CHAPTER 37
Birthday

Magnus came home from the hospital on thursday, allowing them both to come home late that afternoon. Josh's room was now flanked by two guards, with another two standing guard just outside his bedroom window. It brought Josh great comfort to know that they were there, keeping him safe on the off chance that anyone decided to try and make a strike for his window again. He slept mostly soundly, as the guards mostly spoke over private comm channels, but the next morning he could feel a gentle shake. "Joshua..." Magnus whispered tenderly "Time to get up birthday boy."

Josh's eyes slowly opened, surprise overtaking him. He'd nearly forgotten that it was his birthday. His head lifted slowly, and he smiled, letting Magnus trace a finger along his hair. "Morning dad." Josh muttered, sitting up, his eyes moving up to look over the healing battle damage "How are you feeling? Any better?" He asked.

"Much." Magnus noted "Happy Birthday, soldier." Magnus told him calmly "Eleven already, Primus help me. I'm getting grey plating before I've even had you a year." Josh laughed slightly at that "Want to get up and grab breakfast? I'm all yours all day, and it's not just because I'm recovering." He grinned as Josh carefully climbed from his bed "Though you need to be ready by noon."

"Party?" Josh asked.

"No, of course I didn't plan a party for my sons first celebrated birthday." Magnus replied with gentle mockery "Of course I'm throwing you a party. Why wouldn't I after I had promised you one?" He noted, putting his hands on his hips "Bumblebee and Smokescreen are already here, as are your grandparents, naturally." He commented "I'd get dressed and down there before we keep them waiting much longer." He jested.

As Magnus left the room, Josh prepared himself for the day. He dressed in semi-formal clothing, not knowing what type of party Magnus had planned for him. Going into the main room, he immediately found himself in the palm of Bumblebee's hand. "Well there's the little man of the hour!" He replied happily "Happy birthday, Josh!" He added as he hugged him to his chest and then lowered him to the ground "I'm sorry, but I brought my present in a little early, I thought it would be pretty hard to make inconspicuous."

Magnus who followed close behind crossed his arms and looked at Bumblebee. "What in the name of Primus did you get him Bumblebee?" He then looked over at Smokescreen, who was near as well "If I'm not mistaken, it's from both of you. So I certainly hope it isn't anything that's going to make me regret this." He noted in a joking manner.

Bumblebee shook his head as his holoform soon appeared. "Nah, of course not, sir." Bumblebee joked "We just happened to think. The kiddo's now going to be a part of a Cybertronian family. But he doesn't have any wheels on him." He then added "So we were just shopping around the other day for presents and we found a little set of wheels for him."

"If you got him a car, you do realize-?"

"Nothing like that."

Josh's eyes widened as Bumblebee's holoform rolled out a bike. It was tall enough for a kid his age, and decorated in red and blue colors, a two wheeler, though with training wheels (as they had figured he would need to learn), and an Autobot insignia painted on both sides. A big bow was tied around one of the handlebars. "Oh my gosh!" Josh shouted "You guys got me a bike? I've always wanted a bike!"

"We know." Smokescreen smirked "When you mentioned it, we thought it was perfect." He then noted "Even gotcha training wheels, so you don't have to worry about learning a two-wheeler right away." He looked up at Magnus "I hope you have the way to teach this in your memory banks."

"I'm beginning to download instructions as we speak." Magnus smiled "We can take it out for a test run later today or tomorrow." He stated as Josh climbed on the bike, getting a feel for it with a wide smile "You like it, son?" Josh nodded vigorously in response "I have a feeling we'll be getting to it soon then." He winked slightly "Now what do you have to say, soldier?"

"Thanks Bee! Thanks Smokey!" Josh replied, his smile widening "This is so awesome!"

"You got it, kiddo." Bumblebee replied "Hey, Magnus. Why don't you just let him give it a test run now? I'm sure your creators won't mind waiting just a little while, right?" He then looked over "Oh, or they're here I guess." He replied as Proteus and Longrange entered the room "Hey, look what we got him for his birthday!"

"A bicycle?" Proteus crossed his arms slightly "Well then, is he going to give it a try, or...?" Magnus looked at his father calmly "I remember when you were given your first alternate mode on your fifteenth creation day. You went nuts." Magnus sighed a bit "Come on, you have to have downloaded how this thing works, am I correct?"

Magnus sighed, and nodded his head, putting his holoform on almost at once. Carefully taking the handlebars, he looked over the bike slowly. "Alright kiddo." He kicked the kick stand up carefully "You just gotta pedal this thing. You don't have to worry about balance just yet, thanks to the training wheels." He shook his head "But go on kiddo, you can do this."

