"how many of those things are there?" Reflect mumbles.

"four that we know of, could be more." Ironhide says. "but Cades been taking care of them for a while now and from what I hear, they're getting into a lot of trouble and the government says the Dinobots must be moved to avoid detection." Ironhide frowns.

"I don't want them around the sparkling." Reflect mutters.

"okay. thats fine. we didn't let you around them. Ratchet was afraid you'd get hurt." Ironhide mutters.

"yeah I don't doubt they could hurt me." Reflect mutters, rubbing the sparkling bump. Ironhide wraps his arms tightly around him, holding the bump gently.

"don't worry about them." Ironhide murmurs. Reflect mumbles at him and shuts his holoform off. Ironhide follows after confused.

Ironhide looks at his bonded.

"whats wrong?" Ironhide ask. Reflect mutters to himself, shifting.

"pain. everywhere." Reflect hisses, holding his side.

"Ratchet. somethings wrong with Reflect."

he immediately hears the sound of Ratchet desk chair scooting across the floor and the sound of Ratchet heading their way quickly.

"whats wrong?" Ratchet ask..

"no idea. pain everywhere. warnings all over." Reflect hisses.

"okay okay on your back. take it easy." Ratchet soothes. "you're okay." Ratchet assures.

"you know whats wrong?" Ironhide asks. Ratchet nods at him.

"yes I do and I know he's okay." Ratchet assures. "okay Reflect remember in the datapad just before sparking a sparkling was a section one what to expect." Ratchet says. Reflect nods, wincing.

"ye-yeah." Reflect mutters. "false sparking." Reflect hisses. Ratchet nods.

"afraid so." Ratchet murmurs.

"so you can't help him?" Ironhide ask.

"unfortunately no." Ratchet frowns. "but, give it a few minutes and it'll pass." Ratchet murmurs. Reflect whines before glaring daggers at Ironhide.

"you better fucking get out of my site because the moment the passes I'm getting up and slagging the hell out of you!" Reflect snaps. letting out a quiet moan of pain. Ironhide takes a half step back, snorting. the mere thought of Reflect chasing him down int his state is amusing. "are you fucking laughing at me?" Reflect snaps.

"no Reflect, I'm-" Ironhide tries.

"I'm fucking serious! you think I won't?! you better get out of here because I swear I'm beating your ass the moment I can! beat it!" Reflect growls. Ironhide puts his servos up and walks away. he heads out of the medbay, shaking his head.

"Ironhide are you alright?" Optimus ask.

"Reflect is having a fit and warned me to get a head start before he apparently beats my ass for doing this to him." Ironhide says.

"IRONHIDE YOU FUCKING BASTARD!" Reflect screams. Ironhide glances behind him.

"he sounds angry." Optimus says.

"yeah he is. sorry Prime, but I'm gonna take his advice." Ironhide mutters, walking around the Prime quickly. Optimus, amused, watches him walk off quickly.

"IRONHIDE!" Reflect growls, storming past Optimus a few minutes later. "THIS IS ALL YOUR FUCKING FAULT YOU STUPID BASTARD!" Reflect screams.

Reflect storms into the rec room, scanning it carefully.

"Reflect, are you alright?" Bumblebee asks hesitantly. they could hear him shouting across the base.

"where the fuck is Ironhide?" Reflect growls.

"I think I saw him heading for the N.E.S.T. base." Bumblebee says, hesitantly. Reflect turns, fire in his optics and storms out. Ratchet, looking tired, comes trailing after him as though he were a sparkling again. "whats going on?" Bumblebee ask worriedly.

"Reflect is experiencing false sparking. a very painful experience." Ratchet frowns. "and Ironhide is taking the brunt of his rage as its his fault." Ratchet adds, following after Reflect. the last thing he wants is either the mech or the sparkling hurt, but it wouldn't hurt to see him slag the hell out of Ironhide.

Reflect storms across the sand towards the N.E.S.T. base, the rage of Unicron behind him.

"IRONHIDE YOU STUPID SLAGGER!" Reflect shouts. he inhales sharply, stumbling some and leaning against the wall of the base, wincing in pain. there's a deep voice behind him and Reflect turns a little. there's a large servo being held his way, as if to help Reflect off the wall.

Reflect looks up hesitantly at the large mech, he's never met, approching him.

"need help...?" the bot asks in broken English.

"no." Reflect grits. "where's Ironhide?" Reflect growls. the bot looks confused. Reflect watches him. "uh, big black mech. large canons on his arms." Reflect mutters, shaking his head.

"scary." the mech frowns. "this way." he motions. "can help Autobot." he adds. Reflect pulls away from him immediately. "have name?" he ask.

