I do not own Transformers, Nor do I own any other brands, shows, or patented materials that I may mention in this story now and in the future chapters.
Shout out to all the people who added this story to their list of favorites and for following it! I'll try to add all your names when I can! Seriously, thank you so much for your continued support!
validole: I am looking forward to writing about how the different familial bonds will form! Lol and no Sunstreaker is not happy! I hope you enjoy this chapter.
TenebrisSagittarius: Thanks. I learned about what you were saying the hard way. Which is why I'm also posting stuff over on AOE, just as a precaution. Sad to say that this one is also heavy, but from here I'm gonna try and balance it with some fluff, so stay tunned! Optimus is both her legal guardian in the human sense and her guardian, in the Cybertronian sense. Sideswipe and Sunstreaker are her bodyguards. I chose to do this for a lot of reasons! Thank you as always for your praise! I hope you enjoy this next chapter!
CrystalAris: Hello! There will be a bit more fluff in the next chapter! TBD on the Dixons. :) Hope you enjoy this chapter!
Queenoffangirls18: You might just get what you are hoping for! I hope you enjoy this chapter!
KayloCreschendo0825: I understand. That said, much like we all had to learn not to trust every source of information we encounter, so do they. Unintended ignorance can be dangerous, especially when you're new to a planet. I hope you enjoy this chapter.
DaLadyofSouls: Hello! I will continue to post here as well! I'm just posting in two places so that people have a choice in how and where they want to read my work. FFNet had severe issues last year that they did not seem to post about on their social media, so idk how many people left the platform because of that. This way the people who enjoy this story and anything else I have can find it where they feel the most comfortable reading it! That all being said, I hope you enjoy this chapter!
Starlit Storyteller: Hello! I do agree with you so it's fitting that you should mention that! Got any ideas for punishments? Cause I'd love to know what you had in mind! Anywho, I hope you enjoy this chapter!
{"Text"}- Com. Links/text messages/projected text. this is specified.
'Text'-Internal monologue/inner thoughts
XXXXX- Time change/text break
00000-Flashback: Someone is remembering, experiencing, or explaining what is happening
TRIGGER WARNING!
This chapter's conflict is based on poor information and poor interpretation of that information. It is important for character development so please be patient with the next few chapters. If you are or know someone who is a victim of abuse, please seek out help from police and social services.
Jazz and Sideswipe sparred lightly in training room one. Both mechs minds were on Lilac.
"Alright youngling. You still must finish your work on this hallway…" Ironhide said as he carried her past the room. Both mechs stopped to stare at the door.
"Yo, Sides. You really her bodyguard?"
"Yeah. Prime assigned me and Sunny yesterday."
"You notice anythin' off bout her lately?"
"Have you?"
"I asked first mech."
Sideswipe looked directly at Jazz with a frown. Clearly he wasn't the only one to pick up on something being wrong.
"Yeah. Something is wrong. She never acted this way on our way out here. I mean, she was shy at first, but…she was never this…quiet."
"So I'm not the only one that thought she was actin' kinda off."
"What did you see?"
"'Hide had her scrubbin' the floor for 'bad behavior' but I ain't seen her do anythin'. She's the sweetest sparklin' so it's hard for me to believe that she would be rude or anythin'."
"Lilac? Rude? No…" Sideswipe trailed off narrowing his optics suspiciously as he looked back through his memories. "The only time she was ever "rude" was when she was scared or angry, and to be honest…in those cases she had the right to be."
"So then, what's up with Hide and Ratchet then? When I saw her last before today she was cryin' 'cause Hide yelled at her for tryin' to come in here. She told me that she was lost, an' that she didn' have a map…"
"Those two crank cases aren't being fair to her." Sideswipe muttered as he started scouring the video feeds from the previous two days looking for what Jazz was talking about and growling at what he saw.
"What?" Jazz asked completely serious now seeing the frontliner so angry.
"You better look for yourself. I'm too angry to try and rationalize what I just saw. Check the main hallway feed, Two days ago at 1630."
