(This chapter may be a little short, I apologize a head of time. I've been working on it for a few days trying to make it longer but it hasn't entirely worked.)

Ironhide reaches silently for Reflects servo. he's gentle and slow with his actions, not wanting to scare his bonded. yelling already upsets him but he's carrying. his emotions are already everywhere, making the wrong move could seriously upset the mech.

"come here Reflect." Ironhide murmurs softly. Reflect pulls free from Ratchets grasp and walks quickly over to Ironhide. Ironhide growls lowly at Wheeljack, wrapping his arms around his bondmate gently. "fuck off before I beat your ass for hurting him." Ironhide snaps. he kisses Reflects head gently.

"I... Ratch-" Wheeljack tries.

"get in the medbay now." Ratchet growls, glaring at Wheeljack. the inventor immediately closes his mouth and rushes into the medbay.

"are you okay?" Irnohide ask. Reflects tense against him, clinging to him silently. "okay, well come on, I'm working on helping paint the sparkling room. come with me." Ironhide murmurs.

"no." Reflect says, jerking back immediately from him. his servo is shaking again. he swallowed hard, curling in on himself.

"what the hell did that idiot do to my fucking bondmate? why is he refusing to go anywhere near the fraggin' sparkling room?"

"Wheeljack yelled at him, like an idiot, when he said he wanted to go to the sparkling room."

"that fucking idiot! he'll probably never want to go in that room now! nice job fucking idiots."

"it wasn't me, don't blame me."

Ironhide kisses Reflects head gently, before scooping him up gently.

"come on. don't worry about Wheeljack, he's a fucking idiot." Ironhide murmurs. carrying his bondmate is not as easy as it had been before, but its not an absolute struggle either.

"Hide I really don't want to go-" Reflect starts nervously.

"shhhh. we'll just peek in and you can tell me if the colors ugly or not." Ironhide murmurs softly.

"I'd rather not Ironhide." Reflect mutters, dropping his head onto Ironhides shoulder.

"sure you would. Jack told everyone the room was supposed to be a surprise for us, but its not technically finished so the finished room will still be a surprise for you but the room color won't." Ironhide murmurs.

"Hide, please don't. I don't want to cause another fight between Ratchet and Wheeljack." Reflect mutters.

"don't worry about them. Wheeljack yells at you again and I'll beat his ass." Ironhide growls. he sets Reflect on their shared berth in their room, to give the mech a minute. carrying him around makes Reflect dizzy and carrying him too long, or not stopping for him to have a break, causes him to purge. purging makes him upset, being upset makes him cry, and crying pisses Ironhide off. "don't get upset Reflect. Ratchet and Wheeljack won't argue. Ratchets just going to make sure he doesn't yell at you again." Ironhide soothes gently. he kisses the mechs head gently, holding him tightly.

"he yelled at me for wanting to see the room and I really just don't want to see it." Reflect mumbles softly. Ironhides angry. incredibly angry. Ironhide is so angry he can't even put it into words.

"I swear to Primus Jack, if you ruined something that was supposed to be a joyful thing for Reflect, I will end you. he's too fucking afraid you're going to yell at him again to even want to see the damn room! let alone be in are room! its too fucking close apparently! are you fucking proud of yourself? are you happy that you've not only upset him, you've absolutely ruined his excitement over the sparkling room."

"I never meant-"

"YOU NEVER MEAN TO! YOU FUCKING IDIOT!"

Ironhide kisses Reflect gently, holding him tightly.

"don't fear the room because of Wheeljack. I know he yelled at you and you're already not having an easy time Will, but you need to stop and take a deep breath. relax. this is supposed to be something happy. just relax." Ironhide murmurs softly.

"I don't want to see the room and I don't want to be in here. Hide please lets just not go in there." Reflect mumbles. Ironhide holds him gently.

"shhhh." Ironhide murmurs softly. "if you're that serious about not wanting to see it, thats fine." Ironhide murmurs. "just don't be worried about it okay?" Ironhide ask.

"sorry." Reflect mutters.

"don't be." Ironhide soothes. "here hang on. I'll grab something out of there and we can work on it together." Ironhide murmurs. Reflect looks confused, watching his bonded get up.

"Bumblebee."

"Ironhide?"

"can you bring Reflect a cube?"

"sure where is he?"

"our room."

"I'll be right there."

