"they were in the medbay with him when Ratchet and Wheeljack put him down for stasis." Optimus says.

"guess I'll try there first. once we find them I plan to take him to my room and let him curl up until Ratchet comes to get him." Ironhide says. Optimus nods a little. "Prowl come tell you guys he was good?" Ironhide ask.

"yes. fortunately, he didn't drink the sparkling cube, but that does mean there's a sparkling cube somewhere." Optimus frowns. "but, better to be lost and unopened than drank by a mech other than Reflect." Optimus frowns patting the sparkling head. Reflect gives a quiet growl, curling up more.

"don't pester him Prime. little squirts beyond buzzed." Ironhide snorts.

"good luck with him Ironhide. let me know if you can't find his toys I'll have someone find and bring them to you." Optimus assures.

Ironhide nods and carries the sparkling back to the medbay.

"we're busy Hide, is he okay?" Ratchet ask.

"he wants his toys." Ironhide mutters. "and I need a sparkling cube for him." Ironhide mutters.

"you know where to get one of those. toys are over there." Ratchet mumbles, pointing. Ironhide nods and walks over to the toys.

"Reflect want Ratchet." Reflect mumbles.

"I know, but we're busy." Ratchet sighs, looking over at the sparkling.

"Reflect not mean you." Reflect growls, reaching for the toy.

"well sorry for knowing my name." Ratchet snorts. Reflect cuddles his toys, watching Ratchet. "go with Ironhide, don't worry, I'll come get you in a little bit. I promise." Ratchet assures gently, looking over at him. Reflect nods a little. Ironhide nods and carries the sparkling out.

"come on squirt." Ironhide murmurs.

"Reflect feel sick." he mumbles.

"just hold it for a second. we'll be in my room in a moment. I've got a bucket in there you can use." Ironhide mumbles. he carries the sparkling into his room, sitting him on the berth with the bucket he'd promised, and crouching beside his berth to watch the sparkling. Reflect hugs his toys giving Ironhide a sad look. "now, I know thats not as good as the real Ratchet, but I hope you can feel better now." Ironhide murmurs.

"no feel better. still sick." Reflect mumbles.

"you will. you'll feel better soon, alright?" Ironhide assures gently. Reflect nods and cuddles his toy.

"okay." Reflect mumbles. Ironhide gets up and sits with him on the berth, scooping up the sparkling gently and sitting him in his lap.

Ironhide watches him quietly for a bit, until Ratchet finally calls him down to the medbay. Reflects curled up in his arm asleep.

"you finally find the cube?" Ironhide ask.

"yeah. thankfully, it was in Bumblebee's stack." Ratchet sighs, taking Reflect.

Reflect shifts immediately, gripping onto Ironhides arm.

"noooo." he whines.

"I thought you wanted Ratchet?" Ironhide frowns.

"do." Reflect mumbles.

"well, you have Ironhides arm squirt. let him go." Ratchet smiles. "come on now." he chuckels.

"no." Reflect mumbles. "Hide stay too." Reflect mumbles.

"Reflect he has his own berth in his own room. he doesn't want to stay here little one." Wheeljack chuckles. Reflect whines and hugs Ironhides arm tighter.

"Reflect let him go." Ratchet frowns.

"stop. I'll stay in the medbay. okay?" Ironhide ask, looking at the sparkling.

"wha- Ironhide you don't need to do that." Ratchet says.

"he wants me in here Ratchet its fine. just for tonight. he doesn't feel well and I'm willing to stay in here for him." Ironhide shrugs. he's got a feeling Will wants to talk to him.

"see now come on. he's going to stay in here. now come on little one. its late and time for you to go to bed." Wheeljack murmurs, reaching for Reflect. Reflect finally lets go, but immediately pushes away from Wheeljack to reach for Ratchet.

"want Ratchet." Reflect mumbles.

"okay then." Wheeljack chuckles. he cuddles up to Ratchets chestplate and huffs. Ironhide grumbles to himself and gets up on one of the medbay berths. he seems annoyed, but if it really is Will, he wants to know. he wants to be able to see the man again.

Ratchet snorts at him and carries the sparkling off to their room. Wheeljack bounces behind him happily, smiling.

Ironhide wastes no time settling into recharge. he wants as much time as he can get with Will.

