"it wasn't in my plans, no, but I mean we don't really have anything else to do. we're not killing the sparkling and we're not giving it away. its too far gone to think about now." Reflect says.

"no, I mean, yes it is, but thats not what I meant. do you want the sparkling?" Ironhide ask.

"whether I want it or not it doesn't matter." Reflect frowns.

"yes it does,because if you don't want the sparkling, then we need to figure something out because I won't force you to raise and keep a sparkling you don't even want." Ironhide says frowning.

"I knew we were going to have a sparkling. I saw it, but the Primes thought I had the block too so they didn't warn me. we were planned to have one so quickly, but I don't even care anymore. it's our sparkling Hide. our sparkling. I want the sparkling. okay? don't doubt that, ever okay? its our fucking sparkling. unexpected, but not unwanted." Reflect murmurs softly.

"alright." Ironhide murmurs.

"but don't you dare ever blame that on Ratchet again, understood? Ratchet didn't know what you did. Ratchet thought he had time to put the block on. if I hear of you saying anything like that to Ratchet again, I'll beat the fuck out of you, carrying or not. you better apologize. understood?" Reflect glares.

"that an order Prime?" Ironhide ask.

"if it has to be then yes." Reflect glares. Ironhide nods, chuckling quietly. "am I clear Ironhide?" Reflect ask.

"crystal sir" Ironhide teases. Reflect glares at him down. "okay okay. I won't do that again." Ironhide snorts softly.

"call me sir again and I will beat the hell out of you." Reflect warns.

"aren't you the one who used to tell people I was abusive? I think you're the abusive one." Ironhide snorts.

"I have a fuck ton of anger and I can't bottle it up." Reflect says. "hopefully the anger will face with this new brace. god my back feels so amazing." Reflect murmurs softly. he sighs happily, then gets up. "come on." Reflect says, grabbing him.

"what? what are you doing?" Ironhide ask.

"you if you'll come with me." Reflect grumbles. Ironhide laughs, getting up and letting his bonded pull him.

"hold on, let me make sure they're not working on our room." Ironhide murmurs.

"I don't fucking care, I'll kick anyone I need to out. they can work later. my backs been hurting for weeks and now it doesn't." Reflect says.

the room is blissfully empty and locking the door, plus Ironhide sending a DND to Optmus in warning, they get to enjoy their time together.

they're left alone for nearly two hours, before Optimus bothers them.

"Ironhide if you and Reflect are finished with your private time, materials have come in on time and we need Reflect. they won't let me sign for it. Reflect has to. we've kept them distracted as long as we can."

"I'll send him out to you."

Reflect appears at Optimus' door ten minutes later. Optimus lets him in, looking amused.

"whats so funny?" Reflect ask.

"you look good with those black streaks on your frame." Optimus teases. Reflects optics widen, looking down at his frame.

"oh, uh guess I could've cleaned up. actually you know what fuck it, I'm carrying everyone can get the hell over it. I'm carrying and needed a good fragging and anyone who has a problem with it can take it up with me." Reflect huffs. he shifts the belt holding the sparkling bump a little. he probably should've taken it off when he and Ironhdie were interfacing, but it doesn't matter to him. "now, what did you need?" Reflect ask. Optimus chuckles softly.

"materials to rebuild rooms came in along with things for the sparkling room." Optimus explains.

"right and I have to sign since I sent the order." Reflect says. Optimus nods. "I'll get you to sign the paperwork as well next time before it is sent in so you can sign for this stuff if I'm busy." Reflect says, signing off. Optimus nods.

"I appreciate that." Optimus nods. "I'm sorry I had to interrupt you and Ironhide." Optimus frowns.

"interrupt?" Reflect snorts. we've been in there curled together for an hour. far from interrupting." Reflect assures. Optimus chuckles.

"well I'm sorry to interrupt your cuddling then." Optimus snorts.

"speaking of cuddling, you need to spend some time with Cade, he's getting annoyed and frustrated. if you have laid him recently, he needs a good fuck and some cuddles. carrying or not, I'm perfectly capable of running the base as acting Prime while you go out with him for a bit." Reflect says. Optimus prickles a little, looking embarrassed.

"I-I'm not quite sure-" Optimus starts.

