~

Ironhide jerks up, he's not wasting time. he whips around.

"WILL!" Ironhide shouts. Will jumps on the floor beside him.

"I-Ironhide-" Will starts. Ironhide jumps up and grabs Wills shoulders, shaking him hard. Will yelps, trying to push his hands off. "s-stop you're hurting me." Will winces.

"Sentinel! Sentinel is the one you're afraid is going to kill me!?" Ironhide shouts. Will tenses, staring at Ironhide wide eyed. he's shaking a little.

"H-Hide I-I can't.... I-I..." Will tries.

"easy young one."

Ironhide whips around. Wills terrified.

"why did you warn me!?" Ironhide snaps.

"please stop yelling." Will mumbles.

"we couldn't tell you a specific name."

"so he is the one trying to kill me?" Ironhide ask.

one of the Primes nods a little.

"yes little one. yes."

Ironhide turns to look at Will.

"I couldn't tell you." Will squeaks quietly. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Ironhide I'm so sorry, I knew. I knew and I couldn't tell you I'm so sorry!" Will whimpers. Ironhide yanks him to his chest and holds him gently.

"I didn't mean to yell at you." Ironhide murmurs.

"you can't let them bring him back to life." Will mumbles quietly.

"I can't entirely stop them." Ironhide frowns. "I can't touch the Matrix and they'd never let Reflect close enough to grab it after the reaction he just had." Ironhide grumbles. "and its not like I can tell... Ratchet." Ironhide murmurs.

"Ironhide wait no!" Will shouts.

~

"Ratchet!" Ironhide shouts, sitting up immediately. Reflect yelps, whimpering. he covers his audios, Ironhide pats his back gently.

"RATCHET! DON'T WAKE SENTINEL!"

Wheeljack looks over when his bonded jumps.

"Ironhide-"

"Sentinel is the one Will has been trying to warn is going to kill me!"

"wh-what?"

"TELL OPTIMUS NOT TO WAKE HIM UP! DON'T TRUST HIM!"

"Optimus hold on-" Ratchet starts.

"we bid you return." Optimus murmurs

"its too late. Optimus already woke him. Ironhide tell me whats going on."

"Optimus just signed my death warrant."

"Ironhide?" Reflect whimpers.

"fuck." Ironhide mutters. he rubs his head wincing, he's being pulled back in.

~

Ironhide sits up gasping. he looks around.

"remain calm Ironhide."

"calm? CALM? CALM!?" Ironhide shouts. Will grabs his arm gently.

"Ironhide please..." Will trails.

"you want me to be CALM?! the mech that is trying to kill me just got brought back to life!" Ironhide snaps.

"easy little one. you have some time before that happens. I promise. we will do everything we can to make sure you're safe."

"Hide, relax please. we have a plan." Will murmurs.

"oh do you? does this stupid plan include me dying!? because thats what you fuckers have been hinting since you let-" Ironhide keeps ranting, glaring at the Primes. he knows Will can't hear him but the Primes know exactly what he's saying. if he were human he'd be going purple in the face, but he's silent. they're serious about him not revealing anything.

"Hide, please." Will murmurs, squeezing his hand gently.

"we understand you're upset."

"but please, we do have a plan. we will do everything we can to save you."

"upset? UPSET!? you could've stopped all this if you had just told me!" Ironhide snaps.

"you know we couldn't-"

"its your fragging fault all this is happening anyway!" Ironhide snaps at the Primes. "if you had convinced Will-" Ironhide starts. he keeps yelling, leaving Will utterly confused as his bondeds voice is silenced again.

"remain calm."

the main Prime orders. Ironhide snaps his mouth shut, glaring angrily. he growls quietly, holding Will tightly.

"we understand you are upset Ironhide. we should've found a better way to get this information too you sooner. our only way of contacting you is through Will unfortunately. we did our best but we will not allow your demise. we do have a plan."

"no! I'm tired of this! I'm tired of the secrets! I'm tired of you taking my voice or Wills when we try to say something that breaks your supposed rules! I want to know the fragging plan! don't play with me I swear to Primus I'll go out there and blow Sentinels head off before he even has a chance to touch me or worse Reflect!" Ironhide snaps.

