Disclaimer: All Transformers characters belong to Hasbro. Any made up characters were created by me.
Summery: (Post 2007 Movie verse) While watching his charges one winter, a new Autobot arrived on Earth and some surprisingly information was known about the old Weapon Specialist, Ironhide.
"blah" – Normal human speck
"blah" – Cybertronian speck
'blah' – Comm. Specking
blah – thinking
Blah - flashbacks
The Iron Giant
By Yami-Yugi
Chapter 9
Many bots see them past before getting back to what they were doing. They arrived at a big door. It had a special key pad and "May Primus Keep Them Until All Are One" inscribed in gold on the door. Ratchet put in a number on the key pad. The door hissed open. Inside were some caskets and plagues. There was a large wall with names inscribed on it. While Ratchet went to show Bumblebee the names of his creators, Prowl looked for his mother's name. He followed the wall back in time towards battles of old. He checked every name, hoping to find his mother's. Tears came to his optics as he found her. Moonshine was etched in silver with an inscription underneath. "Died protecting her sparkling in a Decepticon attack." He slowly reached up, tracing the name with his servos. A smaller inscription was in parenthesis. "Inscribed by Optimus Prime, by knowledge of Alpha Trion." Another name caught his eye as he blinked back tears. Next to Moonshine's name in gold, was his father's. "Stalker, Autobot Translator and Aerial Combat Leader. Tactician to Sentinal Prime. Lost, MIA." Granted now his father wasn't lost, but here on Earth with him again. "Dad came back mom..." he whispered "He came back..."
He let tears fall as he knew his father would love to see her here on the wall. Bumblebee was being hugged by Ratchet as he too found his parent's names. "...B-Bye mom..." he choked. "...I...I'll miss you..." Ratchet patted Bumblebee on the head. Bumblebee smiled and let Ratchet lead him away. Prowl watched them go. He waited until they were gone before letting out the full extent of his emotions. It took an earth hour, but Prowl finally calmed down and left Memorial Hall. He decided to go thank Optimus for putting his mother's name there. He noticed a nervousness to the Autobots as he walked along the halls towards the office hallway. He watched in curiosity and saw Ratchet run past. He tried to ask him what was going on, but the medic had no time to answer. Prowl reached Optimus's office just as he ran out.
"Prime!" Prowl called out and ran after him "What's going on?" He didn't answer but kept running. Prowl decided to follow. Autobot leader soon caught up to medic and both rushed outside to the entrance of the base. There was a small crater a few feet in front of them. "A new arrival?" Prowl asked as he came to stand by his Prime. Again, Optimus didn't answer but followed Ratchet into the crater. "I guess that's answers my question." There was talking that he couldn't understand and then Optimus emerged carrying the new arrival. Ratchet was hot on his heels as they marched past Prowl. He was sure the new arrival looked like a femme. He stared after them and focused on the way Prime was carrying her. He put the pieces together. He smiled a bit. "I think I will thank him later." he said to himself "He's going to be a bit busy." He calmly walked back into the base and headed back to Medical Bay to check on his father. Once he got there, he found the doors closed. Prowl got a bit worried. Ratchet was shouting and he could hear Optimus pacing around loudly.
"PRIMUS! SHE'S GOING CRITICAL!" With an unknown rage, Optimus Prime burst through the Medical Bay doors and almost knocked Prowl over. "Optimus! Come back! You can't!" Ratchet yelled after him as he fought to bring the femme back from the brink.
Prowl poked his head in. "Ratchet, what's going on?"
He sighed heavily. "Help me get Elita stable! Then I'll explain!"
"You're doing great, Ratchet. She'll pull through," Stalker said. He had been awoken from the commotion was watching, too weak to get up and help.
Prowl came over. "What... What do you want me to do, Ratchet?" he asked.
"Get an energon line started and administer this sedative." Prowl nodded. He did as told as Ratchet sent energy pulses to Elita's spark while repairing the delicate internal damage. The alarms were silenced and her read outs slowing down to normal. Ratchet sighed heavily in relief as he continued to work. "Thank you, Prowl. Now, I have another request for you. I need you to go stop Optimus before he gets himself killed."
