-1Sweet Child of Mine Chapter 2
Prowl was sitting at his desk when Ratchet's call came through to him and he set down the files and hit the com switch.
"What's up, Ratchet?" he said quietly, leaning back in his chair.
"Prime, I need you and Prowl to come to the infirmary. We have… well, I'm not quite sure how to explain it. You need to just come and see it. I have the twins down here, too, by the way." Prime sighed heavily.
"What did they do this time?"
"Bring Prowl. I don't want to have to explain this twice." Ratchet cut the call and Prime slowly shook his head. He stood from his chair and walked out of his office, calling Prowl through the internal com as he did so.
Prowl, need you to meet me in the infirmary. Ratchet just called.
On my way Prowl replied and Prime nodded to himself. He and his sub commander arrived at the infirmary at the same time.
"What's happened?" Prowl asked, concern lacing his voice.
"Not sure," Prime answered. "Ratchet said he had the twins and didn't want to have to explain it twice." Prowl shook his head.
"I knew they wouldn't be able to stay out of trouble for just one night…" They walked into the infirmary to see Sunstreaker and Sideswipe on one exam table, sitting next to each other and Ratchet standing near them, running more scans.
"So… what happened now?" Prime asked, his gaze intense as he looked at the twins. Sunstreaker flinched and quickly turned away. Now Prime really was worried. Ratchet squeezed Sunny's shoulder and led Prime and Prowl to the other table where the spark case was.
"Is that…" Prowl began quietly.
"It is," Ratchet answered. "That's why I called you both down here."
"Where did it come from?" Prime asked quietly.
"The twins," Ratchet whispered softly. "They… they did this… it's their child."
"That's impossible," Prime said quietly even as he reached out, brushing a finger along the edge of the casing. "Isn't it?"
"It should be," Ratchet agreed. "But, I've scanned them and … her."
"Her?" Prowl said in shock, looking up again.
"Her," Ratchet repeated softly. "The twins are scared," he told them quietly. "Prime, I think you should talk to them, especially Sunstreaker. He was the one holding the spark when they both regained consciousness." Prime nodded and moved to speak to the twins, leaving Prowl and Ratchet alone with the spark.
Sunstreaker and Sideswipe looked up slowly as their leader approached them. Sunstreaker was literally shaking. Sideswipe seemed much more calm. That was the best place to start then.
"Sides, do you mind if I talk to Sunstreaker for a minute?" Sideswipe looked at Sunstreaker then turned back to Prime and nodded slowly.
"Sure." He turned back to Sunstreaker. "Hey… I'm going to go see what Ratchet's doing with her, okay?" Sunstreaker nodded and Sideswipe slid off the table and walked over to Prowl and Ratchet. Sunstreaker watched him go then looked up at Prime slowly.
"So… do you have a name for her yet?" Prime asked softly. Sunstreaker nodded slowly.
"Stormfire," he answered with a quick smile.
"Good name," Prime answered softly. "Are you going to design her protoform yourself?" Sunstreaker's gaze narrowed slightly at the question. "You're an artist, Sunstreaker. I figured you'd want to design how she looks."
"I didn't think of that," Sunny answered quietly. "I guess I could do that, couldn't I?" Prime nodded slowly.
"Yeah, you could." He reached out and rested a hand on Sunstreaker's arm. "You'll be fine, Sunny. Everything will be okay. You and Sideswipe are not in this alone. We'll all do what we can to help." Sunstreaker nodded slowly.
"Thanks, Optimus."
"You're welcome."
(Three weeks later)
"She is NOT going to be pink!" Sunstreaker yelled at his twin. Sideswipe sighed heavily.
"Well, she's not going to be blue either, damnit. We have to agree on something! It's been three weeks!" At the drafting table nearby Prowl threw down a ruler in aggravation causing both twins to look at him slowly.
"She can be purple with orange stripes for all I care. Just pick a damn color so we can finish drawing her protoform!" The twins glanced at each other for a moment then back at Prowl.
"Yellow and red make orange," Sunstreaker said with a grin.
