Yours, Mine, and Ours

Chapter 3: Sick Sparkling Scare

The household consisting of Optimus Prime, Megatron, and their families were adjusting as well as they all could given the circumstances. Yes, there were still fights when it came to using the wash racks or who's turn it was to do whatever chore that needed to be completed. But overall, everything was going along well.

Logistically.

On the family-bonding aspect, things could be getting way better. It had seemed as though, once the children were taken off of their punishment and beginning school once more, they had separated into their two families and refused to interact with anyone other than who they originally lived with. And Primus forbid they look the other adult, who was not their own Sire, in the optic at all for any reason! They sat on opposite sides of the dining table, did not share toys, they even refused to use the same wash racks.

While Megatron tried to reassure Optimus that it was just a phase and that they would eventually get over one another, the Prime was beginning to worry a little. Shouldn't this time be more about adjusting to life and less about fighting with one another? The politician sat on the love seat in the living room, pondering this thought once more as he was waiting up for Megatron to return from the nursery.

Just like the young Cybertronians, the older ones were trying to fall into a routine as well. This involved many of the cycles beginning with Optimus being responsible for making sure the youngling arrived at school on time and bringing the sparklings to the Center while Megatron would be the one to pick the sparklings up half-way through the cycle and would be at home for them when the younglings returned. They took the end of the cycle to enjoy each other's company most of the time, catching up with each other about their days and if there were plans for the other cycles.

So, once they began this tradition, Optimus and Megatron would switch off tucking the sparklings in and telling the younglings that it was time for light out soon. Tonight, it was Megatron's turn to get the sparklings settled down for the evening. Before Optimus could ponder any further regarding the children, he heard the heavy footfalls of his lover coming into the living room. The gladiator looks as though he just finished a battle of his own, his optics looking more dull and his shoulders slumped.

The large mech flopped down ungracefully onto the loveseat next to Optimus, shuttering his optics with a long sigh. "Did the children give you a hard time?"

"The younglings, no." He answered, opening one optic to look at Optimus's questioning face. "Smokescreen, however, was fussier than ever before. I believe he may be falling ill."

Optimus groaned, shaking his helm and placing it into his servos. "Oh Primus. This will not be good."

Megatron raised an optic ridge to his lover, "Optimus, you sound worried? I thought you were the sparkling whisperer." He joked, gently nudging the side of Optimus.

He shook his helm, "This is no time for jokes Megatron." Optimus looked Megatron dead in the optic, worry in his deep blue optics. "Smokescreen's systems are still in development. If he does fall ill, it will not affect him like it would you or I. Or even the younglings for that matter!" He stood, going to the datapad-shelf to find the information he was looking for. After a few quiet moments, he found the datapad he was looking for and brought it back to Megatron. "See here? It will still be many cycles until Smokescreens systems are developed enough."

The larger mech read of the information in front of him with a frown on his face. "What about the other sparklings? Will they not catch it from Smokescreen?"

"Hopefully Smokescreen is not ill at all." Optimus mumbled, leaning his helm on Megatron's shoulder and looking over the material again, "But if he is ill, the others may also catch it. Including the younglings and us, although it will not do us or the older children much harm." He smiled a little as he felt an arm wrap around his waist and pull him in closer. "Knockout, Starscream, and Bumblebee will recover if they do fall ill, but their illness would not be as server as if Smokescreen got it."

Megatron pulled his lover closer, setting down the helpful datapad next to him on the loveseat so he could make more room for Optimus. "Everything will be fine Optimus Prime." He placed a kiss on his servo, "I am here to help you and your children." He kissed his cheek, "And I will not let you worry too much about this." Megatron planted a soft, gentle kiss on Optimus's lips, trying to calm the other mech down. "Everything will be alright."

