they stay out watching the movie all night long, Reflect easily falling asleep leaned against his bondmate. Ironhide holds him all night long, even falling into recharge himself.

they wake the next morning, Reflect groaning in pain and rolling over.

"Reflect?" Ironhide ask.

'Hide, help me up." Reflect groans lowly. "I've gotta get off the ground. my back already hurts so bad.

"hold on, I'll help you up." Ironhide chuckles softly, getting up. he carefully pulls Reflect to his feet. "easy." he murmurs.

"thank you." Reflect mumbles, stumbling against him.

"of course love." Ironhide smiling.

"thank you for last night too. it may not seem like it but it meant a lot to me. it still does. getting out of the base if only for a few hours." Reflect says.

"I know. I'm happy to do it again. you just have to tell me when you need things like this." Ironhide assures. Reflect nods.

"I will, next time. I didn't think there was anything we could do, but I know different now." Reflect murmurs.

"you should've known I'd find a way." ironhide chuckles softly.

:"yeah I should've." Reflect chuckles. "stubborn, but you did it. you found a way to make this happen." Reflect adds.

they head inside, slowly. Reflects back hurts from the position he'd slept in and walking wasn't easy to begin with, so this just made it worse, but Ironhide is patient. he walks slowly with the mech, careful to support his weight.

"hey, you two were gone a while, everything okay?" Jazz ask.

"we were laying outside." Reflect mutters.

"just needed a little time off base." Ironhide assures. "we're good." he adds.

"just sore." Reflect grumbles, reaching around to rub at his sore back with a wince.

"oh yeah, laying on the ground will make anyones back hurt." Jazz snorts. "especially if they've just been blow up." he adds.

"thats true." Reflect grumbles.

"okay come on. lets get you into our room and onto the berth. I'll get you a cube." Ironhide murmurs. Reflect nods, letting his bonded lead the way to their room.

"that was nice and worth it, even if my back hurts." Reflect snorts.

"well, I'm glad it was enjoyable even if in the end it hurt." Ironhide chuckles, helping him up onto their berth.

"I think I'm done walking around for a while. I think I'm just gonna use my holoform for a bit." Reflect mumbles.

"thats fine. if you see fit to walk around in your holoform, I'll do the same." Ironhide assures. "if its more comfortable that way." he chuckles.

"comfort is not a word I know anymore Ironhide, you know that by this point." Reflect huffs.

"let here, I'll bring you a cube then you can do what you want." he murmurs. Reflect nods.

"thanks." Reflect grunts, sitting up. Ironhide nods heading out of the room.

he bumps into Optimus when he walks into the rec room.

"sorry Prime." Ironhide says.

"no worries old friend. how is Reflect? I know the explosion wasn't big, but Wheeljack is a heavy mech and he landed on the sparkling." Optimus frowns.

"nah, they're all fine. Reflect, the sparkling, and Wheeljack. they're fine. though, both a bit sore, Ratchet says everythings good with the sparkling too." Ironhide says. Optimus nods.

"good. Prowl said he got the reports to Reflect, does he need my help with anything?" Optimus ask.

"nah, he'll get to them today, though I'll probably be running them to Epps later." Ironhide says. "he will be swapping to his holoform for a bit though, getting around is not as easy as it was before the sparkling dropped." Ironhide explains. Optimus nods.

"if anyone gives him trouble, let me know." Optimus says.

"should we have any trouble, you'll be the first to hear about it." he assures. Optimus nods.

"alright well, have a good day Ironhide." Optimus smiles. Ironhide nods a little. he grabs the cubes and heads quickly back to his and Reflects room.

he walks in and pauses, Wheeljack is standing behind his bonded, wrapping something around him.

"what is that? what are you doing to him?" Ironhide snaps, letting the door shut behind him.

"take it easy Hide. I ask Wheeljack to do something for me." Reflect assures his bonded.

