Author's Note: Thanks so much for all the wonderful reviews!! Tomorrow I'm catching two planes from WI all the way to Oregon on the West Coast to visit family. Darn connecting flight...maybe I'll end up hitching a ride with Jetfire in disguise ;)
Chapter 10
Optimus was awoken from a light recharge by his internal comlink system. He connected when he recognized the familiar com-line frequency.
"What is it Ironhide?"
"Optimus…we have a problem."
He sat upright at this news. The only problem he could really think of would be an engine malfunction but he knew that was not the case. It was only when he heard what sounded like crying in the background did he figure it out.
"I'll be right there, Prime out."
The communications link was terminated and Ironhide remained a good distance away from the sobbing youngling as Sunny kept terror filled optics locked on him.
What Ironhide really wanted to do was scold the youngling for being in the room in the first place. When the battle hardened mech thought about it, he could have seriously injured or even killed the little one, for Primus' sake! It was when Ironhide gazed down at the innocent little creature that he knew within his spark that he could not bear to say one harsh word to him. The youngling had been through enough already.
"Youngling, I'm sorry for frightening you…I didn't even know you were in here. Please, stop crying…"
All attempts at comforting the little one, failed. So the weapons specialist remained absolutely quiet, opting to watch the little yellow bundle of wires as he sobbed his spark out instead. It was a rather unnerving thing to witness, actually. Ironhide had seen many cruel and unusual things in war. He had seen bots, both enemy and comrade alike have their sparks ripped out of their chests and extinguished right before his very optics. Ironhide, who was fearless in combat, had even seen a comrade get utterly mutilated to death by a mob of D-cons when their position was over-run in Iacon that still haunted his dreams to this day…but this had to top them all…
This was absolutely, terrifying.
Sunny's optics had closed although tears still poured from his optics like a leaky faucet. Ironhide winced when the youngling's vocal processor opened up to new decibel shattering levels.
"AHHHH-HAHAAA!!!"
Primus…that youngling was loud!
Ironhide cringed and took another three steps back, now on the opposite end of the room.
Just when he was about to go on the fritz from impatience, the doors to the holo-deck training room slid open to admit the towering leader of the Autobots.
Optimus strode in with a purpose and stopped short upon seeing Sunny, curled defensively in a corner.
Ironhide knew he was in trouble. The look that Prime flashed his way, said as much.
The red and blue armored mech approached the youngling cautiously, with an upturned palm.
"Come here, little one."
Sunny's lower lip quivered and the terror drained from his optics until his posture slackened into one of fatigue. Optimus retrieved him and held him close, doing his best to soothe him.
Now far too tired from his frightening ordeal and escapade the little one clicked and snuggled against his elder in relief, now safe again. Before he knew it, he slipped into a deep recharge, completely oblivious to the very heated argument that was now taking place.
Optimus turned narrowed optics on Ironhide, while he shifted his hold on the youngling into a more protective embrace.
"Ironhide, what in the name of Primus, did you do?!"
"It's not my fault, Optimus!! I came in here and swear that the youngling wasn't in sight or I would have stopped!!"
Optimus calmed down and redirected his gaze upon the slumbering youngling in his arms, Sunny's little legs tucked in, looking very much like a sparkling again as he snuggled against his chest.
"I know you meant no harm, Ironhide. But—"
Ironhide paid very close attention when his leader emphasized that last word.
"—we must make sure that this never happens again. As of right now, effective immediately, all personnel are to youngling-proof this ship."
"Yes, sir"
Ironhide straightened up at the order although he still looked worn and utterly beaten when his optics looked back at Sunny.
"Sir, permission to speak freely"
Optimus raised an optic ridge curiously, wondering just why his weapons specialist would make such a request.
"Permission granted."
"I would like to take full responsibility for the youngling…"
Ironhide rushed on the nanosecond he recognized immediate refusal arising on Optimus's face.
"…as his guardian, at least on the days when your duties demand your full attention"
The weapons specialist could see this as his chance for redemption and waited with baited breath to see what his leader would say.
"Alright…you may be Sunny's guardian when I am unable to see to his well being myself."
He knew this would be pushing it, but he just had to try...
"And sir…I also request permission to train the youngling once he is old enough."
The look on Prime's face was priceless. Ironhide recorded his expression and saved it to his photo archive within his processor. He may have been a hardened war veteran but he knew a good opportunity when he saw one. Which is why he had been video recording this entire conversation to share with the little one once he was old enough to receive downloads from others. It was quite a memorable moment to say the least.
At last, he heard the answer he had been waiting for.
