keep swerving and you'll get pulled over, baby. I'll have to tow you if you can't drive straight.

I'm trying. I just... feel really dizzy all the sudden. like I'm gonna be sick again.

pull over now. I'm towing you.

Reflect immediately puts a blinker on, pulling off over to the shoulder of the road and stopping. Ironhide throws his emergency flashers on and pulls past him before pulling over in front of him. he backs up carefully. Ratchet immediately stops, pulling over with them. his holoform walks over to Ironhides, confused.

"whats going on?" Ratchet ask. "is everything okay?" Ratchet ask.

"he's dizzy. can't drive straight. I'm afraid he'll get in trouble." Ironhide murmurs, tying the other mech to him.

"dizzy?" Ratchet frowns. he walks around to the window, to at least appear he's talking to someone. "I know you can't activate your holoform right now, but are you okay?" Ratchet asks.

"m'fine. just dizzy." Reflect murmurs. Ratchet nods a little.

"let me know if you need me to look you over." Ratchet says softly.

"okay." Reflect murmurs.

Ironhide pats his bumper gently.

"come on, we'll be back to the base in no time." Ironhide says softly. his holoform climbs back into his cab.

Reflect takes the chance to nap while Ironhide pulls him back to the base. thankfully Ironhide seems to know he's asleep, because he's extra gentle when he stops red lights and careful when he takes off again.

he doesn't bother to try and wake Reflect, just pulls him to the base and unhooks in a shaded spot. he parks beside him, its getting late and Ironhide is fully prepared and ready to spend the night outside with his bonded. Ratchet watches them. he watches Ironhide position Reflect near the base itself, then park himself on the other side. it boxes the smaller mech protectively. Ratchet transforms and walks over. Ironhide shift on his tires, carefully. his mirror is so close if he's not careful, he'll scrape it down Reflects side.

"can I help you?" Ironhide grumbles.

"I'm going to bring you a cube for him. when he wakes up, you make sure he drinks it." Ratchet frowns.

"of course." Ironhide huffs. Ratchet nods and walks off.

Ironhide settles back down once Ratchet brings the cube. he doesn't settle into a deep recharge, just a light recharge. he doesn't want to go into a deep recharge and Reflect need him for something.

Ironhide jerks awake about an hour later, rolling back on his wheels in shock. he transforms quickly, looking beside him. Reflect is still in recharge. Ironhide lets out a quiet breath, shaking his head. it had been a long while since he'd had that particular nightmare.

him and Will stumbling across Annabelle and Sarah in the car. the little girl bent and mangled, burnt and bleeding. dead, cut in half, half in her carseat and half in the floorboards of the bent and mangled Honda.

he shakes his head hard, sitting on the ground quietly beside Reflect. the mech doesn't even seem to notice. he's in such a deep recharge not even the waves of anxiety rolling out of Ironhide side of the bond, can wake him. Ironhide feels a little relieved he hasn't woken his bonded, but his relief doesn't last long. he can't forcibly shake the memory from his head, it kept coming back. Will being dragged away from the car kicking and screaming about his baby girl, Ironhide finding himself being dragged away by Optimus and Ratchet.

he feels a wave of nausea hit him, then another and another. it only takes a moment to realize they're actually coming from Reflect. his anxiety had caused the other to feel nauseous despite being in deep recharge.

"I'm gonna make myself sick, or worse, I'm gonna make Reflect sick." Ironhide mutters, putting his face in his servo.

"you okay?" Reflect mutters, shifting beside him. "oh fuck." Reflect mutters, transforming quickly.

"yeah, I'm feeling that too. sorry." Ironhide mutters.

"I think I'm gonna puke or purge whatever you guys fucking call it." Reflect winces.

"purge. just purge into the sand." Ironhide mumbles. he makes an awful retching sound and Ironhide grimaces. he turns and pats his bondeds back gently. Reflect sits back after a moment, leaning against him.

"what happened. I was just... I was just recharging." Reflect mumbles. Ironhide subspaces the cube Ratchet brought earlier and holds it out to him.

"sorry. I felt kind of sick. it must've had more of an effect on you. I'm sorry." Ironhide murmurs softly.

