"what?" Reflect snaps.

"you're carrying?" Bumblebee ask. a horrified look crosses his face. "oh Primus! you're carrying and I slammed right into you! are you okay? I didn't hurt you right? I would never forgive myself if I hurt either of you! it was an accident! I didn't know! I'm so sorry!" Bumblebee asks, nervously.

"we're fine!" Reflect snaps. Bumblebee recoils slightly. "we're fine. sorry. those twins have riled up." Reflect murmurs gently, hugging Bumblebee gently. "they could've killed Sam." Reflect frowns.

"wait, carrying?" Sam ask. Bumblebee steps back watching Reflect carefully.

"a sparkling." Reflect mutters.

"you're... pregnant?" Sam ask.

"carrying." Ratchet corrects. "its different." Ratchet adds.

"gross." Sam says.

"excuse you?" Reflect huffs, servos resting on his hips.

"please don't hurt him." Bumblebee whines.

"I mean, like, you were like an adopted parent to me. its just gross to think about you and Ironhide." Sam shutters.

"your mother was pregnant with you. it should be grosser to think about your actual parents." Reflect mutters. Sam shutters again.

"eww." Sam mumbles. Reflect snorts.

"glad to know you'll live kid." Reflect mutters.

"Reflect saves my life again." Sam chuckles, smiling at him.

"and I'd do it again." Reflect nods, before turning to leave. "everytime." he adds quietly, walking out the doors.

he heads back to his and Ironhides room, after disposing of his empty cube, and smiles. Ironhides still in recharge, so Reflect takes the chance to look around their room again, smiling. he pauses coming across a new picture that hadn't been on the wall a few days ago. he frowns and walks over to it, leaning forward. its a picture of his spark, a smaller little spark branching off it. he smiles a little, turning to look at Ironhides recharging form. he must've had Ratchet send it to him. he'd probably printed it off while on patrol last night. he glances back at the picture.

"what are you thinking about?" Ironhide murmurs, slowly sitting up.

"just the future." Reflect says. "why are you awake?" Reflect ask.

"I don't have patrol tonight. I'm off. if I sleep all day, I'll be up all night." Ironhide murmurs, getting up. he walks over and wraps his arms around him gently, servo coming up to rest right above his spark.

"I may have accidentally told Sam and Bumblebee." Reflect mumbles.

"and?" Ironhide ask.

"Bumblebee freaked out, thinking he'd hurt me. he still slams into me and hugs me as tight as he can." Reflect chuckles.

"and Sam?" Ironhide ask.

"told me that the thought of me and you interfacing was gross because he saw me as some kind of adoptive parent before I died." Reflect snorts.

"should've told him about the time we went on a camping trip." Ironhide smirks. Reflect laughs.

"would've scarred the kid for life." Reflect chuckles, leaning back into his hold.

"what kind of name would you like to give them?" Ironhide murmurs. Reflect turns his head to look at him confused.

"hmm? little early for names right?" Reflect ask.

"I meant, you were human Will. would you rather give them a human name and give it when sparked or a Cybertronian name and wait for abilities?" Ironhide ask.

"oh we're definitely waiting. we're going to do this the Cybertronian way for sure. I'm not human anymore Hide... I know you miss that, but Will is dead, but I'm not." Reflect murmurs.

"you will always be Will to me..." Ironhide murmurs gently, kissing the side of his head. Reflect smiles.

"I know. I don't mind." Reflect murmurs.

"and I don't miss you being human. don't get me wrong, I miss you as Will, but Reflect will live just as long as I will." Ironhide murmurs, hugging him gently.

"I love you Hide. I've missed you." Reflect murmurs, cuddling back against him.

"mmhmmm." Ironhide murmurs. "I love you too Reflect." Ironhide murmurs, nuzzling into his neck. Reflect smiles, resting his servo over the one Ironhide has resting on his chestplates. "do you want to tell me about the trouble you got into, or should I guess?" Irondhide ask. Reflect looks confused.

"how did you know?" Reflect frowns.

