"so whats he doing in here?" Wheeljack ask, looking over at the mech.

"he doesn't feel safe going into recharge in his and Ironhides room when Ironhide isn't here, especially while Hot Rod is running around." Ratchet frowns. Reflect curls up more on the berth.

"ah, but he won't be running around when we're done with him. you guys get everything mixed up?" Wheeljack ask.

"yup, just waiting on you to finish your end of the deal." Ratchet mutters.

"it'll be finished in a little bit. I won't rush on it and I'm going to be the one to use it, just in case it backfires. I don't want him or the sparkling hurt." Wheeljack frowns.

"good idea." Ratchet murmurs. "how do you intend to test it and make sure it works?" he akss, sitting down to get to work on the mechs servo.

"I was going to test it out on a camera, but I'll have to wait for an opportunity." Wheeljack frowns.

"wait until the twins start fighting. point it at them. if it messes with the cameras, just tell Red it was an accident that it was supposed to affect the twins not his cameras." Ratchet mumbles.

"absolutely not." Wheeljack frowns. "then he'd know it was me." Wheeljack frowns. "maybe we could just ask him...?" Wheeljack ask.

"no thats a stupid thing to do. Red would immediately go to Optimus." Ratchet frowns. "what if, hear me out on this, what if our little mimic, copies Mirages abilities. all Red Alert will see is his cameras randomly blanking out and while he's attempting to fix that, Reflect plants the bomb and gets the hell out of there." Ratchet says, looking at Wheeljack.

"that could work." Wheeljack murmurs. he opens his mouth, but immediately snaps it shut when the medbay doors open. Optimus enter the bay, looking around.

"is Reflect alright?" Optimus frowns.

"he will be if you lower your friggin' voice." Wheeljack warns.

"he doesn't feel safe with Hot Rod running around and Ironhide not being here. so I told him he could sleep in here, that I'd slag any dumb motherfucker who decides to mess with him." Ratchet snaps.

"language." Optimus frowns.

"did you want something?" Ratchet glares.

"ah yes. Wheeljack, you apparently have Cades welding safety gear." Optimus frowns.

"is it important?" Wheeljack winces.

"he's about to finish up the repairs to the hole in the rec room ceiling. the final materials have finally come in. he just needs to weld it together." Optimus frowns.

"I'm a little busy Prime." Wheeljacks frowns. "I'll get it in a few minutes." he assures. Optimus nods.

"of course. I hope you're- Reflect!" Optimus yelps startled. he shifts looking confused as Cades things are suddenly shoved at him. he looks up from the items to see Reflect glaring daggers at him. Ratchet stiffles a chuckle.

"shut your fucking mouth plates before I take all his gear and shove it so far down your throat pipes they come bursting out of your aft. I don't care if you are a Prime, I'll bust your aft Optimus." Reflect murmurs, calmly. Optimus leans away from him. his tone was chillingly calm and the Prime didn't like it.

"apologies." Optimus says. Reflect grunts, curling back up on his previously chosen berth. he throws the blanket back over his head and grumbles to himself. Optimus loos back over at Wheeljack and Ratchet. both are attempting to choke back laughter.

"told you to lower your voice. he's trying to nap." Wheeljack chuckles.

"right. well, thank you." Optimus says, hesitantly. he takes Cades items and leaves. Ratchet stands.

"don't move." he grumbles. Wheeljack nods. Ratchet heads over to his light switches, flicking through them in a way he's sure Reflect would scream at him for if the mech could see it, before finally managing to shut off the lights above the mech. "there. that should help." Ratchet nods. he heads back over and pops the armor off Wheeljacks servo. the screa that had been causing discomfort immediately falls out. "damn Jack how much shit have you lost in your own freaking body?" Ratchet frowns, cleaning the wiring out.

"I dunno. a lot. I lose a lost of shit." Wheeljack shrugs.

