Ironhide believed Will, of course. Will was the sparkling after all, but he couldn't actually believe a human soldier would hurt the sparkling. Ironhide was going to find out who it was, and when he did, they were dead!

"we'll get you a cube and you be quiet okay? don't say anything to anyone. I will take care of this, alright?" Ironhide ask. Reflect nods at him.

"okay." Reflect murmurs. Ironhide pats his head gently and carries him to the rec room for a cube.

"hey buddy." Wheeljack smiles walking over to them. the sparklings immediately done with Ironhide, reaching for the inventor.

"Jack!" Reflect squeals.

"traitor." Ironhide snorts.

"my Jackie!" Reflect huffs, sticking his tongue out at the black mech.

"you're gonna have to take that up with Ratchet. I was his Jackie first." Wheeljack snorts, head panels flashing in amusement.

"you better put that back before I take it." Ironhide warns. Reflects face falls and he looks at Ironhide. "I'm joking squirt. don't be so tender sparked." Ironhide snorts, patting the sparklings head. Reflect giggles a little at him and Ironhide smiles, walking off to get him a cube.

"cube." Reflect whines at Wheeljack.

"right right, I'm going." Wheeljack assures. he grabs a cube and gives it to his sparkling. Reflect sucks it down happily, looking around the room. he whines quietly, curling up in Wheeljacks arms when he sees the soldiers from yesterday. "whats wrong Reflect?" Wheeljack ask. Reflect curls up more, leaning his head on the mechs chest plates. he doesn't answer, Ironhide had said to stay quiet.

"Reflect?" Ironhide ask, looking over. Reflect curls up, drinking his cube, but meets Ironhides optics. the bigger mech seems to understand, nodding before walking off with his cube. he looks angry and determined.

"Hide go bye bye." Reflect murmurs.

"yeah I know that." Wheeljack chuckles, watching Ironhide go. "here finish your cube." Wheeljack murmurs. Refelct chirps happily taking the cube back. they head towards the medbay, where Ratchets waiting for them. Reflect immediately whines and squirms, knocking the cube from Wheeljacks servo. it shatters on the ground immediately.

"easy kiddo. we're not doing any work on you today alright?" Ratchet assures gently.

"no work." Reflect whines.

"no work. right. its okay." Ratchet assures. "but the human soldiers will be having a party okay? we just don't want you to get hurt out there." Ratchet adds.

"no want stuck in medbay." Reflect pouts.

"its just for a little bit." Wheeljack assures. "besides I brought all your markers in here, so you can draw as much as you want." he smiles.

"and while you're drawing, we're going to fic up the medbay so we can turn it into a track for you to drive around. okay? if you get bored of that too, we'll turn on a movie. okay? we're gonna keep you busy." Ratchet assures, rubbing his head.

"alright you sit here and draw okay, I've got to clean the glass and energon up off the floor." Wheeljack murmurs.

"my cube." Reflect pouts.

"I'll get you another one." Ratchet assures. he heads out of the medbay quickly.

"Reflect sorry." he mumbles.

"its alright squirt, you were just scared." Wheeljack assures. "its not fun getting worked on all the time and we're sorry we have to do that, but today we just want you to be happy and have some fun with us." Wheeljack smiles. Reflect watches him clean up then turns to go to his markers. he pauses seeing a large box.

"what box?" Reflect asks, looking over at Wheeljack.

"oh! oh! I forgot we got those." Wheeljack grins, headfins flashing excitedly. "it took her a while, its been bit since we got the Ironhide one." Wheeljack says. he walks over to the box and dumps it out.

"Ratchet!" Reflect squeals, grabbing the toy. "Jack!" he grins, dropping the Ratchet toy to grab the Wheeljack on. "where Ironhide?" Reflect asks, looking at Wheeljack.

"I'll find him, here you sit and draw okay? I'll go find Ironhide." Wheeljack assures, patting his head. Reflect nods, cuddling the two toys happily.

"don't touch my Jack." Reflect glares, pulling his toys away quickly.

