Pride and Joy
Chapter 1: Sparkling Sitting
Bulkhead smiled to himself as he came to check on little Starcomet. She was in deep recharge. And if Starscream was right, she wouldn't wake up until he, Optimus, Prowl, and Bumblebee returned home.
Ratchet had gone off to Cybertron to get more medical supplies. Starscream and Optimus were out for "them" time. The same could be said for Prowl and Bumblebee. So Bulkhead had agreed to sparkling sit.
Both Starscream and Bumblebee were hesitant about leaving their little ones, especially since they hadn't left them since the day they were born. Which had been four stellar-cycles ago.
But Bulkhead managed to help Optimus and Prowl convince their mates to go out and enjoy themselves. Now Bulkhead was alone at the base with the little ones. He had already checked on Draco and Butterfly. They, like Starcomet, were in peaceful recharge.
He shut the door to the seekerling's room as quietly as he could then took gentle steps toward the living room, trying to make as little noise as possible.
The sparklings were already accustomed to his loud, thunderous ped-steps. But he still didn't want to risk disturbing them. Especially this late in the night.
When he made it to the living room, he sat down and picked up the remote to the T.V. "Let's see what's on," he mumbled to himself as he pressed the "on" button. He realized two nano-klicks too late that Bumblebee had left the T.V. on a music station and the volume was at its loudest setting.
The speakers blared as a guitar solo sounded and nearly shorted out Bulkhead's audios. He quickly turned it off. But despite the ringing in his audios, he could still make out three sparklings crying their vents out.
He got up and ran to Starcomet's room first, since it was right next to the living room. He opened the door and turned on the light. Starcomet still had her optics off-lined, but she was awake and wailing. Silver tears streamed down the sides of her face and in her hair. She was reaching up in the air and had her back arched as if she was trying to grab something.
Bulkhead went to her crib and, as carefully as he could, picked her up. Starcomet screamed louder when he accidently brushed her sensitive wings a little too roughly.
"Shh-shh! I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. Shush. It's okay." He repeated this to her as he held her in the crook of his arm and rocked her back and forth easily.
The steady and calming pulses of his spark and his caring words helped to soothe her. But the other crying sparklings kept her from completely settling down. Still holding her in the crook of his arm, Bulkhead went to the twins' room and picked them up from their cribs as well.
He continued to hold and rock them in his massive arms. He hummed a little tune until their cries turned into tiny whimpers.
The large mech looked around, remembering what Starscream had told him before leaving. "If they wake up, Bumblebee and I have already prepared their bottles. They should be on their dressers."
Bulkhead spotted the two bottles for the twins. After setting Butterfly and Starcomet down in a crib, he grabbed one and began feeding the mechling. Draco would occasionally stop drinking the sparkling formula to sniffle and wipe his optics calmly, then would continue refueling. In a matter of klicks, the bottle was empty. He hiccupped once then continued sniffling.
Bulkhead put Draco over his shoulder and gently and carefully massaged his back until the excess air was out of his tanks. Bulkhead then placed the sparkling in his crib and picked up his sister and fed her. Butterfly finished drinking her formula sooner than her brother and as soon as the air was expelled from her tanks, Bulkhead put her back in her crib and picked up Starcomet.
He tucked the twins in before turning out the light and leaving. They were in recharge again before the door closed.
Bulkhead went back to Starcomet's room and looked for her bottle. He found it easily. Before he gave it to her, he heard her tanks growl loudly. This in turn caused her to screech unhappily.
"Okay, okay. Here's your ba-ba," Bulkhead said cutely to the seekerling. Starcomet giggled at his sparkling voice and happily and hungrily drank her formula.
Her tiny clawed hands grabbed onto the bottle and Bulkhead couldn't help the laugh that escaped his vocalizer as she began clawing at it. Almost like a cat at a scratching post.
When she finished, she yawned tiredly and off-lined her optics. She was ready to go back into recharge.
Bulkhead smiled at the seekerling. Then put her over his shoulder and carefully massaged her back. After a few nano-klicks, the excess air was gone. Bulkhead laid her back into her crib delicately and put her blanket over her.
Starcomet cooed happily and tiredly as she fell back into recharge. Bulkhead turned off the light, then quietly left.
Deciding not to turn on the T.V. again, he went to work on one of his art projects instead. As he began his work, he could only think of one thing.
He loved sparkling sitting.
END