So I was pumping out chapters because I was seriously worried about a friend of mine, but she's just messaged me today letting me know she was alright! so even though this chapter really has nothing to do with her or her situation, just know, this is dedicated to her, as a welcome back! I'm glad you're okay and you know who you are girl. stay strong, we love you, and don't ever be afraid to message me if you need help. I'm here for you. <3

"what are you doing in here sparkling? how did you get in here?" Optimus frowns, sitting up slowly. the sparkling lands in his lap frowning.

"Reflect crawl through vent." he shrugs. Optimus sighs.

"of course. what do you need little one?" Optimus ask.

"Reflect have important question." Reflect says.

"it must be very important if you had to come see me this early." Optimus murmurs.

"Reflect want no one else hear question. question for Opmis." Reflect says.

"whats your question little one?" Optimus ask.

"do Opmis see Will too?" Reflect ask. Optimus looks confused.

"what are you talking about?" Optimus ask. the sparklings Prime mark flashes.

"Reflect see Will." Reflect murmurs, pointing to his mark of the Primes. then he points at Optimus' own mark. "Opmis see too?" Reflect ask. Optimus frowns a little.

"yes little one, I've seen Will as well. Reflect do you see the past Primes sometimes?" Optimus ask. Reflect nods a little.

"see all time." Reflect says.

"I see and do they tell you anything?" Optimus asks. Reflect goes quiet for a moment, before frowning.

"scary things." Reflect mumbles.

"scary?" Optimus ask.

"like Sam. say Side kill Sam. Reflect save Sam." Reflect murmurs.

"yeah? do they tell you anything else scary?" Optimus ask.

"Reflect not like the scary things..." Reflect says softly.

"I know... I do not like them either sometimes." Optimus assures. "what else have they shown you Reflect?" Optimus ask. the sparkling goes quiet again, before looking up at the Prime tearfully.

"Ironhide gonna die." Reflect mumbles. Optimus frowns, hugging the sparkling gently.

"its alright. its alright Reflect. its okay." Optimus assures. "who told you that Reflect?" Optimus ask.

"Will." Reflect murmurs. Optimus frowns a little.

"Reflect, Will told you Ironhide was going to die?" Optimus ask. Reflect nods.

"he say told you too." Reflect says softly. Optimus frowns.

"yes he did. Ironhide will be alright. I promise Reflect. Ironhide will be okay." Optimus assures gently.

"okay..." Reflect murmurs, curling up to the Prime. Optimus holds him, frowning a little.

"its alright Reflect. we won't let Ironhide die. I know you'll help us keep him safe right?" Optimus ask.

"Reflect too little." he mumbles.

"no you're not. you're just big enough to help. we won't let anything happen to Ironhide. none of us will. Ironhide is our friend, our family. we will keep him safe, the same way we keep you safe." Optimus assures.

"okay." Reflect says quietly, dropping his head onto the Primes chest plates. he looks and sounds sleepy now that he has answers.

"are you ready to go back to bed?" Optimus ask. the sparkling nods silently.

"Ratchet, I have your sparkling."

"thank Primus! he woke me and Wheeljack up and raced off before we could find him."

"he had a question for me, he came to my room. you can come get him if you'd like."

"I'm on my way. I promise."

Optimus gets up off his berth holding the sparkling carefully. it doesn't take long for the medic to come after the sparkling.

"Reflect, hey little one. you can't just come and wake up Optimus. its late sparkling, I'm sure he was in recharge." Ratchet snorts, walking into the room.

"Reflect had question. had ask. no want anyone to hear, question for Opmis." Reflect mumbles, reaching for the medic. Ratchet takes him carefully and hods.

"so I hear, did you get an answer?" Ratchet ask. Reflect nods.

"Opmis no let Ironhide die." Reflect says. Ratchet looks at the Prime, Optimus frowns back at him.

"oh yeah?" Ratchet ask. Reflect nods.

"he had a question about the mark of the Primes, the Primes told him Ironhide was going to offline." Optimus frowns.

