This fic was inspired by a special request from DitzyMusicLover whose request was originally meant to be a one shot for Little Rascals. However, it took me several months to come up with an idea pertaining to the special request. And the idea couldn't be contained in a one shot. So since there have been no other requests for Little Rascals I've closed that fic. It's marked complete now and I won't be adding to it.

Summary: G1 Universe. On his first sabotage mission Jazz finds and rescues an abandoned sparkling mech, whose name ends up being Prowl. This chance meeting profoundly affects both mechs' lives sending them on their own separate journeys. As time passes, the two eventually end up coming back into each others lives to find friendship and love.

Cybertronian time references for the story

Astrosecond- 0.25 of a second

Nano-klick- one second

klick- one minute

Breem- one hour

Jour – one day (36 Breems)

Deca-Cycle – one week (10 Jours)

Orn – one month (50 Jours)

Vorn - one year (14 Orns)

Author's notes: italics denote comlink chatter. Please note that the names of the Autobots and eventual Decepticons mentioned in this story are not OCs I created. I got the characters from Volume One of 'More Than Meets the Eye' guide book.

Jazz

My circuits were trembling as I stood at attention. The mech behind the desk, Highjump, was my mentor and friend. He recruited me straight out of the academy, took me under his wing to train me for special operations, mainly sabotage and infiltration behind enemy lines. I've worked closely with him for almost two full vorns now. But he was also my commanding officer and he was fraggin scary when he was mad!

"I'm waiting for an explanation," he snapped.

"Sir, ya know Freeway and I don't get along. We were just havin' a disagreement is all."

"Pfft! Disagreement my aft! You cheated!" Freeway growled with full contempt towards me.

"I didn't cheat, I improvised," I defended, holding back the smirk I wanted to flash for beating Freeway during the training exercise. Highjump was already angry enough as it was and I didn't want to make things worse. "It wasn't ma fault ya couldn't keep up wit' me."

"And you made me look like a fool in the process!"

"Ya did that to yarself!"

"You fragger!"

"Kiss ma aft!"

"ENOUGH!" Highjump roared, slamming his fist down on his desk as he got to his feet. Freeway and I both snapped back to attention. "I don't care about whatever animosity there is between the two of you. Get over it! You are both Autobots and you will conduct yourselves accordingly or face the consequences." He paused returning to his seat. Then he pushed a comlink button on his desk. "Kick-off report to my office immediately please."

"Acknowledge, Highjump. I'm on my way," came the response over the intercom speaker.

I groaned inwardly. Kick-off meant one thing – brig time. Slag. There goes my night with the guys. Oh well, it could have been worse. The high grade will be there another time.

"I know one deca-cycle of monitor duty during the overnight shift will not teach you two to get along. However, I cannot let either of you go unpunished for fighting during a training exercise. Consider this your first warning - one night in the brig. The next time you are caught fighting it will be one deca-cycle in the brig and an official reprimand will be marked on your records. If you two are stupid enough to get caught a third time you're out of the Autobots for good. Both of you! Is that understood?"

Frag! It was worse!

"Understood, Sir!" Freeway and I said together.

My spark trembled. Being an Autobot was all I lived for. There was nothing else for me.

The door chimed suddenly sounded, making me flinch slightly. It opened a moment later and the bases chief of security entered.

"Kick-off, please escort these two to the brig for an overnight stay," Highjump ordered. "Separate cell blocks, no visitors whatsoever. I'll collect them in the morning"

"As you wish, Sir," Kick-off replied. "Let's move you two glitches."

I moved quickly as did Freeway. And it figures, the first mech who would have to see me under a security escort was by closest friend, Chase. I quickly shook my head before he opened his mouth questioned what was up.

"You guys were fighting again?" he questioned over a private comlink.

"Yeah. Only this time Highjump means bus'ness. Two more times an' we get tossed from the Autobots."

"Primus!"

'Tell me 'bout it," I sighed. "Listen, I'm sorry 'bout tonight. I'll make it up to ya and the guys, promise."

"Don't worry about it. Just take it easy and I'll see you in the morning for some energon."

"I look forward to it."

Maybe Chase could help me figure away to deal with Freeway. The mech just hated me. And to be honest, I wasn't too fond of him either. I wasn't sure if it was just my personality, because he doesn't get a long with Chase either, or if it was because he saw me as a threat as we were constantly competing in the same training exercises.

It wasn't like Freeway was a slacker. The mech was good at his skills and even taught me a few tricks during my first couple of orns on the base. My own ambition to be the best combined with the competitiveness between the other special ops mechs forced me to improve my skills during each new session. As a result I found myself doing things I never imagined I could do when I was a new recruit on the base.

What happened today…frag, I still don't know what really set Freeway off. It could have been the fact that I beat him and was showing off, which I've done on numerous occasions, or he was just being a fragger. Whatever the reason, he just suddenly jumped me at the end of the training exercise. Of course I wasn't going to back down from a fight and reacted accordingly. Our mistake was doing it right in front of Highjump.