Ironhide nods to himself and walks over to the new door in the wall of their room. Reflect doesn't even look up. he feels like crap. he's causes another argument between Ratchet and Wheeljack.

"I'm gonna end up making them split up." Reflect mutters.

"nah, Wheeljack and Ratchet wouldn't leave each other. its okay." Ironhide assures. their door opens and Bumblebee leans in, smiling at Reflect a little.

"here. I got you guys some cubes." Bumblebee murmurs softly, holding them out to Reflect. Reflect takes them.

"thanks Bee." Reflect murmurs.

"of course." Bumblebee smiles. he steps out and lets the door shut behind him. Reflect holds the cubes quietly, staring down at them.

"you alright?" Ironhide asks, stepping out with a large box in his servos.

"I guess so." Reflect mutters.

"you're not hurting their relationship Will, this is the best their relationship has been in years. you've made it better honestly." Ironhide murmurs. he sits the box down.

"whats that?" Reflect ask.

"this is just a couple of things we need to put together for the sparkling room. figured it would give us something to do." Ironhide murmurs, climbing up onto the berth beside him. "so drink yoru cube and get to work." he smirks. Reflect looks at the box of random pieces.

"what the hell is that thing supposed to be?" Reflect ask.

"a bookshelf of sorts." Ironhide shrugs. "you said you wanted this to be the Cybertronian way, right? Ratchet, Wheeljack, Optimus, and I sat down and wrote down what all we could remember being in the sparkling care rooms at the care center. we're going to do our best to build everything we need." Ironhide explains. Reflect nods.

"tell your stupid friends to stop trying to kill me!"

"huh?"

"I'm outside the base and your idiot Autobot scum friends are trying to kill me!"

"Ironhide go outside and save Barricades ass." Reflect says.

"why me?" Ironhide huffs.

"just stop them long enough for me to get out there." Reflect says, getting up. Ironhide grunts and heads out.

he heads outside quickly, he'd surely face Reflects fury if the Decepticon was injured or killed.

"hey! knock it off! Primes orders! stand down!" Ironhide orders, running out to them.

"no way! this Con is-" Sunstreaker starts. Ironhides cannons power up and he points one at the yellow twin, walking over to stand in front of Barricade. the mechs laying on the ground holding his side, looking up at Ironhide confused.

"currently under my fragging protection. Primes orders." Ironhide growls lowly. Barricade winces, slowly sitting up.

"what the fuck are you doing?" Barricade mutters.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE!?" Reflect snaps, storming out of the base.

"aw hell, I thought you meant the real Prime." Crosshairs scoffs.

"I am a real Prime." Reflect growls. "my name is Reflection Prime, I am in acting command while Optimus Prime is off base, I am ordering you to stand down or be thrown in the brig. Barricade has permission from me and Optimus to be on base. if you do not stand down right now. soldier, you will spend the next 3 months in the brig." Reflect growls, marching towards them. Sideswipe steps back, pulling Sunstreaker with him.

"we didn't realize he had permission to be here sir." Sideswipe says, saluting. Reflect nods at him once. he'll allow the sir comment to slide.

"Barricade and Frenzy have offical permission to be on base. if I hear of anyone disrupting that, you'll be in the brig, now off with you! all of you!" Reflect orders. the twins immediately retreat, followed by Drift. Crosshairs eventually follows them inside, but only after Ironhide points a cannon at his head. Reflect huffs steam from his nose, before turning to Barricade. "you alright?" Reflect ask. Barricade nods a little, wincing.

"I'll be fine." Barricade grumbles. Ironhide powers his cannons down and reaches a servo down, hauling Barricade to his peds.

"sorry about all that." Reflect frowns. Barricade waves it off.

"no worries." Barricade shrugs. "I was patrolling in the area when Frenzy brought up a good point. figured we'd stop in and see if you guys needed anything for the sparkling." Barricade says.

"we're still putting the sparkling room together, we've come up with everything we could think of, but if you happen to remember anything that used to be in the sparkling rooms at the care centers, it'd be appreciated if you let us know. you were in there a lot more recently then most the bots on base." Ironhide frowns.

"Bumblebee would know better than I would." Barricade huffs.

"Bumblebee doesn't remember the sparkling care centers all that much. when he needed some work done on his head years and years ago, Ratchet stumbled on some things in Bumblebee's memories. those have been blocked now, really changed him for the better. we can't ask him." Ironhide frowns.

