Prime Blood: Ironbands
a/n Warning: gonna get sticky. And mushy. The lullaby I wrote, to feel free to puke if it's that awful.
"Sirs, you need to see this." Jolt calls to the commanders still bowed over the sparkling pod. Reluctantly Ratchet turns from the precious pod to the pile of twisted metal behind him. He sees the hole Jolt is pointing out.
"What the…?" Ratchet is surprised he didn't see it sooner. Slowly, he walks over to the carcass. Ironhide lets his arms slip from Chromia and follows Ratchet. Chromia stays with Optimus stroking the pod. To both of them, it feels like they have Elita and her sparkling back for a moment. Both of them are pretty shaken up emotionally.
Bee is the first to figure it out all out, but he remains silent and solemn on everything going on. Part of him wants to be right, but then again… another infant loss is not something this set of friends can't deal with again.
Ironhide takes a close look at the hole that is clearly his back of the scrap. Not much else is distinguishable. But then he sees what Jolt and Bee had also seen. Bee lifts him up and closer so that his hand touches inside the hole. He strokes the streaks of sparkling blue metal pushed inside the hole and feathering out the back. Almost like it has been blasted from the front through the hole and comes out the back. Ironhide motions to Bee to bring him around to the front. It's hard to see it, but he knows his body as well as Chromia's. He can see it. He knows what has happened. His chest tightens and cringes.
She was in front of him. He had his arm wrapped around her waist holding her as tight as he could against his own body when the blast hit. There! A single mark on what was the "hip". Ironhide looks down to his human hand, the identical mark. Chromia's name in sparkling blue Cybertronian glyphic. The blast had caused him to fold over her into a combined ball. The blast had pushed her body into his. Not just against it, but literally into it. Through it. Out the back.
The sound of a jerked neck strut had Ironhide turning around to a pair of horrified optics. It cringes Ironhide even worse. This one bot could be grumpy or angry, fine. Disappointed, alright. Confused, part of the scientist in him. But horrified? No you never want to see this bot horrified. Ironhide's friend, the best surgeon in all the universe. Even Megatron respects him enough to have a bounty out specific: "Capture: Death to one who kills this mech.".
But there it was: Ratchet horrified by the situation. Everything hits Ratchet at the same time. Ratchet holds his hand out and Ironhide leaps across. Together they look back through the hole to Optimus and Chromia and …. the offspring. Bee softly mewls. Ratchet nods and sighs heavily, "Oh Primus help us now in our dearest times."
Leaping down ever so gracefully, Ironhide strides quickly back to his friend and mate. He reaches for his sparkling's pod. Optimus knew exactly what it was when he felt both Chromia and Ironhide touching it together. Ironhide puts the pod into Chromia's arms and helps her support it. The pod fills both of their hands. Large in human hands but a mere speck of hope to the Cybertronians. Chromia looks up to Prime curiously. Ironhide looks back at his friend for support and guidance. Optimus gives a nod to his head.
"You knew as soon as you saw it?" Ironhide asks.
"I knew for sure when I felt it with both of you." Optimus tells his friends. Ironhide can feel it too. Chromia looks up at Ironhide quickly. She can feel it too now. Tears come to them both. Her curse, has been lifted. Exchanged.
"I love you," she tells her sparkmate smiling broadly.
"We did it," he manages to get out. They hold each other a little tighter as their tears drip down onto the pod. A life they created while trying to save a life. An offspring they never thought they would ever be granted lays in their hands.
Ratchet sinks down grasping his head. How was he going to fix this? And then he starts laughing. A full fledged deep sparked laugh, "Ironhide, you just love to drive me nuts, don't you? I thought I told you….!" Optimus just starts chuckling too at the threat of human procreation and yet in their hands is a Cybertronian sparkling made from the combined spark energy.
Bee smiles at Prime laughing. And then a thought hits him like a blow to the chest, "But what now? I mean, how does the pod continue to develop?" Optimus quickly stops laughing. He looks down at the human parents holding the delicate Autobot offspring. The infant is not laying beside it's creator's spark signature pulsing in time and receiving the nutrients to grow strong and healthy. No one is providing for the orphan.
Ratchet swiftly comes to them and runs his scans. His brow furrows again.
"How long do you think it has before it hatches?" Optimus asks.
"How long will it take us to get that mass moving?" Jolt nods to the pile of scrap Ironhide and Chromia.
They all look between the small family. For a long time it had only been two lives at risk. Now they have a third one at risk. And Ratchet's scowl is getting deeper as he scans the pod further.
