"No!" Ironhide shouted. His voice carried across the battlefield and the remaining Decepticons looked up startled. Even Megatron looked up at the black mech but the Decepticon leader returned his attention to the easier target. Megatron growled as a shot hit his wrist and the sword flew a safe distance away.
"Fools! Decepticons, don't stand there, attack!" Megatron roared. Each 'Cons jumped before turning to Ironhide and began firing. Ironhide, to his credit, managed to move his heavy frame fast enough to avoid most of the Decepticon fire. Optimus' cannon charged again and Ironhide fired at Megatron's helm. The leader finally flung himself at Ironhide and tackled the smaller mech. Together they rolled, each trying to hit the other. "Insolent pest! I shall snuff your spark for interfering!" He caught a panel of Ironhide's shoulder and tore it off. Ironhide yelled in pain.
"Slaggin' 'Con! You'll pay!" Ironhide snapped. He kicked Megatron off of him before glancing at the other Decepticons meary standing around watching. During that moment where Ironhide wasn't focused on him, Megatron got to his pedes and dashed towards the sword. "Frag, no!" Megatron grabbed the sword before turning towards Ironhide.
"Watch as your precious friend and Prime dies before your optics. This is your reward for stepping in," Megatron smugly stated. Ironhide rushed to his pedes but couldn't move forward without his own spark being blown out by the Decepticons standing nearby. Panic filled Ironhide to the brim as Megatron raised the sword once more. Megatron felt another burst of energy burn the metal of his servo at the same time as the sword connected with Optimus' metal. The Energon, his own, coating his arm from both battle made him decide that with Prime bady injured and Ironhide helpess and in his own pain, the Decepticons could retreat. "Decepticons! We have won! Return to our base and let the Autobots wallow in despair at their failure!" With that said, Megatron lept into the air and transformed. A burst of sound followed him and the rest of the Decepticons transformed and headed back home.
Ironhide's optics followed the Decepticons until they disappeared from sight. He then broke into a run towards his leader. He nearly ran into Optimus as he dropped ot his knees beside him. Optimus' optics were flickering slightly, a sign that Optimus was bordering on statis lock, but not quite there yet. Ironhide rubbed away the metal dust that was covering Optimus' right cheek before sending a quick comm to Ratchet to tell the medic that they both would need repairs. Ironhide gently gathered Optimus into his arms bridal style before taking the road at a walking pace. Optimus was too heavy to carry all the way back to Ratchet while running. But Ironhide would get there as soon as possible.
When Ironhide arrived, Chromia had Bumblebee in her arms and she stood from her spot on the ground. "What happened?" She asked. Ironhide looked at Bumblebee before turning his gaze to Optimus' face.
"Megatron. Optimus was fine for a while, but he blacked out. I was helping get the others away from the 'Cons," Ironhide replied softly. He moved around one of the berths before gently laying Optimus on it. Ratchet commed his assistant, a young mech by the name of Jolt. The blue mech was working with another Autobot at the moment, since Ratchet was only watching over Bumblebee. Once Jolt commed back that he was on his way, Ratchet stepped beside Ironhide and shoved the mech towards a different berth.
"You also need repairs, so sit down," Ratchet ordered. Ironhide sat down after a moment of thought but his optics remained on Optimus' still form. Jolt came in as Ratchet moved off to get his tools. "Ah, Jolt. Get cleaned up, we have repairs to make. Chromia, take Bumblebee out of here. He doesn't need to be in the room."
"Yes Ratchet. Take good care of Hide for me," she responded. She left the room without a fuss.
"Bumblebee? I've never heard of a Bumblebee before," Jolt said. Ratchet glanced at him.
"Did you know that Optimus had bonded to a femme named Elita?" Ratchet asked. Jolt nodded. "That she went off-line not that long ago?" Again, Jolt nodded. "Do you know how or what caused it?"
"No."
"A virus entered her systems while she was carrying Bumblebee, their son. She came to me asking to make sure the virus wouldn't hurt their sparkling since she's really wanted to have at least one with Prime. I did what I could to keep the sparkling safe, but there was only so much I could do for her. The virus damaged her systems too badly, and I knew I couldn't save her. It got to the point that even though Prime was refueling and getting recharge, he was actually becoming ill himself. So she made me promise that I'd keep him online when she couldn't fight any more. She went off-line with Optimus holding her servo. There was nothing I could do. For either of them," Ratchet was almost whispering by the end and couldn't meet either mech's optics.
"Ratchet..." Ironhide's voice made the medic look up. The emotions in Ironhide's optics made Ratchet sigh, nod, then turn to fix Optimus.
Cybertron's moons were up by the time Ratchet and Jolt had made most of the repairs so they could bring Optimus out of statis lock. Ironhide's shoulder plating had been replaced, but not repainted. They were waiting to repaint both bots. Jazz had gotten his shoulder fixed by Ratchet, and the other Autobots who had been damaged had either gotten their repairs from Jolt and Ratchet or had gone somewhere else to get them. Jolt had gone home for recharge, and Bumblebee had already drifted off. Ironhide was sitting beside Optimus' berth while Chromia in his lap. Ratchet finished cleaning his tools and put them away. "I'm gonna bring him online now. Keep quiet," Ratchet said. Ironhide rubbed Chromia's hip making the blue femme giggle. "Ironhide!"
"What?" Ironhide laughed. Ratchet playfully glared at Ironhide. "Fine. I'll behave." Ratchet rolled his optics as he moved around the berth. Ironhide watched as Ratchet began the process of bring Optimus online.
Optimus' optics flared a brilliant blue before dimming back to their regular brightness. He blinked them a few times before moving them to focus on Ratchet, then Chromia, then Ironhide. "I-Ironhide," Optimus managed. Ironhide reached around Chromia and placed his servo on Optimus' arm.
"Right here, Prime," Ironhide said. A smile spread across Optimus' faceplates as he moved to hold Ironhide's servo.
"W-what happened?"
"You blacked out in front of Megatron. Don't worry, the other bots are safe," Ironhide informed. Optimus raised a servo towards the sliver panel on Ironhide's shoulder in a silent question. "I'm fine. Megatron just ripped it off. Ratchet already fixed me up." Optimus nodded before his optics became wide in alarm.
"Bumblebee! Where is he?" Optimus cried out. Ratchet put a servo gently on Optimus' shoulder and gained the Prime's attention.
"He's recharging. We just got him to calm down. Chromia, can you get his sparkling please?" Ratchet asked. Chromia nodded and attempted to stand, but Ironhide's arms tightened around her waist.
"Hide. Let. Me. Go," Chromia growled. Ironhide raised an optic ridge at her before grunting as her elbow joint connected with his chest. His arms moved back on reflex and Chromia used that to her advantage and stood with a smirk. She left the room and returned soon afterwards with the yellow sparkling in her arms. Ratchet and Ironhide helped Optimus sit up and Chromia handed Bumblebee over.
"Bumblebee..." Optimus said with a content sigh. His body ached, but it was better than the agony during the battle. "My son." Ratchet and Ironhide both couldn't stop the proud grins from forming at Optimus' words. He'd finally accepted Bumblebee, but they both knew that Optimus still had a lot to deal with. Like actually raising the sparkling without Elita. That's what they were there for. To help Optimus readjust to life as a sire.