation. She came from his spark, his body. He may have sparked her while the protocols for Barricade were active, but she was still his creation. Not theirs. He closed his optics as he recalled their fight over her.

Ratchet had fixed him up, but he was still sore. That femme definitely knew how to fight. That was when Prowl walked in. He watched his lover warily as he approached his berth.

Prowl didn't say a word as he crossed his room. Prowl came to stand next to Jazz's berth. Jazz swallowed as Prowl looked him up and down, examining the welds on his chassis. "Why?"

The question was so soft Jazz wasn't even sure he heard it until Prowl repeated it, his voice barely louder. "Why?"

He couldn't look at him. "I don't know."

"Bullshit!" Prowl snapped. The sudden change surprised Jazz. From the bond he could tell Prowl was upset, but since Prowl had his side blocked he couldn't tell how much. Apparently Prowl was very upset.

It had hurt. Prowl had taken her side over his. But Jazz didn't have it in him to be angry at Prowl. If the situation was reversed, he supposed he would try to care for the youngling too. Still it hurt that Prowl took her side over his.

"It's your fault this happened!" Prowl shouted.

"How's it my fault?" Jazz yelled back.

"You're not supposed to attack her!"

"It's not like she didn't fight back. I'm in the medbay too, ya know."

"You're the adult! You're supposed to have self control!"

"Yeah, well your creation doesn't think much about havin' self control!"

And just like that, Prowl deflated. The black and white mech turned his gaze away from Jazz. He noticed that his spark ached. It was the endless ache that plagued his since he became aware of himself on the Nemesis. It haunted him all times of the day. He could ignore it for awhile, but it never left him. Having Jazz at his side helped ease the throbbing soreness of his spark, having his creation close all day helped too.

"I'm not asking you to love her Jazz. I…I just want you to try to get along with her. I love you, I do, but-she is my daughter." Jazz felt his spark break as Prowl's voice cracked. Primus, he never wanted to hurt him.

"Don't make me have to choose between you two, love. I can't. I can't."

Jazz growled, swinging his legs off the berth. He needed to find Prowl. It was time he apologized to his mate.

Damn this place, damn the human, damn Bumblebee. The femme followed the camaro around the outside of the base. Prowl had sent her on her way after the midget had went to see him. Oh well, she didn't want to be around him anyway. She was tired of the base. She wanted to see something new, something that didn't involve all these squishy insects and stupid Autobots. That's why she agreed to follow Bee. He had asked her if she wanted to get off base for awhile and she agreed, however they were doing nothing but walking around it. She growled.

Bumblebee heard the femme and sympathized. He wanted to get away from everyone too. The only problem was he wasn't completely sure he was allowed to do that. He had been trying to comm. Optimus and Prowl to ask, but they weren't answering. He was tired of trying to comm. them. He'll just take her and deal with everyone afterwards.

"You ready to go?" Bee asked, turning to look at Ashfire.

"Been ready." She replied.

Bee chuckled nervously. "Yeah, well I've been trying to tell the others where we're going, but they won't answer their comms." He shrugged. "I don't think we'll get in trouble so let's go."

With that said, the yellow scout dropped down in vehicle mode. He was ready to start his engine, but Ashfire was still standing there with her hands on her hips. Bumblebee fought the urge to shudder at the thoughtful look that was directed at him. "Can you transform?"

She watched the scout change to vehicle mode carefully. She couldn't shake the events of yesterday and…and he said something. Something about transforming. Blinking to clear her thoughts she brought herself back to reality.

"I should be able to." Ashfire replied. "Ratchet said I could. I haven't actually tried it." When was the last time she transformed? Oh yeah, right before she came to the Autobots base. Carefully, she activated the transformation sequence. It almost felt alien to feel her body shifting to its vehicle form after so long. When all four tires hit the ground, the femme felt a missing piece of the puzzle come into place. She was complete. She could go nearly anywhere on this planet. All she had to do was turn on her engine and she was gone.

Yet, where would she go? She supposed she could abandon the little Bee, but then the Autobots would be after her. Plus she still felt this almost need to have the security of her creator nearby and for some reason she was becoming intrigued by the camaro next to her. Damn, this planet for making her weak.

Bumblebee's engine stalled as he saw the Celica in front of him. The femme cast a suspicious towards him. "Everything alright?" she asked. Oh it was fun to tease him. Especially when his EM field was giving her all the information she needed. The poor thing couldn't hide his attraction to her if he tried. And she hasn't done a thing to him. Her thoughts instantly strayed to their encounter in the training room. Why did she keep thinking about it, about him?