"uh, yeah. Reflect. my names Reflect." Reflect says, watching him.

"oh! me-" he starts.

"Snarl! get away from him!" Ratchet snaps, marching over. Snarl. thats what Ironhide had told him was a Dinobots name.

"thanks but I don't need your help unless you want to drag Ironhides ass over here." Reflect grumbles. Snarl tilts his head in confusion, before walking off. Reflect huffs some steam from his nose and leans against the wall, holding his side.

"you alright?" Ratchet asks, watching him. he gently puts a servo on the sparkling bump, attempting to relieve some of the weight from the mech, hoping it helps. Reflect doesn't snap at him for touching, so it must help, at least a little.

"I will be, AS SOON AS I BEAT THE FUCK OUT OF YOU IRONHIDE! YOU BETTER FUCKING RUN!" Reflect screams.

"gonna have to catch me first!" Ironhide shouts from across the N.E.S.T. base.

"that mech is gonna get it." Reflect growls.

"what the- hey! what are you doing put me down you fucking over grown tin can!" Ironhide snaps. Reflect shoots Ratchet a confused look and the medic frowns.

"do you need to sit down for a... few..." Ratchet trails, looking off to the side. Reflect looks confused, before following his gaze. Snarl and another large bot are dragging Ironhide towards them, by his canons. no doubt the mech had tried to use them on the bots.

"what the hell?" Reflect mutters.

"him Reflect. say bring scary mech Ironhide over." Snarl says. the two bots toss Ironhide down in front of him. Reflect looks just as shocked as Ironhide does.

"Snarl, Scorn! no! we don't drag other bots around!" Ratchet frowns. Snarl points at Reflect.

"him Reflect say want scary Ironhide." Snarl says.

"Snarl say okay." Scorn shrugs.

"oh great. thanks for tossing me around." Ironhide grumbles getting up. Reflects immediately distracted with Ironhide, punching the mech as hard as he can across the face.

"you stupid slagger! this is all your fault!" Reflect glares. Ironhide looks up at him from where Reflects knocked him to the ground. he hadn't actually expected the mech to punch the fuck out of him.

"you, you hit me." Ironhide hisses, holding his face.

"I fucking told you I would!" Reflect glares. he turns and gives a hesitant smile to the large bots. "uh... thanks... I guess." Reflect says. Scorn and Snarl both give a half bow to him before walking off. "what the fuck was that?" Reflect asks, looking at Ratchet.

"the Dinobots respect some bots. each bot for a different reason. they're terrified of Ironhide, but you aren't. they respect you for not being afraid of the mech they are afraid of." Ratchet frowns. Reflect gives Ratchet a confused look, a servo under the weighted bump, before shaking hsi head. he turns back to Ironhide, stamping his foot and glaring at the mech.

"Whatever the hell those things are, doesn't matter! get up so I can hit you again!" Reflect snaps, glaring at Ironhide.

"y'know, I think I'll just stay down here." Ironhide mutters, rubbing his face. Reflect growls, pulling back and kicking the mech hard before storming off.

"you stupid fragging bastard. I oughta rip your cable out and shove it down your fraggin' throat!" Reflect growls, storming back to the base.

"I didn't even do anything." Ironhide mutters, rubbing his face. Reflects scream startles them both. Ratchet immediately runs out of the N.E.S.T. base towards the scream.

"Strafe! no! you get away from him right now!" Ratchet shouts. "Cade Yeager! get out here and control your pets! these damn Dinobots! you get away from my sparkling right now! I'll turn your aft into a toaster! you leave him alone! get back! don't fucking touch him!" Ratchet shouts, running over to Reflect. the mechs laying on his back, under the Dinobot. Reflect scrambles out from under the Dino, attempting to get himself up off the ground, when Snarl comes flying out of no where. he roars loudly tackling Strafe aside.

"holy fuck." Reflect mutters, watching them. "you stupid fucking Pteranodon!" Reflect growls lowly. Ratchet helps him up gently.

"shhhh. come on its alright. its okay Reflect." Ratchet assures gently. Reflect has a look of utter pain on his face. he's got one servo on the small of hsi back and the other holding the sparkling bump. he kicks at the Dinobot in front of him.

"AS IF I WASN'T ALREADY ANGRY ENOUGH! I'LL BEAT YOUR ASS!" Reflect screams, glaring up at the mech. Ratchet hugs him gently.

