Sorry for the long delay in an update. Midterms were hell, but hopefully things will lighten up a bit between now and finals.

Chapter Fourteen: A Fresh Start

Ironhide transformed in a whirlwind of shifting parts. Before his final piece of armor snapped into place his optics began scanning the edges of the transformation lot, looking for any signs of danger. The lot was almost completely deserted. Ironhide spotted only a handful of other bots in the immediate area. Most of them appeared to be creators or caretakers of some kind. They all had young sparklings with them. Ironhide didn't think any of the children were more than two-vorns old. Most of them were still young enough to need carried or led by their hands. He kept forgetting it was the middle of the deca-cycle. Most bots were at work while all children Starfall's age were in school. If Starfall hadn't been suspended and he and Optimus hadn't decided to use the day as an excuse to spend time together none of them would have been there either. It made a little of Ironhide's tenseness dissipate. With so few bots around he might actually be able to enjoy the day instead of being on constant alert for any potential threats towards his family. Even after vorns of being sparkbonded to Optimus he still felt it his duty to act as the Prime's bodyguard.

As Ironhide scanned the area Optimus pulled up beside him in vehicle mode and stopped. Finding the area secure, Ironhide turned towards his mate just in time to see the passenger side door of Optimus's cab unit swing open to reveal Starfall.

"Here we are," Optimus's disembodied voice announced.

Starfall doubtfully looked around the transformation lot. "These are the Crystal Gardens?"

"Yes."

"Where are the crystals?" Starfall asked. "I don't see any."

Optimus's laughter rumbled over the purr of his engine. "The entrance is ahead through those arches. See it, Star?"

Starfall followed Optimus's directions but still looked unconvinced.

Ironhide inwardly frowned. They'd just spent the last two joors traveling to the edge of Iacon to bring Starfall to the Crystal Gardens. Despite all of Optimus's and his reassurances, it looked like Starfall was still worried they were going to take him back to the hatchling facility. What did they have to do to prove they weren't returning him? He'd already told the kid in as many ways as he could think that he was sorry and hadn't meant what he'd said the orn before.

"Come on," Ironhide motioned to Starfall. "Give Optimus some room. He can't transform with yeh inside him, an' ah don't think they let bots inside the gardens in vehicle mode." He didn't mean to sound authoritative, but Starfall seemed to take it as a reprimand. Like a soldier snapping to at the bark of a sergeant, Starfall undid his safety belt and scrambled out of Optimus's cab unit. Ironhide frowned. He hadn't meant to make Starfall think that had been an order.

Starfall stood back several paces as Optimus transformed. He waited patiently, but as soon as Optimus was properly settled in his root form he was once again by Optimus's side. Reaching up, he slipped his hand into Optimus's. Optimus offered him a smile behind his battle mask - Ironhide could tell by the crinkle of protomatter around his mate's optics and the pulse of warmth that slipped across their bond. The bond-pulse had a noticeably tight feeling to it, however, as though Optimus was saddened by the seeker's desperate need to cling to him. It was like Starfall thought if he didn't physically hold onto Optimus he'd lose him.

Ironhide's spark constricted a little in his chest. It didn't seem right to see such a look of fear in the optics of someone so young as Starfall.

"Let's go," Optimus said. Ironhide could hear the forced cheer in his voice. Holding Starfall's hand, Optimus led them across the transformation lot to the entrance. The Crystal Gardens were housed in a building that reminded Ironhide of a terraced, glass-domed stadium. It was big enough that if they stood on the top of their apartment tower they could see its domed top on the far edge of the city. Ironhide was mech enough to admit to himself he felt dwarfed by the structure as it swallowed them.

