I decided to backtrack a little because I didn't place everyone where they were when the cargo ship exploded. I hope everyone enjoyed the last chapter and no Cliffjumper and Waverly still have a long way to go but at least Ironhide gave him something to think about.

Please take a moment to review because I love to read them, so now let's get on with the story. Enjoy!

Chaos rained down like cold summer drops on sizzling asphalt as the orders were issued to start cleaning up and investigating the explosion. Optimus and Megatron were both in the infirmary with First Aid going over minor injuries after assisting with Knockout, Doc, and Ratchet. Optimus was impressed with the efficiency of their medical staff. Doc had taught them well and Ratchet's expertise as well as Knockout's fast pace made them an exemplary team.

Only Mia's and Prowl's condition were the worse for wear and Ironhide was beside himself that she had been out on the tarmac to see him just before the explosion. Ironhide had come out of stasis as well as many of the minor injured mechs and femmes but Mia and Prowl were still in stasis. Ratchet had cleaned the injuries from Prowl's helm wound and then Doc carefully constructed his CPU. When she had finished she had reported to Optimus that he should come out without losing much memory and that his battle processor was intact and in optimal condition.

Mia's condition was a bit more complicated. Doc would have her watched for the night and then if she did not come out of stasis Doc would be moving her to the lower chambers and placed in her sarcophagus so that her physical injuries would finish repairing with the help of the oracle. Optimus found this fascinating and asked how severe do the injuries have to be when being placed in the lower chambers. Doc had informed him that they had had femmes at death's door and the oracle bring them back in perfect condition.

"Optimus, Doc won't let me stay at Mia's side." Ironhide said. He had just been released and was worried for his mate. There was nothing that he sensed from her and his side of the bond felt lonely and empty.

"Ironhide, Doc needs the room. She is having the carrying femmes stay the night in the infirmary along with all of our sparklings. It will be crowded for the night. Doc is also asking that we rotate guards in short shifts so that all patients will be well protected. Ironhide, I will need you to help with the rotation of the shifts. I am sorry that Mia is here but she will be fine." Optimus said as he placed his right hand in Ironhide's shoulder. "You are a good mech and a wonderful leader. I trust that you and Barricade will have the soldiers ready for the shifts."

"Thank you Optimus, I will make sure that we are ready." Ironhide started to turn but then looked back to Optimus. "Who is leading the investigation?"

"Soundwave and Allie will head the investigation. I have already had a few mechs lined up for questioning." Optimus told him as they walked to the double doors of the infirmary.

"Will you be questioning Sentinel?" Ironhide asked concerned for the outcome.

"Yes. Allie and Soundwave will personally handle that interrogation." Optimus stated.

"Good," was all that Ironhide said. He walked out past Optimus and back to the tarmac to assist with the cleanup.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Waverly, how long must we stay here?" Tia asked concerned about her mate. She had not felt him since the explosion and was worried about his safety.

"Doc said we are to stay here in the maternity ward that she normally reserves for the humans." Waverly said. She felt better and more relaxed since she and Cliffjumper had talked but now Doc had her hooked to a spark monitor to make sure that there were no further unusual pulsing coming from stress being placed on her spark and the sparkling.

"But I want to know what is going on." Kiki wailed. She was scared because they had never had anyone to dare attack the Hall. "When will Starscream come for me?" She asked for the fifteenth time.

"I don't know Kiki. Why are you in this mood?" Chelsea was tired of her wailing but she was more concerned with how the sparkling was acting. She couldn't be sure but she sensed that Kiki was about to go in labor. It would certainly attribute to why she was in such an intolerable mood.

"I just want to go home! I hate being here without Starscream. I want my mate." Kiki pouted as she winced from the little pains coming from her abdomen.

"Kiki, how long are the contractions?" Chelsea asked the femme as she leaned forward to feel her stomach.

"Contractions, I am fine. I am not having this sparkling without Starscream at my side." Kiki insisted but Chelsea had her won doubts. Sara waddled over since she was two weeks past her due date. Doc had been surprised when Saraphina had still not gone into labor but then one could never rush a sparkling until Primus saw fit for it to be born.

"Kiki your mate is out there helping to save lives so quit your blubbering and be a good little femme by helping with the sparklings." Sara admonished her as she squatted down into a chair.

"Sara just shut up! I want my mate." Kiki snarled at her.

"I want mine too but you don't see me bothering everyone else with my wailing!" Sara snarled back.

"Enough!" Chelsea yelled. "Both of you are getting on my nerves. We should be out there but we don't have a choice so I suggest that you wait for your mechs like good little femmes should and then maybe I will let you live!" Chelsea glared at the two scolded femmes before turning back to assist with her sparkling as well as the other scared sparklings in the room.

Kiki bent over in pain and Chelsea grabbed her to force her to sit down.