"no s'okay. it probably came from me to begin with." Reflect mumbles softly. Ironhide kisses his head gently.

"come on, lets get you inside. its still early morning." Ironhide murmurs, getting up slowly. he carefully pulls Reflect up and leads him inside. they bump into Sideswipe, who had probably been waiting for them. he looks concerned.

"hey you alright? you guys were out there a while." Sideswipe frowns.

"what are you doing up?" Reflect mumbles.

"midnight base patrol. Prime started them after your bump with Hot Rod." Sideswipe shrugs.

"I'll get you the thing later." Reflect mumbles.

"oh, Jack already gave it to me." Sideswipe shrugs.

"oh yeah... told him I needed another." Reflect mutters.

"and even if he hadn't its not a worry. you look pretty sick." Sideswipe frowns.

"glitches." Reflect and Ironhide murmur gently. Sideswipe nods.

"well, Prowls patrolling down the hall, so don't be surprised if you bump into him." Sideswipe smiles a little.

"thanks Sideswipe." Ironhide murmurs, leading his bonded towards their shared room. they curl up immediately, ready to head back into stasis.

Reflect shifts and stretches.

"watch it." Ironhide murmurs, sleepily. he'd been having a rather nice recharge until Reflect knocked him in the face.

"blame your sparkling. this damn thing has had me up and rolling around for three hours." Reflect growls.

"nausea?" Ironhide ask.

"no, pain." Reflect huffs. Ironhide pulls him closer to him. he slips his arm under the tense mech.. "what the fuck are you doing?" Reflect snaps.

"shhhh." Ironhide murmurs softly, gently caressing the mechs chest, right where the sparkling sits. Reflect almost immediately relaxes against him, engine purring quietly.

"where'd you learn that?" Reflect mumbles, sounding ready to fall back into recharge.

"datapad." Ironhide murmurs, resting his chin on the top of the mechs head. Reflect shifts a little.

"soothing pain wasn't in my datapad." Reflect mumbles.

"Ratchet sent me one privately, for creators. said it really came in handy when Wheeljack carried. that it was the only reason he make it though Wheeljacks carrying cycle." Ironhide murmurs softly. Reflect melts against him..

"m'gonna fall asleep." Reflect mumbles.

"thats alright baby." Ironhide assures. "its the same thing. works for rage and for pain." Ironhide murmurs gently.

"what are you gonna do when it shifts again?" Reflect mumbles.

"I'll find where they sit again." Ironhide chuckles. "get some rest Will." Ironhide murmurs softly. Reflect snuggles against him happily.

Ironhide lays there for a few hours, just gently rubbing the spot on his bondeds chest gently while he rests, until Reflect shifts. he groans a little, before rolling over.

"better?" Ironhide ask. Reflect nods, cuddling up under his chin.

"how long was I out?" he mumbles.

"just shy of three hours, its 8AM." Ironhide murmurs. he lets the other go so they can get up. "come on, we'll get cubes, then I gave base patrol, lucky me." Ironhide mutters.

"but you're off duty...?" Reflect says confused.

"I was. until he set up base patrol. I'll only have it in the day time so I can stay with you and protect you at night." Ironhide murmurs. Reflect nods, walking with his bonded to the rec room.

"okay, just be careful. I know you can handle yourself but still." Reflect murmurs, grabbing a cube. he sips it, looking at Ironhide.

"I'll be fine. you do the same okay?" Ironhide ask. Reflect nods.

"Ratchet wants me in the medbay. he wants to run some scans on us." Reflect mutters. Ironhide smiles at him.

"have fun." Ironhide snorts.

"its be more fun to go back to our room." Reflect grumbles.

"oh great, moody, angry, horny, and you have to go play nice with our local CMO." Ironhide snorts.

"I'll bust your ass Hide." Reflect growls. Ironhide snorts, grabbing his shoulder gently and pulling him over.

"I don't doubt that Reflect." Ironhide murmurs, kissing him before walking off. Reflect watches him a moment, growling angrily.

"oh it is not that easy." Reflect growls, storming after the mech. he grabs Ironhide and drags him back to their room, the other mech chuckles and follows after him. he knew exactly what he was doing.