"give me your other servo." Ratchet grumbles. Wheeljack lays his other on the berth, letting the medic work on cleaning them both up. when he finishes he puts the mechs servos back together and glares. "next time you better come here and let me fix that." Ratchet grumbles.

"well, we were really talking. I thought you hated me or something." Wheeljack mumbles.

"only because we thought you hated Reflect." Ratchet frowns Wheeljack nods a little.

"yeah, I fucked up. I won't do that again." Wheeljack assures, looking over at Reflect. the mech is snoring, face still covered by the blanket. Ratchet frowns and walks into his office. "Ratch? what are you doing?" Wheeljack asks, following him. Ratchet scribles something down on a piece of paper, then takes it and puts it up on the outside of the medbay doors. Reflect is in recharge, unless you're dying, if you wake him up, I'll kill you.

"putting up a sign so people shut the hell up." Ratchet grumbles.

"you're acting like he's still a sparkling." Wheeljack murmurs.

"he's still my sparkling. I don't care how old he looks." Ratchet glares. "now go, get out of my medbay before you wake him up." Ratchet grumbles. Wheeljack nods a little, glancing at Reflect.

"if anything goes wrong, call me. he's still a wreckers sparkling and I'll beat anyone." Wheeljack murmurs, leaving the medbay. Ratchet nods and heads to his office.

Reflects only in recharge for a few hours, before he gets up. he looks around.

"s'quiet." Reflect mutters.

"because Ratchet threatened to kill anyone who woke you." a voice snorts from behind. Reflect turns around, Inferno is sitting on a berth behind him.

"oh hey, you okay?" Reflect ask. Inferno nods a little.

"oh yeah. Wheeljack had a flash bang go off and I can't see right now." Inferno snorts.

"and here I thought you got in trouble for setting more fires." Reflect snorts.

"I don't set fires!" Inferno huffs. "stop hanging out with Bumblebee!" Inferno huffs. Ratchet walks out of his office quickly, irritated the mech is yelling.

"relax. I'm picking on him." Reflect assures Ratchet carefully. Ratchet nods a little.

"Wheeljacks an idiot." Ratchet mutters.

"yeah, I've figured that out." Reflect snorts. he rubs his chestplate a little.

"you good to go out there?" Ratchet ask.

"yeah. if I have any problems, I'll let you know." Reflect assures.

"let Wheeljack know. I can't leave Inferno in here alone while he's blind. Red Alert would have an absolute melt down." Ratchet frowns.

"alright." Reflect snorts, heading out of the medbay. he heads for the rec room. its late, but not too late, only about 9 PM. he's not surprised to see a few humans running around.

Reflect grabs himself a cube, looking around.

"hey the ceilings finally fixed." Reflect says.

"yeah its not to see it not just covered with a tarp again." Jazz says looking up.

"why did it take so long?" Reflect asks, curious.

"you know the human government. they're never really in a rush to fix stuff for us. the stuff Prowl ordered to fix it has been on back order, still is. Cade finally got tired of having to replace the tarp everytime the weather took it down, so he brought some stuff from his scrap yard." Jazz says. Reflect nods.

"the human government doesn't care about its own kind either. don't worry." Reflect mumbles. Jazz nods, before looking over at the mech. he watches him a moment befroe Reflect sips his cube and looks over. "if you have questions you can ask. I don't have all the answers you're looking for but I'll do the best I can." Reflect assures.

"just... you're Will." Jazz murmurs.

"my name is Reflect. Will died. his spirit and soul just inhabit this body." Reflect says, raising an optic ridge at Jazz.

"that not all that inhabits that body, from what I hear at least." Jazz smirks.

"well, you've heard right." Reflect mutters shrugging.

"how in the hell did you end up carrying?" Jazz ask.

"well, I mean you should know how, but I can spell it out for you." Reflect snorts.

"no, I mean, you don't have the block?" Jazz ask.