"we won't let that happen. you know that Reflect." Ratchet assures gently. "now come on little one." Ratchet murmurs. "its still very early and you have to get back to recharge or you'll be cranky, or worse, I'll be cranky." Ratchet mutters, carrying the sparkling out. Reflect cuddles up to him.

"Will says Ironhide gonna die." Reflect says softly. Ratchet holds the sparkling tighter.

"he told me that too little one." Ratchet sighs. "but its okay. you know I'd never let Ironhide die. you know that." Ratchet assures. Reflect nods. "I've put that mech back together more times than I can count. I'd never let him die. annoying and hateful as he maybe, Ironhide is one of my best and oldest friends, sparkling, I care very deeply for him. he is like a brother." Ratchet adds. Reflect nods and drops his head onto Ratchets shoulder, cuddling him.

"Ratchet?" Reflect ask.

"yes sparkling?" Ratchet ask.

"what Jack?" Reflect ask.

"what do you mean? he's an inventor." Ratchet murmurs.

"no. mean, Bee say Ratchet creator, what make Jack?" Reflect ask. Ratchet looks at him and smiles.

"well, that would make Wheeljack your carrier." Ratchet says. Reflect shakes his head.

"not carry Reflect. not carrier. Reflect spark sparked, no carry so no carrier." Reflect frowns. Ratchet looks at him, optic ridge raised.

"well, I guess that makes since, but what do you want to call him?" Ratchet ask.

"Reflect not know." Reflect frowns. "but not carrier. Reflect can't call Ratchet, creator with no name for Jack." Reflect adds.

"well, thats sweet of you to decide that squirt, but you don't have to call us that. you've been with us for almost 16 months squirt. you don't have to call us anything special." Ratchet murmurs. Reflect huffs, hugging his neck.

"you just as bad as Bee." Reflect grumbles. Ratchet chuckles a little.

"I'm sorry little one." Ratchet murmurs.

"Ratchet?" Reflect ask. the medic smiles.

"yes Reflect?" Ratchet ask.

"Reflect need cube." Reflect says.

"we'll get you one, I promise." Ratchet smiles.

"good cube. no sick cube." Reflect mumbles.

"yes we'll get you a good cube, not one of the ones that makes you sick." Ratchet assures. Reflect nods to himself and lets the medic carry him back to the medbay.

"where'd you find him?" Wheeljack ask.

"he went to see Optimus." Ratchet says.

"he wanted to visit with the Prime? at 3 AM?" Wheeljack asks.

"Reflect had important question." Reflect says.

"a question?" Wheeljack asks, almost in disbelief. "you had a question at 3AM that was so important you had to go wake Optimus?" Wheeljack asks.

"yes. no want anyone else hear." Reflect mutters. Wheeljack looks at Ratchet, probably looking for some answers, but Ratchet just shrugs a little.

"he went to see Optimus. I can't help you Jack." Ratchet says, grabbing the sparkling a cube. Reflect snatches it from him happily. "be nice Reflect." Ratchet mutters.

"well, did he at least get to talk to Optimus?" Wheeljack asks.

"yup. woke him up just to ask a few questions." Ratchet says.

"sparkling, your questions couldn't have waited?" Wheeljack asks, raising an optic ridge. Reflect shakes his head, shoving his empty cube at the inventor. they'd have to upgrade his size again soon, he'd basically just broken a record on drinking it.

"nope. Reflect needed know and now know." Reflect grins.

"well, I'm glad you got the answers you needed, but you should've waited until he was awake." Wheeljack chuckles.

"no, Reflect had make sure Opmis no let Ironhide die." Reflect says. Wheeljack looks confused, but Ratchet just shakes his head.

"yeah, and you know that not letting bots offline is my job. I won't let Ironhide offline. he'll be here a long while. I promise you that little one." Ratchet assures. Reflect nods a little and wiggles free from the medic.

"Reflect want see Ironhide." he announces.

"Reflect, do you know what time it is?" Ratchet ask.

"no." Reflect frowns. "Reflect can't tell time." he shrugs a little.