"breathe kid! Primus, you're going to have that sparkling right here if you don't calm down." Ratchet says. he's careful to keep his tone even. he can't even think about shouting at the poor mech after what he'd learned. "hey hey, come on. I know you're upset and angry. come on. its alright. shhhhh. lets go back to the medbay, alright? its hot out here, really hot, and you're already angry and upset so the heat is making it worse. we'll go inside, get you a cube, settle you down. okay?" Ratchet ask. Reflect mumbles at him, rubbing his back.

"fine whatever." Reflect grumbles. "only if you promise to curl up with me." Reflect says. Ratchet nods immediately.

"alright. of course, I'll lay with you until I'm needed, but are you sure you don't want to cuddle Ironhide?" Ratchet ask.

"no! that stupid fucking bastard! the Primes didn't tell me about any of this. Ironhide knew and didn't stop for two seconds to be like hey maybe you should go talk to Ratchet and get that fucking block so you don't end up carrying and miserable!" Reflect growls. "its Ironhides fault I'm in such a miserable. I wanna cry, I want to scream. I don't want to be carrying anymore and I certainly don't want to even look at that idiot!" Reflect growls. Ratchet nods a him a little.

"okay. thats alright. I know you're angry with him, but in Ironhides defense, he probably didn't even think about it Reflect. he didn't think about it. he was so excited to see you and frag you of course, but he didn't think about you getting sparked up. he was focused on having you back. so don't hate on him too hard Reflect." Ratchet murmurs softly.

"I don't hate him, he's my bondmate I love him. I absolutely love Ironhide, I'm just angry! he doesn't have to carry the sparkling. he doesn't have to struggle to keep a cube down, or get up off a berth on his own. he doesn't have a constant back ache and a struggle for fucking recharge. I know he's doing his best to keep up with it and help, but I'm fucking exhausted and I'm angry. I'm afraid to take it out on someone but it doesn't make me feel any less guilty about hurting him.... I know I hurt him. Primus he probably fucking hates me." Reflect mutters, leaning against the medic.

"hang on kid. hold on. slow down there. you're swapping emotions so fast you're going to give me whiplash." Ratchet murmurs softly, rubbing the mechs back gently. "shhhhh. come on, lets get you a cube and go curl up in the medbay alright." Ratchet murmurs softly.

"okay." Reflect mumbles, trying to calm himself down. he can't help it, he's in so much pain.

m'sorry. I shouldn't have done that to you. I was just so pissed off. it's not your fault. m'stupid.

no. shhhh. don't panic Will. I love you and I know you're in pain. it is my fault. its not your fault Will, I knew more than you did. I should've thought about it properly before just demanding you open your spark chamber and bond with me because thats what I wanted. I'm sorry, but don't you dare get upset at yourself for showing emotions. I know you're upset, but just take a moment and relax. okay? I've got you. I'm not at all worried about this. I promise you. I know you can't help it and you're miserable, I don't mind taking the rage.

Ratchet walks Reflect down to the medbay and helps him up onto a berth, then heads to get them both a cube. when Ratchet comes back. Reflects curled up, hugging his knees to his chest the best he can, and sobbing into his knees. Ratchet looks shocked, walking over quickly. Ratchet sets the cubes he's grabbed down quickly.

"Reflect? Reflect hey, are you alright?" Ratchet ask softly.

"no! I'm fucking not! I'm pissed off but now I feel so fucking guilty I can't stop sobbing! and I'm in so much pain that even if I wasn't angry I'd still be sobbing because everything hurts and I hate this and I'm fucking tired!" Reflect sobs. Ratchet hugs him gently.

"I know kid. I know. this has been a lot for you to handle. its okay. I know you're upset and angry and in pain, I can't do anything about that." Ratchet sighs. "but how about you take a moment, drink your cube, and try to calm donw. once you finish your cube, we'll go curl up in mine and Jacks room on the berth and just cuddle until you don't want to anymore. alright?" Ratchet ask. Reflect nods, sniffling. "okay." Ratchet murmurs softly. Ratchet grabs one of the cubes and walks off with it. Reflect sniffles, trying to calm himself down.

"m'sorry." Reflect mutters.

"no kiddo. its okay." Ratchet assures. he brings the cube back over and holds it out to Reflect. "here I mixed some medical grade in there. it'll do you some good." Ratchet says softly. Reflect takes it, sniffling.

"Jack, I need you in the medbay. Reflects gonna need us to curl up with him."

"I'll set up the berth extender so we can all fit."

"be quick about it."

"consider it done yesterday."

"idiot."

"love you too baby!"

Ratchet rolls his optics huffing. he sips his own cube.

"what are you angry about?" Reflect mumbles.

"not angry, I promise. Wheeljacks trying to be cute." Ratchet murmurs softly.