"Jazz watched the feed and raised his optic ridges at what he saw.
"Naaahhh…Did Ironhide…."
"I can't tell. But I can tell you that I am going to kill him."
"Sideswipe-"
"I don't give a frag Jazz. He broke Prime's directive. That is grounds for execution."
"Or stasis. We can't go and kill Ironhide."
"Watch me."
"Okay, okay, okay hold on. I agree with you that what he did was very wrong. But we can't just go and bash his helm in. We need to take this to Prime."
"And then he gets to kill Ironhide and leave nothing left for me to destroy! How is that right?"
"It ain't about right, right now. It's about making what happened and is happening to her stop now. She was only sticking up for herself like I told her. She doesn't deserve this kind of punishment."
"So, where's Prime now? I want this taken care of right now."
"He's in a long meeting with Lennox and Epps. Won't be over till after 1345…"
"We have to get her away from Ratchet."
"Why?"
"He's taking her to get her hair cut around that time. I know for a fact that she doesn't want that."
Jazz gave him a curious look. "When we were on our way out here, I asked her why her hair was so long. She told me directly that she liked having it long so she could "play with it". "
"What's that mean?"
"I don't know but I know that she really likes her hair. She wouldn't agree to cutting off as much as I'm sure Ratchet thinks needs to go."
"Well frag then we better move."
Jazz said as they left the training room.
XXXXX
Lilac numbly scrubbed the floors. Ironhide had left her to her punishment and returned to whatever duties were keeping him busy. She moved with robotic efficiency barely paying attention when she heard someone coming up behind her.
"Lilac?"
Looking back, she saw Sideswipe. He looked concerned.
Numbly she went back to scrubbing, her glassy expression the same. She was not to speak to or interfere with him.
She had learned her lesson.
"Li-lac." Sideswipe said again making her flinch and look back at him. Her eyes were filled with tears. Looking down at her Sideswipe's optics filled with guilt.
"This is all my fault. I promised you that I would never allow someone to hurt you, to do this to you again. I'm…I'm so sorry."
He said as he kneeled making Lilac look away.
"C'mon. I may have been the one to do this to you, but I'd sooner walk willingly into the Unmaker's smelting pits before leaving you like this." He said as he gently picked her up. Lilac squirmed and whimpered.
"Please…don't do this. I'll get in trouble. I…I…"
"No you fragging will not. I'm taking you to Prime."
"But he- "
"Lilac, I know it's gonna be hard, but I need you to trust me on this one. He's not going to be okay with what's happened to you."
"But- "
She stammered as Sideswipe began to stride up the hall.
XXXXX
Meanwhile Jazz was doing his job. Ratchet was in the Medbay going over inventory with Jolt. Ironhide on the other hand…
{"Yo Sides Hide's on his way back from puttin' up those walls. You're gonna wanna take a different route."}
{"Thanks. Can you stall him?"}
{"I'll try…Just be prepared to book it."}
{"Got it."}
"Hey Hide! Where ya off to?"
"Checking on the youngling. She should be about done with scrubbing the floor by now."
Jazz grimaced slightly before schooling his features. "If that's the case why check on her?"
"To ensure she hasn't wandered off or isn't missing spots."
"Aw c'mon Hide! She ain't gonna do any of that!" Jazz said trailing off as he watched the mech's optics dim for a moment. Jazz mentally swore as Ironhide quickened his pace, and he had to speed up to keep up with him.
{"Yo Sideswipe! Hide saw through the recording- "}
"LILAC! RETURN TO THIS HALLWAY AT ONCE!"
"Okay, 'Hide, calm down…"
Ironhide growled furiously as he realized who had "aided" Lilac in her escape from the hallway.
"That sneaky fragger! I knew that I shouldn't' have left her unsupervised for too long!"
"Ironhide, calm- "
"SIDESWIPE GET BACK HERE!"
"Ah pit." Jazz muttered as he ran after the black mech who was now hot on Sideswipe's heels.
