"how do you-" Noah starts.

"we have direct access to the world wide web and military personal, found your old file. Kris Diaz, better known as Tails on the internet, he's 11." Reflect frowns. Noah goes quiet a few minutes, looking nervous as hell. who knew Kris was right about no names on the airwaves? too made they'd found his old military files.

"so what... what kind of legal trouble am I going to be in for stealing government property?" Noah ask. Reflect scoffs at his question.

"we are not government property, don't let anyone hear you telling them we belong to the government. they might actually squish you. we are not human government property." Reflect warns. "whats going to happen is I am going talk to Optimus. we're going to put you in a sort of protection program. we'll assign you a guardian, the government will protect you and pay you to stay hidden and secret. which means you won't have to steal and sell my friends anymore." Reflect frowns. he sighs and shifts on his tires. "though Mirage, the freaky bastard, he'd probably get off on being sold." Reflect grumbles.

"santo infierno en que me he metido?" Noah mutters.

"a huge mess, thats what." Reflect snorts.

"you understood me?" Noah asks, hesitantly.

"Sí, puedo usar Internet para traducir." Reflect snorts. "which is weird because I couldn't speak spanish before when I was- nevermind." Reflect frowns, pulling up to the base. Noah looks confused. "just stay quiet and keep to yourself. okay?" Reflect says, transforming. Ironhide and Ratchet transform as well. Reflect is careful as he holds onto Noah. "Mirage if you drive off and I have to go after you, you'll spend the rest of your sad little life in the brig. get your ass in there. Optimus wants to see you as well." Reflect growls. Mirage transforms and grins at Reflect. the mech glares at him annoyed. Mirage ducks his head down sheepishly. "behave." Reflect warns.

"go lay down, I'll take him and Mirage. you four go lay down." Ratchet murmurs, taking Noah from Reflects servo. Reflect doesn't argue, suddenly feeling sick.

"Reflect?" Ironhide asks, looking over at him. Reflect jerks, turns quickly heading off as fast as he can. Ironhide quickly heads after him, cuddling both sparklings in one arm.

he quickly finds the mech in their room, curled up in a tight ball on his side.

"hey, Reflect, you alright?" Ironhide ask softly.

"I got dizzy and sick." Reflect mumbles. I purged, thankfully in a can." Reflect mutters.

"you're not ready for so much driving." Ironhide murmurs softly, reaching out and rubbing his cheek gently. Reflect looks up at him.

"give me my sparklings." Reflect murmurs. Ironhide nods and carefully lays the sparklings down with him. Reflect pulls them to his chestplates ands holds them tightly.

"you going to be alright?" Ironhide ask. Reflect nods, shifting on his berth.

lay with us." Reflect mumbles.

"sure." Ironhide smiles, climbing up to lay behind him. he wraps his arms gently around the mechs waist and pulls him closer.

"Ironhide."

"Optimus?"

"I'd like to talk to Reflect, is he awake? I don't want to bother him."

"he's awake, but give him a little bit. that drive got him purging. he's feeling pretty sick."

"alright. let me know when he's ready."

Ironhide gently runs a servo up his side, before kissing the mechs neck.

"Optimus wants to talk with you when you feel better." Ironhide says softly. Reflect groans, before getting up carefully. he pushes the sparklings towards Ironhide. "where are you going?" he frowns.

"to settle this so I can lay down and not put off important shit." Reflect grumbles, heading out of the room.

Reflect heads quickly down to Optimus' office, letting himself in. Jazz, Prowl, Epps, Optimus, Mirage, and Noah are all waiting. they look up at his arrival.

"alright alright. lets get this party started. what do you need me for?" Reflect mutters.

"you told this human we'd put him in protection?" Prowl glares. Reflect straights and glares Prowl down, leaning over the mech. to his credit Prowl stands his ground, but his glare waivers slightly. Reflect was not a mech to be messed with on his temper.

