Optimus couldn't take any more time away from the war so he left Bumblebee with Chromia and returned to his roll as Prime of the Autobots. As soon as he stepped inside the Autobot's main base, Jazz was by his side asking question after question about little Bumblebee. Thankfully Ironhide managed to get Jazz to go back to his post before Optimus became overly frustrated. "Does Hatchet know you're here?" Ironhide asked as he opened the door and followed Optimus into his office.
"Yes and no. I told him I was getting away from your house for a while, but not that I was going here," Optimus replied. He couldn't help but laugh at the look on Ironhide's face.
"You have a death wish! The Hatchet's gonna have your aft for target practise."
"That's your forte. Not mine. I'm not fighting, so I haven't done anything to upset my systems enough to earn Ratchet's wrath," Optimus stated. He sat down behind the desk and Ironhide pulled a chair over to sit beside him.
"If the Hatchet finds out, I'm not savin' your aft this time."
"This time? You've never saved me from Ratchet, since YOU are scared of him yourself."
"What? No! I'm not scared of him! Never will be!" Ironhide shouted. Optimus started to say something when another voice cut him off.
"You sure about that? You're both slagged and you know it," snapped Ratchet from the open doorway. He'd been simply walking by when he caught sight of the leader and his guard. "What are you going here, Prime? You should be resting. And you! Ironhide, what the frag were you thinking, letting him come in! I should reformat ya both into guns and let your insides burn in battle."
"I-I didn't know he was coming until I saw him here this morning," Ironhide objected. Ratchet glared at the black mech. "What, don't believe me?"
"No, I believe you. I also believe that you fail at your job as his bodyguard. You're supposed to guard him from himself too! Like comin' here when he should be resting."
"Ratchet, I'm not planning on going into battle any time soon. I just need to be present to help plan and run the army. I'm sorry, but I can't stay away forever," Optimus said.
"I don't expect you to, but I do expect you to listen to my orders. Or ASK to go back to work!"
"If I asked, you would've said no right away."
"And you know this how?"
"Experience," Optimus responded. His no-nonsense tone and straight face made Ratchet throw his servos in the air.
"I give up, Prime. I give up. If you get worse, it's not my fault," Ratchet snapped. He ran a scan over Optimus before heading in the direction he'd been going in before he had stopped. "Stubborn old glitch." Ironhide stared at Optimus.
"What?" Optimus asked. Ironhide shook his helm at his leader and friend.
"I still think you have a death wish," Ironhide said.
The rest of the day had pasted without a problem. No attacks, no visits from Ratchet except when the medic brought Energon for them both, no more question sessions, and no times where Optimus felt like his tanks were in battle against him. Ironhide stayed beside him the whole time, mosting since he wanted to make sure their leader was alright, even though he'd never tell anyone. The idea of losing a sparkmate the way Optimus had frightened him. With a sparkling on top of that, Optimus had a lot to deal with in Ironhide's mind. Once the day was over so both could go home, Ratchet caught them and forced Optimus to spend the night at the center to make sure he was actually alright. Little did they know, that was the last long period of true peace they'd have for long time. Or just how much certain bots would lose.