"I'll do everything I can." Ratchet says and calls his team together immediately. Swiftly he gives Jolt and the team directions about the scrap pile. Then Ratchet motions Bee, Optimus, Chromia and Ironhide to the side. "We need to talk, but not here. Let me get them started on the chassis." He points to Ironhide and Chromia, "Food, shower, and meet us." Then points to Optimus, "I need everything Elita and Firestar gave you, please." Optimus only nods knowing it will be and very tough emotional walk for both of them.
Bee looks very worried for his friends, "But how did pods develop before?"
Ratchet lays a hand on Bee's shoulder ignoring the question for the moment, "I will give you a list of supplies to bring to the meeting." The looks to all of them, "One hour. I want all of you, one hour in Prime's quarters. Alright? You too Bee."
Chromia clutches the pod tighter, "What about our sparkling?" Her chin waivers, "Firestar…"
Ironhide takes the pod back from Chromia and hands it to Optimus, "Please… Anything. Please, I give you my hope… my little spark…." Ironhide kisses it.
Optimus takes the pod and tucks it as close to his spark and wedged next to the Matrix as possible and closes his armor, "I don't know if this will work."
"Do you have any other ideas?" Chromia asks wiping away her tears. They all shake their heads. "Then it certainly can't hurt."
Ratchet nods, "Go. One hour. Don't give up hope." Ironhide smiles, there's his Old Ratchet. The team breaks up.
~~ Breakfast for Ironhide and Chromia was hard to choke down. What a tumble of emotions they went through in a matter of minutes outside on the deck. Terror, hope, laughter, defeat, love, and fear of watching it all their dreams slip away before their very optics. These bodies needed this food, but their emotions seem to distract from being able to swallow.
Finally, Chromia can't do it anymore, setting the fork down burrowing her face in her right hand. Ironhide reaches across the table taking her left hand. His thumb rubs across the tattoo on her finger. His name in ruby red. A human mark on the finger, but a Cybertronian mark of the glyphic.
"Chromia, I'm here." He tells her in Cybertronian because this is so private. "I love you."
Her chin waivers, "How could he do it again? How could Primus create another life just to let it just die? Elita's darling. Firestar's Ember. Now ours.. How…?"
She begins sobbing. Swiftly, Ironhide clutches her hand tighter and tugs it. For once, they leave their dishes on the table and he leads her from the room. Grabbing another set of clothes from the supply closet next to the human showers, Ironhide takes her into the wash room. He locks the doors so they have the huge room to themselves. Some one will be mad, but he doesn't care. Chromia is nearing a catatonic state with glazed eyes and shuffling feet. Ratchet had warned him to never let her slip there … again. It could revert her into a post-Mindwipe-state. And Ratchet had never told Ironhide everything about Chromia's recovery, just that it had been ugly.
Shaking the thought aside, Ironhide keeps her with him enough to get her stripped. Then himself. He tugs her limp hand again into the stall and turns on the water. He smiles to her, "This will be new, right?" She just nods blankly. The water comes to a temperature he finds soothing and pulls her in along with the cleaning supplies he found in the closet.
Just like in their bot wash racks, he scrubs and rubs the solvent/soap over his mate's body. Yes she is more pliable now in this form. A moan escapes her when he finds those spots again that have always been trouble to her. "Chromia, my love, stay with me. We can do this together. Alright?" He continues to massage and soothe her body hoping to soothe his own worries.
In spite of his tender loving touches, her body begins to tremble. She turns on her own into to huddle into his arms, "I'm scared." That is a very rare word in her vocabulary. At training she had been quiet and focused in learning everything, but not scared. Scared only of her emotions toward him. To everyone else: Demanding, yes. Aggressive, sure. Ruthless, ask any 'Con. Only with Ironhide does she let her shy, soft and vulnerable side show.
Caressing and soothing her head and hair, he pushes, "Talk to me. Tell me everything."
A few moments pass and his hands drop from her rinsed hair to her chin lifting it to face his searching optics. She actually smirks, "You know, this is easier through the bond."
He bops his head slighting in agreement pushing her to ease up for a moment, "Yeah, then I would know exactly where to soothe you, too. " He tries to pull a smirk, but it's weak.
She shakes her head lightly, "Hide, you can't use that with me. This is serious." Stepping away from her, he leans in to the water and begins scrubbing his own body in a way he just knoooooows, turns her on. Maybe this will keep her from slipping away from him. A feral growl emits from her body to her brain's disgust, "Stop it Hide." Instead he turns ever so slightly letting his hand drop and strip the soap off that one appendage that reeked complete havoc on her last night. The groan of anger emits but her optics still watch him do it again, "Ironhide, this is no time for that." And he does it once more with a sound begging her to come to him.