"Very well…but he will only begin training when both the CMO and I agree that he is ready to advance."
"Thank you, Sir"
Ironhide was thrilled. It would of course take a while for the youngling to get to know him…much less look at him once he recovered from this. But he hoped that with time, the little one known as Sunny would come to see him in a different light.
There were only few that knew Ironhide's true personality. He was gruff and just as tough to boot on the outside. But inside…he was about as soft as a lightly roasted marsh-mellow. Of course the last glitch-head to have said that nearly got his aft blown off by an 'accidental' plasma discharge from one of his cannons. He had a reputation to maintain after all.
To be honest, he had always been intrigued by younglings…had even wanted one when he and his spark-mate Chromia still resided together on Cybertron. The war destroyed any chance of that ever happening.
Now he was going to be given this golden opportunity to look after one. So long as the little fragger didn't blow his audio receptors out again…
"This little one needs to return to the med bay. Ratchet needs to exam him and make sure that all is well."
Ironhide nodded silently and followed Optimus, the firing range completely forgotten as his worry for the youngling filled his already troubled thoughts.
Soon they were entering the med-bay.
Ratchet heard them come in and immediately turned to greet them.
"What can I do for you?"
Optimus turned to Ironhide and gave him 'the look'. If anyone knew Optimus for as long as Ironhide did…then they knew that 'the look' generally told them to 'get the slag on with it and take the consequences like a mech'.
Ironhide shuffled forward looking nervous…a little too nervous in Ratchet's opinion.
Ratchet fixed a very suspicious gaze on him, already sensing that this had something to do with the recharging youngling in Prime's arms.
Ironhide began to recount one of the biggest mistakes of his life and with each passing second, he felt as if he was digging himself into the pit. It was strange he noted how he hadn't seen one adverse reaction out of the doc just yet.
The medic seemed to be taking the story rather well, for he just stood there, staring at him completely expressionless the entire time. When Ironhide finished explaining what happened with the youngling and the firing range, he tensed and took a step back expecting Ratchet to beat the slag out of him with a hammer.
Ratchet hadn't moved. As a matter of fact, he hadn't even twitched since he first started talking. He was standing there, almost blankly as if he'd zoned off. Ironhide snapped his fingers in front of the medic's face to try and get a reaction. When that didn't work he took a few steps back and turned his head to look at Optimus, only to see that his leader had retreated out the door with BOTH younglings. Now he realized why Ratchet was unfocused as the reality of his cruel fate slowly sank in.
Oh sweet Primus…
And that was when Ratchet exploded to life, grabbing the nearest wrench he could find and hurled it without mercy at his cranial unit, with all the force he could muster while screaming at the top of his voice capacitor.
"YOU STUPID SLAGGER!! DO YOU REALIZE WHAT YOU HAVE DONE?!!"
Huh…Ironhide wasn't sure who was the loudest…psycho Hatchet or the screaming youngling.
Ironhide cringed and retreated to the other side of the med-bay only to realize that he was now hopelessly trapped, with nowhere left to go. He had managed to dodge Hatchet's first throw but now with less maneuverability with the enraged CMO quickly closing the distance between them, he had a feeling that this was not going to end well for him...at all.
"Hatchet…calm down! I already apologized for—"
TING!!
His optics flickered as a wrench connected with his head from seemingly nowhere, immediately silencing him.
"DO NOT tell me to calm down, you pit-forsaken slag heap!!"
Ironhide dove out of the way as Ratchet lunged for him again, this time with a much heavier hammer and that was when the weapons specialist actually felt pure, unadulterated fear.
"YOU COULD HAVE KILLED THE YOUNGLING, YOU GLITCH-HEAD!!"
BANG!
"OW, stop hitting me!!"
Ironhide shouted as he struggled to get away to no avail.
DING!!
"Stop being such a femme and TAKE IT LIKE A MECH, you slagging coward!!" Ratchet barked as he continued his merciless assault.
THUNK!
THWACK!!
There was one rule that everyone knew to follow…the one rule that could save your very life. Never make the CMO angry. For an angry medic could tear you to pieces and then take a few centuries to put you back together. It all depended on his mood or whether or not he had any mercy the day you did manage to slag him off.
Ironhide stumbled and nearly fell but Ratchet was quicker and caught him. He shouldn't have allowed himself to relax just then because that was when his already dented cranial unit was attacked again by yet another wrench.
"Where in the pit, do you find all of those slaggin' wrenches?!"