"I'm fine." Bumblebee replied a little too quickly. "Follow me."

She followed him. For two fragging hours she followed him and was still following. The femme revved her engine in annoyance. How long was it going to be? She didn't even know where they were going. Bored beyond belief, the femme began flipping through radio stations for some entertainment. Hmm…Katy Perry, no. Chris Brown, no. Lady Gaga's Born this Way, not a chance in hell. Ugh, Taylor Swift, how in the pit did this squishy get on the radio? Growling, the femme continued to fiddle with the radio.

: Bad radio stations? : A voice came in through her comm. Oh now the little Bee graces her with some acknowledgment.

: No I just love listening to Taylor Swift. : She snapped.

: Don't worry we're almost there. : Bee sent back.

: Where are we going? :

A chuckled rippled through the line. : You'll see. : Bee teased and closed the line.

The femme huffed. That was helpful. It was funny that she was able to transform and use her comm. to communicate. Ratchet had done a splendid job. But if the Autobots' goal was to keep her from leaving, they had failed horribly. There wasn't anything really keeping her from abandoning the Autobots. She'd never be able to sneak away from Prowl, but Bumblebee was a different matter. She could take off right now, yet, she didn't want to. As annoying as this was, she still wanted to see where the lil' Bee was taking her.

Huffing again, she continued to follow Bumblebee. Scanning, the area around her she noticed she's never been here before. Though that wasn't really surprising, there was much of this dirty planet she hasn't seen. She was slightly confused when her scanners picked up a huge mass of water.

Why would that mech think water was interesting? As they drove closer, it hit the femme; he was taking her to the ocean. The two drove onto the sand, coming near the water's edge. Slowly, the femme transformed. She spread her doorwings wide, allowing her sensor net to take in all the data around her; the temperature, the breeze, the organics around her, the mech beside her.

"What do you think?" Bumblebee asked a slight amount of static in his voice. His vocalizer was beginning to act up again. Ashfire raised an optic bridge at him before turning her attention back to the water.

After a few minutes she answered him. "It's big and blue."

"That's it?"

"What did you expect me to say?" Ashfire replied, her gaze on him, searching him. At a loss for words, the scout shrugged.

She turned her whole body towards him. "Why?'

"Huh?"

"Why do this?" the femme reiterated, gesturing to water foaming on the sand as the tide rolled in. "Why bring me here, away from base?"

"I-I'd thought you'd like to get away for awhile." Bee spluttered as more static escaped his vocalizer. Why did this have to happen now? He shuttered his optics. Ashfire was gone. The next thing Bee knew, he was pinned on his back, the sand digging into the plating of his doorwings, and the white form of Ashfire was on top of him. He tried to sit up, but somehow the femme was keeping his arms pinned to the sand.

She growled at him, her face a few mere centimeters away from his. Bee trembled as her EM field pressed against his, hard, probing, curious. "Why do you care about what'd I like?" she asked. Her red optic narrowed, intent on his wide blue ones.

Bumblebee clicked his vocalizer in an attempt to clear the static. Why did he care? She wasn't his problem, by all rights she was Prowl's. Yet as the thought formed in his mind he knew the answer. Even though he had his elders and Sam, they didn't really understand him. And he was tired of being alone. And Ashfire was alone too. She may have had Barricade, but he was gone. Prowl was here now and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't fully understand her either.

"B-because" Bumblebee finally answered. "You're like me and you're here. You shouldn't have to be alone."

The femme drew back, confusion written on her features. Her EM field was still pressed against his, but Bumblebee felt the change. She was unsure.

That was not the answer she was expecting. The femme continued to study the mech under her. She pushed at him with her field, and all he did was yield to her. This was different than yesterday. Yes, there was still heat in Bumblebee's field, but there was something else. He felt sincere.

"That's not an answer." Ashfire mumbled as she released her hold on the scout's arms and straightened her back. -And yet it's the only one I have-, Bumblebee thought as he watched the white frame sit up and red optics turned to the sea

She looked back at the ocean. Great, she thought she was confused before, but now? Primus, damn this mech. She focused on the waves to try to distract her mind from the mech below her. She didn't want to admit it, but it was…soothing. Perhaps she would come here again the next time she could sneak away. "Let's go." She stood up and initiated her transformation sequence. With a start of her engine, the femme sped back to base.

After a few moments Bumblebee stood and followed her.

Not entirely thrilled with how this ended, but my muse would go no further.

read and review please.