"he didn't want you squeezing him while he was eating Bee." Sam chuckles. Reflect whines shifting his cube into one arm and walking away. he likes to be held when he eats, mostly for the fact he's used to it. Sunstreaker is sitting in the rec room, polishing his armor, but he looks like the perfect person to cave and hold him while Bumblebee and Sam are discussing things. Reflect walks over to Sunstreaker and looks up whining. Sunstreaker looks up from his arm, confused.

"what? what do you want kid?" he asks.

"hold." Reflect whines. Sunstreaker raises an optical ridge.

"what? why would I do that?" Sunstreaker ask. the sparkling whines at him, pouting.

"please?" Reflect asks.

"why should I?" Sunstreaker asks. the sparkling whines at him again, pouting up at him, clearly upset. Sunstreaker grumbles and puts his polish cloth down, before picking up the sparkling.

"fine." Sunstreaker mutters. he sits back and holds the sparkling looking annoyed. Reflect chirps at him happily, cuddling into him and drinking his cube happily. "fraggin' sparkling." Sunstreaker mumbles.

"guess you took to long. he found someone else to hold him." Sam laughs, looking over. Bumblebee looks over.

"oh, well... at least he's happy! look at his little wings fluttering." Bumblebee grins. Sam rolls his eyes, chuckling. "he's always the cutest." Bumblebee murmurs.

"he is a happy little guy." Sam smiles.

"I can't believe he convinced Sunny to pick him up while he was working on his armor." Bumblebee chuckles. Sunstreakers head immediately snaps over, glaring at Bumblebee.

"don't fragging call me Sunny." Sunstreaker mutters. Reflect looks over at them, setting his empty cube down, before jumping down and wondering off. "hey! I'm not a trash can! you used me!" Sunstreaker growls. Reflect turns and grins at him, before continuing to walk off. they were great and all but he wants Ironhide. he really wants to see Ironhide, he needs to check on him.

he wonders off towards Ironhides room, before pausing. the security room door is open. he's never been allowed in there, human or sparkling. he looks around carefully, before walking into the room. he wonders in slowly, looking around, before his optics settle on a bundle of wires.

oh you guys have got to be joking. this cannot be the way I get injured. you guys are joking right?

he stares at the wires before groaning to himself, the overwhelming urge to chew on them is something he's absolutely never felt before.

you bastards are going to kill me. I'm a grown man in a little childs body! I can't chew on wires! I'm literally about to reveal myself as an adult human man!

his body seems to disagree.

I cannot believe you bastards. at least tell me which one isn't going to kill me.

Reflect, of course, gets no answer. he never does as long as he's awake. he grumbles to himself and walks over to the bundle of wires.

alright, I can't believe I'm doing this, I feel stupid.

despite the fact he knows he shouldn't, and normally wouldn't, he chomps down on the wire hard. it doesn't do anything so he groans.

I'm literally almost 50 years old and I'm chewing on a wire like I'm an infant... I mean technically right now I am, but this is ridiculous.

Ironhide walks into the rec room, looking around.

"hey scout, where's sparkling?" Ironhide ask.

"he wondered off after having a cube." Bumblebee says.

"wondered off? you let him wonder? he's just had an update he needs optics on him for 24 hours." Ironhide frowns. "Reflect!" Ironhide shouts, looking around. he turns to head out of the rec room but there's a loud pop and a crack and the power goes out.

"powers out. I've never seen that here before." Sam says, looking at Bumblebee. immediately all Autobots have their headlights turned on looking around.

Autobots, any one know what has happened to the power?

Optimus concerned voice filters through Bumblebee's speakers, the mech hadn't put his com on private, he left it open.

main power grid is in the security room Prime, I'll check it out, could be a Con.

Ironhide turns and heads out of the room.

what out for humans! and the sparkling!

yes Ratchet we're not idiots.

"don't be rude Sunny." Bumblebee glares.

Ratchet! medical emergency in the security room! some idiot left the door open and the sparkling got in! I think he chewed on a wire!