Yanking her head away, closes her eyes and slams a fist to the wall. She is mad at so much but takes it out on him, "Our sparkling's life is in danger and you want to get rowdy? You sick bastard."
His head snaps up. It worked, he has her back and focused. Now to bring her to his side, "Yes, the sparkling is in danger! And I need you with me! I need my mate! I need my SIC. I need the femme commander of Rock Bottom!"
She now snaps her head back around to him with that anger so many 'Con's and subordinates fear, "What is THAT supposed to mean?"
He grasps her shoulders firmly so she can't walk away, "It means, I'm not going to let you slip into PTS. I means I need you by my side. I need you to think and focus. You are so smart. Smarter than me at times." She can't help but smile a little at that. This time he cups her face, "I know this is going to be painful. This is no picnic for Optimus either. What do you think he is going through upstairs right now?" Chromia blanches. Ironhide nods, "Yeah, if anything, it's up to us to hold him together as well." Then his face falls even more worried, "And Ratchet, how do you think he feels? He couldn't save his grand-sparkling. It tore him apart to watch Inferno and Firestar grieve after everything they've gone through." His other hand cups the other cheek, "Elita's death tore him as badly as me. Even worse not being there to even save their tiny hope." He grips his Ocean City SIC firmly his own tears threatening to breach the dam, "I can't have you crumble now. I know its easy to just fold up into and wallow in the Pit," Now his own chin is beginning to waiver seeing her turn strong, "I'm standing on that precipices right now. The only thing holding me back is you here in my hands I haven't lost you. Mate, we have a gift we never thought we would ever have at our fingertips. I know how much you wanted to give me sparklings. I have grieved just as much knowing they would kill you. And yet, now we have one. Please, you have to help us figure out how to save it."
Chromia leans into him letting him wrap his large arms encompass around her. She almost whispers, "It's so silent. I can't feel you and it frightens me. I used to be able to just send and feel you bounce back your comfort and support. That little one needs to feel us both. It needs our bond. Both signatures. How will…?"
Ironhide shakes his head, "I don't know." He tips her chin up, "But I do know this, we can do this. We have to and will. All of us. Help me keep Ratchet and Optimus focused, please. Don't let them worry about us too much. Alright?" She nods.
Letting the hot water sear their skin they cling to each other tightly. Soon the water is loosening up their fears and muscles, letting fingers trace and caresses lightly, "I could really use a spark bond right now," she whispers.
He leans in and kisses her warmly letting his lips speak where their send used to. She sends it right back. But the hot water is helping the bodies slip closer and tighter together in a familiar fashion. His hands slips down her back and cups her firm strong hips while her kiss deepens pushing him harder and harder until his back is against the wall of tile. And the appendage now scrubbed clean makes itself known again. Chromia moans, dropping her hands from his strong neck to his chest. Then with a firm hand to his centered chest, pushes back out of his arms softly.
Robbed of her warmth and contact, he actually whines out loud. Until he sees the wicked look on her face. Chromia turns her sultry back on him, lits him a smirk and bends over, exposing her female port directly in his line of sight. Ironhide inhales deeply and growls at his male cord stiffening even harder, painfully. "Chromia….," he warns.
She catches his optics from below and between her knees, "You said this wash rack would be different. Show me."
He steps closer and greedily grasps her hips. Wedging a foot against one of hers, spreads her wider, "Oh… we don't get this position do we? Frag'n humans."
"Shut up and thrust, you idiot." She growls grabbing her ankles.
"Ooooh, and just who do you think you are, Commander? FIC?" He teases the port with the tip of his human-cord. The slickness the head touches knows is not the hot water from above.
"Hide… pleeeease." She keens. One of his hands comes over a slick thigh, slips up to tweak a hardened nipple. Grips and squeezes the sensitive mound and then trails on single finger down the cleavage forcing itself against her belly to find the tip of her glit. "Ha! Mnnnyeah." He chuckles listening to her beg for him. She rocks herself back letting the tip begin to enter. "YES!"
"No!" he counters the order, pushing her hip away. She rocks again and against his will, penetrates further. Now she is laughing at his moan of defeat. For that, he pulls all the way out. She whimpers. "What do you want?"
Releasing her ankles, slams her hands against the tile walls and thrusts her rump back sheathing the hardened human spike more. "THAT!"