"Ratchet intended to upload it when I got older, but y'know. I got older before he expected it and started carrying before he could think of it." Reflect shrugs. Jazz nods.

"its just, weird." Jazz says.

"that I'm carrying?" Reflect asks, curiously.

"no that you're... basically Will reborn. never heard of that happening before." Jazz frowns.

"well, how many other humans carried enough Allspark energy in them to die and come back?" Reflect ask.

"Sam." Jazz says. Reflect thinks a moment, before nodding in agreement.

"thats true." Reflect says.

"will it happen to him too?" Jazz asks, looking at him.

"I don't know... I didn't know it would happen to me. I was dead and then I woke up on a berth in the medbay. tried to talk to Ratchet but he couldn't understand me. thats when I realized something was up." Reflect frowns. Jazz nods. "its weird." Reflect murmurs.

"what? being Cybertronian?" Jazz ask, grinning.

"no. you're talking to me. I get a couple words from others now and then, but nothing like this, no real conversations. you're actually treating me like I'm not a Decepticon." Reflect mumbles. "so... thank you." Reflect murmurs. Jazz looks over at him.

"it took a few days to get used to, but you're still Reflect." Jazz murmurs. Reflect smiles at him.

"well its really appreciated Jazz. like, a lot. you just don't understand." Reflect murmurs, before taking his cube and walking off. "Bumblebee don't you dare!" Reflect shouts, looking down the hallway.

"but I want a hug." Bumblebee pouts.

"you can't slam into me. you could hurt the sparkling." Reflect warns. Bumblebee grins and hugs him as tight as he can. "yeah. okay. thank you." Reflect grumbles.

"I'm just so excited I can hug you!" Bumblebee grins.

"let go." Reflect growls.

"Bumblebee let him go before he snaps on you." Wheeljack warns, chuckling. Bumblebee lets go.

"sorry. sorry." Bumblebee mumbles. Reflect glares at him.

"next time I say no, I mean no!" Reflect growls, storming off.

"don't take it personal Bee. he's glitching." Wheeljack assures gently. Bumblebee nods a little.

"no I'm not worried about it. I know he doesn't mean it." Bumblebee smiles at him.

Reflect storms down the hallway.

"you think you're so special don't you?" Hot Rod growls. he still looks pretty beat up. its clear his self repairs are doing the best they can, but just don't quite match up to Ratchets brilliant handywork on his frame, or hell, maybe it was Ironhides handywork. Reflect doesn't know and doesn't care. he's not in a soft mood like he'd been when Hot Rod cornered him, he's pissed.

"if you bring your aft over here, I'll beat it. don't fuck with me Hot Rod. I swear. you've had a problem with me since you got here and I'm not in the mood for shit today." Reflect snaps.

"don't you dare. Red Alert has already informed me and Optimus you've had a run in with Hot Rod, when Wheeljack told me Bumblebee pissed you off. don't even think about it."

"can it Ratchet."

Reflects not sure who strikes first, the next the he knows, he's on Hot Rods back. he's digging one knee into the mechs back, screaming obscenities, twisting his left arm back as hard as he can, hoping he'll be lucky enough to break it off his shoulder strut before Ratchet and Optimus get there.

"WAS THAT THREAT!? ARE YOU THREATING ME! I'LL END YOU!" Reflect shouts, shoving the mechs face into the floor with his free arm. "SAY UNCLE! FUCKING SAY IT! SAY UNCLE YOU STUPID SLAGGER! I'LL RIP YOUR PIT FEARING ARM OFF! I'LL FUCKING DO IT!" Reflect shouts.

"Reflect! get off him!" Optimus orders.

"HE THREATENED THE SPARKLING! HE DARE THREATEN MY SPARKLING!" Reflect shouts, jerking Hot Rods arm back harder.

"he's pissed Optimus, yelling will not calm him down." Ratchet glares. he walks over to the mech. "okay, come on Reflect. I'm sure he's learned his lesson, he won't do it again. right you stupid slagger?" Ratchet glares down at Hot Rod.