"first of all Prowl, you will lose your attitude with me or I'll absolutely make you fucking pay. swear to Primus I'll beat the fuck out of you so bad not even Ratchet will be able to save you." Reflect snaps. "second, this young man came across an Autobot and has been exposed to us, therefore, as part of the Human/Autobot allience, he is to be granted safe haven, along with his family, and is to be hidden, secured, and payed like everyone else who discovers us. you know that." Reflect says firmly.

"l-look I can just go home-" Noah tries. Reflect turns to him, silencing him with a glare. Noah doesn't balk as he'd done before. Reflect seem pretty firm on his word that no one would hurt him.

"hush." Reflect says firmly. Noah goes quiet. "now, Tessa has two bots, two, guarding her, or well had. Jolt can handle her. Noah already knows Mirage. Mirage should be assigned to him. its not like we've been missing him here on base anyway. keeps him out of our circuits." Reflect frowns. Optimus nods.

"I agree with Reflect." Optimus says. "he should be treated as every other unfortunate who has run across us. even without Starscream, there are other threats who put a risk on safety for Noah and his family." Optimus frowns. Noah turns to look at him, a fear in his eyes, before growling and turning back around.

"¿peligro?" Noah growls. "¿mi hermano? you put my brother in danger?" Noah snaps, glaring at Mirage. Mirage shrugs a little, but does feel a little bad for the boy he hasn't met.

"you're the one who hotwired me. I was just having a nice stasis nap and boom, you break in." Mirage frowns a little.

"Noah, relax. listen to me. we won't allow anyone to hurt your little brother. Epps will take care of everything on our side, you don't worry about anything. Mirage will take you home." Reflect assures.

"no way, no way! I am done with you...." Noah trails looking around the room. "freakish cars." Noah says.

"doesn't work like that Noah." Reflect sighs softly.

"its not an option. I'm sorry. coming across Mirage has now put your life in danger, but don't worry the government will care for you." Optimus assures. Noah stares at Mirage.

"well what if I don't want some kind of body guard?" Noah asks.

"you're not getting a choice in this. you're getting a guardian and that guardian will be MIrage. tell me again damn it why you couldn't pretend to be a real car?" Reflect glares.

"man I was started out of a nap!" Mirage huffs.

"enough." Optimus warns. "you will be staying with Noah, understood Mirage?" Optimus asks.

"yes sir." Mirage mutters.

"good, not its settled. I'm going back to my berth, if you bother me again, any of you, I will kill someone." Reflect says, staring at them. he turns and leaves, storming back to his and Ironhides room.

"hey, that was fast." Ironhide murmurs, looking up.

"well, I got my way, the government will take care of Noah, and if they decide not to, I'll take care of that too." Reflect says. Ironhide nods, moving so Reflect and curl up with their sparklings. Ironhide easily moves out of the way so Reflect could pull the sparklings to his chest. Reflect carefully rolls over with the sparklings in his arms and buries himself into Ironhides chest. Ironhide snorts, holding him gently.

"hows Mirage taking to the fact he's gonna be a humans guardian?" Ironhide ask.

"he loves helping with Tessa, so I'm sure once he and Noah get used to each other he'll like it too." Reflect mumbles.

"get some rest Reflect." Ironhide murmurs.

"no need, just gotta lay down til the dizzy goes away." Reflect mumbles quietly. Ironhide nods at him.

"I have settled on a name for him." Ironhide says.

"good, then I can finally start calling our daughter Echo." Reflect says.

"Echo and Remix." Ironhide murmurs. Reflect shifts a little.

"Remix... the name Annie wanted." Reflect murmurs.

"figured we'd honor her with the little brother she was always asking for." Ironhide says softly. Reflect smiles.

"I like it." Reflect murmurs.

"why Echo?" Ironhide ask.

"being blind gives her some incredible abilities. it fits in the future. you'll see." Reflect smiles, nuzzling his sparklings.