Disappointed that she got him again, he wraps his fingers deep into her hip skin. "Fine! Hang on, here it comes." He pulls back preparing to thrust it hard and deep just how she likes it.
She pleas almost breaking the moment, with a cracked voice, "Please, Mate, make sure you drive it deep enough to pierce this spark."
His voice hitches in heartfelt promise, "You will feel nothing but me." She mewls again. And he slowly eases the full length deep into her.
"Ahhhhhh, Hiiiiiide…." She begs for his spark.
"I'm not going anywhere." He begins his deep thrust careful to make them hard. In turn, her human-port clenches so tight he was getting worried she would sever his appendage.
"Bond me!" She's crying out for their spark merging that they can't have.
His own voice hitches for something he can't give her, "Chromia…. I'm here. Feel me."
She sobs, "I can't feel you."
Leaning over presses his front to her back, "Can you feel my heart beat?" She nods her head. He clamps a hand over hers, "I can't feel you too." Returning to thrusting, he growls, "It will take more than turning us human to break us apart."
She sobs again but this time in acceptance of his love filled words. Reaching higher up on the wall to grasps the shower head, he buries deeper, "Ahhh, Chromiaaaaaaa!" And she felt the molten hot release. She could swear she did feel the spike penetrate and molten seed fill her heart. Ironhide dropped his forehead to her shoulder blades panting.
Chromia begins to giggle, "I like these human wash racks." Ironhide shutters with her in amusement. And then the pounding on the door is heard.
"Oh slag," the both mutter. It's that same sergeant.
~~~ For Optimus the walk to his quarters was just as difficult as Ironhide and Chromia's breakfast. He walked into the quarters, shut the door and sank to the desk. Taking a few deep breathes, he knew he had to find those data pads and relive the joys he shared with Elita and Lilly before their tragic end. He also knew, Poco would probably come up in conversation today as well. Optimus wasn't sure how Chromia would take the news that he had taken a second mate. Elita had been her best friend and Ironhide had not been accepting of the relationship at first.
He sighed heavily, give him Unicron to fight any day over walking this road. Optimus dropped his head into his palms propped up by his elbows on the desk top. Primo had begged release from his father's name and duty. Optimus had lost the lineage of Prime there. But it was Primo's right. Optimus huffed in amusement, besides, would the Matrix really choose a human to carry on? No, it was for the best. Besides, Primo had gone on to do something even more valuable: adopt abandoned children and teach the next generation history. How could Orion Pax not be proud of that? His son carried on his legacy where it really mattered: saving lives and insuring the future. He smiled. And all this in secret. As far as the Autobot faction knew, Primo was dead in a freak accident by Prime's own ped. Only his father knew the truth. Optimus lifted his head with a bit more hope.
And Rosa…, he sighed heavily again for his daughter. Would could he say about his spunky little daughter? Athletic like her father, smart as a whip like her mother, brave as her father, and tenacious as her mother. Rather than let her father leave the Autobots again in a potential one way mission, she stole his ship and mission. Leaving one message behind, "I love you." Optimus smiled again. He had good sparklings. Children.
He looks down to his chest and runs a thumb over his chest, "Ironhide's offspring? You have some big cannons to fill little one. Primus help us all if you are a femme." Optimus takes a deep sigh of comfort and smiles.. Leaning back in the chair, props his feet up to the desk top. Then reaches into this subspace to draw out the data pads containing his letters from Elita and his own personal journals, continuing to stroke the little pod beside the Matrix. He even pulls a couple out his communiqués with Poco. Who knows, those may come in handy as well.
~~ Ratchet was down stairs digging through his own piles of data pads for what LITTLE information he had from Optimus' time as a human. He was still swearing up a storm about Optimus keeping all that from him. He could have sworn he and Optimus had a better trust relationship. But then again, seeing the negative reaction Optimus had gotten from Ironhide about Poco, Ratchet guessed he couldn't blame the leader too much. If Dion-turned-Ironhide was balking at Optimus finding love again while his own beloved was still MIA… well let's just say that was not a good time for Ironhide and Optimus, to say the least. Once again, with a sigh, Ratchet couldn't blame Optimus too much.
Now that fragging virus that he himself had messed with had bitten another one of his friends. "Primus am I cursed?" He asks the ceiling. Taking a moment to get himself together, he looked out the window. Jolt and the team were doing their best to hook up monitors and get deep scans of the shell. It was going to take a while to separate Chromia from Ironhide. If there was anything left of Chromia. It did not look good for her to say the least. The subs were still bringing up fragments of the two shells, but it all looked like kibble, nothing vital. Ratchet turns back to his subspace to find those slagging data pads.
