CHAPTER 8
A Change of Spark

Ironhide almost killed his youngest charge that night, ALMOST. The rustling on the roof and the fall had scared the living daylights out of him, and the realization that Tony had fallen off the roof scared him. Sure they weren't on the best of terms, yet. But Ironhide would kill himself before he saw one of his charges hurt, even by their own stupidity. "Anthony." Ironhide crouched beside the boy, who was bruised a bit from the fall "Are you fragging CRAZY! You could have broken your neck." He snarled quietly.

Tony stared up at Ironhide, and that's when he noticed the backpack. He noticed changes of clothing, a blanket, and money, and Ironhide understood. Tony had attempted to leave the house, and run away. "You were running away?" Tony was silent as Ironhide glared down at him "In freezing weather that could KILL you? Primus almighty, were you trying to kill yourself?" He asked "Trying to scare the slag out of your parents?" He asked.

Tony shrank back a bit, and Ironhide took a deep breath. He couldn't believe Tony's fall had scared him so much. But he'd felt nothing but fear when he'd fallen, his spark had nearly stopped. "I wasn't running away." Tony looked at Ironhide, who blinked a little "I wanted time alone to think... So I wanted to see if I could bunk with you in the barn." He explained.

"Uh-huh." Ironhide snorted "Try harder." He added.

"You going to turn me in?" Tony asked.

"Not if you tell me why."

Tony stared up at his guardian slowly, then down at his feet. Ironhide watched the boy for a moment, Tony took a deep breath, he stared up and frowned. "They're going to realize I'm not good enough." Ironhide tilted his head at this "Every other family is, the difference is I've stuck around and waited for that to happen. This has happened twice, and the more I think about it the more I realize-" He paused "They'll be no different." He added.

Ironhide stared at Tony, stunned he would say that. He read their happiness levels, he knew that Will and Sarah loved Tony. He knew that would never happen. But Ironhide understood, at least slightly, where the child was coming from. "They love you, Tony." Ironhide explained, he looked upon the boy slowly "I see their levels of happiness around you, and like with Annabelle they skyrocket." He noted, Tony stared away a bit "I will not let you leave this home." He noted.

"You don't care." Tony replied, looking up at the mech "Face it, I've been nothing but a thorn in your side."

"That's not true." Ironhide replied.

"Yeah, it is, and you know it." Tony started to head down the path.

"I was only rough on you because I thought you would replace Annabelle in MY spark too." Ironhide finally admitted, Tony stopped dead in his tracks, he turned his head toward Ironhide "I have no sparklings of my own, Anthony. Annabelle, she was like one to me." He turned his head slightly, looking at her window "I love her, very much... But I feared another human child would hinder that." He turned to Tony "And the more time I spent with you, the more... The more I felt like I was with Annabelle again." He noted.

"Bull." Tony muttered.

"I protected you from those bullies. Because seeing them gang up on you threw me into a RAGE." Ironhide continued, trying to explain to Tony what he meant "As someone who has never been a parent. I never thought you could care for TWO children." He continued, he shook his head "I'd always thought it was impossible. But when I got to know you... I started to feel as Will and Sarah now do." He moved forward, and crouched down "I was a confused mech with trust issues..." He then added "Who I hope you would give a second chance." He added.

Between that and what Ironhide had said in the barn, Tony was torn. Had Ironhide really just been confused at his own care for him? Tony looked at Ironhide, then back at the home. "I'll forgive you, on one condition." Tony began, Ironhide stared at him "When I'm fifteen and have my permit, you'll teach me how to drive." Ironhide froze "I've seen Will drive, it scares me. Sarah's even worse." He admitted with a smirk.

Ironhide smirked back, the boy was a smart aleck, but he kind of liked that about him. "Very well, I teach you to drive." Ironhide snorted, he scooped Tony up slowly "And you don't leave me and break the hearts-and spark-of everyone here." He smirked, opening his window slowly and setting him onto his bed "Now, get to sleep. Ye little urchin. I'm already tired of this mushy stuff." He then smiled "Pleasant dreams." He noted.

"Ironhide?" Tony asked before he could leave, Ironhide turned his head "Do they really love me as much as Annabelle?" He asked.

