AN: Barricade came back from his scouting trip to find out more about the Millers by questioning Joyce, but found out not much except for the rumors circulating about him.

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Barricade sighed. This human youngling wanted companionship more than anything. "You want Bumblebee?"

"Yes please. I want to go see him."

"I will see."

"Please. I don't like being in this room and Sunstreaker and Sideswipe-aren't nice. Well, Sideswipe is. I just don't want to stay in that room! It's small and I-" I blubbered.

"Very well." Barricade said, bending down and holding out his servo. The human youngling slowly climbed up, avoiding his sharp claws. He stood up when she sat down and cradled her to his chassis. "Stay still and do not move."

"Okay." She said.

Barricade walked up the hall to where Sunstreaker and Sideswipe were sitting, overlooking the monitors. Sideswipe turned to look at Barricade. "I am taking her Bumblebee."

"Optimus must know." Sideswipe said.

"I will inform him."

Barricade left the human quarters and walked up the hallway toward the Rec Room. That would probably be the safest place for the human youngling. Barricade went through the open door and saw a number of Mechs sitting around on chairs and metal berths. Some Mechs were sitting around the few tables, drinking Energon, and playing games. There weren't many places to place the human youngling. Unfortunately, Bumblebee wasn't around in the Rec Room. He frowned. Where was Bumblebee.

"Barricade. What's that in your hand?" A red Mech asked, known as Knock Out.

"Human youngling. Have you seen Bumblebee?"

"Oh! He went out on a scouting mission for Optimus Prime."

"Oh."

Suddenly, his comm pinged and Barricade saw it was from Prowl. He grinned at the human youngling in his servo. He answered his comm. "Barricade here." as the human youngling looked at Knock Out with a curious expression on her face.

"I need you to drop by my office. I have a new mission for you." Prowl said.

"I will be there momentarily." Barricade told him.

Barricade looked at Knock Out and then to the human youngling. "I have been summoned to Prowl's office."

"I will be glad to take the human youngling." Knock Out said, holding out his servo.

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"What about Bumblebee?!" I asked indignantly. "Where's Bumblebee?"

"Mind your tongue, human youngling." Barricade warned.

I stuck my tongue out at Barricade, forgetting who he was. Then I remembered he was actually the 'Deathbringer'. "Sorry." I said. "I'll go with the red Cybertronian now." I was eager to get away from 'Deathbringer Barricade'. Barricade picked me up and placed me on Red's servo. Barricade left this large room.

"Well, that went well, didn't it, Human Youngling?" Red asked. "He never even got to tell me what I should do about humans."

I frowned. "He's 'Deathbringer'. What can you expect?" I asked.

Red looked down at me and laughed. "'Deathbringer'. Do I dare ask where you got that from?" Red asked. "My name's Knock Out. I'm one of the Medics under the Hatchet." Knock Out said.

"'The Hatchet'?" I asked. "Who's that?"

"Ratchet." Knock Out whispered. "Just don't let him hear you say that-"

"Or else he will find out and give you a wrench to your helm and give you many dents to remind you not to call me that!" A familiar voice rang out from behind them.

I saw Knock Out's digits curl around me to prevent me from seeing the angered look the Medic probably was giving him.

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"Oh come on, Hatchet! Where's your sense of humor?" Knock Out asked.

"Gone since those two little pit-spawns called Skids and Mudflap decided to decorate my Med-Bay with bright fluorescent pink and yellow!" Ratchet growled.

"Don't call them pit-spawns-" Knock Out started to say, but a clang and an, "Ow!"

"Don't forget who taught you everything you know!" Ratchet warned, then he noticed Knock Out's curled digits. "What's in your servo?"

"Nothing."

Ratchet grabbed his arm and he heard something say, "Stop please! Don't hurt me!" Ratchet's optics narrowed dangerously and then held Knock Out's fist upwards before prying his servo open to reveal Joyce sitting in the middle of his palm, arms over her head. Ratchet plucked the back of Joyce's shirt. He placed her into the middle of his palm. "Knock Out! Go to my Med-Bay and clean up the twin's mess."

"That's not my fault!" Knock Out protested.

"Well, you should have thought about that before you smuggled Joyce out of her room."

"What?" Knock Out asked in shock. "I-"

"Do it!" Ratchet ordered. "Before I tell Optimus Prime what you did."

Knock Out didn't hesitate before running past Ratchet. Joyce was looking at him as he left, looking nervous all of a sudden.

Ratchet left the Rec Room.

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"Ratchet? Wait!" I said. "Please listen to me."

"I am returning you to where you should be."

"I don't like being in that small space and there's nothing to read or do in there." I told him. Ratchet paused in the middle of the hall and drew me up to his optics. "I-I won't get in the way."

Ratchet vented a sigh. "You are safer in your room. You will not get under foot there."

I took a deep breath and looked at him with sad, puppy look eyes. "Please?"

"Don't do that." He said. "Not that look."

I just kept looking at him and then he relented. "All right!" He threw up his free arm. "You can come with me just this once."

"Really? I can?"

"Yes. But you will do what I tell you, understood?"

I smiled. "Yes."

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Ratchet went back to the Med-Bay, where Knock Out was busily cleaning the bright pink and yellow paint left by Skids and Mudflap. Ratchet noticed how quiet Joyce had become while he went to his office. He pulled out a shallow box and laid some clean polishing clothes. "I want you stay in here." Ratchet said.

"Um, Ratchet?" She asked.

"I will be back in a few minutes."

"Ratchet?"

"What?"

"You've got something on your back." She said and he marched out in the Med-Bay to ask Knock Out what he had on his back. It turned out Skids and Mudflap had a bit more fun and Ratchet marched back into his office with a look of anger in his optics. Ratchet looked down at the human youngling in her box. She sat there, looking up at him, fearful. Ratchet's optics softened. "Thank you. Don't move from that box. I shall return."

"You're welcome." She said. "Um, maybe I can help clean?"

"No. Stay where you are. I will return shortly." Ratchet said, leaving his office for the wash racks.

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Ratchet's got a score to settle with Skids and Mudflap and here I was thinking that Sunstreaker and Sideswipe were always up to no good. Guess that twist is something to behold. :) Thank you for reading. Don't forget to review.