chapter 5
Cliffjumper who had been turned into a sparkling a little over a month and half ago was sitting in a play pen that Grappel made and he was playing with his toys. Mirage was watching him. Mirage was Cliffjumper's primary caretaker right now due to Cliffjumper imprinting on him. The little sparkling took up most of Mirage's time. He didn't go on missions much anymore. Then Cliffjumper reached out to him and made grabbing motions. He was clearly saying pick me up. Mirage lifted him out of the play pen.
"How is the little guy today?" Blaster asked.
"He's doing fine Blaster," Mirage said.
Cliffjumper sucked his thumb as Mirage and Blaster had their conversation. Then he reached out to Blaster. "Blaster I think he want's you to hold him," Mirage said.
"Me? I never held a sparkling in my entire life," Blaster said.
"Neither have I but I learned," Mirage said. Then he showed Blaster how to hold Cliffjumper without hurting him.
Blaster looked at Cliffjumper who was looking at him and he smiled. "Hey he's smiling at me," Blaster said.
"He's pretty happy," Mirage said.
Soon Perceptor came over. "He's seems to be doing just fine," Perceptor said. "I talked to Wheeljack and he's finally got the blue print figure out, now he's working on the parts to make the machine to return Cliffjumper to normal," he said.
"That's good," Mirage said as Blaster placed Cliffjumper back in his arms.
Cliffjumper was becoming a very curious sparkling. He was always trying to grab things and find out what they are, almost everything he grabbed he would stick in his mouth. Which Mirage often took the item away before Cliffjumper stuck said item in his mouth. Also he was grabby about some of the attachments on some of the other Autobots.
"He's a pest," Huffer said.
"Cliffjumper is not he's a sparkling," Mirage said.
"Well he should know not grab, pull, bite and suck on everything he finds," Huffer said.
"Huffer, that is just a sparkling's way of interacting with the world around them," Hoist said. "Cliffjumper doesn't even realize he is bothering anybody, or doing something wrong or dangerous," he said.
Cliffjumper was sucking his thumb. "There he goes sucking on his thumb if he's not eating why does he suck on his thumb like that?" Huffer said feeling rather annoyed.
"Huffer it's part of normal sparkling behavior sucking when they are not eating is soothing, it makes him feel happy and calm." Hoist said.
Huffer just got annoyed and left.
"Huffer always finds stuff to complain about," Hound said.
"Yep," Bumblebee agreed.
Cliffjumper was continuing to suck his thumb without a care in the world. Mirage was soon relaxing with Cliffjumper in his lap. Who was holding on to the teddy bear that Spike and Carly gave him.
"Mirage I need you to go and do a special patrol. I have the feeling the Decepticons are up to something," Optimus told him.
"I understand I just have to find someone to look after Cliffjumper while I'm gone," Mirage said. He asked many of the Autobots but they were all busy with their own assignments from Optimus. The only one he hadn't asked yet was Ironhide.
He saw Ironhide sitting in a chair with a book. "Hey Ironhide," Mirage said.
"Well hi Mirage what I do for you?" Ironhide asked.
"I need to go out on a patrol to try to find Decepticon activity and I need someone to look after Cliffjumper and all the other Autobots are busy," Mirage said.
"So you want me to look after little Cliff?" Ironhide asked.
"Yes, so can you?" Mirage asked.
"Well I have nothing else to do today sure," Ironhide said taking Cliffjumper. Cliffjumper cooed and looked at Mirage.
"I will be back as soon as I can," Mirage told Cliffjumper. Then Cliffjumper touched his face. Mirage smiled and kissed little Cliffjumper's forehead. "Take good care of him," he said.
"I will," Ironhide told him.
Then Mirage left. Soon Cliffjumper started fussing. "What's the matter?" Ironhide asked. Then he saw Cliffjumper reaching for something on the ground and he saw Cliffjumper's teddy bear on the ground. "I see you dropped your teddy," he said. Then he picked it up and gave it to Cliffjumper who gave him a kiss on the nose. "You're welcome little fella," he said.
Then Ironhide entered the rec room and turned on the tv and was flipping through the channels to find something for Cliffjumper to watch then he found a kiddie show and Cliffjumper started to watch it.
"You like it don't you, not my first choice of entertainment but great for you at least," Ironhide stated.