"Seaway go get Doc. Tell her that I think Kiki is in labor." Chelsea could feel the strong contraction rolling through Kiki's abdomen. Sara looked on with envy. She was ready to get this birth over and seeing Kiki who had been sparked after her go into labor made her feel jealous and insecure. Sara wished for Knockout but knew that he was busy in the infirmary. Maybe he would be the medic to come for Kiki. One could only hope.

"Kiki, I need for you to lie back and let us check you over." Chelsea said. "Aura, can you assist me?" Chelsea looked over where Aura was helping with Shalon as they watched over another set of sparklings.

"Sure." Aura said as she stood up and walked toward Chelsea. They both waited for Kiki to lie down and then Aura eased Kiki's dress up over her knees.

"Kiki, this may feel strange." Aura told her as Kiki felt her check her valve. It did feel strange to have someone other than Doc touch her but Kiki remained passive. It wasn't the first time that she had felt violated by someone who was not her medic or her mate. She held still.

"Kiki you are dilating very rapidly and I see that you have fluid trickling from your valve. Stay off your feet because I think that this sparkling will be making an appearance today." Aura said as she looked at Chelsea. Chelsea immediately commed Allie and Doc and Doc informed her that she would be sending Knockout.

"Kiki you need to lie down. Knockout is on his way and I am sure that Allie will get Starscream." Aura patiently told Kiki as Chelsea gently pushed Kiki's shoulders down toward the berth that was in the medical wing. Chelsea then pulled the curtain around for some semblance of privacy as she could hear the sparkling's cooing and clicking out of concern. Knockout rushed into the wing looking for them and surmised that they were the femmes beyond the curtain. He quickly ran to the curtain area and rushed in.

"Sorry, I was doing minor surgery. Let's see how we are doing." He immediately took Aura's seat at the foot of the berth and started examining Kiki. "Well we are almost ready to start pushing. Kiki I need you to get ready. This sparkling is coming fast."

"What about Starscream? He needs to be here!" Kiki cried out as the first wave of contractions hit her. These were more intense than the earlier ones and Kiki cried out and gasped for breath.

"Kiki I need you to breathe slowly like Doc taught you." Knockout said. In the distance he heard another stifled scream and then a pant and felt through his bond with Sara that she was in pain. "Aura go check on Sara. I can feel that she is in labor."

"I am on it." Aura said as she had heard the panicked scream and went out to find Sara. It would figure that both femmes would go in labor with all the excitement. Knockout readied himself for the first push and as the contraction hit, "Kiki push hard." He said and Chelsea supported Kiki's back as she rose up and pushed hard while screaming. Knockout could tell that this sparkling would be coming fast.

"Kiki I need you to push again on the next contraction." Knockout told her. Starscream was pinging him but he couldn't answer it because he was focused on Kiki. "Okay Kiki push." He told her.

"Where's Starscream?" She cried out and then pushed as she screamed for her mate. She tried to open up the bond to find him but the pain was too great and then she felt his concern as she accidentally let some of the pain filter through their bond.

"Focus Kiki, I need you to concentrate on getting this sparkling into the world." Knockout told her as he checked her valve for any tears. Kiki was panting from pushing and Chelsea climbed on the berth to settle Kiki between her legs.

"You can do it Kiki. You are strong and Starscream will be here soon." Chelsea told her as she wiped her brow and encouraged her. "Get ready Kiki, Knockout needs you to push again. Ready? One two three…"

Kiki pushed with all her might as she screamed out. Knockout could see the helm crown and he readied his hands to catch the sparkling once it came out. "Kiki one more push should do it." He told her and she pushed again and the little mechling came into the world. He cried out as soon as Knockout cleared his vents and then Knockout was giving him to Kiki. She cradled the little sparkling to her as Starscream rushed in to see her and their sparkling's optics dim from all exhaustion and go into recharge.

"Are you alright?" Starscream asked. "I tried to get here as quickly as I could."

"All I wanted was you." Kiki told him.

Knockout watched for a moment but then turned toward his other patient and mate as he and Aura reversed positions once again so that Knockout could check on Sara.

"Hey sweetspark, how are you holding up?" He asked her as he checked her valve.

"I am in pain and my back is killing me but I am happy that this is finally going to be over." She replied as she grimaced when another contraction hit her. The contraction were steady and Knockout could see that her valve was dilated and ready for the first push.

"Baby, I need you to push on the next contraction. Okay?" He told her.

"Hooray! I am so ready for this to be over, ahhh!" Sara said as another contraction hit and she immediately began to push. She groaned into the push as Aura settled behind her to support her back. Sarah pushed hard and watched Knockout as he couched her through each contraction. She kept pace and Knockout told her how proud he was of her and that she was being such a wonderful trooper. She continued to push and Knockout saw the helm of their sparkling crown.

"Sara he she is almost here. One more push and we will have our little femling." He said and Sara pushed hard as she felt their sparkling slip from her body. Knockout quickly took the sparkling and laughed at how his hands shook. He had done this several times but it was the first time that he had held his own sparkling. She was beautiful with grey and pink stripes and her helm was a silvery white that made her look different from any other sparkling that he had seen.