"sorry. sorry." Wheeljack laughs, heading out of the medbay. Reflect sets the two plushes up and starts drawing happily. he doesn't bother looking up when the doors open.

"hey squirt. I see Wheeljack gave you the toys." Ratchet snorts. he sets the sparkling cube down and walks over, picking up the Wheeljack toy.

"MINE! MY JACK! HE MINE GIVE BACK!" Reflect screams, glaring.

"okay! okay! sorry." Ratchet laughs, putting the toy back down. he pats the sparklings head. "I didn't mean to upset you. he's cute." Ratchet snorts. Reflect pouts and reaches over to sit the Wheeljack plush back up.

"no slouch." Reflect murmurs.

"okay he won't slouch, sorry." Ratchet snorts. Reflect nods and goes back to his drawing. "where'd Wheeljack go?" Ratchet asks.

"find Ironhide." Reflect says.

"Jack, did you fine Ironhide?"

"still looking, any ideas?"

"check Primes office. thats the last place I saw it."

"thanks Ratchet."

"Jack find Ironhide?" Reflect asks, looking up.

"he's still looking." Ratchet says. "what are you drawing little one?" Ratchet asks, leaning over to look.

"mine! no look! no look!" Reflect shouts, waving an uncapped marker at him. "Reflect draw on Ratchet. don't look!" Reflect pouts.

"alright I'm sorry I won't look." Ratchet assures, pulling back. "but I would like to spend some time with you." Ratchet says. Reflect looks up at him, thinking a moment, before getting up. he reaches for Ratchet. "what? I thought you were drawing." Ratchet ask.

"hug." Reflect whines. Ratchet picks him up and hugs him tightly. Reflect hugs him happily, cuddled up to his chestplates. he pulls his head back to look at Ratchet.

"Ratchet draw?" Reflect ask.

"yeah, I'll draw with you." Ratchet assures gently. he sits on the berth with him, putting the sparkling down gently.

Wheeljack finally returns an hour later with the Ironhide toy in servo.

"found it. he was in the Twins room of all places." Wheeljack snorts.

"Ironhide!!" Reflect squeals, dropping his marker to jump up and grab the toy.

"and of course Ironhide is still the favorite." Ratchet teases.

"party over? want cube. watch tv with Jazz?" Reflect ask.

"parties over if you're alright with that." Wheeljack says.

"yeah go on kiddo." Ratchet smiles putting him down. Reflect reaches a servo out. "what?" Ratchet ask.

"want Ratchet and Jack. give." Reflect pouts. Ratchet laughs and hands the two toys down.

"okay go have fun." Ratchet murmurs. Reflect squeals, holding all three toys and running off.

Reflect runs happily to the rec room, setting his toys down. he looks around but theres no Autobots in the room. there is, however, a new soldier he's never seen along with the four from yesterday, Reflect gets up meet him. it was Ratchet and Wheeljacks idea to greet everyone, they wanted him comfortable around humans. Reflect walks over to him confused.

"hey leave him alone. he doesn't want you near him." one of the soldier growls. Reflect looks over at him, then back to the soldier he doesn't know, and slowly back away. he turns back to his drawing quietly. the mystery soldier glares at the other.

"hey shut the hell up. the Autobots said he's their version of a baby. leave him alone. geez he's just curious." the soldier scoffs. Reflect smiles a little, but doesn't get up form the floor. he decides its safer to just draw.

it had been a mistake to be in the rec room without a mech with him. Reflect doesn't even know what he did. he thinks he might've spilt one of the soldiers drinks, but he's not sure. four of the soldiers are yelling and screaming at him suddenly. the sparklings curled up on the floor, trying to push away from them, terrified. he can barely pay attention, its not until a bottle is smashed in his face, optic shattering immediately on the impact. he screams immediately, holding his face, and running off out of the rec room.

Ironhide can't wait any longer, he should've stepped in when they started screaming at the sparkling, but he'd wanted solid evidence. now he storms into the room, angry steam huffing from his nose and his cannons spinning.

