Disclaimer: All Transformers characters belong to Hasbro. Any made up characters were created by me.

Summery: (Post 2007 Movie verse) While watching his charges one winter, a new Autobot arrived on Earth and some surprisingly information was known about the old Weapon Specialist, Ironhide.

"blah" – Normal human speck
"blah" – Cybertronian speck
'blah' – Comm. Specking
blah – thinking
blah - flashbacks

The Iron Giant
By Yami-Yugi

Chapter One

Ironhide sat under his favorite tree as he watched Will with his family. It made him think of his family, granted his sparkmate Chromia never had the programming to make a sparkling for them; they did raised and protect another. The sparkling belong to an old friend of his that went missing at the start of the war and the death of the sparkling's mother in a Decepticon raid later on. It made Ironhide miss those orns. The sparkling had long since grown and climbed the Autobot ranks until he became second in command. Ironhide couldn't help but smile at the memory.

Will noticed the look on his faceplates from looking up from the snowman he was helping Annabelle make. "What you thinking about Ironhide?" he asked.

Ironhide looked surprised at first. "It's nothing." He said, finding the cold white powder stuff called snow more interesting.

Will decided he better not push him. "Okay, if you say so."

Annabelle giggled. "It look like I'onhide." She said happily. Ironhide looked over at the snowman and sure enough it did looked kind of like him.

Later that night, more snow was falling, covering the already snow covered ground with even thicker snow. The Lennox's were nice and warm in their house while Ironhide was very comfortable in the old barn. The peaceful night was interrupted when a "mentor" crashed into a near by empty farm field. Its landing had shock the ground and Will threw on his winter cloths and raced out the door and towards the field. Ironhide was already standing near the field; his cannons were out and whirring with power. "What is it Ironhide? Is it a Decepticon?" Will ask a bit worried, he had hope he wasn't a Decepticon.

"I'm not sure but if it is I'm not going to have a 'Con surprise attack me." Ironhide said.

Soon the "mentor" slowly started to transform. Once one arm came out, it held onto the ground quivering by the look of pain as another limp start to transform. The whole frame looked beat up and damage in some places. "Who ever he is, he look a bit damage." Will said as he watched. Soon two sensor panels rose up from the Cybertronian's back. Ironhide instantly recognized the mech. He shut down his cannons and retracted them back into his arms. "Ironhide?" Will started a bit confused as he watched Ironhide walked over to the other mech.

"It's okay Will." He said in reassurance "He's not a 'Con but an Autobot." Ironhide then focus on the other Autobot and started to gently talk to him in Cybertronian as he slowly bent down to help the mech up.

"Who is he then?"

"I'll explain later." Ironhide said "We got to get him out of this weather. He's systems are too weak right now to keep warm out here right now." Will watched as Ironhide led the mech towards the old barn. Iornhide used one hand to push open the Transformer sized door before leading the mech inside. The outside of the barn was misleading compare to the inside with everything Ironhide would need. After Ironhide help the mech sit on the berth that was near the wall, he went to get a gas barrel with regular fuel to help the mech drink.

"So, are you going to explain who he is?" Will asked again.

"This is Prowl." Ironhide said "He's our second in command, and our tactician."

"Oh. I see. He's very important then."

Ironhide only nodded. "Here, Prowl. It's not as great as energon, but it's what we've got right now." The other weakly took the barrel with shaky hands. He slowly drank it, coughing at the bitter taste. "I know it's not like energon." Ironhide said "But you need it cause Ratchet would have a fit that you got de-energized."

"...Well... I suppose it's...b-better than...nothing..." the mech replied weakly. He slowly drank the rest of the barrel, coughing again at the crude after taste. "I can't wait for the real thing back at base." Will looked confused, unsure what had just been said.

"Sorry Will. He's too weak to surf the web to learn English right now."

"I-is that...one of those...humans...Prime was talking about?"

Ironhide nods. "He and his family are my charges."

"You? Guardian duty? Well... I suppose so..." the mech replied, remembering that he was staring at his caretaker from when he was just a sparkling.

Ironhide couldn't help but smile. "What, you think old Ironhide can't do it anymore?"

"Oh no... It wasn't that. Just that...you're a Weapons Specialist. I would...have th-thought... you were... too tough for Guardian duty..." Prowl shook and coughed a bit.

"Why don't you rest for a bit?" Ironhide suggested "We'll talk more later."

"There's...so much...I must...learn..."

"No. You need rest now."

"B-but...Ironhide..."

"You may be Second in Command," Ironhide almost growled. "But I'm your caretaker. I say rest. Now." Will blink in surprised.

"What?" Will asked, very confused. Ironhide turned from watching Prowl lie down.

"What do you mean, 'what' ?"

"You said... you were his caretaker. How can that be if he's..." Will stumbled for words.

"It's a long story Will," he said, glaring at Prowl to make sure he was lying down.

"I've got time to hear it. I don't want Sarah or Annabelle to freak out seeing another giant robot in the shed."

"...Alright..." Ironhide sighed. "I'm older than Prowl for starters. Also, the whole 'caretaker' scenario. When Prowl was just a sparkling, his father went MIA. His mother died from a Decepticon attack shortly after. My mate, Chromia and I took him in as our own. I knew his father well and we were great friends of his mother. We couldn't leave him all on his own. So... we cared for him. We're his foster parents as you humans call it."

"Oh I see."

Ironhide looked at Prowl one more time, smirking to see that he was fast asleep in recharge. "Good..." he smiled.

