Queen's Notes: welp, that is a lot of reviews holy shite. I'm still here, really sick right now but managing in super quarantine in room, [waiting for the virus test results to come back]. Hopefully you all like this chapter, and I'm intending to do more Teebs.

Just A Stray, Just A Cover

Chapter Twenty

What Tiny?

Trailbreaker was feeling a mix of things such as worried over several stinging spots on his armor. The now reassuring pull of the trailer behind him helped. Though it was a little more weight than normal, as there were two mechs riding rather than just Sideswipe's small frame.

Sideswipe had, admittedly, always looked funny being the sole car on the big trailer these last few months. Now it was a bit more even as Jolt rode on the back half. Both tucked closed and 'strapped' down not unlike how a human would...because Stone had strapped them down, though not as tight as he would a normal car.

It brought back more than a few memories of riding in cargo planes, Sideswipe shamelessly laughing as Stone and his best friend Mongo sassed back and forth over top his roof while Lennox would pipe up now and then to keep the two going. Or others in the plane joining in, sometimes if they were lucky the low rumbling voice of Optimus would slide in a comment that made most of the humans, and mechs, start wheezing. Or just busting a gut laughing.

Trailbreaker missed that, even though he could not ride on the same planes as Optimus, being nearly the same height and weighing in about the same if not more. Though sitting on an aircraft carrier ship, or just in the bases had been nice too.

Movement in his cap had the mech swinging part of his attention inside, watching as Stone finished pulling off his armor and clothes to change. The man slipped into the change from his pack, carefully checking over the armor and dark fabric.

"What are you doing?" Trailbreaker asked, watching Stone pause and look up.

"Checking for trackers." The man explained as he seemed to find something on his thigh armor, strapping it off and holding something small before just...biting the thing in half. Stone made a face at the taste of the sticky gel but it worked. "It's why I told Bumblebee to pick a spot we can regroup and check things, and frames over."

"...oh." Well then, that made sense why he was following the green trooper out of the park. Trailbreaker was a little slower then the others naturally and hauling two others meant it would take longer for him to build up speed. The big mech was sure the smaller Autobots were starting to take turns leading the way for him. Trailbreaker started to follow Bumblebee at first, lost him and then saw Crosshairs appear to start leading.

Trailbreaker was starting to lag as he had to slow down for curves in the winding roads. The thicker trees of the park were thinning out, Stone tossed the tracker out his window before the man checked over the cab to start with.

Suddenly, Crosshairs was slowing, turning left well ahead to give Trailbreaker time to slow. It was a bit tight of a turn with the trailer, and the black mech had to go extra slow. Stone poked his head out a window to spot for a moment, he was well able to see Drift getting grabbed by Bumblebee in the small clearing.

The scout was as shameless as the man remembered, checking over the other mech as he gave a startled chirp. Bumblebee determined to look at the rotor and rig there, only to yowl in triumph.

Really, Stone wondered why the blue and black mech looked so surprised, he had seen the scout 'attack' Jazz like that. Also be attacked by Jazz like that.

Trailbreaker slowerd to the right side of this clearing, giving the others room and watching as Jolt started to transform, made an interesting sound as he ran into the straps. ...maybe he snickered lowly as Stone hopped out to help. Jolt forgot about the straps!

"Hang on I'm coming." Stone's voice as he jogged back to the trailer to help, it seemed like he was amused to Trailbreaker's audios.

"Crosshairs, did you let the little one out yet?" Jolt almost demanded as he was able to transform, balancing carefully as static sparks formed on his fingers, checking over Sideswipe.

"...no?" Crosshairs hesitated on transforming, some panels lifted as he was about to. "Should I…?"

"No." Jolt said firmly, sliding off the trailer and strided over to the green corvette. He flicked his wrists to get the whips out again. "I can feel the charge on you, stand up."

Rather alarmed, understandably as Jolt was both in officer mode and seeming to be stalking the other.

Crosshairs transformed, taking a step back as he lifted his hands. "Hey-hey wait a klick- no more zapping slag!"

Jolt grinned wide in his way before lashing out and the flexible cable wrapped around Crosshairs' right arm. He pulsed a low charge to what was lingering on Crosshairs before syphening it off the other mech. The Trooper had tensed and seemed ready for taking another face plant...that did not happen.

"Really," Jolt snorted at the confused look he got, "I have much finer control over energy than those human's and zappy stick things they have."

The tall blue mech motioned to the other's chest while making no move to help unwind his whip. It seemed to have just enough charge to help it cling up. He added at the thoughtful look Crosshairs had, "Set the little one down. I'm going to charge your outer armor to make sure any tracker is fried properly."

"Little one?" Trailbreaker echoed as Sideswipe paused in his half yoga position sitting on the trailer.

Stone echoed the question where he too had paused with helping checking Sideswipe's raised leg. They looked at eachother confused, the only sparklings they knew of should be in deep hiding in a secluded, underground base. Not unlike a bolt hole but bigger, and flushed out more.

"Whut?" Sideswipe's optics flickered in a blink, one wheel turning idly. He slowly looked at Stone and asked lowly, his version of a whisper had a purring edge to his voice. "I thought we tracked down all the Allspark-ed littles? Even from the Sector 7 left overs?"

"I thought so too." Stone frowned as he watched a minor moment of mecha spat between Jolt and Crosshairs. Not unlike a little slap fight that ended with Jolt being just that little bit more annoying.

The man watched as Crosshairs backed up a step and opened part of his chest plates...?

Right, mecha had armor pockets!