"You never did answer my question." Prowl said "What happened?"
"You should know by now, it's Elita One. She escaped from Cybertron. She's one of the last surviving femmes. Starscream has literally tried to enslave and destroy them. Her entry to this planet wasn't very good either. Prime recieved her emergency message right before she landed. He's gone after to Starscream to try and kill him, or die trying."
"A bonded's love is a powerful thing. I fear the worst," agreed Stalker. "Son, go after him."
Prowl nodded. "I understand. I'll be back with our Prime as soon as I can." he said and with that he raced off to catch up with Optimus.
"I pray to Primus he doesn't come back mortally wounded," sighed Stalker.
"Knowing Prime, he just might."
Optimus Prime raced as fast as he could on his sixteen wheels. "Prime!" Prowl shouted as he drove after him, turning on his lights and siren. Optimus ignored him, continuing to rage down the highway. He didn't know Starscream's exact location, but he knew where he had been. He also knew where the Decepticon base was. " Blindly attacking the Decepticons isn't logical!"
"I'm not attacking the Decepticons! I'm going after that son of a glitch Starscream!"
"Prime, Elita doesn't want to know you died attacking Starscream when she wakes up! You need to be with her Prime!"
"He did that to her!"
Prowl sighed, knowing he would have a hard time reaching his leader. "Optimus! Please! Elita wouldn't want you to do this!" Everyone stared as the flamed semi continued to be tailed by the cop car. "Prime, please listen to me!" Starscream flew over them, having returned from patrol. Optimus Prime used his rage to push his speed to its limit. "Optimus!" Prowl kept his sirens and lights blazing as he pushed past the traffic. "STOP THIS NOW!" Optimus pulled over and transformed. He started shooting at Starscream. "Primus..." Prowl said as he too transformed just as Starscream saw Optimus and was shooting him back. He tried to grab Optimus's arm. "Innocent people will get hurt from the crossfire!" Optimus didn't seem to hear him as he keep on firing.
He tried grabbing his arm again. Starscream grew irritated and landed. The cars on the highway immediately dispersed as the three Cybertronians confronted each other on the side of the road. "Prime..." he sneered. "You think you can beat me? Trying to avenge your puny sparkmate? She was weak! I wouldn't be surprised if she's already dead!" he taunted.
"Get out of here Starscream," Prowl said trying to make sure no human would get hurt "You cause enough trouble."
He just smirked. "But tormenting Optimus is so much fun." Optimus growled and tackled him.
"Optimus!" Prowl shouted. Starscream rolled onto the road as Optimus grabbed his throat. Starscream laughed hoarsly as Optimus clenched his throat, pinching muscle cables. Prowl raced over. "Prime! Stop this!" he said.
Starscream just sneered. "K-ill...me... Y-you...kn-know...you want to..."
"Prime, your are going to be like your brother if you give into him." Optimus clenched his throat and then roughly let go. Prowl came up to him. "Optimus?" He fell to his knees and punched the ground. He growled and sighed heavily. Prowl slowly rested a hand on his shoulder.
"...I...I'm sorry... I shouldn't have been so irrational..."
"Love makes you irrational. It's alright."
"...Elita...is...is she alright...?" he asked as he slowly looked up at Prowl.
Prowl nodded. "She's fine now sir."
"...Thank Primus..." he said as he sighed heavily and looked down at the ground. Although he tried to hide it, Prowl could see something wet fall on the ground. Prowl patted his shoulder again.
"C'mon, Optimus. Let's get back to base." Optimus nodded. He waited for Prowl to transform before doing so too. He followed Prowl back to base.
Once there, he practically rushed back to Medical Bay. Elita One was slowly waking while Ratchet did a final okay on her. He rushed to her side. She smiled up at him weakly. "...O-Orion..."
"Alright, Elita. You just need lots of rest and energon. You should recover quickly."