Sam looks up quickly.

"what? Reflect chewed on a wire?" Sam asks shocked.

"he is a sparkling, it's probably the update glitching out." Bumblebee says.

sparkling took a hell of a shock too Ratch powers out across the entire base, not even the human living areas have power.

Jazz' words aren't reassuring for the sparklings safety.

Ratchet runs full speed into the security room, the emergency lights are on by the time the medic gets there, Wheeljack following behind. they can see a clear bite taken out of one of the wires. the sparklings frame is twitching and sparking with left over electricity. he seems awake, sort of, and partially aware. he doesn't move though, he seems like he's about to fall unconscious.

"spicey." Reflect whines quietly.

"yeah I bet it was. don't move." Ratchet frowns, kneeling beside him.

"well, he's definitely your sparkling, probably got that from you." Ironhide mutters.

"what do you mean?" Wheeljack asks.

"Sams backyard. Ratchet knows what I mean." Ironhide snorts.

"fuck off Ironhide." Ratchet snaps angrily. the sparklings head twitches, his optics fading off. "alright the excess electricity is dying out. that means his system is still sort of working properly. lets get him out of here." Ratchet murmurs, scooping the sparkling up. it shocks him hard, but his systems handle it better than the sparklings and he refuses to drop his sparkling.

he and Wheeljack run the sparkling to the medbay, locking it behind them and refusing to let anyone in. the others are working on getting the power back on anyway and, while worried, didn't focus on the sparkling.

despite working and working on the sparkling, they don't find anything wrong with the sparkling. he's fine, not a single burnt sensor or any overloaded circuit. he's fine, just unconscious. the only problem is, Ratchet can't wake the sparkling. nothing he's doing will wake the sparkling, they just have to wait.

"whats happening?" Wheeljack ask.

"I have no idea... he just won't wake up. none of the usual stuff is working." Ratchet murmurs. Wheeljack looks at the clock and frowns.

"its getting late. why don't we just sleep in here, that way we can wake up and check on him whenever we need to." Wheeljack murmurs. Ratchet nods a little.

"alright, I guess so." Ratchet frowns. he looks at the sparkling silently a moment, Wheeljack looks between the two of them before settling on his bondmate.

"so what did Ironhide mean earlier about Sams backyard?" Wheeljack ask.

"I'm going to kill him and you if you ask that again." Ratchet frowns. Wheeljack huffs.

"I'll find out eventually." Wheeljack says.

"okay, not from me." Ratchet mumbles, laying on a berth in a way he could see Reflect. Wheeljack curls up with him happily.

"should we set alarms to get up with him?" Wheeljack asks.

"no its Reflect, he'll wake us up by climbing between us like he always does." Ratchet assures. "so leave space for him, I'm tired of him scratching the paint off my back." Ratchet mutters. Wheeljack laughs and leaves a little space between them for the sparkling. th two of them settle in for stasis quietly.

Reflect shifts slowly sitting up. he looks over at Wheeljack and Ratchet, looking confused. the Primes had woken him, his systems were in need of a cube. he wasn't supposed to be awake yet and he wasn't going to wake either of his caretakers. he carefully climbs down and heads out of the medbay. he can think of three bots who would be awake at this time and surely one of them would grab him a cube.

he stretches a little heading for Prowls office, its the closest. he's too sleepy to talk, so he knocks on the door hard. he hears Prowl get up from his chair almost immediately. the mechs footsteps get closer, before the door slides open.

"what...?" Prowl trails, looking around.he nearly jumps out of his armor when a small servo grabs his leg. he looks down quickly before shaking his head. "Reflect it is too late for you too be awake. what are you doing?" Prowl ask. Reflect stares up at him sleepily, his tanks grumbling loudly. "I see and I assume Ratchet and Wheeljack are in stasis like you should be?" Prowl ask. the sparkling nods.

stop talking and feed me. I feel like I'm going to pass out.

the sparkling whines up at him.