"get him off me! get off!" Hot Rod shouts.

"I swaer to Primus I'll rip your fragging arm off and shove it so far up your aft you'll never sit down again!" Reflect growls at him.

"easy." Ratchet says gently. "just tell him what he wants to hear Hot Rod." Ratchet warns.

"fine! fine! uncle! uncle! get off!" Hot Rod shouts. Reflect releases him immediately, getting up and kicking the mech hard in the head.

"YOU THREATEN MY SPARKLING AGAIN I SWEAR!" Reflect shouts, when Ratchet grabs his arms gently. "Ironhide will be the absolute least of your fragging worries!" Reflect growls as Ratchet drags him down the hallway.

"easy. easy." Ratchet soothes gently. "its alright. tell me what he said." Ratchet murmurs.

"I'll kill him I swear!" Reflect growls.

"I know. I know." Ratchet says softly. "hey, tell me what he said Reflect. Optimus needs to know." Ratchet murmurs. Reflect shoves his servos off and whips around, fury in his optics.

"he threatened to find a way to force open my chestplates and terminate the sparklings spark. he reached for my spark chamber and I disarmed him." Reflect snaps. Ratchet nods a little.

"okay. okay. shhhh. don't worry. we won't let that happen. its okay." Ratchet assures. "remember disarm not dearm. he will be dealt with." Ratchet adds.

"how are you not pissed off!? I want to kill him!" Reflect shouts, shoving at the medic. Ratchet stands firm.

"oh I'm beyond fragged, but you have to keep your temper." Ratchet murmurs.

"I'm planting that thing, now." Reflect growls.

"Wheeljacks not done-" Ratchet starts.

"its going in his room. I'll teleport." Reflect snaps, heading for his and Ironhides room. Ratchet follows after him.

"Reflect, you need to calm down." Ratchet soothes gently, following him into his and Ironhides room. "if you do this now, they'll know its you." Ratchet frowns.

"good, I'll take Optimus on. I'll take anyone one!" Reflect growls, digging the paint bomb out from under his and Ironhides berth. he teleports away immediately, before Ratchet can talk him out of this. he's gone and back in a flash. just long enough for him to set the bomb up to Hot Rods door.

"you need to breathe." Ratchet murmurs gently. "I won't allow anyone to come after you." Ratchet murmurs.

"I want to kill him." Reflect growls.

"shhhh. just be prepared for shit to hit the fan, as humans say. stay here and keep the door locked, I'll be back." Ratchet murmurs.

"I don't know Ironhides code to unlock it." Reflect mutters.

"I have a medic code. just lock the door. I'll be right back." Ratchet assures, walking out. Reflect locks the door as he's told. he sits on their berth, hugging his knees.

what happened?

nothing.

don't lie to me William. Ratchet sent me footage of you beating on Hot Rod. what happened?

I did what you told me to do.

what did he say?

he told me he was going to hurt the sparkling. I handled it.

its silent for a few minutes before Reflect receives a video file from Ratchet, the medic had eent it to every Autobot on base, those who were already in recharge would recieve it in the morning, and even the four patrolling.

its a file of Reflect and Hot Rod standing in the hallway and it makes Reflect freeze. Ratchet had gotten the camera footage from Red Alert.

"you think you're so special don't you?"

"if you bring your aft over here, I'll beat it. don't fuck with me Hot Rod. I swear. you've had a problem with me since you got here and I'm not in the mood for shit today."

"you really think you're special? well you're not. you think you're Autobot but you're not! you're a squishy stupid little human who got thrown in a Cybertronian body. now we're supposed to have you and your freaking scum off sparkling running around? I don't fragging think so. if we allow that thing to happen now, whose going to stop you from polluting our race with more of your disgusting offspring? no one else seems to want to steps up and handle this, so I will. I'll beat your aft to the ground then when you're laying there bleeding out, I'll rip your fraggin' spark chamber open. just before your spark gives out, I'll make you watch as I rip that fragile little scum spark from your chest and crush it in my servo. since no one else around here has the fraggin' bolts to do it, I'll do it myself."

