Will shifted slightly and slowly onlined his optics. he was in the medbay. he noticed Ironhide staring at a data pad beside him.

"Hide?" Will ask softly. Ironhide looked up, he looked... sad and Will could feel his worry. he was confused but look around his bonded to see Wheeljack, laying on a berth, and Ratchet, whose upper half was laying across Wheeljacks legs. Wheeljack clearly looked upset, but was in stasis like Ratchet. "Hide? what happened? am I back to normal?" Will ask.

"yeah." Ironhide said softly. now Will was worried.

"Ironhide?" Will ask, sitting up slowly.

"Will." Ironhide said softly. Will looked confused. "Will the sparkling didn't handle you changing back." Ironhide said. it was clear he was trying to figure out how to say this. Will stared at him.

"what?" Will ask.

"I'm sorry." Ironhide said softly. Will went silent and Ironhide could feel a mix of emotions from the bond before it simply went quiet, he couldn't feel anything. Ironhide just assumed Will blocked his bond because of Lunar.

"what happened to Wheeljack?" Will ask, with an odd tone in his voice.

"he and Wheeljack lost three sparklings back in the day, but due to the way two of them were lost, Wheeljack still had them. this kind of thing tears him up." Ironhide said.

"was our like that?" Will ask.

"no. the little trail connecting your sparks, it just cracked and it was gone." Ironhide murmured. Will nodded slightly, looking around the medbay. Ironhide watched him and stood, holding him gently. he was unsure what to do, so he held his partner.

"can we just go to bed?" Will muttered. Ironhide nodded and moved to let Will up, holding him as they walked. most the base was still up and walking around, but avoided the couple. Will assumed Ratchet had sent out a mass com to let everyone know. "I should let Barricade know." Will said softly.

"I'll let him know." Ironhide said, leading Will into their room.

"okay." Will mumbled.

"Sideswipe offered to keep Lunar for a few days." Ironhide said. Will nodded and laid on their berth.

"okay." Will sighed.

"I'll let Barricade know. you just rest okay?" Ironhide ask. Will nodded curling up. "if you need anything, just com me okay?" Ironhide ask.

"yeah." Will mumbled. Ironhide was still worried about the fact he couldn't feel anything from Will, but walked out of their room and headed outside.

"Barricade." Ironhide leaned against the building, looking around.

"Ironhide?" Barricade ask. he was always confused if Ironhide commed him.

"are you busy?" Ironhide ask.

"I'm on my way home. why?" Barricade sounded semi annoyed.

"can I meet you somewhere?" Ironhide ask. something was wrong now and Barricade knew it.

"Ironhide? what happened?" Barricade ask.

"where can I meet you?" Ironhide ask. Barricade sighed, but labeled him a location. Ironhide immediately headed out. Barricade pestered him the whole time, but Ironhide kept his mouth shut. the news he had should be shared in person, just like the rest of the base. when Ironhide arrived Barricade was waiting, clearly annoyed. Ironhide transformed and sat down. "just so you know, I know you're angry and annoyed, but I'm out here for Wills sake." Ironhide said. Barricades mood shifted some. he was annoyed but not quiet as bad. he transformed and sat across from Ironhide.

"well what happened to Will?" Barricade ask. "wait did the gun not work? is he still human? did he offline?" Barricade ask curiously.

"no. he's.... he's okay, sort of. he's back like this...." Ironhide said. Barricade looked utterly confused.

"what do you mean sort of?" Barricade ask.

"but the sparkling didn't make it." Ironhide said. immediately the area went cold and silent. Ironhide watched him. the Decepticon cop cruiser stared at him.

"thats not funny." Barricade glared.

"it's not a joke. Will wanted to let you know himself but he's not really doing so hot, so I told him I'd tell you. from what Ratchet can gather, the gun worked on Will and not the sparkling and it's spark just disconnected." Ironhide said. Barricade stayed silent.

"I'm sorry." Barricade eventually said. Ironhide nodded slightly.

"I didn't want to tell you while you were driving around and I figured it was more appropriate to tell you face to face." Ironhide said. Barricade stood and Ironhide stood with him, ready to defend himself should Barricade attack with some sort of grief. Barricade stared at him a moment, then nodded to himself.

"if he wants to talk, let me know." Barricade said. Ironhide nodded and watched him go. he sighed and headed home.

when Ironhide got home he headed to his and Wills room. Will was curled up on the berth in stasis. Ironhide laid behind him and held him. it was going to be a long night, even if Will was in stasis the whole time. Ironhide knew he wouldn't be able to get any stasis tonight.