"YOU DARE PUT YOUR HANDS ON THE SPARKLING!?" Ironhide shouts. his cannons are firing up and pointing at the humans. "YOU THINK WE WILL LET THIS JUST HAPPEN ON OUR BASE!?" Ironhide shouts.

"h-hey! put your cannons away! Optimus said no harming humans!" one of the soldiers shouts.

"Optimus? you think Optimus would be okay with you hurtingt he sparkling!?" Ironhide snaps.

"get out of my way." Ratchet growls, lowly. he shoves the weapons specialist out of his way. Ironhide stumbles a little, but side steps out of the way, cannons still pointed at the soldiers. the medics optics are a bright red and he's struggling to hold himself back. these humans were so scared of Ironhide, but no one had pushed the medic like this before. "YOU THINK YOU CAN JUST HURT MY SPARKLING?" Ratchet growls. Reflects hugging Ratchets leg tightly, whining. Ratchet doesn't even wait, he grabs all four humans and he's not even attempting to be gentle with them. he's injuring them and doesn't care. the medic whips around to glare at Ironhide.

"I'll grab Epps, meet in Primes office." Ironhide growls. he knows he can't kill these four, he wants to, but knows he can't. the medic storms out, Reflect still clinging to his leg. Ironhide storms to Epps office, Wills old office, and throws the door open. Epps nearly jumps out of his chair.

"Ironhide? hey man, whats going on? you look pissed..." Epps frowns. "oh no what did my guys do now?" he asks hesitantly. Ironhide doesn't speak, he just walks over and grabs Epps. "h-hey!" Epps yelps. at least the mech is careful with him. "this is kidnap!" Epps glares.

"shut the hell up before you end up on the other end of my cannon with your idiot soldiers!" Ironhide snaps. Epps goes quiet, looking scared.

Ironhide storms into Optimus' office, glaring. Optimus is standing awkwardly behind his desk, the four soldiers standing on his desk. Ratchet is huffing angry steam, arms crossed over his chest. Wheeljacks standing at the back of the room, arms crossed as well, and glaring at the soldiers. Reflect is hiding behind Ratchets leg, dripping energon all over the floor. Ironhide drops Epps on the desk, but is careful to make sure he's not hurt. Optimus looks around. Ironhide leans against the door, blocking it. his cannons are still spinning.

"would someone like to tell me whats going on here?" Optimus ask.

"I wanna know too." Epps frowns. immediately the soldiers start arguing, Ratchet and Ironhide are shouting at all four soldiers angrily.

"ENOUGH." Optimus orders after a few minutes. the room immediately goes quiet. "Ratchet why don't you start? you seem pretty angry." Optimus frowns.

"THOSE FOUR SLAGGERS HURT MY SPARKLING!" Ratchet snaps.

"we did not!" one of the soldiers shouts back.

"YOU'RE LUCY I DIDN'T LET IRONHIDE BLOW YOU IDIOTS INTO A FUCKING CRATOR!" Ratchet growls.

"Private Lake. silence." Epps orders. the soldier frowns.

"Ratchet, watch yourself." Optimus warns. "what happened?" he ask.

"I don't know. I just know they hurt him." Ratchet growls.

"they hit him with bottles." Ironhide growls.

"how the fuck could you know what did or didn't happen? eh? why don't you just fuck off!" a second soldier growls.

"Private Williams!" Epps glares.

"Ironhide, you cannot just-" Optimus starts.

"I have proof. I saw it." Ironhide frowns. the soldiers look over.

"you weren't there. there was nothing to see!" Private Lake growls. Ironhide smirks at the man, activating his holoform. the mystery soldier from before appears.

"actually I was. he is me." Ironhide snorts. he sends the file to the other three Autobots in the room. he shuts his holoform off glaring around the room.

"I see and where is Reflect?" Optimus asks. Ratchet motions to his leg.