Hot Rod reaches for Reflect and the mech immediately explodes on the other.

"YOU TOUCH MY SPARKLING I'LL KILL YOU! COME HERE FUCKER!"

Reflect screams, grabbing hold of Hot Rod and slamming him to the ground. he grabs hold of the mechs throat, yanking whatever he can out of his throat, it was shocking he hadn't destroyed the mechs vocalizer.

Reflect shuts the file off immediately. its quiet, but he can hear what sounds like a riot going on outside.

you lied to me.

Ironhides voice is chillingly calm and Reflect wants to snap that he's handled it, but he can't. all that comes out of him is a choked sob. he can hear Ironhide sigh.

I'm sorry.

is all Reflect can manage. Ironhide sighs again.

Ratchet says you're in our room. stay right there and do not move. I'm on my way back and don't worry I'm not abandoning my post, Jazz is taking my place. just stay right there.

I don't need you here.

I need to be there and I will. I'll only be a few minutes.

there's a quiet knock and Ratchet enters.

"its just me." Ratchet says softly.

"you stole security footage." Reflect manages.

"no Red willingly gave it over. he saw us come after you and was heading to give the footage to Optimus so you wouldn't get in trouble." Ratchet assures. he frowns a little and sits on the berth with Reflect. the mech curls up more, hugging his knees tighter. le vents a shuttering breath, a habit from his human years. "are you alright?" Ratchet ask.

"why would you share that?" Reflect ask.

"I got angry. I wanted everyone to see what kind of mech he was. I'm sorry I didn't think about how it would make you feel. I'm sorry." Ratchet murmurs softly. Reflect curls up more. Wheeljack enters without knocking. he walks over to the berth immediately, sitting himself beside Reflect. they're not entirely squishing the mech, but they're boxing him in gently. one on each side. neither touch him though. the closer they get the more he curls in on himself.

"Ironhides on his way." Wheeljack murmurs gently. there's a loud BOOM! and Reflect flinches hard.

"I'LL KILL HIM!"

Reflect flinches again and Ratchet places a servo gently on the mechs arm.

"easy." Ratchet murmurs. the door slams open, making all three jump. Ratchets ready to get up and slag whoever it is, expecting Hot Rod, but his anger drops when he sees Ironhide. the black mech walks over and, ignoring the other two, he grabs Reflect gently and pulls him over to him.

"its okay." Ironhide assures.

"did you shoot him?" Wheeljack ask, confused.

"no, he tried to storm into his room to hide from me and the bomb went off." Ironhide mumbles, hugging Reflect tightly.

"damn we missed it." Wheeljack mutters.

"several were around to see it. they were yelling at him when I came in, someone got it." Ironhide mumbles, holding Reflect tighter.

"got it." Ratchet says, turning to the mostly blank wall behind the berth. "move it Jack." Ratchet growls. Wheeljack gets up quickly. Reflects oddly silent, but lets Ironhide scoop him up off the berth gently.

"who sent it?" Wheeljack asks, looking at his bonded.

"Sdeswipe." Ratchet says.

the four watch as a group of bots angrily threaten Hot Rod, who screams back at all of them, before opening his door. the bomb almost immediately goes off. coating Hot Rod, his room, and several of the bots watching. instead of the bots raging though, they immediately start laughing at the mech, high fiving and cheering. Sideswipe turns to Sunstreaker, who looks just as confused as Sideswipe probably does. he asks "did you do that?" Sunstreaker shakes his head, shrugging a little.

Ironhide snorts, shifting his bonded.

"well, looks like he got what he deserved." Ironhide smirks. there's a knock on the door and Ironhide sets Reflect on the berth, opening the door. he's confused. "Red?" Ironhide ask. Red Alert looks utterly conflicted, before looking at Ironhide.