~~

Ironhide slowly sits up shaking his head, opening his eyes. everything looks fuzzy which is weird and unexpected. of course, if Ironhide had thought about it, it would make sense. if Reflect was exhibiting signs of being buzzed, so would Will.

"where the hell are we...?" Ironhide grumbles, looking around. "Cyberton?" he mutters confused. Will must've gotten confused going through his memories for somewhere they could 'meet' and chosen the wrong memory file. which pegged the question of, where is Will? Ironhide gets up and looks around. "Will?" he calls.

"H-Hide...?" Will mumbles, looking confused.

"hey you alright?" Ironhide frowns, walking over to help him up off the ground.

"n-no. whats going on? everythings... weird..." Will mumbles. he doesn't sound drunk like Ironhide had thought he would, and he can't exactly tell Will the sparkling drank highgrade and that would make him buzzed, so he shrugs.

"tonight was game night. we played cards and drank highgrade. I'm buzzed." he shrugs. Will looks around confused.

"where are we?" he asks.

"didn't you pick this memory? we're on Cybertron, not sure how you gained access to those memories, but its fine.... I guess. I'm not really sure, I think maybe were on Iacon. probably before the war. I don't look at these old memories often." Ironhide frowns, looking around.

"this was your home?" Will asks.

"no. I didn't live on Iacon, well I did, but only after the war started... this place isn't destroyed so I assume its before the war started. I was a youngling." Ironhide shrugs a little. "this is where all the care centers were, but this is also where underground sparkling/youngling fights were held..." Ironhide trails a little, looking around.

"were you part of that?" Will asks confused. Ironhide shrugs.

"not by choice. caretakers would 'sell off' the sparklings or younglings for the day instead of keeping them in their care for the day. basically renting them out for fights. they'd fight them, take payment if their rented fighters won, then repair them and send them back to the care center to be picked up by their creators. winning sparklings or younglings were picked repeatedly and the losing ones were... generally left without snacks or cubes throughout the day, but once Sentinel Prime discovered this going on, those care centers were shut down, bots were arrested, sparklings and younglings were sent for medical evaluations." Ironhide explains.

"so you were part of it?" Will ask. Ironhide nods.

"yes, but like I said, not by choice. Wheeljack and I teamed up. we took down a lot of younglings and were often put up against Decepticon sparklings since they were bigger." Ironhide frowns.

"wait, you and Wheeljack?" Will asks.

"Wheeljack would go in place of Ratchet. he was sparked to be a medic. he never hurt anyone, he'd almost been killed several times refusing to fight outside of the ring. those younglings would've killed him, so Wheeljack often went in his place. must've done him some good. he was part of the Wreckers before we even made it out of youngling hood. once the war started, all the younglings put their fighting skills to good use. Wheeljack was one of the top Wreckers." Ironhide explains.

"were you a Wrecker?" Will asks.

"no. fighting was fun, but... I wasn't a very nice sparkling or youngling. being in the fighting ring brought something out in me... I would pull bigger bots apart to look at their weaponry while in the ring." Ironhide frowns.

"you killed bots your own age when you were a kid?" Will ask.

"I never offlined anyone in the ring. I usually didn't even try, unless they hurt Ratchet or Wheeljack. hell, back when Optimus was still Orion Pax, they put him in the ring once. they made the ones not fighting watch so we could be called in at anytime... they put Orion in against Devastator. he was a tiny bot back then, Orion not Devastator. he was getting his can kicked and I couldn't take it. I shoved my way into the ring and almost offlined that brat. he almost killed Orion, probably would've if I hadn't stepped in. they pulled me off Devastator kicking a screaming, I refused to let go. took part of his armor with me when they pried me off... thats how it came out about the fighting ring. they couldn't get both of them fixed up in time. Orions carrier went mad. started screaming and yelling at everyone he could. about two days later I ended up in the infirmary for undiagnosed injuries. I refused to talk. I was tough, but I was a youngling. they threatened my family, my friends, if I spoke a word about. Ratchet came to see me and spilled everything. told them everything they wanted to know about the fights and about how I saved Orion on a day I wasn't even really meant to fight." Ironhide explains. "they put an end to it right then and there, but we four never went back to a care center. I was deemed too dangerous, so was Wheeljack. Ratchet had PTSD and Orions creators refused." he frowns.

"so you technically put an end to the sparkling fights." Will says.