Megatron was right; Smokescreen was sick. Early the next cycle, the couple was woken by the wails of a sparklings. Both mechs rushed into the nursery, passing by worried looking younglings standing in the hall, to find the wailing coming from Smokescreen. The little sparkling had unprocessed energon all over his berth and chassis, the purple goo beginning to smell awful. "My poor sparkling." Optimus cooed, reaching into the berth to grab Smokescreen. "You do not feel well, now do you?"

As if to answer, Smokey threw up more unprocessed energon on his Sire's shoulder, causing the Prime to wince and the tiny little sparkling to wail even louder. "Why not take a quick shower with him Optimus?" Megatron asked from the door way. The younglings had gathered around to see what was happening, and the other sparklings were beginning to wake up. "I can take care of Smokescreen's berth."

The wailing continued, causing the other sparklings to wake up fully and stir in their own berths. "But, the other sparklings are waking. I cannot leave you with them alone." Smokescreen's grip on his Sire tightened, bringing Optimus to pat his back gently.

"It's okay Sire." Ultra Magnus called from the hall. "We can help put the sparklings back into recharge."

Dreadwing nodded, "Yes Sire. We will take care of everything while you tend to the sick sparkling."

With a grateful smile, Megatron let Dreadwing and Ultra Magnus into the nursery. "I am trusting you two to work together to not only get these sparklings back into recharge, but clean the younglings as well."

The navy youngling gave his Sire a salute, "We will not let you down sir."

With that, Megatron and Optimus took the crying Smokescreen to their personal wash racks for a bath, leaving Dreadwing and Ultra Magnus in charge. "Wheeljack and Bulkhead." Magnus began, "grab the cleaning supplies from the wash racks down the hall. Do not forget clean towels."

Bulkhead and Wheeljack nodded, running quickly to the destination. "Arcee, take Bumblebee." The little blue femme weaved her way through the other younglings in order to get into the nursery and to her sparkling brother. Magnus took the tiny sparkling, along with his treasured blanket, and handed them to Arcee. He was still in a light recharge, optics a bit droopy. "You, along with Soundwave, Arachnid and Breakdown go into my room and see if you can get them back into recharge while, Dreadwing, and I clean up. We will send Wheeljack and Bulkhead when they come back."

She nodded, waiting for Soundwave to pick up Knockout and Starscream. The red sparkling was wide awake, trying to pull on the Seeker's wings while Starscream didn't like being awaken so rudely. The silent mech struggled to keep the sparklings from squirming out of his servos.

When the group of younglings and sparklings left, Dreadwing and Ultra Magnus looked over the mess in Smokescreen's berth. "Do you know what caused his illness?" Dreadwing asked, grimacing at the purple goo.

The tall mech shrugged, "I do not know. None of us were sick…right?"

Dreadwing nodded slowly, hearing Wheeljack and Bulkhead return with arms loaded in supplies and towels. "Thanks, you two. The others are in my room, trying to get the sparklings back into recharge." The two younger younglings looked to Ultra Magnus for a confirmation. With a nod from Magnus, the two headed to the instructed room.

Ultra Magnus was handed the towel from Dreadwing before he had to make a decision on what to do. "I will scrub if you will dry." Dreadwing instructed, looking through the different selections of bottles, "If we let it sit for much longer, it will stain his berth."

"How do you know so much about this?" Magnus asked, ringing the towel in his servos.

The navy youngling paused slightly as he let the solution soak into the blankets and sheets, then went back to work on the sparkling's berth. "My brother would fall ill often." He started, not meeting Magnus's optics. "I learned how to be helpful for my creators quickly."

Nothing more was said as the duo cleaned the mess.

On the other side of the large house, Optimus was taking his own shower while Megatron was cleaning off Smokescreen in the bath. The poor sparkling did not enjoy the warm shower, becoming too frightened to cooperate in order to get clean enough. Megatron finally took the sick sparkling from Optimus and was in the process of gently cleaning him. The gladiator also took notice that Smokescreen was very warm, most likely the on comings of a fever.