In answer to his very bewildered question, Ratchet held up another wrench that he had swiped off of a nearby counter and held it up threateningly. Ironhide snarled and prepared to knock the wrench away.
DINK!!
Ironhide fell to the floor in an unceremonious heap. That one had nearly off-lined him. Still disoriented and expecting more punishment he roared furiously, sounding quite intimidating.
"STOP IT HATCHET!! I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOUR SLAG!!"
Ironhide was finally fed up with it and looked up into the very amused face of Ratchet who was twirling his retrieved wrench between his fingers. His expression turned stern the moment that the heavily armored mech was standing again.
"Be thankful that the little one is physically unharmed…"
Ironhide seemed to sag in clear defeat, looking even more miserable than before Optimus had left the room.
What the medic said froze the energon in his systems.
"Only physically"
A long suffering sigh escaped the CMO before he turned concerned optics on him, no longer angry.
"Ironhide, the little one witnessed something that his processor is not yet mature enough to comprehend…"
Ratchet waited patiently while Ironhide's poorly abused head tried to process that one.
"You mean…"
"It is a possibility, yes. When a youngling witnesses or experiences something very traumatic, it can alter their personality or give them other processor problems. The Autobot Blurr, is known to be one such example."
Ironhide's entire demeanor shifted then and did something that he hadn't done in many ages. Fluid accumulated in his optics and he both looked and sounded desperate.
"Ratchet, is there anything you can do to fix this?"
"I'm not sure. The youngling may find a way to cope with this event himself. Although it is still unclear how this will affect him long term"
Ironhide felt strong emotion that ate away at his spark and hardly noticed the fluid leaking from his optics as he felt himself falling apart.
"Please Ratchet…I'm begging you…you can fix this!"
Ratchet sighed heavily and brought one hand up to his head, as if he had a headache.
"That's the thing, Ironhide. I don't think that I can. A youngling's processor is still developing and it's a very delicate and fragile thing. I'm sorry."
The weapons specialist felt pit slagging terrible at this news. At that moment, his emotions got the best of him and he did the unthinkable.
His rough voice was soft as he looked at Ratchet with brokenness at the revelation of the mental damage he may have inadvertently caused Sunny.
"Hit me Ratchet."
It was a most peculiar request and one that the medic would have gladly jumped at a few minutes ago. This was rather odd behavior for the trigger happy lunatic.
"I beg your pardon?"
"You heard me…take your slagging wrench and HIT ME!! It's the least I deserve…"
Ratchet was at a loss. All he could do was stand there and try to process if he had really heard correctly. Perhaps it was time for a tune-up himself…
Before he could stop him, Ironhide had grabbed a wrench from the workbench next to him and began to repeatedly bang himself in the head with it.
"STOP THAT, you malfunctioning glitch!!"
To say that it seriously startled the CMO would be an understatement. It was rare that a Cybertronian of Ironhide's caliber would suddenly go ballistic like this and impose self-harm so willfully. Ratchet leapt into action and tackled him, managing to knock the wrench away before taking his own that was still firmly clenched in his own hand and slammed it into the base of his neck, sending Ironhide down into a forced stasis.
"Serves you right…you crazy fool…" Ratchet mumbled as he hauled Ironhide onto a recharge berth and left him there, strapped down since there was no knowing if he was still a danger to himself. He hooked him up to various monitors and ran multiple scans and diagnostics on Ironhide's processor and other systems, just in case.
He shook his head, still grumbling to himself about crazy glitch heads and stupid slaggers when his med-bay doors opened again.
Optimus entered with the younglings who were both wide awake now and they beamed happily at him. Ratchet smiled fondly at the twins and then remembered something rather peculiar.
"Sunny…has Jazz given you your energon yet?"
The yellow twin shook his head 'no' and looked away, clearly guilty.
Ratchet looked up at Optimus for an explanation.
"He went exploring, it would seem…hence the problem with Ironhide."
The medic frowned deeply at the youngling.
"You disobeyed my direct orders, youngling. I told you to wait until Jazz came to retrieve you."
Sunny shrank down and clicked nervously in response, clearly aware of the trouble he was in.
"Look at me."
The warning sound in the CMO's voice made him look back at Ratchet's stern, disapproving gaze.
"You have already learned the consequences of your actions, little one. Do not disobey your elders again."
"What of the red youngling, Ratchet?"
"Sides has been given a clean bill of health. He is fully functional again…you may leave."
And with that, the medic turned away to clean up his med-bay.
Optimus turned and left with both younglings in his arms. They both remained absolutely still, both twins looking intently at the other.
Sides looked up at Optimus's face and squeaked.
