:Thoughts:

Guardian Chapter 3

Home Is Where The Spark Is

By Steph

The sound of an engine could be heard as it sped quickly down the long narrow country lane, the car letting out a protesting whine as it's driver pushed it onwards, throwing dust up into the air, wavering together in thick clumps like storm clouds, chocking up the road and surrounding the vehicle in a big black smog. Inside the cab, sat the ever anxious Jacob, his face twisting in worry as his grip on the steering wheel tightened causing his fists to go white and they too were shaking with the difficulty of suppressing raging emotions. Jacob struggled to concentrate on the road ahead of him. It had been hours, hours since he had last saw Annabelle or even heard from her, after returning home from work and finding the anonymous note on the table supposedly from "Ironhide" he had being a juddering mess of alleviated worry. Staring out of the blank windshield Jacob dared not let his concentration slip, fearing he would fall into the same murky pit of a crevasse, impossible of climbing out of.

Jacob's head shook in frustration as he let out an exuberated sigh, he was close to giving up, he had being driving around the god forsaken countryside for almost sixteen hours, desperately trying to find his missing wife, but he had know idea where the autobot base was located, it could be on the other side of the country for all he knew. Tears of sorrow began to fill Jacobs green eyes, as they slowly fell down the side of his cheek, he heated let out a cry of anger and pain, sobs wracked through his chest heaving in and out as the young man struggled to maintain his driving. The car came to an unsteady stop in the middle of the road as Jacobs form slumped over the drivers wheel, he just hoped wherever Annabelle was, she was safe….

Two bands of light split in the darkness as a dimly lit view of a room slowly came into view, as the systematic programming of a pair of optical sensors faded powered up. Internal systems of the giant weapon specialist slowly began to reboot hissing and warming up as strings of programming decoded before finally flashing online. Ironhide's audio sensors came on with a screech, and his vocal processor followed suit with a burst of static. Finally the optical sensors came online with a ray of colour, before he finally found himself staring at what looked liked an alternate view of the medical bay…. Upside down. Ironhide squinted, looking around for an explanation for the lapse in his vision, running a diagnostic he found none…. Were his optical sensors malfunctioning? Why was the room upside down… and then it hit him, literally. Ironhide let out a huge mechanical groan as the wrench on the edge of the metal berth above fell and hit his already dented metal head.

"Oh slag it," he muttered quietly to the darkness.

The pistons in the mech's arm, tightened with a hiss as his joints slowly warmed up. Ironhide slowly brought a huge metal palm to the now bigger dent on the side of his metal head.

"Oh primus, that's going to leave a mark for the next vorn." Ironhide grumbled almost sourly. The black Topkick looked up to see the innocent blue eyes of Annabelle looking curiously down at him.

"So, you've finally come around? Me and Ratchet were getting worried."

They didn't sound worried…

Annabelle herself was struggling to keep a straight face, as was Ratchet, both were smiling hugely. Doing a very poor job of hiding the fact, but it was not every day that you saw a giant alien robot faint. Ratchet peered down at Ironhide with an optic ridge raised.

"Seems like someone's logic processor needed time to catch up with the present." The smirk was evident in the medic's voice as he let a smug smile stretch across his face plating.

Ironhide grumbled sourly clearly irritated. "Oh go jam a wrench up your exhaust pipe, Hatchet." He muttered quietly as Ratchet continued to laugh, a deep grumble like that of an engine in his chest. Soon Annabelle was laughing loudly along with him. Who would have thought that the mighty Ironhide who had faced off with Starscream would faint like an old lady.

Ironhide slowly got to his feet, his cannons twitched in their respective holsters, flashing dangerously to life, he growled to himself whilst standing upright, peering down at his charge on the medical berth besides him.

"Oh laugh it up, the pair of you, I was caught off guard that's all!"

The pair howled even louder, Ratchet could no longer support himself as the medic hit the floor with an almighty bang. Annabelle was not fairing any better, tears were streaming down her smooth face, as she too was losing control of body. The pair continued into their laughing fit despite the black mech's continuous outbursts.