Reflect makes quick work of emptying his cube and Ratchet quickly downs his own.

"okay come on kiddo." Ratchet murmurs, helping him up. Ratchet leads him to their room and Reflect pauses.

"I won't get in you and Wheeljacks way." Reflect mumbles.

"I called him down here to come curl up. figured it might do you some good." Ratchet assures, walking the mech over to the berth. "alright kid come up. up y'get." Ratchet murmurs. he helps Reflect up on to the berth. the mech looks hesitant and uncomfortable, but it doesn't stop Ratchet and Wheeljack from sandwiching him in between them and cuddling him. neither mech touch his belly, more than they have to at least. Wheeljacks arm is under his head.

the two mechs seem perfectly comfortable, like having him in their berth is nothing new. he knows its not, but he hasn't laid with both of them since he changed. neither of them bring up the mech being uncomfortable. he'll relax in a bit.

"Cade was working on Grimlock and he's gonna need more indepth medical help for that Dino." Wheeljack says.

"any idea whats wrong?" Ratchet ask.

"something with his t-cog." Wheeljack mutters.

"those things transform?" Reflect asks, sounding bewildered. the inventor and medic laugh a little.

"yes. you didn't think Snarl and Scorn were just giant bots we called Dinobots did you?" Ratchet ask. Reflect shrugs a little.

"dunno. never met them. I kinda thought it was just from their size, yeah." Reflect shrugs. Ratchet chuckles softly, shaking his head.

"no kid. they're all Dinos." Ratchet assures gently.

"what the fuck are those things?" Reflect frowns.

"legendary warriors. they were protectors and warriors. the weren't active until Optimus found the Sword of Judgement. many many years ago on Cybertron the sword was Optimus' it was lost in the war to a mech named Lockdown. there's a whole big story behind all of this that Optimus can tell you. when you and Ironhide were in stasis lock, a lot more happened than either of you realized." Ratchet says.

"no I know. I got that whole story from the Primes and what a bunch of bs." Reflect mutters. Ratchet snorts.

Wheeljack and Ratchet chat idly about the Dinobots, not paying attention to Reflect, figuring it best to just let him doze off while they talk.

"has he calmed down any?"

Ratchet shifts, frowning at Ironhides voice.

"sort of. he's curled up right now between be and Wheeljack, in recharge."

"good. is he alright?"

"he's fine Ironhide."

"don't sound so fragging annoyed! thats my fucking bondmate and sparkling! I will bother whoever the fuck I want about them!"

"he's my fucking sparkling. you knew more about interfacing than he did. you should've fucking warned him that sparkbonding could lead to a sparkling."

"I didn't know he didn't have a block. if you'd done your job-"

"my job!? oh fuck off."

Ratchet growls lowly and holds Reflect. the mech is snoring at this point, curled up on his side, face buried in Ratchets side, head still on Wheeljacks arm. Wheeljack shifts a little.

"whats wrong Ratch? you're pissed." Wheeljack murmurs softly.

"Ironhide, blaming me for Reflect getting sparked. me." Ratchet hisses. "like I'm the one who fragged and bonded him." Ratchet growls.

"hey, why didn't you add the block?" Wheeljack asks, curiously.

"I thought he should have the option of having a sparkling... I figured when he entered youngling years we'd sit him down and tell him about interfacing and the blocks. let him decide, y'know tell him how sparkligns were made. give him the full talk like we got as younglings, but then he aged up and got sparked the same fucking day." Ratchet frowns. "I wanted him to have a choice." Ratchet sighs softly. "maybe it is my fault. I should've put the block on and given him the choice later to remove it. I just... I don't know." Ratchet sighs.

"no baby. you didn't know this would happen. its okay." Wheeljack soothes.

"just stop, this isn't about me I'll have a pity party later, this is about Reflect." Ratchet mutters, cuddling their adopted sparkling.

"right." Wheeljack mutters. it doesn't stop him from sending worried glances at Ratchet, even as the medic settles for a nap.

the three only nap for just a little over two hours, before Reflect jerks up, straight into a sitting poisiton with a yelp. it jerks Wheeljack and Ratchet awake immediately.

"Reflect?" Ratchet ask. the mechs servo immediately flies to his side with a curse.

"you okay?" Wheeljack ask.

"fuck. m' fine." Reflect mutters. "sorry. sorry." Reflect hisses.

"wanna tell us whats happening?" Ratchet ask.

"sharp pain, bad enough woke me up." Reflect winces, rubbing his side. "fuck. Ironhide you fucking bastard." Reflect hisses. Ratchet gets up.

