Optimus was watching Slipstream; watching as the Minicon recharged beside the still unconscious Sideswipe. Three cycles have passed since the conversation between Drift and Jetstorm and Optimus was getting extremely worried. Sideswipe hasn't moved an astro-inch and it was making the others antsy. Windblade was constantly building something out of scrap and Drift was running through endless exercises. Slipstream had taken to meditating often and Jetstorm was monitoring Sideswipe twenty-four/seven.
The only good that came out of this ordeal was that Drift and his students were even closer than before.
He watched Jetstorm as the mech worked; the numbers and charts making more sense to the Minicon tha it did to Optimus. The Minicon was an interesting fella and his brother-who was currently recharging and curled up on Sideswipes right side-was just as interesting.
Drift was nearby; not doing his exercises for once and was watching over Slipstream as he snuggled a little deeper into Sideswipes side.
"They are been good for this long, I wonder when they will start going stir-crazy," Windblade said as she observed the two Minicons. Jetstorm gave the femme an exasperated look as he finished recording the latest set of vitals.
"Not long with your humour," He snarked back quietly, chuckling as Windblade gaped at him in mock hurt.
"Low blow Jetstorm and here I thought you couldn't get any lower," She replied. Jetstorm shot her a glare.
"Size jokes? Really? You know that height doesn't make the jokester my dear," He said in a stiff, formal voice with his scent-receptor in the air. Windblade snorted at this while Optimus and Drift chuckled at their antics.
The peace wasn't for long when a wail filled the air. Slipstream jolted and fell off the berth while everybot else jumped.
Jetstorm checked the monitor.
"He's breaking the barrier!"
\\\\\\\
Sideswipe was so tired but he knew that staying here any longer could be catastrophic for his processor.
Don't ask how he knew this; he just did.
He eyed that barrier with distaste as he hefted the giant sledgehammer onto his right shoulder.
Hey; his processor, his rules.
Sideswipe balanced the giant hammer in his servos and cocked his arms back. He waited a second and then swung forward with all the brute force he could muster. The hammer connected with the barrier with a loud bang. He scrutinized the wall for a few seconds until he saw a minute crack in the barrier.
Sideswipe started to swing again and again, determined to get out of there. He had some things to do.
/
Everybot in the room was staring at the charts, looking for a sign that Sideswipe really was waking up. Jetstorm was the only one to see it but the blip was only seeable to the trained eye.
"There! He hit the barrier!"
\\\\\\\\
Sideswipe hit the barrier.
/
"There! Another blip!"
\\\\\\\\
Sideswipe swung. Spider web-like cracks slowly climbed the dome-like barrier as he swung again.
/
They watched the blips; once unseeable but becoming more and more obvious.
\\\\\\\\
He swung one more time.
The dome shattered.
/
They watched the screen; the line that previously displayed the blips going haywire. One giant blip appeared then they died down. Optimus immediately grew worried at the fact that the little thin line had stopped moving all together. It got worse when Jetstorm's servos flew across keyboard but the Minicon didn't even seem worried; in fact, he looked overjoyed.
"That's it Sideswipe! Come back to us!" Jetstorm cheered as he raced around the berth, unhooking the sensors from Sideswipes helm and placing another bag of energon on the IV.
"Umm… what happened?" Windblade asked once she was certain he was done running around. Jetstorm looked at her and for the first time in cycles, the Minicon looked ecstatic.
"He broke the barrier, he should be joining us in the land of the living shortly. But…," He turned to look at every bot with a stern look, "We need to establish a few rules beforehand," Drift opened his mouthplates to say something but Jetstorm raised his servo to stop him, "Sorry Master but I would appreciate it if you followed the rules too."
Drift nodded once; Jetstorm may be his apprentice but he trumped Drift as a medic.
"One; no crowding him once he wakes up, he'll be disorientated, delirious and likely to strike at one of us in panic. Two; no asking him any questions about what had happened or personal questions for at least a week. Three; no forcing him to move right away," He turned to pin a definitely evil glare on Optimus Prime, "He'll be in no condition to move around for a week so we. Stay. Put," Optimus looked unnerved by the fact a seven foot tall Minicon was scaring the absolute slag out of him but he finally nodded when the Minicon Stink-Eye evolved into the Minicon Death-Glare.