~~~ In the 'Bot supply areas, Bee looked to the list Ratchet had given him. Fudge, and lots of it. He couldn't help but smile to the first thing on Ratchet's list. Next on the list was Energon, not high grade. The good stuff. Next was blanket, pillows, water. And some more stuff.
As Bee gathered the items into a box, he walked by the med bay headed towards the command quarter level. Ironhide and Chromia's shells bound and wrapped together. Bee knew what love was. Chromia and Ironhide were a rare example. It was most apparent in Optimus. Love was Optimus.
{flashback} When Bee first saw Optimus Prime slaughtering Decepticons in a vicious battle, he knew there was something else behind those blades and blasters that the 'Cons weren't driven by. Whatever it was that fueled the large mech, called to Bee and propelled him forward. It ignited his own fire to push harder, sustain longer, and hold his ground at Prime' side stronger than some of the other warriors.
When it was time to retreat, Prime took a moment to smile at Bee, and grabbed two of the nearest mortally wounded soldiers. Bee grabbed one more and followed his field commander out. When they made it back to base, the commander was greeted by the title Prime. Bee nearly fainted. Prime accepted the Energon shoved in his hand and then immediately turned to his team to ask how he could help. This was not the way Bee understood the role of Prime. But then again, this was the New Prime. Bee found himself completely enamored by him. Prime was surveying his team carefully with concern for every one.
Getting Prime's attention, CMO Ratchet pointed to a pink femme across the room, "Put her into stasis. If she doesn't rest soon, I'll have to repair her from over use. I have enough on my table. Please, Optimus?"
And Bee saw a look cross the large mech's face he never ever thought he would ever see on a PRIME: Bonded-mech-desire. This was a look only a mate has for their partner. Bee just stood and gaped at what he saw next. Prime winked to Ratchet, "My pleasure," who shook his head in light chuckle. Optimus handed the empty cube to Bee and strode over to the pink and white femme commanding a team of others in the placement supplies. Prime used his commanding tone, "Elita One," she snapped her head around to the sound of her name. And his tone dropped to the wanton look on his face, "We need to talk."
She shook her head waving of a silent message she received straight to her core, "No, we don't. Not now."
Smirking lovingly, he didn't give her a choice. As large and high ranking as he was, his palm was absolutely graceful and caressing as he slipped it around her waist thumbing the small of her back and held her in place stepping himself against her frame. She continued to shake her head. Cupping her cheek with the other tender palm, stopping the movement, devastating her even more with his very tender soft voice, "Yes, now." She tried to protest again, but he leaned over and hovered his mouth over hers melting her final protest. She knew what his kisses could do and the anticipation alone was messing her up, "Doctor's orders, my love." And he kisses her wholly wantonly. Her fists on his chest struck once, twice and then turned to claws clinging to his armor for stability as his kiss deepened with a moan. Prime's palm slipped down to cup her aft and lifting her peds off the floor harder against him. The palm from her cheek slipped to shoulders lifting her even higher. Bee could swear the temperature in the room rose from the friction of the bonded sparks pushing against the armor begging to merge again.
The little yellow mech's jaw just dropped. He had seen mech's nearly rape femmes in these war torn times. He had seen aristocracy mechs lust and take femmes they wanted, but this was completely different. Bee himself was an orphan, and therefore hadn't seen beautiful pure honest desire in a couple before. But here it was right before him. And it was a Prime completely in love with his mate.
"Not here! I didn't say frag her into stasis here, Optimus! Slag I swear you two are as bad as young horney-bots." Bee winced as the wrench sails through the air towards the Supreme Commander's helm. But the pink femme launches a hand straight up catching it before it can damage her mate.
Optimus lift his face a fraction, "Mm, thanks, love."
She smiles, "You're welcome. Now, can I get back to work?"
His smile is wicked with delight, "Absolutely." Taking the wrench from her hand he lets her slip from his grasp. He holds his hand out to Bee who takes it. Elita gets two steps from her mate, and he grasps her around the waist with two palms and tosses her over his shoulder, "I'll be back much later, Ratchet." Elita continues to protest beating her fists on the small of his back. He just chuckles, "A little more to the right, beloved." And disappears down the hall with his mate.
Bee is still gaping at what he just saw. A red firetruck-mech leans over Bee's shoulder, "Aint' they the cutest couple you ever did see?" Bee sputters in bewilderment.