"don't panic. nothing will happen to Reflect, we can assure his safety no matter what. Sentinel is a monster, but he wouldn't hut a sparkling."

"tell me you're fucking plan." Ironhide snaps.

"all in due time."

~

Ironhide jerks up, rubbing his head. those stupid Primes were pissing him off. Reflect sits up and yawns, stretching.

"Ironhide?" Reflect asks. Ironhide shakes his head, looking down at Reflect.

"I know. you may not understand sparkling, but I know. okay?" Ironhide says, getting up.

"Ironhide know what?" Reflect ask.

"those stupid Primes are keeping secrets and this time I'm not doing this shit." Ironhide growls. Reflect looks confused.

"Ironhide scare Reflect." Reflect whimpers. Ironhide grumbles, cuddling him. Ratchet bursts into the mechs room.

"Ironhide? are you okay? you didn't answer." Ratchet says, looking him over.

"did Prime wake Sentinel?" Ironhide ask.

"well, yeah. I told you he did." Ratchet murmurs. "he's pretty pissed we didn't get his pillars." Ratchet says. "whats going on?" Ratchet ask.

"I don't know. Will told me Sentinel is going to kill me." Ironhide says. Reflect whimpers, hugging Ironhides neck tightly.

"no! Ironhide no die! Ironhide no die!" Reflect cries, hugging his neck tightly.

"shhh Reflect its okay. its alright." Ironhide murmurs gently.

"Ironhide isn't going to die." Ratchet assures, patting Reflect back. he glances at Ironhide. "I'm going to make sure of it." he says firmly.

"there's nothing you can do Ratchet." Ironhide says. Ratchet straightens up, reaches out and smacks Ironhide hard across the face. Reflect immediately screams, hugging Ironhide harder. "hey! what the-" Ironhide starts.

"oh no, you're in pain. Ironhide as Chief Medical Officer until I can figure out how and why you're in so much pain, I am officially relieving you of duty until further notice." Ratchet nods once and turns to leave. "that means limited contact with Sentinel." Ratchet adds.

"what the fuck Ratchet?" Ironhide glares. Ratchet turns around to say something, but Reflect screams at the top of his voice box, launching himself from Ironhides arms, and sinking his denta into Ratchets plating.

"Reflect!" Ratchet yelps landing on his aft. the sparkling doesn't seem to care that its Ratchet, Ratchet hurt Ironhide. he pulls back and headbutts the medic as hard as he can, busting his faceplates open. Ironhide immediately reaches for the sparkling.

"Reflect stop that!" Ironhide shouts, yanking the sparkling off the medics. Reflect is raging, screaming gibberish obsenities and trying to break free from Ironhides hold. the sparkling is absolutely a wreckers sparkling. he's ready to end Ratchet to protect Ironhide, even if the Weapons Specialist doesn't need him to.

"fraggin' wrecker sparklings. never mess with'em." Ratchet mutters, slowly getting off the floor. he stumbles, reaching up to feel his face. there's energon dripping everywhere, Reflect had busted him good, even cracking one of his optics, and there wasn't a single scratch on the sparkling. not even a dent. but he was still huffing angry puffs of steam and screaming at the medic. Ironhide tucks Reflect up under his arm, steadying Ratchet with his free arm.

"Jack, come get Ratchet. Reflect headbutted him pretty hard."

"ow, he got me the other day while we were playing around and I swear I saw Primus. I'll be right there. tell him to sit and wait for me."

"copy that."

"Ratchet sit down before you fall down and get hurt, or worse, break something of Wills." Ironhide frowns, pushing the medic to sit on his berth. Ratchet looks lost and confused, reaching up to feel his nose. there's energon dripping in his lap. he pulls his servo back, looking dazed, and looks at the energon on his servo.

"you.. you headbutted me." Ratchet mutters, looking up at Reflect. "you... drew energon..." Rachet mutters, looking back down. he's in shock and disorented. Ironhide forwns a little.