It was only after they bought their entrance tickets, went through the turnstiles and saw the first cluster of crystals in the front atrium - an impressive blue and white formation suspended in midair - that Starfall seemed to relax and let himself finally believe this wasn't some kind of trick to take him back to the hatchling facility. Optimus led them across the front entryway past the blue and white crystals. The real crystal formations were grown in the main part of the building under the dome. They went through a hallway. On the other side, they came out on an elevated walkway that overlooked the entire garden. Crystals of every different size, shape and color filled the area underneath the dome. Terraced landings lined the edges of the gardens. Formations of crystals also covered these landings. Sunlight streamed through the glass roof. As it filtered through the different planes of crystal the light created countless moving kaleidoscopes. The air literally shimmered with color. Starfall let out a soft gasp at the sight, his optics widening. He stepped up to the railing on the walkway and stared.

Optimus chuckle and joined him at the railing. "What do you think, Star?"

Ironhide took a place at the railing on Starfall's other side.

"They're so pretty," Starfall murmured. He seemed unable to tear his optics away from the crystals. The nearest formation sent spots of yellow and pink dancing across their plating. "How do they make the floating ones stay up?"

"Methane, ah think," Ironhide said. "This entire place is filled with gas. They have special jets that run underneath the smaller crystals ta make 'em float."

Starfall seemed overwhelmed.

Optimus smiled behind his battle mask at Starfall's innocent look of wonder. Happiness pulsed across his and Ironhide's sparkbond. Ironhide couldn't help a small smile of own from pulling at his lips. The contentment coming from Optimus's side of their bond was indescribably nice, especially after all the tension the last few orns.

"Would you like to see the crystals closer?" Optimus asked.

Starfall looked up at Optimus, awestruck. "We can get closer?"

"Yes we can." He pointed to a series of pathways snaking between the different formations. "There are pathways we can walk on. If I read the website correctly, you can even touch some of the crystals."

"Ah think there're some stairs over there we can use ta go down," Ironhide pointed.

Optimus offered his hand to Starfall, which was instantly seized. Together they headed for the stairs. Ironhide trailed half a step behind them. As they descended into the gardens, Ironhide couldn't help but feel a little left out. Despite the several times he'd tried to engage Starfall, the sparkling focused his attention solely on Optimus. Unless Ironhide implicitly demanded his attention Starfall did not look to him for anything. And whenever Starfall did look at him there was a noticeable gleam of apprehension in his optics. Ironhide inwardly sighed. It was obviously going to take more than saying he was sorry and taking Starfall out for the day to repair the gap between them. The kid still saw him as an angry authority figure. A long, long road still lay ahead of them. But Ironhide had been serious when he'd told Optimus he was ready to change. He'd made a promise to his sparkmate and he was determined to see it through.

For half a joor, the family wandered through the grounds. The pathways twisted and folded back on each other, creating an endless maze. If someone wanted to they could walk from one end of the gardens to the other all day without ever seeing the same formation from the same place twice. The garden was that extensive. Perhaps it was the sheer size of the place or maybe it was the fact that it was the middle of the deca-cycle, but the Prime family spotted only a handful of other bots wandering the gardens. They came across other visitors so infrequently it almost felt like they had the entire place to themselves. Ironhide was glad. The less people there were, the better he could enjoy his family's company.

At some point, Starfall released Optimus's hand and began to run ahead of them down the path to each new formation. His excitement was infectious. Wherever two paths intersected a medium-sized crystal floated in the middle of it like a guidepost. Every time they came to one Starfall would run ahead and use his thrusters to jump off the ground to touch it and send it spinning around midair on its jet of methane. Each time he did that a kaleidoscope of colors would flash off the crystal onto the ground and all other surrounding surfaces. It reminded Ironhide of a contraption he'd once seen on Earth. Spike had told him the thing was called a disco ball. To this day Ironhide still didn't quite understand the purpose of it.

"Kid seems ta be havin' a good time," Ironhide remarked to Optimus as they watched Starfall speed ahead down the pathway to the next formation. They continued to walk at a more leisurely pace, unhurried and content to enjoy the peace and quiet of the gardens.

Optimus nodded. "He does. It's good to see him so happy. I think this was a very good idea, 'hide. Thank you for suggesting it."