Cliffjumper giggled and kept watching the show then his tank growled when it was over. "Sounds like you are hungry time for a bottle," Ironhide said. Then he fixed up the bottle and gave it to Cliffjumper who started to suckle on it.
Hours passed by and the other Autobots had returned from the missions and patrols. But Mirage was no where to be seen. "It's getting late where is Mirage?" Ironhide asked.
"It's not like him to be so late," Bluestreak stated.
Cliffjumper was getting fussy. He was wanting Mirage. "What is that brat's problem?" Huffer asked.
"He's not a brat he's a sparkling," Bumblebee said.
"No difference to me," Huffer said.
"Well there is a big difference between the two to me," Gears stated.
"I think the little squirt wants something," Brawn said.
"Well what does the brat want?" Huffer asked.
"I think he wants Mirage," Hoist stated.
Then about an hour later Mirage can stumbling in he collapsed at the entrance Jazz saw and helped Mirage up and took him to the medical bay. Ratchet went right to work in repairing Mirage. He was badly injured. "Man Mirage has got quite a few dents and dings, and then some," Ratchet said. "There finally finished." he said.
"How is Mirage?" Optimus asked.
"He's going to be fine, he's very lucky," Ratchet said.
"Good," Optimus said.
"Optimus I know Mirage is needed to due his duty as an Autobot soldier but right now he's got another duty as a caregiver to sparkling Cliffjumper and Ironhide I bet is still trying to calm the tyke down," Ratchet stated.
"Don't worry I will make sure I will remember that," Optimus said.
Ironhide was trying to soothe the fussing Cliffjumper. Finally he settled into a fitful sleep after a several hours of fussing and crying. "Finally got him to go to sleep?" Prowl asked.
"Yes but mostly I think the little guy tired himself out," Ironhide explained. Ironhide took care of Cliffjumper that night.
The next morning Mirage was awake. "Mirage mind telling me what happened?" Ratchet asked.
"I was ambushed by Dirge, Thrust and Ramjet, they did a number on me so I had to make myself invisible to make a hasty retreat and I gave them the slip. Then I swerved and crashed then I trudged my way back here," Mirage said.
"I see, well you are okay, you have no serious injuries, you are going to be sore for a few days but in week you will be feeling like yourself again." Ratchet said. "I know a certain someone who wants to see you," he said.
"Cliffjumper does Ironhide still have him?" Mirage asked.
"Yes, poor little fella it took Ironhide almost all night to get Cliffjumper to go to sleep, the poor sparkling is really upset," Ratchet explained.
"Well I better take over it's my job to watch after him," Mirage said.
"Just try to take it easy okay," Ratchet told him.
"I will," Mirage said. Then headed out to find Ironhide. He found Ironhide with a fussy Cliffjumper. "Ironhide," he said.
Ironhide turned around. "Oh thank the stars Mirage I am glad you are okay," Ironhide said.
Cliffjumper began to reach for Mirage and fussed. Mirage gladly took him into his arms. "Hey there I'm sorry if I scared you little one," he said and then planted a kiss on his forehead. "I'm here now," he said.
Mirage was doing a good job looking after Cliffjumper.
Couple of weeks later Cliffjumper was being held by Mirage and was getting tired of being held. He wanted to play.
He was squirming and wriggling. He wanted to be put down now. "Uh Mirage I thing the little squirt wants you to put him down," Brawn said pointing when he noticed Cliffjumper moving around in Mirage's grasp.
"Oh," Mirage said and place Cliffjumper on ground and put some toys down for him.
Now Cliffjumper was busying himself with the toys and having fun Mirage was watching him.
Bumblebee came over and sat on the ground. "Mind if I play with him Mirage?" Bumblebee asked.
"Go ahead, but be careful okay?" Mirage said.
Bumblebee nodded and began to play with Cliffjumper and little Cliffjumper was enjoying having a playmate.
Wheeljack was still busy with putting the machine together that will return Cliffjumper to normal.
"There the parts are finished now all that's left to do is put them together," Wheeljack said.
He told the others the parts for the machine were finished now just had to put them together.
"It will take 2 weeks," Wheeljack said.
"Understood," Optimus said.
"I understand," Mirage said. He was going to miss looking after Cliffjumper but he knew it was for the best.
To be continued.