Hey everyone! I'm so, so sorry this took so long to get out. I thought I would have more time this week, but as it turns out, I didn't. Finals are this week, so I won't be able to even start on the next chapter until Thursday, just as a warning.

I'm not going to be prolonging the Alise/Bee separation for very long. There's going to be a few more chapters and then there'll be a time skip to lead to Revenge of the Fallen. Just thought I'd let you all know what's to come! Also, because I forgot to mention it in my last chapter, Ironhide's holoform picture is up on my profile if you want to check it out! Lastly, I'll be keeping my movie poll out for one more chapter before I close it, so if you didn't get a chance to take a look at it, please do!

I can't say how much I appreciate all the love, everyone. I love every alert, favorite, and review and it keeps me writing! Thanks again everyone! Please review and tell me what you think!

As always, I own nothing!
~Mel

"Why didn't you ever mention the Holoform?"

Alise was currently sitting on a human sized bench next to Ironhide's workspace, her looking quite small compared to his massive form. After her conversation with the General, she had spent the remainder of her morning working out her work schedule with Lennox. They had agreed on a normal five day work week, and that she would need to be available to interpret in cases of emergencies. They also worked out her vacation time. She'd have two weeks for Christmas to go home and she also had a month of usable vacation time. Lennox lastly told her that all of her earnings would be wired to her account in South Gate. Besides the General's approval, she was now a fully onboard working member of NEST.

Alise currently was eating her lunch (a turkey sandwich) and was talking to the weapons specialist as he inspected a firearm in his hands. 'Hide was apparently very pleased with the fact that he was getting his own 'office,' where the two currently were. In reality, it was an open space lined with both human and Cybertroian weaponry, and a shooting range for him to use as he pleased. There was a large Autobot sized bench in the front of the area, where he was currently standing. He didn't look up from his work, but Alise could see a mechanical grin appeared on his face.

"It was never relevant."

"Never relevant!" she scoffed, throwing her hands in the air. "Didn't you think I would have liked to know? I must say though. You're a pretty scaring looking human, 'Hide."

He grunted. "Good. I hope the primitive soldiers on this base think so also."

"So they know it's you walking around like a human tank?" she asked with a smirk.

He turned towards her with that grin on his metal features. "I made sure of it. Now they know they have two forms to fear me in."

Alise held back a laugh and tried to give him the best glare she could. "Take it easy on them, 'Hide. They're here to protect the world, same as you."

"Beside the point. They are still human males who need to be taught a lesson, especially the ones gawking at you like a piece of meat this morning." Alise lowered her glare. "It was completely uncalled for. Bumblebee is furious-"

She quickly looked up. "You told Bee?" she squealed, looking up at him with wide eyes. He nodded once.

"I did. You are his charge. He should know if you are not being respected here."

Alise put her hands one her face and groaned. "He's probably so pissed!"

Ironhide grunted, causing her to look up. His face was turned back to the weapon he was working on, on the bench, but he continued speaking.

"As he should be. He said he would talk to you tonight about the issue. For their sakes, I do hope they learn to control themselves instead of act liking like a pack of heathens."

"Well, they certainly got the message."

Alise and 'Hide both turned their heads in the direction of the voice. It was Wash. He walking over to the Autobot and the interpreter with a smile on his face and two men Alise didn't recognize walking beside him. The first of the two was an elder, dark skinned gentleman with a kind face. His face housed some wrinkles and gray hair, and he had some curly dark facial hair. He looked to be in his mid-50s, and his eyes shown bright and he housed a smile on his face. He walked with a slight limp.

The second man was taller than the first, and much younger. He looked to be in his in his late 30s and had brown hair that was slightly styled upward. He also had some scruff on his face and thick eyebrows. He sported board shoulders and occupied a far away look on his face, even though he was looking right at her. He also seemed to be helping the elder man walk over to them. Alise got up from her seat upon their arrival.

As they got closer, Wash laughed to himself.

"That's all I've been hearing about all morning," he continued with a smirk on his face. "They think you're gonna grind their bones to make your bread! Everyone's scared to get within three feet of her!" He gestured to Alise and laughed. 'Hide let out a chuckle also, and Alise couldn't help but let one out herself.