"alright kid, come on, lets get up." Ratchet says. Wheeljack gets up to help Reflect up.

"no way. fuck it feels like being stabbed." Reflect hisses.

"you are cramping. come on Ratchets right. getting up with help with that." Wheeljack murmurs. Reflect growls letting them help him up.

"I know it hurts but we have to get up. this is a pain you have to walk off. its part of carrying." Ratchet says. Reflect groans, letting them support him, one on each side. "don't blame Ironhide too hard. he didn't know you didn't have the block. I should've put it on you, but I wanted you to have the opportunity to choose." Ratchet says.

"I'm going to blame Ironhide because its his fucking sparkling, not yours. you're a medic, a caretaker, you didn't spark me and you didn't know I was going to just age up and get sparked stright away. you thought you'd have years. don't blame yourself and I'm not made I got sparked. I'm not mad at all. I'm in pain." Reflect mutters. "I'm in pain because I'm sparked and I'm carrying because Ironhide sparked me. if I have to be in pain because of his sparkling, he has to be in pain with me." Reflect growls. Wheeljack chuckles.

"I did that to Ratchet." Wheeljack snorts.

"I fell like all carriers do that to a sparklings creator." Ratchet mutters. Reflect mutters to himself, pulling his arm free from Ratchets shoulders to hold onto his sparkling bump.

"fuck that hurt." Reflect mumbles, reaching back to rub his back.

"I know. come on, lets walk it off Reflect." Wheeljack murmurs softly. "just try to relax a little. its okay." he adds.

"y'all just ignore me if I start crying because I'm fucking hurting." Reflect mumbles.

"oh! oh! I have something for you, here, have a seat. I'll be right back." Wheeljack says. Ratchet helps Reflect sit down on the berth. Wheeljack runs off and comes back with a large black band.

"what the hell is that?" Reflect ask.

"this is the brace I promised you. come on up." Wheeljack smiles. Ratchet helps the grumbling me up off the berth.

"better be fucking worth getting up." Reflect grumbles. Wheeljack wraps the belt gently around the bigger mech, slipping it under the bump and lifting, tightening the belt around him. Reflect yelps. "easy!" Reflect snaps.

"I'm sorry, sorry." Wheeljack murmurs, stepping away. Reflect straightens some, before a relieved look appears on his face, dropping his head back with a sigh.

"oh god." Reflect mutters. Wheeljack watches him carefully, chuckling when Reflect yanks him into a hug. "immediately my everything feels better." Reflect mutters. Wheeljack laughs and hugs him gently.

"well, good, that means its working." Wheeljack murmurs.

"how'd you perfect this?" Reflect ask.

"oh, I taped about the same weight worth of watermelons to Ratchet and used him as a practice dummy." Wheeljack grins. Reflect reaches out and yanks Ratchet into the hug as well.

"I love both of you and my back appreciates your work." Reflect mumbles softly. the two chuckle softly.

"of course Reflect. we're happy to help." Wheeljack murmurs, hugging him gently.

"don't worry about it kid." Ratchet chuckles.

"you had watermelons taped to your fucking armor." Reflect mumbles.

"its fine. my back only hurt for a day or two. didn't hurt as bad as your back does." Ratchet says. Reflect nods and lets them go. the tension is slowly melting from his frame.

"oh Primus I swear." Reflect mutters.

"now its not water proofed and I wouldn't recharge in that that, but you can wear it up to 23 hours a day." Wheeljack says.

"suppose I should go find and apologize to Ironhide." Reflect murmurs, heading out of their room.

where are you?

why?

because I want to know.

are you going to slag the hell out of me again?

I might if you keep acting like that.

I'm in the rec room.

Reflect heads out of the medbay towards the rec room. he's got a little more pep in his step than normal.

Ironhide eyes him warily. he doesn't want his bonded to strike him again and he end up lashing out. he doesn't want to accidentally hurt his bonded or their sparkling.

"don't look at me like that." Reflect mutters, grabbing a cube and sitting beside him. "you laughed at me. it was your fault." Reflect adds.

"you seem... less hostile and less tense. what happened?" Ironhide ask.

"this band that Wheeljack was measuring me for the other day. he almost had the thing done, just needed to make sure it would fit me. he was using Ratchet as a model." Reflect mumbles. Ironhide nods a little, going quiet for a few minutes, before looking over at Reflect. there's a weight on the mechs side of the bond and Reflect glances at him. "what?" Reflect ask. Ironhide sighs.

"I'm sorry, about all of this. mostly sparking you." Ironhide murmurs. he looks over at his bonded. "and I never even ask if you... if you wanted a sparkling." Ironhide says softly.