Ok, sorry about the long wait guys. I'm really busy at the moment. I've been suffering a little writer's block on this story. Hopefully this will break it.

Disclaimer: I don't own. Only Lyn, Shannon, Jack and Dylan belong to me.

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Lyn was nervous. She had only spoken to the leader a couple of times. He seemed easy to talk to, but this was not an easy matter. This was concerning the Autobots' security. He seemed understanding enough. She glanced to her guardian and partner, who had clearly picked up on her unease.

"You'll be fine. I'm here with you." She smiled and nodded, yet could not shake the feelings of unease that plagued her, twisting her insides into knots. She gulped. He was there, in front of them, just entering the Rec room. She cleared her throat, nodding to the CMO. Resting his hand on the table, he waited until she climbed in before making a move. Straightening, he crossed the room.

"Optimus, sir." The leader turned, looking towards the medic.

"Yes Ratchet. Hello Lyn." The human waved up nervously. Optimus chuckled. The gestures and actions of the humans never ceased to humour and intrigue him. "What can I do for you two?" Ratchet didn't pause for too long, wanting, for Lyn's sake, to get this over with as quickly as possible.

"We would like to speak with you. In private, if you don't mind, sir." Optimus glanced at them both, a flash of concern becoming apparent in his optics.

"Is there something wrong?" he asked immediately.

"Oh, no sir, nothing wrong as such. It's just…" Lyn took over.

"It's just… I have a very sensitive question to ask, Optimus."

"Ah, I see. Very well. We shall continue this conversation in my office. Follow me." They did, or rather Ratchet did, just that. With many of the 'Bots on patrol or in the rec room, the corridors had an eerie silence, the only sounds being the thumps of the robots' footsteps echoing and reverberating around them, the quiet whirr of the generators keeping non-sentient life going in the base: the lights, the cooling systems, the alarms, the cameras. And then, there was the thumping of her own heart. Lyn was sure that they would in fact be able to hear it; she felt it was practically drilling through her chest. Subconsciously, she covered her chest with her hand, trying to calm the thudding. Ratchet gently, not to mention awkwardly, rubbed her shoulder with his thumb. She looked up into his cerulean blue optics, smiling anxiously.

Too short was the ride to the Autobot leader's office. She felt that it had taken them a life time, but that, for her, was too short. She didn't do worry, she hated it! It smothered her, choked her, it caused her to not think straight. That's how she dealt with her patients, she saved the worrying 'til after her shift, never during. Of course, it sometimes had repercussions, such as exploding out at the most inconvenient of times. She had a feeling it was going to again, and soon. Optimus seemed to be activating some form of lock with his sensors, or at least that was what she figured, seeing as he made no move towards the door. It hiss open a moment later, as he turned to them and beckoned them inside. Lyn felt bewildered. It was nothing like she expected an exulted leader's office to be like. It was large, yes, but then all the rooms were to her. But it was the plainness of it that shocked her. It was like every other room in the place- basic, plain. He moved to the desk with a grace that she never knew a giant robot could possess. He must have sent a message to the CMO, for within moments, he was seated in front of it and Lyn found herself sitting between them. Optimus relaxed a little, leaning forward ever so slightly.

"Now, Lyn. What was it you wanted to ask me?" The paramedic flicked something unseen off her knee, mulling over how she wanted to ask this.

"Erm…" she rubbed the back of her neck. Sighing, she took in a deep breath, straightening. "As you know, we were attacked only yesterday." Prime nodded, silently urging her on.

"But, we weren't the only ones who were there. Two of my teammates were also there. They saw Starscream…" she unconsciously shivered at the name, "…and now, they…they want to know what's going on. They don't believe that I don't know. And now…"

"And now they want answers, is that right?" Lyn looked up to the ominous, yet serene mech, nodding.

"I see." There was an uncomfortable silence as the leader thought the problem over. Lyn swallowed a little. She was usually a confident young woman, but situations like this really got to her. What if he said that she couldn't tell them? Then, you'll have to make up some form of a lie.

"This is quite a difficult situation. But, I'm sure we'll find a way around it. When are you on-shift?" Lyn looked at her watch. 09:00. She started her shift at 13:00.

"Four hours from now, sir."

