CHAPTER 26
A Father's Worry

Ratchet had never seen his old friend as quiet as he was that night. He hadn't even gotten his cannons out and gone into a frenzy, he'd just sat there, in his holoform, on Tony's bed. He hadn't even left his side since he'd found him, as if afraid if he did that Jason would show up again. Tony had been very lucky to have fought back that night, as one more blow to the head, according to Ratchet, could have, and likely would have done severe damage. Ratchet watched him as he slid his hand onto the sleeping boy's own, holding it gently.

"You can't blame yourself, Ironhide." Ratchet told him, Ironhide turned his head to him "You had no idea he would attack him in such a violent matter." He shook his head, Ironhide looked away quietly "The man will pay for what he did Ironhide." He noted.

Ironhide grunted, it was the most the medic had gotten out of him all night. Ironhide was in a dark place, and he knew it. Having had children of his own, he knew this feeling all too well, the despair of knowing he'd not been able to protect them. That feeling that you had failed them in some way or another, that feeling of anger towards yourself most of all. "I promised I'd never let Jason get him... Primus almighty... How could I be so dumb as to let him go off alone, Ratchet?" He turned to Ratchet "I left him wide open for an attack of that nature." He added.

"It wasn't your fault Ironhide, do you not get that?" Ratchet told him flatly "Like it or not, Jason outsmarted you both. And it won't happen again." He explained, he looked his friend in the eyes "Prowl and Michael searched the entire school up and down. He's gone, but we don't know where." He closed his eyes, Ironhide just stared at Tony "He clearly needs twenty-four hour watch." He noted.

"I'm moving him into the barn. I don't care how it looks, he's not leaving my side." Ironhide replied, he shook his head "At least in there I can keep every alarm I have around. Any changes will be heard." He closed his eyes as well "I can't risk it again Ratchet, he could have killed him with those blows to the head." He felt his body tremble quietly "I can't loose him Ratchet, not now, not when I've formed a bond." He noted.

Ratchet's eyes shot towards his old friend at this comment. "Are you certain? Can it even be done with a human being?" Ratchet asked.

"Even now I feel every ounce of his fear, his gentle heartbeat... We formed an Artificial Creation Bond not long ago. I have simply said nothing." Ironhide turned to Ratchet, who stared at him, stunned "I have no clue how it happened, or when it did. But I believe it may have been as soon as the day he nearly drowned in the lake." He looked thoughtful "The other night, when he fell asleep to the beat of my spark, my belief was confirmed. It was as though he were a sparkling responding to his creator's touch." He noted.

"It certainly would explain why your views of him changed so rapidly." Ratchet admitted quietly "If he were not recovering... I may want to run scans on both of you. As I have never seen a bond between a spark and heart before. This is new, even for me." He eyed Tony "That boy must be very special if his connection to you can move past special barriers." He added.

"He's very special to me. Perhaps Primus saw that before I even did." Ironhide replied.

Ironhide reached over, stroking the boy's hair carefully, allowing him to know he hadn't left. Ironhide sent a lot of love through the bond he'd somehow created as well, knowing if it worked the same way as it would on sparklings and younglings, it would definitely help. He could already feel Tony relax even slightly, snuggling deep into his bed. "Primus almighty." Ratchet noted, noticing the change in both of their demeanors "You really have created a bond with him. Incredible." He muttered.

"A miracle is more like it, Primus knows the boy needed that kind of tether to SOMEONE." Ironhide replied, he shook his head a bit "I never want him to have to feel alone again." He added, closing his eyes, he stood up slowly "Tony?" He whispered, the boy moaned "We're going to move you and the mattress to the barn, alright youngling? Keep asleep, it won't take long." He told him.

"Here, I'll take one end, you take the other. It'll be easier."

It was a miracle that they even succeeded without waking the recovering boy, even a little. They set Tony up beside where Ironhide normally recharged, close enough that any change made even near him would be noticed, even if Ironhide recharged. Not that it mattered much, as Ironhide was certain he wouldn't be recharging at all that evening. Ratchet carefully took a blood sample as Tony slept on, placing it in a vile. "I will run blood tests, as I am very curious as to how this happened." He looked upon Tony "But I also will check for any infections or other damage." He added.

"Good idea." Ironhide noted "Now you should go, be with your own human charges." He added.

"I could stay through the night if you'd like extra protection." Ratchet noted.

"I'll be locking the door up tightly, Prowl and Michael are not far..." Ironhide was quiet "We will be okay, at least for the night." He explained, then added "I believe Bumblebee is coming over for the night as well. Just so we have a scout on-site." He shrugged his shoulders "You've done your job Ratchet, now I believe what Tony needs is rest. Rather than having a medic hover over him." He explained.