"Prime, I'm gonna be late to my shift."

"considering is for Reflect and he becomes violent if you ignore him, consider your shift pushed back an hour."

"someone warned you?"

"the very mech you're supposed to take over for saw him drag you away. it wasn't hard to put the pieces together."

"thanks Prime."

Ironhide is in and out of the room in 30 minutes. he'd love to take longer with his bonded, but he's got a shift and still needs a run through the wash racks. he leaves Reflect snoring on their berth with a new cube beside him.

Reflect wakes up an hour later to a warning from his system that he's dangerously low on energon and a notice he was late for his appointment. he grabs the cube and downs it before leaving the room. he jumps in the wash racks quickly, before heading to the medbay.

"you're late." Ratchet warns as he walks into the medbay.

"I had better things to do." Reflect snorts. Ratchet looks up from where he was working on Optimus. he raises an optic ridge at Reflect.

"more important than a sparkling check up?" Ratchet frowns. "and just what were you doing?" Ratchet ask when the mech nods. Reflect smirks at him.

"Ironhide." he grins, heading into the medics office.

"Primus." Optimus laughs, watching Ratchet. Ratchet rolls his optics.

"well, I suppose there are worse answers." Ratchet snorts.

"like?" Optimus chuckles. there's an awful retching sound from Ratchets office. the medic grimaces.

"that." Ratchet mutters.

"Jack, I need a clean up crew in my office."

"whats wrong?"

"Reflect purged."

"awww our poor sparkling has reached one of the worst stages in carrying. I'll be there shortly."

Ratchet frowns and stands up from where he's working on Optimus' updates.

"go check on him. I'll be fine here." Optimus assures gently.

"Jacks got him." Ratchet assures.

Wheeljack comes rushing in quickly. he smiles at them before heading to Ratchets office.

"m'sorry. m'so sorry. m'sorry." Reflect whimpers, looking at Wheeljack. he's curled up in the floor, behind Ratchets desk. he looks up at Wheeljack trembling. theres purge all over the floor, all over himself, and there's some in the trash can but not much.

"don't worry about it. its alright. you did at least try to hit the trash can." Wheeljack says softly, kneeling down in front of him gently. he smiles at him a little. "and if you think this is the first time there's been purge in this office you're wrong." Wheeljack murmurs. "stay right there I'll clean it up." Wheeljack assures.

"s'no point." Reflect mumbles. Wheeljack pushes the trash can over to him.

"if you do it again, here's the can. if you miss, thats fine." Wheeljack murmurs. he watches the mech jerk, grabbing the can before purging into it. Reflect drops his head back against the wall, looking ready to sob.

"m'sorry. m'sorry Jack." Reflect mumbles softly.

"don't be. hell this isn't even the first time you've purged in here." Wheeljack snorts. "when we first found you, humans nicknamed you 'the spit up king'. you purged in this office atleast once a day for the first three weeks you were with us." Wheeljack chuckles.

"don't really remember that." Reflect mumbles. "m'still sorry." Reflect adds.

"don't be sorry. this happens." Wheeljack murmurs. "this one time while I was carrying I purged right back into the cube I had just drank. Ratchet almost purged beside me." Wheeljack laughs a little. "just take a minute and calm down. trust me, I learned that panicking while purging makes you purge more. I learned that the hard way." Wheeljack says softly, leaning forward to pat his knee.

'what causes this? in humans I understand, but you guys...?" Reflect mumbles.

"well, the bad thing about carrying is that is causes glitches and those glitches make your body thing the sparkling is a virus, so it tries everything it can to get rid of the sparkling, except attack the actual sparkling." Wheeljack explains.

"can I make it stop?" Reflect mumbles softly, looking up at Wheeljack shakily.

"Ratchet and I will work on it. now just let me get you cleaned up here okay?" Wheeljack murmurs, smiling.

"m'sorry." Reflect mumbles.

"what he hell happened? why is he so distressed? you told me you weren't doing anything invasive."

Ratchet frowns a little.

"are you alright?" Optimus ask.

"Ironhide." Ratchet grumbles. Optimus chuckles softly.