"its 4 AM. I can promise you this as well, if you wake Ironhide up, just to ask him if he's going to die, he'll probably end you and then I'd have to kill him for killing you and then Optimus would have to get onto me and then Wheeljack would get onto him and everything would just be one big mess, so why don't you wait until later when he's awake and then go see him?" Ratchet ask. Reflect pouts and huffs.

"fine. Reflect wait." he grumbles.

"good, now go back to sleep." Ratchet orders, carrying the sparkling off with him.

"but Reflect not tired." Reflect pouts.

"yes you are Reflect. you just don't realize it." Wheeljack chuckles, following behind them.

"no. I not tired." he pouts.

"you're getting some rest damn it." Ratchet says, laying down with him. Reflect pouts but curls up between Ratchet and Wheeljack, once the inventor lays down.

"get some rest, you will have all day tomorrow to see Ironhide." Wheeljack assures. Reflect huffs, but lets himself fall back into recharge.

Wheeljack and Ratchet both wake before the sparkling the next morning. Reflect is still snoring away between the two come 6AM. he's sound asleep and the two are hesitant to wake him, but they know to get up means to wake him and they can't just stay on their berth all day.

Wheeljack makes the first move to get up and Reflect is awake immediately. he jerks up between them and yawns.

"Ironhide?" Reflect yawns. the medic snorts and sits up.

"yes. go, go on. go find Ironhide." Ratchet says. Reflect jumps up and yawns, running off to find Ironhide.

he doesn't make it far outside of the medbay, before he slams into Ironhides leg.

"what the hell?" Ironhide grumbles, turning to look behind him. Reflect grins up at him, hugging the back of his leg tightly.

"Ironhide!" he grins. the mech grumbles and leans down, prying the sparkling off his leg. he lifts the sparkling up to his chestplates as he walks. the sparkling clings to him, whining, before he looks up at Ironhide. "Ironhide still hate Reflect?" Reflect asks hesitantly. Ironhide stops immediately, lifting the sparkling to his face, frowning.

"I've never hated you Reflect. ever. I was just having a bad day yesterday. I shouldn't have taken it out on you, I'm sorry little one." Ironhide assures, before hugging the sparkling gently. Reflect hugs his neck tightly.

"okay." he mumbles. he drops his head on the mechs shoulder, cuddling him. Ironhide rubs his back gently.

"its okay sparkling." Ironhide murmurs. Reflect cuddles into him happily, engine purring quietly.

"I see he found someone else to wake up." Optimus teases. Ironhide looks confused. Reflect chirps and turns his head to grin at Optimus.

"huh?" Ironhide ask.

"oh, he woke me up at 3 this morning to ask me some very important questions." Optimus snorts.

"didn't wake me up, but he did almost knock himself out on my leg." Ironhide grumbles. Optimus chuckles a little.

"hi Opmis." Reflect grins.

"hello little one." Optimus chuckles, patting his head gently.

"did he get good answers to his 3AM questions?" Ironhide muses.

"yes. he did, right before Ratchet came hunting for him." Optimus chuckles. Reflect drops his head back down onto Ironhide shoulder, grinning.

"well, at least he got his answers, must've been real important if he had to ask you that early." Ironhide snorts. Optimus nods, patting the sparklings head against gently.

"it was, well, I have some work to do. you be good today Reflect." Optimus murmurs, heading for his office.

"Reflect always good." Reflect huffs.

"thats a matter of opinion." Ironhide snorts, pulling the sparkling away from his chest and shifts him up onto his shoulders. "alright squirt, what first?" Ironhide ask.

"race!" Reflect squeals.

"a race? you want to race me?" Ironhide ask. the sparkling bounces excitedly as he nods.

"race!" he grins. Ironhide sighs a little.

"how about a race with Bumblebee?" Ironhide ask.

"no Reflect race Ironhide." Reflect says firmly.

"why me?" Ironhide ask.

"because Ratchet says Ironhide was an asshole to Reflect. Ironhide was an asshole to Reflect. so Reflect want race." Reflect frowns.