"Ratchet hit Ironhide!" Reflect screams.

"shhhh. shhhhh. no Reflect, I don't need you to fight my battles." Ironhide murmurs. Reflect screams angrily, glaring at Ratchet from under Ironhides arm. they look over when the door opens.

"holy..." Wheeljack trails. his optics widen looking at Ratchet. "Primus! Reflect! why did you do that?" Wheeljack shouts, running over and kneeling beside Ratchet.

"don't yell at him. Ratchet struck me first." Ironhide warns.

"Ratchet hit Ironhide!" Reflect screams, glaring. Wheeljack scoops Ratchet up carefully.

"come on Ratch its okay. I'll get you patched up." Wheeljack murmurs, carrying him off gently. Reflect growls watching them go. he pouts up at Ironhide.

"need cube." Reflect whines quietly.

"yeah okay." Ironhide mumbles, putting him on his hip. he carries the sparkling into the rec room and sits them both down with a cube. Reflect snuggles into his lap happily, drinking his cube.

they're quiet and settled for a few minutes, the sparkling watching the room. Reflect is tense and paranoid. Ironhide's never seen him like this. the sparkling growls angrily, making Ironhide look down.

"whats wrong little one?" Ironhide ask. Reflect sets his cube down and wiggles free from Ironhides lap. "Reflect, little one? where are you going?" Ironhide ask, confused. Reflect chirps angrily. he stomps over to the three humans Sentinel has just walked over to.

"Primus, there really is a sparkling here." Sentinel murmurs, looking Reflect over carefully. Reflect glares at him, coming up behind the three.

"MINE!!!" Reflect screams at the top of his voice box. he wraps his arms tightly around Cade, Epps, and Sam. he picks all three up carefully and grunts turning around.

"ey!" Epps shouts.

"put me down damn it!" Cade growls.

"Reflect what are you doing?" Sam yelps.

"what the frag?" Sentinel asks. Ironhide sets his cube down quickly.

"Reflect! no! little one, no! we don't just pick humans up like that! put them down!" Ironhide orders getting up. he walks over and carefully takes all three humans from the sparkling. Epps and Sam go on one shoulder, Cade on the other. Reflect stomps his foot hard and screams. "knock it off." Ironhide warns. Reflect reaches up for him and Ironhide scoops him up, careful of the humans on his shoulders. "come on. its alright." Ironhide assures gently.

"whats goin' on?" Sam asks, looking at Ironhide. the mech looks the sparkling over and frowns, carrying all four out of the room. he kneels down and sets Reflect down before pulling each human off his shoulders. Ironhides careful as he puts them down on their feet. he frowns at the three humans, before looking at Reflect.

"whats happening?" Sam ask.

"he just yanked us up!" Cade glares.

"whats going on Ironhide?" Epps asks. Ironhide sighs a little.

"look, I can't go into details, just... you three stay away from Sentinel." Ironhide murmurs. "he's not safe." Ironhide frowns.

"huh? but Optimus said-" Sam starts.

"I know, I know... but I know something you don't." Ironhide assures. he stands, frowning a little. "heed my warning. stay away from Sentinel. if Reflect sees you near him, he's going to pick you up and carry you away. he's not doing it to scare you, he's doing it to try and protect you. he doesn't want you getting hurt." Ironhide adds, scooping Reflect up and carrying back into the rec room to finish his cube.

Reflect settles into his lap, sucking his cube down happily.

"Ironhide." Sentinel says walking over. Ironhide looks up, holding tightly to the sparkling.

"be good Reflect." Ironhide warns gently. he nods at Sentinel. "Sentinel Prime." Ironhide nods.

"whose sparkling is that? where did he come from?" Sentinel ask.

"he's Ratchet and Wheeljacks." Ironhide says, shifting the sparkling. Reflect growls as the Prime come closer. "shhh. shhhhh." Ironhide murmurs gently. "he's doesn't like strangers, don't come too close." Ironhide says. he's carefully holding Reflect now. the sparkling could tear into the Prime without a moments notice. the Prime glares and walks closer to them.