"ah. angry creator." Optimus chuckles.

"I didn't even get the chance to start with him. he came in late. I'm working on Prime. he started purging the moment he came into the medbay."

"while you're working on him, update his holoform. he gets strange looks because his holoform doesn't breathe."

"fine."

"you look, annoyed." Optimus chuckles.

"its Ironhide, of course I'm annoyed." Ratchet snaps.

Reflect winces and shifts.

"you tell your bondmate to be nice to Ironhide or I'll beat him." Reflect warns. Wheeljack chuckles softly.

"Reflect says you need to be nice to Ironhide before he busts your ass."

"thats cute and amusing. tell him I will play nice."

"Ratchet says he'll play nice just for you." Wheeljack chuckles.

"I feel like I'm gonna be sick again." Reflect mumbles.

"I know kiddo," Wheeljack murmurs. "just try and hit the can if you can, I'll clean up the floor, then we'll take you to the shower." Wheeljack says. Reflect nods a little. he lurches forward, holding the trash can tightly as he purges agian. Wheeljack frowns.

"how long as Reflect been purging like this Ironhide?"

"it really started yesterday. he's been purging for a few days, but this violent purging is the reason I encouraged Ratchet to take a look at him."

Wheeljack nods to himself and cleans up the floor, then helps Reflect up off the floor.

"okay, okay come on Reflect. lean on me. you're not gonna hurt me. I'm tougher than I look. thats right, just lean on me kiddo." Wheeljack murmurs.

"m'makin' a mess." Reflect mumbles, leaning on the shorter bot. he drips purge all over Wheeljack and the floor.

"thats fine. I'll leave you in the washrack while I clean it up." Wheeljack assures gently.

"m'sorry." Reflect mumbles, dropping his head back as Wheeljack helps him.

"don't worry about it kid. remember when you got everyone on base sick, right after announcing yourself? you were sick even when everyone forgot who you were. there was so much purge in the floor of this medbay, we could've gone for a freaking swim." Ratchet mutters.

"quit talking about it unless you want more in the floor." Reflect mumbles, looking dizzy. Wheeljack helps him into the wash racks and plops him into the floor gently.

"sit here okay, I'll leave you in the warm water. when I come back I'll get you the solvent and we'll clean you up." Wheeljack murmurs. Reflect nods a little, leaning back against the wall. "then we'll get you out of here and get you a cube. we'll let you sleep when Ratchet does his check up." Wheeljack murmurs.

"m'kay.... thanks Jack... m'sorry." Reflect mumbles. Wheeljack stands and turns on the water, before crouching back down beside him.

"don't ever worry about it." Wheeljack murmurs, caressing the mechs cheek gently. "we'll take care of this, and you. we promise. you may not be a sparkling anymore, but you're always gonna be our sparkling." Wheeljack smiles at him. he stands and leaves, letting Reflect sit in the warm stream of water.

you seem happy and dizzy.

I covered the medbay, myself, Ratchets office, an Wheeljack in purge so he threw me in the wash racks. the waters warm.

he can almost hear his bonded chuckle.

if you need me to come get you or clean you up, let me know.

you're on duty an m'in the medbay washrack.

thats alright, if anything Prime'll assume you called for me. as long as I'm with you no one can technically hurt you.

if he hits my head on the dryer wall again, I'll be sure to call for you to beat his ass for me.

just say the word baby, I'll be there.

Reflect sits in the water a while, he must've fallen into recharge, because he wakes when the water is shut off. he blinks, looking up. Wheeljack smiles at him.

"s'Ironhide?" Reflect mumbles.

"he's on duty right now." Wheeljack says softly. Reflect shifts a little, looking down

"m'all clean...?" he mumbles.

"I washed you down, c'mon. lets get you up and get you dried. okay?" Wheeljack ask.

"anyone but you. m'not forgivin' you. hittin' my head all those times." Reflect mumbles. Wheeljack huffs annoyed, side stepping out of the way.

"I told you he'd say that. three years of bashing his head on that damn wall will do that." Ratchet snorts. he smiles at the mech on the floor, who looks up at him dizzily. "hey kid, ready to get up?" Ratchet murmurs.

