How many of you were brats when teenagers? Don't be shy. You can admit it. I was a big brat. Anyway, Kacey isn't going to be a brat. It's not in her nature. No the troubles she causes will be on a much more grander scale.

a/n: I took a line from one of plenoptic's reviews. I had asked to use it but she didn't get back to me yet. So I used it anyway. I knew she wouldn't mind. There's kind of a surprise POV at the end. I thought of it at the last minute which made me split chapter 9 into two chapters. So, chapter 10 will be up over the weekend.

Prowl

'You're doing the right thing,' I kept telling myself.

Honestly, I was trying to build up my confidence to confront Optimus and Elita about my plan. I was uncertain how they would respond. Wheeljack warned me that Kacey wasn't going to like it one bit when he handed me the small tracking device. I agreed with him.

Whether she would like it or not was irrelevant. As second in command it was my duty to protect her. As her uncle I didn't want to see her get hurt as a result of me not doing my job to the best of my ability. It was almost a constant challenge when dealing with a spirited youngling who could transform and has fought Decepticons.

Not that Kacey was arrogant and flaunted the fact that she killed Decepticons. But it gave her a certain fearlessness that could be dangerous to herself if I wasn't able to control her somewhat. And to top it off, she was a teenager now. The same age Optimus' more rambunctious side really started to shine. Though Kacey hasn't been as rambuntious as Optimus the curiosity he had at thirteen orns is just as strong in Kacey as it was in him. It often got him into deep trouble with Sentinel Prime when Optimus left the base, without permission, to go exploring.

Hence, it's my reason for being where I am now. My hope, to keep Kacey out of deep slag before she gets into it.

I reached and pressed the door buzzer to the office and was invited in. Both Optimus and Elita were at their desks, appearing to be in mid conversation as I crossed the threshold. I noticed Elita had finished the reports I had given her. Optimus as usual was letting his stack pile up. Oh and…

"Hello Leo," I smiled when the little mech rushed over in my direction.

"Shut the door!" Elita shouted hurriedly.

I quickly did so and received a few angry clicks and chirps from Leo for blocking his escape route.

"Leo, that's not very nice," Optimus gently chided. "Apologize to Prowl."

My optics locked on Leo's as he stared intensely up at me. It seemed as if he was trying to decide whether or not to obey his father. Then came a long soft beep before he headed over and climbed up onto Optimus' lap.

"Clever little mech," I smiled moving across the room.

"Yes, much like Kacey was at that age only he's not as curious as her. I thank Primus for that. Kacey's curiosity is about all a mother could handle!"

"She hasn't gotten into too much trouble," Optimus commented.

"Yet," Elita added.

"Actually, that's why I'm here," I said, feeling this was the perfect moment to bring up my plan. Optimus seemed to understand I was up to something as he quietly shushed Leo, cradling him in one large arm. The little mech obliged with a yawn as he snuggled against his father's chest. "I've noticed how Kacey has been spending considerable time over at the lake observing the humans."

"Yes, I have noticed that too. But I've allowed her some freedom from the base only because she can cloak," Optimus explained. "And the lake is as far as I let her go."

"Of course, but we can't track her when she cloaks or when she uses her internal dampening field that shields her energy readings."

"What's your point, Prowl?" Elita asked.

I smiled to myself. One thing about Elita I loved was that she always wanted you to give it to her straight. No time for bullslag with her.

"My point is that Kacey is reaching the age when a youngling will press their boundaries. She's a teenager now. I'm not saying she's going to be subordinate or rebellious to either of you. Optimus wasn't that way when he was a teenager and I don't see that happening with Kacey. But she is curious about a lot of things on this planet, especially the humans. It is her curiosity combined with the fact that she can transform that makes my job difficult. I feel like I can't protect her properly."

"We're not asking you to…"

"It's my job as second in command to protect my Prime and his family," I insisted adamantly, interrupting Optimus. I rarely did so. But I felt it was necessary. However, I never forgot my place in ranks. "I apologize for interrupting, Prime."

