Ironhide is happy his two older brothers finally made it to Earth. He knew Crosshairs and Drift are sparkmates and is happy to hear they were having a sparkling. This gets him thinking that he and Ratchet should have a sparkling which causes an argument, and Ratchet ignores Ironhide. Ironhide is uncertain what to do. Things get worse when Decepticons attack, leaving Ratchet injured and in stasis. Ironhide, his brothers, and his brother-in-law are uncertain how to help him.

Ironhide's life was perfect even if the Autobots haven't returned to a thriving Cybertron. His brothers finally made it to Earth, and he finally told Ratchet he loves him. The two didn't date for long before becoming sparkmates. Ironhide is happy his older brother, Crosshairs, and his sparkmate, Drift, will have a sparkling soon. This gets him thinking about having a sparkling with Ratchet. He assumes this is his processor thinking about the future but believes he's thinking about now once he thinks about him and Ratchet having a sparking rather than spending time with big brother Crosshairs' sparkling nonstop for a month.

Ironhide returns to the berthroom he shares with Ratchet, sits on the berth, and listens to a message from Ratchet.
I'm going to be working a little longer.
Ironhide hopes the extra time will allow him to figure out how to bring the subject up to Ratchet.

Ratchet walks into the room two hours later. Not expecting to see Ironhide sitting on the edge of the berth.
"What's with you?" He asks as he sits on the berth.
"I... I have been thinking..."
Even though Ironhide is terrified to say what he wants, Ratchet doesn't think he's trying to say they are through.
"I'd rather not guess, Ironhide."
"I... I think it's time to have a sparkling."
"I get that your brother being sparked has got you thinking, but did you think any further than that?! That I can't get sparked! You're a selfish glitch!"
Ironhide didn't think Ratchet would storm out of the room.
Ironhide: bro, I have a problem.
Hound: oddly, I feel I need to get Crosshairs and Drift. You need both brothers, and Drift is good with this stuff.
Now Ironhide feels embarrassed he reached out to his brothers.

"I don't want to talk about it!" Ironhide snaps after being asked what's going on for the tenth time.
Crosshairs and Drift kick Hound out of the room.
"This is probably silly, but I suspect you've been thinking about you and Ironhide having a sparkling," Crosshairs comments.
"I don't think it is, and you're right. Ratchet thinks I'm being selfish."
"He's the aft, getting all pissed rather than talking to you!"
Drift stays out of the conversation, though he believes Crosshairs is right.

Crosshairs, Drift, and Hound help Ironhide while trying not to rage at Ratchet for not talking to Ironhide. It has now been a month since Ironhide brought the subject up, and Ratchet still ignores him.
"Now, can we do something?" Hound asks, "that aft is hurting our brother and his sparkmate. Even if he's not feeling the pain of a weakened bond."
"Unfortunately, this is something they have to deal with," Crosshairs comments, "the topic is related to their future together."
"Fine," Hound sulks, "just wish he wasn't embarrassed to tell us. If he's not telling you, the older brother in a relationship, then he's really embarrassed."

As if things couldn't get worse, Barricade and Soundwave attack the base. Drift is terrified that Crosshairs has to take part in the battle even if Crosshairs is a skilled paratrooper. Even Ratchet and Jolt have to get involved.
The battle ends with the two cons retreating and only two Autobots hurt. This should be good news, but not when one injured is sparked.

Drift struggles to relax as the two hear their sparkling's sparkbeat. Worried that Crosshairs will go into labor and that six weeks early will require a lot of assisted assembly.

Ironhide watches Jolt work on Ratchet, who is not alert. Even Ironhide knows Ratchet is severely damaged and will go into stasis. Even as he watches Ratchet go into stasis, Ironhide panics. Both because he's the one who's supposed to be delivering Crosshairs' sparkling, but because he's now waiting for the one he loves to wake up.

Crosshairs and Drift worry seeing the expression on Ironhide's faceplate.
Both worried that being in the room would upset him more.
"What happened?" Drift asks.
"Ratchet is in stasis," Ironhide sobs.
Crosshairs and Drift know he's not talking about medically induced stasis.
Ironhide is a little better, seeing Crosshairs isn't in labor, and the sparkling is doing well.
"Or is it two?" He jokes.
"Nope, we're not having terror twins," Crosshairs comments, displeased that his brother even said 'twins.'
This turns into wondering where are the terror twins and others in the universe, and if anyone else comes to Earth, they'll be shocked.
While talking, Crosshairs and Drift worry about when this conversation is over? How long will Ratchet be in stasis? More worried about Ironhide than that Jolt is not trained to deliver sparklings. Crosshairs informs Hound of the situation just before Ironhide is told to leave the room. Though the three mechs didn't think Ironhide would worry about Crosshairs due to being kicked out of the room.
Scrap, but I saw the monitor shows a healthy sparkbeat and nothing else...

Hound is uncertain what to do to help Ironhide and even questions if the sparkling is in danger even though the monitor showed a healthy sparkbeat.
At least I can distract him for a few hours. Hound is relieved that one of Ironhide's favorite Earth shows has a marathon for the next six hours.

Crosshairs and Drift walk into the lounge room three hours later. Ironhide and Hound relax a little, knowing there's no way Crosshairs would be out of the medbay this soon if emergency delivery had to be done. Now three mechs are uncertain how to help a worried mech. Even if his sparkling was born a few days ago, Crosshairs doesn't think that Ironhide would be distracted by spending time with the sparkling.
Even if I knew he'd be distracted, it's too early. Crosshairs reminds himself. So what can we do? I haven't seen Ratchet, but I watched him get attacked, and I doubt he'll be in stasis for only a few days.