{"IRONHIDE TO RATCHET!"}
{"Ratchet here. Go ahead."}
{"That pit slagger has Lilac! He's trying to run off with her!"}
Ratchet, who was currently walking towards the recreation room checked the camera feeds and saw immediately what Ironhide was talking about. With a glare and a growl, he changed his course to cut Sideswipe off.
{"Yo Sideswipe! Ironhide is after you-"}
{"So I gathered by the yelling!"}
{"Yeah well, Ratchet's inbound too!"}
{"Pit slaggit!"}
"Sideswipe!"
"Oh slag." He mumbled as he nearly ran into said medic. Ratchet seeing Lilac in Sideswipe's servo frowned.
"Where are you heading with the youngling? She and I need to leave for an appointment in a breem."
Hearing that Sideswipe's optics went wide for a nano click before narrowing as his sensors picked up Ironhide quickly closing in behind him. With Ratchet in front of him, and the hall ending in a dead end to his right, he made a split-second decision and darted to his left, making a break for one of the main hallways that would lead outside.
Ratchet lunged forward trying to grab his scruff bar but just barely missed him. Seeing this Ironhide swore as he picked up the pace, just as Ratchet began to chase after the two.
{"JAAAZZZZ! I'M AT DEFCON 3 HERE!"}
{"Where ya at!?"}
{"Heading for outside!"} He barked as he looked over his shoulder to see Ironhide dart down a different hall. Ratchet who was now snarling obscenities in their native tongue was gaining.
{"How close are they to you?"}
Sideswipe ducked as a wrench went flying over his helm only to yelp as he saw Ironhide barreling towards him from another hallway off to the side. With a determined and slightly nervous glare, Sideswipe picked up the pace just enough to pass the corridor before Ironhide could cut him off.
"GET BACK HERE YOU SLAGGING GLITCH!"
Ironhide roared as he tried to grab onto Sideswipe's collar strut.
{"OH SLAG! LESS THAN A METER!"} Sideswipe barked as he leapt and quickly transformed down and around Lilac who was now screaming. With a screech of his tires Sideswipe sped down the hall taking a hard left to head outside towards the training fields.
XXXXX
Jazz grimaced as he ran up the hall. He didn't like his plan, but he had to run interference. As he saw Sideswipe leave the corridor and speed for the doors in front of him, he purposely slowed down to a walking pace, putting himself in front of Ironhide and Ratchet who were still sprinting up the corridor.
"OH PIT!" Jazz swore as he braced himself for their combined impact.
"MOVE JAZZ!" Ironhide roared as he leapt up and over the saboteur, transforming on his way down.
"Sorry Jazz." Ratchet grumbled as he hastily yet gracefully moved around the alarmed looking mech, only to transform and race after Ironhide who was now speeding out the doors.
Jazz vented angrily as he began sprinting down the corridor that the Weapons Specialist and Medic came from. His optics scanned across his HUD looking at camera feeds and the map of the base.
{"Sides, you're gonna need to come back in through the rec room!"}
{"Got it!"}
Jazz looked up and nearly swore aloud as he saw a large number of soldiers coming into the hall from the recreation room, and the mechanic's hanger. Without missing a beat, Jazz did a wall to wall jump over soldiers who were on the way to their rooms eliciting a few "Whoa!'s" and whistles of awe. He needed to get to the war room before Sideswipe so that he could try and explain the frontliner's actions.
XXXXX
Sideswipe tried to shake Ratchet and Ironhide, zooming across the tarmacs and dipping in and out of the unfinished buildings. Unfortunately, the two were an ever present appearance in his mirrors and radar
In his passenger seat, Lilac sat with her knees to her chest, trembling and whimpering as tears streaked down her cheeks.
"I'm so sorry Lilac. Don't worry. I'm gonna help you. I swear." He said quietly as he darkened his tint further so that she couldn't see the two mechs chasing them. Seeing the opening to the recreation room, he gracefully drifted inside startling some of the soldiers who were lounging. He rounded the right corner into the hallway speeding as fast as he could towards the war room.
