"Stop staring at me, Jazz," Prowl said without looking up from his pad.

Jazz's optics dimmed and flickered in surprise and he smiled.

"Sorry, Prowler, couldn't help myself. Yer just so dang gorgeous," he said with a smirk and walked over to his lover and kissed him gently on the forehead.

"Come one Prowl, take a break, come to the birth with me," Jazz whined.

Prowl shook his head and continued working.

Jazz frowned, "Prowl,you need to recharge," he said, his voice growing serious.

"I'm fine Jazz, I have gone without recharge for vorn before, three orn will not make any difference," the stubborn mech replied.

Jazz snorted, this had been going on for a while now, Prowl was simply refusing to go into deep recharge.

Why?

Jazz could only guess.

Now that they had started sharing a birth and a room, which had been a momentous occasion, Jazz had the chance to observe his younger lover.

While in recharge, Prowl, not only talked in his sleep, but screamed. It was frightening to hear the wails of fear and pain come from his lover, and not know why.

The scariest part though, was how hard it was to wake him up at times.

Jazz would have to scream at him, shake him and sometimes, hit him, in order to get him to wake up. He was truly scared, that one day, Prowl would just not wake up, that he would remain in recharge and die. He would never speak his fears aloud, but he knew that Bluestreak and Smokescreen felt the same.

He had spoken to Ratchet about Prowl's problem with waking up, but he had just said it was because he never got enough recharge. The SIC would fake it and pretend like he was not tired, but Jazz could tell. His door wings drooped, his optics were dimmed and his reflexes were next to nothing. Jazz was worried that if they were attacked at the base, then Prowl would be taken down easily.

He often interrogated his lover, trying to figure out why he was so reluctant to go into recharge but he never got anything out of the other mech.

He sighed and shook his head and left his lover working.

On the way to speak to Bluestreak he bumped into his commanding officer, Optimus Prime.

"Oh, hello Jazz. How are you?" He asked politely.

Jazz sighed, "I'm alright, but Prowl isn't..."

Optimus frowned, "Is it his recharge cycles?"

Jazz nodded, "I don't know what else to do, he won't listen to anyone, not even Smokescreen. He's running himself ragged and one of these days he's going to crash."

Prime shook his head, "Perhaps I could speak with him."

Jazz smiled and thanked his commanding officer. He asked that Prime tell him what Prowl said after they had spoken.

Prime walked slowly to his second in command's office. It was not that he did not like his SIC, it was more that he did not understand him.

Even Prime liked to have fun once and awhile, but Prowl simply worked. Though, since going out with Jazz, he had lightened up just a little.

Finally he arrived and knocked on the door.

He walked in as soon as he was invited and he greeted Prowl cordially.

"Commander, what can I do for you?" Prowl asked placing his pad down.

"It has come to my attention that you are not going into recharge as you should," Prime said carefully.

Prowl set down his stylus and studied his Commanding officer.

"Jazz sent you did he not?"

Prime spluttered for an excuse before he simply gave in and nodded. "He and the other's are worried about you, my self included. It is not healthy for you to stay up for so long without recharge."

"I thank you Prime for your concern, but there is no need. I am perfectly fine and at optimal function capacity. Thank you Optimus Prime," his voice was tinged with annoyance and was stiff.

Prime could tell by the use of his full name that he was being dismissed.

"Alright Prowl, but please remember, we don't want you to get hurt," he said and left.

Prowl sat at his desk for a moment, then he shot up and stormed out, intending to find the one who had brought his issue to Prime's attention.

He stormed into the training room where Jazz was showing Hound how to maneuver himself through lasers.

He marched right up to him.

"Prowl Hey...," Jazz's voice had been happy, until he saw his lover's face, then he grew scared.

The SIC was obviously furious with the other mech, and an unhappy Prowl made everyone unhappy.

"I need to speak with you Head of Special Ops," Prowl growled stiffly.

Hound tried to smile sympathetically but it just ended up being a smirk. He shook his head at his friend as if asking, 'What did you do now?'

Jazz shrugged helplessly as he followed the other mech and began to fiddle with his servos nervously.

Jazz was glad when they finally got to their room, because he did not know if he could stand that angry silence that was emanating from Prowl. Every time he tried to strike up a conversation, he was only met with silence.

As soon as the doors shut, Prowl rounded on his lover.

"What do you think you are doing telling Prime about things that are none of his business?" He growled venomously.

Jazz was quickly growing tired of this conversation, so his patients was just as thin.

"Maybe if you actually took care of yourself, I wouldn't have to tell the boss!"

"I do take care of myself, besides, who says it's any of your business anyway," Prowl was screaming now.

"Not my business! Dammit Prowl I love you! It is my business! I care about what happens to you, you idiot!"

They both went quiet and Prowl look at Jazz as if he had grown a second head.

Jazz stood in confusion for a moment, before he went over what he had just said in his head. He swallowed hard and realized exactly what he had let slip.

Shit.

"You...Love...Me?" Prowl's voice was barely a weak whisper, very different than how it had sounded seconds before.

It broke Jazz's spark to hear him sound so confused. He wondered if anyone had ever said those three words to him before.

Jazz ran a servo over his faceplate and decided to keep going with it. He had meant it after all, though he had not meant to say it this way.

"Yeah, Prowler, I love ya."

The SIC seemed to be retreating into himself. His optics flickered and his servos curled around his arms as if he were hugging himself.

"How could you love me?"

Jazz stared at him in shock, "How could I not!?" he cried. "Yer beautiful, smart and kind and damn I love you so much."

Prowl seemed to be contemplating something, "I do not understand... I am broken... I...Emotionally...I can't... "

Jazz took a step forward and cupped Prowl's chin in his servo.

"Broken don't mean unfixable. You and I can get through whatever life decides to throw at us, 'kay? Besides, you're worth the fight, whatever it may be." He leaned close and kissed the younger mech.

Prowl pulled away with a sigh and smiled softly.

"I love you too."