"I'll come as close as I please." Sentinel glares. Reflect pulls back from his cube, jumping up in Ironhides lap.

"STAY AWAY FROM MY IRONHIDE!" Reflect screams. Ironhide grabs the sparkling gently, pulling him back down into his lap. if Sentinel gets much closer, he'll be in headbutting range.

"shhhhh. little one. shhhh. its okay." Ironhide assures gently. he turns Reflect around gently, hugging him to his chest plates. Reflect screams angrily. "yeah, I know." Ironhide murmurs softly, rubbing his back gently.

"u-uh Sentinel, please leave him alone. he's not a very happy sparkling today." Wheeljack says, walking over quickly.

"hows Ratchet?" Ironhide ask.

"patched and annoyed." Wheeljack murmurs, reaching for Reflect.

"NO! MY IRONHIDE!" Reflect screams.

"you need a nap." Wheeljack frowns. Reflect screams at him.

"thats fine. we'll go to my room." Ironhide assures getting up carefully.

"actually I have something for him in the lab. come on." Wheeljack smiles, reaching for Reflect again. the sparkling growls in warning. "oh come on." Wheeljack pouts.

"stay with Ironhide." Refelct growls.

"fine, I'll go too." Ironhide mutters, heading towards Wheeljacks lab. the inventor follows happily.

only once they get distance between them and Sentinel does Reflect reach for Wheeljack.

"oh now you want me?" Wheeljack snorts.

"he doesn't trust Sentinel. won't let me be alone around him." Ironhide mutters.

"I know. Ratchet explained what happened." Wheeljack assures gently. Ironhide nods a little, passing the sparkling over. "well, you just wait right out here and I'll bring him back out in a second." Wheeljack smiles at him. Ironhide nods, leaning against a nearby wall.

"no! Ironhide come with!" Reflect whimpers, reaching for him. Ironhide smiles at him a little.

"I'll be right here, promise. if I get into trouble, I'll be sure to let you know." Ironhide promises, patting his head. Reflect whines quietly, letting Wheeljack take him into the lab.

"hey! Ironhide! whats going on?" Sam ask, running over. Ironhide looks down. "first Reflect is acting weird, now you." Sam frowns. Ironhide frowns, crouching down. he doesn't care what rules he breaks, he wants to keep Sam safe. it hurt to lose Will, but it would kill Bumblebee to lose Sam.

"I had a vision with the Primes. stay away from Sentinel. he's not what he seems... I just can't prove it yet." Ironhide warns. Sam looks shocked, before nodding a little.

"okay..." Sam trails. "ar-are you alright?" Sam asks. Ironhide frowns, before standing back up.

"remember how Reflect was afraid I was going to die?" Ironhide ask. Sam nods. "Ratchet and I think Sentinel is going to kill me." Ironhide murmurs, before leaning back against the wall. he immediately looks as though he's lost in thought. Sam decides its best to leave him alone.

"check it out Ironhide." Wheeljack grins. Ironhide jumps and whips around.

"Primus Jack!" Ironhide glares.

"sorry." Wheeljack murmurs. he holds up the sparkling and grins. "isn't he cute Hide?" Wheeljack grins.

"I was... I was joking about the PJs." Ironhide mutters. the sparkling is wearing an over sized set of footed pajamas. the cute little teddy bears all over the black fabric are blue with little red flames and red with little blue flames, it remins Ironhide of Optimus' alt form. the sparkling is also clutching a black blanket that matched the blue one he had previously.

"Reflect warm!" Reflect squeals.

"yeah I bet you are." Ironhide snorts, taking the sparkling. "tell y'what squirt, why don't you go show Optimus your new outfit while I go check on Ratchet, okay?" Ironhide ask. Reflect nods and lets the weapon specialist put him down. he slides and lands on his butt.

"oops... I forgot to put grip on his peds." Wheeljack frowns.

"I okay!" Reflect giggles, getting up carefully. it takes him a minute to get up. he slips again, but catches himself, waddling off happily. Ironhide snorts watching him go, then heads for the medbay.

Reflect giggles waddling towards Optimus' office. he knocks on the door hard.