"...Th-thank you...Ratchet..." The CMO just smiled and brought over a chair for Optimus. He quickly sat down in it and took one of Elita's hands into his own. Ratchet slapped Optimus across the head.
"That's for trying to go all gun-ho on Starscream."
Optimus only rubbed at the spot a bit. "...Y-You...w-went...after -cough cough- Star-scream...?" She moved her hand out of his and weakly touched his face. She smiled at him and then glared weakly. "Y-you...stupid...mech! A-anger...solves nothing... I...I love you... D-don't...aven-avenge...me...by being...wreckless..." she sighed as her smiled returned and her blue optics softened.
"Just be glad Prowl stopped you." Ratchet said.
"...I'm sorry... I...I...couldn't lose you..." She just smiled up at him, weakly rubbing his cheek with her hand. Prowl watched as he visited his father.
"...Were... Were you ever like that with mom?"
Stalker sighed with a smile. "Many a time. She hated it when I had to go on missions." He turned solemn. "…Prowl… I'm sorry for not being there…"
He took his father's hand in his. "Don't you start that again, dad."
"I promise I'll make up for all that lost time. I'll make it up to you…and your mother…"
"Oh! I…I found her name. She's listed next to you on a memorial wall here at the base."
"…That's wonderful…" he smiled. "I'm glad you were able to properly say goodbye… Perhaps I can do the same once your medic clears me." Prowl nodded happily.
"I'll personally take you there." Stalker smiled. Elita One was weakly sitting up with Optimus's head in her lap. She let her hand weakly slide over the smooth, navy colored metal.
"…I'm safe…now… No need…to worry… I love you, Orion. I won't let us get separated again…" Prowl looked over towards them for a moment.
"I wonder how Chromia and Ironhide are doing?"
"Oh yes… I heard they sparked. How is the little one doing?"
"She's fine. Making friends with the Lennox child."
"I see."
"…I know…you missed me…but…you must…keep up that strong…calm…fearless composure of a leader… Y-your men need you…"
"…I'd be lost without you…Let the others see…You're the true source of my strength…"
"…Orion…you silly mech…I love you…"
"Elita, you really should get some rest."
"…I will…Ratchet…" Optimus lifted his head up and sat up straight. "…Hold on…a moment…dear…" Elita One smiled as she weakly wiped away the small trails of energon on his face. "…Th-there's…the strong…powerful…m-mech I…fell in love…with…" She smiled up at him. He smiled back at her as she laid back down. He took her hand into his.
Ratchet sighed as they stared at each other. "Alright… I can see this isn't going to work." He checked her vitals and disconnected the energon IV and diagnostic monitors. "Prime, take her to rest in your quarters. Absolutely NO making up for lost time. She rests or I drag both your afts back to Medical and place you both on lock down." Optimus said nothing but gently took her into his arms as he stood.
"…We…will obey…orders…d-don't…worry about…that…" Elita smiled at him.
"Optimus?"
"You have my word, Ratchet." He couldn't help but smile as he watched the two of them leave.
"Maybe you should go back to sleep too, father," Prowl warned.
"Alright, son, I will." He closed his optics and welcomed recharge.
"Prowl, make sure you get some rest tonight. I don't mind where you do it, but I don't want you hovering over him like a cyberhawk. You need your rest too."
"I know. I will. I just want to watch him a bit longer." Ratchet smiled a bit with a nod before going into the back to occupy himself.
