CHAPTER 32
Ironhide Versus The Social Worker

For once Ironhide wished Marie was the one coming over that day. Why did she have to be fired? He knew how to handle her, but this new guy, this young kid coming over, this was something he wasn't prepared for. The mech would have paced in his own real form if he could, but instead he settled with pacing in his holoform. Almost looking like a madman in the middle of a panic attack. Their 'house' was nice and fixed up well enough now that it looked like a home. He was a good and competent Father. But now he was going to have to convince a man he'd never met of both.

The sound of a car got his attention, and Ironhide simply was silent as he made his way outside to meet it. He was rarely quiet, but sometimes, he simply had to be. It was early, the only time he had free, as such, Tony was sleeping soundly in bed. He'd already checked on him, twice, kissed his head gently, and tucked him in again. Tony was a heavy sleeper, so he had no doubt he'd likely be asleep through their meeting. Though he'd figured when he told the social worker over the phone he'd not be happy, he had actually been fine with it, saying he'd set a date at some time other than seven in the morning to talk to Tony.

Given what he was going through, he supposed the man only found it fair. The man who stepped out was young, with a sort of boyish quality to him. Immediately, Ironhide got a much friendlier vibe from Douglas Brant then he ever had from Marie. "Hey there." Doug nodded as he made his way towards Ironhide, and shook hands "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, sorry I'm late. I hadn't realized you'd converted the barn into your home." He looked it over "Nice place." He added.

"It's alright, I figured. Pleasure to meet you as well." Ironhide turned his head "Well, Tony's still sound asleep. So as I suspected, it's just us today, my apologies. But after all the stress he has suffered. I don't want to wake him so early on a weekend." Doug nodded in understanding "From what Tony tells me after his meeting with you upon your being hired, I hope this will be more pleasant than meeting with his older Social Worker." He grunted "I warn you I can be a little slow to trust people, especially suits." He noted.

"I was warned about this all beforehand by Tony." Doug replied "Don't worry, I'm the same way. So I guess we'll both be working on warming up to eachother." He nodded towards the home "Shall we go inside?" He asked.

Ironhide gently opened the barn door, his real form parked in his truck mode. Seating himself down on his hood, Ironhide motioned to a couch near the corner. Doug took a seat, peering around the room. "Wow, you could hardly tell it was a barn." Doug noted, he stared at Ironhide "Alright Mr. Hide, after an extensive look over the files you restructured and translated. I understand you had one spouse, dead. A daughter, also dead. You were the Legal Guardian of, Bumblebee, is it?" He noted, Ironhide nodded "You have quite a big family on top of it." He added.

"One that will hopefully only get bigger." Ironhide smiled.

"I'll be frank here, Mr. Hide, this is a VERY unusual case. You're a giant robot, and he's a fifteen year old HUMAN." Doug shook his head a bit "This kid's window of opportunity? Ended a long time ago, and it's a little odd to me that someone like you would well... Want him." Ironhide's smile was slowly growing into a frown, Doug looked up "Why not an infant, toddler, something? You're new to this after all." He added.

"Does love need a reason?" Ironhide questioned.

"So love is your reasoning?" Doug asked.

"Of course it is! I couldn't love that boy any more if I tried." Ironhide held back frustration "I don't give a frag how old he is, or how many problems he comes with. I want to help him get through it and give him all the love my spark has to give." He bit his holographic lip slightly "Why should it MATTER? He's an older child in desperate need of love and stability, both of which I can and HAVE been giving him." He explained.

Doug quickly got the feeling he had struck a chord there, he fell silent, and stared down. "I only want to be sure you really have Anthony's best interests at heart." He noted "Some people like to take advantage of the older kids. Treat them like slaves." He explained.

"I would never treat Tony that way." Ironhide stated slowly "You mistake me for a Deepticon, who'd see him as a pet, or slave. Depending on whom you asked." He snarked, trying to take a deep breath "I disliked Tony when he first came, yes. I'm sure that's what you're implying." Doug stared at Ironhide quietly "But the more I was with that boy. The more I came to love him. And Primus almighty, if my early mistakes cost me my right to adopting him. You'll be in for one hell of a custody battle." He noted.

"Exactly what I wanted to hear." Doug replied, smiling, Ironhide blinked in confusion "I could sit here, asking you the same bullcrap everyone does. But I prefer to try and get a rise. Because if someone truly loves and cares about the individual they wish to adopt." He was very calm in saying what came next "They would say something like you just did. Those who don't REALLY care? They're indifferent." He noted.

"I assure you, I would take a blast straight to my spark for him. I'd let Megatron rip it out himself it came down to it." Ironhide was silent, he turned towards the door to Tony's area "I can assure you that he is the best thing in my life right now. I lost my... Wife. I lost my daughter. All I had left were my brothers, sister, and a few nephews. Of course, the Lennox's as well." He shook his head "But Tony's m'boy. I can't describe it anyway else other than. I want to be there for his senior prom. I want to be the proud Father in the stands at both his graduations. Sitting in the front row of his wedding." He looked at Doug "And I want to be the one spoiling his children rotten." He added, earning a chuckle.

Doug slowly grew serious, smiling a bit, he noted the look in Ironhide's eyes, the look of sincerity. "He really means that much to you, huh?" Doug asked quietly.

"He means more that I can't properly express in words." Ironhide let his eyes moving dow towards the ground "If I lost him, whether it's to his Father, or to the system. I don't believe my spark would survive it." He shook his head "Just because he's human, and I am an Autobot. Does not make my feelings any less important than any other parent. And I hope you understand that." He added.

Doug got up at that, he scribbled a few last minute notes down, and held a hand out. "I think you're going to make a great Father, if it's any consent." Ironhide stood, eyes filled with surprise as he took his hand "I'll be back in four weeks to talk to Tony, and look at his living area. But believe me Ironhide, I think he's found the right home." Ironhide smiled, brightly "I'll even see to it you get that court date myself. As soon as possible, if I can." He added.

"Thank you." Ironhide was quiet, a rare thing "You're a good man Doug."

"Keep that thought up, because I'm going to be around long after he's adopted if he is." Ironhide nodded his head to Doug "I don't think I'll have a problem though, I think we'll get along just fine." He added.

"Get me that court date, then we'll see." Ironhide replied, though it was mostly in jest.

Doug inclined his head a bit, and left the home rather calmly. Ironhide already felt his entire body, both of them, relax. It had been a tense meeting but in the end, something told him it was worth it. If he had won Doug over so easily, perhaps he'd win over Social Services in the same way, as well as the judge in the court. Calmly, he made his way over to the doorway, peeking in on the sleeping boy quietly. Tony always had that same peaceful look, and that day was no different. Though for a moment, Ironhide was sure he'd seen a smile.

He sighed a moment, and carefully closed the door to the small area. He needed more recharge himself, after all it was only eight. With his anxiety gone, and his body relaxed, he let himself fall back into recharge. Just plain glad that was over. At least for now, he'd gotten the easy part of it all finished. Now came the hard part, now came the paperwork, the interviews, the visits to the home, and the court date. Yep, there was the anxiety again.