"think Mirage will make a good guardian?" Ironhide ask.

"maybe." Reflect murmurs. Remix squeals, trying to shove his creators and sibling away. "wanna get those cubes and feed him, I'll feed Echo." Reflect murmurs.

"sure. I subspaced them." Ironhide murmurs, sitting up. he leans back against the wall, scooping his son up gently. "come here little one. come here." Ironhide murmurs softly. he cuddles the little mechling and offers him the cube. Remix latches onto it immediately, gripping his creators fingers in a tight grasp. Ironhide chuckles softly. Reflect sits up, leaning carefully against Ironhide's side, taking the cube his bonded offers to feed their daughter. she stretches and cuddles up to her carrier, latching onto her own cube when its offered.

"you know Mirage better than I do.... how do you think he'll do?" Reflect asks, softly. Ironhide pauses to think.

"well, Mirage is childish, like Bumblebee, but worse. Mirage is younger than Bumblebee. I fought with his creators. he's still midyoungling stages, he wanted nothing to do with the war and raged when his creators were killed. the only reason he joined the Autobots. he met Bumblebee in the care centers but was out the day the Decepticons attacked. he doesn't remember the care centers. he was too young." Ironhide explains. "he's childish, but he's loyal... he's a good kid. he really is, I think he'll do alright." Ironhide adds. Reflect nods. "plus, he loves Earth. he reminds me a little of Jazz. of course Mirage wants to go back to Cybertron one day, but he is contented on Earth. I think having a human partner will help him." Ironhide adds.

"sure helped you." Reflect murmurs, leaning over to nuzzle his face into Ironhides neck. Ironhide chuckles softly, turning to kiss his head.

"yeah, sure did. never thought Optimus forcing me to stay with a human would end up with me having a bondmate and sparklings." Ironhide snorts softly. Reflect chuckles, cuddling against him happily. he rubs Echos cheek gently.

"I never figured a grumpy ass old bastard with anger issues would be my bondmate." Reflect chuckles softly. Ironhide grunts at him, but he's smirking.

"bastard, hmm?" Ironhide snorts.

"no lie, I hated you when Optimus assigned you to me and I know you hated me." Reflect chuckles. "then when I finally introduced you to Annie... I saw you change." Reflect smiles at him. Ironhide smiles at him, leaning his head back some against the wall. Remix clicks around his cube quietly, patting at Ironhides servo. the mech immediately lifts his head, smiling.

"alright I'm sorry, you have my full attention." Ironihde murmurs. the sparkling purrs quietly, reaching up towards Ironhides face. "so you can understand them..?" Ironhide ask. Reflect nods.

"yeah sometimes. sometimes its words, other times its just gibberish." Reflect murmurs. Ironhide nods a little.

"I see." Ironhide murmurs.

"was there something you wanted to hear about?" Reflect ask.

"I was curious about what they were both saying." Ironhide murmurs softly.

"just gibberish." Reflect murmurs. "he didn't say anything in particular. just made a noise to catch your attention." Reflect chuckles. Ironhide chuckles.

"of course he did. he's an attention hog, like you." Ironhide snorts. Reflect chuckles. Echo turns away from her cube with an angry squeal, dumping what little energon was left all over her and Reflect.

"shit." Reflect huffs. "and now I know how Ratchet and Wheeljack always felt." Reflect mutters softly. Ironhide laughs, smiking at him.

"go wash up." Ironhide murmurs.

"fine, but I'm taking her with me." Reflect mutters, getting up. he heads out of their room, dripping energon onto the floor. several bots he passes snicker at him. "yeah yeah, haha karmas a bitch." Reflect huffs, rolling his optics.

"hey, is the medbay washrack empty?"

"yeah why?"

"because my daughter is an exact fucking copy of me and now we both need a clean."

"but she's too small to put in the washrack and you don't want to be too far from her."

"exactly."

"sure bring her in. I'll clean her up while you hop in for a wash."

"thanks Ratchet."