"Prime just ask me if you had calmed down any." Ironhide murmurs. Reflect huffs and pushes away from him so he can turn around.

"those two fragging glitch head twins were literally tossing Sam around like he was some kind of toy. so, I put an end to it." Reflect scoffs. Ironhide frowns.

"tossing him around?" Ironhide ask.

"throwing him. they just about gave Bumblebee and Sam freaking heart attacks, yes I know Bumblebee doesn't have a heart, shut the fuck up." Reflect frowns.

"why were they tossing him?" Ironhide frowns.

"didn't ask, I just put an end to it." Reflect mumbles. Ironhide chuckles softly, kissing him. Reflect pulls him down happily. they pull away and just stand in the others arms for a moment.

"did you still want to go to the farm?" Ironhide ask. Reflect nods, dropping his head against the biggers chest.

"yeah. anything beats this stupid base." Reflect mumbles. Ironhide nods.

"okay, come on then. I'll meet you outside, okay?" Ironhide ask.

"mind if I bring this datapad Ratchet gave me? its basically what I can expect while carrying." Reflect mutters, picking it up off Ironhides desk.

"sure, grab any of the ones that have to do with carrying or sparklings. we'll read them together to make sure you have a good grasp on what you're in for." Ironhide assures.

"alright, I'll meet you out front." Reflect murmurs, grabbing a couple of datapads, checking them to see what they were over. Ironhide nods and heads out of the room.

when Reflect finally joins him, he's grabbed six or seven datapads.

"find everything you need?" Ironhide ask.

"I hope so I grabbed everything I could find with the words sparkling, carrier, carrying, and gestational period that I could find." Reflect mutters.

"sounds like you've got it." Ironhide murmurs. they transform and head to the farm.

they race, carefully, to the farm. Ironhides afraid to speed off and leave his bonded, only for him to glitch out or something. he knows its not likely to happen, but the fear is there. Reflect teases him on it the whole way, he can feel the heavy worry on Ironhides side of the bond, each teasing or cheeky comment lightens the weight, even just slightly. its enough to make them both feel better.

they roll up to the farm, both transforming and heading for the backyard. Ironhide plops himself down against whats left of Wills old tree, Reflect settles in beside him, leaning more on him than the tree.

"one of these days this tree is gonna fall over while we lean on it." Reflect murmurs.

"then we'll plant another." Ironhide mutters.

"its weird." Reflect murmurs randomly.

"what?" Ironhide asks, looking down at him.

"I just... I get some weird urges to do things I did as a sparkling." Will mumbles.

"pretty sure everyone does occasionally, but you've only not been a sparkling for two weeks." Ironhide murmurs. "whats wrong?" Ironhide ask.

"nothing. just thinking." Reflect murmurs. he looks through the datapads.

"alright, what are we learning?" Ironhide asks. Reflect looks up confused.

"you're gonna learn with me?" Reflect ask.

"I didn't come out here to just sit pretty and watch." Ironhide mutters. Reflect laughs a little snuggling back against him. Ironhide slips an arm around him gently.

"well, this one is information I need to know about carrying. Ratchet specifically told me to read it. the other six are medical books." Reflect says.

"the one Ratchet specifically gave you is probably the most important." Ironhide murmur. Reflect nods.

"the need to know for first time carries by a carrier of twins." Reflect reads.

"most bots titled books like that, it kept them from having to put their name or accidently putting someone elses." Ironhide explains. Reflect nods and props the datapad up so Ironhide can read it with him.

"first, sparklings are created by an excess charge of energy and electricity. brought on by interfacing and sparkbonding at the same time." Reflect reads. he glares at Ironhide. "something someone should have told me." Reflect huffs.

"I didn't think. I gave into my own urges, I'm sure you'll come to forgive me." Ironhide mutters. Reflect rolls his optics.

"within the first three days of carrying, you as a carrier can expect to experience an interesting phenomenon medics refer to as, glitch." Reflect reads aloud.