The sparkling was whimpering in the large bathtub, really just wanting to be comforted by his Sire. He didn't play with the various toys, he didn't splash around like he and Starscream usually did. Smokescreen just sat there and held up his servos to Megatron with tears in his optics. "I know Smokescreen, I know." The large mech whispered, rubbing his helm with a soft cloth, "It will only be a few more kliks. Then you will stay with Optimus and I in our berth for the rest of the recharge cycle."

The water in the shower finally turned off, and Optimus stepped out with a towel over his shoulder. The worried Sire made quick work of drying himself so that he could be there for his sparkling. "How is he Megatron?" Optimus question, kneeling next to the tub to rub Smokescreen's back in comfort.

"Too warm." He answered in a soft tone. "If it does not go down, he should see a medic." Megatron unplugged the drain and reached for the towel that he had set aside earlier.

Optimus took the tiny sparkling from the tub and placed Smokescreen in the waiting towel. "I will contact Ratchet if this continues. In the meantime, Smokescreen should get some rest."

With a sparkling in his arms, Megatron stood and walked to their large berth, laying the tiny sparkling down in the center. He was making his way to his side of the berth while Optimus turned the lights off once more. "Come to berth, Optimus. Smokescreen will rest easy knowing his Sire is next to him."

Just as he was getting ready to lay beside his son, he paused to look at the door. "What about the other children?"

"They are fine." Megatron reassured. "Dreadwing and Ultra Magnus looked very concerned about this predicament. If there is one thing I know about those two, is that despite their differences, they will do anything for their families." With that last statement, and a long sigh from the Prime, Optimus finally laid down and rested a servo around his sparklings, sending a silent and urgent prayer to Primus that this would blow over.

After about fifteen kliks, the mess was cleared away and the nursery was being aired out for the rest of the cycle. Magnus made a pile of dirty towels on the floor, placing his servos on his hips. "I think we did a pretty good job…" he yawned, long and loud, "…for it being so early in the cycle."

Dreadwing nodded, stifling his own yawn. "Agreed. And, we still have school to attend. Perhaps it would be wise to return to my – um – our room?"

Ultra Magus just yawned, following the navy youngling out of the nursery and turning the lights out as he went. The walk was a quiet one, but one they reach the cracked door, they saw many younglings and sparklings occupying different types of furniture in the room. Soundwave, along with Starscream, were sleeping at the foot of Dreadwing's bed. The quiet youngling had an arm wrapped around the Seeker sparkling protectively and Starscream had a digit in his mouth, an occasional suck every once and a while. Laying on the pillow was Arachind, leaving just a little room for Breakdown's helm. Knockout was curled up on top of the blue youngling's chest, the blanket on Dreadwing's berth was covering them. On Ultra Magnus's berth was his younger siblings. Arcee was curled around Bumblebee, the sparkling's beloved blanket covering the two of them snuggly. Wheeljack and Bulkhead were sharing the blanket on the berth, with Bulkhead's helm being cover and Wheeljack pulling for more of the warm covers.

The older younglings exchanged looks with each other, "We could stay in Soundwave's room?" Dreadwing suggested with a shrug.

"Good plan."

Megatron was juggling two crying sparklings in his arms while trying to entertain a third while Optimus and Smokescreen were still in recharge. The younglings had just left from school, most of them still very tired, and Megatron contacted Optimus's old friend and medic Ratchet. Now, Bumblebee and Knockout were both crying in his arms because they just wanted to be put down and play with their toys, while Starscream sat in the sparkling chair, finishing his own rations and holding up the other toy from being put into the play room. "Please you two." Megatron begged, bouncing the two sparklings in his arms, "You will wake Smokescreen with all this noise, and he is very sick at the moment."

The soft chime of the front door alerted all of the Cybertronians in the room that someone was requesting entrance onto the property. Megatron quickly went to the front door and saw an old, red and white mech standing behind the gate with a grumpy look on his face. "This must be Ratchet." He mumbled, unlocking the gate and granting the mech access onto the property. The medic walked quickly up to the porch and up the stairs, standing in front of the open door. "You must be Ratchet," the gladiator began, "I would shake your servo, but mine are full."