"if you think of anything just let me know, it doesn't hurt to suggest things we already have in the works." Reflect assures. Barricade nods at him.

"alright sure. if you think of anything that you need, let me know. I'll find a way to get it if you idiots can't." Barricade says. Reflect nods at him.

"alright, you sure you're okay?" Reflect ask. Barricade nods, waving off his worry with a huff.

"I've taken worse beatings from those slagging twins. I'm fine. I tried to get a hold of Optimus, but he didn't answer, so I came to talk with him. where is he?" Barricade frowns.

"out and about. he had some things to do. I'm taking over the base until he gets back." Reflect assures. Barricade nods.

"I should get back to patrol, but if I thikn of anything, I'll let you idiots know." Barricade mutters.

"try to sound a little grateful asshole." Ironhide scoffs.

"later you bastard." Reflect waves, turning and grabbing Ironhides arm. "come on Hide, I'm tired of standing. I need you to support me or I'm just gonna lay on the ground." Reflect mutters. Ironhide nods and carefully holds him up as they head back into the base. "what all do we need to do to prepare for a sparkling?" Reflect ask.

"base is still sparkling proofed so thats taken care of. the sparkling room built, just needs a coat of paint and all the stuff put in there, but we still have to build that stuff. Jacks got a couple cubes of sparkling grade put away so he'll have time to make some for the sparkling, but will already have some ready. the only other thing to prepare is us." Ironhide shrugs.

"I am prepared for a sparkling. I've had a baby before. you helped take care of Annie too." Reflect says.

"babies and sparklings are vastly different." Ironhide frowns.

"not by that much. all they do those first few days is sleep." Reflect shrugs.

"yes and they don't sleep through the night." Ironhide mutters. Reflect nods a little.

he remembers waking himself up screaming a couple of times in those first few weeks, only to find Wheeljack or Ratchet standing over him looking tired. they would make a comment about this or that, before scooping him up and either taking him to lay with them or getting him a cube.

"so we're pretty much prepared then?" Reflect ask. Ironhide nods.

"for the most part yes." Ironhide says. Reflect climbs up onto their berth and leans back against the wall with a sigh, Ironhide does the same. Reflect glances at him before leaning over against him.

"nervous?" he ask.

"no. its just a sparkling." Ironhide huffs.

"yeah but its our sparkling." Reflect says.

"you nervous?" Ironhide ask.

"a little, but I'm more ready to have this fragging thing and get it over with so I'm no miserable anymore." Reflect grumbles. Ironhide nods, wrapping an arm around his shoulders.

"you'll be alright. you raised Annie just fine." Ironhide murmurs.

"yeah with your help, what little I got to see of her after the divorce." Reflect murmurs. "hey can you do me a favor? I know you're comfy already, but I took that band off earlier in Ratchet and Wheeljacks room and my backs starting to hurt again..." Reflect trails looking up at him. Ironhide nods, getting up from the berth.

"yeah I'll grab it. no point in me being comfortable if you're not comfortable as well." Ironhide murmus, kssing his head. he heads out of the room and Reflect shifts on the berth, wincing.

Ironhide comes back as fast as he can, helping Reflect strap it on.

"thanks Hide." Reflect murmurs. Ironhide nods.

"are we going to have Ratchet put the block on the sparkling?" Ironhide ask.

"yes. absolutely. you can get the block removed so I want it on there. they can have the choice to have it removed when they're older or keep it the same." Reflect murmurs. Ironhide nods, looking towards the sparkling room door.

"you sure you don't want to see?" Ironhide ask softly.

"yeah I'm sure." Reflect murmurs, leaning against him. "you picked a pretty color right?" Reflect frowns.

"yes. I picked a color I know you like." Ironhide assures gently. Reflect nods a little, cuddling against him. "you trying to be one with my plating?" Ironhide teases.

"m'trying to catch a nap an you make a great pillow." Reflect mumbles, sleepily. Ironhide chuckles softly, kissing his head and holding him gently. he rubs his servo up and down his bondeds side gently, listening to Reflects engine purr. "your little special spot rubbing trick doesn't work anymore. the sparkling dropped." Reflect mumbles. his optics are off and Ironhide can't even tell if he was even awake enough to realize he was talking.

"thats okay, I'll just rub the sparkling bump." Ironhide murmurs softly. he reaches around his bonded gently and rubs his thumb over the bump gently. Reflect sighs quietly, curling against him. Ironhide pulls him closer, kissing his head again.