"don't move, I want to get this measurement right." Wheeljack murmurs.

"sorry." Reflect murmurs.

"just what is it you're doing to my bondmate?" Ironhide ask.

"I am making something to support the weight of the sparkling. it'll take the weight off his back and hopefully keep the bump from being so heavy." Wheeljack assures.

"it won't hurt us Hide." Reflect assures gently. "its supposed to help." he adds gently. Ironhide frowns.

"okay, as long as you don't hurt them." he grumbles.

"I wouldn't dream of it." Wheeljack assures. "I'm really trying to help." he adds. Wheeljack finally steps back. "alright give me a few days" Wheeljack says, leaving.

"thanks Jack." Reflect says, sitting back down on the berth.

"so whats he trying to make?" Ironhide ask.

"basically a back brace with an elastic band that'll go around the sparkling bump. it'll hold the weight up without putting strain on my back. basically walking around will be a little less painful and heavy and a little more enjoyable." Reflect explains. Ironhide nods at him.

"alright. as long as you two are safe." Ironhide murmurs, sitting beside him. he holds a cube out to the smaller. Reflect takes it, leaning against him and sipping it.

"thanks. its easier to just sit here and not do anything." Reflect mumbles.

"you can eat with your holoform y'know." Ironhide says.

"yeah and?" Reflect ask.

"I was just saying. you used to be human so I figured you'd have some cravings for human food." Ironhide mutters. Reflect sips his cube, before looking over at Ironhide. the mech smirks at him a little. "ignoring those will also make you grumpy." Ironhide adds. Reflect scoffs.

"you can't know me that well." Reflect mutters. Ironhide laughs a little.

"yes actually I can." Ironhide snorts. Reflect rolls his optics.

"fine okay, I've been ignoring the human cravings. since day one I've been ignoring them." Reflect mutters.

"I can't take you out of here, but if you tell me the thing you want, I can go get it for you." Ironhide murmurs. Reflect leans against him.

"you hate shopping in human stores." Reflect mutters.

"yeah, but I love you so I'm willing to go shopping if you need me to." Ironhide murmurs. "just name it. I need to go check on the house today anyway, so I'll grab it while I'm out." Ironhide adds. Reflect sips his cube, thinking quietly. "anything?" Ironhide ask.

"remember what I used to get from the chicken place you hated so much?" Reflect ask looking over. Ironhide frowns a moment in thought, before nodding and smiling. mash potatos and gravy, Will had always loved them.

"yes. KFC. is that what you want?" Ironhide ask.

"been craving that shit for two weeks." Reflect mutters.

"alright, I'll bring you some. anything else?" he ask.

"I don't know if they make it anymore... it was already hard to find when Annie wanted it. that strawberry thing. do you remember what I'm talking about?" Reflect ask, looking over. Ironhide frowns, sitting back in thought.

"no I don't think so." Ironhide says. Reflect shakes his head.

"I can't either. oh! I know." Reflect grins looking over at him. Ironhide raises an optic ridge. "it was like strawberry and banana and it had some kind of strawberry gel on it." Reflect says. Ironhide frowns in thought.

"I can't remember." Ironhide says. Reflect shakes his head.

"thats fine. the KFC is all I need, but make sure you bring me chicken too." Reflect says.

"I will." Ironhide assures. "I'll be leaving shortly, will you be alright?" Ironhide ask.

"yeah I'll go stay in the medbay and use my holoform to get around. I'll be fine." Reflect assures. Ironhide nods. "but if you could help me back to the medbay, it'd be pretty great." Reflect adds. Ironhide nods, getting up off the berth.

"come on, we'll go a head and get you down there. I'll go a head and go that way it'll still be light out when I get back." Ironhide murmurs. Reflect nods, letting Ironhide help him up.

"thanks Hide." Reflect mumbles. Ironhide nods.

"come on. don't let Wheeljack experiment on you. I swear I'll put my ped so far up his aft it'll come out his mouth." Ironhide growls. Reflect laughs.

