This is my idea of how Chromia and Ironhide met.

Love is never a smooth ride.

Please R&R

Ironhide walked down the road, school was over and it couldn't have ended any worse. His old friend Ultra Magnus was getting the slag beaten out of him by some fraggers who thought they were better then him, naturally he had taken them out and gotten into a lot of trouble for it. His father had been told and no doubt about it, he was going to get it when he got back. His father was the army's weapons specialist, Sentinel Prime was a good friend and had supported his father when his mother died.

He was always getting into fights, Sentinel had always said that he would grow up to be like his father. His father wasn't too keen on him going to school in the lower districts but Ironhide had refused to go any where else. Ultra Magnus was his best friend and he wasn't going to let anything happen to him, even if he would suffer because of it. The thing his father hated the most was the femmes of the lower district, most of them sold themselves to the highest bidder and their younglings weren't much better. A femme ran into him and he looked down at her, she was on her aft looking up at him.

"Sorry I'm so sorrry" she jumped up and stepped back, it was almost like she was expecting to be attacked or something.

"It's ok no harm done right?" she looked up at him "Name's Ironhide and you are...?"

"Errr...Chromia my name's Chromia"

"It's nice to meet you Chromia, may I ask why you were running through these back allys?" she lowered her head

"I was running from my step-father"

"Why?"

"He doesn't like me and my mother's gone out, so he beats me" he looked at her and then noticed the scars on her arms

"You can't hide forever, you should report him" she snorted

"If you haven't noticed we're considered the scum of Cybertron, like they would want to listen to me" she folded her arms "I'll be fine as long as I'm out for a few hours he'll forget about me and then I can sneak back in. I should get going he could catch up with me if I don't" she ran off and waved to him "Goodbye Ironhide it was nice to meet you" he smiled and then continued walking the way he was going, he felt wierd the femme he had just met was nothing like how his father had described them.

Sentinel was sitting with Nighthawk when Ironhide walked in, they looked at him and then back to the datapads on the table infront of them. Ironhide walked over to the couch and dropped onto it, he grabbed his gun off of the floor and began cleaning it. He couldn't get his CPU off of the femme Chromia, her blue armour was beautiful and her optics were a beautiful colour.

"Ironhide are you even listening to me?" he snapped his head up and looked over to his father and Sentinel

"What are you thinking about Ironhide? I've been Prime long enough to know when something is bothering a friend" he looked at the Prime and stopped cleaning his gun

"It's nothing sir, I was just thinking about something" the Prime looked at him and his father put down one of the datapads.

"Your school called again, what's gotten into you son?"

"Nothing, a few mechs were attacking Magnus and I decided to step in and help him" his father put his head in his hands and groaned "He's my best friend I couldn't stand by and let him get beaten up!" Sentinel stood up and walked over to him, placing one hand on his shoulder

"I know, I would've done the same if it was your father" he smiled at him and then turned back to Nighthawk "I'll see you tommorrow" he stood up

"See you tommorrow sir" Sentinel walked out of the apartment leaving Ironhide and Nighthawk alone "Ironhide, ever since your mother died you've been getting into so much trouble. I know it's hard but you've got to try or I'll have to move you to a school here" he sat down next to his son and put a hand on his shoulder, Ironhide lent back and shut off his optics. "Come on"

"Where are we going?"

"Out Sliverblade is going out with Jazz and she asked if we wanted to join them, so come on we're going" Ironhide groaned "Come on aft head Ratchet and his parents will be there too" he groaned and slapped his foreplate as he was pulled off of the couch and dragged to the door

Chromia ran through the streets not caring where she was going, just as long as she was away from her father. She stopped and looked at a street sign before continuing running, she was thinking about the black mech Ironhide, the one she had met earlier. She froze when she heard someone call her name, it was her father she turned round and saw her father standing at the crossroads with his arms folded, he did not look happy. He took one step forward and she ran as fast as she could he ran after her shouting her name.

Ironhide, Ratchet and Jazz had ditched their parents and gone for a walk

"I can't believe it man, you're in love with a criminal femme, who gets beaten up" Jazz said

"Shut it Jazz"

"Ironhide Jazz is right, you shouldn't be in love with a femme especially a criminal one"

"You didn't see her she was beautiful and..." they froze as they heard someone shout, they turned round and saw a blue femme run across the round and fall to the ground as something hit her head. A black and red mech walked forward and smirked at her, she turned herself onto her back and tried to back away when she saw him. He put a foot on her leg and pushed down to stop her moving. They were frozen in horror as they had never seen an attack before.