"no, Ratchet did. I wasn't going to say anything. I wanted a chance to fight Devastator again... it wasn't long after that, that the war started." Ironhide frowns. Will walks over and hugs him. "why don't you send us back to the farm okay?" Ironhide asks. Will nods a little and the scenery immediately changes, only to the beach not the farm. "this isn't the farm." Ironhide snorts.

"I'm having a hard time finding memories today..." Will mumbles.

"thats alright." Ironhide murmurs. "the beach is nice too. I don't mind. I love spending time with you... even if its only in my mind." Ironhide murmurs, holding him.

"Hide how long were you in the fights?" Will asks.

"I'm not discussing that with you any further." Ironhide frowns.

"but Hide-" Will tries.

"no." Ironhide says firmly.

"I just wanted to know-" Will tries again. Ironhide shoves him away this time, looking pissed.

"I said no." Ironhide says firmly. Will looks up at him from the ground, confused. "and if you ask again I'm leaving." he snaps.

"okay. sorry." Will mumbles, getting up. Ironhide is defensive now though, he won't let Will near him, stepping away when the man walks closer. "I didn't mean to bring up bad memories." Will frowns. Ironhide doesn't answer him, too busy glaring out over the water. "Ironhide...?" Will asks hesitantly. the bigger man looks angry, before looking over at Will.

"what?" he asks.

"I'm sorry. it was dumb thing. I just wanted to ask if thats where you guys met..." Will says softly. Ironhide huffs annoyed.

"no. we were all basically neighbors." Ironhide mutters.

"I didn't mean to make you angry." Will says, looking him over. "I won't ask about it again. I get it, its not memories you want." Will adds.

"stop talking about it." Ironhide snaps, glaring at him. "you're not helping. alright? none of us talk about those times. not me, not Ratchet, not Wheeljack, and certainly not Prime. it was forbidden many years ago to talk about it." he growls.

"alright, sorry. I've messed up okay? I get it. you're angry and I'm sorry... look-" Will starts. he turns to look at something behind him that Ironhide can't see. "its time for me to go. when you're ready to see me again you know where to find me." Will mutters, walking off. Ironhide watches him, knowing it wasn't time yet.

~~

Ironhide sits up, rubbing his head. his processor feels funny, probably from being invaded by Wills drunken presence. he's too angry to realize he's up way before normal, meaning Will had ended the dream early.

he grumbles immediately and gets up off the berth. he can't stand the thought of even looking at a sparkling right now. he heads for his room quickly. if he has to see Reflect right now while he's angry at Will, he'd probably end up doing something stupid and thats not what he wants at all. he doesn't want to hurt the sparkling, he knows they're the same, but that Reflect is a far more innocent version of Will, than Will actually is.

he marches out of the medbay quickly, moments before Reflect runs into the room to look for him.

"Ironhide?" Reflect asks, looking around. he frowns and turns to look behind him at Ratchet. the medic is tired, having clearly just gotten up. he sighs a little, frowning at Reflect.

"Reflect, sparkling, is there really no other way for you to get off the berth without stepping all over me? I wouldn't mind if you would refrain from stepping on my faceplates." Ratchet mutters. Reflect shakes his head.

"no. Reflect sleep between Ratchet and Jack. Reflect get out some how." Reflect mumbles, looking the room over. "where Hide?" Reflect asks, looking around before turning to look at Ratchet.

"he probably went for a cube." Ratchet mutters, stepping over the sparkling to head for his office. "give me a second to start up the medbay monitors and I'll take you to get one as well." Ratchet mutters.

"no Reflect go." Reflect says, walking out of the medbay. Ratchet shakes his head and sighs, letting him leave.

Reflect bounds down the hall towards the rec room, coming to a stop just outside the doors.

"hey little man, whats up?" Jazz smiles, scooping him up.

"want Hide, but need cube." Reflect frowns.

"well, how about we get you a cube and then, once you're done, I'll take you to Ironhide okay?" Jazz ask. Reflect nods immediately. Jazz smiles and takes him into the room, grabbing him a cube.

Reflect wastes no time chugging the cube, before squirming free.

"go! let go! see Hide!" Reflect pouts. Jazz laughs.

"hold on sparkling. Ironhides on the the range. come on." Jazz smiles, carries him off. carrying the sparkling will be impossible soon. Reflect nods and cuddles to him.