"he won't hurt us. just relax." Reflect murmurs. Ironhide nods.

"I know. I know. I'm just worried." Ironhide says softly.

"I know, but don't worry. you know Ratchet wouldn't let anyone hurt us, even Wheeljack." Reflect soothes gently. Ironhide nods and helps him into the medbay. Ratchet looks up immediately.

"please tell me it is not time to spark." Ratchet frowns.

"no, not right now. I just need to stay in the medbay for a bit while Ironhide leaves. I'll take up a berth off to the side and won't get in your way." Reflect assures.

"you're never in the way, I'm just running out of parts." Ratchet mutters. Reflect sits down on a berth and looks at Ironhide.

"I've got your paperwork, don't look at me like that." Ironhide snorts, subspacing four datapads. Reflect takes them.

"thanks. now shoo." Reflect says, waving him off gently. Ironhide snorts and turns, leaving. Reflect watches him go, activating his holoform. he heads out of the medbay with it.

Reflects holoform, thankfully, doesn't have a bump near as big as his bipedal form, so it makes it easy to move. he hums softly to himself, heading down to the human rec room. he gets a couple of looks from soldiers, but he suspects its because of the bump and shirt he's wearing. its a white t-shirt with you touch my bump, I'll punch your throat. in bright red letters with a smiley face.

"hey! Reflect!" Sam grins, running over to him. Reflect looks over at him.

"hey Sam, whats up?" Reflect ask.

"nice shirt." he grins.

"thanks. the one you gave me sparked the idea for it." Reflect chuckles. Sam laughs a little, leading Reflect over to the couch. they sit down, Reflect folds his legs up onto the couch, hand under the bump. "its so much lighter in this form, but its still heavy." Reflect frowns.

"I'm sorry." Sam frowns. Reflect shakes his head a moment, before pausing and looking over at Sam.

"hey, can you... do me a favor?" Reflect ask.

"yeah sure, whats up?" Sam asks.

"do we have any goldfish on base?" Reflect ask.

"goldfish? don't you hate those things?" Sam snorts.

"yeah, but they're small, something I could eat but wouldn't hurt too bad to throw back up if they make me sick." Reflect says. Sam nods and gets up.

"sure wait here, I'll go find some." Sam smiles. Reflect watches him walk off and smiles. Reflect turns on the tv sitting back.

"ain't you supposed to be some big Prime now?" Epps grins walking over. Reflect rolls his eyes and sits back.

"until this frigging sparkling, by the way its all Ironhides fault don't let him fucking lie to you I didn't know these guys could have kids, until the damn sparkling gets here I'm nothing but a tired ass." Reflect snorts.

"yeah that was a shock to everyone on base." Epps mutters. "but you seem to be holding up just fine." Epps says.

"yeah don't fall for that, I'm miserable." Reflect grumbles. "I've got paperwork for you I'll bring it down once its finished." Reflect adds. Epps nods and heads to get himself some coffee. Sam comes running back over with a bag of goldfish and a trash can.

"here." he says.

"ah, smart boy came prepared." Reflect snorts, taking both items. he sets the trash can on the floor in front of him. he opens the bag and eats on of the snacks inside. Sam watches him carefully.

"are you okay?" Sam ask.

"well, its settling. doesn't feel like its going to come back up." Reflect murmurs.

you feel anxious, are you alright?

oh yeah, just trying a snack to see if I'll puke it back up or if my body can handle it. I'm alright.

alright.

"apparently I'm anxious over puking the snacks back up. Ironhide says he can feel my anxiety." Reflect murmurs. Sam chuckles softly.

"he's... changed a lot since you came back." Sam says. "he smiles and he's... happy." Sam adds softly.

"he feels bad about a lot of things. how I died and the fact that he accidentally sparked me assuming Ratchet had uploaded the block.he's determined to... make up for it." Reflect frowns. "but he doesn't understand there's not anything to make up for." Reflect adds. Sam nods.