"hush don't argue with me. I called and made reservations for you two at a restaurant Ironhide and I used to go to. they're in about 6 hours so you have time to tell him, take him home os he can get cleaned up, clean yourself up because you're dusty as hell Optimus, and maybe even catch a movie if you're quick, before dinner now go its not an option. you told me to step up as Prime and I'm doing just that, now go." Reflect orders. Optimus narrows his optics at him, frowning.

"is that an order?" Optimus ask.

"what is with you guys? no you obviously rank higher than me, but if you disagree I'll go tell Cade that I made plans for both of you and when you don't show up to take him he'll be disappointed. you need to do this. you two need time. having a human partner is not easy." Reflect murmurs. "Ironhide and I had the opportunity to go to my farm and relax for weekends and I would like to give you the same chance. please take it or you and Cade are not going to make it. I've seen it, you two are a good couple but you're not going to last going like this and Cade will move on if you don't try. please Optimus, just go and watch a movie, have dinner with him. show him that you care even if you don't always have time for him." Reflect says softly. Optimus pauses to think quietly a few moments before sighing.

"alright. alright. you're right. are you sure you can handle the base? I don't want to stress you more than you already are." Optimus says.

"I'll be fine. I've got Prowl, Jazz, and Ironhide behind me. we've got this. just let me know when you leave. if anything happens I'll tell you." Reflect assures. Optimus nods, watching Reflect head out of his office and back down the hall.

Reflect hums happily, nearly walking into Bumblebee.

"you look so happy!" Bumblebee smiles.

"I feel a little better." Reflect chuckles softly.

"Ironhide had to go to the N.E.S.T. base, he told me to find you and tell you to get a cube and relax while you wait for him." Bumblebee says.

"actually, I'm going to go find Prowl, but if you could bring us both a cube to his office you'd be incredible." Reflect says.

"no problem." Bumblebee smiles, running off. Reflect smiles, heading for Prowls office. he knocks firmly.

"enter." Prowl calls. Reflect chuckles, letting himself into the mechs office. "oh, hello sir." Prowl nods.

"ugh, please don't call me that." Reflect mutters. Prowl frowns a little.

"sorry." he mutters.

"um Optimus is going out tonight. I'll be in charge of the base, I trust if the twins cause trouble I can send them to you. your punishments are always fair." Reflect says. Prowl nods immediately.

"absolutely. I'm here to help." Prowl assures.

"thanks Prowl. I appreciate your help." Reflect murmurs. Bumblebee runs over to him, handing him two cubes. "thank you Bumblebee." Reflect nods.

"no problem." Bumblebee smiles, running off. Reflect hands Prowl a cube and sits down.

"now, Optimus says you hate time off, so surely there is something we can work out. what do you do to relax?" Reflect ask.

"excuse me?" Prowl frowns.

"you are one of the only mechs on base that hasn't taken any time off since you got to Earth. we can't have that, so what do you do to relax? what would you like to do that we could consider to be you taking a break?" Reflect ask.

"I don't require-" Prowl tries.

"I require it. you have to have a break Prowl. I will not ignore this and let you get burnt out. so you can spend your days locked in your room not a single datapad for work will be allowed, or if there is somewhere you'd like to go, I can have it arranged." Reflect murmurs. Prowl watches him silently a moment, before sighing.

"I don't want a break." Prowl says.

"I don't care. you have three days to think on this." Reflect says, getting up. he downs his cube, walking out.

Reflect hums quietly to himself.

"Jack did you ever get a list of things you tried to get you to spark early?"

"oh yeah, getting them put on a datapad for you. don't worry. I tried for a week. everything from standing on my head and rough interfacing to bouncing on that ball."

"please tell me you didn't do the head stand thing and the interfacing at the same time."

"Ratchet refused."

Reflect shakes his head a moment, amused.

"how are you a genius and an idiot at the same time?"

"I dunno."

Reflect chuckles to himself and sits on a chair in the rec room, servo resting on his bump.

"so, how long before we have a sparkling?" Sideswipe grins, running over.

"a few weeks Sides." Reflect murmurs. the twin pouts.

"really?" he asks.

"unfortunately." Reflect chuckles.

"but I wanna hold a sparkling." Sideswipe mutters.