"y'guys can't hold me. s'Ironhide?" Reflect mumbles.

"I already told you, he's on shift. come on." Wheeljack says softly. they heft the bigger mech to his peds.

"gentle Jack damn, you're gonna make him get sick everywhere." Ratchet grumbles. the both look up when the wash rack door opens. Ironhide walks in, carefully looking over the situation. "what are you doing in here?" Ratchet frowns.

"someone wanna tell me why my bondmate is sending out a distress signal?" Ironhide asks, looking between them.

"I think we stood him up too fast." Wheeljack murmurs. Reflect lets out a quiet whimper, he has yet to look up at his bonded. Ironhide frowns and walks over.

"what the hell are you two trying to do to him?" Ironhide frowns. he moves Wheeljack out of the way. "come here baby, come here." Ironhide murmurs.

"we were trying to get him into the dryer." Wheeljack frowns. Ironhide immediately starts chuckling.

"very funny. Wheeljack attempts to take you to the dryer so you send out a distress signal?" Ironhide snorts, hefting the mech gently into his arms.

"that is so rude." Wheeljack pouts.

"can you blame him?" Ratchet huffs. "in Reflects defense he did ask for Ironhide first." Ratchet grumbles.

"older but still a sparkling. still can't take no for an answer." Wheeljack grumbles.

"leave him alone Jack. he's dizzy, sick, and carrying. when you weren't angry while carrying you were sobbing for Ratchet so knock it off." Ironhide glares. he carries Reflect into the dryer and stays until he's dried, then carries the mech out.

"I didn't cry." Wheeljack pouts.

'you sobbed." Ratchet grumbles. Ironhide carries Reflect out of the washracks.

"come on, I'll lay you out here on a berth and I'm sure Wheeljack can go get you a cube." Ironhide murmurs, carrying him over to a berth. he lays the mech down gently.

"yeah I'll go get him one." Wheeljack says, walking out quickly.

"you don't always have to come running when he calls." Ratchet teases, watching Ironhide.

Ironhide tenses immediately. his mind goes back to the day Will had shouted for him and Ironhide hadn't been able to get to him. Starscream stomped on him.

a large wave of mixed emotions slam into him from Reflects side of the bond. he's staring at Ironhide.

"you okay?" Reflect mumbles.

"yeah." Ironhide mutters, shaking his head. he turns to Ratchet. "I will always come when he calls." Ironhide says firmly. Ratchet nods.

"I was teasing you Ironhide." Ratchet assures gently. "just teasing. I promise." he assures. Ironhide nods once, turning back to Reflect. he shoots him a small smile, but he knows Reflect knows exactly what he was thinking about.

"go. m'okay." Reflect mumbles. Ironhide nods, squeezing the servo in his gently. he lets it go and walks out.

don't focus on that Hide, I'm back. I'm alive. m'okay. the sparklings okay.

I know Will. I'm sorry.

don't be sorry. m'sorry I called you in here.

don't worry. I will always be there when you call baby. anytime, anywhere, call for me. I'll be there.

I love you Hide.

I love you too Will. just relax.

Reflect shifts on his berth and looks over at Ratchet.

"hang tight kid." Ratchet murmurs. he walks over with a medical cube in his servo. "this won't stop the purging but it'll help it. make it a little less violent and less often." Ratchet says softly. Reflect looks up and slowly sits up, Ratchet helps him carefully. "here." Ratchet murmurs. Reflect shakes his head.

"no. m'tired of drinking them down just so they come right back up." Reflect mumbles.

"not drinking it is not an option. either you take it in my mouth or I put you on a drip." Ratchet frowns.

"I don't want to puke it back up." Reflect mumbles.

"I know, but thats why its important you drink this one. its our version of an anti-nausea med. it'll help trust me. made the same damn thing for Jack." Ratchet assures. Reflect looks at the cube. he lifts a shaking servo and takes it form the medic. his system is taxed and tired. the lack of being able to keep energon down long enough for it to process through his system was hurting him.

Ratchet refuses to move away from him until he's downed the entire cube. Reflect holds the empty cube out to him, his servo is shaking far less then mefore and he can actually hold himself up, instead of depending on Ratchet to do some.