"yeah, but its weird to see him so happy. I like it. honestly. I feel like if the war had never went on, a lot of these bots would be like Bumblebee." Sam murmurs. Reflect nods.

"yeah, me too." Reflect sighs. "I got to see them all, when I died. I saw a lot of Cybertron before the war. the Primes would let me when I had questions." Reflect says. Sam looks over.

"yeah?" he ask. Reflect nods.

"Ratchet was sparked medic. never wanted to do anything but help and fix people. Wheeljack was the same about inventing. Optimus, he was a... librarian. Ironhide... he was a punk... but he actually enjoyed music. he made trouble, y'know, but before the war broke out, he hated guns..." Reflect murmurs.

"Ironhide?" Sam ask shocked.

"yeah." Reflect snorts. "he hated guns, he made music actually." Reflect murmurs. "then the war broke out and everyone forgot who they were. they held it together pretty well. Wheeljack and Ratchet both kinda lot it after Nitro. Ironhide lost it when he had to drag Ratchet and Nitro out of the field, but found happiness when he found Bumblebee actually... Optimus raised him. Ironhide was Bumblebee's guard, but Optimus actually raised him. I think thats why Optimus still finds happiness sometimes." Reflect murmurs. Sam nods at him.

"maybe. hey, having a sparkling may change Ironhide some. bring him some happiness back." Sam says. Reflect nods a little.

"yeah maybe." he murmurs, shoving another goldfish into his mouth. "I hate these fucking things." Reflect huffs, looking at the bag. Sam snorts, then frowns. "you okay?" Reflect ask.

"yeah, sorry, you just.. sound like Mikaela... when I thought the kid was mine." Sam mutters.

"look, she was a whore, okay? she still doesn't even know who the father of that kid is." Reflect frowns.

"bet anything it was Trent." Sam huffs.

"nah, no way. it wouldn't be that easy Sam." Reflect snorts. he hisses and lets out a breath. "fuck, that hurt." Reflect mutters. Sam looks over, confused.

"Reflect are you alright?" Sam ask.

"Ratchet updated my holoform to be as human as possible like everyone elses and I'm pretty sure I just took a foot to the spleen." Reflect hisses, rubbing his side with a wince.

"ouch." Sam winces.

"yeah. very much so." Reflect mumbles. "I think it hurts less in my other form, at least iI don't have organs for this thing to kick apart." Reflect winces, rubbing the sparkling bump gently. Sam watches him worriedly.

"are you going to be okay?" Sam ask.

"yeah, just gotta get used to it." Reflect mumbles. Sam nods smiling. "you can touch if you want." Reflect offers. Sam hesitantly reaches over.

"I'm not going to hurt you am I?" Sam asks, pausing and looking up at his face.

"no you won't hurt me, or the sparkling. here, put your hand right here and keep your mouth shut to Ironhide or I'll rip your head off and shove it up your ass." Reflect warns. Sam gives him a confused look, but lays his hand in the spot Reflect had said.

"you... you haven't told Ironhide you can feel the sparkling move in your holoform?" Sam ask.

"no, my holoform bothers him because it... it doesn't look like me. it looks like Reflect. he says it makes him feel like he's cheating on me." Reflect murmurs. Sam nods a little. "I'm afraid he'll want to see and he'll be put off at this holoform... I have two." Reflect admits.

"and the other looks like the old you." Sam murmurs. Reflect nods a little, wincing a little.

"but the sparkling seems to like it when I use the holoform. sparklings don't move, but in the holoform it can." Reflect murmurs as Sam pulls his hand back. Sam nods a little.

"thats nice." Sam murmurs. "never got to do that with Mikaela... she didn't want anyone touching her." he says.

"I know, I remember. I don't want anyone touching either, but I have a select few that can. you wanna see something?" Reflect ask, looking over at Sam. he nods. "one second." Reflect murmurs.