"Optimus!" Reflect giggles. he waits quietly before knocking again. "Optimus?" Reflect asks, hesitantly.

"he's not in there." Prowl calls from behind him. Reflect whines and turns around. "he's with Sentinel right now." he adds.

"oh..." Reflect mumbles.

"what on Cybertron are you wearing?" Prowl frowns.

"daddy Jack make warm!" Reflect chirps.

"uh-huh..." Prowl trails, looking him over. "well why don't you go back to your care takers." Prowl says.

"Reflect going." Reflect huffs, turning and waddling off. the waddling kept him from slipping.

he waddles his way into the medbay.

"theres the little demon." Ratchet grumbles. he huffs slightly to himself. Reflect huffs and waddles over to Ironhide.

"no find Optimus." Reflect pouts. Ironhide looks down.

"well he's not in here." Ironhide frowns.

"he with monster." Reflect says quietly. Ironhide frowns and scoops him up gently. Reflect curls up, letting the mech wrap the blanket around him gently. he cuddles to Ironhides chestplate, clinging to him.

"did you bust your head earlier?" Ratchet mutters, getting up and grabbing the sparklings face gently. Reflect whines. "nope, not a scratch." Ratchet huffs.

"guess we'll call him Jack Jr. from now on." Ironhide teases, snorting. Ratchet rolls his optics.

"I think not." Ratchet grumbles. "don't you do that again." Ratchet warns.

"don't hit Ironhide." Reflect huffs. Ratchet frowns a little.

"yeah, you're right, I didn't need to hurt him." Ratchet murmurs, rubbing the sparklings cheek.

"m'not worried about a slap to the face Reflect, you've done far worse to me." Ironhide snorts. Reflect turns his head away and cuddles into Ironhide, knocking his head against the bigger mechs chin. "like that." Ironhide murmurs. Ironhides forgiveness seems to encourage the sparkling to calm down towards Ratchet.

"I see Jack finished those pajamas and your new blanket." Ratchet says. Reflect frowns, cuddling to Ironhide.

"never find other blanket." Reflect whimpers. Ratchet frowns, watching the sparkling suck on his fingers.

"I found it." Ratchet murmurs. "but its really dirty, so I'm trying to clean it." Ratchet assures.

"told daddy Jack get dirty and ugly." Reflect mumbles around his servo. Ratchet smiles a little.

"yeah, you did." Ratchet murmurs. the sparkling yawns quietly, pulling his blanket tighter.

"where find Jack?" Reflect asks, looking around the medbay.

"he was with with other two earlier." Ratchet frowns, turning.

"the Ironhide is on my berth." Ironhide grumbles.

"no know Ratchet and Jack are." Reflect whimpers.

"don't get upset, we'll find them." Ratchet murmurs, heading to his and Wheeljacks room.

"stay with Ironhide." Reflect murmurs. Ironhide nods a little.

"yeah of course. you can stay with me for a while, let Ratchet and Wheeljack have a few days for themselves, then I'll sleep in here for a night or two so you can stay with them." Ironhide assures. he's not gonna argue with the sparkling over this, he knows Reflect is terrified.

Reflect starts squirming in his arms, before screaming as loud as he can.

"what? Reflect?" Ironhide ask, confused. the sparkling breaks into sobs, making Ratchet race into the room.

"what happened?" Ratchet ask.

"no idea. he just started screaming." Ironhide frowns, shifting the sparkling gently.

"did he get a nap? you know he acts like this when he hasn't gotten one." Ratchet frowns.

"no he got one." Ironhide says, rubbing the little sparklings back. he's sobbing as loud as he can. before Ratchet can take him, Optimus walks in with Sentinel.

"and this is the medbay." Optimus says. he pauses looking at Reflect. "whats wrong with Reflect?" Optimus frowns worriedly.

"he just needs a nap." Ratchet assures, reaching for the sparkling. he doesn't think the sparkling will actually come to him with Sentinel in the room. as expected, Reflect screams at him, smacking his servo out of the way and clinging to Ironhide.