Later that night, after everyone had just gotten to sleep, a certain purple sparkling was wide awake. There was too much for her to explore and the sounds coming from the Lennox farm were drawing her curiosity. Aurora clicked and crawled out of her crib. She dangled from the bars and landed on the floor on her butt. She squeaked a bit from the landing but got onto her hands and knees. She crawled around the shed following various sounds from inside and outside. She stopped by her parents' berth and notice they were still asleep. She could hear her sire's heavy breathing as he slept. She smiled to herself as she watched them a bit. More sounds drew her attention and she quickly got bored. She didn't want to sleep like her progenitors. She crawled away towards a humming sound. She crawled up to a big machine. It had to two different dispensing units on it. She recognized the smell of energon. She wasn't hungry so she decided to just explore the area around it. She saw a small crawl space behind the dispenser. She crawled right into it and explored the wires. Some of them glowed. She whistled at the pretty lights the electricity produced. She stopped when she heard a strange noise from outside. Two raccoons fighting and hissing at each other made her abandon the crawl space. She heard another animal noise, an owl, and copied the hooting. She wanted to SEE the noises instead of just hearing them so she made her way towards the door. The huge door in front of her seem to be a threat. She stared at it, analyzing the situation. She remember her dad press something to get it open. She saw the keypad way out of her reach. She pouted and looked around for something else. She found the human door her friend Annabelle used to get inside. She eagerly crawled over to it. The knob was in easy reach. She twisted and pulled on it until the door jiggled out of it's housing, unlocking and swinging open. She clapped happily then crawled out of the opening. She clicked curiously as the smooth, metal floor transitioned to the concrete of the driveway. She gently patted the concrete to feel it. It felt hard just like the floor, but it was different. It felt gritty. She heard the owl hooting again, the raccoons long gone. She now wanted to look around outside. She giggled and clapped as the owl hooted. "Ooo. Ooo..." she copied. The owl looked at her before flying off. She pouted and clicked for it to come back. She crawled after it, copying it's hooting. She didn't know that she was getting near to the corn field. The owl flew over the cornfield and perched in a tree miles away at the end of it. Aurora pouted and crawled into the cornfield after it. As soon as she stepped inside, she forgot about the owl. Now the crickets inside the cornfield caught her attention. She chirped in reply and copied them as she chased them through the big corn stalks.
Inside the shed, Chromia cuddled closer to Ironhide as she sensed the change in temperature. "Ironhide...sweetie...?" He just moaned in his sleep. "Ironhide..." she said a bit more loudly.
"...Wha...? What's wrong, Mia?"
"It's a bit cold in here."
"What?" he said a bit more awake. "How? Maybe you're just not used to Earth's environment yet," he said groggily, hoping the answer would suffice.
"...I don't think so, dear." She looked around and noticed the human door to the shed was open. "That explains it, the door is open."
"Oh, the door is... WHAT?"
"I'll just go close it. One of the humans probably forgot to lock it or something."
"No, Mia. I ALWAYS lock ALL the doors at night, especially with Aurora here now."
"Aurora!" Chromia panicked. "What if she got out?"
"Let's go check the crib. She's probably sleeping just fine. That crib isn't easy to get out of." Ironhide got out the berth and headed to Aurora's crib. Chromia was on his heels. "...Primus..." he almost whispered in surprise.
"NO! She's gone! Our baby's gone!" Chromia started running around frantic. She started shoving things aside to find her precious sparkling.
"Mia calm down, we will find her. She couldn't have gone far."
Chromia took deep intakes as Ironhide held her in a hug. "...Okay... Where could she crawl off to?"
"I'll check behind the energon dispenser. Maybe she got hungry and then decided to hide behind it." Chromia nodded, now very worried about her missing sparkling.
She checked the crib area and around their berth to be sure Aurora wasn't there. "Not a glimpse of purple... Oh, Ironhide... What if... What if she got outside?" She started to whimper and fret. Ironhide sighed after he checked behind the dispenser.
He went over to the lights. "She's not back there." The whole shed lit up and there wasn't a spec of purple metal anywhere. Chromia started to cry.
"...Our baby...she's...she's lost and alone..." Ironhide came over to her and put his arms around her.
"It's alright, Mia. We'll find her. Curiosity got the better of her. Let's check outside. She's probably the one who opened the door. C'mon..." Chromia nodded again.
He led her outside and flipped on the truck lights on his chest plating. "Aurora! Aurora where are you?" he called out. Chromia searched the farm frantically.
"Sweetspark! Come back to mommy!" she yelled out.
Ironhide's truck lights and both of their voices woke up Will. He open up the bedroom window and peeked out. "Ironhide? What is going on?"
