Author A/N:
... wow, this got a much better reception that I was expecting O.o No pressure right lol
e-dowely: I agree, Ironhide without his cannons is like a beach without sand ... just plain wrong. :)
Taraum: I agree, the only bit of peace I get out of it is the fact that they gave him some pretty kick-ass scenes. And that is indeed one of the main reasons I love this website so much :D
Dog Soup: Tell me about it, I cried for the rest of the movie after they killed him. I'm glad you're enjoying this so far!
Bumblebee'sGuardian: Lol, I'm glad you think so, I was afraid of making him too OOC, but given the situation, (coupled with other fics I have read about him), I think I'm still in the clear. :)
2GrayBoys: This will definitely keep going until he gets back to normal :) And, hmmm ... Unicron, eh? -gears start turning in my head-
Chocokoko: I refuse to believe that anything except for age has the potential to kill him, he's way to tough for anything else. And, I have to admit, I owe that little idea to Botosphere. She's given me a few that will be popping up throughout the rest of the fic :)
LionLover190: A 'con or two will be making an appearance later on ... I mean come on, what's an Ironhide fic without a good 'con slagging ;)
keacdragon: Thanks for the support, hopefully this doesn't disappoint -.-'
Unbecoming Me: Glad I can provide this for you then :D I've read some amazing fics where they put him to rest ... but I just can't accept that he's really gone.
GavinDarklighter: That's what I liked so much about writing it, it COULD happen ... the chances are microscopic but it's possible :) I'm glad others saw this a 'flowing,' I was worried it would be a little to choppy and confusing for people to read.
Special thanks to everyone who reviewed! Reviews are food for my soul XD!
Special Announcement: I would like to send a very special thank-you to Vivienne Grainger for working as this stories Beta! THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU 100x Thank you! :D
Disclaimer: I have absolutely no ownership over the Transformer franchise, this is meant to be strictly for entertainment purposes.
The sound of cannon fire had Sam jerking from a dead sleep in panic. Things had been quiet enough for the last few months that he had finally managed to convince himself that the Decepticons were in fact defeated and gone into hiding. N.E.S.T. members were still attempting to track down any remaining cons that were still kicking around, but scans showed most of them had fled the planet when Megatron was killed.
The sound of war had him assuming the worst, Decepticons attacking, the autobots being defeated, Optimus still wasn't running at 100%, Ironhide was still in a comatose state, and the others wouldn't be able to hold off a army of angry Decepticons for long. Nightmarish scenarios ran through his head as he scrambled off his bunk and landed in a heap on the floor, instinct screaming at him to run now and ask questions later.
Carly had waken to the sound of Sam's cursing. She rolled over and blinked sluggishly at the sight of her boyfriend trying to untangle himself from his military issue sheets.
"Uh, Sam-?"
"Carly! We gotta get out of here, they'll probably come soon! Hurry get up, get up, get up!" he urged as he managed to untangle himself and haul himself to his feet.
"Who? Why? Sam it's too early for this ..." she moaned as she pulled her blanket over her head. Sam stood there gaping at her, the place was probably about to come down on their heads and she went back to sleep? He was about to grab her and throw her over his shoulder when he was distracted by another sound.
Or rather the lack of sound.
He was actually starting to think he'd dreamed the cannon blast. The only things he could hear now were the familiar sound of the base waking up to face a new day. The shuffling of soldiers getting up, the buzz of machines, and the gentle foot falls of the Autobots in the main hanger. He was about to crawl back into his bunk - Carly had a point, a glace at his watch revealed it to be 7:01am - when a loud shot had him jumping out of his skin.
"YOU SLAGGING, SON OF A GLITCH! WHAT PART OF 'TAKE IT EASY' FAILED TO SINK THROUGH YOUR THICK PROCESSORS?"
Sam chuckled nervously at the sound of the medic's voice. Someone had managed to piss him off, and the check list of potential culprits wasn't very long. But then again, since Ironhide had been down Ratchet's fuse had been shorter than normal. When he mentioned that to Optimus, the autobot leader had smiled and said something about a form of stress-relief the weapons specialist provided him.
"Stress relief?" Sam asked, honestly confused.
"Ironhide and Ratchet have been working together for a long, long time. They've formed a certain ... system they follow. Ironhide can take anything Ratchet throws at him and give it back just as good. It's good for both of them to have someone that isn't afraid of them and they don't have to pull their punches for. You get what I mean?" Optimus explained, looking at the human seated in his hand.
"Yeah, I think I get it."
Sam yawned as he made his way towards the main hanger, intent to figure out what was going on.
"OH NO YOU DON'T! GET YOUR AFT BACK HERE!" The shout was accompanied by a few bangs and crashes, and the sound of laughter. He walked into the hanger just as Ratchet hoisted some poor soul into the air by his ankle.