"yup, we've figured that out." Ironhide mutters. Reflect glares at him but Ironhide just chuckles.

"it is unknown what causes these glitches, seriously? pregnant women here on Earth experience what is refered to by you guys as 'glitches' in all reality is literally just a hormone imbalance caused by the pregnancy." Reflect mutters. Ironhide shrugs.

"can't help you." Ironhide murmurs. Reflect huffs and keeps reading. its quiet for a few minutes. "hey stop, I missed that part." Ironhide says. Reflect nods, scrolling back up so he can read. "note to creators, glitches and irritability can easily be quelled by finding the 'sweet spot', or the spot in which the sparkling sits behind the carriers chest plates and carefully applying a small amount of pressure, or gently caressing the area." Ironhide murmurs. he looks down at Reflect. the smaller lifts servo to his chestplates.

"last we checked, little fragger is sitting right here." Reflect murmurs, motioning to a spot on his chest. "hey you better read all of that." Reflect frowns.

"I did." Ironhide huffs.

"did not! applying a small amount of pressure, or gently caressing the area, blah blah blah, warning, do not attempt if carrier is not glitching." Reflect frowns, pointing at the words. Ironhide leans down to read it.

"basically is says not to touch as it may cause you to get horny." Ironhide mutters.

"yeah and since my panel won't open, all you're going to do is make me horny and pissed off." Reflect snaps at him. Ironhide kisses his head gently.

"easy. easy. okay? maybe we'll find a section on locked panels and how to fix it." Ironhide murmurs gently. Reflect grumbles at him.

"your fault its locked." Reflect mumbles.

"how is it my fault?" Ironhide huffs.

"sparkbonding is what causes it to lock. the excess energy produced while interfacing is not enough to hurt a sparkling but repeated sparkbonding while carrying causes the sparkling to believe it is in danger, as the extra energy can shatter a small spark, and the panel becomes locked for the sparklings safety." Reflect recites, snapping at Ironhide with a glare. "which is fragging stupid. should just lock the chestplates but no they don't do that because locking the chestplates can leave a mech that is having chest or spark pain/issues, unable to recieve medical help because not even a medic can unlock a locked chestplate with out a special
tool." Reflect grumbles. Ironhide watches him, optic ridge raised.

"you are actually serious about learning this shit and becoming a medic aren't you?" he ask.

"of fucking course I am." Reflect glares.

"so hostile." Ironhide murmurs.

"your fault." Reflect mumbles, sinking down beside him. Ironhide holds him gently.

"okay, my fault." Ironhide agrees. "its my fault. I'm sorry." Ironhide murmurs. Reflect grumbles, turning his attention back to the datapad. he keeps reading, shifting when Ironhide turns his own attention back to it.

"woah woah woah, drops?" Reflect ask.

"hmmm?" Ironhide ask.

"after 4.. quartex..?" Reflect ask, tilting his head back to look at Ironhide.

"about three Earth months. forgot we never taught you Cybertronian time." Ironhide murmurs. Reflect nods turning back to the datapad.

"right well, after 4 quartex the sparkling drops from the spark chamber to the gestation chamber." Reflect mutters.

"well, yeah, you didn't just expect to have an extra spark in your chest the whole time did you?" Ironhide ask.

"kinda. human babies don't move like that." Reflect mutters.

"fair enough." Ironhide says.

"after dropping to the gestation chamber there is approximately, 4-5 quartex before arrival." Reflect frowns a little. "4-6." Reflect mutters.

"roughly, in Earth time, 7-9 months all together." Ironhide says.

"yes thank you, I can fucking count." Reflect glares.

"sorry." Ironhide mutters.

"so what? that gives us about three months before it moves." Reflect mumbles.

"we'll need to alert everyone before then. once the sparkling moves, it will be fairly obvious you're carrying." Ironhide says.

"oh great, so I'm gonna look like Hound." Reflect mutters. Ironhide laughs.

"not quite. won't be that obvious, it'll be a little bump though. I bet Ratchet has some images somewhere of Wheeljack with Nitro. he was miserable." Ironhide mutters.