Ironhide sits with his bonded silently until he's sure the mech is deep in stasis, before letting out a heavy sigh.

"nervous? me? of course I'm not fucking nervous." Ironhide huffs to himself quietly. he leans his head on top of Reflects. "I'm pretrified." Ironhide mumbles.

sure Ironhide had raised sparklings and younglings before. he'd helped in the raising of Sunstreaker and Sideswipe when the younglings showed up, he'd helped in the raising of Bumblebee once Ratchet had managed to save the sparkling, and of course he'd helped in the semi raising of Reflect, but he was terrified. helping someone raise a sparkling and raising your own sparkling were two totally different things.

Ironhide pulls Reflect closer kissing his head gently, servo firmly on the side of the sparkling bump. how was he ment to do this? how was he, the destructive, battle yerning, trigger-happy, grumpy mech ment to raise his very own sparkling? he had no idea, but Reflect seemed calm and ready to let it happen. Ironhide wasn't so sure, but he wouldn't dissapoint his bonded.

it seems to take forever, but Ironhide eventually settles down for stasis.

"IRONHIDE!"

Ironhide jerks awake, confused.

"damn it you fucking idiot, Ironhide! wake up!"

"Ratchet?"

"yes you fucking idiot, where are you?"

"my room, curled up with Reflect. why?"

"I need in the medbay right now."

"can you tell me why?"

"something happened while you two were napping."

"I'll... I'll be right there."

Ironhide shifts, trying to pry himself away from Reflect gently.

he finally manages to break free and head down to the medbay without waking Reflect.

he's utterly shocked at what he finds. Crosshairs, Sunstreaker, and Sideswipe are all on seperate berths, beat to hell.

"Primus, did Decepticons attack?" Ironhide ask.

"do you three want to tell him whats going on?" Ratchet demands.

"he was saying shit about the sparkling!" Sideswipe shouts.

"I can say whatever the hell I want you fragging idiot!" Crosshair growls.

"leave my fucking brother alone before I beat you rdamn face in!" Sunstreaker shouts.

"I'd fucking like to see you try!" Crosshairs growls, jumping up. Sunstreaker immediately jumps up punching Crosshairs in the face. all three bots are screaming and the yellow and green mechs are throwing punches.

"KNOCK IT OFF! IF YOU IDIOTS MANAGE TO WAKE REFLECT UP I'LL BEAT YOU SO BAD NO ONE WILL EVER FIND YOU AND NOT EVEN RATCHET COULD SAVE YOU!" Ironhide screams, shoving them apart. he shoves Crosshairs back hard.

"Prowl we need you in the medbay immediately. Reflect is asleep so I'm acting charge. if you don't come get Crosshairs right now, I'm going to kill him."

"I'm... I'm on my way."

"you sit down!" Ironhide growls shoving Crosshairs onto a berth. he turns around shoving each twin with one servo. "you two sit down!" Ironhide orders. he growls glaring back and forth between the three. Prowl walks into the medbay hesitantly.

"alright, someone tell me whats happening." Prowl says.

"you three shut your fragging mouths right now!" Ironhide snaps, glaring around the room. he points at Crosshairs. "that one goes to the brig." Ironhide orders. "those two, you two get fixed and ge the fuck back to your room." Ironhide glares at the twins. Reflect would not be happy if he punished the twins. not that he would punish the twins, they were fighting for his sparkling.

"come on. you can discuss your freedom with Optimus later." Prowl mutters.

"Optimus and Reflect." Ironhide growls. he storms out of the medbay and back to his bonded.

"this is bullshit! he ain't no Prime! no one is in control of me! he's just a dead human! hes not one of us!" Crosshairs growls as Prowl yanks him out. Ironhide roars in anger, tackling Crosshairs hard. it sends them rolling down the hallway, before Ironhide pins the other and starts beating on his face.

"YOU WILL RESPECT HIM OR I WILL END YOU!" Ironhide growls.

"Ironhide! Ironhide stop!" Ratchet shouts, running over to pry Ironhide off. Wheeljack and Prowl are immediately trying to help him.

"stop it get off him!" Wheeljack grunts.

"Ironhide knock it off!" Prowl hisses.

"what the hell is going on?" Reflect mumbles sleepily, looking at the five bots, confused as hell.

"you woke him up idiot." Ratchet huffs, smacking Ironhide hard in the back of the head.