"hiding." Ratchet frowns. Reflect peeks out with his good optic, before hiding behind Ratchets leg again.

"Reflect." Optimus murmurs gently. the sparkling whines, but leans back out. "come on out here. nothing will happen. I promise." Optimus assures gently. Reflect shakes his head.

"its alright Reflect." Ratchet assures, patting his head gently. Reflect hids behind Ratchets leg again with a whine. "its okay, come on our Reflect." Ratchet murmurs.

"no." Reflect whimpers.

"Reflect please, come on out and show us what happened, its okay." Optimus murmurs.

"no!" Reflect cries, hugging the back of Ratchets leg tighter.

"be careful, don't get your fingers pinched, come on Reflect. you know while we're right here they won't hurt you." Ratchet assures.

"we didn't hurt him to begin with!" Lake shouts.

"this is stupid! why the fuck are we even here?" Williams shouts.

"this is bullshit we ain' done nothin'!" the third soldier shouts.

"come the fuck on! he's a fucking baby! we didn't hurt him!" the fourth shouts.

"all of you need to shut up!" Epps glares. Reflect whines. all the humans are screaming at each other and Ratchet looks ready to join them.

"alright, I've had enough." Ironhide growls. he immediately points a cannon at the four soldiers.

"hey! hey! woah!" Lake shouts.

"ey man! put that shit away!" Epps says.

"Ironhide!" Optimus warns.

"Shut the hell up! all of you!" Ironhide growls, glaring around the room. the room goes quiet, his cannon is active and no one wants to set the mech off even more. Ironhide looks at the sparkling. Reflect is watching him with his good optic."okay Reflect. go ahead. come on out. they move and I swear to Primus they won't move again." Ironhide promises. Reflect heistantly steps out after a few moments. he's dripping energon everywhere. his optic is shatters and just pouring energon.

"alright see, that shit didn't happen on its own Prime." Ratchet growls.

"Ratchet. it takes considerable force to break an optic like that. are you sure the humans could do that?" Optimus ask.

"Reflect came screaming to me and told me the humans had hurt him." Ratchet glares. "you calling him a liar?" Ratchet growls.

"I am!" Lake snaps.

"Lake! final chance soldier. shut the hell up." Epps orders.

"I sent you the footage Prime. I have no problems projecting it on the wall." Ironhide growls. Optimus frowns a little and looks at Reflect.

"Reflect, can you show us which human hit you?" Optimus ask. Reflect whines, pulling back.

"do you really have to do this to him? can't you just watch the fragging file?" Wheeljack snaps.

"Wheeljack you know we have to." Optimus says gently.

"he's not going to point at any of us. we didn't fucking do anything." Williams mutters. Ironhide fires up his cannon slowly.

"easy Ironhide." Optimus says gently.

"Reflect, I promise you little one, I will absolutely kill any of these idiots, the moment they move. they won't come near you." Ironhide assures Reflect gently. he nods at the sparkling. "s'alright." Ironhide assures gently.

"Reflect no see." Reflect mumbles.

"you didn't see or you can't see?" Ratchet ask.

"he just said he didn't see." Lake glares.

"no one of you idiots broke his optic and he's been bleeding out in this fucking office! of course he can't fucking see!" Ratchet growls.

"easy Ratch." Wheeljack murmurs.

"if you cannot see right now Reflect, but you know who it is, show us." Optimus murmurs. Reflect looks around a moment, before doing something the humans never expected. he mimics Private Lake.

"oh what the fukc is this bullshit!?" Lake shouts angrily.

"there Optimus you have your accusation. I need to get him to the medbay and get him fixed up." Ratchet says, scooping up the sparkling. Reflect immediately drops the mimic and curls up in the medics arms.

"right go on." Optimus says. Ratchet turns to Ironhide.

"go grab his toys and stuff from the rec room." the medic mutters. Ironhide nods moving out of his way, before following him out of the room. Wheeljack doesn't move for a minute. he storms towards the desk gets in the soldiers face and huffs angry steam at them.

