Note: I don't own Transformers; only Katie, Snowy, the finches, Armonie, and Jordan. :)

Sequel to "Friends"

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"Who in the blue hell are you?" all chatter in the lounge quieted, and everyone turned to look at the grumpy human sipping her coffee and the large gray tabby cat sitting next to her, cleaning his whiskers with a white-capped paw.

Surprised, the Autobot she was addressing turned around and looked down at her. "Oh. You must be Katie. Maggie and Bluestreak have told me a lot about you, and Ratchet suggested that I talk with you about what happened in the Decepticon base."

He fell silent as blue-hazel eyes narrowed over the white coffee cup held to her lips. "I asked you 'who in the blue hell are you', not 'how much about me do you know'." She told him quietly and slowly as if he was dim-witted.

"Ah, the beautiful sound of happy women in the morning." Sam said dryly from his table nearby.

Immediately, Katie's eyes were fixed on him in a heated glare. "Shut up or I'll sic Snowy on you." she growled.

"Shutting up now." Sam said meekly, ducking his head and tearing into his breakfast with forced gusto.

"I told ya she's bitchy in the mornin' when she doesn't get 'nough sleep." Jazz said jauntily, causing his charge to glare darkly at him. "Now, now, Katie Kat, don't be angry with me. Take your anger out on ol' Smokey and not your guardian."

Muttering something that sounded suspiciously like "good idea", Katie looked up at the newcomer critically. She finished her coffee and walked over to the human's table, ignoring that Sam scooted over as far as he could from her as Snowy hopped up to perch on her shoulders and glare at him. Grumbling, she poured herself another cup of coffee and turned to look at the new Autobot once more, blue-hazel eyes narrowed.

"We tried to feed them for you." Mikaela said pleasantly from the table, drawing Katie's eye as her thirteen zebra finches zoomed and swirled around her. "But they won't eat."

"Mrrt." Snowy stuck a paw in Katie's ear, causing her to sigh.

"It's Treat Day, and they all know it." she grumbled good naturedly, stroking Snowy's head fondly.

"Treat Day?" Sam echoed, surprised.

"I give them nothing but treats for one day each year." Katie told him flatly, glaring at him.

"They sound spoiled, then." Was the reply.

Immediately, Snowy's ears were flattened and his green eyes were sharp. "Easy, boy." Katie murmured, glaring at Sam who hid from her glare that was so much more volatile than usual.

"I apologize, but I don't see the sense in it." Prowl admitted.

"I agree completely, Prowl." Sam said, looking up at the police car. "Why?"

This time, Snowy leaned down, placing a paw on Katie's collarbone to look sidelong at her while his hind paws remained resting on her shoulder. Katie nodded. "If you want to. I'll save your fish for when you get back."

Mikaela poked Sam's arm. "I'd run if I were you."

"MRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Snowy leapt, soaring through the air to land on the table and bound after Sam who fled.

Ignoring the strange looks the new Autobot gave her, she reached into the small bag at her waist and pulled out a handful of dried fruit. The finch she had come to call Primo flew to land on her finger, cheeping imperiously at her while fluttering his tail feathers and wings.

Katie smiled for the first time that morning, and tapped him gently on his beak with a forefinger. "Just because you've taken a liking to Prime doesn't mean you're in charge of the flock, buddy." The finch Armonie nicknamed Leone and his little protégée Mimic fluttered and landed next to Primo. Leone chirped and glared at Primo who fluttered his wings and dipped his head. Laughing, Katie gave them each a dried cranberry which they ate happily.

The other finches swirled around her and with a chortle, she tossed a few cranberries and raisins into the air, watching as her finches skillfully caught them before they hit the ground. Kaboom and Hatchet landed on her wrist, tilting their tiny heads to peer up at them with beady eyes. Carefully she handed Kaboom a piece while she and Hatchet watched with critical eyes. Only when the danger prone finch ate the dried bit of fruit without choking did Katie give Hatchet his piece.

"Yours?" Katie jumped, scattering bits of fruit and finches. Hatchet, irritable being that he was, immediately flew up to the newcomer, shrieking his indignation and hitting him soundly with his little wings.

"To some extent." she growled. "I bought them but they own themselves."

The Autobot blinked down at her, batting futilely at Hatchet as curious to why her friend was higher up and shrieking angrily, Kaboom flitted up, flying around the newcomer's head.

"He sounds so much like you." Jazz drawled and Ratchet scowled at him but nevertheless held out his finger for the little bird to perch on. Chirping and following her friend, Kaboom landed beside Hatchet and peered up into Ratchet's optics.

The new Autobot watched as Katie returned to feeding the finches who dipped and landed briefly to receive their treat before taking off in time for another finch to take its place. "What are their names?" he asked at last after watching the cycle for a minute or so.

"This is Primo." Katie said, flicking her finger and sending the blue-tinged bird flitting off with his treat. "Hatchet and Kaboom are on Ratchet's finger; Hatchet's the one who was flying at your face. It would be too confusing for me to tell the difference right now."

"Speaking of names, you have yet to tell her yours." Jazz drawled, opening a claw and allowing the birds to perch and eat there as Katie spread a handful of dried goodies there.

The newcomer blinked. "Oh. My apologies. My name's Smokescreen."

Katie snorted. "Nice." She muttered as two of the birds in front of her fought over a cherry before flitting off and settling down near Mikaela. Snowy slunk smugly into the room and twining around her legs, mewled piteously.

Laughing, Katie picked the tabby up and kissed his nose gently. "Come on, Snowy. I have your fish here."

Putting him down, she walked to the human table and sat, reaching into her bag and pulling out a small packet of fish which she fed to Snowy. Kaboom, curious as she was apt to be, flittered over and landed on her knee, tilting her little head this way and that to look at the fish. She even had the audacity to land on Snowy's head between his ears and watch him eat the little tidbits.

Hatchet appeared in the nick of time as usual, scolding and beating Kaboom soundly with his wings as Snowy began to look upwards at the bird on his head with a half-irritated look. Cheeping under the barrage of wingbeats her friend gave her, Kaboom flew to Wheeljack where she hid from Hatchet.

When Snowy was finished with his meal, he burped and jumping on the table, curled up and proceeded to wash his creamy belly. That accomplished, he drifted off to sleep with eleven of the thirteen flock ranged around him, preening and exchanging gossip.

"Are you a psychiatrist or something?" Katie asked, startling Smokescreen.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that." He replied as Katie sipped her coffee. "Are you willing to talk?"

Katie gave him a thoughtful glare, sipping her coffee before nodding slowly. "I'll consider it. But first I want to talk with Jazz alone. It's urgent."

Seeing the abrupt change in mood and realizing that whatever she wanted to talk to him about was what caused her lack of sleep, Jazz nodded and followed her out.


Who can guess which finch is whose:)

Kaboom: Wheeljack
Hatchet: Ratchet
Primo: Optimus
Leone (lay-own) : Armonie
Mimic: unsure

Yes, Katie's a bit off, but as Jazz mentioned somewhere in 'Friends', she's not happy when she doesn't get enough sleep. ;)