FIC: A Universal Concept - Chapter Nine
Title: A Universal Concept
‘Verse: Post 2007 Movie
Rating: Mature for later chapters
Pairings: Jazz/Maggie Madsen, Ironhide/Sarah Lennox/Will Lennox, Prime/Ratchet, Bumblebee/Sam, Barricade/Mikaela
Summary: What is love? Is it an instinct? An emotion? Or an ability that can transcend species? After eons of conflict, the war-weary Autobots have a new home, a new life, and a chance for something more. And for a single Decepticon, a chance for salvation.
AU, based off of the 2007 Movie only, since I haven't read the books or comics.
Warnings: Mech/human sexual situations and mech slash in later chapters.
( Prologue )( Chapter One )( Chapter Two )( Chapter Three )( Chapter Four )( Chapter Five )( Chapter Six )( Chapter Seven )( Chapter Eight )
---------------
~ Chapter 9 ~
Ironhide straightened from his task of building an obstacle course next to the Base target range, turning to watch the Hummer bringing Sarah and Annabelle to him. May had come, taking the Captain away, and he knew Sarah was hurting. She had lost a battle, and defeat was never an easy thing to accept. It was painful to watch her not eat and not sleep or sleep too much. She tired too easily. Some days she could barely drag herself through taking care of her child.
Sarah had grown accustomed to bringing Annabelle out to him each day, the child clamored for him when she didn't. Ironhide noted the slight accommodation his energy field was making to the child's presence as she climbed around his foot or sat in his hand and hummed and babbled to him. Bioenergy fields emitted by organics weren't nearly as strong as their own, but they still registered, and his field adjusted accordingly. He regretted the lack of time with the Captain, the same changes would have taken place with him, allowing the Guardian to keep better track of his human charge.
Sarah herself remained aloof. She accepted his presence, but not his Guardianship. She was sitting closer to him, once she had even fallen asleep next to him, but the few times he had held his hand out to her she had regarded him with wide and wary eyes and taken a careful step back. Ironhide had withdrawn, puzzling over her behavior.
Trust remained the biggest stumbling block between them, and the Guardian could see no easy way around that. The best he could do was extend his energy field and let it wrap around her as she sat watching her daughter play. She never seemed to notice, but he persisted, hoping there was some small comfort she could derive from it, and it was, for him, a way to make a connection with her.
::Don't push, Ironhide, let her come to you.:: Ratchet advised, observing Sarah as she got out of his cab and brought Annabelle over to him.
::Gotta give her some time, mech. She's been hurt, and she's not gonna trust ya too easily.:: Jazz chimed in from several yards away, where he was teaching Maggie how to shoot.
::I am not pushing her. I am aware that she's been hurt,:: the weapons specialist replied with the exaggerated patience that warned of someone about to become a target, if they persisted in annoying him with the obvious.
Ironhide lowered himself to sitting with a small grunt and stretched his hand out on the ground next to his charges. Ratchet watched as Sarah placed Annabelle into his hand, and waited for the usual step back, the setting of boundaries once again between herself and her would-be Guardian, a major source of frustration and the continued snarl and tangling of Ironhide's systems' functions.
To his surprise, Sarah stayed.
::Ironhide, don't move,:: Ratchet ordered. The mech in question gave him the electronic equivalent of a snort.
::I've got optics, medic.::
Indeed he did, and they were currently fixed on Annabelle in his hand, while his scanners were riveted on her mother. Ironhide had finally realized that looking directly at Sarah seemed to unnerve her, so he kept his gaze on her child, only occasionally glancing at Sarah, letting receptors and scans monitor her.
Jazz pinged Ratchet, an interested observer as always.
::Progress? ::
::Maybe, :: the medic replied, but he was quietly hopeful as Sarah not only stayed, but leaned over Ironhide's thumb to stroke gently over her daughter's hair. She left off when the child moved out of reach, but she still did not back away. As mild as the temperature was, Sarah shivered with the afternoon breeze and stayed close to Ironhide with her hand on the plates of his thumb. She seemed entirely unaware of what she was doing, completely absorbed in her daughter.