Crosshairs would be big enough and tall enough to host an older sparkling for a while. Even Sideswipe looked completely puzzled, the warrior was pretty sure Crosshairs had not been carrying when he landed on the earth. It had not been long enough on earth had it to start carrying, not without Allspark help to have a sparkling that would leave the frame without a medic-

Jolt shifted, taking something small from Crosshairs' hands and moved. Stepping back and gently plopped Amy down beside Trailbreaker. She looked around confused and up at the blue mech, though the girl looked relieved at seeing Crosshairs seemed unhurt.

"He's fine Amy, stay by Trailbreaker and them." Jolt reassured booping the top of her head to take off the lingering static.

"That's not the sparkling I was expecting," Sideswipe muttered as the man helping him stood up. The silver minibot remembered that Stone was a caretaker, a sire… father himself.

The little red head was not that much bigger than Annabelle when Sideswipe first really met her. Under Ironhide's careful supervision. Not to say he was the best at judging human ages when they were under four feet tall. But even to his optics the girl seemed oddly thin, at least compared to what he had become used to seeing with Annabelle as she grew.

His tiny had not been the strongest but had been healthy.

Sideswipe looked at Stone, seeing an expression he had seen on Ironhide, Ratchet- On Lennox, Mongo, seen in Sideswipe's own reflexion at times.

Worry-Protective-MutedAnger

Stone walked over and crouched a bit beside the girl, his expression shifting to something much softer then the mechs had seen before. "Hey sweetie, what's your name? I'm Stone."

Green eyes blink up at him before she smiled, shy but trying. "Amy… are you the ones Crosshairs and Jolt saved?"

Stone could not help a soft snort, but he nodded. He could allow that, "Yeah, we are. I've been looking for other mechs for the Foreman."

"Ohh..." there was a pause as Amy stared at Sideswipe, confused once more realizing he was shorter than even Bumblebee. The silver mech grinned and gave a wave. The girl turned her attention back to the man, he was so big-

She glanced at the gigantic truck and it seemed to back sense.

Amy dared to tug on Stone's hand, asking in a whisper, "What's a four-man?"

The man, who she thought was the black mech's holo, smiled wider, "Right now he's the only leader of the Autobots and Wreckers. His name is Roadbuster."

Omie's added note: sorry its not a long chapter but I needed a transition chapter. Hoo-boy that's a lot of reviews...

Guest 1 (Chapter 17):
hey there! lol thank you for checking in, ironically you posted this revie just as I made an offering of gummy bares to my sister to edit this chapter XD

Firelotis001:
awwwww my heart it keeps going wibbly when I reread your review .o. I want to see more human mecha floofs so much. Optimus [as well as poor cade and co in turn ] are a bit away, but still coming. As for staying safe I'm trying really hard but I won't lie that I am sick. sister and I are quarentining in our room and waiting on the corna test results. here's hoping its negitive! and then the doctors can find out what's happening

FracturedSpark:
YES humans are pack animals so bond with them young!

Werewriter2020/Regan (chapter 19):
You have an account! Cool! and YES, have a Stone, he is one of my adopted semi-cannon characters that I love and yonked from the wiki before pictures moved XD He's a dad and will try and adopt the tiny you'll see

Werewriter2020/Regan (chapter 18):
I really like poor Edd now, he's going to be so confused for a while. not sure if I want him to know about the mechs exactly yet

Werewriter2020/Regan (chapter 17):
I loooove coming up with or finding what others have done for Flora, fauna and just ecosystems for cybertron. even stuff on cybertonian colonies.

CrystalAris (chapter 19):
That I can see being able depending on the mech. Crosshairs As I write him and see him runs cooler. he needs to survive the drops through lower atmosphere and cooler climates. Cranking up his internal heat up is BAD for him, as well as he can cook not only his inner armor pocket but internals. so...plz no frying his tiny.

CrystalAris (chapter 1):
PFFT believe it or not that was NOT intentional, but I did see it and I loved it and I wondered when anyone else would see it. I'm going to pretend like I meant to do that. So if the Doctor shows up sometime please, sir, don't take the grumpy's tiny but maybe get her some orange juice.

CrystalAris (chapter 19):
aaaahhhhh! -watch Omie flail- huurrrr... thank you .o. I've been worried about my pacing so much, because I do like quiet moments and omg I need to write this thing here, and that reaction there... so I worry. [dude if I had the ability to poof movies you would not see and end XD] As for the nick name it was verging on not so nice but turned fond, its how I think Crosshairs mind would work. He's sort of stuck in a transition himself if that makes sense.

CrystalAris (chapter 7):
I'm very poor, and breathing is hard normally for me, ;3 that's why

VINAI (chapter 19):
I'm trying to, but TA-da! here you go in the mean time sweetie

Sarah (chapter 19):
It is, though have you considered its not just stupidity or ungratefulness (though I'm sure there is that)...but a LACK of knowledge? Not knowing who the mechs are specifically plays a big part, as well as the missing NEST/mech loyal humans. And you're welcome sweetie!

RedHead2000 (chapter 19):
Amy is rather shaken but okay, I tried to make sure the armor pocket idea was sound. If a spark could survive by being insolated so would the pocket. think of something alike to a faraday cage around the vital 'organs' of a mech.

Angelgems (chapter 19):
I'm not speedy and I have no rime or reason for updates other then 'oh shite this is an ending!' sorry ;_;

RavenShichiyou (chapter 19):
kmasigj284hgsjda everyone seems to likes Amy being the bug/june-bug it makes my stupid heart so HAPPY. and that you like my story dispite the wait. Also, it's NOT a full year! Whoot! AW, you like Tiny Potato? I'm letting my sister know, she helped me with it. Landfill... well, he maaaaay show up some time, possibly in Wreck en Rule first