I think where I was stuck was in thinking that when turned on, there was no significant voltage drop across the transistor. So with the Pair, I presumed the second base voltage (in your example) was 2V. But I think you are saying there is a voltage drop from collector to emitter, dependent on base voltage (and associated current). This voltage drop thro' the transistor diminishes as the base voltage is increased.
I had thought that once current was flowing, collector to emitter, through transistor 1, source (=battery) voltage would get applied to base of transistor 2.
But this is not true; rather, it's a controlled, lesser, voltage.