"alright. hold on. stay here." Prowl murmurs, heading out of his office. Reflect sits silently in his doorway, watching the TIC wonder off.

Prowl comes back a few minutes later and scoops the sparkling up. its not quiet as easy as it used to be, the sparkling is getting bigger and Prowl is not, just barely bigger than Jazz. the sparkling probably comes up to Jazz' knee by this point making him almost too big for the smaller bots to carry. Reflect doesn't seem to care, curling up and sucking down the cube on the mechs lap.

he's struggling to stay awake, he just wants to get through this cube first. he's almost finished when the door to Prowls office slides open. both look up and Ratchets standing there. the medic looks as though he's just been woken and its no doubt Prowl woke him to come and get Reflect.

"there you are you little fragger." Ratchet mutters, walking over to them. "cause you any trouble?" Ratchet asks, looking at Prowl as he takes the sparkling. Reflect immediately curls up with him, but refuses to let go of the cube.

"not really. he just knocked on my door for a cube. actually reminded me to get myself one." Prowl mutters, turning back to his paperwork.

"well then, let me remind you to get some stasis. good job sparkling." Ratchet murmrs, rubbing the sparklings cheek. Reflect gives him a blank look. "thank you Prowl." Ratchet murmurs, leaving his office. Reflect snuggles against him. "you could've woken me or Wheeljack sparkling." Ratchet says. Reflect stretches, turning away from the cube to go back into stasis. Ratchet snorts a little. "thats right, go back into stasis, trouble maker." Ratchet snorts.

my mind is already made up, I know what I'm going to do tomorrow. I know exactly what I'm gonna do.

Ratchet retreats back to the medbay, scooting Wheeljack over enough he and Reflect can get up there. he lays back with the sparkling on his chestplates, but Reflect immediately wiggles between the two happily.

"eventually you're going to have to have your own berth." Ratchet murmurs. Reflect growls lowly in arguement and cuddles up to him and Wheeljack. the medic snorts and lets himself go back into stasis.

~~

Will sits up shaking his head.

"so you've already made a choice then?"

"yeah I think so. I think I want to stay with Ratchet and Wheeljack?"

the Primes look confused.

"you think? you're not positive?"

Will frowns at them.

"well... you guys are going to keep your promise with Ironhide right?"

"of course little one."

Will nods.

"then yes. if you keep the terms we agreed to... I'd like to stay with Ratchet and Wheeljack for a while. I'm positive of it. I was uneasy earlier but I think this is the best choice."

"you do understand what this means for Ironhide right?"

Will frowns a little before nodding once.

"yes, but Ironhide is a soldier. he can handle this. I'm sure he can. he'll understand. he's a big boy, he'll understand."

the Primes look amongst each other.

"alright sparkling, so be it. you will be allowed to change tomorrow, but at the end of the day, when your new Earth day starts, you will return to your sparkling form. we will double check with you once you come back of course, you will have one chance to change your mind. if you decide not to, we will go through with everything, but if you decide you would like to stay with Ironhdie instead, we can change it."

Will frowns.

"I love Ironhide, but once I change, I'll be with him until the spark in either of our chests is exstinguished. Ratchet and Wheeljack have already lost one sparkling. I know what its like to see your kid killed and taken from you. I won't agree to bring that pain on them again, even if I'll be right there the whole time.""

"you know this will only make it harder for them in the end correct? the more attatchment they get to you the harder this will be."

Will shakes his head.

"I'm hoping the more of a bond they build with me, the easier this will be. once they realize I gave up Ironhide to stay with them, maybe they'll see I will always see them as some kind of guardian. its like... foster parents on Earth. when you find the right foster parents and they get to keep and raise a kid until they're an adult, but that adult keeps coming back because they seek the familial presents thats been there. y'know? I'm hoping if they see I chose to stay with them, it'll make it less like losing a sparkling and more like watching me grow up, something they never got to do with Nitro. I'm trying to make this easier on them, not harder. I don't want to hurt anyone."