"hey Bee, if you bring your holoform to the human rec room. I'll let you feel the sparkling."

"I will be right there!"

"well?" Sam ask.

"wait for it." Reflect chuckles. Bumblebee squeals, holoform running in and straight over to them. "gentle." Reflect warns. Bumblebee ignores him. dropping down immediately to hug Reflects middle like its his life line. Reflect snorts, patting the holoforms blond hair gently as the man rubs his face against his stomach.

"Mikaela smacked me when I tried." Bumblebee pouts quietly. Reflect chuckles a little, running his fingers gently through the other holoforms hair.

"I know kid." Reflect murmurs. Bumblebee turns his head to grin at Sam. he sticks his tongue out at his partner.

"I got to hug the sparkling first." Bumblebee mutters. Sam chuckles.

"actually, Ratchet beat everyone to that technically. he hugged me right after the sparkling was created, but if you want to get really technical, Ironhide was the first one." Reflect chuckles.

"let me have this." Bumblebee pouts up at him. Reflect smiles at him.

"alright, alright. I'm sorry. you're the first one to hug the sparkling through my holoform." Reflect assures gently. Bumblebee beams excitedly, cheek resting gently against the other holoforms belly. "okay okay, don't squish the sparkling." Reflect says. Bumblebee finally lets go.

"thank you." Bumblebee murmurs.

"you're welcome, don't you dare tell Ironhide. he hasn't experienced the sparkling in my holoform. so keep your mouth shut." Reflect warns.

"not a word will be spoken." Bumblebee grins, getting up. Reflect smiles after him, watching him leave.

"where is Ironhide?" Sam ask.

"he's out and about, checking on the hosue and bringing me something I've been craving." Reflect murmurs.

"you sent him for food?" Sam asks.

"no, actually ask me what he could bring me because he was going out to the farm." Reflect says. Sam nods a little. "which really helps because I forget I can eat with this thing so I've been ignoring the cravings for human food..." Reflect frowns.

"ah, ignoring cravings can make you grumpy." Sam chuckles. Reflect nods, rubbing his stomach gently. he frowns and stretches his legs out, getting up slowly. he rubs the small of his back with a grunt. "you okay?" Sam ask.

"oh yeah, I'm fine. just had to get up." Reflect snorts.

"oh my god. they were serious." a voice says. Sam and Reflect share a confused look at the strange male voice. Reflect turns around and a hand lands on the sparkling bump. his eye immediately twitches as he glares down the man he recognizes from so many weeks ago at the paint store. he pulls back and, with more force than he should, punches the man hard in the throat.

"CAN'T YOU READ YOU FUCKING INCOMPETANT BASTARD!?" Reflect screams as the man falls to his knees, holding his throat and coughing. "IT SAYS IF IT'S NOT YOUR FUCKING SPARKLING DON'T FUCKING TOUCH ME!" Reflect shouts.

"woah, woah, whats going on in here?" Wheeljack asks, holoform running in.

"HE FUCKING TOUCHED MY SPARKLIGN!" Reflect snarls. he's absolutely raging. "I'll FUCKING SNAP YOU NECK!" Reflect growls. Wheeljacks holoform grabs him gently.

"shhhh. shhhhh. okay. okay. shhhhh. he touched the sparkling? he shouldn't have done that, I know." Wheeljack soothes.

"is everything alright?" Optimus asks, poking his head in. Reflect lets out the loudest enraged scream he can.

"LET ME GO I'M GOING TO BREAK HIM!" Reflect shouts,

"uh, this guy touched the sparkling and Reflect is not happy..." Sam frowns, motioning to the soldier. he's still laid out on the groud coughing and holding his throat.

"shhhhh. I know. he touched the sparkling, I know." Wheeljack murmurs softly.

"hold on." Optimus frowns. he walks over and carefully puts the man into his servo, before carrying him out.