*next morning*

Ironhide was reluctant to keep up his daily ritual of just leaving when he got up, especially since he was still worried he couldn't feel anything from Will's side of the bond, but he needed some answers. so he got up and headed for the medbay, Ratchet would know why Ironhide couldn't feel anything from Will. when he walked in Wheeljack wasn't there, but Ratchet was sitting on the bench reading a data pad.

"Ratchet." Ironhide said. Ratchet jumped, surprised, and turned around.

"Ironhide? where's Will?" Ratchet ask.

"stasis. I had a question." Ironhide said. Ratchet put the data pad down and turned completely around to look at him.

"ask." Ratchet said.

"I can't feel anything from Will's side of the bond. usually with a block I feel a tiny bit, but there's nothing." Ironhide said. Ratchet nodded.

"yeah that happens. generally due to the mental state of the carrier. it happened with Wheeljack. it's okay. give him time. he may have an issue where his system refuses to accept the loss and it'll be like he's carrying anyway. I can't help with that but Wheeljack might be up for some questions. I can ask him later." Ratchet said. Ironhide nodded and sighed.

"alright thanks." he mumbled, turning to leave.

"he's sorry." Ratchet said.

"huh?" Ironhide ask.

"Jack." Ratchet stated. "he's sorry he reacted like that. he knew it wasn't his place to be upset, I tried to tell him it wasn't his-" Ratchet was cut off.

"no. he doesn't need to apologize. it's okay. he's experienced loss to Ratchet. you both have. it's okay. he doesn't remember it and it wasn't my top priority. it's okay." Ironhide said. Ratchet nodded.

"take care of Will, he's really going to need your help." Ratchet said. Ironhide nodded and headed back out. Lunar ran up to him.

"creator... where is carrier? I can't feel him." Lunar said, hugging Ironhide's leg. Ironhide scooped him up.

"carrier doesn't feel well." Ironhide said holding him.

"is it because my sibling is gone?" Lunar ask. Ironhide frowned.

"how did you know that?" Ironhide ask.

"I can't feel them either." Lunar said sadly, hugging Ironhide. Ironhide held him.

"we need to talk little one." Ironhide sighed walking off. he turned hearing their door open, hoping it was Will, but Wheeljack slipped in and closed the door. Ironhide hoped he could give Will a bit more help than he himself could. he sat Lunar down and talked with him gently. the sparkling understood and agreed he would be good for Sideswipe, then raced off to play. Ironhide headed back and knocked on the door to his and Will's room. "Will? mind if I come in?" Ironhide ask. Wheeljack slipped out and gave him a sad look.

"I can't convince him it wasn't his fault. maybe you'll have better luck." Wheeljack said. Ironhide nodded and walked in, closing the door. he laid on the berth behind Will and held him.

"you scared Lunar. he can't feel anything from you." Ironhide murmurs.

"I don't feel anything either." Will muttered. Ironhide nodded and pulled him closer.

"what did Wheeljack want?" Ironhide ask.

"he apologized for something that happened. I told him I didn't remember, but that whatever happened wasn't his fault." Will said. "than he tried to tell me it wasn't mine either.... but..." Will trailed off.

"it wasn't. Will, it wasn't anyone's fault. if we left you like that we would've lost you both, maybe even Lunar too." Ironhide said. he knew that if Will had died like that, he would've gone too as Will's death would take Lunar. the whole family would've been gone. "I would've lost you all. I hate we still lost the sparkling trying to save you... but it was you or neither of you. the sparkling wasn't developed enough we wouldn't have been able to save it." Ironhide said.

"if it wasn't my fault why do I feel so shitty?" Will ask.

"you shouldn't." Ironhide said. Will glared at him slightly. "you shouldn't feel shitty. you want answers? I know you have Alspark in there, ask. it will tell you that its not your fault, there was nothing anyone could do. not me, not Ratchet, Wheeljack, Prime, the Alspark, or even you Will. talk with the Alspark. I know you can do it. I've seen you do it before. it might help you more than I can." Ironhide murmured softly. Will looked at him a moment and nodded slightly.

"okay. you're right. it could give me more answers than anyone else could." Will murmured.

"I'm sorry I'm not good at this. I'm trying." Ironhide said. he wasn't sure how to help Will when he was grieving himself, but he was trying. he couldn't grieve and be angry, he couldn't upset Will like that, his bonded needed him.

"you're doing your best. thanks." Will mumbled, hugging him tightly. Ironhide held him and nodded. the two simply laid there and held each other, hoping everything would be okay.