Jetstorm looked pleased with Optimus's reaction; which unnerved everyone else.
He turned his attention back to the screen that showed Sideswipes vitals; including a steady-and thankfully strong- spark-beat.
Optimus slowly inched his way towards Drift; Windblade creeping closer to avoid the moody Minicon.
"Is he always like that?" Optimus asked nervously. Drift nodded his helm once. A wrench flew in their general direction; making Optimus and Windblade jump a hister into the air.
Drift was just too used to Jetstorm's idiosyncrasies.
"All trained medical bots have their audio-receptors on full volume," Jetstorm sing-songed, "And that means I can hear you."
The shiver that went through the room said it all.
\\\\\\\
The next three solar cycles was spend waiting for Sideswipe to wake up and avoiding the crazy-and damn deadly with his wrenches; reminding Optimus a little too much of Ratchet- Minicon and his look-a-like brother. When Jetstorm and Slipstream realized that they terrified Windblade and Optimus Prime well; they went to town.
It had started after the wrench attack; Optimus was near the energon supply when Slipstream had showed up out of nowhere and had scared the spark out of him.
Slipstream had noticed it.
Windblade was next; yelping when Jetstorm had snuck up on her to get a cube for himself and his brother.
Drift had found the whole debacle amusing but he still had a quick word with his two mischievous students about giving bots spark-attacks.
Didn't really stop them from doing it.
Jetstorm had finally decided to leave the big-bot terrorizing to his twin and focus on taking care of his patient.
Slipstream was more than happy to oblige.
Jetstorm watched as his normally strict brother stalked Windblade like a seasoned Felioid; waiting for the perfect moment to strike at the unsuspecting femme. Drift had seen it too but Optimus hadn't yet seen the playful nuisance behind him; making him collateral-or a bonus- to the prank that Slipstream was planning.
He turned back to the screen; chuckling at the pair of shocked yowls that came from behind him. He watched the spark-beat on the screen, happy that it seemed even stronger than yester-cycle. At the rate that Sideswipe was going at, Jetstorm wouldn't be surprised if he woke up some time today or tomorrow.
He could hear Drift reprimanding Slipstream but he kept his optics on the monitor; not wanting to miss a thing. That was the only reason he saw the lines speed up.
"He's waking up!
/
Sideswipe felt sore, lethargic and he was craving a cube of high-grade. He wanted nothing more than to just stay curled up on the berth but he knew that he had to face reality.
Jetstorm and Slipstream would most likely want to chew him out for lying.
Optimus will be upset that they wasted time over a slutty, dirty waste of space when they could have gone ahead to the salvage yard.
Windblade would be mad at him for wasting precious resources.
All Drift would want is answers and that's what that scared him.
That scared Sideswipe because once Drift knew just how dirty Sideswipe really was, he would leave and not look back; taking everybot with him.
Sideswipe knew that his spark would shatter when it happened.
He already had to rebuild it once before when he lost Daybreaker.
It was still like shattered glass; the shards slicing into his mesh.
He turned on his optics, not wanting to face the music but not really having a choice. He turned his helm to look and he nearly jumped out of the berth.
Jetstorm was really close; looking him over with critical optics. He backed up once he was seemingly satisfied with something and Sideswipe got a good look at the other bots crowding around the berth.
He was expecting anger or indifference to grace their faceplates.
He wasn't expecting worry.
"Hey," Sideswipe said slowly; just waiting for the first fist to fly out and hit him, punishing him for his laziness. Drift reached towards him and Sideswipe unconsciously flinched away; his optics screwed tightly closed. He didn't see their shocked faceplates or the worried looks but he did hear the aggravated sigh and loud ruckus. Sideswipe opened his optics to see everybot being chased away from the berth by a wrench wielding Minicon.
"WHAT WAS THE FIRST RULE?! NO CROWDING THE BERTH! GET! SHOO! SHOO!" Jetstorm-Sideswipe could always tell them apart- hollered as he herded the three giant bots into a far corner of the room they were in; terrorizing them with a wrench of all things.
Sideswipe couldn't see Slipstream.
He felt the berth dip ever so slightly on his right side and he peeked down. Nestled by his chassis was the missing Minicon; looking like this-he didn't know what to call it- was a normal occurrence.