"Very well. Come back to me before you leave, and I will give you my answer." Lyn smiled.

"I will sir. Thank you." Optimus bowed his head in reply.

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Lyn never knew relief like it. She honestly thought that this time she had stepped over the line, but, Optimus seemed to be as understanding as she had first thought. However, now she had to wait. Sat on his desk next to him, she absently watched Ratchet go about his work, checking through datafiles and such. She smiled to herself. He really did remind her of a human doctor.

"Is everything alright, Lyn?" The concern in the CMO's voice was enough to pull her back from her thoughts.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, just fine. I was just thinking, that's all. Such as, if Optimus allows me to tell my teammates about this, how I'm going to go about it. It isn't exactly something that you just drop into a conversation." He hummed, mulling over what had been said. "But, I'll think about that when the time comes. I won't get myself worried now. Is there anything you want me to do?" The sudden change in subject seemed to take him by surprise.

"Oh, well, I suppose…"He stumbled over his words. Lyn was sure that she saw him begin to smirk; his optics shining playfully. "You could just sit there and look pretty, not that that's hard for you to do." He offlined one optic in a gesture that Lyn recognised as a wink. She giggled. He always made her feel like a school girl with her first crush. And she loved it.

"Actually, there is something you can help me with. But first, I need to ask if you really want to. A lot can go wrong, especially as you're not used to our internals, as you humans would say."

"You want me to help with Jazz, don't you?" Ratchet saw the glint of determination that flashed crossed her bright green eyes, the same glint that he had fallen in love with. It was all the answer he needed. Reaching into subspace, he pulled out what appeared to be surgeon's scrubs, complete with the mask, gloves and cap.

"You'll need these. The energon in our bodies may be highly toxic to humans. You have to wear them at all times while you are helping Wheeljack and I. Alright?" Lyn nodded, accepting the protective gear. She slipped into it, Ratchet's holoform fastening it up at the back. He hummed appreciatively, his eyes shining with mischief. Turning her head, Lyn cocked an eyebrow.

"What?" He chuckled and shook his head.

"If only they made these as, what is it you humans call them? Fitted items?" He stroked his hands up her sides slowly, making sure to follow the curves of her body. Lyn sighed as she pressed her back into him. Even through the material, she could feel his own appreciation. His hands slowly trailed up and around her, pulling her further into him as he nibbled her neck and earlobe lightly. She dragged air through her teeth, whimpering ever so slightly.

"Oh, don't mind me." They leapt apart, Ratchet immediately calling his holoform back before he embarrassed himself any more.

"WHEELJACK!! Don't you EVER learn to knock BEFORE entering MY OFFICE!?" Wheeljack's head fins lit a bright sky blue as he smiled under his face mask.

"You've never minded before. Besides, I did knock. You two were obviously too…preoccupied to hear me." Ratchet pinched the bridge of his nose, fighting down the urge to pick up the nearest, largest, heaviest thing and hurl it at the intruding engineer.

"What do you want?" he asked through grating dentaplates, his frustration evident in his voice. Wheeljack chuckled a little. He had, fortunately for himself, caught his long time friend before they had become too intimate.

"Only to tell you that everything's ready." The brightness of his head fins dimmed as he took a step back, for the CMO's optics suddenly burned a fiery, electric blue.

"And you couldn't simply contact me!?" He cursed in what Lyn supposed was Cybertronian, but even though she didn't understand it, Lyn was sure that she picked up a few translations of Earth words. He finished with a long, drawn out sigh.

"Alright. We'll be there in a couple of clicks. Now get out." Wheeljack didn't hesitate, recognising the 'argue-with-me-and-you're-dead' tone, and disappearing out of the office almost in an instant. Lyn giggled.

"Well, I guess we'd better follow him, hmm?" Ratchet nodded, resting his hand on the desk for her to climb into. Oh, he would pay Wheeljack back for interrupting them. Whether it was a couple of dozen wrenches to the head or a screwdriver up the aft, he would make sure he paid him back.

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This seems like a good place to stop it. We're having a bit of a thunderstorm over here, which, knowing my luck, will end with causing a power cut or something. (Sighs). Anyway, hope you enjoyed this! Constructive criticism is, as always, welcome. Flames will not be tolerated, under any circumstance. So don't even bother.