Title: Partners - Trust
Characters/Pairing: Barricade and Frenzy
Rating: K
Author's Notes: Thanks to okamihu from tf2007fun for the prompt.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Transformers except merchandise, and I am making no money off this story.

Barricade was certainly NOT going to admit how firmly the unease managed to weave itself among his circuits ever since their escape. He had gotten careless before, thinking that they had left the Autobots far behind, and that carelessness had almost gotten him killed. Apparently new Autobots were arriving on Earth. They could be anywhere. They could be anything.

He hadn't rested once since Frenzy finished his repairs, refusing to let down his guard for a single nano-klik. There was no way he'd allow himself to be caught off guard like that again. If he had only noticed the Autobot sooner, he could have stood a chance. Barricade was a good fighter and could hold his own against mechs large than himself (he'd had to deal with Blackout on occasion). Skill meant nothing, however, if you were surprised and injured before you could respond.

That he had needed his partner's interference to escape the situation was unforgivable. He should have been able to handle the situation on his own, not require assistance like an inexperience sparkling. And what if the 'Bot had been faster? He had been large enough to easily crush Frenzy in one of his hands…

Barricade would never end up in situation again. Never.

The lack of recharge wasn't really helping, though. His systems kept urging him to power down so they could perform routine maintenance, and his processor was starting to act a bit buggy, his behaviour leaning to irrational. When the roads were empty he found himself wishing for more human-driven vehicles to use as cover. When there were plenty of cars around, he practically flipped out trying to keep track of them all and make sure none of them were Autobots. If there was only him and another car around he'd pull over and watch them carefully until they were out of sight.

His odd behaviour wasn't going unnoticed.

"Barricade," Frenzy said loudly, a changing from his previous quite ramblings.

The police car almost flinched as his partner spoke. "What?" he demanded, sounding harsher than intended.

"You needneedneed to power down. Going crazy."

"You're calling me crazy?"

"Nonono changing the subject!" Frenzy jabbed him in the dash board. "Stop and recharcharcharge, or I'll make you."

"You wouldn't dare," Barricade said. His partner responded by brandishing his data jack threateningly. The cop car's engine growled. Frenzy would have to fight to get that thing into his system.

The small 'Con made a noise of frustration. "Youyouyou'd be just as useless in a fight like this as if you were amamambushed. I can keep watch, too."

Barricade had no idea what his partner was talking about. He was fine, at the top of his game, ready to fight at any moment. He was… drifting over the center line of the road. Quickly he jerked back onto to the proper side of the road. Alright, so maybe he was a bit off at moment, but he had to stay vigilant, had to keep them safe…

"Trust me?"

His though processes slammed to a halt. Well, of course he trusted Frenzy. You couldn't remain in a functional team for long without learning to trust your partner. It was just… just…

"…Fine."