Roller 2: {a bit taken from my Iron's World story} Our beloved Roller.
With that said, Wheeljack continues to laugh and leaves the bay to Wroughtiron. The black and blue mech sinks to the stool and begins tinkering with a better axel bearing for Roller. Poor little guy has been running on the old ones for so long that it's amazing he still moves at all. After everything Roller has done for Optimus, Magnus and now Rodimus, he needs to be cherished as much as the Matrix.
A couple hours later, Roller comes into the bay. But he's not alone. With him is the femme of Iron's elation and frustration. "Hey, Iron. Papa asked me to bring Roller to you." Roller is so content, a purring under her soft strokes.
Iron comes over and offers his hands to Roller, "Hey there buddy. I got those upgrades for you. You read to try them out?" He can see the little favored drone is nervous.
Lilly lifts Roller to her face and nuzzles him, "Shh, it's okay Roller. You know Iron would never hurt you." The drone turns up to her with those pleading optics. To which she cuddles him ever so lovingly. "How about if I stay with you? Would that be alright?" She looks between easing Roller and asking approval from Iron.
Iron reaches out and soothes a little spot behind Roller's optic, sending him into a near melt of relaxation, "I think that would be just what the medic ordered." With that he motions Lilly to the island work bench to the side of the room. He has her sit on one side and he takes the other. Then he comes back with his tray of tools and the three new axels and accompanying bearings. He holds one up for Roller to inspect.
Lilly respects Iron so much. He does not talk down to Roller. He shows Roller all the respect the brave drone deserves. "You know, I got to thinking, Roller. I think of all the bots, you have been in the med bay the least. I would sure like to know how you do that, because you sure could teach a few of these ya-hoos a few things and make my life a whole lot easier." Roller looks up to him curiously. Lilly also looks to him in gratitude for his kindness.
Iron strokes the little drone's back, "My creator Chromia said she so wished she had a sibling of yours with her. Incredibly jealous of Prime, she was." Roller eeps to him with a little raised optic brow. Sure Roller may have the mentality of a techno pup, but he has the bravest spark of any of the fiercest warriors. And he has the honor and devotion any Prime has for his people. Was he just a loyal pup? Did it really matter? He followed his Primes (and Magnus) into battle and did anything they asked with no hesitation or question. Was he stupid or was he just loyal? One thing no one ever dared to question. Many a time, they just followed him into the inferno of a fight. Did he understand the praises and sometimes unkind retorts other bots said?
Iron didn't know necessarily, but right now, he needed to tell Roller these things. If for no other reason, than to ease his own feelings. Carefully he lifted Roller from Lilly's arms and settled him against his own black armored chest, "I wish I had someone like you too waiting for me in my quarters when I came home." Roller droops and relaxes into the mech's frame. Iron presses his forehelm onto Roller's little top, "I know people have said 'just clone him, copy him, just make another'. But Roller, we all know, there is only one of you. And all of us would be lost if you weren't beside our commander. We will never leave you behind." He strokes the little drone's back tenderly.
Lilly could only sink onto her stool and watch Iron soothe the little drone's fears. He did not like being knocked offline. It frightened him to not be within radio range of Prime. If he could not feel the hum of his master's signal, he began to shake badly. Fits. Nothing could soothe his anxiety. The few times Roller had been banned from trade negotiations, Lilly or Magnus had to carry him constantly. The slightly familiar spark reading of the two Primes from Lilly or Magnus (to whom he had served before Rodimus) were the only things that kept him from shaking himself down to bits and scraps.
Iron's baritone soothing voice was hypnotic. It was even lulling Fire Lilly.
The almost silent click snapped Lilly's head up. Roller was out cold. Iron gave her a cheeky smile. He had lulled Roller to stasis and then switched him to deactivation sequence. The little drone would sleep in his processor and his body would send no signals to his little "brain". Ever so carefully he laid the limp drone on his back on the table. "You don't have to stay if you don't want to."
Lilly wonders if he's kicking her out of his bay and wrinkles her nose, "Can I stay? I would really feel bad abandoning him." She strokes his little helm.
Iron gives her a warm smile. He should have known better. "Sure. I could use the help and the company."
~~~ While completely replacing the three axels, new tires and bearings, the two friends talked about the race and things in general. It felt good. Iron didn't think he had laughed this hard in years. Lilly didn't think she'd ever had this much fun cleaning gunk out of anything.
While Roller was splayed open, they decided to give the little guy a complete overhaul. They pulled all kinds of weird stuff out of the chassis. Dirt clods, branches, loose nuts and bolts, an old fudge brownie, a plastic Easter egg, a candy cane stuck to his fuel tank, strange bits of fur or other organic rotting material, a tiny hammer…
Wheeljack came back in and peered over their work, "Oh finally giving the little guy that upgrade?" Lilly and Iron nod.
"Hey, what's that?" Iron reaches way into the back and pulls out a small wrench. There are certain marks on it that make it unique.
Wheeljack's face falls, "Put that one back, Wroughtiron."
Iron looks up to Wheeljack concerned by the sudden emotional turn to the mech's voice. Lilly asks, "'Jack, what is it?"
