This is a little plot bunny I've been meaning to type up: what Ironhide thinks of Liraz. It got to be a little more than that when I was typing it, though. This comes after chapter 6 (not counting the prologue) of Desert Sunrise, and before chapter 7, which I have yet to upload.

For this one-shot, I am operating under a sparkmating rule that I came across in a few other fanfics: when the bond is new, if one bondmate dies, the other follows. The longer they've been sparkmates, the longer the survivor remains a survivor instead of a mysterious casualty.

Disclaimer: I own only Liraz, which she isn't too thrilled about, seeing as how I keep allowing terrible things like mysteries and aggravating bots to show up in her life.

(normal POV)

Ironhide waited, expecting Liraz to comment on his "They'd probably put it down to hallucinations, since I was dying and all" statement, but it didn't come. He stopped walking and looked down at the small technorganic Herald on his shoulder. She was leaning against a rise in his armor, fast asleep.

Healing Bumblebee had taken more out of her than she'd let on, apparently. Ironhide smiled to himself. He had a soft spot for the young yellow mech, and a bigger soft spot for the little orange girl on his shoulder. After all, she'd saved him in a way no one else could have.

He reached up and carefully scooped her off his shoulder, cradling her in his massive black hands.

She saved me. She didn't know who I was or why that orange guy singled me out, but she saved me, he thought. And she doesn't even know exactly what all she saved me from.

Because Chromia, his sparkmate, had died. They'd been sparkmates long enough that even Ratchet hadn't been able to guess how long Ironhide would be able to survive without her, but Ironhide knew that he was still living on borrowed time. He could feel the place in his spark where his bond to Chromia had been, and it still hurt, still reminded him of what – and who – he had lost. Not that he needed reminding.

But now that Liraz had saved him – regenerated his body and reignited his spark, if Ratchet was to be believed – Ironhide could tell that something was different. His spark still ached where the sparkmate bond had been…but it wasn't draining him anymore. He couldn't feel himself slowly dying. She had healed the tear in his spark, this little teensy Herald that he held in his hands now.

She has a lot of power…she could use it like the man who killed me, but she doesn't. She uses her strength to protect instead. Ironhide regarded her for a long moment. She always seemed to know when one of them was upset – especially him. He wondered how she did that. Did she have some sort of equipment, some technology that allowed her to read emotions? Probably not. But still…

Ironhide's confusion mounted as he considered the fact that he had no idea how she did it. Then the tiny orange shape in his hands shifted in her sleep, and a wave of calm washed over the big mech. He blinked.

Had she…just…sent him a wave of calm through his spark? Impossible; heralds had hearts, like humans, not sparks. And yet…

Ironhide remembered how she'd seemed even more sensitive to Nightbeat, how she'd been hurt, not just frustrated, when she came to him because Nightbeat kept pressing her for answers she didn't have.

Or did she have them? She hadn't known anything hardly when Ironhide, Lennox, Riella, and Prowl had brought her to the base. But it seemed like she knew more and more. Was she beginning to get her memory back – some of it, anyway? He thought about the look on her face when she'd explained to them that she couldn't remember anything. She's seemed lost…hopeless. But now…now, she seemed frustrated, but not nearly as much. Like she was remembering some things. And he'd always seen that frustrated-but-hopeful expression on her face when Nightbeat was nearby.

Is Nightbeat helping her remember? Ironhide wondered. If so, how? What's so special about Nightbeat? Suddenly, Ironhide remembered the expression she'd had when she'd come to the firing range after spending so long with the detective…and the expression on her face when Nightbeat had come looking for her. He'd seen that look on several femmes' faceplates…when they'd been arguing with someone they cared about. And Nightbeat's face…well…Ironhide had seen that expression, too.

I'm going to have a talk with Mr. Detective, Ironhide decided. He set off for the room Nightbeat had claimed as his quarters/office. When he arrived, he knocked softly so the noise wouldn't wake Liraz.

"Come on in," Nightbeat called. The door opened, and Ironhide stepped in.

"Quiet," he growled before the blue and gold mech could speak. "She's sleeping." Nightbeat nodded his understanding.

"All right. What can I do for you, Ironhide?" Nightbeat asked. Ironhide grunted.

"I brought Liraz. She's wiped out still, but I figured she'd want to be here when she wakes up. Be careful with her, Nightbeat, or I'll change your name to Useless Pile of Scrap that Got Pulverized by Ironhide," he growled. Nightbeat blinked, surprised.

"You'd think you're her mech creator talking to some young mech who's courting her, the way you say that," Nightbeat observed. Ironhide held Liraz's sleeping form out to the blue and gold mech and didn't say anything for a moment. He turned to go, then stopped and looked back. Nightbeat was absorbed in situating himself on his berth, leaning back, and positioning Liraz on his chestplates, and then returning to researching whatever he'd been researching when Ironhide had come in.

"Maybe I am," Ironhide sighed. "And maybe there's a good reason for that."

Well, what did everyone think? I welcome critiques, as long as there is no flaming involved. Flaming is for campfires – or grills. Not reviews. Thank you.

Anyway, I've got some more trivia for everyone! Correct answers will be acknowledged in the next chapter of Desert Sunrise. If you can't find the answer, feel free to say so in your review, and I'll tell you what it was if you want me to.

Okay, here goes:

1. According to the official IDW prequel to ROTF and DOTM, what are the three motorcycle femmes' names?

2. Name as many of the femmes who are given names in G1 as you can. (Hint: I can think of five)