"No offense taken," my commander smiled. "Please, continue."

"I've exhausted all other options before coming up with this idea. Believe me I didn't want to resort to this. But Kacey is a unique situation because of her abilities. She is not afraid to take risks because she can transform. I'm afraid that makes her susceptible to a Decepticon attack if she's caught too far from the base."

"That may be true," Optimus interjected. "But Kacey is very intelligent. She's not going to go off and attack a Decepticon or allow herself to be detected by them. Her sensors are better than everyone's on the base. And she can protect herself by escaping if necessary. We all know no Decepticon can catch her in a chase."

"But what if she were injured and unable to do all those things," I countered. "You out of all of us, Optimus, know best that we can't track Kacey if she's injured because her defense systems take over. What if she were badly injured, couldn't call for help, and we can't find her because of those defense systems?"

They both glanced at each for a few moments before returning their attention back to me.

"What are you proposing?" Optimus relented.

"This," I said setting the small tracking device on his desk before him. "We can track her position anywhere on the planet and within a limited range in this solar system. Wheeljack made some modifications to it. Not only will it give her position but it will feed us information about her systems. We'll know if she's injured or not."

"She's not going to like it one bit. I know I wouldn't like it," Elita grumbled.

"Prowl, what brought this on? Kacey's been at risk since she arrived on Earth. And I know for a fact this is something you would never do this to a fellow Autobot without some serious provocation."

As usual, Optimus was able to cut through the bullslag. Something he never could do when he was much younger. He used to rely heavily on me when he first became Prime. He didn't want to slag up my making a stupid mistake. I'm proud he's matured into confident leader who never hesitates in his decisions, whether they're right or wrong.

"You're right. I wouldn't have resorted to this," I answered truthfully. "However, Kacey came into my office the other day asking me a lot of questions about my meetings with the humans. She questioned why we had to remain in hiding, why the Governments cover up any incidents involving us or the Decepticons. And she was very adamant about why the Government doesn't tell their own people about us; she's totally against it claiming more people could be saved if they knew about the threat."

"She wouldn't do anything to jeopardize us or the humans. She's much more sensible than that," Optimus argued.

"Not intentionally," Elita sighed. "Kacey is sensible and has a good head on her shoulders. But she's like you Optimus. If she's put in a situation she'll follow her spark and not care about the consequences. She cares about the humans as much as you do."

"I can't confine her to the base and I don't agree with the tracking device."

"I don't either but…Optimus, she is our little sparkling. I don't want to see her harmed in anyway."

Optimus stared down at the sleeping sparkling in his arm. I remained quiet allowing my leader time to think. I knew when not to interrupt him.

"Prowl, is this the only one Wheeljack made?"

"Yes."

"Order him to make three more."

"Oh, I understand," Elita smiled. "If we put one on each of our sparklings it wouldn't rouse Kacey's suspicions."

"That's the idea," Optimus frowned.

"Plus, it'd make tracking Leo much easier after he makes a grand escape," I added with a smile.

Optimus chuckled quietly.

"Make sure Wheeljack's discrete about making the tracking devices," my commander ordered me. "Elita and I will talk with Kacey and have Ratchet put the devices on our younglings."

"I understand."

"Is there anything else?" Prime asked.

"No, that was all. Thank you for your time."

"Always a pleasure, Prowl," Elita smiled.

I bowed my head slightly out of respected and let myself out. That was much easier than I thought. And I felt infinitely better. In fact, I felt confident I could keep track of all four of Prime's sparklings. Especially Kacey and Leo the two most troublesome ones of the bunch!

Nitro

"You don't really notice it," I said looking at the small tracking device in the middle of Kacey's back and the one spot she couldn't reach. "It blends in with your armor."

"Gee thanks," Kacey replied sarcastically.

"You're parents are only worried for your safety," Firestar said. "If the Decepticons attacked the base the four of you would be high priority for them to kidnap."

"I understand that," she grumbled annoyingly. "I just feel like I got a leash on me now. They even get a reading of my systems. Now Ratchet and everyone else will know when I my waste tanks get dumped! Do you have any idea how humiliating that is?"