"I'm sorry to have woken you, Will. Aurora escaped from us while we were sleeping. She's on the farm somewhere."
"AURORA! GET YOUR LITTLE AFT BACK HERE! YOU'RE SCARING MOMMY!" Chromia said as she pushed aside the pile of logs for firewood. She practically turned over Will's tractor.
"Whoa!" Will said "How about I come out and help you two?"
"...Will...?" Sarah asked groggily.
"Family emergency, Sarah. Ironhide and Chromia lost their sparkling."
"Oh dear... I'll come help as well. I remember when Annabelle first got out of her crib," she said as she threw on her housecoat. Ironhide heard a crash and rushed over to Chromia.
"Chromia... Calm down... You're going to hurt yourself..." He held her in a tight hug as she struggled to break free. "Mia...panicking isn't going to help find her. Calm down before more things are damaged."
Sarah and Will came out. Sarah went over to the two. "Don't worry, Chromia. We'll find her. It's going to be okay," Sarah soothed. Chromia slowly calmed down. Hearing the words from another mother helped her.
Annabelle had been awoken from the commotion as well. She shouted down from her bedroom window. "Mommy? What going on?"
"It's okay Annie sweetie, go back to bed."
She saw Ironhide holding Chromia as they searched around. "Why Ironhide and Miss Mia up? Why daddy looking for something?"
"It's nothing for you to worry about Annie."
"Yuh huh... Everyone up and looking for something. Me want to help."
"Its past you bed time, Annie." She disappeared from the window with a pout. Sarah sighed, hoping she had gone back to sleep. She was a little surprised to find Annabelle in slippers and a housecoat coming out the door. "Annie?"
"Me help." Chromia had started crying again.
"It's alright, Mia..." Annabelle came over to the two.
"Why you crying Miss Mia?"
"Aurora's gone missing, Annabelle." Ironhide as he looked down at his little charge.
"Oh no!" Annabelle said worriedly. "Me help find," she smiled. "I know good hiding pwaces."
"She's not over here," Will said as he came over from looking around the garage.
"Chromia, why don't you and I look together?" Sarah asked. Chromia nodded. Ironhide smiled as the two females looked together. He looked down at Annabelle.
She smiled up at him. "What can me do?"
Ironhide looked down at her with a smile. He lifted her up into his hand. "You're worried too?"
"Yeah," she smiled. "Aurora my friend. You daddy now. You love her and need find her."
He smiled again. "Why don't you lead me around your hiding places? You're the same size and you're small like her. I'm sure you two think alike. You'd be a great help in finding her." Annabelle smiled as he let her down. She looked around the shed first, crawling around and trying to picture hiding there. She would stop and hide, waiting for Ironhide to help her check. Chromia and Sarah looked around the acreage and up in some of the trees.
"Aurora! Aurora come back to mommy, Sweetspark!"
"Aurora! Come on out! You're parents are worried!"
"Aurora! Aurora, come on out, little one! Aurora!"
"Rora! Rora, come on out! Game time over now!" called out Annabelle. She sighed as she stood. "Me sorry, I'onhide… She not here…" He absently looked towards the cornfield with a sigh.
"Remember when you got lost a few days ago? How worried I was?"
"Yeah… I sorry…" She gasped. "I'onhide! I'onhide! You find her!"
"No, Annabelle. She's still-…"
"NO! You FIND her! Cornfield! She there! She there!" she smiled happily.
"Annabelle, you're so smart," he smiled as he lifted her into his arms. He hugged her tightly. "Chromia! We found her! I know where she is!" Everyone stopped looking and followed Annabelle and Ironhide over to the cornfield. Ironhide let Annabelle down on the ground and let her run through the cornfield. He followed her and so did Chromia as Will and Sarah watched.
"RORA! RORA! COME ON OUT!"
"Aurora! Aurora! Where are you, sweetspark?" Chromia called as she dashed through the rows.
"Aurora!" Ironhide called as he flashed his lights.