The medic's infrared scans detected the increase of heat as Ironhide warmed his hand for Sarah's comfort, but he remained unmoving, other than delicately shifting his fingers to contain Annabelle's explorations, and Ratchet could only admire him in that moment. Ironhide was naturally aware of his size, but his control with such a tiny being was superb in the way only a Guardian completely obsessed with the safety of his charge could be.
His focus switched to Sarah again, the Hummer's engine muttering unhappily at the study in contrast between the exuberant, energetic child and her mother. Sarah was too pale, looking worn out and defeated and utterly fragile next to the large gray hand of the massive mech beside her. She swayed in the slight breeze and her other hand came up to grip Ironhide's plates. Too pale, too thin, and his concern mirrored Ironhide's. Ratchet's audials picked up the sound of the deep hum, his sensors monitored the soothing flickers of Ironhide's energy field as it surrounded the femme, all he could offer by way of comfort.
A short muffled bang, followed by a peal of laughter from Maggie and a deeper one from Jazz, had Sarah startle and take a tighter grip on the plating of Ironhide's thumb, looking up and over to where the silver mech knelt next to the girl.
"Oh god, that was just awful. I missed that by a mile!"
"Nah, that was better than the last one, only half a mile this time. Try it again."
A little glimmer of emotion showed in the wan features, a hint of curiosity and puzzlement as Sarah observed Jazz hover over the girl, his fingers curling around Maggie's waist to steady her from the recoil of the weapon.
"Is Jazz her guardian?" Sarah asked, to no one in particular it seemed, but Ratchet began to answer anyway, until a low growl through his comm alerted him.
::Don't tell her what's going on with those two.::
At the same time, he heard Ironhide rumble softly to her, "He's teaching her, Sarah, they're friends," then the mech was pinning him with a warning glare.
::It would be more than she can handle right now.::
::I'm not an idiot,:: the medic huffed. ::I wasn't going to tell her. ::
Sarah continued watching the pair, but her head inclined towards Ironhide as he spoke to her.
"Oh," was all she replied, but her palms smoothed over Ironhide's metalloid skin, and the medic wondered if perhaps she wasn't taking some comfort in the contact after all.
Jazz lowered his head to say something to Maggie and the girl smiled up at him, her cheek brushing against the large silver finger touching soft blonde hair. Ironhide's optic ridges drew into a frown at the pair.
::Thought you were teaching her to shoot. And you still need to test the perimeter security.::
::I am teachin' her, nothin' wrong with buildin' up her confidence while I do it,:: came the saboteur's laughing reply. ::Check your grid there, 'Hide, I've poked holes in three different spots already.::
The weapons specialist grumbled annoyance, and Annabelle paused in her play to look up, humming a soft little note. Ironhide looked down, rumbling a deeper note, and Sarah reached for her and lifted her, finally looking up at Ironhide directly.
"Should we meet you back inside? I left her snack in the kitchen. She'll be getting hungry soon."
Annabelle burst into animated chattering just then, laughing and pointing to where a large flamed Peterbilt and a small yellow Camaro were leaving dust trails as they approached the target range.
"I can take you," Ironhide replied, and rose to his feet as they arrived. Sam climbed out of his Autobot, and Mikaela jumped down from the truck and headed for Ratchet. Neither of them looked at each other.
Prime and Bumblebee transformed. Bumblebee wavered, looking indecisively between the two humans, until Mikaela took pity on him and blew him a kiss and made a little shooing motion at him. His optics half-shuttered in a smile for the girl, and he nodded and turned away to follow Sam.
And that was another problem right there, Ratchet thought, watching Sam flash his Guardian a grin and thump Bumblebee's armor, then pick up a rifle at his direction and begin to inspect it. The boy was beginning to handle weapons with a practiced ease that might have made Captain Lennox or any of the other soldiers take notice.
Bumblebee was young, new to Guardianship, and lonely. He had taken Jazz's death hard. There was something about the boy that appealed to him and given the circumstances, his love for his charge was understandable. Mikaela had been included because of Sam, but now that they were apart, the scout was finding it hard to let her go. If Bumblebee couldn't get his priorities sorted out, he was likely to end up in the same state as Ironhide.
Mikaela leaned against Ratchet's door to watch Maggie and Jazz, a faintly wistful expression crossing her features.