Ratchet took the whimpering Bumblebee from Megatron, causing the tiny yellow and black sparkling to calm down and observe the familiar mech. "Where's the sick sparkling?" the medic asked, letting himself into the home. Ratchet was familiar with Optimus's home, having checked on multiple sparklings and younglings here before. "Where's Optimus?"

Megatron pointed up the large set of stairs, "In our room with Smokescreen. There was little recharge in his home for everyone." He led Ratchet into the dining room, seeing that Starscream finally finished his energon, "Hopefully they are still resting."

The gladiator lifted Starcream from his seat, causing Knockout to reach for the pretty wings with a shriek. "Why don't we take these three to the play room?" Ratchet offered, "Then, I can take a look at the sick little one."

Chief Medical Officer Ratchet led Megatron to the familiar play room, placing the three into the play pen and adding in a few toys. "Play nicely you three." Megatron instructed, leaving the large colorful room to go into his own berth room with Ratchet.

A soft knock on the door brought Optimus's attention away from the recharging sparkling he was rocking in his arms, "Optimus." Megatron whispered, "Ratchet has arrived to look over Smokescreen."

"Let him in." The Prime answered just as quiet.

Megatron and Ratchet entered, the medic making his way over to the sick sparkling with his scanner at the ready. "When did this begin Optimus?" he asked, letting the bright light shine over the tiny body.

Optimus continued to rock his sparkling, especially when Smokescreen let out a whine. "Megatron said that while he was placing him for recharge, Smokescreen seemed out of character."

Ratchet read over the diagnostic quickly, taking in the information. "It seems like you called just in time Megatron." He finally said, "Smokey here seems to have caught a bug that's going around right now." The medic sub-spaced a vial with medicine inside it. "Give him a dose of his during every ration time with half of his own ration. If he does improve within three cycles, give me another call. If it gets worse," Ratchet sighed, placing his servos on his hips. "get directly to the med-center and ask for me or First-Aid if I'm not in."

…

Megatron, Optimus, and Smokescreen spent most of the cycle up in the couple's room to catch up on recharge. Occasionally, Optimus and Megatron would check on the other sparklings and put them to a nap around mid-cycle. This left the younglings to run things around the house when they returned home from school. Dreadwing and Ultra Magnus took charge once again and helped the little ones with their homework so that they could go and play. Soundwave, having finished his homework first, went to entertain the three sparklings that were waking from their rest. Bulkhead, Breakdown, and Wheeljack, once they finished their homework, ran out to the back yard to play for a while. Arcee and Arachnid chose to take a nap in their room, not getting much sleep last cycle anyways.

The oldest younglings took care of their chores after their homework. Ultra Magnus started washing the dirty towels and energon cubes while Dreadwing began tiding up the living room. Just as Dreadwing finished fluffing the pillows, he heard heavy footsteps coming into the room. Optimus Prime stood in the doorway with a tired looking smile on his face. "Hello sir." Dreadwing nodded, "Um…How is Smokescreen?"

"Resting, thank Primus." The Prime answered. "Ratchet stopped by earlier and gave him medication." Optimus looked over the now clean living room, impressed that the youngling would even think to clean the room without being asked. "And I see that the living room is cleaned very well."

Dreadwing shrugged, "I, I mean, Ultra Magnus and I thought it would be a good idea to clean some things up." He put some datapads onto the shelf, "And you and Sire were still resting in your room."

Optimus kneeled down in order to reach optic level with the navy youngling. "And I thank you greatly for stepping up and helping Megatron and I." Going unnoticed in the doorway was a very jealous, although he would never admit it, Ultra Magnus. A deep frown was on his face and his arms were crossed over his chest.

Chapter three: done