"For the record, it was completely unintentional," the figure groused in Ironhide's gruff voice, swinging his body up to grip at Ratchet's fingers, looking suspiciously like a monkey in a tree, "how was I supposed to know how my weapons system adjusted in this frame? And one cannon blast isn't going to drain me."
Sam hiked up the human sized platform to stand beside Lennox and Epps, watching as Ironhide wiggled his foot from Ratchet's grip and scurried up the medic's arm with a fearlessness no human would ever have, no matter how long they worked with the Autobots.
"Of course, cause you're the all-knowing weapons specialist." Ratchet's voice was absolutely dripping with sarcasm. Everyone was trying to hold back laughter at the sight of the medic trying to grab hold of Ironhide again, but the weapons specialist managed to evade the seeking fingers.
"So ..." Sam started, glancing over at Lennox as Optimus joined the crowd.
"Ironhide's awake." The Lieutenant Colonel smirked, causing Sam to roll his eyes.
"Yeah, I figured out that much." They both watched as Ironhide jumped from the medic's frame to Optimus' extended hand. Ratchet mutter something in the bot's native language that caused the others to laugh and Ironhide to smirk smugly.
"Alright, alright," Optimus chuckled as he dropped Ironhide back beside the humans, "let's bring him up to speed."
Everyone sobered up rather quickly as they launch into the retelling of the last couple months. Ironhide scratched at his side absently at the mention of Sentinel's betrayal, and shot a glare at Ratchet as the medic ran another scan over him.
:: I'm fine, Ratch, get off my back. ::
Ratchet didn't respond, but he didn't stop his scan until he was satisfied. Ironhide frowned at the retelling of the Autobot's official exile, and the battle in Chicago.
"So we lost Wheeljack." It wasn't a question, but everyone could see the way he was going over the information in his processor. No doubt trying to work out what may have been different if he'd been there.
"We're hopeful we can do something to change that," Optimus said quielty. "Ratchet is working to repair as much as he can with the hope the Matrix may be able to help."
"But I need more parts," Ratchet spoke up with a frown. "I've exhausted all my resources."
"So what's the plan?" Lennox asked from where he leaned against the safety rail.
"Ideally, I would like to be able to return to the remains of the Ark on the moon. That would be our best best for the parts we need, but ..."
"We do not want to put unnecessary strain between us and your human leaders. They have acknowledged their mistakes of the past, but still have clear doubts about us." Optimus took over when Ratchet trailed off. "With none of our lives in immediate danger, I believe they will be hard pressed to allow us clearance."
"We can help with that," Lennox offered.
"Yeah, I mean I'm already part of that, I'll see if I can call in a few favors and pull some strings," Epps agreed, earning a grateful nod from Optimus.
"We appreciate any help you can offer at this point," Optimus said, "but in the mean time we need to plan what we are going to do with him." He smirked again as he pointed at Ironhide, all dark feelings lifting.
"Good point," Ratchet added with a smirk as Ironhide groaned and rolled his eyes.
"I swear to Primus, as soon as I'm back to normal I'm kicking your aft," he growled to the amusment of everyone else in the room.
"But seriously, you're on medical leave until we get you back to normal," Ratchet finished.
"You have got to be kidding me!" Ironhide shouted as Ratchet merely smirked. "I can't stay off duty that long, you don't even know how long that will be!"
"Well, unless there is an emergency," Optimus said, "there is no doubt you could still hold your own if need be, but that was way too close for comfort, Ironhide. In wake of all the death that has happened, we are not going to risk it."
His tone left no room for argument causing Ironhide to sigh heavily. "So, what? You just going to stick me in a bubble until I get a new frame?"
"As amusing as that would be, you'll be staying with us until things work out," Lennox said with a smile, earning one back from the old mech.
"Okay, that I can live with."
"I changed my mind, I'd rather be stuck in a bubble."
"Oh come on 'Hide, I didn't know Sarah was planning to host a family reunion."
"Regardless, where exactly am I supposed to stay, since you and Sarah both have made it clear the garage and barn are out of the question?"
"Yeah that would look good, close family friend being exiled to the barn 'cause the house is full of other family members."
"Never stopped you before," Ironhide challenged with a quirked eyebrow.
"Yeah, when you were Ironhide, not Aaron Hyde." Lennox sighed from his place seated on his bunk. Ironhide was sitting on a nearby desk chair with his arms crossed. It had been about a week since Ironhide had woke up, and they had hit an unexpected snag with their plans. Sarah's mother had insisted on a sudden family reunion, saying they needed to spend some time together in wake of the tragedy that was Chicago.
Sarah's uncle and his family were actually living in Chicago when the attack happened. They had been lucky and sought refuge in their basement, hiding out until things cleared up. Thankfully, their house was tucked along the edge of the city, so they managed to avoid detection, but it was too close for any of their comforts. The result was the sudden calling of a family reunion. Sarah, of course, had been all to happy to offer their country home property for the event. It was the only space big enough at such short notice. Unfortunately, with the entire family making an effort to come, every tent, couch, carpeted floor, and even the rarely used camper was already claimed.
