Dark Of The Moon: Take Two
"I miss, you," a young woman mumured over the live but encoded video feed. What looked back at her with glowing blue optics was anything but human. Yet with the way he looked at her, how soft his optic became to show just how much love was within him, he was more human than most of the nation, "when will you be back, Ironhide?"
"Just about a week, Sweetspark. Our ally has awoken and is going to help change the war, it shall be us that wins with him on our side again," his optics took in her tired form and knew that she missed him. Knew that like him this menial form of conversation (though camera's across the nation) was just not enough. They needed to be in the others presence. "October, I-" then his feed cut out. October terrified raced away from her black screened computer to the other room where her friend was.
Sentinel Primes first shot hit Ironhide in the back. Ironhide had cut the feed to October when orders were yelled at him to protect Sentinel (he would have to apologize to her later about that). The shot shocking everyone into freezing and after that Sentinel wanted to make a point, so he shot Ironhide again. Forcing home the notion of his betrayal. Fleaing with the knowledge he had just taken down one of Primes best fighters he ignored Ratchet. Useless Ratchet. Nothing could save Ironhide from the cosmic rust now.
"R-Ratchet, Oc-October. She-"
"Silence, I will save you." Ratchet hissed cutting his old friend off. He would save Ironhide. He had to, "and October is fine. She's in Nevada, all the way across the country." Nothing would stop Ratchet from saving his patient and friend.
Yet the cosmic rust moved fast as it consumed the black mechs body. Having but one choice left Ratchet opened Ironhide's chest panels and removed the spark as quickly as he could. It wouldn't be long before his friend was extinguished for good. There was a way though, "who has a sparkling chamber?" He called out looking at those mechs and femmes around him. Jazz shook his head negatively along with Prowl. The Idiot twins along with Bee, Mirage, Dino, and Bluestreek were all still too young. He himself hadn't had one in a while. "Someone has to have one!" He stressed. The Femmes didn't though, their falsely bonded bodies having been stretched too thin to have another in on the bond.
Sunstreaker looked around before moving forward. "Now is not the time!" Ratchet said before trying to remember from his last check up who had their casings still intact and able to hold life. Many bots had opted to have it removed so that there was no chance of sparking a sparkling during the war. Optimus had one but he was too far away and by the time he arrived it would be far too late.
"Ratchet," looking at the vain yellow mech Ratchet's words died. With his chest plating open the sparkling chamber moved out and opened. Without question Ratchet put Ironhide's spark in there. With the flickering orb safely tucked into the casing Sunstreaker closed the unit. Not giving anyone any words as to why he volunteered (even though he was the only possibility) he moved to stand next to his brother. Something passed between the two that had Sideswipe grinning and Sunstreaker ready to beat him.
With a few scans Ratchet was relieved to see the spark stabling. Ironhide would survive. Just like a sparkling born too early (without their stable frame), a spark could be put into the sparkling casing to survive. The Mech or Femme that housed the spark would provide everything the spark would need to survive util it could be 'birthed'.
Mikaela was suddenly calling frantically from the Nevada base and Ratchet couldn't ignore his mate. What if she was in danger? "Ratchet! What's going on? Did something happen to Ironhide?" Her frantic questions led him to a single conclusion.
"Mikaela, what happened to October?"
"She- she passed out. Just collapsed after crying out in pain. Like her back felt like it was on fire then her chest then she passed out. Now she's not waking. She's still breathing and has a pulse but she just-"
"Ironhide was attacked. I fear his pain was transmitted to her through their bond. He is fine and will survive, in a way, so she should wake up soon. Keep me updated on her condition though and get her transported to the hospital, we do not know when we will be returning."
Only he was wrong. Soon became a week and the bots were forced to evacuate earth. When they exploded and died Mikaela was forced to hid within he hospital that housed her comatose friend. She had the knowledge that the bots were not dead, that they were alive, because she could feel her bondmate (or sparkmate). Daily he sent her feelings or reassurance that he and the others were not only alive but thriving and making a plan of comeback. The war was fought and finally won within the next few days but still 'soon' never came.
October was transferred into the Nevada base where Ratchet became her primary doctor along with keeping a close eye on Sunstreaker who would house Ironhide's spark until a new body could be finished for the warrior. Mikaela watched as her best friend, close enough to be her sister, slept on. Miko was there often with Jack and Raf but soon enough they could no longer take watching October's eternal sleep. Their visits became less and less frequent but they would come in once a month no matter what and talk to her, update her on their lives.
Years passed and Ratchet was giving up hope for the young woman. Nothing he did would wake her and he could not figure out what was the cause of her coma. He was dreading the day he finished building Ironhide's second body. Closer and closer the time got and the finished touches were put on. It looked like his old friend back before war ravaged him. Sleeping peacefully almost like October did.
Oh woe was he, for who else would tell the mech of his sparkmates fate upon his reawakening? "Optimus, it is time." Ratchet announced. The twin terrors (for where one went the other did too) and the Prime entered the Medbay. Sparing a glance at the girl who slept on a sectioned off cot they worried about bringing Ironhide back from one form of hell into another ten times as bad.
Sunstreaker opened his chest for the first time in years and Ratchet rushed to finish the transfer procedure. Spark safe in a new body and accepting of the new housing optics on lined a bright blue. It would take a while but Ironhide would walk one day soon. That day he would walk to his sparkmate and in a small way die-
"Tuff Stuff," October moaned out as in if pain. And she must be from using her voice after it being inactive for so long. Ironhide reached out to her lifting a heavy hand but unable to do much else. A whine was emitted from him much like Bumblebee had years ago while he was alive and able once again, not everything was back to normal. They had been lucky to salvage what they had from 'Cons that fought still. Ironhide's voice was one thing that could not be returned. Ratchet had been lucky to find Ironhide's processor back up files unharmed after the destroyal of the DC base.
Knowing at this moment bringing the two together would be for the best Ratchet brought October over to Ironhide after unhooking her many life supporting electronics. :It's good to finally be awake,: Ironhide said in their language.
"Better yet to know its real." October murmured back.
"By the allspark!" Ratchet cried out, still not understanding what was going on.
"Silly DocBot," october said wearily, "did your really think I would leave my sparkmate to live years of his life alone in darkness? We were living the dream for a while there." Smiling up at Ironhide she finally closed her eyes and fell asleep above his sparkchamber.
Ironhide rumbled a purr in a small form of joy, :We had three sparklings, two mechs and a femme. Reaper, Respite, and Ironwork.: His hands moved to cup over his sparkmate, keeping her safe and reassuring himself that she was perfectly fine like himself.
Sunstreaker snorted and Ratchet looked at him with a glare. "I told you take your time. That both were fine and happy." Then the yellow mech locked optics with Ironhide and there was something hidden between the two. Ratchet knew that there a bond between them (how could there not be after years of being in spark contact?) and figured that something would change between them. Knowing it was one of the terror twins that meant that the pranks would be diverted from Ironhide for the rest of eternity.