"watch your language." Ironhide frowns.

"Ironhide say not be asshole to Reflect?" Reflect asks. Jazz snickers and Ironhide shoots him a look that could kill.

"no, I don't deny I was an asshole to you Reflect. I was and I'm sorry, but I don't feel like racing." Ironhide frowns.

"well Reflect want race. if Ironhide be asshole, Reflect go find Bumblebee, or- Powl!" Reflect shouts, grinning at Prowl. the mech, walking past them towards his office, pauses and looks up at Reflect.

"Reflect?" he asks.

"Ironhide asshole! Powl race Reflect?" Reflect ask. Prowl stares at him a moment.

"I'm a little busy right now, how about a little later?" Prowl ask. Reflect grins.

"okay! Reflect get Powl later!" Reflect squeals. Prowl sighs a little, as if realizing what he's agreed to, and heads for his office.

"hey I thought we were spending time together?" Ironhide ask.

"Ironhide an asshole. no race." Reflect pouts.

"you can't just keep saying that sparkling." Ironhide frowns. "we don't have to race. we can do other things." Ironhide assures.

"Reflect not what 'other things', Reflect want race." Reflect pouts.

"how about we play a game?" Ironhide ask.

"Ironhide?" Reflect asks.

"yes little one?" Ironhide sighs.

"are you gonna die?" Reflect asks. Ironhide stops walking once more and pulls the sparkling down off his shoulders to look at him like he's grown a second head.

"excuse me?" Ironhide ask.

"is Ironhide gonna die? Reflect no want Ironhide die." Reflect says softly. Ironhide stares at him a moment, unsure what to do, before hugging him gently.

"why are you asking this question?" Ironhide asks.

"Reflect have dream.... no want Ironhide die." Reflect murmurs. the weapons specialist is at an utter loss for words. he's not sure what he can say to the little sparkling. eventually everyone dies, but Ironhide doesn't feel like he's about to drop dead or anything.

"no Reflect, I'm... I'm not going to die." Ironhide frowns, holding him carefully. "that is never something you should worry about anyway. Ratchet takes very good care of everyone you know that." Ironhide assures. Reflect nods a little and hugs him tightly.

"can Reflect tell Ironhide something? Ironhide promise not to be angry?" Reflect asks.

"sure little one. I promise." Ironhide murmurs.

"Reflect see Will in spark spark... with not Opmis, Primes." Reflect says quietly. Ironhide tenses a little.

"yeah....?" he asks hesitantly. "he say anything?" Ironhide ask.

"Will say, don't trust him." Reflect murmurs. the mech immediately stiffens. the same three words had haunted his dreams last night. "but he not say who not trust." Reflect adds, looking confused.

"he told me that too kiddo..." Ironhide murmurs. they both jump at a loud alarm.

"Autobots, Decepticons spotted near town! roll out!" Optimus shouts.

"shit... here! go to Sunstreaker, Ironhide has to go." Ironhide says, shoving the sparkling at the bright yellow twin. the golden mech is on medical leave cause by a glitch in his programming that randomly caused him to lose his sight or hearing for short periods of time, and won't be allowed out to fight anyway.

"no! Reflect want Ironhide! Ironhide!!!!" Reflect screams after him.

"hey hey, its okay, I'm sure we can have some fun here." Sunstreaker assures.

"you get left behind too?" Prowl asks. both look over.

"what are you doing here?" Sunstreaker asks. Prowl shrugs.

"I was told I wasn't going to be needed." Prowl says.

"Ironhide threw him at me." Sunstreaker frowns.

"Powl race now?" Reflect asks, looking at Prowl. Prowl frowns and sighs.

"yeah sure. come on." he mutters.

"I'll be the finish line... just in case my sight randomly goes again." Sunstreaker frowns.

"sounds like a great idea, if you don't mind probably getting run over by a sparkling." Prowl frowns. Reflect squirms from Sunstreakers lap and takes Prowls servo.

"he wouldn't run me over Prowl. he's not an asshole like some people." Sunstreaker scoffs.