"Who are your friends, Wash?" she asked, walking to the small group of three. Wash nodded, recovering from his laughing.

"Alise, I'd like you to meet Parker and Latif," he introduced. "They're the interpreters I was telling you about."

"Oh!" Alise realized. She held out her hand. "It's very nice to meet you. My name is Alise Brown."

"Hello, Miss Brown," the elder man said with a large smile, shaking her hand. His voice contained a thick accent that she couldn't place. "My name is Latif Ndiaye. I have the pleasure of working as NEST's Swahili interpreter. We have heard many good things about you, miss. I can now see that they are all true."

Alise blushed slightly. "Why thank you," she said earnestly. "If you don't mind me asking, Latif, where are you from? I don't recognize your accent."

He chuckled. "Not trouble at all. I am from Mombasa, Kenya, but I have been working with the United States government since I obtained my citizenship 15 years ago. When they ask me to be an interpreter here, I was eager to help."

"How have you been adjusting to boarding with the Autobots?" she asked him, a small laugh leaving her.

"Well," Latif said with a chuckle, "they certainly were much to take in. But if the sight of seeing one of them for the first time did not kill me, I feel I will live to be a very old man."

She smiled at the man. He had a very sunny demeanor about him and she couldn't help but smile in his presence. He seemed like the type of man who had a story to tell. She nodded at him and then turned to the man beside him.

"And you must be Parker," she greeted, turning to shake his hand also. "Where're you from?"

His accent hit her like a train. He smiled lightly. "Mobile, Alabama, ma'am." His accent was very thick and his voice was deep. She wondered for a moment if it affected his interpreting in any way, but then he spoke again. "I'll be NEST's Turkish and Iranian interpreta'." He drawled on some of his vowels as he spoke.

"And how are you doing here so far?" she asked kindly.

"D'ese Autobots are very..." he paused, and stole a glance at 'Hide. 'Hide raised a mechanical eyebrow at him. Cliff turned away and looked back at Alise with a slight shutter and continued. "Fascinatin'."

She laughed. "That they are."

"So Lennox tells me your birthday's in a few weeks," Wash said suddenly. He and Alise were currently walking across the base, looking for ways they could help anyone who needed it. Neither of them had any assignments or were told to be anywhere at the time. It was almost dinner time on the base, and they had determined that if they couldn't find anyone that needed help, they would head to the caf early. Alise thought for a moment. The date was May 4 and her birthday was on June 23.

She shrugged. "Well, it's over a month away, but I guess so."

"Planning on doing anything special?" he said with a smirk.

She turned to him. "Like what exactly?" she asked with a chuckle.

"I don't know. Party, drunken stupor, spending a night in the longue eating Ben and Jerry's while watching Titanic?"

"Wash!" she yelled. "One, I don't get drunk. I will never, ever get drunk. And two, I wasn't even planning on telling anyone."

"Aw, come on, Lise! Why not?"

She shrugged once more. "I don't know. I guess I just didn't want anyone to make a big deal out of it."

"How old are you gonna be?"

"24."

Wash chuckled and shook his head. "Most girls would want everyone to know."

"It was already established along time ago that I wasn't most girls."

Wash nodded. "That is very true."

They continued to walk a little farther when suddenly, the ground started to shake beneath them. The shockwave hit them before the sound of a loud explosion was heard, and they shook a little. Alise had to hold onto Wash for a moment to keep her balance. The sound was from the distance outside, but as quickly as the tremors came, they ceased. The two looked at one another with confused expressions on their faces. They then continued to walk, but at a quicker pace.

The two headed towards Ironhide's firing range. As they walked, they noticed that we weren't the only ones who had felt it. Many of the crates that were stacked in piles were knocked over and some disgruntled soldiers were already replacing them. They also heard a man say that he had knocked his head up against one of them during a tremor. When they arrived at 'Hide's, they saw that he was still working on whatever weapon he was earlier, and seemed completely unfazed by the shockwave. They walked closer to his large bench.

"'Hide?" Alise asked. He glanced over at her for a moment before grunting in recognition and turning back to his work. "Did you feel that?"

"Feel what?" He was examining the weapon in his hands closely.

"The shockwave! Didn't you feel that?"

