Disclaimer: All Transformers characters belong to Hasbro. Any made up characters were created by me. This has TF Slash. This is the sequel to It's Now or Never.

Summery: (2007 Movie verse) *sequel to It's Now or Never* Prowl and Jazz get their own sparkling, but can they protect their "baby" from Decepticons?

Parings: ProwlXJazz, RatchetXWheeljack

"blah" – Normal human speak
"blah" – Cybertronian speak
blah – thinking

The Next Generation
by Yami-Yugi3

Chapter 4

Inside the base, Jazz sat worriedly on the berth. The sounds and rumbles made him worry for their sparkling's father. Sam and Mikeala were a bit fearful, but were bored by not being able to help. "It'll be alright, Jazz. You know they'll all come back safe," said Mikeala.

"She's right." said Sam "I'm sure everything is going to be just fine."

"...Yeah...I've still got an uneasy feelin' in my spark..."

"You are worried you are going to lose Prowl again?" Mikeala asked.

"...Yeah..."

"He's tough and he's not alone this time. He's got Prime and the others to help."

Mikeala went over to him and put a hand on his leg. "It's going to be okay. The others won't let anything happen." Jazz nodded with a sigh, trying to reassure himself.

Gadget was tense as well, pacing her quarters. "You shouldn't be worrying like this, it might hurt the sparkling. You need to calm down and relax," said Melissa.

"Oh...Slag it! I should be out there fighting!"

"But...you're pregnant. You can't put that much stress on yourself. Besides, what if you get hurt? You want your baby girl, don't you?"

"Yes..." she sighed, finally settling down on the berth. Melissa smiled.

"Just try and relax. It'll be over before you know it," she said.

Outside, things were turning grim. Optimus was fighting off Scorpinok and Brawl while Ironhide, Bumblebee, Ratchet, and the rest were keeping Soundwave and the rest of the Decepticons at bay. "Keep trying Autobots! We HAVE to get to Prowl!" cried Optimus. Said bot was battle worn and being held strongly by Thundercraker and Skywarp as Starscream aimed his weapon at Prowl's spark.

"I'll give you one last chance, traitor," sneered Starscream. "Join me and I'll let you live. Refuse to come back to our ranks and I'll kill you hear and now!"

"...I-I was never part of your kind to begin with...!" Prowl weakly snarled back.

"FINE! You were useless anyway!" Starscream shouted as he fired.

"NOO! cried Perceptor as he jumped in front of Prowl.

"Perceptor!" Prowl shouted in shock.

Great pain shot through Gadget and Jazz's sparks as both their mates went flying from the blast. "Prowler!" "Perceptor!" both shouted in unison. Melissa, Sam, and Mikeala rushed after the running bondmates.

"GADGET! You can't go out there!" Melissa cried, pulling in vain on her hand. "The sparkling! You'll lose her!" Mikeala and Sam were trying the same thing to Jazz.

"Prowler's in danger!"

"But Jazz! You're pregnant! The sparkling!"

"Prowl would want you safe!" added Sam.

Meanwhile back at the battle, "Hey bro, I think those jets need to be taught a lesson. Ready for some Jet Judo?"

"Yeah, let's go," smiled Sunstreaker. "JET JUDO!" The two lambo twins jumps onto Thundercraker and Skywarp. Both jets scrambled to the ground, trying to get the offending lambourginis off them.

Starscream smirked at the leaking and unconscious Perceptor and Prowl. "My job is done for now."

"Like slag it is!" yelled Optimus as he fired. Ratchet and Wheeljack were running towards Perceptor and Prowl. There was an explosion of weapon fire before every last Decepticon retreated, horribly wounded. Starscream growled in annoyance as they flew off.

"Frag it all to the pit!" growled Ratchet. "Jackie, help me out here." Wheeljack nodded and both gently moved Perceptor off of Prowl.

"What's their status, Ratchet?" Optimus asked, a bit worried as the others were.