"just don't pull a Wheeljack."

"I'll kill you." Reflect huffs, walking into the medbay. Ratchet turns and snorts. Wheeljack looks over from his workbench.

"huh?" Wheeljack ask. Reflect glares, passing Echo over to Ratchet.

"karma is a bitch." Ratchet snorts, taking the sparkling. he walks over to the sink.

"haha." Reflect mutters heading for the washracks.

"what happened?" Wheeljack asks.

"she spilt her cube on him." Ratchet murmurs, carefully lowering the sparkling into the sink he's already filled with a warm water. she chirps, flailing immediately. "easy easy. its alright its just water." Ratchet murmurs, gently. he rubs her cheek gently, trying to soothe her. he knwos the little sparkling is more skittish as she's blind. she whines softly, but Ratchet crouches, gently shushing her. "I know. you can't see it and you don't like that, but it's alright I'm not going to hurt you and neither will the water. just relax." Ratchet soothes gently.

he cleans her up carefully, before heading into the washrack. Reflect looks up at him, almost annoyed, scrubbing dried energon from his elbow joint.

"not ready?" Ratchet snorts. Reflect huffs.

"can't get this shit out fo my elbow." Reflect mutters. he shuts the water off and reaches for his sparkling. "come here." he murmurs, carrying her towards the dryer.

"don't pull a Wheeljack." Ratchet smirks. Reflect glares, cuddling his sparkling carefully. he takes his free arm and carefully covers her head.

"knock it off. I'm already afraid I'm going to hurt her." Reflect growls, heading into the dryer. Ratchet chuckles softly, watching him a moment, before leaving the room. he carefully protects his sparkling, he doesn't want to hurt her, he's utterly terrified of accidently dropping her, busting her head on the wall, or even slipping and falling with her.

are you alright?

I know he's just poking fun, but I'm already terrified enough of hurting her.

just relax, you're more careful than Wheeljack.

Ironhide growls softly to himself.

"Ratchet, if you don't leave Reflect alone about accidentally hurting our daughter, I will beat the living fuck out of you. you've got him so anxious that I can feel his distress over the fucking bond."

"I was just picking on him, Ironhide. he cried to you?"

"no I could feel him over the bond."

"okay I'll take it easy."

"whats up? you look angry." Wheeljack frowns.

"I upset Reflect by telling him not to pull a you." Ratchet mutters.

"Ratchet did you make him cry?" Wheeljack frowns.

"hell if I know. I was just teasing him a little." Ratchet frowns.

"you know carriers are still sensitive after sparkling." Wheeljack frowns. "go apologise." Wheeljack huffs.

"I will when he comes out." Ratchet mumbles.

"don't bother waiting. he teleported back to the room."

Ratchet frowns a little.

"what now?" Wheeljack asks.

"Ironhide says Reflect teleported back to their room." Ratchet frowns.

Reflect glares at Ironhide.

"I didn't do it okay?" Ironhide mutters.

"you upset him! I could feel how upset he was." Reflect grumbles.

"he was upset because you were upset and you weren't near by." Ironhide assures. Reflect glares hugging both of his sparklings.

"I didn't upset him." Reflect glares.

"he's upset because you weren't here." Ironhide frowns. "you didn't upset he's a sparkling." Ironhide soothes gently. "I'm not saying its your fault. I'm just saying he's upset you had to leave, but you're back now so he should be alright." Ironhide assures gently. Reflect cuddles his sparklings gently. "now want to tell me exactly what Ratchet did that was so bad?" Ironhide ask.

"doesn't matter." Reflect mumbles, nuzzling his sparklings. "as long as my sparklings are okay, nothing else matters." Reflect adds. Ironhide frowns, but walks over and wraps his arms tightly around his little family.

"okay." Ironhide murmurs softly. he kisses his bondeds head gently. "as long as you guys are alright." Ironhide soothes.