Josh took off like a bullet as he peddled vigorously down towards the hall. It was quite the grin that he had on his face, which was matched by Magnus's own grin. "You know he's going to tear up your floors." Bumblebee told him "I meant you should have gone outside and shown him." He added.

"The kid's fine." Magnus noted "Let him have fun on his first birthday."

Smokescreen threw his hands up. "Primus help us all, I'm pretty sure that Magnus was body snatched." Smokescreen spoke up with a loud chuckle "He's letting Josh break the rules? It's crazy!"

Smokescreen was even more surprised at the playful slug that Magnus gave him. "Don't you think we should be watching him?" Longrange asked as she put her hands on her hips "With all the valuables in this place, I'd hate to be him if he breaks something." She noted.

Magnus nodded thoughtfully, and made his way forward, walking through the doorway. "Son, maybe we should go outside for this one." He shouted.

"Nope, it's still Magnus." Bumblebee teased, earning a chuckle from the group.

...

The party was the greatest thing that Josh had ever experienced, that much he couldn't lie about. All the Autobots he had met, along with his family had been there, with some of his friends from school as well. For presents, he'd scored everything from a new video game console, to his own training blaster, which to no one's surprise, was a gift from Bulkhead (one which Magnus warned he would not be using for some time). While his grandparents had gotten him one of the coolest gifts, which again involved sports and recreation: a hoverboard which most of Josh's friends gawked at and without a doubt felt somewhat jealousy at.

Much like the bike, Magnus kept a close eye on Josh as he tried out his new overboard. Though he wasn't overbearing he wanted nothing more than to make sure that Josh was safe in his play. But Magnus kept his own gift to himself, wishing to be alone with Josh before they went over that. Instead moving from presents to cake, which quickly got Josh's mind off whatever his foster father had planned for him gift-wise.

Finally, that night, Magnus came into the living room with a package. "Alright, you asked me not to spoil you TOO much. And considering all you have gotten today..." Magnus smirked "I do however have a gift for you beyond the party." He explained "So, would you like to open my gift now?" He questioned.

As Magnus set the gift onto the table in front of him, Josh stared at it. For a moment he stared up at Magnus, then down at the package again which he carefully pulled a piece of gift wrap off of. Inside, he found a box containing small amulet that looked to be shaped like the Autobot Shield. He frowned a bit, though he took in the sight of his name on it (or at least what would be his name soon): "JOSHUA MAGNUS", and several button-like markings on it. "What is it?" Josh asked "A necklace?" He asked.

"Press a button." Magnus chuckled.

As he did, the Autobot shield seemed to glow and emit a beam which spread along the room. Within moments, a full projection of what seemed to be several solar systems showed up. Surrounding the room like an amazingly detailed 3D rendering of a star map. "Whoa." Josh breathed "Dad, this is amazing. How did you manage to get that?" He asked, confusion in his eyes.

"I invented it. With Wheeljack's help." Magnus noted "I know that you cannot explore the universe like you wish to someday yet." He explained "But now you can at the very least see the known stars and their systems with the press of a button." He clicked a small planetoid, as a large display of information on it appeared beside it "Amazing, isn't it?"

"Dad... I don't know what to say." Josh replied, his voice filled with surprised "This is the coolest thing... I can't even..." He carefully approached the planet he'd clicked on carefully "It's like my own personal observatory."

"Right at your fingertips." Magnus nodded "I know it's nothing flashy like the bike. Or "cool" as a hoverboard." He noted "But I wanted my gift to be something you could keep and treasure all your life. If you so chose." He explained "I hope that-."

He soon felt arms wrapping around his leg plating. He looked down at Josh quietly, his optics filling with warmth. "This gift is amazing dad, I couldn't ask for anything cooler." He told him, though his smile soon widened "But it's not the best gift I got." He explained, as he leaned against his leg.

"I know, the hoverboard was pretty-."

"I didn't get it for my birthday, dad." Josh told him quietly "Getting to call someone like you my dad was the best gift I could ask for. You silly old mech."

That was a note which made Magnus's own smile widen. Slowly, he crouched down, and put an arm gingerly around the boy, belittling his strength to the best of his ability. "I suppose that is a pretty good gift." Magnus chuckled "I love you, son."

"Love you too, dad."

"Now." He carefully scooped Josh up "Which star would you like to learn about first, youngling?" He asked calmly.

Josh wasn't sure where he would even begin to start.

...

A/N: Yes, I know, it's a very fluffy chapter. But I had to write it. XD