"Come On how was I suppose to know!" the black Topkick cried. He was quickly growing tired of their laughing bout.

"Glitches" he muttered under his breath.

The black Topkick left the medical bay to get some air to clear out his vents, and to get away from the constant humiliation he was facing. Ironhide slowly trudged on outside towards the entrance of the base, his optics scanned the area paved in the pitch black of night. Something in the distance caught his optics, it was a car, just sat there motionless in the middle of the road, Ironhide narrowed his optics in a confused squint. Slowly Ironhide made his way over to the motionless vehicle, his cannons whirring to life in mid-step.

Was it a Decepticon?

As the black Topkick drew closer he noticed a small form hunched over the drivers wheel, his spark almost leapt out of it's casing, it was Jacob! Quickly Ironhide powered down his cannons, regret spread across the weapon specialists face. Jacob would be worried sick about Annabelle… As gently as he could muster, Ironhide tapped the roof of the car, it shook slightly on its tyres from the force, the small form in the car shuffled before looking up. Through the glass, shocked green eyes met the blue optics of the black autobot, Ironhide watched as Jacob's face went from shock, to disbelief to anger and soon the small human was shaking in his seat. Ironhide took a step back, never before had he seen the passive Jacob look this angry, before he could compose himself, the small human leapt up from out of the car.

Ironhide's cannons whirred slightly as the black Topkick's metal frame twitched at the oncoming human who was only a fraction of his size. Jacob stopped his hefty charge, turning his gaze upwards bearing his eyes straight into Ironhide's optics as their gazes locked intensely. Neither said anything, as though waiting for the other to speak, Ironhide decided to say something, this was his fault after all the least he could do was try to ease the tension that was thickening with the seemingly never ending silence.

"Jacob, I am glad you have safely managed to locate our base, I was going to contact you as soon as Annabelle was at optimum efficiency." The weapon specialist was being formal, trying not to further agitate the already stressed human. Jacob brought a hand up to his face, taking a deep breath trying to calm himself.

"Ironhide… Do you have any idea, what you have put me and my wife through?" The question was the very last thing the black mech was expecting to leave the human's lips. A frown etched across Ironhide's metal face, he felt the encroaching guilt of his failure hit him once more, he stood motionless in the darkness unsure of what to say. The man's words tore savagely right into the very core of his spark, he never meant to hurt them…

Jacob looked up at Ironhide's dimmed optics, he sighed noticing the slumped miserable stance, of the black autobot.

Jacob sighed at Ironhide's expression, letting his previous feelings of bottled up anger diminish as good as a hose being blasted into a raging fire. The human's soft voice filled the air.

"When you disappeared after Annabelle's parents had died, Annabelle was broken, she had no fight in her, Ironhide, she went into an almost like zombie state." Jacob said softly, gazing away at the darkened landscape before turning his gaze back to Ironhide's face.

"I couldn't stand to see her like that Ironhide, it was as though you had taken away part of her sprit with you."

Ironhide looked down at the human and sighed, he at least owed him an explanation. On the night of the pair's wedding he had told Jacob that he had better be the best husband possible to Annabelle, otherwise he would be facing the other end of his cannons. Yet he had never thought what if the situation was reversed, as he had not been the best guardian or friend for that matter lately, and Jacob had every right to be angry at him…

"Jacob.. I never meant to hurt you or Annabelle, it's just after Will and Sara died, It hurt me very much, and I was not sure if I was strong enough to face it again, you humans have such short life spans."

Jacob regarded the black autobot for a second, he sighed once more before nodding his head. "Ironhide I understand, but it will take time for me to completely trust you once more."

Ironhide whirred slightly, saddened at the young man's resolve but he gave a grudging nod.

"I understand, Jacob, I promise I will earn your trust back once more, I wish to resume my duties as your family's guardian"

Jacob paused, mulling over the decision, could he learn to trust Ironhide again?

