Author's note. Well, the reputation for this sequel has been very good which encouraged me to keep on writing. Thanks a lot.
Just saw the opening for the Olympic ceremony, really beautiful.
Suggestions are welcome.
Enjoy and please review.
Ironhide walked along the corridor towards his new quarters with his Prime walking a short way ahead, to ensure they didn't bump into anyone. Starscream was in his arms and sleeping peacefully and was the reason Ironhide didn't want to meet anyone. He just wanted to get to the quarters as quickly as possible and not deal with questions about the Seeker.
Starscream was looking a lot better than he had before, he was clean and his minor injuries had been taken care of. Ratchet had done his best to deal with the internal injuries but a lot of them could only be healed with Starscream's own systems. Ratchet had given him pain killers to administer to Starscream to help him deal with the pain and discomfort he would feel for the next few cycles. He had also told Ironhide that Starscream might start washing himself compulsively, so he needed to be prepared to deal with that.
This meant that Ironhide had several bottles of cleaning solutions and oils, tubs of wax and some soft cleaning cloths. He'd been told that he needed to assure the Seeker that he wasn't worthless or dirty and this was the part Ironhide was most unsure about. Could he really give Starscream the emotional reassurance and security that he needed? Having in depth talks with other beings, especially about emotions wasn't his forte.
Conditioning someone to deal with fighting and other realities of war, he should handle that. He'd lived through it and had his own mentors and he'd passed a lot of what he'd learned on to the younger generation of Autobots. But when it came to trauma...his experience wasn't so hot. For instance, he had no real idea how to deal with someone like Bluestreak who'd seen his city razed to the ground and his whole family killed.
But as he'd said, he would do everything he could for Starscream, experience or not.
"Mm," Starscream suddenly mumbled, shifting but not waking up.
Ironhide started slightly but relaxed when Starscream didn't move again. He wasn't sure how Starscream would react when he woke but being in the middle of a corridor when that happened was not a good idea. If Starscream was going to panic and go, as the humans say, a little nuts, Ironhide wanted it to be in their quarters. There was a chance that Starscream would just break down but however he reacted, it would not be calm and collected.
"Almost there," he murmured to the sleeping Seeker. "Yah just hang on in there a moment later."
"Everything alright?" Optimus questioned, glancing back at Ironhide.
"Yeah, ah think so," Ironhide replied softly. "But ah think he'll be waking up soon, gotta get to our rooms quickly."
"We're almost there, no one else is around," Optimus assured him as they entered the last corridor.
"Good," Ironhide said firmly. "Ah'm gonna lock the doors after we get in, ah don't want those darned twins or anyone else sneaking in tah cause mischief."
"Rest assured, we'll keep this under wraps for as long as possible," Optimus told him firmly. "Only Prowl and Jazz will be told so that we can all discuss the situation and decide how we can proceed. Especially with how we break the news of Starscream's presence to the rest of the crew, that part will be crucial."
"It sure will be," Ironhide agreed with a heavy sigh. He could only imagine how some of the Mechs would react to Starscream. Actually, if he hadn't seen what he'd seen, he'd probably have been one of the Mechs hollering to get rid of the Seeker.
They didn't say anything else until they finally reached the door of the new quarters. Ironhide knew there was a good chance he would have to remain inside them for several cycles while he and Starscream formed a bond and started the Seeker's recovery. Starscream shifted again and Ironhide knew he would soon be awake.
"Ah'll keep in contact, and call every joor," Ironhide assured his leader who stood aside after opening the door for his weapon's specialist.
"Thank you," Optimus said with a nod. "Good luck Ironhide, I know you can make a difference."
"Ah'll try," Ironhide said softly as he entered the room, allowing Optimus to close the door behind him.
It was exactly the way he'd left it, a rather bare room with two berths had opposite ends and shelves and storage units dotted about the place. At the opposite wall, was a bunched up curtain which could be pulled across the wall, thus dividing the room into two sections. This was to give Starscream privacy when he needed it while making sure Ironhide could hear everything and go to Starscream's aid is necessary.
