As 9: 00 AM rolled around, no one has seen Ironhide.

"Where's Ironhide? Normally, by now, he'd be up and doing something." Sideswipe asked.

"He may still be asleep. I heard him crying around 1:30 this morning." Epps stated.

"Why were you up that early?" Jazz asked.

"Restless night, and I was thirsty." Epps replied. Optimus then started to walk off. "Where are you going?" Epps asked.

"To check on Ironhide and to possibly wake him up." Optimus replied. As he walked to Ironhide's room, he knocked on the door.

"Come in..." Ironhide mumbled from inside.

'he sounds so defeated...so weak' Optimus thought. He opened the door and the sight he saw broke his spark.

Ironhide was sitting on his berth, legs crossed, pillow in his arms, faceplates streaked and stained with coolant streaks, voice cracking and hoarse.

"Ironhide, is everything okay, Old Friend?" Optimus asked. Ironhide nodded and sniffed.

"Yeah.... I'm okay." Ironhide mumbled.

"No, you're not." Optimus protested.

"If you think I'm not fine, why'd you ask?" Ironhide asked.

"To see if you would say yes or no." Optimus replied. Ironhide just started shaking again, ready to just give up.

"I ask again, what's wrong?" Optimus asked.

"Nightmares every night...I can't sleep, I lie to everyone, saying I'm fine when I'm not, I'm just tired and done. I just want to give up and end everything." Ironhide admitted, tears streaming down his faceplates silently.

Optimus was shocked, but he immediately embraced the poor mech. He knew that Ironhide was suffering the worst out of them all.

Ironhide just tried to push him away, but Optimus wouldn't let him. "Optimus, stop. I can't show emotions, that's me being weak." Ironhide stated.

"Who said showing emotions was weak? It's not, considering I show emotions." Optimus stated. He just held Ironhide and felt him shaking and trembling, trying to calm down.

After a while, Ironhide calmed down, and was sound asleep in Optimus's arms.