"she's okay and he's okay. I'm still reeling from the whole glitches and shit. I'm fine, just fucking sensitive." Reflect mumbles, leaning against him. he buries his face into Ironhides neck, carefully cuddling the sparklings. Ironhide lifts one servo to hold Reflects face into his neck gently, tilting his head down to kiss the top of Reflects gently.

"I love you." Ironhide murmurs softly. "all of you." he adds.

"we love you too Hide." Reflect murmurs softly. Ironhide half smiles at him, slowly letting go.

"you've got to kick back and relax Will, I know you don't want to, but you're making yourself worse, understood?" Ironhide ask.

"don't lecture me." Reflect huffs. "but yes I understand. I know, but I can't help it Hide." Reflect sighs.

"I know its just part of who you are." Ironhide sighs a little. "you just had two sparklings. you need to relax." Ironhide murmurs.

"m'trying." Reflect sighs, hugging the sparklings tightly. he steps away from Ironhide, kissing Echos head gently. both look over when there's a knock on their door.

"you two in there?" Optimus ask. Reflect sighs a little and holds the sparklings out to Ironhide.

"I've got it, you keep them." Ironhide murmurs, kissing his head gently. Reflect nods and walks over to sit down on the berth. he cuddles the sparklings gently, kissing their heads gently. Ironhide lets Optimus in, stepping back so the door will shut behind the Prime. "Prime?" Ironhide ask.

"I just thought I'd let you know, Mirage and Noah will be leaving tomorrow for Noahs home, Sam and Bumblebee are going with them because Sam is the liason still. they'll meet up with Mearing to get the paperwork settled. Noahs brother Kris will be cared for." Optimus assures.

"good." Reflect nods.

"but, Noah would like to speak with you, about Will." Optimus frowns. Reflect looks confused. "he overheard a couple of Autobots chatting with Mirage about it." Optimus adds. Reflect nods at him.

"yeah, no problem, here Hide, introducing him to the sparklings in a fragile state, probably wouldn't be good." Reflect frowns. Ironhide nods once, swooping both sparklings up gently. Reflect gets up off the berth. "where is he?" Reflect ask.

"hiding out in the human rec room." Optimus snorts. Reflect nods.

"be careful." Ironhide grumbles.

"I will, don't worry." Reflect assures, heading out of the room. he heads quickly down the hall, activating his holoform to enter the rec room. Noah is sitting in a corner, carefully watching the room. Reflect smiles and walks over. "hey kid, been introduced to holoforms yet?" Reflect ask.

"holo-what?" Noah froans. Reflect flickers his holoform.

"its me, Reflect, don't worry. most Autobots have one of these things to fit in better. you wanted to talk to me?" Reflect ask. Noah stares at him a moment.

"y-you were human?" Noah ask. Reflect nods.

"yeah, so this is all a long story, but there was this cube, called the Allspark-" Reflect starts.

"yeah MIrage explained the Allspark." Noah mumbles.

"right well, I got some serious exposure to that, so did Sam, when a Decepticon stomped on me I died, but the energy brought me back as an Autobot." Reflect explains. "thats the short version." he snorts. Noah nods a little, looking him over.

"that explains a lot." Noah said.

"hmm?" Reflect asks, confused.

"you act different. my fear was... amusing to you not concerning like the others. like it was funny to see someone else go through the same thing you had." Noah frowns. Reflect smirks at him.

"look at you military man." Reflect chuckles. he shakes his head a little. "would you be interested in a military job here?" Reflect ask.

"no. I can't leave my little brother or my mom like that." Noah frowns.

"you're just a kid, I get that Noah, but the government is going to care for your family now. I think you'd make a great asset to the N.E.S.T. team." Reflect murmurs.

"N.E.S.T.?" Noah asks, hesitantly.

"the Non-biological Extraterrestrial Species Treaty. a Military program that broke into its own branch, I started it back when I first met the Autobots. after the battle of Chicago." Reflect murmurs.