"go! go!" he squeals. Jazz chuckles and carries the sparkling outside. he pauses immediately. Ironhide seems absolutely pissed.

"hold on Reflect... I don't think Ironhide is safe to be around little one." Jazz murmurs. Reflect whines watching Ironhide blow up targets. he cursing angrily in Cybertronian.

"Ironhide!" Reflect shouts.

"get that fragging sparkling away from me!" Ironhide snaps.

"Ironhide-" Jazz tries.

"frag off!" Ironhide growls, refusing to look at them.

"come on Reflect." Jazz murmurs softly.

"but want Hide...." Reflect whimpers.

"well 'Hide' doesn't fucking want you!" Ironhide growls. Reflect whines quietly, curling up.

"well, you need to stay with Ratchet for a bit alright? Ironhide looks really upset. he might hurt you." Jazz murmurs, carrying him back into the base. Reflect whines and lets Jazz take him back to the medbay. Ratchet looks up from his datapad, cube in servo, confused.

"what are you doing with Jazz? how come you're not with Ironhide?" Ratchet asks, confused.

"Ironhides too angry to let the sparkling be around, so I'm bringing him back to you." Jazz says. Reflect sniffles, looking at Ratchet.

"hey squirt, c'mere." Ratchet murmurs, setting his stuff down. he gets up and walks over to the sparkling, scooping him up gently. "come here. its okay." Ratchet murmurs, holding him. Reflect curls up. "what happened with Ironhide?" Ratchet ask.

"no idea, but he's beyond fragged. he's so angry he screamed at me and sparkling." Jazz frowns.

"he screamed at the sparkling to leave him the hell alone."

Ratchet nods a little, cuddling him.

"thats alright Reflect. sometime bots have bad days. its okay. he's not angry at you." Ratchet assures, cuddling him. Reflect sniffles and cuddles up to him. "yeah its ok. its alright. we'll find something else to do today." Ratchet assures, waving Jazz off. the second in command, nods at him and walks off, leaving the medbay. Reflect curls up quietly in the medics arms. "you're getting too big to hold like this, you know that right?" Ratchet ask. Reflect glares at him.

"am not." he mumbles, cuddling the medic.

"I didn't say you were too big to hold, you're just getting too big to hold like this. you're already too big for Jazz, but I see he carried you anyway." Ratchet chuckles softly. Reflect pouts at him. "I know, at this rate you're gonna be taller than me and Wheeljack. hope not by much." Ratchet snorts.

"be tall like Hide." Reflect mumbles.

"probably. which isn't bad he's only half a foot taller than me." Ratchet frowns. "on the bright side Optimus could still carry you around." Ratchet offers. Reflect shoots him a dirty look, glaring. the medic snorts at him. "why don't you like Optimus?" Ratchet asks.

"Opmis never teach fly." Reflect grumbles. Ratchet chuckles at him.

"Optimus is a very busy Prime Reflect. he forgets things sometimes, but I bet if you went and reminded him he'd take time to help you." Ratchet assures.

"no. Opmis make do scary thing." Reflect mumbles, cuddling to him.

"that was a while ago Reflect. eventually you're going to be answering to Optimus. he's the Prime." Ratchet murmurs.

"I Prime too." Reflect grumbles, sticking his tongue out at the medic. "don't want Opmis." Reflect mumbles.

"I know he's scary to you, but you'll grow out of that. its okay. come on little one. lets go ask him." he smiles.

"Ratchet stay?" Reflect asks hesitantly.

"I'll stay as long as I can little one, but no promises. I am the bases only medic, little one, I have to be ready in case someone, like Wheeljack, needs me." Ratchet murmurs.

"Reflect need you." Reflect mumbles. Ratchet hugs him tighter, cuddling him carefully.

"and I will always be here for you, but I have to make sure everyone is cared for at the same time." Ratchet assures. Reflect nods a little, cuddling up to him.

"Prime."

"Ratchet?"

"you busy?"

"not currently. are you alright?"

"I'm fine. where are you?"

"I am in the rec room. can you tell me what this is about?"

Ratchet doesn't answer, simply carrying the sparkling that way.

"Ratchet?" Reflect asks.

"yes little one?" Ratchet ask.

"Hide angry today. yell at Jazz and Reflect." Reflect frowns.

"Ironhide has bad days. we all do. just leave him alone alright?" Ratchet ask. Reflect nods a little, cuddling up to him.