"Jazz, you're here," Kick-off said, opening a cell door.

"Thanks," I mumbled, obediently entering my cell.

I didn't even look back. I just sat on the berth contemplating. One thing was certain, Freeway and I were gonna have a long talk tomorrow. No way was I going to let that fragger be the reason why I get booted from the Autobots!

However, about four breems into my punishment all my plans for tomorrow were put on hold when Highjump collected me. Three words, 'Come with me', and his tone made me keep my vocal processor on mute as he escorted me through the base. I was completely blown away when I realized he was taking me to the big mech's office!

Powertrain the Autobot base commander and a scary combination of intelligence and strength.

To say I was nervous while standing there before him was an understatement!

Not only was the boss there but also our second in command, Jackpot. Jackpot was a brilliant strategist and cunning warrior. I've rarely seen either of them except in passing. I was still a grunt, a lowly mech at the bottom of the food chain. Fodder for the enemy. A pawn. A peon. I was nothing compared to Powertrain, Jackpot, and even Highjump. Frag, Highjump was my idol!

"Are you sure about this?" Powertrain asked, his penetrating gaze landing upon Highjump who was standing beside me.

"He's ready, Commander," Highjump simply replied.

"Step forward, Jazz," Powertrain ordered, his optics dropping down to the datapad I just noticed was in his hand.

Jackpot however was watching my every move. Scrutinizing, analyzing me. I felt myself shrinking in my titanium armor. Swallowing hard, my spark trembled as I moved forward two timid steps. I spared a quick glance to my mentor. He nodded with a smile for me to move closer. I took another bigger step, straightening up to my full height.

Might as well be a mech about it.

"I see you have an excellent record while on my base," Powertrain spoke looking up at me. "You show courage and resourcefulness during combat. You seem like a rather a friendly mech, always laughing and joking when off duty with your friends. Quite the prankster too from what I've gathered via rumors and hearsay. Although, Kick-off has yet to find evidence that you're the culprit."

I noticeably cringed which made him laugh.

"Relax, Jazz," he smiled. "Such incidents can potentially be good for morale so long as they don't interfere with anyone's duty or cause irreparable harm to a mechanism under my command. However, I must order you to stop the pranks. You are an Autobot on my base and I expect you to act accordingly. Understood?"

"Perfectly, Sir," I responded, standing rigidly.

"Highjump as pointed out on numerous occasions that you've been able to leave no trace evidence of these pranks back to yourself. I must admit speaks of your skills," Powertrain continued. "You're well on your way to becoming an excellent special ops mech."

"And you both thought I was out of my processor bringing in a fresh recruit straight from the academy to the base," Highjump chuckled.

"Jazz is still young and has much to learn, Highjump. But I do see the potential."

"Plus, he still has yet to prove himself in the field as an operative," Jackpot pointed out. "And there is the altercation with Freeway that still needs to be addressed."

"We all must start somewhere. And competition brings out the best and the worst in mechs sometimes," Powertrain remarked. "I need the mechs under my command to be at their best. And at times, I need them to be pushed past their limits. It's what separates the mechlings from the mechs in this army. However Jazz, if you and Freeway do not come to some sort of truce I will abide by Highjump's judgment on the matter."

"I was thinkin' 'bout how to accomplish that while in ma cell, Sir," I said.

"Good, we need mechs like you and Freeway," Powertrain said with a note of sadness in his voice. "Highjump, you have my authority to brief Jazz on his mission."

My optics widened. My…mission?

"Thank you, Commander. You won't be disappointed," Highjump said, patting me on the shoulder.

Did Powertrain say my mission?!

"I hope that is the case. Dismissed."

With a tug on my shoulder, Highjump and I made our way to the door.

"Oh and Jazz," Powertrain called. I turned back. "Good luck soldier."

"May Primus watch over you," Jackpot added.

"Thank ya, Sirs," I saluted and then eagerly followed Highjump to his office a short ways down the hall.

Kick-off was waiting outside the door as we arrived.

"Congratulations," he smiled at me as we entered my mentor's office. "Was wondering when the old fragger here would let his favorite protégé out from his shadow."

"Yeah right," I chuckled. "I've never been treated different from the other special ops mechs. I strived hard to earn my place just like they have."

"And you have," Highjump smiled proudly. "I admit when I recruited you two vorns ago it was personal. I saw a lot of myself in you. Only you had more potential than I ever did. I simply wanted you to have a better start than I had. And to be honest, you've exceeded my expectations. And that's one of the factors that made me select you for this mission."

I blinked, surprised by such high praise from my commander.

"What about Freeway, Sir? He's more experienced than I am," I said, even though I was thrilled to be getting my first mission before him. "He's actually been in the field."

"True but he doesn't have your improvisational skills. We need this mission to be a success and you're our best option."

I refrained from smiling. This was what I've worked my aft for the past two vorns. I wasn't about to frag it up.

"What do you need me to do, Sir?" I asked, getting down to business.