"you disgusting little flesh bags are the reason my sparkling is so scared of humans aren't you? you're lucky Prime is right there or I'd stomp on you so hard, you'd get to see Will again." Wheeljack snaps. he storms out.

Ratchet cuddles Reflect gently, holding him to his chest.

"come on, we're going to get you fixed up." Ratchet assures, laying the sparkling on a berth gently. "its going to be alright." Ratchet murmurs. Reflect whimpers quietly. "I know buddy. I know." Ratchet murmurs.

"gottem." Ironhide mutters, walking in. he lays the toys on the berth with the sparkling, who grabs the Wheeljack toy immediately. he's the only one not in there and he wants the comfort of his three favorite bots, but Ratchet grabs the toy quickly.

"hold on. I know you want Wheeljack, but why don't you hold this one instead. Ironhides black and you won't ruin him with the energon like you will Wheeljack. he's all white, you'll ruin it." Ratchet says gently. Reflect nods and lets the medic swap out the toys.

"hey thats alright, I'm better then them aren't I?" Ironhide grins. Reflect giggles. "Jacks gonna go outside and cool off, so you're stuck with me." Ironhide smirks, sitting on another berth. "and when you're done with him I've got him a cube." Ironhide adds. Ratchet nods.

"okay." Ratchet murmurs. he starts working on the sparkling, talking to him gently the whole time.

Reflect quiet. he doesn't squirm he just sits and lets Ratchet work on him. its unusual for the sparkling. once Ratchet finishes, he sits the sparkling up gently.

"Ironhide why were you in there watching in the first place?" Ratchet asks. Ironhide frowns.

"something didn't line up. Reflect hasn't even tried to get on the couch since he fell off that one time and broke the table. something just didn't sit right with me." Ironhide frowns. "he's a smart sparkling." Ironhide adds, looking at the sparkling. Reflect whines, rubbing at his face.

"easy Reflect." Ratchet murmurs, pushing his servo away gently. "let Ironhide give you a cube and then we'll take you to the racks and get you all cleaned up." Ratchet assures gently.

"then hold Jack?" Reflect asks, cuddling his Ironhide plush.

"yes of course, then I will give you Jack." Ratchet assures. Reflect nods and lets Ratchet move him over to Ironhide. the mech shifts on the berth and settles Reflect in his lap. Reflect cuddles into him, gripping the sides of the cube but letting Ironhide hold it up for him.

"spoiled little sparkling aren't you?" Ironhide snorts.

"huh?" Ratchet ask.

"he won't eat if someone else isn't holding him and the cube." Ironhide snorts.

"leave him alone, he likes to cuddle Ironhide." Ratchet frowns. "plus he's used to it." Ratchet shrugs. Reflect cuddles into Ironhide, little engine purring quietly. "he might snuggle down and settle in for a nap." Ratchet adds, patting Reflects head.

"no napping yet. gotta get you all cleaned up. you're covered in energon still." Ironhide snorts. Reflect pouts a little.

"don't pout little one. you'll get your nap, okay, I promise, but a quick wash first." Ratchet murmurs. Reflect clicks at him around the cube. Ironhide rubs his cheek.

"I got the squirt, why don't you check on Wheeljack?" Ironhide offers. Ratchet nods and heads out of the medbay.

Ironhide feeds the sparkling the cube, then showers him, before giving him the Wheeljack plush. Reflects curled up snoring in his arms when Ratchet comes back with Wheeljack.

"you two alright?" Ironhide ask.

"yeah." Ratchet assures. Wheeljacks silent, walking over and grabbing the sparkling before storming off to his and Ratchets room. "he's just upset about what happened and angry you didn't step in before he was hurt." Ratchet frowns.

"I wanted to, trust me, I wanted to, but I couldn't. I had to wait." he frowns.

"I know that and he does too, he's just upset." Ratchet says. "did you get him cleaned up?" Ratchet ask.