As Starscream shifted again, Ironhide quickly marched over to Starscream's berth which was nearest to their private washroom. He carefully placed the Seeker down and went to sit on a nearby chair to wait for Starscream to wake up. It wasn't long until Starscream was shifting and mumbling as he neared consciousness. Ironhide noticed sadly that Starscream kept clenching his hands and half curling up as though trying to protect himself.
And Ironhide knew just who Starscream was trying to protect himself from.
"Uhh...Mmm," Starscream mumbled, shifting more than ever and shuttering his optics.
Ironhide didn't say anything, just allowed Starscream to wake up naturally. The Seeker did so slowly, as though he was afraid of being awake in a rather harsh reality. When he finally did awaken, he gazed around the room in sleepy fashion, obviously feeling the effects of the sedative Ratchet had given him earlier. Which meant he didn't immediately panic until he realised he wasn't in the Nemesis and those orange walls were awfully familiar...
"Easy," Ironhide said gruffly as Starscream sat up with a yelp of shock. "Yer okay, Starscream, don't panic."
"Where...where am I?" Starscream cried, looking around him in shock and confusion. "What's going on?"
"Nothing, you're safe," Ironhide said calmly before saying. "What's the last thing you remember Starscream?"
The Seeker had flattened himself against the wall, still sitting on his berth, optics wary and scared. His brow creased, he was going through his memory files for the answers. Slowly, his expression changed to one of horror and he flinched, wildly shaking his head and trembling all over. Ironhide didn't move, he didn't want to frighten the terrified Seeker.
"Ah found yah out in the desert," he said softly but clearly. "Yah threw yerself into mah arms and told me what happened. Ah held yah until yah fell intah recharge."
"I...I...," Starscream stammered, he had been caught at his most vulnerable and now he was regretting.
"What am I doing here?" he finally burst out after managing to compose himself a little.
Ironhide looked at him very seriously and said.
"Because ah brought yah here. Ah couldn't bare tah send yah back tah that monster so ah convinced Prime tah let me look after yah."
"Prime KNOWS?" Starscream shrieked, making his host wince at the shrillness of it. "You told him, you told everyone!"
"No, ah didn't," Ironhide said firmly. "Ah never told no one what had happened until Prime and Ratchet found me with yah. Ah had to tell them then, so that Ratchet could treat yah. But right now, they're the only ones who know about any of this."
"Like I believe that," Starscream spat aggressively. "Even if you're telling the truth, how long until all the other stupid Autobots know?"
Ironhide had to keep reminding himself that the Seeker was hurting and that was why he was lashing out. Mind, it wasn't all that easy, it was all he could do not to shout at Starscream.
"Jazz and Prowl will be told, they'll find out on their own otherwise but none of the others will know until we're ready for them tah know," he said firmly as Starscream gave a harsh laugh.
"Until we're ready for them to know? And just what do you mean by that?" the Seeker demanded.
The red Mech sighed; here came the really tricky part.
"Ah want yah to stay with meh," he said softly. "Ah want tah protect yah and look after yah. Ah don't want yah going back tah that monster."
"Stay with you?" Starscream repeated in complete disbelief.
"Yeh," Ironhide said with a nod. "If you go back, Megatron'll destroy yah but yah can't survive on yer own. But here, ah'll look after yah and help yah recover."
"Here? With the Autobots? You're out of your processor," Starscream exclaimed in disbelief. "I am a Decepticon, the Decepticon second in command and air commander. And you expect me to just give that all up?"
"Basically, yeh," Ironhide said simply as Starscream goggled at him.
"You're insane," Starscream declared spitefully, maybe hoping Ironhide would get offended. "And if you think you can order me to stay, you've got another thing coming..."
"All ah expect yah tah do," Ironhide interrupted before the Seeker could start ranting. "Is tah think about yerself for once."