Ironhide couldn't quite meet his sparkmate's gaze. The festering guilt that had been plaguing him all last night and that morning made a resurgence in the back of his throat line. "Ah wanted ta try an' do something ta make up fer yesterday. After all the slag that happened it seemed only right ta take Star out fer the day."

Optimus reached out and gently took Ironhide's hand, intertwining their fingers together. "That is all in the past now, 'hide. Let us learn from our mistakes and move forward. It is not too late to have a fresh start."

Ironhide squeezed his sparkmate's fingers. "Ah'm tryin,'" he murmured. "Ah really am."

Optimus returned the gesture and send a pulse of warmth flooding across their bond. "I know you are and that is why I know we will make it through this."

Ironhide tentatively looked up to meet Optimus's gaze. The smile Optimus gave him showed in his optics. The weapons specialist offered him a small smile of his own. There was still hope. It would be a long and difficult road, but there was still hope of having the family they'd always wanted.

"Dad!" Starfall's voice called from further down the path. Half a second later the sparkling appeared around a bend and ran up to the two. His intakes were slightly labored as though he'd run back to them from a distance. An excited smile was firmly planted on his facial plates, lighting his face up in a way the colored lights of the crystals never could themselves. "Dad, we're almost near the end."

"Really?" Optimus indulged.

"Yea! There's some kind of store and energon stand up ahead."

"Must be the gift shop," Ironhide grumbled. No matter how long ago the war ended it still always surprised him how quickly people were able to find new ways of somehow selling things to make a profit. Even someplace as innocent as a crystal garden seemed unable to escape the trend.

Optimus chuckled. "Must be." He turned his attention back to Starfall. "Do you want to go look?"

"Yea!" Starfall grinned. He ran to Optimus's side and latched onto his free hand. Love pulsed across Optimus and Ironhide's sparkbond. Ironhide let the feeling wash over him. With Ironhide and Starfall flanking him, Optimus led them down the path. Just as Starfall reported, around the bend, a few dozen meters ahead, the gardens ended and the pathway opened up on an open area lined with a small shop and snack stand and a number of benches spread out across the plaza.

Starfall's gaze was immediately drawn to the colorful lengths of cut crystals displayed in the shop's window. He steered Optimus and Ironhide towards it. "Look at all the crystals!" he exclaimed. "They're just like the ones in the garden, only smaller."

"They're souvenirs," Optimus explained. "Would you like one to take home?"

"I can have one?"

Optimus nodded. "Which is your favorite?"

Starfall studied the display of crystals with an intense look of concentration. Ironhide was surprised to find the expression strangely endearing. One would think Starfall was deciding the fate of the world by the serious look on his face. "I like that purple one," Starfall finally announced, pointing at a crystal no larger than Ironhide's smallest finger digit. It was one of the smallest crystals for sale.

"Are you sure you don't want one of the bigger ones, Star?" Optimus asked. "You can have any one you want."

Starfall shook his head. "No. That one has the prettiest colors. And it's small enough I can carry it in my subspace compartment."

Optimus and Ironhide exchanged a look. Ironhide was admittedly surprised by Starfall's choice. Usually sparklings tried to chose the biggest, most colorful thing available.

"Alright," Optimus said. He released Ironhide and Starfall's hands to go inside the shop. Within a klick he returned with Starfall's crystal. Starfall eagerly took it when Optimus offered it to him. He held it delicately in his hand as though afraid it might break if he didn't handle it with enough care. Ironhide knew it would take quite a bit more than Starfall accidentally dropping it to break a crystal of that type. The types of crystals they grew in the gardens were at least three times harder than Earth diamonds. Starfall could send his crystal through a trash compactor and have it come out perfectly fine on the other end.

"Thanks, dad," Starfall said with a blinding smile. He wrapped his arms around Optimus's leg in gratitude. "I'm gonna keep this in my subspace compartment forever."