"no one is allowed to hold my sparkling until I do and Ratchet warned me I'll probably sleep for like three days after sparking." Reflect warns. Sideswipe nods a little.

"alright. I guess I can wait." he murmurs.

"you better. if I find that any bot other than Ratchet or Ironhide has held my sparkling before me, I'll kill them. well, unless for some reason Wheeljack has to help with the sparking, but he shouldn't, it should just be Ratchet." Reflect mutters. "hopefully." Reflect frowns.

"well, with some luck, hopefully it'll just be Ratchet." Sideswipe murmurs gently. he sits beside Reflect. "are you scared?" Sideswipe ask.

"not really." Reflect mumbles. "why?" he ask.

"you... your tone changed when you said hopefully." Sideswipe says softly. "I'm really not trying to pick on you or upset you or anything. I'm trying to be serious. you sounded a little afraid. if you are, there isn't any reason to be. Ratchets the best." SIdeswipe adds. Reflect frowns a little.

"when I was human, you remember that, when I was Will... I had a daughter." Reflect says softly.

"I remember Annabelle." Sideswipe assures. Reflect nods.

"well... I wasn't there for her birth... but Sarah had serious complications... Annabelle almost died. the doctors...she was born with the umbilical cord around her neck and they almost broke her neck. they did break her shoulder, but she ended up fine. I'm just... I knew what I could expect as human when it came to birthing a baby, but even after reading the datapads.... I still don't know what could happen." Reflect says softly. "my sparkling could be sparked an empty shell with no way to save them, but what else can happen?" Reflect asks. Sideswipe goes quiet for a few moments.

"okay, you should talk to Ratchet or Wheeljack about that. I don't know a lot about sparklings. Bumblebee was the first sparkling I ever saw... then you were the second I've ever seen, but Ratchet will absolutely go over all that stuff with you. you know that." Sideswipe soothes.

"I know, but I hate talking sparklings with him and Wheeljack." Reflect admits softly. "it reminds me they lost Nitro and got lied to about me basically. I feel so guilty. they deserve so much better and I lied to them." Reflect murmurs, trying to keep the quiver from his voice. "I took another sparkling from them..." he adds softly. Sideswipe shifts and frowns.

"Ironhide your bonded is about to start crying and I don't know how to help him....."

"where is he?"

"we're in the rec room."

"I'll be right there."

"are... uh... are you alright?" Sideswipe ask softly.

"no I'm not." Reflect snaps getting up. he storms off as quickly as he can. he doesn't want Sideswipe to see him about to break into sobs.

he can't go to his and Ironhides room, but going to the medbay is also not an option, so he leaves the base. he rushes out towards the weapons vault.

he's got to get away from the base and away from anyone who could ask why he's about to cry. he needs to sit for a little while in his guilt. Reflect knows its not his fault, he didn't know he would be sent to them and both Ratchet and Wheeljack seem fine with it now, but he can still recall the hurt in Ratchets optics when he first changed. he still remembers the broken look on Wheeljacks face for weeks after he changed. both broken and hurt at the thought of losing their sparkling.

how could he do this? how could he steal another sparkling from them like that?

Reflect leans against the wall of the weapons vault, grateful that his Prime status gave him the ability to go in and out of the vault without reason. he sinks against the wall, face in his servos, sobbing quietly to himself. he stole their hope, their joy, their fucking sparkling. how could he do that? how could he do this to them? and how was he supposed to ask them questions about his and Ironhides sparkling when he felt guilty about it.

Will? where did you go?

just leave me alone. don't bother me.

you sound upset. are you alright?

no m'not alright. leave me alone.

I won't leave you alone. are you and the sparklnig alright?

stop fucking asking me that! just leave me the hell alone!

Reflect curls up, sobbing into his knees.

"I will never leave you alone Reflect." Ironhide murmurs, sitting beside him. "why don't you tell me what happened?" Ironhide ask.

"how the fuck am I supposed to talk to Ratchet about my sparkling when I stole one from him?" Reflect sobs softly. Ironhide leans over and pulls him to him.

"come here Will. its okay." Ironhide murmurs softly.

"no its not okay!" Reflect snaps, shoving him away. "I've been ignoring it but surely everyone here has seen what I did to them!" Reflect shouts. Ironhide kisses his head.