"I acted cowardly." Noah says, looking confused.

"and? you met a 13 foot tall alien robot that transforms into a car, and you didn't shit your pants. that counts for something." Reflect says. Noah watches him.

"what if I don't want to?" Noah ask. Reflect shrugs.

"you don't have to. Mirage is taking you back home in the morning, do you have a cell phone?" Reflect asks. Noah shakes his head. "Mirage will get you one. how do you contact your family?" Reflect asks. Noah looks hesitant, but grabs his backpack off the ground, pulling a walkie-talkie out.

"I got these for me and my brother when I found out how sick he was." Noah mutters. Reflect nods a little and smiles.

"mind if I see it just for a minute?" Reflect ask. Noah pulls it back quickly.

"no way man, I can't afford to replace this thing if you break it." Noah says quickly.

"I won't break it. I'm going to upgrade it. Mirage is nice and all, but I'll use a little bit og my Allspark energy to connect your walkie to my com system, so if you need anything and Mirage isn't around, you can message me about it." Reflect says.

"com system?" Noah asks. Reflect nods, tapping the side of his head.

"yeah its how we communicate with each other when we can't talk in person." Reflect smiles. "hey come with me, I got someone I want you to meet. I think you'll get along with him pretty nice." Reflect ask. Noah tenses.

"another Autobot?" Noah asks, nervously.

"no, well, maybe. he might be in Wheeljacks lab, but I meant another human." Reflect assures gently. Noah nods slightly and follows Reflects holoform out. Reflect shuts it off and looks down at Noah from his bipedal form. "can I pick you up?" Reflect ask, softly. Noah nods hesitantly.

"just like, don't crush me or nothin'." Noah frowns.

"wouldn't dream of it, humans squish squish." Reflect says automatically. he pauses, looking utterly embarrassed. "I cannot believe I just said that." Reflect mumbles, scooping Noah up gently. he carries the man off towards Cades lab.

everything alright? got something weird from your side of the bond then it was blocked.

I'm fine Ironhide. don't worry about it.

you sure?

yes fuck off.

grouchy.

oh yeah? coming from the king of grouch.

you've taken my crown I bow to you.

thats fucking gay Ironhide.

Reflect rolls his optics.

"hey uh, Reflect?" Noah ask.

"yeah?" Reflect asks, looking down at him.

"um... Mirage is my guardian right?" Noah ask. Reflect nods. "whats that mean?" Noah asks, hesitantly.

"well, he'll be with you as much as he can. he'll keep you, your brother, and your mother safe. he'll be your ride or die. you guys will be good friends I'm sure you will." Reflect assures gently. Noah nods.

"did you have a guardian?" Noah asks.

"Ironhide. he's my bondmate now. my Allspark energy allowed me to form what Cybertronians call a 'bond'. our sparks, our life forces, merge together to become one. its comparable to marriage, but its super different. Ironhide was my guardian for years. we were friends. the my wife left and took our daughter with her. Ironhide became my best friend, my support system. my wife and daughter were killed in a Decepticon attack. I lost my mind. after a while I confessed I'd fallen for him. turns out my energy bonded to Ironhide. when I died, I came back because of not only my energy, but because I was bonded to Ironhide. I came back for him." Reflect shrugs.

"you... you dated one of these things?" Noah asks. Reflect nods.

"yup. me and Ironhide. there's also Cade Yeager and Optimus and Sam and Bumblebee." Reflect explains. "humans and Autobots have a great paring ratio." Reflect chuckles softly.

" I don't have to... with Mirage...?" Noah asks.

"huh? no! no! Primus no." Reflect assures gently. "no. you don't have to. sometimes humans and Autobots just fall in love." Reflect shrugs a little. "it just happens." Reflect murmurs.

"so its not expected?" Noah ask.

"nah. I mean, Jazz has been Epps' guardian for years, but they're just good friends. Epps is married with 4 kids." Reflect shrugs.