"No, but there isn't anything you can do about it, just accept it," I told her then cringed when I realized I shouldn't have said that.

Her optics flared and I could swear her internal frame temperature shot up a few Kelvin. Kacey was one femme a mech better not piss off. She had her mother's temper. But she also had her father's determination.

"There's nothing I can do about it now," she said to me snatching a tool up off the floor. "I'll catch up with you two later. I have to finish repairs on this shuttlecraft. Your father needs to learn how to fly Nitro. He burned out the fuses in the engine drive and cracked a hydraulic pump!"

"So, you won't be going outside to play with us today?" I asked expectantly.

"Probably not. I promised Wheeljack I'd fix it and it's going to take a while. He's got his hands full getting the other three shuttlecrafts their tune-ups. We're still doing movie night. I've got a good one picked out."

"Is it another kid one?" I groaned. "I want to see some action with guns and fights!"

"No it's not a kid's movie," she smiled. "After our parents head to recharge meet in Wheeljack's lab. You'll love this movie, I promise."

"Cool!"

"Come on, Nitro. Let Kacey get her work done," Firestar insisted.

I followed her out of the shuttlebay and met up with Rox and the others, wondering what movie Kacey picked for us. She always picked good movies to watch. Too bad we couldn't watch them on her father's computer anymore. He had the best view screen on the base.

Apparently he had no idea Kacey hacked his password and that we'd been watching movies on his computer for some time now. At least not until that day he unexpectedly walked in and caught us. He wasn't mad but I guess he had a long discussion with Kacey and thus we weren't allowed in the office anymore.

"So, do you think she likes me? Wonder if I should try to kiss her tonight?"

"Rox, get your processor out of the pit! Primus, you have a one track mind and you can't even use your interface appliance yet," I growled at him.

"I only have another ten years to go then my interface systems will be online!"

"Yeah, well, whatever," I grumbled. "Kacey's won't be online at that time and I can guarantee you she doesn't like it when you try to show off by wrestling with the others. Besides, she's too good for you."

"Oh, and you're so much better for her? You want to frag her too I bet!"

"Primus no! We're best friends!"

"Ok, so you want to kiss her then?"

"Rox, I don't look at Kacey that way," I said glancing at Firestar who was with the other femmes and thankfully not paying attention to us mechs. Femmes didn't need to know what we mechs talk about anyway. "I'm saying Kacey deservers better than any of us young mechs."

Rox started laughing then playfully shoved me.

"Got you! Hey Firestar! Has Nitro tried to kiss you yet?" he shouted making my faceplates turn red.

Of course, I tackled him to the ground. He hadn't grown much in two years. I have. And I've gotten heavier as my arms, legs and chest have all gotten wider. Mom seemed happy I was looking more like father now. I loved my mother deeply and always wished for her to be happy. Although, I wasn't going to be as good at shooting as my parents were. I enjoyed it. But I preferred to be physical and looked forward to the day I would get to wrestle with a Decepticon.

"You two look absolutely ridiculous," Kacey muttered, standing there with her arms folder across her armored chest. "Is that all you mechs know how to do is talk about interfacing and wrestle trying to prove you're mech wrecking machines?"

"No, Kacey. We can be so much more," Rox smirked slyly.

"Go frag a toaster," she fired back.

"Sure, if it's got a port!"

I chuckled as Kacey rolled her optics and walked away.

"Hey, Nitro, what's a toaster?" Rox quietly asked as we got to our feet.

"You don't want to know," I told him then hurried to catch up to Kacey. I giggled, "That was good, Kacey. 'Go frag a toaster.' He doesn't know what a toaster is."

"Yeah, and he'll spend the rest of the day trying to figure it out too," she smiled. "Come on, I need your help."

"With what?"

"Getting this tracking device off me, of course! You didn't think it was going to take me all day to figure something out did you?"

"You're too smart, it's scary!"

"I know. Come on, we have to hurry before Wheeljack gets back to the shuttlebay."