"like Ironhide." Reflect says. Prowl raises an optic ridge at Reflect but scoffs back at Sunstreaker without missing a beat.

"keep talking and I may just be the asshole who runs you over." Prowl smirks.

"Sun-Sun no see. give servo." Reflect says, reching for the yellow twins servo.

"Sunstreaker." Sunstreaker corrects him. Reflect looks confused.

"Sneaker." Reflect ask, confused.

"no Sunstreaker." Sunstreaker says, taking his servo.

"Sneaker." Reflect repeats.

"fine. Sun-Sun is fine." Sunstreaker grumbles.

"Sun-Sun!" Reflect squeals, pulling him and Prowl. or at least trying. Prowl looks tired but follows him, while Sunstreaker looks annoyed. "c'mon Powl, Sun-Sun. walk too slow." Reflect huffs.

"we have to walk slower Reflect, remember, Sunstreaker can't see very well." Prowl chids.

"oh yeah." Reflect frowns. "Reflect sorry." Reflect murmurs.

"its alright." Sunstreaker says, letting the sparkling pull him.

the Autobots are tired, bleeding, injured, and some are even a little angry when they arrive back at the base, but they all come to a stop seeing Prowl and Reflect racing around. Sunstreaker is sitting at the edge of the firing range, flag in servo.

Prowl is clearly not going full speed, Reflect is in front of him, but the TIC isn't taking it too easy on the sparkling. he moves to speed up, but this clearly isn't the first time, because the sparkling immediately swerves in front of him. Prowl slows quickly, probably having not expected the move. if he hadn't slowed, he'd have run over the sparkling. the little sparkling wasn't very fast, but he was smart. of course he'd find a way to beat the bigger mech.

Reflect was smarter than they gave him credit for most of the time. he was still a sparkling and, by nature, sparklings did stupid things, but he was very smart. he knew that Prowl would be more likely to slow down, instead of swerving out of his way, because the mech was a cautious mech. swerving could mean losing control and hurting himself or Reflect and not slowing down definately meant hurting Reflect.

the sparkling speeds past Sunstreaker first, immediately transforming and laughing at Prowl.

"Reflect win!" Reflect squeals. Prowl transforms and scoffs.

"Reflect cheated." Prowl huffs.

"Reflect not cheat! Powl not set no rules! no rules, no cheat!" Reflect grins. Prowl scoffs.

"what are you two doing?" Ratchet frowns, transforming. Reflect perks up immediately.

"Ratchet!!!" Reflect squeals, running over as fast as he can. the medic hisses in pain when the mechling slams into him. "Ratchet okay?" Reflect whimpers.

"I'm okay little one. what are you doing?" Ratchet frowns.

"Powl race Reflect!" Reflect grins.

"he was bored. I didn't want a tantrum." Prowl shrugs.

"Reflect won!" Reflect giggles.

"you could've ran my sparkling over." Ratchet frowns.

"you know I wouldn't have done that. I would've transformed and jumped over him or swerved out of the way. I wouldn't have hit him." Prowl assures gently.

"Ratchet hurt." Reflect whimpers, hugging his neck.

"no little one. I'm okay. but I do need to work on several others." Ratchet murmurs, hugging him.

"I'll keep him for a bit." Bumblebee says, transforming. Sam ends up on his shoulder, the teen just lets it happen these days. he knows Bumblebee knows how to transform around him without hurting him. "I've got Sam, but he's got homework." Bumblebee pouts.

"college is hard Bee. I'm sorry." Sam sighs.

"Reflect stay with Bee." Reflect says, reaching for the scout. Bumblebee takes him smiling.

"good. stay with him. anyone who is injured needs to get to the medbay now. minor injuries stay out of the way. Prime is first, I need to fix the rest of his chestplates and spark chamber before something cuts through his spark. Ironhide you're the next bad, keep putting pressure on that, I'll stop that leak before I start on Optimus, but then I'll fix you up." Ratchet says. the group nods and heads inside.

"what college?" Reflect ask.

"its school for humans. its where we learn." Sam explains. Reflect nods a little.