Annabelle needs him, now more then ever…

"Ok Ironhide, but if your going to run off, give us a bit of warning next time." Jacob smiled up to the giant autobot. Ironhide's optics softened let out a throaty chuckle.

"Besides." Jacob continued. "With a new bundle of joy on the way, we could really use your help, Annabelle mentioned you were experienced when it comes to handling babies."

Ironhide, caught off guard almost lost his balance, he coughed lightly through his vents whilst trying to right his composure.

"It is… true I do have some experience… I was around your wife when she herself was nothing more then a sparkling. But. I will not be playing tea parties if this youngling is a female, do I make myself clear?"

Jacob let out a laugh at the seriousness of the autobots words, he smiled widely up at Ironhide.

"Sure Ironhide, crystal clear."

Ironhide let out a gust of air through his vents, as they both started the short walk back to the base, Ironhide following a safe distance behind taking care not to step on the more fragile human.

"Good" he answered gruffly.

The door to the entrance of the base opened as both Ironhide and Jacob stepped in from the darkness , both headed over to the medical bay where Annabelle and Ratchet were waiting. Annabelle looked up and her blue eyes caught the sight of her husband, widening with happiness, Jacob looked up to his wife with a huge smile and for the first time in nearly seven months he saw life flickering within their sapphire depths.

Ironhide put his hand on the ground for Jacob, the young man stepped on and was lifted onto the high medical berth, he gave Ironhide's hand a thankful tap as he carefully stepped off onto the shiny metal surface. Ironhide watched his two charges with tender expression. Annabelle quickly made her way over to her husband before enveloping him in a huge hug, Jacob fell back under the force as they both tumbled to the floor laughing, just so happy to see each other, Ironhide and Ratchet both let out an amused laugh.

Ratchet smiled, turning his attention to the black mech stood besides him.

"If only you were that affectionate every time I saw you" he said watching as the pair of humans embraced.

"In your dreams Hatchet." Ironhide laughed, his optics regarding the young humans on the table. Annabelle and Jacob both got up as Jacob tenderly wrapped an arm around his wife.

"I'm so glad your ok, I was worried out of my mind" Jacob sighed he tightening his arm in confirmation.

"I'm sorry, Ironhide brought me here for treatment, apparently I fainted, I should have contacted you sooner."

Jacob looked to his wife, his eyes clearly alit with amusement. "Wait.. You actually fainted! I don't believe it!"

Annabelle stubbornly crossed her arms, "Well, I'm not the only one, Ironhide did too!"

Ironhide groaned, looking distort, his hand came to cover his optics as he heard Jacob burst out in to laughter.

Primus here we go again.

Jacob meanwhile was clenching his ribs as he tried to control his voice.

"Oh my God, You… you.. fainted too, what are you both total wusses?"

Ironhide shook his head, "Well a certain pair conviently left out that Annabelle here is expecting a sparkling, simply my logic processor was having a hard time dealing with the information."

Jacob looked up at the serious expression the mech was pinning him with, he waved one hand dismissively "Oh lighten up big guy I was just teasing."

Ironhide simply nodded as Ratchet took a step closer to the berth. "May I suggest you three return home, Annabelle is still in need of some rest." The medic's tone booked no room for argument.

Ironhide set out a hand for the pair to climb onto, he lowered them to the ground and transformed into the familiar black Topkick. Both humans climbed into the warm comfy cab and settled down on the familiar leather seats. Both Annabelle and Jacob smiled at each other, waving a goodbye to Ratchet as the Topkick began the long journey back to the cottage. Annabelle tenderly touched the dashboard in front of her.

"I'm glad your back" she whispered as the young woman lent back on the seat, her eyes drifting closed.

Ironhide said nothing for a moment before his low voice filled the darkened cab. "Me too, It's good to be going home" he said quietly. Jacob smiled and patted the steering wheel in front of him.

Ironhide's spark hummed happily in it's casing at the thought. After all home was where the spark was.