XXXXX
Optimus sighed as he turned to look at Captain Lennox and Sargent Epps. The two held the same tired and annoyed look he internally felt.
"Optimus, may I ask you a question?"
"What is it, Captain?"
"Did it take you this long to draft treaties with other people or is my race exceptionally stubborn?"
Optimus had to fight back a chuckle at that. He did not have the spark to tell the man that he was right about his own race.
"Treaties are a delicate process. One that is best not rushed."
"You didn't answer my question…"
Will said with a wry grin as he snorted a laugh.
Suddenly Jazz strode through the door, his frame ramrod straight.
"Jazz, what is the matter?"
Optimus asked automatically noticing the saboteur's dark facial expression and tenseness.
Will and Epps paused as they looked at Jazz. Both frowned seeing his no nonsense expression.
"Do I need to sound the alarm?"
Will asked immediately, sensing that there was something wrong.
{"Report."}
{"Prime, there's something going on with Lilac that you need to know- "}
"JAZZ! LET ME IN!"
Jazz spun around and opened the door for Sideswipe who barreled through in mid-transformation. Sideswipe then closed the doors. Only a millisecond later there was a harsh banging on the doors.
"SIDESWIPE! YOU PATHETIC EXCUSE FOR A MECH! OPEN THIS FRAGGING DOOR NOW!"
Ironhide roared as he pounded on the door.
"Sideswipe, what is the meaning of this?"
"Optimus, sir, I…I can explain!" He blurted as he put his weight against the door, whilst trying to shield Lilac and hold down the locking button for the automated doors.
"Have I not expressly told you- "
"Prime, Sideswipe didn't do anything wrong this time. I can vouch for him." Jazz said as he looked between his Prime and the room at large seemingly looking for something to block the door with. Seeing the door nearly open, he snatched Lilac from Sideswipe and put her on the catwalk near Will and Epps before putting in his own locking code and blocking the door. But it was no match for both Ironhide and Ratchet together as the two pried the door open.
"YOU SNEAKY LITTLE- "
"Ironhide, stand down- "Jazz warned.
"Jazz step away- "Ratchet warned.
"I am not going to let you two fraggers hurt her!" Sideswipe snarled as he gave the Medic and the Weapons Specialist a murderous glare.
"What the fuck is going on here?!" Will barked as the four mechs began to argue loudly in their native language. Ironhide lunged at Sideswipe causing Jazz to step between the two, causing Ratchet to try and pull Jazz away so that he wouldn't get injured by the now arguing duo.
"That is enough." Optimus commanded making all the mechs under his command freeze. The room became so silent that one could hear a pin drop.
"What is the meaning of this?" He demanded, watching as all four mechs opened their mouths to speak at once. With a glare he held up his servo. All four bowed their helms going silent once more.
A soft whimper drew the Prime's attention, making him turn towards the catwalk where Lilac was crouched, trembling with terror.
"Lilac," Optimus began only to hear her whimper more as she shrunk in on herself.
"Lilac, what's wrong?" Epps asked, concern etching his features and worry clear in his voice. Leaning down, he caught a quick glimpse of her face. She was paler than usual, and her eyes, though welling up with tears, seemed glossy and hollow, as if she were somewhere far away…
"P…p…please…d…don't…don't hurt me…" She squeaked fearfully.
Will and Epps reared their heads back in alarm. Will carefully put his hand on her shoulder, attempting to help her uncurl herself and she screamed.
"NO! NO PLEASE! I…I'LL BE GOOD! I…I SWEAR! I…I'LL BE GOOD I PROMISE!"
"Lilac," Epps said gently as he put his hands up in a placating manner. But it was no use. Lilac hastily scooted away from him and Will as she sobbed in terror. "PLEASE I SWEAR! I SWEAR I'LL BE GOOOD! PLEASE!" Her chest heaved with labored breaths as her skin, shiny with sweat, flushed pink with panic.