"oh great so I'll be miserable." Reflect mumbles.

"no, Ratchet was miserable. once he was showing and everyone realized, he wasn't allowed in the lab to work on projects nor was he allowed to participate in Wrecker activites. he got really angry and glitchy and Ratchet was miserable the whole time. Wheeljack shattered his optic once." Ironhide says.

"how?" Reflect ask.

"Ratchet told him he didn't need his help, Jack got all glitchy and snapped at Ratchet, throwing one of his screwdrivers. it was bad." Ironhide frowns.

"oh yeah, no one told me any of this and now, its too late. what happens if I hurt you? or worse one of the humans on base?" Reflect asks.

"everything will be alright." Ironhide assures gently. "I can take anything you dish out and I will step in anytime you get in a confrontation with the humans. promise." Ironhide adds.

"I don't want to hurt you." Reflect mumbles.

"you won't." Ironhide assures.

"Ratchet said Wheeljack broke a datapad over his head when he rolled over on the berth." Reflect mutters.

"is that what he told you?" Ironhide snorts. Reflect looks confused.

"yeah." he mutters.

"Ratchet kept Wheeljack up all night working on things for Nitro, then wouldn't settle in the berth and get some stasis. Wheeljack took the datapad he'd bene reading and knocked him upside the head. knocked him out cold, then he went to sleep. he may not remember keeping Wheeljack awake from how hard Jack hit him." Ironhide snorts. "so as long as I don't piss you off, its fine." Ironhide assures.

"m'always pissed." Reflect mumbles.

"you're having a hard time adjusting, a lot has changed for you. its alright." Ironhide assures gently. he kisses his head gently. Reflect grumbles and continues reading.

"when sparking a sparkling, do not be surprised if the creator passes out. sparking a sparkling stresses a bond. be sure to alert your bonded when it is time to spark." Reflect reads.

"that won't be a problem. Prime and I talked already, I won't be on active duty in a few months." Ironhide assures. Reflect nods a little.

"when time to spark, you may notice on your hud, that you have an energon leak warning. you are not actually leaking energon, don't panic." Reflect reads.

"oh yeah took Jack three hours to realize he wasn't actually leaking energon." Ironhide snorts.

"do not expect to be conscious when the sparkling is sparked. most medics prefer to knock the carrier out as it prevents further issues with the creator." Reflect says. "I do not have a problem with that." Reflect mumbles. "abdominal scarring can and will occur after sparking. depending on the medic, it will heal." Reflect frowns.

"Ratchet never leaves a scar." Ironhide assures.

"not worried about that." Reflect shrugs.

"what are you worried about?" Ironhide ask.

"the fragging sparkling growing in my body." Reflect mutters.

"it'll be fine." Ironhide assures.

"yeah says the one who helped create it but doesn't have to carry it." Reflect mumbles.

"I'm not sure if I should apologise or not." Ironhide frowns. Reflect snorts a little.

"look, after sparking, the carrier will not be able to transform for up to... what is that?" Reflect ask, pointing.

"weeks in our time." Ironhide murmurs.

"four weeks? four weeks?" Reflect ask.

"roughly a month." Ironhide frowns.

"I won't be able to transform for a month?" Reflect asks.

"just long enough for your body to heal don't, as you used to say, have a cow. its just a month." Ironhide assures. Reflect reaches over smacking his leg hard. "I deserved that." Ironhide snorts.

"asshole." Reflect mumbles, shifting against him.

"keep moving and this tree is gonna fall." Ironhide mutters.

"you just call me heavy?" Reflect scoffs.

"we're both heavy. don't start that with me." Ironhide frowns. Reflect huffs a little. "all that friggin' attitude." Ironhide mutters.

"I will show you attitude." Reflect glares.

"no thank you." Ironhide mumbles.

"then stop talking." Reflect grumbles.

"panel locking while carrying." Ironhide murmurs, pointing at the datapad. Reflect looks down.