The last part was said with a bit of irony but it was amusing to see Starscream's expression. On the one hand, he hated taking orders from anyone, even from Megatron...well, probably especially from Megatron. But on the other hand, if there was one thing that came naturally to Starscream, it was thinking about himself. He was known for taking very good care of him, he was one of the Decepticons who took the most care of his appearance. Some weren't bothered if their armour was scuffed and dented but Starscream and most of the other fliers always took care to appear at their best, especially in front of the Autobots.
Starscream could be a dare devil but if he felt his life was in too much danger, he would retreat. This had given him a reputation as a coward but it couldn't be denied that he was a survivor. Ultimately, with perhaps a little guidance, he would do what was best for Starscream.
"Starscream," Ironhide said very seriously after letting his words sink in. "If yah go back, things will stay the way they are, with Megatron raping you."
Starscream flinched violently at this, his wings fluttering with distress but it needed to be said. Ironhide continued without preamble.
"He ain't gonna stop and ah think yah know that. But if yah try tah strike out on yer own, it won't work. Sooner or later, yer'll run afoul of one of the factions and if Megatron captures yah after deserting..."
The Seeker shuddered, making a high whimpering noise as he imagined just what Megatron would do. It wouldn't just be a beating and imprisonment; it would be both those things plus horrific rape. And who knows how Megatron might do it, he might even be sick enough to do it in front of others.
"I'll...I'll kill him," Starscream tried to say defiantly but Ironhide just gave him a sad look.
"Yer've been trying tah kill him fer a long time. None of yer attempts have worked and if yah try again...he will rape yah as punishment. Yah know ah'm telling the truth, yah can't kill Megatron."
"That's what you think," snapped Starscream but his body posture showed he didn't believe his words. It was slumped and showing signs of defeat, the Seeker just couldn't verbally admit it.
"He might not do it," the Seeker mumbled, now staring at the floor.
"Starscream, the fact he very hurt yah in the first place is bad enough," Ironhide said with a slight growl. "But the fact that he did it again, at least once, means he ain't ever gonna stop. He's found a full proof way tah hurt yah so he won't quit until yer a broken drone."
He watched as Starscream's hands shook and clenched, tears were starting to form in the Seeker's optics. The reality of his situation was really starting to sink in for him. Ironhide waited a moment and then cautiously approached, keeping his body low and nonthreatening.
"It don't have tah be like that," he said quietly as Starscream looked at him with watery optics. "When ah say ah wanna protect yah, ah really mean it. Yah ain't gonna be a prisoner here and yah don't have tah become an Autobot. Yah can be safe from Megatron and live yer life tah the fullest."
"How?" Starscream whimpered as he began to crumble. "How can I do such a thing? Everything I've worked for...everything I've suffered, I'll just be throwing it away."
"Yah'll be throwing it away if yah go back," Ironhide said earnestly. "Megatron will destroy everything yah've done but if yah stay, it won't be destroyed. Yah can still make a difference in the universe but yah can't if he's hurting yah."
Tear were flowing down Starscream's optics but he wasn't crying yet. Ironhide leaned forward and gently touched Starscream's hand.
"No one will hurt yah here, yah will be as free as can be. Yah'll make friends here; maybe even get reacquainted with one or two..."
Starscream shivered, shaking his head as though he didn't believe that. Ironhide just wanted to offer him the option, something to think over. Best not to surprise the Seeker with too much, he needed to be given choices.
"Please stay," he begged softly. "Let meh protect yah properly this time, don't go back tah that monster."
Starscream stared at him for a long moment before finally nodding rather jerkily. Ironhide gave him a smile and tentatively opened his arms, hoping he's guessed correctly. To his intense relief, Starscream threw himself into his arms and started crying in earnest. Ironhide held him tightly, stroking his back and whispering reassurances.
So far, they'd overcome the first hurdle but others wouldn't go as smoother. There was still a very long road ahead, the test of whether Starscream could cope with leaving the Decepticons and staying with the Autobots.
Author's note. How does Ironhide and Starscream cope with their first cycle together? What is Megatron up to? Find out next time, until then.