"I find her!" Annabelle called. Chromia and Ironhide rushed to where she was. There in the middle of a row, was Aurora. She was fast asleep. "She must be tired. She get sleepy getting lost," Annabelle smiled as she gently tugged on an arm. Aurora whimpered and winced at the truck lights. Ironhide turned them off so as not to scare her. Chromia carefully shook Aurora awake.
"Aurora… Aurora…sweetspark…" she choked, trying not to cry. Ironhide knelt down.
"Come here, Annabelle," he called softly. She did as told and hugged against his leg. Aurora slowly awoke and blinked at her mother.
"Oohh, sweetspark…" she practically sobbed as she hugged the confused sparkling close to her. "Don't scare mommy like that…" She just clicked and whirred, hugging her mother back. "You bad, bad sparkling…" she cried happily. Annabelle yawned and curled up at bit against Ironhide. He smiled and took her into his arms.
"Thank you so much, Annabelle," he spoke softly so he wouldn't wake her. She quickly fell fast asleep in his arms.
"…Aurora…sweetie…Mommy was so worried…" Aurora whimpered a bit, feeling the sadness and the anger in her mother's spark. "Mommy is just soo happy you're alright…" she said as she kissed Aurora's helm and hugged her close. Aurora yawned, very tired from her night of exploring.
"C'mon, Mia. Two little sparklings need to get back to bed." She nodded and walked out with Aurora in her arms. The little purple femme was trying to keep her optics open as she yawned. Ironhide carefully stood and followed Chromia into the shed. Will and Sarah followed after. Chromia walked over and tucked Aurora warmly into her crib.
"Get some sleep, my little trouble maker," she spoke gently as she kissed her helm. "NO running off anymore, promise?" There was a sleepy nod as she cuddled into her mother's hand. "I love you, sweetspark."
"Save the exploring for day time, little one," Ironhide said as he rubbed her helm with his free hand. She nuzzled into the touch before falling asleep. Without thinking, Ironhide placed Annabelle inside as well.
"Hide, she's not-… Annabelle…"
"Oh…I uh…I got carried…carried away…" he stuttered sheepishly.
"It's alright. She seems content," smiled Chromia as she put some blankets around Annabelle too. "She was worried about Aurora too. It was because of her we found our daughter. I know those two are going to be inseparable," she smiled as Annabelle cuddled close to Aurora. "She's so sweet. I can understand why you're so attached to her."
"She was all I had until you came here and brought me a sparkling of my own."
"And she shall continue to be. If you need to spend time with Annabelle, I understand. I don't want you to forget about her because of Aurora. This human child needs you too," she smiled as she kissed him. He smiled back. Will and Sarah came over and smiled at the sight.
"We should get Annabelle back into bed now. I'm glad she was able to help," Will said as he reached up to get Annabelle.
"No, Will," Sarah said as she stopped his arm. "She's comfortable where she is. She's in the safest place should could be," she smiled.
"Can't argue with that," he said, knowing all too well that she would be safer with Ironhide than in the house. The Autobot weapon's master was much better than any home security system ever could be. "Goodnight, you two."
"Goodnight, Will, Sarah. Thank you so much for your help. I'm sorry about all this trouble and waking you."
"It's alright, Chromia. I know how you feel," Sarah smiled.
"I'll take care of Annabelle in the morning. She'll be safe here tonight. Goodnight."
"Goodnight, Ironhide," smiled Sarah. The two spark mates watched as the two Lennoxes went back inside and got back into bed. Ironhide waited for all the lights to go out before leading Chromia back in.
"I'll have to install an electronic lock on the human entrance now."
"Yes. I'm sure Sarah and Will would agree." Ironhide smiled as he locked the human door and barricaded it with some heavy metal boxes from nearby. "C'mon, Hide," smiled Chromia as she walked towards the berth. He followed with a heavy sigh. Both took one last peek at the crib and smiled to see both human and sparkling fast asleep. They cuddled close to one another. "Hide?"
"Hmm?"
"I love you…"
"I love you too, Mia." She just smiled and fell right back asleep. "I just hope those two sleep in in the morning…" he sighed as he fell asleep too.
