TFP: Youngling

Ch.42~ Fuel

I stared in awe and the stocked storeroom; we had been able to gather this much? Orion patted my shoudlerplate and I turned to see him with a comforting smile. He was right, with this it was finally possible. I wanted to cry, but I held off the tears. For now, at least.

"We shall make sure it does not get so low again." He assured, "You can be her surrogate now."

"I can." I agreed and turned to smile at him trying to hold back building tears. "I am so happy."

"It's alright to cry." He hushed, leaning down to cup my cheekplate.

"I'm just so happy," I muttered tears finally falling from my optics my frame shaking a bit. "I was so scared that…"

"It will all be okay; I am sorry it ever came to this." He apologized, I felt him pull me close for a hug. "It won't happen again."

"We're at war, it very well could again…" I muttered, leaning into his embrace. "I just hope she will be healthier when or if it does happen."

"I will do everything in my power to make sure this does not happen again." He assured, I smiled leaning into him more.

"I know you will, thank you, Orion," I replied.

He will do his best, and that's all I can ask for.

(Later)

I felt the protocols begin to online, I kept my gaze on the screen to make sure there were no errors. I watched as my frame began to activate dormant coding, no errors. I felt my chestplates tighten a bit, must be my wells filling. Not entirely pleasant, but not unexpected. So far so good.

I turned to gaze at Stargazer, my spark swelled with emotions as I watched her rest. Soon, I just have to make sure my coding goes off without a hitch. Peering back at my monitor I was relieved to still see no errors. Just a bit longer I will know if the changes have taken.

"We're back!" Sideswipe shouted, I turned to see him and Sunstreaker driving into base.

"Too loud brat!" I retorted; he transformed a smirk on his faceplate.

"What you up to?" he quizzed.

"Onlining my Carrier coding," I answered bluntly.

"Oh, cool," Sideswipe stated awkwardly.

"We'll leave you to it," Sunstreaker stated dragging his twin out of the room.

"Primus those two…" I muttered, turning back I saw the protocols were near done activating.

In a few more clicks they were done, with no errors thankfully. I checked systems and saw that my wells would fill entirely within the next jour. I sighed in relief as I unhooked myself from the monitor. So far, the only difference I could outwardly tell was the slight tightness from my chestplates. I'm sure it will be more noticeable once they are completely full.

I would get used to this in time, a bit of tightness was nothing after all. Not when I knew it would mean that my little sweetspark would be able to get better. Now all I had to worry about was how to get her to nurse. I hope her dormant coding will reactivate; I know her sparkling coding hasn't completely disappeared yet. After all, she can still communicate in clicks.

I rose from my seat and ghosted my servo over the healing cracks in my chestplates. Nearly healed. Carefully I reached to trace the weld in my side, still tender but on the mend. Given everything, my injuries have healed well for such a short period of time. I was lucky.

I heard a noise, turning I saw Stargazer was waking up, smiling I strode over to where she laid. Carefully I knelt down, she turned her helm to me her optics dim as she smiled. Leaning down I kissed her helm crest, she chirped. Pulling back, I smiled as she rolled to her side a bit.

"Ca," she said, I smiled.

"Have a good rest sweetspark?" I quizzed, she nodded. "Good to hear."

"Up?" she said, I nodded and scooped her up and slowly rose to my pedes.

"Glad to see you so happy," I stated, she chirped. "Carrier is going to have you feeling better here soon."

Her optics cycled wide and she began to click, she must be trying to voice her excitement. I carefully strode across the room and sat back down on the medberth. I cradled her closer, my spark feeling a bit lighter knowing she would begin to improve very soon. Perhaps she will hesitate less if I can explain things a bit more.

"I found a way to help you feel better, you're going to have to go back to fueling like you did when you were with Jazz. It'll help you get better." I explained, she looked a bit confused. "Do you remember how you fueled then?"

She nodded and reached a servo to pat my chestplates, I nodded and she leaned her helm to my chestplates. I chuckled a bit as she looked at them carefully. Seems she remembers a bit but not entirely. I quickly checked my systems, about half full. Seems it was going faster than I first thought.

"Ca?" she quizzed and gently poked my chestplating.

"Yes, from there." I affirmed, "Do you think you can fuel like that?"

She seemed to think a moment but then nodded, I smiled down at her. Reaching up I gently rubbed her helm affectionately. Seems she wasn't going to struggle as much as I feared. She pressed her faceplate to my plating; I rubbed her helm.