"Hot Rod specifically requested a camera be put in his room when it was built." Red Alert frowns, glancing around the room. "and he wants me to give the footage to Optimus." he adds quietly, glancing at Reflect. the mech meets his optics, silently. he looks tired, upset, and almost defeated.

"you're got going to hand it over are you?" Ratchet frowns.

"I'll tell Optimus it was me." Wheeljack says, immediately. Red Alert frowns to himself a moment, before holding a disk out to Ironhide.

"un... unfortunately I um..." Red Alert starts. he looks over at Reflect. the mech still looks utterly distraught. Red Alert frowns to himself. "I believe that the footage... is... corrupt?" Red Alert says, hesitantly. the other four stare at him a moment, before Ironhide reaches to take it. he holds the disk between his fingers, before looking at Red. "but a copy of the disk containing the things he said and did both times has been given to Optimus." Red Alert assures, looking at Reflect. Reflect watches him a moment.

"thanks." Reflect mumbles. Red Alert nods once, before leaving. Ironhide looks at the disk then to Reflect.

"well, what are we to do with this?" Ironhide ask, watching his bonded.

"I dunno..." Reflect mutters.

"it probably has a first hand view from the inside of the room of the actual explosion." Wheeljack says, reaching to take the disk. "I copy it off, take the explosion and give it back to you guys, then write and rewrite code over it until you can't go back." Wheeljack offers.

"and smash it when you're done." Ironhide nods, holding it out to him. Wheeljack takes it.

"you gonna be alright?" Ratchet asks looking at Reflect. the mech has his face buried in his knees again, but nods a little.

"he'll be fine. its getting late. you guys go a head and go. I'm gonna stay with him." Ironhide assures.

"what about your shift?" Reflect mumbles.

"I have been relieved of duty. I'll be off duty until after the sparkling. Optimus doesn't think it's safe for you to be here without me." Ironhide says. "he waits until I leave every time before coming after you. I won't let it happen again." Ironhide assures. they nod a little and walk out, but not without casting glances at Reflect.

its quiet for a few minutes before Ironhide sits beside Reflect.

"Reflect-" Ironhide starts.

"I did what you said." Reflect mutters.

"I saw that." Ironhide murmurs.

"you weren't mean to see or hear that." Reflect murmurs. "I can't believe Ratchet shared... I... no one needed to hear that shit." Reflect sighs.

"I don't think you've understood what happened here Will." Ironhide murmurs. Reflect looks up at him confused. "come here. I know you don't want to but, come on." Ironhide says softly. he pulls Reflect up off the berth and leads him to the rec room.

Reflect is huffed up to his side, until he hears someone running over.

"hey!" Sideswipe shouts. he's careful, not slamming into the mech, but hugs him tightly. "Primus, you alright? Hot Rods not an easy bot to handle." Sideswipe frowns. Sunstreakers suddenly beside him.

"he didn't hurt you or the sparkling right?" Sunstreaker ask.

"no we're fine." Reflect mumbles, still squished against Sideswipe. Ironhide steps away, watching carefully.

"you did it right?" Sunstreaker ask. Reflect looks confused. "the bomb, it was you right?" Sunstreaker ask. Reflect nods a little.

"yeah. yeah it was." Reflect mumbles softly.

"that was epic! there was so much paint Sunny and I got coated!" Sideswipe grins at him, finally letting him go. Reflect looks confused.

"huh..?" Reflect ask.

"that was great." Sunstreaker smiles. Reflect looks at them, until Drift walks up behind him.

"Sensei says you're alright, but I thought I'd check." Drift murmurs, patting his shoulder.

"yeah, we're fine." Reflect says. Drift nods and smiles, walking off.

he chats with serval bots, all making sure he's okay, before Ironhide takes him back to their room.

"I don't understand. they were... friendly. worried." Reflect mutters.