"Umm… what are you doing?" He asked, watching as Slipstream got comfortable.
Slipstream looked at him with kind optics as he finally settled down, "I'm staying with you. It must have been lonely in there with no bot to talk too. I'm just keeping you company."
Sideswipe would never say this out loud but those words touched his still broken spark; a soothing balm for the piercing shards. He gently pressed his right servo to Slipstream's backstrut, "Thanks," He whispered as exhaustion finally won and he slipped into recharge.
/
They watched Sideswipe recharge.
Was it creepy? Yes.
Was it necessary? Yes.
Would Slipstream and Sideswipe kill them for it? Absolutely.
Jetstorm was watching the display, not wanting to take any chances of Sideswipe falling back into his stasis coma. The first twenty-four hours after were the most risky for a stasis coma patient; there was an increased chance of the bot in question-it being Sideswipe in this case- to fall back into another coma. But unlike when he was comatose and dead still, Sideswipe was twitching every few breems and muttering now and again.
Jetstorm quickly checked the display and was frankly worried about the increase in temperature. Sideswipe's cooling system kicked in but unlike the more noisy versions that many bot's had, his was silent; the only noise a hushed hum as it tried to do its job.
"Is this normal?" Optimus asked at Sideswipe twitched yet again muttered something. Slipstream just kept recharging like this was completely normal.
"Yes. The protoform is just checking to see of its ok; normal sleep habits should resume by the end of the week. The temperature however is not normal," He turned to Windblade, "Do you have any antibiotics in this place?"
"Yes," She said, "But why do you need them?"
Jetstorm answered, "Because he has a fever and I want to nip it in the bud before it turns into something nasty."
Windblade quickly nodded and started to rummage through a few of the crates, roping Optimus in to help when she didn't have luck in the first crate. Drift went to help when angry muttering was heard from the irate femme.
Jetstorm turned his attention back to Sideswipe as they searched; wondering what he was dreaming about that could cause him to mutter so much.
Slipstream bumped into something and a sub-space pocket opened on the outer thigh; a memory box falling out. Jetstorm was startled by it for a second but he quickly shoved it back in and closed the pocket.
Whatever was on that thing, he could ask about it another time.
\\\\\\\\
Sideswipe was gazing at the bot beside him, curing up a little closer to the gold and silver Seeker. He had met Starburst five lunar cycles ago when he had infiltrated the house in an attempt to gather information to bring it down. Starburst had bought him and had protested when Sideswipe had willing spread his legs.
They talked for hours; Starburst leaving and coming back the next night. Neither of them planned on falling in love with each other but it had happened and if Sideswipe had to be honest, he was happy.
Starburst had come today looking sad and had cried when Sideswipe had asked him what is wrong.
The council had decided to send him on an off-planet mission.
Starburst wanted to take Sideswipe with him but doesn't have the credits needed to buy him. Sideswipe decided that tonight that they were going to do it, so they would remember the others touch while Starburst was away.
The rest of the night was the best night of Sideswipes life.
He didn't know that interfacing could feel so good.
They didn't even feel their spark-chambers open just enough for a miracle to happen.
/
Jetstorm quickly hooked up the antibiotics once they were found- they were in a crate by the back wall and under a mountain of other medical supplies-and shooed the others away. He didn't tell them about the box because they would take it and look through it.
That would invade Sideswipes privacy.
He watched the mech twitch yet again and Slipstream curl up a little tighter to the slender bot.
\\\\\\\\\\\
Sideswipe stared at the test clutched in his servos; not daring himself to believe it. He had gotten sick two weeks after Starburst had left with his friend Saberhorn on that mission and the owners took him to the in-house doctor.
They didn't want their best-selling whore to get sick.
The doctor had performed the test on a hunch, having seen these symptoms before; he had been just as shocked as Sideswipe was but he knew that he needed to get Sideswipe out of here.
Sideswipe jumped when the collar was removed and he stared at the doctor in shock as the mech opened an access hatch that was hidden under a berth.
"Quick, get in," Sideswipe scrambled in, "This tunnel leads to the edge of Iacon-just keep going straight once you get down- and a little ways into the plains. Once you get out; transform and get on the highway headed east. Get off at the exit to Altihex and find the Center for Carriers. Ask for Ricochet and tell her Sunwolf sent you."