"Well...it's pretty bad. We need to get them inside." Both mechs were leaking energon. Ratchet carefully took Prowl into his arms as Wheeljack did the same with Perceptor.

"We'd better hurry. No doubt there's two angry sparkmates awaiting us," said Wheeljack.

Once inside, Gadget and Jazz rushed to greet the group with three protesting teens in their wake. When they saw the conditions of their mates, they stopped dead and hovered over Ratchet and Wheeljack. "Ratchet! Prowler!"

"Jazz, move. I need to get him to medbay," he said sternly.

"Grandpa! Perceptor no!"

"Gadget, we have to get through to med bay. Move please." Gadget and Jazz moved aside as their leaking mates were rushed into Med bay. Jazz looked very worried when he saw his mate.

"...Is...he gonna make it...?" he said, following the CMO and CE into Medical.

"I don't know!" Ratchet huffed. "You should be resting!" He sighed as he laid Prowl on a berth. "I'll keep you posted alright?" he said a bit more gently.

Gadget sighed as she walked in as well. "...Perceptor..."

"Gadget, you should let me and Ratch work alright? All this stress isn't good for you or the sparkling. We'll let you know, okay?"

"Grandpa...is...will he..."

"Out, both of you. I can't work with you two hovering. Go." Gadget sighed and agreed.

"C'mon, Jazz. Let's let them work."

"Prowler..."

"Jazz...c'mon..." Gadget said, a hand on his shoulder. Jazz still looked worried but followed her anyways. She led him to the Rec Room. Inside the med bay, both mechs were hooked up to spark support machines as the CMO and CE worked. Wheeljack shook his head as he looked at Perceptor. He picked up a laser scalpel and started cutting off what remained of his microscope/light canon, carefully severing delicate wires. Ratchet was busy carefully removing Prowl's chest plating.

Ratchet sighed in relief. "Only minor damage. He looked worse than he was. His spark casing is fine. Perceptor saved him."

"Yes, but..." started Wheeljack. He had just begun removing Perceptor's chest plating. He discarded the horribly cracked and mangled plating. He whistled. "Slag..."

Ratchet stopped reconnecting some wires and came over. "That pit spawn seeker! Damn scientist trying to be the hero... You'd better let me handle him. Prowl just needs some patching up. Perceptor needs my expertise."

"Alright, Ratchet. You going to be alright love?"

"-heavy sigh- I will if Perceptor lives." Wheeljack nodded and picked up where Ratchet left off on Prowl. He looked over at his young college and lover sadly.

Jazz's spark pain was slowly ebbing away into a lesser throb of just regular pain. Gagdet couldn't get the sharp pain and emptiness to go away. "...Oh Jazz! What if... What if he doesn't make it! I can't do this on my own!" Melissa cuddled closer in her guardian's lap, trying to soothe her.

"I know Lil' Red." said Jazz.

"No...you don't! It hurts Jazz! I'm going to lose him!"

"Don't think like that, Gadget...please... Have faith..." Melissa said gently.

"Gadget...I felt the same why when Prowler went missing on Cyberton, you know when he got really ill."

"...Y-yeah..." she sobbed.

"It'll be alright. He'll make it..." Melissa said as she nuzzled close to her guardian, hugging her.

"...I...I-I hope...so... Oh Primus I hope so..." she sobbed. Jazz gently placed a hand on her shoulder. She leaned against him, sobbing into him.

Bumblebee came and sat on the other side of her. "Gadget...?"

"I'm sure Perceptor is going to be fine." said Jazz.

"Yeah," smiled Bumblebee. "It's Ratchet and Wheeljack we're talking about. They're awesome."

"Don't worry," smiled Mikeala. "He'll make it. I know he will. Ratchet's the best."

"Yeah..." agreed Sam. Gadget just cried as her spark ached.

Ratchet and Wheeljack could feel her pain, especially Wheeljack. "Poor Gadget..." Wheeljack said as he worked on Prowl. "...Hang in there, young one..." Wheeljack sighed as he finished the last few connections. He paused and held his chest where his spark was. Ratchet walked over to get some more tools and parts and saw Wheeljack had stopped.

