Everyone has a fear!

Mine is Butterflies in real life and the dark!
Tell me yours if you so wish!

I own nothing!

Onward!

xxx

Phobias...rational or not...you be the judge.

xxx

Everyone had a different sort of fear. Some rational, some very ridiculous. Ratchet had taken up studying different people at N.E.S.T. to see what they were afraid of. He was amazed at what he found.

Sam was afraid of heights. He always had problems being in high places, he even got nose bleeds in his high chair when he was a baby. Bumblebee understood his charges fear, as did Jazz. Both Mechs weren't fond of heights either.

Lennox was afraid of team mascots. It was just something about them, they looked sketchy. Ironhide was shocked his charge was frightened of that of all things. But some fears didn't make sense so he didn't question it.

Tai's fear was surprising. She was deathly afraid of the dark, ever since her human Dad was killed, she always said the first thing she see's when the lights go out is the bright red glow of Soundwave's optics. Optimus had knelt down by her and gently placed his large metal hand on her back. 'Do not fear, my daughter...the dark will not hurt you while I'm around.' Tai then proceeded to hug her Dad's hand tightly, laughing as he lifted her up from the ground, her legs swinging.

Miles hated clowns with a passion. He claimed he had a bad experience at the Circus as a kid and left it at that. Everyone decided to not ask anymore questions. After looking it up on teh Internet, Ratchet found he didn't like the dreaded things much either. How people found them amusing was beyond him.

Leo was terrified of needles. Which was an understanding fear. Pain was never fun. He always freaked out as a kid when he had to get a shot. 'Nothing's worse then exposing your ass to the world and someone shoves a needle in the cheek...nothing worse.'

Everyone had to agree with that one, even a few bots.

As for Epps, well..

'Phobia? Me? HAH! As if!' He had scoffed, making Ratchet raise an optic ridge. 'Real men don't have phobias!' Leo, Sam, and Lennox all raised eyebrows at him. Tai, who was sitting on her Dad's hand, started laughing. 'Dad, observe as Epps makes an absolute ass of himself...this shall be fun!' Optimus chuckled in response.

'Everyone has a phobia, Robert.' Ratchet said in an unamused tone. 'Even Optimus has one.'

'Ratchet.' Optimus hissed through his dentia. 'Please do not bring that up, I wish not to talk about it.'

'No! I wanna hear!' Tai made a muffled noise of shock when her Dad's large pointer finger covered her mouth. Sunstreaker and Sideswipe laughed quietly, them knowing what their boss was scared of.

Ratchet rolled his optics and turned back to the Master Sargeant. 'Now, Epps, everyone has a fear...it's nothing to be ashamed of.'

'I have no fear!' He exclaimed. 'None of them can handle my raging manliness!'

'Oh that reminds me!' Tai exclaimed, leaping down from her father's hand. 'I'm flaming! In the MANLY way!'

She then noticed something crawling up his back. Upon closer inspection, she saw it had eight legs, was quite big, and was hairy as hell.

'Sam.' She muttered, getting her cousin's attention. 'Isn't that Master Chief?'

Sam gave her a questioning look before looking at he too saw the thing crawling slowly up Epp's back. 'How did he get out?'

'I dunno...but let's just watch, I have a feeling something marvelous is going to happen!' She sounded gleeful as she held back laughter.

'You do so have a phobia!' Lennox argued. 'You are lying through your teeth! All you are doing is trying to make yourself look good in front of the Autobots!'

'I can't help it if I'm more of a man than you, Will!' Epps laughed as Will's eye twitched.

'Oh, you so did not just go down that road!' The Major was acting very undignified but he no longer gave a shit.

'Should we stop them?' Optimus asked.

'No.' Ratchet sounded annoyed, the urge to throw something at the two men strong by this point. 'You two are being ridiculous!' Himself and Optimus then joined the argument, which was quite comical.

The spider had reached it's destination and had nestled comfortably on Epp's shoulder, who still had failed to notice. Tai then felt maybe she should say something.

'Epps.' She said.

The two men didn't seem to hear her as they continued to argue.

'Epps!' She tried one again, louder this time.

Still ignored.

She then cupped her hands over her mouth. 'YO! OLD GUYS!'

They all turned to look at her with surprised eyes and optics.

'There's a spider on your shoulder.' The technorganic said in a dead pan tone.

Epps paused, trying to register what she said.

'What?' He asked.

'There's a spider on your shoulder.' She said again, this time with a grin.

Epps felt something tickle his neck, shifting his eyes downward his eyes widened at what he saw. Optimus and Ratchet watched as the man went very pale, his eyes got ven bigger, then the funniest thing they had ever witnessed happened.

He screamed. 'GET IT OFF ME! GET IT OFF ME!' He then ran around, doing what appeared to be a dance of some kind.

'Primus, I thought Sam screamed like a chick!' Sunny laughed, almost crying in mirth as the man continued to panic and freak out. Sam pulled what was known as a 'Tatyana' and threw his shoe at the yellow twin.

Tai decided to come forward. 'Epps! Epps! Calm down! Hold still!'

Of course it wasn't working/ The man continued to freak out as the spider just sat there, looking relaxed.

'Ratch! Optimus! GET IT OFF!' He pleaded with the two Autobots.

'I'm not touching that!' Optimus squawked, backing away as the man came closer.

'Epps! If you panic, it'll increase the chances of being bitten! Freeze!' Epps then froze in a rather comical position, his eyes widening as the spider lifted one of it's legs as if to say, 'What's up, homie?'

'Can someone...' He squeaked out, not moving his lips as he spoke. 'Please...get...it...OFF...'

'Hold still, you big pussy!' Tai laughed, moving forward and reaching for the spider. 'Come here, ya little pest!' She cooed to it, holding out her robotic hand. 'Come on, come on!' Her voice sounded pleasant.

'Sweetheart...I don't think...' Optimus wasn't about to let that filfthy thing touch his daughter but Ratchet stopped him.

'This guy belongs to Miles, he's friendly.' Tai smiled as the spider crawled on her hand, before making it's way to her human hand. She made sure to rotate hands so he wouldn't fall.

Ratchet then smirked and turned to the incredibly embarrassed Master Sargeant. 'No phobias, eh?'

Epps glared at everyone in the room. 'This never leaves this room...ever...ever...EVER!'

He turned and stalked out of the room.

'See?' Tai said, still playing with Master Cheif. 'Even the manliest have fears...' she glanced at Lennox and choke back a snort. 'Mascots..hah...'

'HEY!' He snapped. 'they are eveil things, okay!'

Optimus chuckled.

Luckily know one found out about his phobia of rodents.

And he'd be sure it stayed that way.

xx

This one took me a while because I'm worried I'm lsoing my obsession!

Help me people!

review!