"panel locking while carrying happens when you sparkbond while carrying, which doesn't help carriers. interfacing becomes almost a daily desire while carrying." Reflect mumbles.

"we've kinda figured that out." Ironhide murmurs.

"told you it wasn't my fault, as it turns out, its yours." Reflect huffs.

"apparently a lot of things are." Ironhide snorts.

"panel locking can prevent this, causing unnecessary stress and anger. with a sparkling spark in your spark chamber, anger rises. carriers are destructive and dangerous, interfacing keeps them from getting like that." Reflect reads. "who the fuck wrote this?" Reflect glares.

"just keep reading, maybe it'll tell how to unlock yoru panel without having to go see Ratchet for it." Ironhide mutters. Reflect huffs.

"if your panel locks you have a few options, panel locking generally lasts 2... cycles...?" Reflect asks, looking up at him.

"about 24 hours." Ironhide murmurs. "a cycle is 12 hours." Ironhide explains.

"okay, thats not too bad." Reflect mumbles. "but can occasionally stay locked for longer. usually never longer than 6 cycles, what about 72 hours? in which case a medic can unlock it with a simple override code." Reflect reads. he groans quietly.

"you brought the medical datapads right?" Ironhide ask.

"huh?" Reflect ask. "well, yeah. I did." Reflect murmurs.

"well, surely it teaches you how to unlock a panel." Ironhide says.

"definately not the safest option. it may drive me crazy, but I'd rather wait the three days then fuck up a code or ask Ratchet for help." Reflect mumbles.

"you don't hvae to be embarrassed Will. just relax. Ratchets a medic." Ironhide snorts.

"I will smack you so hard." Reflect mutters.

"I'm not being a sarcastic asshole here, I'm being serious. he's not going to care Will. its probably not the first panel he's ever had to unlock." Ironhide murmurs.

"I refuse." Reflect glares.

"okay fine. become a dangerous mech then." Ironhide shrugs.

"stop giving me attitude." Reflect glares. Ironhide holds him gently. he's getting annoyed with the smaller, but he knows he can't help it and is trying to keep his temper in check.

"okay, I'm sorry." Ironhide murmurs, kissing his head. "I'll drop it." he assures.

"oh fucking Primus." Reflect mutters, sounding horrified. Ironhide looks at him confused.

"what?" Ironhide ask, leaning over to read the datapad, afraid he'd missed something

"I just realized I walked in on Ratchet and Wheeljack interfacing in the friggin' medbay!" Reflect shouts. Ironhide laughs, dropping his head back against the tree.

they read through as many datapads as they can before Optimus calls Ironhide back to the base, refusing to tell him whats wrong. it takes him 20 minutes to convince Reflect they actually have to go, before they finally get on the road.

Reflect seems more annoyed when they pull up to the base.

"Ironhide, Reflect." Optimus nods, meeting them outside the base.

"fuck off." Reflect snaps, storming past him. Optimus looks confused, before looking at Ironhide. Ironhide watches his bonded go, waiting for him to be out of sight and audio range. he looks at Optimus.

"he's turning into Jack. he's pissed." Ironhide mutters. Optimus nods.

"well, he's about to be more angry...." Optimus trails. Ironhide looks confused.

"why?" Ironhide ask.

"well, someone let it slip to Bumblebee and Sam and they let it out, probably not intentionally, that Reflect is carrying your sparkling." Optimus frowns.

"oh yeah, this is going to be fun." Ironhide grumbles, with a sigh.

Reflect storms into the medbay, he feels a comfort in the medbay. Ratchet looks up from his datapad.

"hi." Ratchet waves, confused.

"don't mind me." Reflect grumbles, heading past him towards Ratchet and Wheeljacks room. Ratchet raises an optic ridge and watches him walk.

"is your fraggin panel locked? you're hostile." Ratchet frowns. Reflect pauses and whips around with a fury in his optics.

"you better watch your next words." he growls. Ratchet snorts and nods.