"Jack?"

"...Huh...?" he said as he looked at his mate.

"You okay?"

"...Yes and no..." He looked away sadly as Gadget's pain reverberated in his spark again.

Ratchet felt it a bit too. "Jack..."

"...It's...It's Gadget..."

"...She's taking it hard... I can feel it a little too. You should go to her."

"...But Prowl..."

"He's fine now. Go to her, Jack. She needs her Protector right now." Wheeljack nodded. He put things away and cleaned up before leaving. Ratchet sighed and got back to work.

Wheeljack rushed into the Recreation Room and didn't like what he saw. Jazz and the teenagers were trying to make Gadget feel better. She was horse from sobbing. "...Oh Gadget..." Wheeljack said as he came over. Jazz saw Wheeljack and made room for him. She looked up at the sound of her foster father and rushed into his arms. "It's going to be okay Gadget, Ratchet's working on him." She just sobbed into him. He took her into his arms and carried her out. "Come on, some nice warm energon and a shoulder to cry on will help you feel better."

"How's Prowler?"

"Fine. He just needs new chest armor and he's good to go," said Wheeljack.

"Good. Take care of Lil' Red."

"I will." He smiled at the group before leaving. The others smiled too.

"It's getting late, three certain teenagers need to get home," said Bumblebee as he watched Wheeljack leave.

"Why don't ya take them home, Bee?"

"Alright. Come on you guys."

"But Gadget..."

"Will be alright, Melissa. Wheeljack will take care of her. He is her father."

"...Right..."

"Jazz, make sure you get some rest too. Prowl's fine now."

"Yeah, take care of that sparkling," smiled Mikeala. Jazz nodded.

That night, Wheeljack slept on Gadget and Perceptor's shared berth in their room. An empty cube of energon and an empty mug were left on the berthside table. He was fast asleep holding her close to him like he had when she was a sparkling. Ratchet was wide awake, several empty cubes of energon laid out on the floor. Prowl was fast asleep, complete with brand new chest armor and headlights. Perceptor was still wide open, wires and various tubes going in and out. He stepped away to go outside for some fresh air. There was horse and very weak coughing accompanied by raspy breathing. He whipped around was surprised to see weak blue optics opening. "Perceptor!" Ratchet exclaimed as he raced back over.

"...R-Rat-...R-Ratch-...et... Wh-wh-...ere...?"

"Easy, we're in med bay."

"...G-...Gadg..."

"Is fine. Wheeljack is with her. You saved Prowl's life. He's resting now. You need to be as well. You're barely alive. Thank Primus you are."

"...Th-the...th-that...b-ad...?" he laughed weakly, coughing up some energon.

"Take it easy and rest."

"...I-I...s-supp-ose...I...sh-should..." He couldn't keep himself awake much longer after that and fell back into a deep recharge.

Jackie...Hey...Jackie...

Wheeljack didn't stir. Gadget nuzzled closer to him in her sleep. "...Mmm...Grandpa..."

Wheeljack!

"Gah!"

"...Hhnnnn..." Gadget moaned. Wheeljack sighed heavily.

Ratch? What is it love?

Perceptor's going to be fine. He just came to.

...Thank Primus above... Wheeljack said with happiness and a smile. I will let Gadget know once she's awake. She's sleeping peacefully right now.

That's good that's she's asleep.

Yeah... Can I go back to sleep now?

Ratchet couldn't help but laugh. Sure. Night love. He didn't get a reply as Wheeljack fell right back asleep. He decided against the fresh air and went straight back to work.

The next morning, Optimus, Wheeljack, Gadget and Jazz were on their way to the Medical Bay to check on things. Prowl slowly awoke to silence, and realizing he was in the Medbay, slowly sat up and looked for Ratchet. "Ratchet?" The medic was no where to be found. Prowl slowly got up and looked around again. When he saw the Medbay as deserted, he went to Ratchet and Wheeljack's private shared room. He slowly raised up a fist to knock on the door. He knocked twice before getting no answer. He opened the door, surprised to find it unlocked. He smiled to see the CMO fast asleep. He probably went to bed early this morning. Prowl decided to excuse himself from the medical bay to find his mate. He bumped into Jazz and the gang as he round the corner.