"go a head and lay back kid. we'll knock you out for everything and put you on a drip to ensure you both stay healthy." Ratchet murmurs. Reflect lays back slowly.

"am I as bad as Jack was?" Reflect mumbles.

"far from it. you actually drank the cube. I had to put him on a drip." Ratchet snorts. Reflect nods.

"so I guess he couldn't tell you it tasted like fucking dog shit." Reflect mumbles. Ratchet chuckles softly.

"I'll keep that in mind when I add it to your drip." Ratchet assures gently.

"m'sorry." Reflect mumbles.

"for what? purging? we already told you-" Ratchet starts.

"no." Reflect murmurs.

"then for what kiddo?" Ratchet asks.

"calling Hide in here..." Reflect murmurs, softly. he looks away from the medic, almost looking ashamed. Ratchet immediately grasps his servo gently.

"look at me." Ratchet says firmly. Reflect looks over hesitantly. "he's your bondmate. thats his sparkling. me and Jack accidentally got a little too rough for you. never ever be ashamed or sorry. we got rough and you called for help. don't be sorry. Ironhide came running, didn't he? he had been in the rec room getting himself a cube and he came running. he got to the medbay in less than a minute, its a 20 minute walk, I know you know that. whether it be you, or the sparkling, something in you felt you were in danger. it could be you were low on energon and tired and confused. its fine. Ironhide was here within seconds. be proud of that. you called for help and he came. he didn't care why it was you called, he just came running for you." Ratchet murmurs.

"but it was stupid." Reflect murmurs.

"no it wasn't kiddo." Ratchet assures. "Reflect, even if it was a fear Wheeljack would bash your head on a wall again, it was still reasonable. you were confused and afraid. we should've given you time to wake up." Ratchet murmurs gently.

"hey, everything okay?" Wheeljack asks, walking in.

"everything is fine. sit him up and get him that cube, then I'll knock him out." Ratchet murmurs, smiling at him a little. Wheeljack walks over and helps him sit up. Reflect leans back against him, dropping his head back against Wheeljacks shoulder. the inventor smiles and wraps his arm around him gently, holding him up.

"I feel like now is a good time to apologize for always banging your head on the dryer wall." Wheeljack says. Reflect huffs.

"careless." Reflect mutters, taking the cube.

"yeah..." Wheeljack chuckles.

"once is an accident, twice is a coincidence, three times is a pattern." Ratchet snorts. Reflect sips his cube, but he looks exhausted.

"this friggin sparkling... " Reflect mumbles.

"you finish that before you fall asleep." Ratchet murmurs. Reflect jerks his head up to look at him.

"finish that first, its okay." Wheeljack murmurs.

"no." Reflect mutters. "I'm good. I'll puke it up. I don't want to." Reflect mumbles.

"Ratchet he's really afraid he's going to puke." Wheeljack frowns, looking over.

"fine. I was going to put him on a drip anyway." Ratchet mutters. Reflect leans back against Wheeljack more.

"sorry." Reflect mumbles.

"don't be sorry Reflect." Wheeljack murmurs gently.

"come on kid, lay out." Ratchet murmurs. Reflect doesn't listen to him. Ratchets ready to convince him to lay down, but when he looks at the mechs face, he realizes he's already asleep. "oh, okay Jack, lets lay him down." Ratchet murmurs, walking over.

"I can't." Wheeljack frowns.

"why not?" Ratchet huffs.

"he's holding onto me." Wheeljack replies, motioning to his arm. Ratchet glances down. Reflects fingers are firmly gripping the armor on Wheeljacks arm.

"slagger." Ratchet grumbles. "okay, well, I hope nothing is going to explode without you, because it appears he has chosen you to cuddle with him while I do this." Ratchet frowns.

"Primus, I hope nothing explodes." Wheeljack mutters. he kicks his legs up onto the berth carefully, laying back with the other mech still on his arm. Reflects head rests on his shoulder, snoring quietly.

"get comfortable Jack, you're not going anywhere." Ratchet snorts. Wheeljack nods a little, cuddling him gently.