Ratchet chuckles for a moment retrieving the wrench from Bee's loose grip, "Thanks, I need that. As for the cutest couple, that goes to you and Firestar, silly. Those two are just plain perfect. Now, young and yellow, could you help Inferno here clean out Ironhide's knee so I can repair the damage after I fix this crazy Ninjabot." To which Ratchet bonks Jazz on the forehelm lightly, "You dork! Two times your size fine, but three is pushing even your limits!" Bee found he was going to love being an Autobot if the way this group ran was in love and companionship. Something sorely missing in his young life.
~~ It wasn't long and he could recognize when couples were in love. Weather they tried to deny it or not. Ironhide tried to deny his thumping chest, but Bee could see how his gaze would drift back to the sparkling blue femme on the field. Bee knew what it was like to be pushed hard by Ironhide during training. Several times he and other mechs dragged themselves off the field actually crying. But never that blue femme. And at times, Ironhide pushed her harder that he should have. She never scowled at him, she excelled and challenged him to push her harder. Bee knew the tough old bucket of bolts had it bad for her then. Even got into a fist fight with Optimus and Jazz about it. He ended up stomping off to his quarters.
Bee had overheard what Elita did to Ironhide and Chromia after she had passed his test. Zingged him in the aft she did. Bee, giggled until he though he would bust a line. Ironhide snarled at Elita for tricking Chromia to his quarters that same afternoon. Elita merely smirked at him with the words repeated, "Paybacks, my dear Dion, paybacks."
After the graduation night battle with the Deceptions intrusion squad, Ironhide could be seen sneaking off to the femme dorms, to um inspect them. As the humans say, bullshit. They all knew he had the hots for Chromia. Bad. And not wanting to screw up command structure, she had it just as bad.
Bee had walked past the supply closet one day hearing the craziest sounds. He was about to open it when he recognized the voices. Chromia had found the catch to Ironhide pelvic plate, "Ah! Love, if you touch me there again, yesssss, that's the ….. Ooooh, my tank pump! Oh Chromia, are you teasing me! Please don't trigger that pump unless… you, (click) plan (hiss) to…" A piece of heavy armor clattered to the floor.
"Oh 'Hide, its beautiful." Chromia crooned like she had a delicate crystal in her hand.
Ironhide's voice was deeply mechly and offended, "My cord is not beautiful. It tis a powerful weapon."
By the shuttering sound from the tough warrior, she had trailed a finger down the length of the intimacy cord again, "Yes it is. And beautiful things need to be kissed."
"Noo! Don't! Ohhhhh, yess more…" he quickly recanted.
Bee couldn't help himself as only a young curious mech could be hearing Ironhide getting… umm what was the term again, serviced? in the closet. Jazz came down the hall catching Bee listening in. Jazz smirked but remained quiet. And then Prowl came. Serious Prowl didn't smile, but tried to put on an airs of standing guard. And then Cliffjumper arrived followed closely by Hound.
Apparently, Chromia could get the black and red weapons commander to make giggling pitches not other mech even knew that vocorder could reach. And then plummet the mech to the floor howling for more. Begging for her. Pleading for her. He even cried out for her spark once. All the optics on the outside of the closet were wide with shock when Ironhide said that.
When the door handle began to turn nearly ten minutes later, the smaller bots ran for their lives snickering. For Bee, he knew that hidden look in Ironhide's face whenever Chromia's name was mentioned. Ironhide loved Chromia deeply as Optimus loved Elita or as devotedly as Inferno and Firestar. {end flashback}
Bee looked at that twisted shell of metal in the med bay. If the situation weren't so desperate and lives weren't at stake, that piece of sculpture would be a fitting symbol of Ironhide & Chromia's love. He glanced up the staircase to the upper command quarters, but there were lives at stake. And therefore the beauty is tragic. Bee felt that a spark is going to break. He prayed it would be his own so that none of them would have to loose… again.
~~~ Ironhide and Chromia managed to get out of the showers with a silent scowl to the sergeant again. The sergeant knew he couldn't touch the personal friends of Prime, but he would sure like to pulverize Irons back for the broken nose.
Instead, the couple made their way to the secured Autobot sector of the base. Jetfire saw them coming and offered them silent a lift to the upper level. He could see there was just too much to deal with and small talk was not needed here. Carefully, he shield them from the medbay windows so they wouldn't see the twisted wreck of their former selves. At the entrance to the upper level, he let them off, with just a nod, and returned to his post.