"Soon, my wells need to finish filling." I soothed, she nodded pulling back a bit.

Perhaps it's best I do this back in our habsuite, away from prying eyes and optics. Slowly I rose from the medberth and began to trek toward our room. The base was quiet, seems beside her brothers the others were still out. Reaching our room, I quickly entered, the light flickered on as I settled down on the berth.

Checking my systems, I was surprised to see that they were full already. Seems my systems were adjusting to the coding very well. Carefully I pulled her back as she watched me curiously as I parted my chestplates. With the coding active feeding lines extending out from either side just below my spark chamber.

"Ready to try?" I asked, she nodded and I brought her close.

I watched as she gazed at my spark in a bit of awe, I brushed her cheekplate fondly. Slowly she turned her gaze to my right feeding line and began to move her helm closer. Her optics offlined as she latched onto my line. She paused a moment before she began to suckle, it was hesitant at first but soon she was suckling with earnest.

It was an odd sensation; it had a bit of a tugging sensation along with the rhythmic movement of her glossal over the end of the line. It was a bit painful due to the sensitivity of it but that should fade in time. It was exactly like it was described in medical texts and from second-hand accounts. Yet actually feeling it felt different, it was a bit emotional. A bit comforting as well. Her servo moved up to grasp the bottom of my open chestplates.

"You're doing great sweetspark." I praised reaching up to brush the side of her helm.

I continued to brush her helm soothingly as she continued to fuel for a few clicks. This was calming, felt like for a short period of time it was just us. Slowly I began to feel her taper off before she unlatched.

She let out a string of chirps and nuzzled the plating below my spark casing. We stayed like that a moment before I gently pulled her back and closed my chestplates. I brought her back and she cuddled up to my chestplates pressing her faceplate over my spark.

"You should start feeling better soon." I hushed, she chirped happily.

(Stargazer's POV)

I was feeling better, when I awoke from my nap, I felt less sluggish. Pushing myself up a bit I looked around to see Carrier was working at the monitors across the room. Slowly I moved myself to a sitting position, I hadn't been able to do this so easily in a while.

Shuffling closer to the edge of the crate I carefully placed my pedes on the ground and pushed myself up. I wobbled a moment before I regained my balance. Standing, I was standing! I looked to Carrier my determination growing.

Slowly I raised on pede and shaking took a step, it was a bit shaky but I was doing it. I took another step, followed by another and another. Each step filled me with excitement, I hadn't been able to do this for so long. Looking up I saw I had almost reached Carrier, who was still busy at the monitor.

Grinning widely, I took the last two steps and wrapped my servos around his pede. I did it!

"Stargazer?!" Carrier exclaimed, I looked up at him smiling wide. "Did you?"

"I did it!" I cheered; I saw tears fill his optics.

Before I could react, he scooped me up pulling me into a warm hug planting kisses over my helm and cheekplates. Soon he slowed down and looked at me with a big smile his optics bright. I couldn't help but smile more as he looked at me with such a happy expression.

"I am so proud of you." He praised leaning our forehelms together.

"I can walk!" I cheered, he smiled.

"Yes, yes you can. You're talking now too." He stated I wasn't speaking in clicks anymore!?

I launched forward and wrapped my servos around his neckcables hugging them. I was walking and talking again! I was so excited! Was I finally going to get better!? No more getting sicker, I was gonna get better again!

"I'm glad you're already feeling so much better, just be careful, you are still recovering." He soothed, I nodded nuzzling his neckcables. "Sorry I took so long to get you feeling better."

I pulled back and saw Carrier had a sad tinge to his expression now.

"It's okay, I know you were working hard to get me feeling better." I soothed, he smiled and kissed my cheekplates.

"I love you so much." Carrier hummed, I grinned up at him. "Missed that smile."

"Gonna smile lots and lots." I chimed, he chuckled kissing my nasal ridge.

"And I will treasure each and every one." He hummed.

(Later)

I watched in awe as Carrier's chestplate parted, his spark was so bright. I couldn't help but look at it a bit. Parting my gaze from his spark I looked to his feeding line. Shifting closer I carefully latched onto the nub and began to suckle. Warm fueled flowed down and I drank it down.