The corners of Optimus's optics crinkled with a smile. "You're welcome, Star. I'm glad you like it. Let's go sit down for awhile," he suggested. He motioned to one of the benches on the other side of the plaza. "I don't know about you two but I would enjoy a short rest."

Neither Ironhide or Starfall protested. Together, the family took a seat on the edge of the plaza - Starfall taking the place on the bench between Optimus and Ironhide. The sunlight coming through the overhead dome sent a rainbow of color dancing across the ground from the crystals lining the area. Ironhide was happy to sit back and watch the show. He'd never been one for fancy things, but he was enjoying their trip to the Crystal Gardens more than he'd been expecting. Sitting in between him and Optimus, Starfall was engrossed with his souvenir crystal. He turned it back and forth in his hands, watching the way the light reflected off the tiny veins of minerals inside. Despite its size, the crystal Starfall chose was surprisingly beautiful - its colors ranging from the deepest shade of purple to a pale lavender with tiny streaks of silver in it. The kid had decent taste.

Optimus delicately cleared his throat line. "Star, your father and I want to talk to you a little more about what happened yesterday."

The change in Starfall was instantaneous. Within the blink of an optic his body language became guarded and withdrawn. His shoulders hunched around his neck as the smile on his face vanished without a trace. Starfall lowered his crystal to his lap and stared at the ground between his thrusters. His wings drooped sadly down his back. "I already said I was sorry," he sullenly murmured. "I promise I won't start anymore fights."

"I know," Optimus quickly assured him. "I believe you. But your father and I don't want to talk about the fight. We want to talk about how proud we are of what you did for your friend, Convoy. You did a very noble thing standing up for your friend like that."

"Convoy's not my friend," Starfall bitterly correctly. He sullenly stared at the crystal in his hand as though wishing he could somehow disappear inside it. "I don't have any friends. Convoy hates me. He has ever since the first day of school. I tried to make friends with him but he thought I was making fun of his accent. He told me not to talk to him anymore. And no one else wants to be friends with me because I have wings. I think they're all scared of me…"

Ironhide stared at Starfall, confused and admittedly sparkbroken. Optimus seemed to mirror his sentiments. Apparently even he hadn't realized how lonely their son was at school.

"If Convoy ain't yer friend than why'd yeh get inta that fight fer him?" Ironhide asked.

Starfall listlessly shrugged. His gaze remained firmly downcast. "I don't know. It… just seemed like something dad would do. I don't like seeing people get picked on."

Ironhide felt something inside him crack. The loneliness and despair in Starfall's voice was physically painful to hear. It reminded him of what Skyfire had said about Starscream - how he'd always been turned down and turned away no matter what he did whether good or bad. Shut down from every angle Starfall never got a chance to prove himself. It must be like having a proverbial door continually slammed in one's face. Ironhide couldn't even imagine what that must feel like.

"Ah talked ta Convoy's father over the vid-com yesterday 'bout wha' happened," Ironhide said. "He seems ta think Convoy would like ta be friends. He asked if yeh'd like ta go over an' play sometime."

Starfall glanced at Ironhide. He didn't say anything but the look in his optics said he didn't believe him.

Ironhide frowned. Starfall's hopeless outlook stung him to his core. It made him feel powerless to do anything to help, and if there was one thing Ironhide hated feeling like it was powerless.

"If you and Convoy are not close friends then that makes what you did for him even more honorable," Optimus said, draping one arm around Starfall's shoulders in a loose hug. "I am so proud to have you as my son."

Starfall, however, seemed to take little comfort from Optimus's praise. "Then why did everyone get mad at me?" he wondered. His voice was full of confusion. "If what I did was so good then why did everyone try to blame me for what happened? I was only trying to help."