"you didn't do anything. you didn't have a choice Will. don't think like that. Ratchet absolutely loves you and is excited for the sparkling. he doesn't care that you're a mech not a sparkling. he's just glad you're still here. you're still Reflect. they both glad you still let them be in your life." Ironhide assures. "and he loves when you talk about the sparkling with him. he absolutly loves talking about the sparkling. in human culture that is their adopted grandchild, is it not?" Ironhide ask.

"yeah I guess." Reflect mumbles.

"then let it be like that. they love the fact you're going to let them be in our sparklings lives, just relax." Ironhide murmurs.

"I can't! I feel guilty! I hate this! damn it!" Reflect shouts. Ironhide holds him gently, kissing his head.

"Will, hey, just relax its alright." Ironhide murmurs softly. "shhhhh." Ironhide soothes gently. "have you sat down with them and talked about this?" Ironhide ask.

"no. because I know Ratchet will listen, but Wheeljack.... he'd run off. he might get angry." Reflect mutters. Ironhide sighs and holds him gently.

"okay come on." Ironhide murmurs, getting up. he hefts his bondmate into his arms, not as easy as it had been before, and carries him off.

he carries Reflect back to the medbay and lays him on the berth they'd be using until the sparkling room was finished. he curls up with the mech.

"you just need to take a deep breath the relax. okay? just relax." Ironhide murmurs, holding Reflect and the bump gently. "don't think about any of that stuff right now. there's perfect time after the sparkling gets here. just relax." Ironhide soothes, kissing his head. Reflect shoves away.

"I'm not laying here and falling asleep. I'm not tired." Reflect snaps, getting up. he struggles but manages to do so with little help from Ironhide.

"okay, you don't have to. I just thought laying here for would you feel better." Ironhide murmurs.

"getting off this god damed base would make me feel better! I'm tired of carrying, I want to leave! Reflect snaps. Ironhide frowns at him a moment.

"well, we can go to the beach." Ironhide says.

"you hate the fucking beach." Reflect growls.

"no I hate the sand, but since you have your own interior and won't be getting into mine, that doesn't matter." Ironhide says, getting up. "or we could go to the farm." Ironhide says.

"are you stupid? I can't drive. besides Optimus is leaving the base so I can't." Reflect snaps.

"we don't have to go today. giev you a day or two, I'll drive out to the farm and when I get there, I'll com you and you can teleport out there." Ironhide says.

"I can't. all my abilities got blocked when the sparkling dropped." Reflect grumbles. Ironhide frowns a little.

"I'll figure something out." Ironhide murmurs. "if you want to lactually leave, I'll find a way to make it happen." Ironhide assures. Reflect nods a little.

"okay whatever." he mumbles. Ironhide gets up and walks over to him.

"I'm sorry." Ironhide murmurs, pulling Reflect to his chest.

"don't. I'm not angry about the sparkling, I'm just fucking tired of carrying. its annoying." Reflect growls.

"I know I meant I'm sorry that I can't get you out of here for a few days." Ironhide says softly. "I'm not sorry about the sparkling." Ironhide adds. Reflect sighs. "hey Will, I wanted to actually talk to you about some important things." Ironhide murmurs. he hopes the discussion will help change his lovers mood.

"like what?" Reflect mutters.

"like the plan for after the sparkling is sparked." Ironhide says. Reflect looks up at him.

"huh?" he ask.

"when the sparkling gets here, what would you like to do? hmm? you won't be up for doing much for a few days, so obviously I'll take care of the sparkling and you, but my question is, do you want to stay in the medbay with the sparkling or would you like me to bring you both back to our room?" Ironhide ask.

"I dunno it really depends..." Reflect mumbles. "it really depends on how things go." Reflect adds. Ironhide nods at him.

"okay, and another question is, do you want me to be there?" Ironhide ask. Reflect shrugs.

"I'll be unconscious, thats your choice, I already talked with Ratchet. he doesn't care if you're there as long as you stay out of the way." Reflect mumbles.

"I didn't say anything about Ratchet. I'll be there if you want me to." Ironhide assures.