"They look good together, don't they? I mean, Maggie's a lot more relaxed with him."
Ratchet was noncommittal, focused as he still was on the trio before him.
"Mmm. If only Jazz could pass along whatever he's doing to Ironhide. That would help immensely."
Mikaela turned to look over at them. "Oh? That's still a mess?"
"Maybe not as bad as it was. Claiming the Captain helped, but it's still not an ideal situation. Sarah could use some encouragement in accepting Ironhide as her Guardian."
Or perhaps just having Prime around would be encouragement enough, he thought wryly. He recognized the look of awe tinged with fear on Sarah's face as Prime approached Ironhide. The femme had seen Optimus a mere handful of times, compared to the other humans who lived at the Base and the soldiers who came and went. Faced with a choice between the enormous and intimidating leader of the Autobots before her and the smaller yet arguably even more intimidating black mech behind her, Sarah chose Ironhide, slowly backing a few steps until she was within his shadow and standing close to his leg.
Her movements had not gone unnoticed, and Ratchet watched Prime slow his approach and Ironhide lift an optic ridge as Sarah came to a stop almost beneath him. Beside the Hummer, Mikaela murmured, "Is anyone else thinking 'King Kong'?"
The Hummer blew an amused snort of air. "Progress is progress."
If progress between Sarah and Ironhide could be measured in the tiniest of increments, then the progress with Jazz and Maggie was nothing short of prodigious leaps. Somehow he had gained her trust enough to agree to his bizarre idea, and the familiarity between the two argued for a lot of time spent together.
Which was due to be cut short if Prime had come with the news Ratchet suspected.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"We have a potential site," Prime announced to his team assembled in the Rec Room. He passed a datapad to Jazz, looking both pleased and relieved. "A small mountain over to the west. There are no inhabitants. We can begin excavations unobserved."
Jazz's whistle was impressed. "That's a lot of area, Optimus."
Ironhide grunted. "With no treaty, they're not just going to give us a mountain."
Prime smiled. "No, they wouldn't. This however, already belongs to us. It's part of this Base. According to the aerial survey, the territory claimed by the military stretches to the mountain range to the west of us, and encompasses a portion of it, including that site."
Jazz passed the datapad to Ironhide and the weapons specialist looked it over. "Hmph. No blasting?"
"No blasting," Prime confirmed. "We can't cover that up."
There was a small disappointed sound from Ironhide. "Alright. I'll melt the rock instead."
"Good." Prime nodded. "Jazz, I'll need you to hack the satellite surveillance and keep our activities unnoticed."
"Got it covered, boss," the silver Autobot readily agreed, a teasing grin aimed at the large black mech. "Sorry, no explosions for you today, 'Hide.'
Ironhide merely arched an optic ridge, a chuckle vibrating through his chestplates. "The day's not over yet, Jazz."
Under the guise of studying the datapad, he flashed Jazz images of a room, a berth, and a small silver mech who tossed his helm back and moaned beneath a much larger black one, chestplates spread wide and brilliant blue light between them as they pressed together, spark to spark. Ironhide's keen optics didn't miss the small shiver that went through the silver saboteur.
::Haven't forgotten, I see.::
::Nah. Be hard ta do that with you, old mech.::
::Did I tell you how glad I was when you came back to us?::
::Yeah, ya did. Ya also told me ya'd blast me back ta Primus yourself, if I ever made the mistake of takin' on Megatron again.::
::Good. Don't forget that either, Jazz.::
Jazz smirked fondly up at the massive weapons specialist. ::I won't.::
Ironhide rumbled softly, then passed the datapad to Bumblebee and turned his attention back to Prime. "When do you want the drones brought down?"
"As soon as Jazz has scouted a suitable location. Stagger the landings and make it look natural, a few scattered meteorite hits here and there, drop them in the ocean if you have to. I want to avoid any possible detection."
Another datapad was pulled from the Prime's subspace and passed to Ratchet. "Here's a survey that was done in that region. There's a wealth of mineral deposits, but buried too deeply to make it worth the humans' efforts to recover. Once Ironhide gets in, you can obtain all the fresh materials you need to replenish armor and weapons."
"That can't come soon enough, Optimus, we're low on just about everything," Ratchet cautioned.