Sideswipe stared at him, "Thank you."
"You're welcome. Now go!" And the hatch was closed overhead.
Sideswipe started to climb down when he heard the window being shattered and a thump. Hoping the kind mech was alright, he continued down the ladder and towards freedom.
/
Drift wandered a little closer once he knew that his student wouldn't come after him with a wrench.
Drift never knew that a seven foot Minicon could be so dangerous with a repair tool.
He watched Slipstream curl up under Sideswipe's servo as the willowy mech twitched yet again. Jetstorm kept an optic on the pair as he kept the other optic on the screen that displayed Sideswipes vitals.
"Has anything changed?" Drift asked once he was certain that Jetstorm didn't have a wrench within arm's reach. Jetstorm looked at his master with a critical optic, looking like he was judging him.
"No," Drift looked relieved, "But I did discover something."
Drift looked at his student with a stunned look, "What is it?" He asked.
Jetstorm looked around and leaned closer; Drift unknowingly mimicking him, "Slipstream had bumped into a sub-space pocket on Sideswipes thigh and a memory box tumbled out. I don't want the others to know because they would go in and look through the box. I would rather them not know until he was ready to tell than loose Sideswipes trust."
Drift nodded at the Minicon; Optimus Prime and Windblade are used to knowing everything and finding that Sideswipe is hiding a memory box from them would upset them and lead them to looking through it.
"Thank you for trusting me."
"Let's just hope that we don't have to keep this a secret for long."
\\\\\\\\\
Sideswipe walked through the pristine hallways, looking for his friend.
Knockout had been a constant ever since he arrived at Altihex and the Center for Carriers. He had helped Sideswipe get adjusted to freedom and the idea of Carrierhood and Sideswipe had offered support to the solo parent.
Carrying twins is no laughing matter; especially since their father is a dead Decepticon.
Sideswipe didn't understand a word of the medical jargon when Knockout had explained it but basically what he and Breakdown did was preserve a few small portions of their spark so they could have children if one of them ever died. Since Knockout barely went out into the field, he was the one entrusted with the fragments of their sparks and once the war was over, Knockout waited for the right moment.
It had presented itself when the Council had lost track of the former Decepticon in Tyger Pax where Knockout was helping repair the old Tyger Pax hospital-now named the AllSpark Memorial Hospital- and helping the overworked staff to tend to the multitude of patients that had flooded the place.
Over three-quarters of them were bots that were helping with construction work and had gotten into workplace accidents.
Once Knockout had realized what had happened, he proceeded to impregnate himself and fled to Altihex's Center for Carriers. The Center was a sanctuary zone, meaning that anybot that goes there is protected from all harm and anybot seeking to harm them would be unable to do anything.
A perfect place for a pregnant ex-Decepticon to stay at until the children was born.
He finally found Knockout in the living room reading over a few datapads and rubbing his large belly. Sideswipe started to show three lunar cycles ago and he loved to rub his bump so it was no surprise that Knockout also enjoyed it.
"Whatcha doing?" Sideswipe asked as he settled down beside Knockout.
"Just waiting for the labour to start," Knockout said as he fidgeted, "They are so ready to come out."
Sideswipe nodded and took Knockout's servo in his own, "It's going to be ok. You're going to be a great parent."
Knockout nodded than flinched. He looked at the smaller red mech with wide optics, "It's time."
/
Windblade trotted over and watched the sleeping pair as Sideswipe murmured under his breath and jerked slightly. Slipstream was still asleep, much to her surprise.
"Have either of them woken up yet?" She asked as the recharging Minicon slumbered on.
"No but I'm not surprised," Jetstorm said as he typed away on the keyboard, "Slipstream had been staying up at night to watch Sideswipe."
Windblade looked shocked but Jetstorm just laughed, "He doesn't seem to realize that I'm up too but he had always been a worry-bot when it came to friends and family. So am I but we display it differently; I loose almost all of my non-existent patience but he just stays up and watched over the other bot until they either get better or I sedate his aft."
He chuckled at Windblade's reaction and turned back to the monitor.