"Oh, that," he said, his voice forcefully dull. "Sideswipe has arrived earlier than anticipated."

There was a paused before Wash spoke. "I thought we were arranging for a transport plane to pick him up in Saudi Arabia," he said, a confused look on his face. 'Hide grunted and looked at them.

"We did also," he stated roughly. "However, when he learned of the island's coordinates, he decided to change his arrival to come directly here."

Alise's face scrunched in confusion. "Why didn't he just come here in the first pla-"

Suddenly, the lights on the base started to blink. Sounds of failing electric currents came from all over the hanger and after a moment, all of the lights and electric devices went out. There were multiple yells of anger and frustration throughout the base, and the base was relatively dark. It was already sundown outside and no light was coming in. 'Hide groaned and dropped the weapon on the work bench.

"That is why," he growled. "The base is too underdeveloped to take a major blow to the electric circuits! We have not installed the shock guards yet!" He growled once more and placed his metal hands on over his face. After a moment he looked up. "JOLT!" His yell made Alise and Wash jump. However, Jolt appeared around the corner a moment afterwards, the two humans able to make out his outline in the dark.

"Are you able to get the power online?" 'Hide asked. Jolt nodded and walked away. After a few minutes, there was another electric sound that buzzed throughout the base and then the power flickered back on. Cheers from the soldiers sounded throughout the base.

"If we would have been doing something important, all our work would have been lost," 'Hide said, turning back to his work. "We told the nuisance to continue to the Middle East. But does he listen? Of course not. The Pit will fill before that glitch listens to an order."

After a moment, Epps appeared and walked over to the three. He had a slightly amused, slightly annoyed look on his face.

"I take it Sideswipe is here?" he said to 'Hide.

"You would be correct."

"Alright, then he should be here any momen-"

The loud sound of a revving engine cut him off. There was acceleration, and suddenly, a black vehicle Alise had never seen before came racing through the large hanger doors. The vehicle didn't look like anything from earth. It was black, and though it resembled a car, it had many pointed and sharp edges that made it look lethal and unnatural. After it raced through the doors, it suddenly transformed. As it turned into its bipedal mode, it had to try and brake itself, though its momentum was making it difficult to stop. It stopped itself, however, after a moment. Alise then got a good look at him when it turned its head in their direction.

Sideswipe was a little taller than Bee and Jolt, but was built the same way. He, however, had wheels on the bottoms of his legs instead of the traditional feet, and for hands, he had deadly looking swords that were at least the size of a six foot human. His bipedal form was the same color black as his vehicle form. As he looked over at the four at the firing range, he gave a small mechanical grin. Alise noticed as he started to walk towards them that many of the soldiers in the area had stopped to get a good look at him. Even though he had wheels for feet, he still walked at though he had normal feet.

"Can't I make an entrance?" he said cockily to Ironhide. 'Hide grunted in reply, clearly not impressed.

"This is Sideswipe," Ironhide said to the humans. "He specializes in melee weapons and stroking his ego."

Sideswipe paused for a moment, but didn't seem put out.

"Oh, that stings, Ironaft," he responded. "Didn't you miss me?" His comments earned him a very menacing look from 'Hide, and he cringed and looked down at the humans. "He can really fry a circuit, can't he?"

"Why you little-"

"It's good to meet you, Sideswipe," Epps said quickly, intervening. "My name is Master Sergeant Robert Epps. We're glad you made it."

"Finally, a little hospitality," Sideswipe said. In a very human-like gesture, he held out one of his large sword/hands for Epps to shake. Epps gingerly placed his hands on the metal and shook, careful not to cut himself. When he pulled away, he gestured to Wash.

"This is one of my men, Corporal Nathan Wash." Wash nodded, and copied the same awkward handshake. Sideswipe then looked over to Alise.

"And who is this lovely femme?" he asked, a sly, Cybertroian grin on his face. Alise blushed a little. Before she could respond however, Ironhide gave him a grunt.

"Keep away, Sideswipe," he said firmly, but a touch of humor was in his voice. "Alise is with Bumblebee."

Sideswipe's head snapped back, and then started to move back and forth between 'Hide and Alise, a look of disbelief on his face. After a moment, he finally stopped, staying on Alise's face.

