Title: Prime, I shrunk the Officers!
Chapter: 21 – Sparks Dream Inside. Pt 2
Rating: PG-13 Humor/Fluff.


Jazz watched the chamber, awaiting anxiously the outcome, whatever it would be. He couldn't help but feel his spark ache both in sadness and joy, with the knowledge he wouldn't see that sparkling again, but knowing Prowl, his Prowl would be back to him.

The process lasted only a few minutes but to Jazz it felt like an eternity had passed until the machinery signaled the success of the procedure, and the cover of the tank retracted, letting out the excess of gas. Jazz couldn't help but wrap an arm around his waist to grip his own hip almost tight enough to imprint his own fingers into the metal of his hip panel, awaiting.

A soft groan of pain followed by a white hand coming out of the tank, holding onto the opening for support confirmed the procedure succeeded and Prowl made his way out of the tank shakily. "Prowl," Jazz watched his bonded exit the tank, his wings a little droopy and his head hanging, seemingly sore or in pain. The saboteur's processor urged him to act, to do something, to rush to his bondmate, anything. His body, however, refused to move.

"How are you feeling, Prowl?" Wheeljack asked as he hurried to help the mech to steady himself.

"Disoriented." Prowl brought a hand to his helm, powering down his optic as he tried to regain his footing, feeling so weak as if his legs would give in at any moment. "What happened?"

Wheeljack turned sad and worried optics towards Jazz, able to see the fine tremors on the black hand that gripped tightly a hip panel. The engineer turned to Prowl, helping him towards Jazz. "It's a long story. We'll go about that later when you're feeling better, for now you may want to go back to your quarters to recover."

Jazz willed his body to move, finally taking the remaining steps to Prowl and helping Wheeljack to guide the mech out of his lab. Jazz did not speak a word as Prowl was led to their shared quarters. He knew the implicit expectation that was laid on him to explain the events to Prowl, and he couldn't help but feel apprehension about breaching the subject with his bondmate. Jazz really didn't want to have to remind himself once more about the memorable time he had with the sparkling Prowl.

They reached Prowl's and Jazz's quarters and Prowl thanked Wheeljack before tactician and saboteur entered the room. Jazz helped his bondmate to their berth, sitting on the edge of the recharging platform as Prowl made himself comfortable, a hand covering his optics and a faint grimace still twisted his face plates. "Ya need anythin'?" Jazz asked, stroking a hand soothingly along one Prowl's arm that lay slack at Prow's side.

"I'll be fine," Prowl reassured him, his white hand searching Jazz's to hold and squeeze it gently. Jazz pushed aside his sadness, bringing Prowl's hand to his face, nuzzling his cheek against the white hand, relishing on the feeling of his bonded being back, feeling his full presence within their bond.

"You're upset." Prowl's words startled Jazz who turned to look at the prone mech. Prowl was no longer covering his optics, instead looking at him with worried blue optics.

"S'nothin'." Jazz powered down his optics and nuzzled against Prowl's hand. He had missed his lover's touch, having gone without a loving caress for too long for his taste.

"It wasn't my intention to upset you," Prowl murmured, brushing the back of his hand against Jazz. "I'm sorry."

"Prowl?"

"I know, Jazz." Prowl explained, slowly sitting up. "I don't remember everything, but I do have some memories. I remember last night, I remember the fear of not existing anymore, of being forgotten... of forgetting."

Jazz couldn't fight back the emotion welling within his being any more. He threw his arms around Prowl, holding his mate tightly, wanting to protect him, protect that part of Prowl that had been a little sparkling and bask at the same time in the comfort and strength the adult Prowl offered in return. "I didn't know what ta do." Jazz's voice was soft, weak even. "I wanted ya back, but I didn't want ta force ya into somethin' ya didn't want."

"Shh," Prowl hushed his mate, holding him tightly, trying to offer the mech he loved as much comfort and reassurance as he could. "It's fine, Jazz. I'm fine. I remember." They held each other tightly for a long while, neither speaking a word until Jazz finally pulled away, asking Prowl what he could remember. Prowl shared what memories he had, mainly of moments involving Jazz, but a few of his more humorous antics had been preserved in his CPU, like his penchant to call Sunstreaker 'slagger', or his stunt with the Decepticons. Jazz couldn't help but comment about Prowl and his tendency to put anything he could come across into his mouth, specially the saboteur's finger.

They talked for as long as they could until Jazz's internal clock announced he had duty to attend to. Prowl insisted in re-taking his duties immediately, but Jazz refused and coaxed his bondmate into getting some recharge, promising to be back soon and taking care of informing Prime of his recovery.

----------------------

Things fell back into place in the Ark for the most part. Prowl had kept his memories of his time as a sparkling a secret from the rest of the Autobots with the exceptions of Jazz and Ratchet. Prowl took a secret pleasure whenever he had apparent 'slips' and called Sunstreaker slagger, only to deny he had done such a thing moments later, even when he did it before a room full of mechs. Of course, Jazz and Ratchet had the most fun with those occurrences.

Wheeljack had been instructed to dismantle the device and dispose of it in its entirety, they didn't want to risk any more incidents. Wheeljack, though, wasn't sure how to explain the high command his device had mysteriously disappeared, despite confirmation from Red Alert and different security devices that Soundwave's cassettes had not sneaked into the Ark recently. He was about to panic and ready to report the missing device when Blaster calmly informed him he didn't have to worry because he had that covered already. Wheeljack wasn't sure he wanted to know what Blaster was up to, but decided against asking questions, he trusted the communications officer to handle the device with care.

There was, however, something that seemed to enshroud the return to normality (or as normal as the Ark could ever come close to be), and Prowl was well aware that Jazz still missed that caretaker role he had been forced to take when Prowl was transformed into a sparkling. The tactician didn't take long to figure out exactly what saddened Jazz and decided to breach the subject on a clear night when they returned from their respective shifts.

"I know what you want," Prowl spoke and wrapped his arms around Jazz, pulling his bonded against him while he quieted any questions or protests Jazz could harbor with a sound kiss. "I know what your spark desires, because it echoes in mine. I know what you long for, and I promise once this conflict is over, we'll try."

"Prowl," Jazz didn't need Prowl to state exactly what he was talking about, understanding right away what his mate was offering him. "You really want one, too?"

Prowl tugged on Jazz's hand, interlacing his fingers with the saboteur's. "There's no other mech in the universe I'd want to have this with."

Jazz didn't protest or questioned his mate as he was led out of their quarters, down the halls to the Ark's entrance. The visored mech caught a glimpse of the clear night skies above the Ark, the stars twinkled brightly and Jazz couldn't help but think about them as the skies smiling down on them and their hopes for the future. Jazz felt Prowl tug his hand hard enough to have him stumble against the tactician. Prowl brought his lips to Jazz's audio, "Race you."

Without another word Prowl pulled away, smiling at his bonded as he turned and ran away, Jazz laughed and followed after Prowl, both jumping into the air and transforming mid jump, bouncing on their suspension as their tires screeched and their race began. Prowl drove fast through the terrain, far away from humans and any speed regulations that would hinder them, driving as fast as he could with Jazz in tow. They flashed their headlights and brake lights at each other, slowing down and accelerating, swerving around each other, gaining and conceding he top position as they drove under the night sky. Their mutual joy spreading through their bond as they drove through the desert lands surrounding their home.

Neither cared to win the race, knowing that in the end, both would be winners in their own way. Taking the race for what it was, a moment together, where everything that once troubled them was left behind, crossing the arid terrain as they flirted with one another, played with each other. Both sharing a mutual promise that some day, there would be a third racing between them. Some day their sparks' dream would become a reality.