Ironhide and Optimus shared a look over Starfall's head. Sparkbroken anguish swam his sparkmate's optics. The weapons specialist's own spark gave a painful twinge. How were they to explain the social implications Starfall's model had on how others treated him? How were they to properly explain in a way that a sparkling could understand the misconceptions others had towards him simply because he had wings? How were they to explain the hatred millennia of warfare had instilled in the subconscious of most of Cybertron's population? How were they to tell a sparkling barely five vorns old that what happened yesterday was probably only a taste of the discrimination he had to look forward to in the future? It didn't seem fair. Nor did Ironhide feel comfortable explaining such things when he himself had until very recently been a part of that group that was forever on the lookout for something to direct his mistrust and prejudices against seekers towards.

Optimus reached out and gently pulled Starfall to him, holding him close to his side as though trying to physically shield him from the injustices of life. "Do you remember me telling you how your father and I once fought in a war?" he asked.

"Yea," Starfall mumbled. "You won. But that was a long time ago, wasn't it?"

"It was," Optimus confirmed. "Long before you ever even came online. But a lot of soldiers on the side your father and I fought against were seekers. There were very few fliers in the Autobot ranks. Almost all of them joined the Decepticons. Because of that, after the war many people had a bad impression of seekers. They think seekers are dangerous and blame them for many of the things that happened during the war. Those views are not correct, nor are they fair but that is what many people still think. That is one of the reasons there aren't any other seekers in Iacon. It's also because of those views that many will try to blame you for things that are not actually your fault. Bots that do that are not necessarily bad people, but they are misinformed and usually unwilling to let others try and change their minds."

"But…" Starfall muttered as though struggling to comprehend everything Optimus just told him. "But I wasn't there when you fought in that war. Why would people blame me for something I didn't do? That doesn't make sense. It's not fair!"

"I know," Optimus agreed. "I don't think it's fair either, but that is the truth of the matter."

Starfall looked distraught. "What can I do to make people know I'm good? I don't want to get blamed for things I didn't do."

Optimus pulled him closer. Helpless anguish coursed across his and Ironhide's bond. "Unfortunately, there's not a lot you can do, Star, except be the best bot you can be and hope that others eventually recognize you for the wonderful sparkling you are. And if they don't then they are not bots worth knowing."

Starfall leaned into Optimus's side, his wings folded down against his back. The gesture made him look even smaller than he really was. Ironhide was nearly overwhelmed by the urge to go to this hurt and frightened sparkling's defense. His primary directive was to protect. It was like suddenly having the blinders ripped off his optics. He now understood what Optimus had spent so long trying to make him see. Starfall wasn't Starscream. He wasn't a duplicate of the Air Commander. He was a nothing but a lost child seeking safety from a world set against him. It physically killed Ironhide inside to see someone so young have to try and make sense of so much prejudice. It didn't seem right. It made Ironhide feel even more horrible about how he'd treated Starfall before Skyfire forced him see the light.

Normally, Ironhide was not one for unnecessary touching. Only with Optimus did he feel comfortable about physically showing his affection. But the miserable look on Starfall's face was enough to make him temporarily set aside his own discomfort. Reaching out, he awkwardly pat Starfall on the back between his wings. "It'll be alright, Star," he said. "Keep yer chin strut up. Yer stronger than anything another bot can do ta yeh."

Starfall warily stared at Ironhide as though hesitant to trust the mech enough to believe he was being sincere. Ironhide offered him a self-conscious smile. It felt like extending a proverbial peace offering.

"Optimus Prime?" a voice said.

The moment broken, Ironhide looked up to find a mech standing several paces away. His first reaction was to internally cue his weapons online. He instinctively tensed, his hand shying to the subspace compartment on his hip where he kept a blaster in case he ever had to go to his sparkmate's defense. Just because the war was over did not mean there still weren't bots who might want to see the Prime dead.

On closer inspection, however, the mech did not strike Ironhide as a potential assassin. The mech was younger looking - probably no older than Bluestreak or Bumblebee. Dark grey with blue trimmed plating, the mech stared at Optimus with a look in his optics Ironhide immediately recognized as awe. He saw it almost every time he and Optimus went out in public.

"Yes," Optimus said. "Can I help you?"