"Bumblebee's courting a human?" he asked disbelievingly, sounding as if he was missing something. Alise laughed lightly.

"I guess that's a why of putting it," she said lightly. She held out her hand. "I'm Alise. It's nice to meet you."

Sideswipe put his large metal sword lightly in her hand and they shook. "You also." He gave her a small smile.

"I recommend you meet with Optimus," 'Hide said after. "He'll want to speak with you." Sideswipe nodded in agreement.

"We also have an alt. form we'd like you to take a look at," Epps added. "You'll need a different vehicle form while you're here on Earth. It's a silver Chevrolet Corvette. Sleek, flashy, and fast. We were told you'd probably approve."

Sideswipe looked at Epps and grinned, nodding. "It does sound like something I'd enjoy."

Epps laughed. "Good. I'll walk you there."

With Epps leading the way, the two started to walk towards wherever the silver Chevy was being kept or where Optimus was. When they had turned the corner, Alise and Wash turned to Ironhide.

"He doesn't seem that bad," Alise said with a laugh. "Maybe he's a little egotistic, but he seems harmless for the most part."

"Give him a few days," 'Hide said with a grunt, returning to his work on the bench. "When the twins get here, the place will be in complete chaos. I guarantee you."

Bumblebee had told Alise that he would call her around the same time he did the night previously, which was 10:30. So Alise decided to retire earlier for the night, seeing that no one needed her help and that most of the work that needed to be done that day was. She entered her room around 9:30 and next spent the hour reading and taking a quick nap. By the time the final minutes leading to 10:30 came around, she found her staring at her phone. She was sitting in her pajamas on one side of her bed with her phone sitting on the other end, her watching it as if it was able to explode. Her fingers were tapping restlessly on the sheets of her bed and the anticipation was killing her. Then, almost the second her digital clock turned to that long awaited moment, the phone started to buzz. With a quickness that almost surprised herself, Alise all but leapt across the bed and answered the call.

"Bee?" she said into the line, her voice filled with elation.

"Hey, belle," Bee said longingly over the line. Upon hearing his voice, that hollow feeling Alise had been feeling in her heart since she arrived melted away. A smile graced her face.

"Hey! How are things across the sea?" she asked him.

"Things over here are fine," he said. But then, he voice became slightly dark. "Alise, I need to talk to you."

She paused for a moment. "Bee? What's wrong?"

"Ironhide told me about the soldiers." His voice sounded angry. Not at her, but at the recruits. She cringed a little.

"I know," she said softly. "He told me. Bee, it's nothing for you to worry about. That's just something human guys do. It's pretty normal."

"I do not care if it is normal!" Bee said fiercely and angrily. Alise gasped slightly. Hearing this, he stopped himself and then took a deep breath before continuing. "I do not want them to treat you like some object. If they do that again-"

"Bee," Alise said softly, yet firmly. "You have nothing to worry about, alright? What they did could have been so, so much worse. And even so, Ironhide scared the living shit out of them afterwards. All the new recruits get nervous to be within ten feet of me now!"

Bee didn't answer right away.

"Good," he finally said. "Ironhide can certainly be intimidating."

Alise laughed. "That he can." She let out a sigh. "Everything's alright, Bee. I promise. You have nothing to worry about."

He sighed over the line, some of his anxiousness releasing. "I'm sorry, belle. It's just... knowing you're over there... without me with you..." He paused. "I feel like I'm supposed to be there with you."

"No, Bee," Alise said sadly, but firmly. "You're supposed to be there with Sam and watching over him. I'm safe where I am."

"But it's not me keeping you safe. I only know you're alright if I'm the one with you."

Alise laughed once more. "Are you questioning Ironhide's protecting skills? I'm sure he would love to hear that."

For the first time that night, Bee laughed then, and she smiled at the sound. "Oh, I'm certain he would. He'd probably strip off my armor if I did!"

She chuckled and then sighed contently. "I really miss you, Bee. A lot."

"I miss you, too, belle."

She paused for a short moment to let his words really hit her. That lonely feeling was shrinking in size every moment she talked to him. Even if she couldn't physically be with him, either sitting in his hand or on his shoulder or sleeping on his chest, this would tide her over. For now.

"So speaking of lover boy, how is my favorite spaz?"