"YOU BRING HIM BACK HERE! I'M GOING TO KILL HIM! YOU TOUCHED MY SPARKLING! CAN'T YOU FUCKING READ!? THE SHIRT SAYS DON'T TOUCH MY FUCKING SPARKLING!" Reflect screams after them.

"shhhh. come here its okay." Wheeljack murmurs, hugging him gently. "breathe with me gently Reflect. I know he touched the bump and he did it without asking. its okay." Wheeljack soothes, gently. Wheeljack kisses his head gently.

Reflect, whats wrong? you're angry.

SOMEONE TOUCHED THE FUCKING SPARKLING BUMP! I'LL FUCKING KILL THEM!

relax Will its alright, its alright. I'll deal with them when I get back I promise.

HE HAD NO FUCKING RIGHT!

I know and I promise I will deal with it when I get back, but you've got to try and calm down, you're going to hurt the sparkling if you don't.

Reflect growls quietly against Wheeljacks shoulder. it goes silent for a few minutes.

okay, now that you've calmed down a little, tell me who it was.

that idiot from the paint store! he touched me!

alright. I'll handle it promise. just breathe okay? now I didn't find what you wanted okay? but I did find something else. something I know you'll like.

what I'd like is for people not to touch me!

yeah, but I got something you like to eat. remember those candy bars with the little round colorful chocolates in them that you thought they stopped making?

those M&M chocolate bars?

yup. I found them.

I want one.

don't pout, I'm bringing you one, just be nice. okay? I'll be back there in a littl bite, I just have to check on the house then go and get that food you wanted from that chicken place.

okay.

Reflect grumbles, glaring over Wheeljacks shoulder. his glare lands on Sam, who watches him worriedly. Wheeljack doesn't seem to notice or carry, simply focused on cuddling the angry holoform to his chest and rubbing his back.

"asshole." Reflect mumbles.

"yeah he is. don't worry I don't think he'll mess with you again. its alright." Wheeljack soothes gently.

"let go of me." Reflect mumbles.

"are you going to be okay if I let go?" Wheeljack ask.

"let me go." Reflect growls. Wheeljack lets him go after a moment, letting Reflect pull back. "I don't need you to hold me like that." Reflect glares.

"kid I wasn't holding you for your benefit. I was afraid if I let go you'd kill that soldier." Wheeljack snorts, smiling at him before walking away.

"suck it." Reflect glares, plopping back down on to the couch. Sam watches him a moment before wondering off. the man comes back a few minutes later with a soft fleece throw blanket. it had a large red Autobot symbol taking over the other wise black and blank front of the blanket. it had been a gift from John Keller the Christmas Will had died. it was a huge blanket as well. big enough to cover Bumblebee's alt mode.

"cold? I brought a blanket." Sam says, holding up his blanket.

"no m'not cold." Reflect grumbles.

"alright." Sam shrugs. he curls up on his side of the couch, wrapped in the blanket, but still leaving enough to Reflect to cuddle into the blanket. there was enough blanket the could both cocoon themselves and still have a bit of loose fabric in the middle so he wasn't worried about it.

Sam looks towards Reflect when he feels the grumpy holoform move.

"don't fucking look at me like that. stupid blankets really soft and I'm always fucking cold." Reflect mumbles.

"I was just making sure you weren't trying to get it out of your way." Sam smiles. Reflect huffs to himself.

"whatever." Reflect mumbles.

it only takes 30 minutes into a movie for Reflect to pass out, cuddled into the blanket and curled up in a ball on the couch. thats where Ironhide finds him several hours later when he finally returns to the base.

"how bad was the tantrum?" Ironhide's holoform frowns, walking into the human rec room.

"Wheeljack got him calmed down pretty fast. I brought out this blanket and he curled right up and fell asleep." Sam says. Ironhide nods.

"good. I'll have to have a chat with that soldier later." Ironhide grumbles.