"y'know in my day, my Creator would've slapped the hell out of me for that." Sentinel frowns. Ratchet glares at him immediately.

"absolutely not. I would never hit my sparkling." Ratchet glares. "he's just grumpy. he needs a nap. he'll be alright in a few hours." Ratchet adds. Reflect screams louder, struggling with Ironhide.

"its alright Reflect." Ironhide murmurs gently, shifting the little sparkling gently.

"if you ever hit my sparkling, I'll know." Ratchet warns. he settles both Primes with an angry glare.

"you'd do wise, medic to watch your tone with me." Sentinel warns. Reflect himmediatel whips around to Prime, screaming louder.

"Ironhide hold him!" Ratchet warns. Reflect jumps at the Prime, but Ironhides faster, grabbing him again quickly.

"Reflect, no. its okay. its okay. he's not going to hurt Ratchet its alright." Ironhide assures. Ratchet reaches for the sparkling, who reaches for him immediately, clinging to Ratchet. he's screaming in the medics audio, but it only goes on for a second, until his audio receptor ruptures. Ratchet winces immediately, stumbling.

"frag!" Ratchet mutters, wincing.

"Jack, I need you in the medbay now please. Reflect ruptured my audio receptor."

"on my way Ratch."

"Ratchet are you alright?" Optimus asks.

"he ruptured my audio!" Ratchet frowns, cradling the sparkling gently. he can still hear Reflect screaming in his other audio.

"just to set this straight, Sentinel there will be absolutely no hitting Reflect, in any way. no harming the sparkling. Ratchet, Ironhide," Optimus says, glaring at them both. "there will be no beating, shooting, threatening, or harming Sentinel over the sparkling unless he hurts Reflect. understood?" Optimus asks. Ironhide growls lowly.

"understood. he keeps his servos, peds, and blasers off Reflect, we'll do the same for him." Ironhide assures. Wheeljack rushes in, scooting around Optimus and Sentinel carefully.

"who upset my sparkling?" Wheeljack glares around the room.

"he just needs a nap Jack!" Ratchet assures. "there's a sparkling cube in my office! why don't you see if you can calm him down a little with it!" Ratchet says. "am I shouting?! I feel like I'm shouting!" Ratchet frowns.

"you are!" Ironhide shouts at him, heading to grab the sparkling cube. he puts it down, before grabbing the sparkling gently. Ratchet glares, but lets him have the sparkling. Ironhide offers Reflect the cube gently. Reflect turns his head screaming and trying to shove his way from Ironhide.

"he is really having a tantum." Wheeljack frowns, watching the sparkling kick Ironhide in the face. the black mech frowns a little, shooting the sparkling a dirty look, before sighing. Will had warned him the sparkling would act up, but he didn't say it would be this bad. Ironhide sits down on the berth Ratchets sitting on gently, folding his legs up to lay the sparkling in his lap. Reflect squirms free immediately, screaming as loud as he can and kicking one of the tools, Wheeljack had grabbed, into the floor.

"Reflect." Ratchet warns.

"I'm telling you a good smack will set him straight." Sentinel grumbles. Ironhide glares at him. Reflect throws himself down onto the berth, kicking and screaming.

"get him out of here, he's making it worse." Wheeljack warns Optimus.

"he's right, come on Sentinel." Optimus frowns, leading the other mech out carefully.

the sparkling continues his tantrum for a moment, before sniffling and sitting up. he looks over where Sentinel had stood and wipes at his face.

"stupid." Reflect sniffles, climbing into Ironhides lap, reaching for the cube with a whimper.

"what the hell?" Wheeljack ask.

"he doesn't like Sentinel." Ironhide frowns.

'and sometimes sparklings just throw tantrums." Ratchet frowns a little.

"if he ever hits my sparkling, I swear I'll end him." Wheeljack warns, growling.

"get in line." Ironhide grunts. Reflect cuddles up to him, sucking the cube down quietly. he hiccups softly, reaching up to wipe at his face. Ironhide reaches down, wiping his cheek gently with his thumb. "shhhh little one. its okay." Ironhide murmurs gently.