"knock it off, all of you right now." Reflect orders, glaring them down.

"you stupid fucking- you're a dead human! I don't have to-" Crosshairs shouts. Ironhide punches him hard in the face and Reflect nods a little.

"okay I think I see whats going on here." Reflect sighs a little. "okay, get up Ironhide." Reflect says firmly. Ironhide looks up to argue, but Reflect shoots him the nastiest glare he can. a silent promise to make his life miserable if he doesn't listen. Ironhide snaps his mouth shut and growls, getting up off Crosshairs. "get him up out of the floor and throw him in the brig until Optimus gets back. if you want to act like a sparkling and throw a freaking tantrum, go spend the night in fucking time out." Reflect growls. he glares at Ironhide. "get your shit together. you're older. act like it or you are going in to time out in the brig as well." Reflect snaps, storming past him. Ironhide huffs.

"I didn't do anything. he did." Ironhide mutters, following after him. they head into the medbay, Reflect climbing up onto the berth they'd be staying on.

"don't argue with me Ironhide. I know you were trying to stop him, but you're just going to piss me off with arguing." Reflect frowns watching him. Ironhide huffs a little.

"well, excuse me for not wanting that idiot to shit talk my bonded who just happens to be a Prime carrying my fragging sparkling. sparkling. I'm tired of him talking shit about you and everyone else on this base but mostly you, even Hot Rods backed off you some since the sparkling dropped, but Crosshairs is becoming more and more of an asshole each day. he keeps talking like that and I'll blow his ass back to Cybertron." Ironhide growls.

"I know you're angry, but thats what he wants. he's testing authority because Optimus isn't on base. he thinks he's being cute but all he's actually doing is getting his ass further and further into trouble. I've been talking with Optimus and, aside from me, Crosshairs has a nasty habit of attacking others, specifically Autobots. he's just as asshole." Reflect frowns. "so just take it easy alright?" Reflect ask.

"I don't like him talking trash about you." Ironhide growls.

"its cute Hide and I love you, but as long as he's just talking, its okay, but if he starts beating on me, I expect you to beat his ass and protect us." Reflect frowns. Ironhide pulls him into his arms gently.

"anytime, everytime." Ironhide assures gently, kissing his head. Reflect cuddles up to him and smiles, wrapping his arms around his bondeds chest. Ironhide kisses his head.

"you two good?" Ratchet asks, poking his head in.

"yeah, you sure you guys don't mind us staying a few days while they finish the sparkling room?" Reflect ask.

"you kidding? Wheeljacks going to spend all night in there working, at least if you're in here then there's an empty berth for him to lay on instead of the floor." Ratchet huffs.

"well, as long as he doesn't leave our room dirty, its fine with us." Ironhide shrugs.

"he'll clean up any mess he makes but he knows not to touch any of Wills items." Ratchet assures. Reflect smiles a little to himself. Ratchet was now the first bot, besides Ironhide, to separate Will from Reflect.

"we appreciate that." Reflect murmurs.

"I'll patch up the twins, might be a little noisy." Ratchet says.

"won't bother me." Reflect shrugs, curling up. Ironhide snores, letting his bonded rest his head on his arm.

"won't bother us Ratch, we're just appreciative to have somewhere to go." Ironhide mumbles.

"like we'd leave our sparkling, carrying his own sparkling, and his bonded sleeping in the rec room." Ratchet huffs, rolling his optics.

"we do appreciate it." Reflect mumbles. Ratchet nods and heads back to the main medbay. "are you two out there, okay?" Reflect calls.

"we're good. nothing but a little scuffle." Sideswipe assures.

"alright." Reflect murmurs. he curls up, cuddling to Ironhide with a yawn.

"get some rest Reflect okay? just get a little rest. but don't panic if I'm not here when you wake up alright? Ratchet'll still be here but I might go help Wheeljack in the sparkling room. I was the one painting." Ironhide murmurs softly. Reflect nods.

"m'kay just be careful alright? I know its jsut painting but no doubt Crosshairs or Hot Rod might try to get you." Reflect mumbles.

"you be careful. they're more likely to come after you." Ironhide frowns.

"with Ratchet sleeping in the other room? I doubt it. if he hears me shout, they'd be dead in a flash." Reflect mutters. Ironhide snorts and holdsh im tightly, letting his bonded drift off into recharge.

"you're probably right about that." Ironhide murmurs settling down.