"Ironhide, she looks like the femme you described" Ratchet whispered

"It is her, I'm going to help her" Ratchet put a hand infront of him as the mech picked her up and held her against the wall by the throat. "Ok, Jazz call your mother we need them here, I'm not going to let a femme get hurt" Jazz did as Ironhide said and then hid in a side alley with Ratchet. Ironhide ran to the other side and pressed himself up against a bin.

Chromia tried to pull his hands away from her throat but he was too strong, he smirked at her and tightened his grip. He lifted up his hand and stroked the side of her face before bringing his hand back and punching her in the face. She dropped to the ground and held the side of her face, he had split one of her faceplates and it was leaking energon. He kicked her in the abdomen causing her to scream in pain and wrap her arms around herself. He continued to beat her viciously yelling what scum she was. Jazz felt a hand on his shoulder and turned round to see his mother, Ironhide's father was hiding next to his son.

Ratchet jumped as his father grabbed his shoulder and dragged him back. Jazz stared in surprise as Sentinel Prime ran over to Ironhide and Nighthawk, he crouched down next to them and looked over to where Chromia was still being attacked. She kicked him in the crotch as he went to punch her, he jerked back in surprise and she scrambled off of the ground and tried to run away but he caught her arm and threw her into the wall.

"Scum like you should be killed, you're just like your father and look where that got him" she snarled at him and put a hand on the dagger she had hidden on her hip "I wouldn't do that if I were you" he put his foot on her arm and pushed down causing her to yelp in pain. Ironhide growled quietly at the sight of the mech hurting the small femme, Nighthawk punched his son on the shoulder and glared at him.

"Nighthawk I need you to help me pin him down so Wrench and Lightning can sedate him. Ironhide I need you to keep Ratchet and Jazz back here, I don't think Jazz will be so keen on his mother helping fight that guy" Ironhide nodded and then looked back to Chromia who was still trapped on the ground.

He smiled down at her, she quickly bit his foot causing him to jump back. Before he could get near her she took out her dagger and stabbed his arm as he tried to grab her, he snarled and took out his gun she carefully dodged the first few shots but the missed the fourth and was thrown backwards by the impact. Sentinel and the other bots jumped out of their hiding places and took down the mech, Ironhide ran out and skidded to her side. He put a hand on her shoulder and she looked up at him and smiled, Jazz and Ratchet stared at eachother Ironhide was being compassionate!

"Hey you remember me Chromia?"

"How could I? I ran into you and nearly knocked you flying" he laughed and carefully turned her on her side she yelped in pain "Oh slag, I'm sorry. You told me your step-father was violent but I didn't expect him to be as violent as that" she punched him in the shoulder and he laughed. Lightning came running over leaving her mate to wrestle with the black and red mech, she gently shifted Ironhide out of the way and put a hand on her shoulder.

"What's your name?" Chromia couldn't reply everything was blurry and she was curled up in pain "Ironhide?"

"Her name's Chromia" she turned back to Chromia whose optics were fading

"Slag it! Chromia look at me! Nighthawk I hope you have a suitable punishment for him! Wrench get your aft over here! Ironhide I need you to keep a hand on her wound for me, she's lost a lot of energon" Ironhide started to shake but did as she said and kept pressure on the wound. Ratchet ran over when his mother called him and he pulled Ironhide back, Sentinel kicked the black and red mech knocking him out

"Ratchet, Jazz take Ironhide back to mine Optimus is there" they nodded and then dragged Ironhide off

5 days after...

Ironhide was sat on the couch grumbling, his father had decided that he wanted Ironhide to go to the same school as Optimus, Ratchet and Jazz, Ultra Magnus' parents had also decided that they wanted their son to be safe as they never knew he was being beaten up. He still hadn't been able to forget the second time he met Chromia, the fact that she was still in the Med Bay made it worse. It turned out that her step-father had been a wanted criminal and her mother helped him.

She had been taken to one of the orphan homes, unknown to him Sentinel had organised for her to go to the same school as them. Silverblade wanted to take Chromia in as her own, and it was being sorted out no one except Jazz and her knew. It was Ironhide's first day at his new school and his friends were meant to be meeting him. A knock came from the door and Jazz walked in followed by the rest of them. Optimus trotted in after them holding onto Ultra Magnus' hand, Ironhide smiled and the little mech waved at him.

"I'll be right back!" Jazz yelled before rushing out the door, Ironhide looked at Optimus who was sat in his arms and the little mech giggled. Jazz reapeared at the door with a huge grin on his faceplates "Guys I'd like you to meet my new sister" a blue femme walked infront of the door and Ironhide nearly dropped Optimus "Chromia"