Standing in the hallway, Ironhide slipped his palm into hers snuggly. Silently they strode down the hall towards Optimus quarters. All bases had quarters set aside for visiting Prime. He didn't want them, only wanting guest quarters, but everyone ignored him on that knowing he would need better secured connections and such. The couple continue towards the door open at the hallway end. This hallway seemed so long on such short legs now but for this moment it was perfect. Ironhide and Chromia heard a sound they hadn't heard in years, vorns, eons… Optimus Prime singing.
Hello my little spark of light
Let me tell you how your birth took flight.
Long before you were a hope in your creator's spark
Before you were a sign of your sire's mark
You were our one and only delight.
For we had gone to the Well
We had asked Primus for his spell
We had asked for a little sparkling gift
We prayed that he would be swift
For our sparks were racing to be quelled
And upon that precious day
We heard our favorite medic say
I dosest see an extra spark of light
Plan now for your days and nights
For soon you will have a little one a play.
Rest my little star-ling I feel your beating spark
Hush now darling ,we are not far apart.
Oh my little gift, you are a perfect fit.
Do not worry our love will not split
For precious darling dear you share our mark.
You will never know fully, How you fill us completely.
For we are your yesterday, and you are our tomorrow
With a head bent so close his chin touched his chest, he slipped his right hand under his asbergo to stroke the little pod with a bare palm. With an even more tender tone, if possible, Optimus continued the lullaby.
Do not let your spark furrow or sorrow
For you will see tomorrow , Sweetspark Optimus' voice cracked on those desperate words. And let his tears fall and didn't even try to stop his voice from wavering as he continued.
Oh precious dear, do you know how long we prayed
For we can barely wait until your hatching day.
Your sire and your creator long to show you the stars
For like them you will go very very far.
Optimus is nearly sobbing at this point with one hand against the glass window and one ever so tenderly stroking the sparkling pod within his chest.
So rest your little helm My precious little femme.
So like your sire You will set the world on fire.
And like your beloved creator, Primus grant you a favor.
That one day, you too will have your only sparkling dear
To share everything with both far and near….
Chromia's sob broke Optimus from singing to her sparkling. Slowly he turned to her with regret. She reached for him. He slowly sank to his knees before her and lowered his head in shame for her hearing him sing to her sparkling like it was his own. Instead, she grasped his helm antenna and pressed her lips to his forehelm, "You sing that song to my sparkling every night, you got it?" He shakes his head softly in negative, but her strength is more than he expected. She yanks his helm back to look her in the optics, "That is an order PRIME. You will sing to my gift. You will. I heard Elita sing it. But I never knew all the words because she would hush up whenever she caught us listening in." He can't respond. Chromia smack him dead center between the eyes on the bridge of his nose he so likes to pinch with her powerful fist. He flinches. "She would have taught that song to me if she was here and I was carrying. You are doing us both a favor. Now sing it every night. Alright?" She draws her fist back to smack him again, and he winches in preparation to being smacked again. "Good! Glad to see you understand me."
Optimus can't move his helm because she still has a firm grasp of the antenna, but he does shift his optics to Ironhide who is leaning against the door frame completely amused. Chromia leans in and whispers, "And please teach it to Ironhide. I want our mech to know his sire can sing too. Deal?" To which a very pleased smile pulls across Optimus' faceplate and he glances back to Ironhide.
Ironhide's smirk falls quickly, "Hey, what are you two consorting about over there? It's bad enough when Optimus is scheming but you two together…." he shutters.
Ratchet comes up behind Ironhide seeing the moment and chuckles, "Ah good, looks like plans are already in place. Ironhide being shot down is always a good way to start." Optimus and Chromia chuckle. Bee comes up behind Ratchet swiftly and croons a confused tone at them all. Ironhide growls.
With everybody inside, Ratchet closes and locks the door. Chromia releases Optimus' helm and he straightens up. Optimus motions for Bee to take his desk. Ratchet motions Optimus to lay on the large berth. Then he lifts Ironhide and Chromia beside the carrying mech. Optimus quickly releases the upper chest armor. Ratchet takes a few readings, humms and ha's and then sets Ironhide and Chromia beside the pod on Optimus chest. A surreal feeling for the two: sitting inside Prime's chest directly beside the holy Matrix of leadership and their budding offspring.
Ratchet touches each bot-turned-human tenderly with a light finger tip, "I want you in direct contact with the pod for this conversation and then I'll take some new readings, alright?" They nod and stroke the pod resting comfortably next to Optimus' pulsing spark." Optimus tucks a hand behind his head getting comfortable. Ratchet goes to Bee's box and pulls out the fudge. Passing pieces of it out, he takes the first bite and sighs happily relaxed for the first time in days, "Doctor's orders!" Optimus chuckles savoring his bite.