"I…I'LL DO WHATEVER YOU WANT! I'LL SCRUB THE FLOORS, I'LL SHAVE MY HEAD BALD, I'LL IRON MY HANDS, I'LL LICK THE SHIT OFF YOUR SHOES- "
Everyone in the room cringed at her panicked words with disgust and horror.
"I'LL BE GOOD! PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE…" She squeaked out in a whimper. Her body shook with terror and strenuous breaths while she shakily bowed towards a very confused and concerned looking Optimus.
"Lilac…?" Epps asked, taking a cautious step towards her. She was hyperventilating now, her skin grew more flushed until finally her eyes seemed to roll into the back of her head and she fell over limp. Epps swore as he caught her, preventing her from hitting her head as she fell.
Optimus looked at the two men and the child with alarm. Epps put his fingers to her neck to read her pulse. Epps head snapped up in alarm. "Her heart rate is 186bpms."
Ratchet stepped forward instinctively, but Epps glared at him.
"Call Jolt."
"Excuse me- "
"She was having a panic attack just a moment ago. Her eyes, darted between all of us, but they lingered on you, Ironhide, and Optimus the longest." Epps warned.
"Sargent, you cannot be certain that-"
"Her bpm is still high, but it is slowly going down now that she's fainted. I may not be a doctor, but I sure as shit know what an anxiety attack looks like! Now call Jolt!" Epps barked furiously at the medic. He wasn't 100% sure what was going on, but he didn't want to take chances.
Optimus reached up to his audial and called for the medic in training.
"Optimus, I'm sorry but I need to make sure she is okay." Epps said as he lifted Lilac up into his arms and made his way towards the stairs. Jolt poked his helm inside the door with a concerned glance. "We're going to take her back to her room. At the very least it should be a safe space with familiar comfort items for her when she wakes up." Epps said as he and Will walked down the steps.
Optimus was at a loss for words. He felt immensely confused by what had just happened. Turning he watched as Jolt offered his servos to the two men, who graciously accepted the ride, before the four of them disappeared from view.
"You four. My office. Now."
XXXXX
It took roughly half an hour to explain what had happened. Optimus sat with his helm bowed and his servos steepled on his desk. Ironhide and Ratchet sat in the two chairs in front of him while Sideswipe and Jazz stood with their arms crossed off to the sides of the room. Both looked furious.
Ordinarily, this scenario was somewhat reversed. Usually Sideswipe and his twin were sitting in the two "hot seats" as the human phrase called them, while Ironhide and Ratchet stood off to the sides giving disapproving looks.
Neither of them liked being the ones in the troublemaker's chairs.
"Let me ensure that I have heard and understood the both of you correctly…" Optimus began in a neutral tone.
"You- "He said looking to Ratchet first,
"Yelled at the child, gave her confusing directions, and partially isolated her from others on this base."
"No sir. I informed her not to bother those who were working and of where she could and could not go."
"And if she needed assistance with something? Who was she meant to ask for assistance if all of us are on duty?"
"Well…she could ask anyone I suppose…."
"Did you relay that to her? Was that made clear to her?"
"I…suppose not…"
Optimus nodded his helm in understanding before continuing.
"Did you consider that yelling at a child, whom you've observed to be very timid, would not be an appropriate nor effective means of relaying information or earning her cooperation? Especially when considering the fact that her previous abusive caregivers have done similar if not the same to her causing her to seek refuge in the wilderness?"
Ratchet frowned, though his expression did show some remorse. "She did not follow the directions I gave to her, and I lost my temper."
Sideswipe was about to speak up when Jazz subtly put up a few claws stopping him. He gave a gentle shake of his helm with a frown, as if to say, "Nah, not yet. Stay out of it."
Optimus nodded his helm with a frown before looking at Ironhide.
"You also yelled at the child. Not only that, you administered not one, but two punishments that I did not approve of, nor would I have approved of, resulting in physical pain and harm to the child."
Ironhide looked to his Prime with a grim expression.
"In my defense…the human's internet listed the punishments used as acceptable."