"So...how long will Prowl be staying here?"

"Until this weather clears up. Ratchet can take him back to base and care for him properly there."

"Oh. I do hope this snow storm stops." Will said "I wonder how he got so badly damage though."

"Some of the minor damage is due to his entry. Everything else was most likely by 'Cons."

"Will he be alright until Ratchet can fix him?"

"If he rests like I want him to. I can do a field patch up, 'first aid' as you humans would say."

"Will, is everything all right in there?" Sarah's voice called from outside.

"Its fine, Sarah," Will replied. "Another Autobot landed and Ironhide's caring for him." Ironhide didn't really pay attention as he examined Prowl as well as he could without the proper medical skills.

"Okay, as long it wasn't a Decepticon. Come back inside the house when you're done, dinner is almost ready."

He gathered supplies and tools he had available and started work. "Will you be alright by yourself, Ironhide?"

"Yeah, fine," he replied, not even looking up. "I can't expect you to be able to help. Protoforms are too delicate and difficult for your simple automotive knowledge."

"Alright then." Will said "See you later Ironhide."

"Later. Thank you for the offer though." Will smiled a bit as he left, hurrying back to the house.

Ironhide let memories flash before him as he worked. Little Prowl ran down the hall, sniffling as he tried to hide tears. He had a crimped doorwing and a few dents on his arms. "...Ironhide...*sniffle* Ironhide..."

"Primus, what happened Prowl." Ironhide said as he lifted the little sparkling.

"...I...I fell...t-trying to reach...a data pad..." he sniffled, fighting not to cry.

"Where's Ratchet?"

"...B-busy...Very b-busy..."

"...Oh...I see. Well, c'mon then. Ironhide will make it better." He carried the little sparkling down the hall to his and Chromia's room.

Little Prowl sniffled more as he cuddles into Ironhide when they reached the living quarters. Chromia looked up from straighten up Ironhide's desk. "Oh what happen?" she asked when she saw Prowl. A whimper and a whine was Prowl's only reply. "Awww, poor thing," Chromia smiled as she came over.

"He tried to climb a high shelf to reach a data pad, but he fell," Ironhide answered for him.

"Why didn't you take him to Ratchet?"

"Ratchet is busy with something at the moment," replied Ironhide as he set Prowl down on their shared berth. "Chromia, dear, can you get my emergency kit out of my desk?"

Chromia nodded. "Sure thing, Ironhide." He gently rubbed Prowl's helm, trying to calm him as he checked for any other injuries.

Chromia came over and set a large box down on the berth. Ironhide opened it and took out a small scanner. He carefully scanned Prowl for any internal damage. "You're one lucky sparkling, Prowl. You could have seriously hurt yourself," Ironhide said.

"Next time you should ask for help," Chromia scolded. Prowl sniffled and choked out a cry as tears fell down his cheeks. "It's alright, little one," smiled Chromia as she gently wiped away the energon tears. She rubbed his cheek with her thumb, talking sweetly to him in sparkling tongue. Ironhide took the opportunity to disable a few connections and pain receptors in Prowl's back. He gently took hold of the crinkled door wing and began to slowly pull it straight. Prowl just sniffled letting Chromia stroke his helm. Ironhide carefully worked his fingers over the straightened door wing to try and smooth it out. Then, he put some liquid on a cloth and rubbed over the injured area to get rid of any scratches. Before moving to Prowl's arms, he redid the connections and turned the pain receptors back on.

Prowl whimpered and whined as his door wing hurt. "I know, Prowl," sighed Ironhide. "It's the best I can do. It's up to your internal repair to do the rest." Prowl whimpered again as he cuddle into Ironhide. The Weapon's Specialist smiled and patted his helm. "I'm not done yet, but the worst part is over." He slowly pulled him away and took one of his small arms into his hands. Prowl and Chromia watched as Ironhide checked over the dents and thought of how best to fix them. He took out a small suction device and applied it to one of the larger dents on Prowl's arm. He pulled slowly until the dent literally popped out. Prowl winced a bit. Ironhide did the same for the other dents along his arm. He checked it over thoroughly before rubbing the same solution over it to remove the scratches. Prowl jerked his arm as the cool liquid tickled. "It's almost done." Prowl watched as he moved to his other arm. He whimpered as a particularly difficult and large dent was finally smoothed out. "There we go." Ironhide said with a smile. Prowl twitched a bit as familiar cold liquid was rubbed on his arm. "There... You're good as new, Prowl. Take it easy with that door wing though. And no more climbing," he added with a stern growl. Prowl nods and hugs Ironhide. He smiled and carefully took him into his arms. He gently rubbed his helm. "Alright, how about a nap?" Ironhide chuckled softly to see Prowl fast asleep already. "...I don't even have to tell him.." he said softly. Ironhide carefully got up on the berth as Chromia put his emergency kit away. He lay down on the berth and nestled Prowl next to him. "Sleep tight, little one," he said as he too fell asleep.

"That was the first time I fixed you..." Ironhide sighed with a smile. He smiled as Prowl slept. He tinkered away, doing the best he could to fix the injuries he had. "What I want to know, is why land here?" he half asked Prowl as he worked. After a few more minutes, he sighed heavily and started putting things away. "I'm sorry, Prowl, but it's the best I can do." The storm seems to go on forever outside. Ironhide sighed as the blizzard rages outside. He put a thermal blanket over Prowl and then retired to a comfortable chair.