"well, not that I don't trust Ratchet I do, but it would be nice to know you're there for the sparkling." Reflect murmurs. Ironhide nods.

"then I'll be there." Ironhide assures gently. "like I said you'll be out of it for a few days, but I know you know that, so I'll take care of you two, so I want to nkow what you want." Ironhide murmurs.

"what do you mean?" Reflect ask.

"do you want to be here or the room, do you want the sparkling in our room or the sparkling room, are you going to allow visitors, who can and cannot hold the sparkling? things like that." Ironhide murmurs.

"other than you, Ratchet, and possibly Wheeljack, absolutely no one touches my sparkling before me, I will kill whoever touches them." Reflect growls. Ironhide nods.

"okay." Ironhide murmurs.

"we'll be in our room if its allowed. visitors will be allowed if we're in our room and possibly if we're in the medbay depending on how everything go's. I'd like to be in our room but things don't always happen that way." Reflect murmurs.

"alright vistors are a yes, no one holds the sparkling but the bots who have to." Ironhide murmurs.

"and no one, absolutely no one holds my sparkling." Reflect says firmly.

"no one will hold the sparkling other than me and Ratchet, and if he has too, Wheeljack. just us. promise." Ironhide assures. "I'll make sure Ratchet knows this too. okay?" Ironhide ask. Reflect nods.

"okay." Reflect mumbles, cuddling to him. Ironhide holds him gently, kissing his head.

"are you okay now?" Ironhide ask. Reflect nods against him.

"yeah. I'm fine. you know I cna't go one day without some kind of breakdown." Reflect mumbles. Ironhide chuckles softly, letting him go gently.

"good. now I love you." Ironhide murmurs.

"I love you too." Reflect mumbles softly, cuddling up under Ironhides chin. just because the mech let him go doesn't mean he's letting go. Ironhide takes the hint, wrapping his arms back around him, rubbing a servo up and down his back gently. he's careful not to bother the bnd around his bonded.

"hey, you two over here?" Wheeljack asks, poking his head in. Reflect and Wheeljack look over at him.

"yeah. we're here." Reflect mumbles softly.

"good! we've been busy buidling the sparkling room on the outside for a while, right now we're working on the inside and connecting it to your room, but I wanted to know if you had a specific color you wanted the room before we start putting sparkling items in there. room'll be done in a few days." Wheeljack murmurs.

"anything not ugly." Reflect grumbles.

"so, no blue then huh?" Wheeljack grins.

"you're never going to let that go are you?" Reflect ask.

"no." Wheeljack mutters.

"sorry, just slipped out. never been a fan of blue." Reflect grumbles.

"I don't hold it against you, too much." Wheeljack chuckles, shaking his head. "any color ideas?" Wheeljack ask. Reflect shrugs, looking up at Ironhide.

"ideas?" Reflect asks.

"I'll send you a color code number." Ironhide mumbles. Wheeljack nods.

"send it now, I'm heading to a store to get a few things." Wheeljack says.

"I will, just have to get it first. I'll have it in a minute, go on." Ironhide says, waving him off. Wheeljack nods, ducking out of the room.

"what color?" Reflect ask.

"you'll find out." Ironhide assures.

"is it ugly?" Reflect frowns. Ironhide laughs.

"no. you like it, or you did before." Ironhide assures. Reflect huffs.

"tell me. what color is it?" Reflect ask.

"you'll find out I promise." Ironhide murmurs softly. Reflect pouts at him.

"tell me. what color is it?" Reflect ask.

"I can't tell you that it'll spoil the surprise, but trust me Will, I know you'll like this color." Ironhide assures.

"so its a color you've seen before and I apparently liked." Reflect frowns, thinking.

"it was very important to you for a while." Ironhide murmurs. Reflect furrows his optical ridges.

"I don't know, just tell me, please?" Reflect pouts.

"green." Ironhide mutters. Reflect looks more confused.

"I hate green. its ugly." Reflect frowns.

"not this shade of green, you like this shade I know you do." Ironhide chuckles softly.

"I said nothing ugly Ironhide." Reflect groans.

"its not ugly Will, its a very nice color that I know you like. you've told me before you like it and I've seen you use it before several times." Ironhide murmurs.

"just tell me what is it so I can veto it if its ugly." Reflect glares.