I remember doing this back when I was Ja, but I had forgotten how good it tasted. It made me realize how bad the fuel I had before tasted. It was almost bitter in comparison.

I felt Carrier brush my helm as I suckled. Something about this was comforting. Maybe it was being this close to Carrier's spark. His field practically surrounded me like this. Reminded me of what I had been able to feel when I still had my doorwings.

My tank was getting full, I slowed my suckling not ready to unlatch just yet. I suckled a bit longer before I unlatched and cuddled up to the underside of his spark. It was so warm and I could feel his love in his field. It was so good; he petted my helm as I nuzzled under his spark.

"Mind pulling back so I can close my chestplates, then we can go back to cuddling." He stated, I pulled back and his chestplates shut.

"Carrier." I began cuddling back up to his chestplates. "I like being close to your spark."

"Is that so."

"Uhuh, it's warm and I can feel your field around me."

"I see, not as strong, like this?"

"Only brushing me like this."

I felt him shift and his arms wrap around me more securely as he cuddled me closer. His field was stronger now, I nuzzled his chestplate letting out a string of happy chirps. He hummed softly as he kept me in this hold.

"This better?"

"Warm."

"I'll hold you like this more then."

I felt my optics offline as I was lulled into recharge by his warm embrace. His field was almost around me like this. I pressed my cheekplate to his chestplate as I let my frame go limp. So warm.

(Ratchet's POV)

I smiled as I watched her fall asleep in my arms. Seems she was still a sparkling in many ways… I had been too quick to label her a youngling. She clearly still craved the same comforts as a sparkling. A warm frame, comforting field and the pulsing of a spark.

When she had first arrived, I had gotten her used to being more independent. I wanted to focus on my work… Foolish.

I won't do that again; I can do both. I can be here to comfort and raise her as I should and do my work. If I get a few vorns less recharge fine. If my work is slowed by holding her, oh well. She needs me, and I will not let her down again.

I felt her mouth my plating in her sleep, seems she was dreaming of fueling. She soon stopped and went back to cuddling my plating. I gently rubbed her helm, her engine purred in delight.

She needed me. I promise I will become a better Carrier for you. No more putting you on the sidelines. I am going to devote myself to raising you how you deserve. I won't let this war take away your younglinghood.

"Love you, more than you will ever know." I intoned. "I'll do better by you from now on."

(Optimus' POV)

I looked into our room and I felt myself smile, both of them were in recharge in the berth. Ratchet was on his side curled around our creation who was resting snuggling in his hold. It was good to see that he was taking time away from his work.

Best to leave them to rest.

I turned and headed back to the main room, I heard voices as I approached. Entering I saw Sunstreaker, Sideswipe and Bumblebee huddled around a monitor.

"Bee if you scout this out, then we can make a plan to take it over," Sunstreaker stated.

'I'll come back once I get a good idea of what it looks like.' Bumblebee replied.

"Comm us if you need to be bridged out. Sunny's gotten good working the bridge." Sideswipe added.

"Did you find something?" I quizzed, they all turned to me.

"Yes, don't worry we got it covered." Sunstreaker stated, "Keep your comms open Bee."

'Will do!' Bee chimed and Sunstreaker activated the bridge.

I watched Bumblebee drive through, I walked over to the twins and Sunstreaker gave me a harsh glance. Looking I felt my spark skip a pulse, this was a Decepticon mine location. Were they planning to raid another mine?

"Don't bother trying to talk us out of this." Sideswipe stated, "We all agreed to this."

"It's too..." I began, Sunstreaker turned to glare at me.

"Save it, we're going through with this, whether you approve it or not." Sunstreaker hissed, he turned back to the monitor. "Go take a night off for once. Leave this to us."

"And nothing I do will sway you on this matter?" I questioned; they both shook their helms. "I see…"

"Go spend some time with Ratchet and Stargazer," Sideswipe suggested.

"Don't waste your time trying to stop us and go spend it with them," Sunstreaker added.

"I shall leave this to you then." I receded.

I slowly turned away from them and headed back toward our room. It felt wrong to leave them, but I could tell nothing I could do would stop them. I doubt even their creators could have stopped them had they been here… Perhaps I will have to learn to let others take the lead again…

Arriving back at our room I quietly strode in and sat at the edge of the bed. I turned to watch my little family recharge. I couldn't bare to disturb them by trying to get into the berth with them. Guess I will have to settle for watching them recharge.