Knockout quickly cleaned her vents and the sparkling's system booted up and she cried out but then she saw her sire and she quieted and smiled at her 'daddy'.

"Hello there, I am your sire." Knockout said softly and the little femme clicked at him as she recognized his voice. She reached for him and he cradled her close as he wheeled the stool over to Sara so that he could share the sparkling with her.

"I think that I will leave you two alone." Aura said softly as she let herself out.

"Is Sara okay?" Waverly asked Aura once she was in the main wing again.

"She is fine. How is Kiki?" Aura asked.

"She is well and Starscream is with her." Chelsea informed Aura. "At least now we know why she was so insistent on seeing Starscream. It didn't take long for the mechling to be born."

"No, Sara's sparkling came very quickly too. I guess it was from the excitement of the day." Aura said.

"Have we heard anything about Mia? She was on the tarmac." Shalon asked them. She was holding her stomach to support the added weight as she looked between the two femmes.

"No we haven't heard anything but I am sure that Knockout can tell us something since he just came from the infirmary." Chelsea said reassuringly.

"Give him time; he just delivered his sparkling and is caring for his mate. I am sure that he will let us know." Aura said to help support Chelsea's statement.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Optimus, Knockout just report two births. Kiki and Sara had their sparklings and are doing fine." Soundwave reported to Optimus and Megatron.

"Good. At least we had the medical staff to handle the emergency and the births." Megatron said.

"Two more, even in a crisis Primus blesses us." Optimus stated. Both he and his brother were covered in ash from the transport fire but they had managed to get everyone free from the tarmac and where they needed to be. Optimus felt anger course through him as he processed both this attack and the one Ultra Magnus reported. They had been timed to go off at the same time and Optimus felt there was a message within the two attacks. He just wished that they could figure it out before another attack occurred.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Barricade walked in late that night. The Hall had been cleared of any danger and everyone had returned to their quarters. He could feel that Chelsea and their sparkling were in their berth though Chelsea would never settle completely into recharge until he came home safe. He walked through their apartment below the Hall. They had little to be knocked off walls or broken since they were in the more sturdy part of the Hall chambers and for that Barricade was grateful. He walked in and checked on his sparkling and placed a kiss on his small helm. When the nursery was secure to his optics Barricade walked past and headed for the berth room. He walked in quietly though Chelsea still turned towards the door.

"Hey, Kiki and Sara had their sparklings today." Chelsea said tiredly.

"I know. Starscream was strutting around like he was the best papa in the universe today. He even had pictures of Kiki and their sparkling." Barricade said with a soft laugh. He went over and sat next to his mate. Chelsea smiled.

"I am glad. Kiki was about as annoying as Starscream today. I think he is rubbing off on her." Chelsea said. She reached up and pulled Barricade to her. "Oh Cade, I have missed you today. When the explosion occurred I worried for a moment that you were caught in it."

"I was in a briefing room just off of the tarmac. The explosion caused the door to jam but we were able to pry it open." Barricade said as he pulled himself on the berth and pulled Chelsea against him. She snuggled into his arms.

"I am glad you are okay. I was worried about you when I received news about Prowl and Mia. Doc says they are doing fine but I still worry." Chelsea said as she wrapped her arms around her mate. "Will you love me tonight or are you tired?

"I am never too tired for you my spark." Barricade answered her as he tilted her head back and kissed her. Chelsea moaned at her mate's touch. She would never tire of him and she needed him after a harrowing afternoon.

"I love you." She whispered into his audial receiver and Barricade shivered as he pulled her up against his chassis. She flitted her fingers through his grill and wove them into the seams between his armor as he flared it out for her benefit. She smiled and reached up to run her mouth along the chorded circuits of his neck and Barricade groaned as she nipped at them.

"I love you so much, Chelsea." He said as he could feel his systems heating and preparing for her love. "I want you now." He said as he rose up and tilted her so that she was receptive to him. Chelsea opened up to allow him entrance to her body as she kissed him exploring his mouth with her glossa. Barricade let her lead until he broke the kiss and travelled down her body to touch and taste her.

"So many years together and apart and you still excite as no other femme can." Barricade murmured against her skin.

"Oh Cade, it has only been you for me." Chelsea responded to his touches with a moan as her legs wrapped around his waist. Barricade retracted back his panel and allowed his spike to extend as he slowly filled her valve and listened to her whimpers and moans.

"Chelsea it is only been you that I would be gentle for." He moaned out into her ears as Chelsea clung to her lover as he begin to move within her.

"I do love you so, my Cade, my spark." She whispered and then gasped as Barricade would hit a sensitive node deep inside her. Chelsea arched up against him and clawed at his arms scratching his paint as he quickened his thrusting and Chelsea threw her head back and sent out a low curdling scream as Barricade hit her most sensitive spot over and over until Chelsea exploded into overload. Barricade quickly followed giving a hoarse shout as he overloaded and spilled into his mate.