"oh yeah. cube finished, sparkling clean. he's fine. he was in stasis before he even finished the cube." Ironhide assures. "and the washracks and dryer, didn't even wake him." Ironhide snorts. Ratchet chuckles a little.

"sounds about right." Ratchet smiles. Ironhide gets up.

"go on. stay with your family." Ironhide smirks, walking out of the medbay. Ratchet heads to his and Wheeljacks room.

"hey Jack, you alright?" Ratchet ask softly.

"no. human soldiers hurting our sparkling. they're supposed to be on our side." Wheeljack says. he's angry but he's trying to keep from waking the sparkling. he curled up quietly on Wheeljacks chest, snoring. he's got the Wheeljack plush clutched to him. "our sparkling.... right under our noses." Wheeljack murmurs.

"I know it hurts. I'm sorry." Ratchet murmurs.

"why didn't Ironhide step in? why didn't he do something?" Wheeljack ask.

"Jack, you know he did what he had to do." Ratchet assures gently. he lays with the other, gently holding them. "why don't you take a nap alright? everything is alright." Ratchet murmurs. Wheeljack nods and cuddles up to him.

Ratchet isn't sure when he fell into stasis, but he wakes to a small servo patting his face. he shifts and onlines his optics.

"squirt?" Ratchet mutters. Reflect giggles. "hey where's Wheeljack?" Ratchet murmurs.

"Reflect wake up and he gone." Reflect frowns. Ratchet nods, sitting up. he scoops the sparkling up carefully.

"Opmis look for Ratchet." Reflect says.

"yeah? okay well, lets go see what he wants." Ratchet murmurs. Reflect nods, cuddling him. "you want the Ironhide toy?" Ratchet ask. Reflect looks at the Wheeljack plush in his arms.

"want all." Reflect pouts.

"all of them?" Ratchet snorts. he shakes his head and picks up the other two, giving them to the sparkling.

"mine!" Reflect squeals.

"yes, yours." Ratchet murmurs. he carries the sparkling out of the medbay and to Optimus' office. he doesn't even knock, just enters. "Prime?" Ratchet ask. Optimus looks up.

"Ratchet, hey, I already let Wheeljack know, but those soldiers have been taken care of appropriately and will no longer be seen on base. according to human laws what they've done is considered child abuse." Optimus says.

"so what they were moved to a different base?" Ratchet ask.

"they've been arrested." Optimus says. "by military police." he adds.

"good! serves them fucking right! hurt my sparkling like that." Ratchet murmurs, shifting Reflect gently.

"yeah! no hurt Reflect!" Reflect glares. Optimus smiles at him.

"they've been taken care of. I promise. they won't be back." he assures.

"good. thank you Prime." Ratchet nods. the Prime nods at him and watches him go. "see? you'll never have to see them again." Ratchet murmurs. Reflect cuddles up to him. "I know it was hard earlier, but I really am proud of you." Ratchet murmurs. Reflect chirps and cuddles up to him. "we all are little one. you did a great job." Ratchet smiles. Reflect cuddles him happily.

"cube?" Reflect asks.

"yeah, we're going that way." Ratchet assures. he carries the sparkling into the rec room, smiling.

"hey look there's Reflect he can settle the debate." Sideswipe smirks. Ratchet pauses as the twins walk over to him.

"what do you slagheads want?" Ratchet frowns.

"okay Reflect, whose better? me or Sunny?" Sideswipe ask.

"don't fragging call me Sunny." Sunstreaker snaps. Reflect looks between them.

"leave him alone, he's had a hard day." Ratchet snaps.

"oh come on, just let him pick which of us is better." Sideswipe says. Ratchet growls at them.

"okay Reflect which one of these two idiots do you like more?" Ratchet grumbles. Reflect looks between them.

"come on kid, pick." Sunstreaker chuckles. Reflect looks between them, before someone else catches his attention.

"Bumblebee!" Reflect squeals, reaching for the scout.

"hey not fair, you have to pick betweem us." Sideswipe pouts. Bumblebee looks over and smiles, walking over to them.