Because a vision softly creeping, left its seeds while I was sleeping...

Prowl forced his eyes open. He sat up slowly on his birth and ran a servo over his face plate. He noted how difficult it was becoming to simply come out of recharge. The darkness that was so inviting and addictive, was difficult to pull himself from.

Prowl no longer had the desire nor the drive to simply rise at the beginning of the cycle. He felt he had nothing to live for anymore.

His brother's had rejected him, and everyone thought he was nothing more than an emotionless drone.

What life was there to live.

All he really had was his work, demanding and all consuming. Speaking of work, he made his way to the office across from his room and glared forlornly at the many DATA pads stacked on his desk.

He sat down wielding a stylus and began his copious amounts of work. He barely made it through the third pad when his comm crackled to life.

'Prowl, can I see you in my office please,' Optimus Prime's voice said.

Prowl sighed in slight annoyance and confirmed his arrival. Gently he placed the pad and stylus down on the desk and paused just before he left his office.

The room itself was small and dull, painted a stark white color that gave no life. It was immaculately clean and neat, without a single thing out of place. The room gave no sign that anyone actually worked there.

Prowl suddenly felt the overwhelming loneliness and sadness he often felt when he was alone, which was all of the time.

He desired to go into recharge, to fall into the darkness and never return. To never feel, or see. To never disappoint or hurt his brothers or to always know that he was going to expire alone. He ignored his feelings of despair and left the silent room.

The walk to Optimus Prime's office was just as Prowl had expected it.

Any mechs that walked by him immediately fell silent and practically pressed themselves against the opposite wall, just to avoid being near him. There was even a moment when two mechs had been walking together and were talking animatedly, but as soon as he had rounded the corner and they spotted each other, the mechs fell silent and refused to even look him in the eye.

At this moment Prowl kept his expression carefully blank, even if in his spark he screamed in anger and hurt.

Finally he reached the Leader's office. He paused and blew through his vents heavily.

After a nanosecond he knocked and waited patiently for the Leader's resounding voice to call through the door.

"Come in Prowl," as soon as the Second in Command heard this, he entered and closed the door quietly behind him.

Prime stood up and nodded respectfully to him with a soft smile, "Prowl, I've already told you twice that you don't have to knock, though it is appreciated."

Prowl nodded and bowed, "Of course, Sir." His voice was void of all emotion, as normal.

Prime sighed and sat back down, though Prowl remained standing.

"There's a new mech coming to the base," Prime began, his voice growing serious, "His name is Jazz and he will be replacing Blackhawk as the head of the Special Ops division."

Prowl nodded in understanding, though he was confused as to where he fit into this.

"You will be Jazz's guide, you will show him every part of the base and all of the workings," Prime finished.

Prowl protested, "With all do respect, Sir, I do not have time-" But Prime would hear none of it.

"Do not make me order it." Prowl sighed but nodded his consent. "Good, he will be arriving in tomorrow."

Prowl sighed internally and excused himself. He quickly made his way back to his office, intent on finishing his work before the new mech arrived.

/?/

Jazz gazed at the red and blue mech and was instantly intrigued. This mech was rigid with formality and stiff with protocol. Beyond that however, was a delicious, attractive body and a handsome face that Jazz desired to get to know more... personally.

He wondered what Prowl looked like when he smiled, or even laughed. Jazz decided, with excitement that he would make it his goal to make the mech smile at least.

Jazz sauntered up to the other mech and held his hand out, "Hey, name's Jazz!"

Prowl seemed unimpressed, though he took his hand, "My designation is Prowl." He spun and began marching into the base.

Jazz followed behind him, "So are ya' like me caretaker?"

Prowl seemed to be barely restraining his annoyance, "Indeed."

"So ya gonna take me 'round the base or..." Jazz trailed off.

"Yes," Prowl said tersely.

Jazz and the other mech lapsed into an uncomfortable silence that seemed to permeate the hall.

Prowl stopped suddenly and turned, the door opened automatically and he stepped in without pausing to wait to see if Jazz followed.

Jazz glanced around him, there were mechs and femmes milling about, sitting and drinking energon amicably. Some of the mechs looked up at the two, the mechs glanced at him with some interest but then their eyes landed on Prowl and they looked away, their voices becoming hushed.

Jazz frowned in slight annoyance. He glanced at his companion and noticed with interest that his face was utterly void of emotion, if anything, there was a hint of sadness in his eyes. If only just barely there.

"This is the rec-room," Prowl said stiffly.

Jazz nodded with mock fascination, "Interestin'"

Prowl seemed to be resisting the urge to roll his optics. He promptly left the room, but just before Jazz left he noticed that a dark grey mech, sitting with a blue mech stared after Prowl with angry optics.

Jazz wondered what had gone on between the mech and Prowl to cause such anger. He desired to know everything there was to know about Prowl.

Jazz quickly followed after the second in command as the mech quickly walked away. He finally caught up and decided to try to strike up a conversation.

"So... What's it like to be Second in command?" He asked.

"Work," came the brusque, clipped answer.

"Uh... do you like it?"

"My feelings of the job make no difference of wether or not I perform it," Prowl stopped abruptly again in front of a room.

He gestured to it, "This is your room, tomorrow I will show you the rest of the base, there is also a meeting tomorrow at 14:00 hours, please be there," then Prowl left abruptly not waiting for an answer.

Jazz was left in the room with his mouth open, ready to answer. The head of Special Ops closed his mouth with a smirk and lay down on his birth. He closed his optics and his mind was filled with very... interesting visions of a certain second in command.

Jazz smiled, his time at the base would be very entertaining.