"I'm so sorry," the mech said. "I didn't mean to interrupt. My name's Hardtop. I work here in the Gardens. I heard one of the other workers say the Prime was here and I had to come see for myself. Sorry for interrupting you but I simply had to meet you. I fought for the Autobots during the war. I fought in the Battle of Silicon Hills. I was in the Fifth Battalion under your own command. I still remember that orn like it was yesterday."

Optimus glanced at Ironhide. Ironhide nodded. Whether civilian or former Autobot, Optimus never denied anyone who approached him a few moments of his time. He considered it one of his duties as Prime to greet all those who came to him -whether it be with a grievance or the simple wish to say they'd actually met the Matrix-bearer. Ironhide knew Optimus took such things seriously, but he couldn't deny there were times he wished he and Optimus could go out just once without being noticed. Not even in the Crystal Gardens were they safe from being recognized.

Such was the curse of being bonded to a Prime…

Getting up from the bench, Optimus offered his hand to the mech. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Hardtop."

"It's such an honor to actually meet you, sir," Hardtop gushed, vigorously shaking Optimus's hand. Ironhide could almost see the stars in his optics. "I've wanted to shake your hand ever since I saw the way you took on three Decepticons at the same time all by yourself. You're amazing."

Optimus politely smiled behind his mask. In a very practiced maneuver he gently took Hardtop by the elbow and lead him aside several paces away from Ironhide and Starfall. While he willingly sacrificed himself to public attention he did what he could to help Ironhide stay out of the limelight. Ironhide hated unnecessary attention and preferred to keep a distance from bots who only wanted the opportunity have their picture taken with someone famous.

Starfall seemed confused by Optimus's abrupt departure. The look on his face made it look like he felt like he'd been abandoned.

"Don't worry, kid, he'll be back," Ironhide said. He leaned back on the bench with a heavy sigh. "Optimus gets a lot 'a people comin' up ta him like that whenever we go out. Yeh'll get use ta it after awhile."

"Oh," Starfall murmured, his wings drooping down his back. "Ok."

For several klicks neither moved or said anything to break the silence. Ironhide could actually feel the tension filling the space between him and Starfall. Without Optimus there to act as a buffer they'd once again reverted to their old default of silence and ill-ease. Ironhide wracked his processor for something to say. He'd never been much of a conversationalist or had to converse with someone as young as Starfall before. What did one talk about with sparklings anyway? Optimus always made it look so natural whenever he and Starfall were together. They never lacked for anything to talk about. They always seemed so comfortable around each other. Ironhide could admit to himself he felt a small pang of jealously at the thought. What could he do to make Starfall feel that easy around him and vice versa?

Scanning the area Ironhide's optics came to rest of the energon stand on the other side of the plaza. "Feel like a snack?" he asked.

Starfall shrugged, his wings rising and falling behind him. "Ok."

Ironhide stood from the bench. He stretched, letting the gears in his back snap back into place. He really was starting to get old. "Ah think they have rust sticks over there. Wha's yer favorite flavor?"

Starfall stared at Ironhide with a blank expression. "Um…"

"Yeh've gotta have a favorite flavor. Wha is it? Original? Magnesium? Tungsten? Wha?"

"I… I don't know," Starfall softly admitted. "I've never had a rust stick before."

Ironhide froze, his processor grinding to a halt in disbelief. "Wha? Never?"

Starfall shook his helm. "No. Sometimes Offroad would sneak me in energon-candies at the hatchling facility, but he never brought me anything called a rust stick. Are they good?"

Ironhide couldn't believe what he was hearing. What kind of sparkling had never had a rust stick before? They were immediate favorites of sparklings and younglings. Pit, even full grown adults loved them. During the war, whenever bots gathered during downtime to reminisce about Cybertron, rust sticks were often named as one of the things they missed the most. Even Optimus, after a particularly rough battle, once admitted to Ironhide he would have given almost anything to get his hands on a rust stick right then. Ironhide's spark constricted in his chassis. He kept forgetting Starfall had been alone until only a few lunar cycles ago. Before Optimus adopted him he'd never had anyone to buy him treats or give him small presents like data pads or a souvenir crystal. He couldn't imagine what that must be like for a sparkling. It made him suddenly wish he and Optimus had found Starfall earlier.

