The following morning Ironhide was woken up by tiny servos pushing on his chest plates. He forced his optics on-line and was greeted by Optimus staring down at him. The sparkling's optics were a much lighter blue, but no longer white. Over the bond Ironhide could feel Optimus' happiness at having gotten hs guardian up. Optimus gave a startled squeak as Ironhide sat up, making the red and blue sparkling slide down Ironhde's chest plate and land on Ironhide's arm. Optimus' optics were wide with delight as he let off strings of sparkling talk at Ironhide who laughed. He stood and headed into the main room. He wasn't sure why, maybe it was because of Optimus, the unsightlyness of his home suddenly was disgusting. He sighed knowing that the state his home was in would have to change if a sparkling was to stay there. And there wasn't a choice any more. Optimus was staying. No matter what anyone said.

Ironhide retrieved a low-grade cube and realized that he really didn't have the supplies he needed to take care of Optimus. Like a bottle or a crib. He mentally swore. He quickly commed Quicksnap, asking him to get a bottle for Optimus. The silver mech was more than glad to get one. Now all Ironhide had to do was wait for Quicksnap to arrive. Optimus didn't seem to mind as he investigated the medal of Ironhide's chest. Tiny blue servos felt the seams between the plates. Ironhide sat down at the table and glanced around the room. What did he have that a sparkling could safely play with? His thoughts then turned to the fact that sitting in the next room, lacking the important locks that keep younglings of of them, were all of his guns. And Optimus was already proving to be very curious. Oh, Ironhide had a lot of work to do. He put Optimus down and stood, earning upset chirps, and began to gather all the rags. The door chime went off and Optimus jumped. Ironhide chuckled as he scooped the sparklng into his arms. He walked over to the door and opened it. "Took you long enough," Ironhide joked. He stepped out of the way so Quicksnap could enter.

"Do you know how hard it is to find a single bottle?" Quicksnap asked. Ironhide shrugged. "Oh, and I ran into that medic. He's the one gave me that bottle for the sparkling. He said if you ever need anything, to visit him." Ironhide grinned.

"Good. 'Cause this place needs work," Ironhide said.

Optimus watched Quicksnap in silence. He remained frozen in his guardian's arms. Ironhide rubbed Optimus' chest plates and sent reassurance over the bond. This time Ironhide simply motioned for Quicksnap to take a seat and Ironhide grabbed the low-grade he'd gotten for Optimus earlier as well as two regular cubes before taking a seat at the table. He let Optimus slide into his lap. He poured about half of the Energon into the bottle, placed the tablet in the Energon, and watched it dissolve. Retaking Optimus back into his arms, he lowered the bottle into Optimus' mouth. The sparkling pulled away at first, which startled Ironhide, before sucking lightly on the bottle's tip. He didn't try any harder than that to get Energon into his systems.

"Oh. I got this for him," Quicksnap said. Ironhide didn't even look up. The silver mech dug into his sub space for a little bit then pulled out what looked like a rattle with the bottom curling into a spiral. He handed it over to Ironhide. Optimus reached out for it with a soft chirp. Ironhide held it closer and watched small blue servos grab onto it. He let it go and Optimus began to shake it. This earned another round of whistles and chirps in delight.

"Thanks," Ironhide said. Quicksnap gave a nod.

"Let's go see that medic again. Maybe he has something he can give ya for Optimus," Quicksnap suggested.

The femme they'd seen during their previous visit was sitting at the desk when they arrived. "Good morning," she called brightly. Ironhide nodded to her.

"Ironhide, I got a call from a mech at the bar. I'll see ya later," Quicksnap said. Ironhide waved as the silver mech turned and left. His attention quickly returned to the young femme who was watching little Optimus as he turned to try to get a better look at her.

"Would you like to see Ratchet?" She asked.

"Yeah. If I can," Ironhide replied. The femme instantly got up and hurried through the door. She returned with Ratchet at her heels.

"Good morning. Right this way," Ratchet said. Ironhide followed the medic into the same room as last time. "How is he?"

"Better. He's been clicking a lot this morning. He almost didn't want any Energon though," Ironhide replied. Both mechs watched as Optimus actually reached out for Ratchet's servo when the medic reached out for the datapad that was on the table beside Ironhide. After asking permission from Ironhide with his optics alone, Ratchet took Optimus who chirped happily. "That's new." Optimus rubbed his servos gently against Ratchet's chest. Ratchet gave him a smile.

"So you're his guardian now?" Ratchet asked. Ironhide nodded. "Good. Then no one can take him away from you." Ironhide looked alarmed.

"Would they do that?"

"Yeah. They've done it before," Ratchet replied. The red mech sighed. "What brought you here today?" Ironhide snapped his optics to meet Ratchet's.

"Last night I realized that I'm... not ready to raise a sparkling. At least... my place isn't," Ironhide said. Ratchet chuckled softly.

"Why don't we see what I can do to help you out? Starting with seeing how bad you house really is," Ratchet suggested. Ironhide just gave him an unsure glance. Once Optimus was back in his arms, they set off to Ironhide's house.

"Here?" Ratchet asked. Ironhide gave a quick nod. Ratchet looked around the inside. He noted the old Energon stains, the rags that still remain, the horrible state of the furniture. He sighed. "Anything else?" Ironhide stepped past him and opened both of the other doors to reveal the rooms. Ratchet groaned at the fact that Ironhide had guns lining the wall of one room. That was anything but safe for a sparkling. Next he inspected Ironhide's berthroom. The berth was unmade, but clean. There were few stains in this room, thankfully. And only signs of one bot, not more. There was a stack of data-pads, that looked like it would fall at any moment, on the desk. Said desk didn't even have a chair at it. Ratchet sighed. He would have a lot of work to do to make sure Optimus wouldn't meet his end because of where he lived. "Does that door have a lock?"

"No. But I don't leave it open for Optimus to get into," Ironhide replied. There was another sigh and nod from Ratchet.

"If you cleared that room out, you could turn it into a berthroom for Optimus when he gets a bit older," Ratchet said. Ironhide thought about it for a moment before nodding. "Another suggestion might be moving."

"Moving? I can't afford to move! I can barely afford to live here!" Ironhide exclaimed. Ratchet put his servos up in surrender.

"I can provide a place for you for now," Ratchet offered. "It's close to the medical center I work at, and has two larger rooms, the main one, and a smaller one."

"Why are you helping us in the first place?" Ironhide asked. Ratchet stared at the floor as he thought of what to say. Slowly he pointed to Optimus who was still quiet.

"I feel pulled to him. I don't know why. And is it so bad to want to help?"

"No. It's just that you don't know us. Not that well."

"Do you want the place or not?" Ratchet finally asked in an attempt to change the topic. Ironhide's optics narrowed at the medic's tone. Optimus gave a squeak and any harsh feeling evaporated in moments. He reached out towards Ratchet's red servo. He was gently handed over. "Sorry," Ratchet mumbled. Ironhide smirked and waved him off.

"Any place is better than this dump. When can we move?" Ironhide asked. He was starting to trust Ratchet since Optimus, who was silent when anyone but Ironhide was around, was very comfortable around the medic.

"Tomorrow if you want," Ratchet replied. Optimus placed his helm against Ratchet's chest.