"you keep saying you don't want to hurt anyone, but you realize your choice will hurt Ironhide, correct?"

Will frowns a little and sighs, before looking back up.

"I don't want to hurt anyone. I'm in a lose/lose situation. my bondmate will always be a priority, but for now, sometimes sacrifices have to be made to make sure other priorities are taken care of. you've assured me he'll live until I'm fully revealed again. you've assured me when you showed me the future that he can handle this. its going to hurt but it'll be alright in the end. when I can finally come back and everyone knows who I am. in the end, I don't want to hurt anyone. I'm really trying not to. I hate hurting Ironhide, the one I care for the most in the whole world, the most. I hate it. if there was another way to do this without hurting anyone I would, but Ironhide will live. he will be okay. we will have a future together. I waited 50 years of a human life to find someone for me, I can wait longer to be with them."

"and you're sure Ironhide can wait?"

Will thinks a moment, before grinning up at them.

"no matter whats happened. no matter what I've done. no matter the time or the cost, Ironhide has always promised to wait for me. that he's waited a few thousand years, whats a little more time? thats what he'd always say if I was late from training on a day we were supposed to get to go to the house for a few days. it'll hurt him, but in the end, I know he'll understand and that he'll wait for me, like he always ends up doing. humans aren't perfect, he knows that."

the Primes are silent, looking between one another, before the main one smiles and nods at him.

"you are very wise for a human though. you are very wise. you are brave. you are willing to make a sacrifice that'll hurt not only you, but also your bondmate, to prevent two others who are hurting, from being hurt more. you are willing to risk time with your bonded, to assure that the two caring for you, will be alright without you. we have made a great choice with you and everyday you make us see that. you will make an incredible Prime and Ironhide will be by yourside the whole time. you will be amazing and do incredible things for our kind. we stand by our choice, do you stand by yours?"

Will nods once.

"Ratchet and Wheeljack are healing, they need more time. they need Reflect, they need me. Reflect gets them through the day, he helps everyone on base. I help every on base. I am Reflect. its time I fully accepts this and everything that comes with it. I stand by my decision."

he's firm about this. its time he accepts he's not Captain William David Lennox anymore, but he is Autobot Reflect, sparkling of the Autobot CMO and Scientist, and future Prime to the Autobots. he needs to stay with Ratchet and Wheeljack to continue improving.

"so be it Reflect. you are a brave and loyal soldier."

"thanks for being patient with me."

"don't worry little one, we understand how hard this situation has been for you. we are glad how fast you came up with a choice. we hope you're happy with your choice."

"its not me I'm worried about. its Ratchet and Wheeljack and Ironhide I'm worried about. if they're all okay, I'll be alright."

the Primes smile at him.

"we will do everything in our power to keep our promise. now go on little one. its time for you to wake up."

Will nods a little.

"alright... thanks..."

~~

Will slowly sits up. he's still tucked between Ratchet and Wheeljack, and he's still a sparkling.

"finally." Will murmurs, getting up. he jumps down off the berth. he heads out of the medbay. theres a flash of blue and Will loses control. he's not worried, the Primes have control over him.

the blue surrounds the little sparkling, floating him into the Primes office and floating above it. Optimus looks up.

"uh... hello Reflect...?" Optimus trails, looking concerned. "I'm calling Ratchet little one." Optimus frowns. there's an immediate thought that, for some reason, maybe he should call Wheeljack and Ironhide too. the Prime doesn't hesitate, thoughts like that have saved lives on the battle field.

its not long before the other three file into his office, all staring at the little floating sparkling.

"uh... I don't think sparklings are supposed to do that." Ironhide mutters. immediately the sparkling lands on Optimus' desk and they can all hear his office door click. its locked itself. Will looks a little dizzy, feeling himself over, looking a little confused. he looks around.

"Reflect are you alright?" Ratchet asks, walking over.

"I'm fine." Will says. that stops them all his voice sounds just like Wills.