"Wait here," Ironhide said. He went to the energon stand and ordered three rust sticks. Subspacing one, he returned to the bench with the other two. "Here," he said, holding one out to Starfall.

The seeker hesitantly took it. Ironhide retook his seat on the bench as Starfall carefully pulled the wrapper off the treat. He eyed the dark brown stick for a moment of hesitation. "How do I eat it?"

"Just suck on it," Ironhide said.

Starfall warily did as Ironhide instructed. The reaction was instantaneous. The moment his lips closed around the treat a surprised squeal of delight sounded in the back of his throat. Ironhide couldn't help the smile that tugged at his lips as he opened his own rust stick and bit off the end. Strong, slightly gritty sweetness flooded his mouth.

"It's good," Starfall declared. "Thank you."

Ironhide nodded, his spark aching a little at the look of utter enjoyment on Starfall's face. It didn't feel right that a sparkling as old as Starfall should find so much enjoyment in something that should be commonplace to every Cybertronian alive. The bit of rust stick in Ironhide's mouth suddenly tasted bland. How many other things had Starfall never gotten a chance to experience because he'd been alone?

It was about then that Optimus returned. Behind him Hardtop was walking away, a happy, star-struck look firmly plastered across his face.

"Rust sticks?" Optimus happily observed. He retook his seat next to Starfall on the bench. "Did you talk Ironhide into getting you one?"

"They're so good!" Starfall exclaimed. He held his half-eaten treat out to Optimus. "Want a bite?"

Optimus smiled behind his mask, the corners of his optics crinkling with amusement. "No, but thank you for the offer, Star. You enjoy it."

Starfall happily acquiesced, popping the end of the rust stick back into his mouth with a contented smile.

Ironhide was slightly surprised Starfall would offer to share when he was so obviously enjoying his snack himself. The innocent gesture once again reminded him that Starfall was not the same selfish bot he'd been in his previous format.

"Ah got yeh one fer later after we go home," Ironhide told his mate.

A pulse of gratitude coursed across his and Optimus's bond. The corners of the matrix-bearer's optics crinkled with a smile. "Thank you, 'hide." Ironhide smiled. Many would never believe it, but one of Optimus's weaknesses was sweets. If they have been home right now, away from prying optics, Optimus would have immediately grabbed his own rust stick and devoured it with the same relish as Starfall was.

As Ironhide and Starfall finished their snacks the small family watched the way the sunlight streamed through the crystals growing around the edge of the plaza. Waves of colored light danced back and forth across the plaza. Starfall scooted closer to Optimus on the bench and leaned against his side, happily sucking on his rust stick. Optimus responded by wrapping his arm around Starfall's back and hugging the little seeker close. Ironhide felt strangely left out. Over the course of the day he'd begun to understand what having Starfall as a son could be like - how rewarding it could be having a sparkling in their family dynamic. He suddenly decided he no longer wanted Starfall to see him as an enemy - and not just because of his promise to Optimus to try harder. He wanted Starfall to see him as his father the same way he did Optimus. He wanted to experience a little of what Optimus and Starfall already shared. When he and Optimus started talking about having children Ironhide had been intrigued by the idea of having a sparkling to call his own - a miniature being he could teach and raise. He'd all but given up hope of that, however, as more and more vorns passed and neither him or Optimus were able to conceive. Despite their rocky start there was still a chance of making Starfall his son. It would take a lot of work, but today had been a good start Ironhide thought. Starfall was still uncomfortable around him, which he had every right to be considering how he'd treated the kid so far. But Ironhide was determined to have the family he and Optimus had always wanted. He was ready to fight to make it a reality.

to be continued