Wheeljack takes the little wrench and rubs his thumb across its chewed and scratched marks like it was a treasured artifact. "This was his favorite." Wheeljack sets his highgrade down and soothes Roller's offlined head, "It's okay buddy, it's okay. He's always here." With that, Wheeljack places it back in the very special place next to Roller's spark. Wiping a tear away, he knows he has to explain to the curious and worried younger bots before him. "Roller stole it from Ratchet." They gasp, Roller would never steal, that just didn't compute. Wheeljack smiled, "Some of us have our own theories of it actually being a gift, but the story goes better with stole. Anyway, Roller stole it from Ratchet's desk and dropped it at Optimus' peds one day after an absolutely horrid beyond horrid days. Prime was beyond pissed that day. Snapping and barking at everyone. Ohh, makes me shutter even now. His tension was rubbing off on everyone else. Well, except one." Wheeljack taps the little drone again, "And he knew exactly what Prime needed. Gave him the wrench. Optimus was so ticked, he threw it all the way down the hall. Nearly took my head off. Roller tore off down the all leaving peal out tread and sliding skid marks on the floor. Picked it up and dolefully dropped it at back Optimus' peds again. Optimus was so stunned he couldn't figure out if he should be furious at the little drone or confused."
To which they all chuckled: Optimus furious at Roller, now that was just plain impossible to believe.
"So Optimus picked it up and threw it again. This time I had a chance to duck. Roller dashed after it and brought it back with his little antenna waggling like a techno pup." Wheeljack leaned over and tapped the antenna, "Don't you dare try replacing that antenna. Everyone of those kinks and nicks mean something to him, got it?" Both bots nod. Wheeljack strokes the little drone again. "Anyway, Roller comes back and drops it once more. This time, Optimus throws it the other way straight between Ratchet and Ironhide's barking and arguing helms. Precision shot, if I say so myself. Anyway, Roller zips right down the hall as fast as his little wheels would go, straight between the two mechs. Ratchet sees Roller pick up the beloved wrench and bellows at the little drone. Roller tears out of sight with Ratchet following him and barking for Ironhide to get his wrench back from that little … how did the phrase it again? Ah yes, 'that little pit spawned thieving pet of Prime's'." And then Wheeljack begins laughing hard, "And then I heard to most glorious music of all time. Optimus Prime's deep and full rumbling laugh. I mean a full blown laugh that sent him doubling over, clutching his sides and tears down his face. Roller came dashing out of a vent at his master's peds and drops the wrench again. Optimus scooped him and the wrench up into the safety of his arms before Ratchet's wrath could touch one diode on the precious drone."
Now everyone was laughing. Wheeljack leans over still laughing and kisses the little drone's helm. "So that wrench is very precious to Roller. Don't loose it."
Lilly looks at the collection of other stuff they pulled out of Roller's incredibly small chassis. "I guess we better ask him about the rest of this stuff before we toss it."
Wheeljack nods. He picks up a broken piece of Rodimus' yellow spoiler and then a miniture blue hammer. "I have a feeling these two are also important to him as well."
Iron reaches out to Wheeljack, "Thanks. I would want to do anything to hurt our Roller's feelings."
Wheeljack pats his arm back, "Yeah I know. It really means a lot to all of us that you did this for him. He's going to feel like a brand new bot, that's for sure."
Lilly looks to him curious, "Bot not drone?"
Wheeljack picks up his highgrade and heads towards the door, "You know what I mean. Thanks for staying with him, Fire Lilly. See you three later."
~~ Rodimus came to the med bay much later and found a very sweet sight. There was Wroughtiron with sitting on a berth, head slouched against the wall. In his lap was a pillow with Lilly's sleeping head on it, with a thermal blanket loosely draped over her legs and hips. In her arms, hugged tightly, is Roller in his own thermal blanket wrapped up like a sparkling. There is another hand resting in him as well. One of Iron's arms is draped over Lilly's shoulder with his palm resting on the drone. Just like a young family.
Rod resigns himself to just look at the resting group for a moment, leaning on the doorjam.
"Cute, hum?" The soft voice of Sideswipe turns Rod's attention away from his muse. Roller's optics come on line and rotate up to look at his master but completely content where he is resting.
Rod decides to ignore Sideswipe's comment. Instead he comes to the resting group. Kneeling down, he parts the blanket a little more and smiles at his pet. Ever so softly he strokes the little guy's nose, "Hey, looks like you got a bath and a paint job too." The drone mews in pleasure. "How do you feel?" Roller closes his optics in pure bliss and snuggles closer to the three hands that hold him.
Iron's other hand comes up cupping Roller closer to Lilly and groggily mutters, "Hang on, I've got you, little guy." Roller mews to the young mech. And Iron sighs in his stasis with a smile.
Rod strokes the little drone, "Alright, Roller. I'll catch up with you later, 'kay?" Roller nods. Standing up silently, Rod strides towards the door. One finger points to Sideswipe with a warning, but nothing said. Roller closes his optics and goes back to stasis cuddled in love and warmth. He sighs. He may miss Optimus, but he knows he is loved by all. Probably the most secured bot in the whole universe.
Thank you Primus, the little done breathes.