"Captain Lennox warned us all to be cautious when browsing their world wide web, as it may contain misinformation."
"I can verify that what Ironhide saw was accurate. I searched for appropriate punishments for a youngling and similar results came up."
Optimus narrowed his optics at the two.
"When did you begin your research on this topic?"
"Shortly after the meeting we had two days ago."
"Before she "misbehaved"?"
Ratchet grimaced at his leader's tone. He knew what he would say next.
"Are you telling me that you anticipated her misbehavior?"
"With Sideswipe and Sunstreaker as bodyguards? Yes."
"The internet also mentioned that younglings like her may be prone to acting out, and that they need strong rules and boundaries." Ironhide supplied.
"Excuse me, but may I say something?" Sideswipe interjected with far more couth than those present were expecting.
"Yes Sideswipe?"
"I would like to point out that everyone present today heard Lilac explain on at least one occasion, what physical abuse she experienced previously. That means you two knew, that she had been hit before, subjected to unfair "punishments" and was previously not believed when she tried to get herself help." Sideswipe said angrily to Ironhide and Ratchet. "You know she has trust issues, the likes of which we saw through her conversation with Bumblebee, and you still chose your course of action despite that." he added with restrained fury. "Because of your actions, she has no reason to trust us. What Bumblebee and I explicitly promised wouldn't happen, you did to her. What reason does she have to trust us now?" Sideswipe asked his voice carrying his rage.
"Furthermore," Jazz added, "Ya had us both runnin all over this base and scaring the scrap outta the soldiers. We might be able to account for that, but Sideswipe is right. We're trying to build trust here, not jus' with her, but her whole race. We have a singular boundary that we can't cross and you two crossed it with a child within days of her arrival here. You two didn't give her clear boundaries and rules to follow. She came cryin' to me confused as frag and feelin' bad cause you yelled at her! I checked the audio and video recordings myself. I told her to stick up for herself. You two didn't attempt to talk things out you just assumed the worst 'bout her, somethin' she told all of us here that she hates. That's not okay. You'd be furious if somebot, frag let alone the humans, did that to you."
Optimus nodded his helm with a frown.
"Under different circumstances, I would have agreed with some of the points made. Boundaries and rules are necessary for growing younglings. This much is true. However, so is the fact that neither of you two allowed her to truly make a mistake worthy of punishment, least of all the punishments you enforced."
Optimus said sounding angry before pausing, his frame stiffening as his optics darkened. The four mechs sat there in silence as the leader clearly had a silent conversation with someone else before their Prime's optics brightened once more.
"Jolt, Captain Lennox, and Sargent Epps confirmed that Lilac is recovering in her quarters from an anxiety attack. Sargent Epps made mention that I will need to speak with the child, and strongly recommended that we begin seeing a…therapist together." he said softly.
"However, he would like to know where all of the items that he purchased for her two days ago have gone. Including the personal possessions she came to base with."
"I have them in my subspace. The internet…said removal of items also constituted as a punishment-"Ironhide began before Optimus stopped him with a glare.
The five of them sat in silence for a few minutes before the leader spoke again.
"I should put the both of you into stasis for what you have done." Ironhide and Ratchet sat up, their faces conveying their alarm.
"Was I not explicitly clear when I said that we do not harm humans?" He said sounding both livid and disappointed.
Both mechs answered obediently.
"Yes Prime."
"And yet, I have witnessed and been informed that this child has been forced to do hard physically laborious punishment details and was "struck" on the bottom with low level electrical currents. That goes directly against my directive."
"Yes Prime."
"Worse still, you have severely damaged the trust between that youngling and those present on this base, while also damaging the trust of our allies with us."
Both Ratchet and Ironhide looked at their Prime with a confused look.
"Sargent Epps is operating as our liaison, Lilac's social worker. He is a mandatory reporter. What the two of you did, constitutes as abusive behavior."
"Optimus, I had no intention- "
"I simply meant to correct her behavior!"