"Ironhide yell." Reflect murmurs.

"I know... but if we leave him alone everything will be alright." Ratchet assures gently. Reflect nods a little.

"Reflect want say sorry." Reflect murmurs.

"you didn't do anything Reflect. its not you. remember how we talked about this? Ironhide lost his bonded. sometimes he just gets into moods. he can't control it. it physically hurts him." Ratchet murmurs softly. he carries the sparkling into the rec room, where Optimus is sitting with a cube.

"Ratchet? Reflect? whats going on?" Optimus ask.

"you never remembered to teach Reflect to fly." Ratchet murmurs.

"you're right. I did forget. I'm sorry sparkling. I am not busy today, I can teach you now if you'd like." Optimus says, getting up. Reflect pulls back a little, looking up at Ratchet nervously. the medic puts him down gently.

"go on kiddo. he's offering to teach you now." Ratchet murmurs. Reflect looks up at Optimus hesitantly.

"would you like to learn?" Optimus ask. Reflect nods a little.

"please." Reflect murmurs.

"of course. come on. we'll go out on the range." Optimus smiles Reflect takes a step back.

"no. no. Hide angry." Reflect whines. Optimus looks confused, looking at Ratchet.

"what?" Optimus ask.

"Ironhides in a mood. yelled at the sparkling and Jazz." Ratchet explains. Optimus nods.

"well, then, we can go out front. that way Ratchet will be closer. it took me some time to get it right. you might fall and get hurt." Optimus murmurs. Reflect nods a little and reaches up for Ratchets servo.

"Ratchet come with." Reflect mumbles.

"of course sparkling." Ratchet smiles, taking his servo.

"Opmis no let fall." Reflect murmurs.

"I cannot control if you fall but I will do my best to keep you from hitting the ground." Optimus assures. Reflect shoots Ratchet a worried look and the medic snorts.

"I've got you squirt. no worries. one of us will catch you." he assures gently.

"we won't let you get hurt Reflect." Optimus assures. Reflect nods, clutching Ratchet servo, before shoving his free servo into his mouth. he gnaws on it silently, glad his sparkling sharp sparkling denta had fallen out already.

"don't do that. remember Reflect, we're not supposed to chew on our servos." Ratchet murmurs gently. "do you want me to have to fix you again?" Ratchet asks. Reflect shakes his head. "then don't chew on your servo squirt." Ratchet murmurs.

"Reflect Sorry." Reflect mumbles quietly, putting his servo down.

"its alright. now come on. you should be excited for this sparkling." Ratchet murmurs, smiling down at him. they step out of the base and can immediately hear Ironhide still firing his cannons and cursing.

"Hide really mad." Reflect mumbles.

"I know kiddo." Ratchet sighs.

"alright Reflect, ready to start?" Optimus asks, turning to the sparkling with a smile.

"Jack."

"Ratch?"

"start working on a jet pack for the squirt. I doubt these little engines will keep him flying for too long. Autobots weren't made to fly and I can just see him having a melt down as soon as he's too big for these things."

"already working on it. I had the same thought."

"be careful idiot."

"aww love you too Ratch!"

Ratchet nods to himself, optics carefully tracking the Prime and his sparkling. the Prime himself isn't flying, just yet, but is carefully holding onto the sparklings servos as he flies up closer to Optimus' height. he's chest height with the Prime currently.

"nice and easy Reflect. you're doing great." Optimus assures gently.

"Ratchet! hey! something just exploded in the lab!" Sideswipe shouts running over to them.

"damn it Jack, I just fragging told you to be careful! Prime, I'll be right back! don't hurt my sparkling!" Ratchet snaps, following Sideswipe inside.

"where go?" Reflect frowns.

"Wheeljack needs his help in the lab. he'll be back soon. you just focus on this." Optimus assures. Reflect nods a little, holding tightly to the Primes servos. "don't let go. I don't want you flying off, alright?" Optimus ask. Reflect nods and holds tighter to the Prime. he flinches at Ironhides loud cursing and Optimus frowns.

"Ironhide."

"what?"

"I am training with the sparkling, can you please quiet down some? or, perhaps, not use such vulgar language?"

"I'm training too Prime."

"really? because it seems you're very angry for some reason today and you have scared Reflect. I am asking you to calm down and take it easy."