"Prowler!" Jazz said happily and glomp his mate.

"Ow... Careful... I'm still healing you know..."

"Sorry baby, but I was so worried about ya."

Prowl just smiled. "I know," he said, hugging him back very carefully.

"What about Perceptor...?" Gadget asked. She had a calmer tone to her voice, at least knowing that he would live.

"Not sure. Ratchet must been working all night on him."

"Oh..." she sighed. "You think we can go in, Grandpa?"

"I don't see why not."

"I think Prowler and I are going to go get some energon and chill out," said Jazz.

"Alright, thought you would," smiled Optimus. He watched as the couple left. Wheeljack and Gadget followed the Autobot leader into the MedBay. They saw Perceptor still open with two tubes coming out of him. The CMO was nowhere to be found.

"Awww Ratchet must had gotten tired from working all night." said Wheeljack.

"...Yeah..." agreed Gadget. Optimus went to Ratchet's private office he now shared with Wheeljack just to be sure.

"Awww." Wheeljack said with a smile. Ratchet was out. Wheeljack closed and locked the door. "Do not disturb. Gadget, I'll start work on Perceptor. I want YOU to get some rest for that sparkling of yours."

"...Oh...okay Grandpa..." she sighed, wanting so much to help. Optimus left quietly, satisfied with his observations. Gadget spied to covered forms on one of the berths as she left the room. She smiled, knowing it was the two femme protoforms of the two new sparklings.

It took the whole rest of the day and part of the night for Wheeljack to get Perceptor as good as new. Said mech was sleeping peacefully, a small energon line the only thing connected to him. Ratchet was now re-energized and well rested as he worked on the two femme protoforms. "Jackie, can you come help me with a few things?"

"Sure, Ratch," the CE smiled as he came over. "I was just checking Perceptor one last time." Ratchet smiled at him. Wheeljack nuzzled him a little bit. Ratchet smiled a bit more, putting a free arm around him. "What do you need help with?" Wheeljack asked, slowly pulling away to get back to the matter at hand.

"Help me run a final diagnostics before I close everything up."

"Sure Ratch." Both ran full scans and tests on the protoforms to make sure they were durable, had good reflexes, and worked properly.

"Good. Now we just wait for Perceptor to recover along with Gadget," said Ratchet.

"How about some alone time until then?" smiled Wheeljack.

Ratchet smirked. "You always have the best ideas."

Wheeljack giggled. Ratchet led him into his private office and the two locked it. "I'm going to enjoy just being here with you for once." Wheeljack giggled again. Meanwhile, Gadget was watching Melissa work on a sewing project.

Melissa smiled as she sewed away. "So..." started Gadget. "What exactly ARE you making there?"

"A blanket for SkyFlyer."

"But, what about the one she just got at that Baby Shower?"

"This one is different. This one is purple and hand stitched fabric. The ones we gave out were 'No Sew' blanket you tie together with strips of fabric. That's how you get the fringe."

"He's going to be fine, Gadget."

"...I hope so..."

"I know so, Gadget. He won't go down so easily. Ratchet said he'd be alright. I know you would trust your mentor's opinion."

"...I do... Reckless Slagger..."

"Maybe after a little while you can go see him."

"Yeah... In a little while..." Melissa climbed onto her guardian's shoulder and snuggled close there.

"It'll be alright, Gadget. I know it will. He's alive."

Gadget smiled at her human companion and patted her on the back. "Thank you for the encouragement, Melissa." She just smiled happily before hugging her guardian. Gadget smiled again as she let go and hopped down. She went straight back to work on the new blanket.