Bee leans his elbow on the desk twirling his own piece of the candy, "Ratchet, are you going to answer my question now?"
Ratchet settles himself on the berth beside Prime's peds when the bigger mech pulls them up bending his knees to make room for his friend. "Alright Bee, Cybertronian procreation 101. First of all, we are all adults here." He looks over to Bee, "Yes, even you."
Bee drops a cheek into a propped up palm, "It's about frag'n time!" Optimus chuckles again at his youngest soldier.
Ratchet turns his haughty gaze to Prime, "Oh you aren't getting off so easy, Prime." He looks to Ironhide as well, "I want full disclosure. If any of you want to save that little one, you better start coming clean with me." He waits for Optimus to react, but he doesn't. "You know this hurts me as much as you. How do I know if I could have saved any of them if you don't give me enough facts to work with? Right?" Ratchet rubs his face and his tone is pained, "Do you know how much it hurt you wouldn't trust me?" Both mechs look down in shame.
A few deep vents and Ratchet smacks Optimus' knee making him jerk in surprise, "Damn-it Prime, what would you do to your tactician if he decided to withhold information from you that he didn't think was vital and it turned out it was and th battle went bad. Real bad? Hum?"
Ironhide grumbles, "Rip his stupid little Doorwings off."
Ratchet leans into Ironhide, "Frag'n right! So! Here's how I'm running this conversation. Nothing leaves this room but everything comes out!"
Ironhide points to Bee a little nervous about revealing too much in front of the youngling, "Why is he here then?"
Ratchet smiles to Bee, "Until this, he was our last hope. On top of that, you may need him to keep me from killing you." Ironhide scoffs, Optimus chuckles, Bee groans and Chromia just gapes.
"So, back to your question , Bee. Before all of this-!" he waves his hand in the air.
Ironhide leans into Chromia, "Notice how he managed to carefully leave off the whole part where he was the one researching the human-bot virus and some what at blame here?"
Ratchet leans in, "No, I haven't forgotten. I am WELL AWARE of the part I play in this. Are you?"
Ironhide gasps, "ME?"
Ratchet growls, "Yes you! You over protective, jealous, over bearing pain in the aft!"
Ironhide stands up and barks point to Optimus, "He-!"
Ratchet snarls back, "You-!"
Bee whistles cutting them both off, "Sorry to be needy, but me? What about me?"
Optimus starts the lesson letting Ratchet and Ironhide cool down, "I was created by my creator and sire making my body and coming to the Well of AllSparks asking for my shell to be given life."
Chromia smiles sweetly to Ironhide, "I was conceived when my parents got permission to spark bond within the sectioned Well set aside for procreation."
Ratchet turns to Bee, "Does that help?" Bee shakes his head. Ratchet laughs, "Yeah, I didn't think so." Optimus starts laughing, popping the remains of his fudge into his mouth and setting the other hand behind his head. "Care to share with the rest of the class, Optimus?"
"This reminds me the of the night before we launched the All Spark." He closes his optics and sighs with a big huge grin.
Bee narrows his gaze to smug Prime, "Sir, how can you smile, that was a horrible thing we did. I shall never have a younger sibling due to that mission. And yet you sit there a smug and happy. I'm sorry, but it sickens me."
All optics turn to hurt Bee. Ratchet jumps up quickly and comes to Bee. He tries to lay a hand on his shoulder but Bee shrugs it away. Instead, Ratchet kneels down to come optic to optic with Bee's lowered head. Cupping his face tenderly, his optics plead for understanding, "Dear Bumblebee, that's not what he meant at all."
Optimus' tone is just as sorrowful from the berth, "Bumblebee, I didn't mean it that way. Before we launched it do you remember the conversation in the rec-room?" Ironhide lightly chuckles stroking Chromia's hand, "You and I were in the weapons room at the time of that conversation with our own anatomy lessons, but I heard about it later."
Bee looks into Ratchet's optics. "We were talking about anatomy, right? Mechs in particular, right?"
Ratchet nods, "Yes, we were. And how to create life with the All Spark. And now here we are tonight trying to unravel the universe again. How much do you know?" Bee blushes. Ratchet smiles, "We are all adults here. Nothing to be ashamed of. So tell us."
This chapter is getting long, so we will have to pick up in the next one.