\\\\\\\\\
Sideswipe watched Knockout nurse his sparklings with a smile on his faceplates. It had been two lunar cycles since they were born- a mechling named Breakout and a femmeling named Knockdown- and Sideswipe though that they were adorable. Knockdown looked just like her Carrier but had her Creator's colouring while Breakout was reversed, sharing his Creator's looks and his Carrier's colouring.
Both Knockout and Sideswipe believed that they were worth the ten hours of labour.
He looked down at his now large stomach with a mixture of wonder, delight and trepidation. He nearly had his servo broken when Knockout went through labour and if the normally strong war veteran could be reduced to tears during labour than how was Sideswipe going to handle the pain?
Knockout must have noticed something because Sideswipe soon had an armful of baby Knockdown and a bottle in his servos.
"Stop worrying so much; you'll do fine," Knockout scolded as he tucked Breakout's bottle under his chin and rubbed soothing circles on his backstrut.
Sideswipe just looked at him with fear-filled optics, "I'm not as strong as you though."
He yelped when a servo gently connected to the back of his helm; it then resting on the back of his neck and gently petting him, "It's ok to be afraid. It does hurt," Sideswipe quickly pinned a glare on the mech who had the bearings to smile at him, "But the pain is worth it to see you're sparkling for the first time in your arms."
Sideswipe nodded with a soft smile. He remembered just how big the smile on Knockout's face when he got to hold his sparklings for the first time.
A bolt of pain traveled up his backstrut and he knew.
"Hey Knockout."
"Yes Sideswipe?"
"It's time."
\\\\\\\\\\
Optimus watched Jetstorm flit around the berth from the corner of the room. The Minicon wasn't worried so Optimus wasn't either… much.
It was Optimus's job as a leader to worry over the condition of the bots under his command and Sideswipe was most definitely under his command. So were the other bots but even Optimus respected a medic's word and treated it as law.
It was not an attempt to stay on Jetstorm's good side and avoid a wrench being whipped at him.
He dared to wander a little closer and when Jetstorm didn't react; Optimus took it as a sign to get a little nearer.
He opened his mouthplates but Jetstorm beat him to it, "Their recharge pattern is perfectly normal and both of them will be up tomorrow. The twitching and muttering is normal too."
Optimus closed his mouthplates; knowing that Jetstorm was close to snapping and he edged away slowly, deciding that Drift can deal with it.
/
"Come on Sides, just a little more," Knockout encouraged as the in-house doctors worked at the end of the berth.
Sideswipe groaned, "I can't! I'm too tired."
Knockout gritted his denta's; he wasn't going to lose the mech that had become his best friend, "Yes you can! Your sparkling needs you to do this. They're almost here! Don't you want to meet them?" Sideswipe nodded ardently, he wanted nothing more than to finally meet his sparkling, "Then hold on!"
The doctor at the end of the berth looked at Sideswipe, "Ok Sideswipe; the sparkling is almost here, we need one more push. Can you do that?" Sideswipe nodded fervently, "Ok, here we go! Three, two, one; push!"
Sideswipe pushed with every bit of strength that he had left; Knockout winced as his servos were squeezed hard. A wail filled the air a second later and Knockout got the pleasure to see a smile fill Sideswipes faceplates; love and wonder filling the smaller mechs tired optics as the nurse cleaned and wrapped a blanket around the tiny protoform.
"Congratulations, it's a femme," The doctor said as the nurse handed the blanket over to Sideswipe. The sparkling had a pair of Seeker wings and a unique gold colouring with red accents. A pair of small wheels graced the back of her legs.
Almost nineteen joor's of labour didn't matter at all when Sideswipe was holding his daughter.
"Hey there precious, I'm your Carrier," Sideswipe cooed as the doctors bustled around them, cleaning the room.
The sparkling opened her tiny violet optics and looked at Sideswipe. Knockout smiled at Sideswipe and planted a kiss to the sweaty helm, "She's beautiful Sides," He praised, "What are you going to name her?"
Sideswipe looked thoughtful; pondering the perfect name for this perfect little femme until he saw the sunrise.
"Daybreaker," Knockout looked at him like he was crazy, "Her name is Daybreaker."
Knockout rolled the name off of his glossa; it had a unique but poetic ring to it," Daybreaker it is then."