"Look: just smile and nod and agree it's a human thing."
"Doing that still doesn't solve the problem, though." Ironhide sulked, not that he would ever admit it. He had made it very clear that, if his charge was leaving the base, he was going too. And as soon as Will had mentioned that the whole family was coming together, he was more insisent than ever to be there and stand guard against any potential threats.
"No, I suppose it doesn't," Will agreed with a sigh. "You can't like, I don't know, take on another form or something can you? Like you did before?"
"It's possible." Both males jumped as Ratchet's holo, AKA Ron Hatchett, walked into the room. He walked over the Ironhide and cupped the back of his head. With a smooth, well practiced move, he pushed the dark-haired head forward roughly and tapped at the back of his neck. The skin-like armor shifted and moved under his touch as Ironhide growled fiercely.
"Slag off, medic, you just checked those wires a joor ago, nothing's changed." He snapped, shoving the medic away.
"Look, you do what you do best, and I'll do what I do best," the medic snapped back but let the back of Ironhide's neck shift back to normal.
"And what's that, being a pain in my aft?"
"Nope, that's just a perk," Ratchet smirked and dodged the halfhearted punch the weapons specialist threw at him.
"What do you mean, 'it's possible'?" Will asked as the two continued to glare at each other.
"Exactly what it sounds like, as long as the other form is within his frame limitations he is able to take another form. Probably nothing motorized like before though," the medic said as he leaned back against the desk. "It's along the same lines as before; one form, in this case his Pretender frame, acts as his more common root mode, and the alt mode would serve the same purpose as his Topkick form."
"A disguise?" Will guessed.
"More or less," Ratchet agreed, "although considering how human he is now, he doesn't really need it."
"But he could like, you know, take on a animal form or something?" Will asked again and both mechs could practically hear the gears turning in his head.
"Technically ... yes," Ratchet said cautiously as a slow grin formed over Will's face. Ironhide just groaned.
"I'm not going to like this, am I?" he groaned again as the grin on Will's face just grew bigger.
"So how long is your family going to be staying, Will?" Optimus asked through his radio as they drove down the highway. The blue and red semi had insisted on taking Will and Ironhide back to the Lennox property. Ironhide had drifted off at some point, and leaned his head against Optimus' window.
"Most of them will only be here for the weekend. As crazy as everything is in the Chicago clean up effort, life is still going on in other places. Some people can do little more than offer support by donating to the cause."
"It is rather remarkable how much you humans show support to each other, even if you live on opposite sides of the planet," Optimus remarked as they turned off the pavement onto a gravel road.
"We do what we can." Will agreed as he stole a glance at his current traveling companion. Technically they weren't supposed to return to Wills home until Friday, and it was only Wednesday. However, an insistent plea from Sarah, and Ironhide's own feeling of restlessness, had granted them early leave. Sarah and Annabelle had been absolutely thrilled when Will had called them with the news.
Ironhide said it was more like a death trap.
Sarah Lennox was one of the few beings that could intimidate Ironhide, as he had found out the hard way when they first met seven years ago. None the less, the woman had practically adopted the black mech into the family, along with the other Autobots, offering them a "home away from base" when they felt they needed a break.
Ironhide would never admit it to anyone else, but he liked the time he spent with the Lennox family. It gave him hope that more peaceful times were possible.
Will looked up as his familiar house slowly came into view. He reached over to shake Ironhide's shoulder as Optimus stopped in the driveway.
"Up and at 'em, tough guy, time to face the fire." He smirked slightly as Ironhide opened his eyes slowly and groaned.
"Yeah, that bubble is starting to sound really good right about now," he commented dryly as Sarah came out the front door in a rush. She met him with a tight hug before his feet even hit the ground.
"You pit-slagging son of a glitch!" she cursed, voice slightly muffled by the material of his shirt. "Who gave you permission to get hurt like that? Three months, three months, you made us wait! Every time the phone rang I was convinced it was someone calling to say it was a false alarm, and you were really dead, and, and-"
"Breathe, femme, I'm alright," he muttered softly, pointedly ignoring the sniggers coming from Will and Optimus behind him. She pulled back suddenly, tears clinging to her lashes, and grabbed his face with both hands. She tilted it from side to side as she took in his appearance. Dark, tousled hair, three-day stubble along his chin, familiar scar over his eye, and even more familiar piercing blue eyes.
"I`m so glad you`re okay," she whispered, gently kissing his cheek before pulling him back into a hug, "Welcome back, `Hide."
A/N: So hopefully this stood up to everyones expectations. Chapter 3 is in the writing process, so you'll being hearing from me again soon enough! :D