"They love you every bit as much." Ironhide replied.

"Does what you said mean you love me too?"

Ironhide stopped for a moment, that was a very good question. He had openly admitted he cared about them both equally. He and Annabelle had grown on him, they both meant something to him in different ways. Ironhide sighed, a few months ago, he might have said no, but now... Now the more he thought, the more he realized he more than likely did. "Just call me Uncle Hide." Ironhide knew that was more than an answer.

"Goodnight Uncle Hide."

Ironhide almost was stunned at himself when he replied with a soft. "Goodnight little one."

...

"C'mon Tony."

Tony stared at his Foster Cousin, for a moment. Timothy, or Tim Lennox, was the biggest fourteen year old he'd ever seen in his life. He was big, around six feet four inches, with a military buzz cut, striking blue eyes, and the build of a jock. Then again, his Dad, and Will, were even bigger, so Tony knew he probably got it from Jedd. "Look, Tim, I like you and all. But Ironhide and Will always tell me NOT to go to the lake when it's Frozen over." Tony explained "They say in the summer and spring it's-" He began.

"Tony, Ironhide is a stiff, and Uncle Will doesn't care." Tim replied, staring at him, Tony chewed his lip a bit "Come on man, I've gone there so many times, NOTHING has happened to me." He patted his Foster Cousin's shoulder "Come on, he's in the barn, polishing his cannons, he won't even notice." He added.

Tony eyed the barn for a moment, but neither heard, nor saw movement. He sighed a bit, crossing his arms. He would be stupid, it was the one day since he'd been here that it had actually snowed, and therefore, the lake had frozen over. It was dangerous, it was hazardous, and a multitude of things could go wrong. Ironhide had even warned him that Tim was a troublemaker. Yet, Tony told himself chances were he would be fine. Tim would know better than he did. "Alright, I'll go." Tony replied "They'll kill me, but I'll go."

Tim grinned, and led the way down a beaten path. The walk was longer then Tony had anticipated, and by the end of it, his legs and feet burned. The lake was large, even frozen it seemed to go on for miles. Tony couldn't help but make note of its beauty. "Well?" Tim asked, Tony turned to him "Let's go onto the ice, man. It's even cooler than staring at it." He added.

"Go ON it?" Tony stared at Tim "No way man, I don't have skates, and it seems kinda thin-"

"Don't be a pussy." Tim replied "Come on."

Tim stepped onto the ice, sliding, and "Woot"ing loudly. Tony stared after him, then back down the path. He felt bad, knowing he was about to do something so stupid. But, Tony told himself, it looked fun, Tim wasn't getitng hurt. He took a step onto the ice and let himself slide. Grinning a bit, Tony pretended to be on skates, goofing off. "What did I tell you, cous? Awesome, right?" Tony nodded at Tim calmly "You were worried for-."

That's when the ice bellow Tony gave in. Tony's eyes widened, the water was freezing, and he struggled to stay up. Tony had told Ironhide before he could not swim, and it was no lie. He could hear Tim screaming his name, he could faintly see his hand, but he couldn't reach up, couldn't take the hand. Water filled his lungs, his eyes widening, realizing he was going to drown. A hand finally tightly clasped onto his arm, and yanked him out. Coughing and choking out, shivering at the cold, he looked up to find Ironhide's holoform.

His eyes were a mixture of concern at Tony, and utter rage at Tim. But he didn't show even a slight anger at Tony. "Easy Anthony, I gotcha, I gotcha." Ironhide noted holding him close as they stood up "Think I didn't hear your whole conversation, Timothy?" Tim turned his head, face going red "You, are in SO much trouble when we get back." He noted.

"But Tony-"

"Was likely trying to impress you, and was peer pressured into it." Ironhide noted, stoically "Had I not followed you he would be dead right now, do you not understand that?" He added.

As Ironhide began to lead them off the ice, Tony knew that though Ironhide wasn't angry. The whole incident was going to make Will and Sarah less than happy, MUCH less than happy. He could only hope that whatever trouble he was in, it wouldn't ruin what they had going. Even if he knew the chances of them going easy on him for disobeying that kind of order and almost being killed because of it was not going to be looked at too well.

Heaven knew he had screwed up big time, at least THIS time.