"Be that as it may, you both still harmed Lilac. Whether your intentions were good or not, she was still harmed in numerous ways because of your collective actions. I…have informed Sargent Epps that he should do as he was instructed and make a report to secretary Kellar and Child Protective Services…"
Ironhide, Jazz, Ratchet and Sideswipe's jaws dropped in alarm and dismay as they looked at their leader.
"Optimus, no…"
"He can't! She'll never survive in there!"
"I promised her I wouldn't allow her to go back to that place, or those fraggers!"
"Can't something else be done?"
Optimus stilled them all by putting up one servo once more.
"Sargent Epps explained that he would be writing up a report, but that he would not yet submit it. It will be in our official file for review of adoption, however."
"Meaning?" Sideswipe asked quietly.
"There is an increased likelihood that I will not be allowed to adopt her."
"But that's not fair! You didn't hurt her!"
"But she is in my custody. I was unable to protect her from harm."
"We honestly meant no harm to the child!" Ratchet argued guiltily. He had seen firsthand the joy on his friend's face at the prospect of adopting the youngling, at having something that the war had denied him for so long.
Now…
"I take full responsibility for my actions. I will enter stasis and await trial when the war has ended." Ironhide and Ratchet said darkly, Their sparks eaten up with guilt at potentially denying their longest friend something so precious.
Optimus nodded his helm, satisfied that his medic and Weapons Specialist understood the gravity of their actions.
"I appreciate the sentiment. However, I do not intend to wait so long for the youngling to receive justice." Optimus said in a grave voice.
"Sideswipe, as you know her well and are her appointed bodyguard, you, I and Jazz will determine a fitting punishment for the both of them." Optimus said. Sideswipe dipped his helm in a nod. Under any other circumstances, had he heard that, he would have had the largest grin possible on his face plates. The irony of getting to pick a superior officer's punishment was a treat, especially considering his track record and how many times both Ratchet and Ironhide were tasked with the same thing. But considering what Lilac had endured, and the fact that both his and by extension, Bumblebee's promise was technically broken, he couldn't bring himself to feel joy or humor at the moment.
With a firm glare the leader continued.
"Let me be perfectly clear, no punishment is to be handed down to the child without my consent and approval. No harm is to come to any human."
"Yes Prime."
"Furthermore, the two of you are not to interact with the child alone. I, Jazz, Jolt, Sunstreaker, Sideswipe, Bumblebee, Captain Lennox, or Sargent Epps must be present."
"…Yes Prime."
"The child's possessions will be returned to her quarters immediately following this briefing."
"Yes Prime."
The two echoed somberly.
"I implore the both of you to consider the unintended consequences of your actions. I am unsure of if Captain Lennox will want you around his family unit now Ironhide, seeing that he is a parental unit with a new sparkling himself. If he requests your removal as guardian, I will honor his wishes."
"Yes Prime."
"You are all dismissed." Optimus said neutrally watching as everyone left his office, leaving him to think about how to fix the situation.
A/N: Hello there! I hope you enjoyed this new chapter! As my work life slowly winds down this spring and summer, I am hoping to post more chapters to each of my stories! I am actually working on finishing a chapter for And All That Jazz! hopefully before the end of April!
Now...I want to know... what kind of punishment do you think would be fitting for Ironhide and Ratchet? If you are familiar with my work, then you know that I like to give my readers a chance to influence the story! Of course, if I use your idea, you will be given full credit for it in the next chapter! So please please please leave me a review with an idea on how to teach them a lesson!
That said I would greatly appreciate it if you followed, favorited, and reviewed regardless! I am one person away from having 400 followers on this story! Eeee I'm excited for that!
Also, due to the fact that continues to have issues with email alerts, uploading story stats and other website errors, I will be moving all of my works over to Archive of Our Own In addition to posting my work here! My username on there is the same as here so please do not be alarmed if you start seeing my work over there under my name! My work has NOT been stolen or plagiarized! However, if you do see my work under a different name on AOE, or anywhere else, please let me know as it may have been stolen or plagiarized. It has happened before sadly on Wattpad!