"If anything changes, don't hesitate to call." Ratchet noted, he paused for a moment "If it helps you at all, I want him just as dead as you do. And you know me to be a pacifist." He nodded his head slightly "Goodnight, Ironhide." He added.

Ironhide watched as Ratchet transformed down, driving off. Ironhide leaned against the barn silently, closing up the door, and carefully locking it from the inside. He wished it hadn't come to this, to Tony not being able to leave his side. But he could have been killed that day, and there was no way in hell he'd risk that happening again. Seating himself down, he reached over, stroking the boy's back gently, Tony leaned into it, smiling in his sleep. "You're going to be okay, little one." He muttered.

Ironhide peered out the single window in the barn, his optics carefully scanning the horizon. As soon as he was satisfied he wasn't anywhere nearby, Ironhide carefully transformed down, being as quiet about it as he could be. To his surprise, recharge was slow coming, but it did come.

...

Tony's entire head throbbed, and he could barely move his aching muscles either. He sat up carefully despite it all, noting that he was in the barn. It took him a few minutes to remember what Ironhide had told him as he was half asleep the night before. Outside he noted that Prowl was doing his morning rounds, and beside him, he noticed Ironhide, by the sounds he was making, deep in recharge. Slowly, he picked himself off the ground, and limply climbed out of the barn. "Prowl?" The mech turned his head "What are you doing up so early?" He muttered.

"Did I wake you?" Prowl asked "I'm aware it is barely daytime, it was not my intention."

"Nah, I usually get up right now, I was just wondering what you were doing up." Tony replied, he placed his hands on his hips a bit "Did you get any sleep last night, at all?" He asked.

Prowl shook his head, admittedly, having felt bad for what happened the evening prior. Though Prowl sometimes struggled with kids, he didn't like to se them hurt, ever. To know he'd failed to protect one in such a manner had disturbed him more than he'd have liked it to. "How are you feeling?" Prowl crouched down slowly "I understand you received quite a beating." He noted.

"It hurts a lot, but I'll live." Tony replied "Your guys's defense tactics saved my life, probably. The way he was talking I don't even want to know what he had planned." He then smiled "That reverse headbutt you taught me really helped. Wouldn't have gotten away if it weren't for it." He added.

Prowl smiled slightly, thankful for that at least. The whole point of teaching Tony some defense techniques were to save his life, and he was thankful that, at the very least, they had saved him from one brutal attack. "That was the point, young one. You are very lucky I did too, or I can only imagine..." Prowl was silent for a moment "I'm very sorry I failed you." He noted.

"What do you mean?" Tony blinked.

"I failed to protect you as I was assigned to." He noted.

Tony got the feeling that Prowl took any job he had very seriously, even if it was just protecting a human like him. Tony shook his head a bit, he stared up at Prowl slowly, smiling a bit. "It happens, man. Don't beat yourself up too much." He sighed a bit, shifting his weight a little "He caught me by surprise too. I don't think ANY of us saw it coming." He added.

"Which is why I feel bad. I had my scanners off for only a few seconds. SECONDS." Prowl sighed a bit, he looked down upon Tony "Failure is not honestly an option for me very often, Anthony. I can't even describe how much it..." He shook his head slightly "Especially one of our own. You could have died due to my own stupidity." He groaned.

"One of your own?" Tony asked, confused.

"Of course, you're Ironhide's son, or will be. That makes you an Autobot." Prowl noted, Tony looked at him "Your loyalty is to our cause, is it not?" Tony nodded, there was no question about that "Then, as far as all involved are concerned, you're as much as an Autobot as we are." He crossed his arms a bit "Do you need anything right now? I'm not allowed to let you go anywhere without an escort at this point." He noted.

"Just to go to the bathroom." Tony replied, attempting a joke.

"Ironhide's right, you are a smartass." Prowl smirked.

Tony nodded a bit towards his bedroom window. "I actually was hoping to go get dressed and all. How about a lift?" Tony asked.

Prowl was quick to scoop him up, and carefully set him into the bedroom. For a moment, Tony worried he might actually stand around and watch. Prowl simply stepped back slowly, nodding. "I'll allow you privacy, if Ironhide awakens, I promise to inform him where you are." He paused for a moment "Will you be okay in there, alone?" He asked.

"Prowl, don't get paranoid, alright? I'll be okay." Tony nodded.

As Prowl left, Tony simply relaxed, the pain was severe, the security was tighter, and the whole thing was getting more intense. He shook his head slightly, he was definitely going to be very happy when this whole nightmare was over. Very happy indeed.