I have swept, mopped, and vacuumed floors. And I need to write. So we'll just ignore the 5 loads of laundry that need to be folded.
I do not own these characters.
Bulkhead was the first to make it to the command center late that morning. Ratchet immediately dispatched him to pick up the children. He arrived back just as Bumblebee and Smokescreen wandered in, looking very confused.
"I got the best videos of you guys last night!" exclaimed Miko as she jumped out.
"Where's Arcee?" asked Jack. "I couldn't find her last night."
"Haven't seen her since I convinced her to try the high-grade" said Smokescreen.
"What's high-grade?" wondered Raf.
"A different type of energon" answered Ratchet. "It has an effect on us similar to alcohol on a human."
"So you were all drunk last night? That's so cool! And it explains so much about these videos!" Miko scrolled through her phone. "I got nothing of Arcee though. Not Optimus either."
Arcee walked in, saw everyone gathered, and looked like she was going to turn around and run away. She was stopped by Ratchet. "Medbay. Now."
Jack narrowed his eyes as she simply nodded and went with Ratchet. That was unusual. He noticed that Optimus had also appeared, then followed Ratchet and closed the door. Jack was suspicious, so he climbed down and walked over to the medbay door, peering through the crack.
What he saw inside surprised him. His guardian sat on the berth, and Optimus knelt beside her. They were holding hands, and looking into each others optics with more love than Jack was aware could exist between any two beings.
He watched as Ratchet held a scanner to her chest, and the monitor showed a faint sparkbeat. He was pretty sure that wasn't where Arcee's spark was though, and her sparkbeat shouldn't be so faint
He noticed that both Arcee & Optimus were smiling, and he realized that he had never seen either of them actually smile before. They both looked so happy. His brain finally put all the clues together, and the answer he came up with shocked him. He must have made a noise, because all three occupants of the room suddenly looked at him.
"Jack" said Arcee. She looked at Optimus, and something silently passed between them.
"Ratchet, give us a few moments please," said Optimus.
"Of course." Ratchet walked past Jack and into the command center. Optimus lifted Jack onto the berth next to Arcee, looked into her optics once more, then left him alone with his guardian.
"So, um, you're...pregnant."
Arcee quickly checked the definition of that unfamiliar word. "Yes...the cybertronian term is 'sparked.'"
"I had no idea that you and Optimus….I mean, I knew you liked him, but…"
"We both had too much high-grade last night. It….wasn't intentional."
"I didn't even know you could have children. How…" He paused. "Wait, no, nevermind. I do not want to know how robot babies are made."
Arcee laughed, then looked down at him. "Jack, I know you've picked up on my feelings for Optimus in the time we've been partners. I love him, and I now know he loves me too. Neither of us remembers what happened last night - without the sparkling and the bond that now exists between us, we might have never known. We're going to make the best of it though."
"I'm happy for you. I've never seen you really smile before."
"There are going to have to be be some changes. Optimus is going to appoint Smokescreen as your guardian, once I reach the point that I can no longer transform."
Jack laughed. "I don't know if my mom will be happy that I'm no longer riding a motorcycle or mad that I'm bringing a sportscar home!" he looked up at her. "Congratulations, Arcee."
"Thanks, Jack"
"Can I tell Miko & Raf?"
"After Optimus and I speak with the others. But if Miko wants to know how robot babies are made, she's going to have to talk to Ratchet!" They both laughed as she lifted him down from the berth.
"Hey Arcee, is everything ok?" Smokescreen asked worriedly as she walked out the medbay. "I'm sorry if convincing you to drink high-grade last night caused any problems."
"Everything is going to be fine, Smokescreen," Arcee said as Optimus walked over to join her and the others in the command center. "There were just some unexpected consequences from last night." She looked up into Optimus' optics. They couldn't speak over the bond they shared, but they could sense each other's feelings.
"Neither Arcee nor I remember what occurred after we left the party yesterday evening." Optimus began. " But when we awoke this morning, we discovered that we are now bonded." He gave them a few moments to let that sink in. "And also, Arcee is sparked."
Dead silence.
Then, shouts of joy!
Smokescreen hugged Arcee, then quickly put her down, backed off, and said "Congratulations!"
Bumblebee hugged Optimus, and didn't let go nearly as quickly. "Yes, Bumblebee, of course you can hold and play with the sparkling." Optimus couldn't have stopped smiling if he had tried.
Bulkhead simply congratulated them both.
"Smokescreen," said Optimus, "When Arcee reaches the point that she can no longer transform, you'll temporarily take over guardianship of Jack."
"Of course, sir!" Smokescreen looked forward to spending more time with the humans.
"What was that about, Jack?" Raf asked, only halfway paying attention. Most of his focus was on his laptop.
"Arcee is 'sparked'...pregnant"
Dead silence.
Raf's laptop slipped off his lap. Fortunately, it landed harmlessly on the couch.
Miko squealed. "Really?! How does that even happen?"
"I don't know," said Jack, "and I don't want to know. Ask Ratchet."
"When did they…" Raf wasn't sure he even wanted to finish asking the question.
"Last night, when they were drunk. They don't remember anything, and they didn't plan it, but they're happy."
Raf and Miko looked over to where Arcee & Optimus had just finished telling the others. "You're right," said Raf. "I've never seen Optimus smile like that. Arcee either."
"What happens now?" wondered Miko. "Does anything change? Other than Arcee's quarters?"
"Smokescreen will become my guardian at some point. I'm not sure when. I'll need to prepare my mom though."
"I can't wait to see what a baby robot looks like!" exclaimed Miko. "It's going to be so cute!"