I chased after her as fast as I could. None of us younglings could keep up with her; she was too fast for all of us. I finally learned that it was something Alpha Trion did. He made her different from the rest of us because of the war. Knowing what Kacey had to go through to get to Earth all by herself I'm glad.

"All done, Leo?" she playfully asked as we approached.

Leo had a tool in his hand and looked like he was repairing a piece of equipment. He just giggled in response smiling up at Kacey.

"You missed a spot," she told him pointing to a specific area.

The little lugnut, as Kacey affectionately calls him, seemed serious as he moved the tool about where she had instructed.

"That will keep him busy for a few more minutes," she said picking up the toy robot she had made. "I got the idea when Leo showed up with his toy."

"What about you're parents? They'll be looking for him."

"I already told them he was helping me repair the shuttlecraft and not to worry. Besides, mom is busy in the Med Bay. Orion is throwing a fit about his maintenance check-up which of course means Ariel isn't going to stand for hers either. She called Dad for backup."

Kacey popped open the back of the toy. She grabbed a tool from her box and started working on something inside the toy robot. I few moments later she hand me the tool.

"Ok, it will just pop off if you slip the end under the small notch."

"Ok," I said, looking for what she was talking about. "I see it."

"Hand it to me right away so they don't get suspicious."

I did what she instructed then watched as Kacey attached the tracking device to the innards of the toy. Leo suddenly took interest and wanted to help by handing Kacey the tool he was playing with.

"Thanks, little lugnut," she smiled at him.

"I thought the tracking device reads your systems too," I commented as she sealed the toy back up.

"That's the brilliant part," she grinned proudly, handing the toy back to Leo. "I changed the system frequencies of the toy to match my systems. I'll do some more reprogramming later this evening to make it appear to go into recharge."

"But what if…"

"Nitro, relax. Leo's with me the majority of the time anyway so there isn't going to be a problem."

I gave Kacey a long hard look. I knew her better than she thought. I knew this was going come back and bite one of us in the aft!

Leo

My toy must have been broken. Kacey always fixes it making it better. I watched intently for a few minutes. It seemed to be taking too long so I stood up and handed her the tool she had given me thinking it would help.

"Thanks little lugnut," she smiled down at me.

I grinned back feeling the familiar love deep within my spark whenever I was around my sister. Her and Nitro were talking and talking about things I didn't understand. But I didn't care because Kacey gave me my toy back.

Moving along, I left Kacey and Nitro as they continued talking and laughing. That was when I noticed my toy seemed different than before. I didn't hum to me like before. Everyone had a different hum even my toy. Bit my toy was better. It hummed more like Kacey now. That made me happy and I giggled.

"Leo, for Primus sake what are you doing wandering the halls?"

I talked excitedly to Prowl as he picked me up. I had to tell him how Kacey made my toy more like her now. As usually he didn't understand me as he just nodded at me with a smile and pat me on the head.

All wasn't that bad, he took me to dada. I quickly explained to dada too about my toy. He always understood me.

"Really, well that's wonderful, Leo," he smiled back at me, kissing my cheek.

Yes, it was wonderful. I hugged my toy and kissed it. I was happy as dada put me on the ground. Ariel was crying and calling for him.

Then suddenly my toy was gone.

"Got it!"

"RION!" I screamed, reaching for my toy.

My brother laughed as he ran around the other side of dada's feet. I gave chase but he kept moving out of my reach. I was mad. But I knew exactly how to get what I wanted.

I cried as loud as I could and threw myself in front of my dada's feet.

"Orion! Give him his toy back now!" dada said. "And apologize."

"Sorry," Orion whimpered, handing me my toy.

I clung to it with both arms. I wasn't going to take a chance that Orion would take if from me ever again. I couldn't give it up. It was almost like Kacey was with me all the time now! Well, it was a toy and not as fun as my sister. The toy couldn't fly up like Kacey. But it was better than not having her with me at all!

Up next: Has anyone discovered what Kacey did yet? What happens if they didn't?