"Somethin's wrong with Sunny…"
"I know," Optimus refused to reveal more.
Sides pouted when Sunny blocked his attempts at telepathic communication and crossed his arms in frustration.
"Sunny, tell me."
"No."
"Why not?"
Sunny squirmed uncomfortably under his twin's scrutinizing stare.
"Can't remember"
Optimus froze in his tracks and looked down at the yellow youngling.
"You mean to tell me, that you do not recall what has occurred today?"
The youngling's face scrunched up as he struggled to remember what it was he knew he should remember.
"No…can't remember."
Something did surface to mind just then however.
"Found strange one…said bad words."
Optimus was walking back to the med bay.
"A strange one? Who was it?"
"No name…he had broken stuff all over the floor."
Recognition hit Optimus's face just then and he smiled.
"You must have met our resident scientist, Wheeljack."
Sides and Sunny shared a look that spoke volumes of their interest in this crazy person who now had a very intriguing name. They re-entered the med-bay much to Ratchet's annoyance who thought that he had five minutes of peace at last.
"What do you want this time?"
"Ratchet, Sunny can't remember his encounter with Ironhide."
"Hmm…his processor is functioning normally from my preliminary scans. This may actually be for the best. Sometimes, a youngling can block out traumatic memories that may be recovered in future years when they are older. It is to be expected, from one so young…"
Ratchet glanced from Sunny to a still unconscious Ironhide, looking thoughtful.
"Ironhide will be happy to hear such news. As for now, I think it best to drop the subject. Under no circumstances are you to speak of the event or else you may trigger the memory to surface."
"I understand, thank you."
With that said, Optimus once again left the med-bay, hoping and praying that he wouldn't have to return there again that orn.
His internal comlink was beeping again and he sighed heavily before answering it.
It was Jazz.
"Sorry bout bein' so late ta the party Optimus…I had to help Prowl with a navigation error."
"That's fine. Meet us on deck three."
"Roger that, boss!"
They met in the middle of deck three in which Optimus introduced the twins to Jazz. The spunky, smooth talking bot relieved any fears they might have had about meeting him for the first time the second he started speaking to them.
"Sup, lil' dudes? Name's Jazz…and I'm gonna be da' one ta watch'a for a while."
Optimus set them down and gave them both an encouraging nudge towards Jazz, their newest caretaker. They looked back at Optimus almost mournfully, a little hesitant to leave him behind.
"Be good little ones. Listen to Jazz while I'm gone, understood?"
They nodded their youngling helms in unison before turning as one to look up at Jazz. This bot wasn't as intimidating since he wasn't quite as tall as the others that they had already encountered.
Sunny smiled as Jazz reached down to hi-five him before leading the twins into a recreation room, a little similar to the one they had seen back at the Youth Sector.
"Wanna' watch a holovid with me?"
Sides nodded his head and raised his hand in excitement while jumping up and down.
"I wanna' pick it!!"
Jazz laughed and gestured for him to come over and select one.
Sunny came over also and frowned at his brother's selected choice.
"No…not that one. We saw that one lots of times before. Pick this one!"
"I wanna' watch this one, Jazz said I could pick!"
Jazz looked between the two twins who were getting a little more heated amongst themselves and finally stepped in to break it up.
"Easy now, lil' ones…I don't see why we can't watch them both!"
That settled it then.
Jazz selected the chosen movie for them to watch on the holo-vid and the three sat on the couch together, one twin on each side of Jazz since they both looked about ready to fight again.
This was the first time that the twins had ever truly disagreed on anything before, making both twins feel a little sad at the realization. It seemed that ever since they had been taken from the Youth Sector by the Autobots after their brutal encounter with Starscream…they had drifted apart. It was almost as if they were simply brothers and not twins. Sides hoped that all of that would change someday and that he could be close to Sunny again. He needed him. Before long, the movie had all of them laughing and all depressing thoughts were long forgotten.
Once that movie was finished, Jazz walked over and activated the second one before settling back in his seat. Before he knew what had happened, the Autobot had drifted off into recharge. Normally he would be better about this but he had pulled a double shift without adequate rest prior to watching the younglings. Soon enough, about halfway through the movie the twins found their heads nodding off as well.
Until at last, they found themselves deep in recharge, both younglings nestled snugly against the slumbering form of Jazz in a perfect picture of peace.
TO BE CONTINUED!!
A/N: I know that the ending was rather corny...but I was seriously pressed for time since i need to finish packing for my trip. PLEASE REVIEW!! Thanks so much for reading!