"Prowl, you're brilliant," Sideswipe said. "She can be orange and you can be her godfather."
"I'm thrilled beyond words. Now, are we done arguing and can I finish her coding?" Sunstreaker nodded and went back to his drawing while Sideswipe pulled a chair closer to Prowl.
"So, what kind of coding?" he asked quietly.
"Well, that depends on what you both want her to be? A warrior like you both are or something different?"
"Not a warrior," Sunstreaker said from where he sat. Sideswipe nodded in agreement. "We don't want her on the front lines." Prowl nodded slowly, sitting back in his chair for a moment.
"I agree," he said quietly. "So, an officer maybe? Or a medic perhaps? A scout?"
"A scout wouldn't be so bad," Sideswipe said, looking over at his twin. "Bee's a scout and he does okay on his own." Sunstreaker nodded slowly.
"I can live with that." Prowl nodded and went back to his coding. Sunstreaker drew a little while longer, Sideswipe watching them both until they were done. Sunstreaker took the drawing down and held it out to them both.
"So? What do you think?" Prowl and Sideswipe looked a the drawing and nodded, Sideswipe moving to kiss Sunstreaker, brushing a hand down the side of his face.
"She's perfect," he said quietly.
"Let's take these to Ratchet and Wheeljack," Prowl said, holding the data pad and the drawing. "The sooner they have everything, the sooner they can get her built…"
Ratchet and Wheeljack looked over the drawings, Wheeljack adding one or two things to the final schematics which the twins readily approved. By the end of the day, Prime had approved the final drawings and Ratchet and Wheeljack had already set aside part of the medical wing to begin construction.
Sunstreaker left the group for a moment and moved back to the other side of the infirmary where the spark casing sat inside of a locked case. Only the twins and Ratchet had access to it. Sunny opened the case and sat down on a stool, brushing fingers along the outer edge of the gold casing. He felt energy trickle through him and he smiled.
I know you can feel me, Storm, and soon, I'll really be able to hold you. I just want you to know… you and Sideswipe are the most important things in my life and I promise you I will always be here for you both. I'll never leave you and neither will Sides. We both love you very much. Can't wait to finally hold you…
The spark inside the casing seemed to move, pushing against the casing trying to touch her creator but that was impossible for the time being. Soon, though… soon she'd be able to touch them both.
Sideswipe stood in the doorway, watching Sunstreaker, a smile on his face as he did so. He heard footsteps behind him and turned to see Ironhide walking over to him.
"I hadn't had a chance to come an' see you two yet," the older mech said quietly.
"It's okay, 'Hide," Sideswipe said quietly. "I know you've been busy." Ironhide nodded and looked past Sideswipe to his twin.
"How's he doing with all this?"
"Amazingly well," Sideswipe answered. "I think maybe this will be just the thing he needs to anchor himself again… something else to keep him with us… He wouldn't dare leave her alone…" Ironhide looked at Sideswipe slowly.
"Sides…"
"Don't, Ironhide. It's okay. Really. I like the fact that he's got something else to live for now instead of just me. We both do. She's ours, Ironhide. Our child, our creation. I don't even know her and I love her." Ironhide nodded and rested a hand on Sideswipe's shoulder.
"Sparklings have a way of doing that to you, kid," he whispered softly. Sideswipe nodded and leaned against the older mech for a moment.
"Thanks… Dad…" Ironhide growled softly before he brushed a hand over the top of Sideswipe's head then turned and walked away. Sideswipe watched him go then walked in and over to his twin, sitting next to him. Sunstreaker turned to look at him and smiled.
"She's ours, Sides. Can you imagine? I never thought anything like this would ever be possible for you and me."
"I know," Sideswipe answered, his own finger tracing along the casing just next to Sunstreaker's. "Come on. We need to sleep and so does she." Sunstreaker nodded and they closed the security box around the casing before locking into the cabinet Ratchet had set aside for her.
"G'night, little one," Sunstreaker whispered softly. "See you soon…" The twins left the infirmary as the sounds of machinery increased in the closed off section where Ratchet and Wheeljack began building Stormfire's protoform…