"so it is. alright come here, I can fix that." Ratchet says, getting up. Reflect glares him down. "I taught you that glare you don't scare me. come here." Ratchet snorts. Reflect storms over to him. "give me your arm." Ratchet says. he glares and holds his arm out. he's about ready to slag the smug medic and keep going. "you read that datapad I gave you?" Ratchet ask.

"yes I did and all of this is Ironhides fragging fault." Reflect snaps. Ratchet nods a little.

"I figured as much." Ratchet assures. he's careful, uploading the line of code Reflect needs. "next time just come here. I went through this with Wheeljack. had to fix his up once or twice." Ratchet mutters. Reflect grumbles at him, watching the medic step back. "alright, all good." Ratchet says.

"thanks I guess." Reflect mutters, walking off.

"Jacks in there." Ratchet mutters. Reflect turns to look at him. "he's fixing my wall and light switch." Ratchet says, turning back to his datapad. Reflect huffs and turns, storming out of the medbay. "thanks for visiting." Ratchet calls.

"suck it!" Reflect snaps.

"go get laid you grouchy little bastard!" Ratchet snorts.

Reflect mumbles and heads out down the hall.

"so, is it true?" Sideswipe asks, walking over to him.

"is what true?" Reflect ask.

"that you're carrying?" Sideswipe asks, motioning to Reflects chest.

"who told you that?" Reflect snaps.

"its floating around the base, so is it true?" Sideswipe ask.

I'm going to murder your fragging Prime, Ironhide!!

Reflect storms away from him and down the hall. he can hear Optimus talking in the rec room so he heads that way.

"you should probably be ready to defend yourself." Ironhide says, looking up at Optimus.

"excuse me?" Optimus asks, looking over at him.

"you stupid bastard! does the word no mean nothing to you!?" Reflect snaps, storming over to Optimus. the Prime glances over at Ironhide hard, but the mech shakes his head and steps back.

"you're on your own. sorry Prime."

Optimus finds himself yanked down to Reflects height. he growls in the Primes face.

"can you tell me what this is about?" Optimus ask.

"who did you tell?" Reflect growls.

"about?" Optimus ask.

"WHO DID YOU TELL!?" Reflect growls.

"he thinks you leaked that he's carrying. not Sam and Bumblebee."

"but I didn't."

"he doesn't know that."

"I only told Prowl and Prowl would never tell." Optimus assures. "however, if it got out I cannot help that." Optimus says.

"YOU'RE A LIAR!" Reflect snaps.

"I wouldn't tell Reflect. I promise." Optimus assures. "Ironhide said that you ask me not to." Optimus adds. the mech lets him go and whips around, storming out. "that was easier than I thought." Optimus frowns.

"Reflect! don't you dare! you leave them alone!" Ironhide says, following his bonded quickly. Optimus sighs and follows after them.

when they finally catch up to Reflect, he's got Bumblebee and Sam cornered. he's simply blocking their way, he'd never put his servos on the two, they were both technically younger than him in one way or another. he'd never hurt them. that doesn't stop them from cowaring in the corner. Bumblebee standing protectively in front of Sam, unsure if Reflect will hit him or not.

"we didn't tell anyone! Ratchet said you didn't want anyone to know!" Sam says, hiding behind Bumblebee.

"Sams right. we haven't even talked about it outside the medbay." Bumblebee assures.

"well someone told!" Reflect snaps.

"well... come to think of it... we did chat with Ratchet about it for a few minutes, I had questions..." Sam says hesitantly.

"and?" Reflect snaps.

"someone could've over heard. you know secrets don't last long on base." Bumblebee says, shifting his foot to nudge Sam back gently.

"leave them alone Reflect." Optimus warns. Reflect turns and growls at the Prime.

"don't do that." Ironhide mutters, rolling his optics. "it was going to get out sooner or later." he adds. he'd rather take the brunt of his bondeds anger. Reflect is roughly his size, so he can handle it pretty easily, so could Optimus and Bumblebee, but he didn't want the mechs rage on them.