Gadget soon went out to the Recreation Room where Melissa worked some more on the new blanket, but both were out of Gadget's room to socialize. Bumblebee, Sam, and Mikeala were there, chatting with them. "So...Gadget, decided on a definite name yet?" Bumblebee asked.

"Yeah, did you?"

"...No...still deciding between the ones I have. Maybe Sky if she likes blue..."

"Oh, that's nice," smiled Bumblebee.

"Yes, I want to wait and decide with Percie." Melissa smiled up at her.

"Let's go see him once I finish this part of the blanket."

"I'm sure he's doing just fine. Ratchet's taking good care of him," said Mikeala.

Gadget sighed. "Thank you, but I'll feel better once I see him." The teens smiled.

"Alright, I'm finished with this part," Melissa said as she cut the thread she was working with and set the blanket safely aside. "Let's go see Perceptor," she smiled. Gadget smiled and hopped off the couch almost immediately. She extended her hand for Melissa to climb on her shoulder. Bumblebee and his two human friends watched happily. Gadget nodded a goodbye as the two left to Med Bay.

Once there, Gadget knocked on the door. She got worried when she heard a yelp and rushed in. She frantically looked around until she found the source of the yelp. Perceptor was on the floor, energon line torn out trying to stand up. Melissa was quickly set on an empty berth as Gadget bent down to her mate. "PERCIE!"

"...I was...only trying to..."

"-sigh- You should have waited for help. Don't scare me like this!" Gadget carefully helped him stand. Melissa watched worriedly.

"What's going on? What's all the noise?" Ratchet asked as he came out of his office.

"Perceptor tied to get out of bed on his own." Melissa said.

"Percie...what were you trying to do?" Gaget asked a bit more gently as she helped him lie back down on the berth.

"...I was...hungry...I thought I could..."

"You're not strong enough yet, you stubborn bolts for a processor," she sighed, tears slowly forming as she carefully reconnected the energon line.

"...I...I'm sorry..." Perceptor replied, weakly reaching up a hand to dry the tears from her optics.

"...You scared me... I was so worried when you got hurt... I don't want to lose you... I can't have this sparkling by myself..."

Ratchet just watched in silence before going back into his office. "Miss Jackson, let me know if they need help. I think it's best to let them be alone," he added with a smile.

Melissa nodded and watched Gadget care for Perceptor. "Gadget...I'll go get some energon for you."

"Thanks, youngling. That's sweet of you. There should be a dispenser in here somewhere. Will you be alright carrying it over?"

"I should be. You two just pretend I'm not here," she replied with a smile as she looked around for said dispenser. She found it and studied it. "Okay...just press that lever... Oh, there's some smaller containers..."

"...I love you...Gadget..."

"I know..." she smiled.

"I'll...get better...for our...sparkling...I...promise..."

"I know you will, just do it slowly, okay?" He nodded weakly. She just smiled and took his hand, placing it over her chest. "She'll be beautiful I just know it." Perceptor only smiled.

"...E-Energon's...up..." Melissa said a bit strained as she carried a big cup full of it. Gadget and Perceptor smiled at her as she slowly made her way towards them. Gadget bent down a bit and took the cup from her before she collapsed under its weight. "...Thanks... Heavier than I thought..."

"It's...very nice...of you...to help out..." Melissa smiled. Gadget gently helped Perceptor sit up.

"Here, dear..." she said as she helped him drink it.

"...Th-thanks..." Gadget smiled at him as she took the empty cup.

"You should go back to sleep and get some rest."

"...Could...you stay...?"

"Wh-why?" Gadget asked, surprised at such a childish request.

"...I-it's lonely...and quite...boring...in here..." Gadget smiled and carefully climbed onto the berth, snuggling close to him.

"Alright, go to sleep now Percie. You need your rest."

"I'll...let myself out," Melissa smiled.

"Thank you, Youngling." She only nodded and smiled as she watched Perceptor weakly put an arm around Gadget. Gadget nuzzled into him and closed her optics. He fell asleep there and she followed after. Melissa walked down the hall back to the Rec Room with a big smile on her face.