"Which brings me to my next assignments. Bumblebee, how close is the nearest cache of supplies?"
"Approximately two days, staying within the human speed limits."
Ironhide immediately objected. "Absent from the Base that long, you know they'll track you, 'Bee."
The yellow mech's optics half-shuttered in a smile. "Not if I have a good reason to be gone. I take Sam wherever he wants to go, including a camping trip near the beach, which just happens to be close to our cache."
Jazz's voice chimed in over his comm. ::And get some alone time with him, too. Smooth, 'Bee, very smooth.::
Bumblebebee rolled his optics. ::He has a friend coming, Jazz.::
::Chaperone, awww. Too bad.:: Jazz quirked a grin and Bumblebee huffed laughter, well aware that Jazz was keeping tabs on him, and entirely pleased that Sam had been spending more time with him since his breakup with Mikaela.
Prime held up one more datapad. "Ironhide, I want you to initiate a training program with some of the troops from the neighboring Base. I've spoken with the C.O., he has several teams of their elite Ranger corps ready to begin when you are."
"No." The rumble this time sounded more like a growl, and the pleasant camaraderie vanished, the other mechs turning watchful in an instant. Ironhide's temper was notorious these days, and Prime glanced to his medic.
::Ratchet? Is he...?::
::You'll see the glow of his cannons when I do, Optimus.::
::He wouldn't, not near the humans.::
::Probably not, and certainly not near Sarah.::
::That's a relief.::
::All the same, tread carefully, Optimus. He's not in the best of moods lately.::
::You don't say.::
Ratchet's mouthplates twitched at Optimus' faint snort.
The Prime slowly straightened, optics locked on the black mech. "Why not?"
Ironhide matched him, stare for stare. "They aren't our allies."
"That may be, but they still need our help."
"Not my problem."
"Do I need to make this an order, Ironhide?"
Ironhide folded his arms, optics narrowing on Prime. "If you did, I would still have to refuse."
A flick of optics over at the others, and Jazz rose, pushing Bumblebee ahead of him, followed by Ratchet, leaving the two to settle their differences privately.
Prime inclined his head back to Ironhide, puzzled at the stubborn stance of the old warrior, but wisely refraining from pushing the issue further.
"Very well, but please explain."
Ironhide regarded him steadily.
"What would you have me do, Prime? Teach the soldiers how to kill us all? A few already know of our weaknesses. I won't add to their knowledge or show them how to do it better and faster."
"They need help to survive against the Decepticons. You will not work with them?"
Ironhide shook his helm, all too mindful of what Lennox had told him. "No, I will not. Not until they are solidly on our side, as our allies."
He knew Ironhide well enough to know that on this point, a matter of their own survival and protection, the black mech would not concede. Prime sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose plates, finally nodding over to the humans. "And what of them, and your charges? They'll die without us to help them."
Ironhide glanced to the small kitchen area and the gathered humans, his gaze lingering on Sarah before returning to lock optics with the Prime.
"They can't hurt us, they aren't soldiers. I could train them to be survivors, but to what end?"
A part of him protested the futility of even that much. Ironhide knew their chances and the odds against them, and Sarah, with the addition of a young one in her care, stood no chance at all. None, and he would have to watch those he cared for die. Again.
His fists clenched, optics shuttering tightly as the tremor worked its way through his core, the pain deep and twisting cruelly. One cannon whined as his control slipped, and then into the maelstrom of anger and doubt, disillusion and bitter loss their war had wrought came Optimus' voice, just as it had before.
::There is always hope, Ironhide, always a chance as long as there is life. For what other reason are you here, why agree to Guardian again, if not to give them that chance?::
:: ...You don't give up, do you?::
::Not often, old friend, and with you, never. You'll fight to the last pulse of your spark, Ironhide, I have no doubts about that.::
::I'm tired, Optimus...:: Pain and weariness right to his very spark, and he felt Prime move close, his energy field wrapping warmly around him, deep tones of comfort and encouragement soothing across his processors.
::Focus on Sarah. She needs you now.::
Prime's field lingered, long enough for Ironhide to regain control, lock his errant cannon down and force the pain aside. Optics flickered in silent thanks, and he turned to watch Sarah and her child again.
Her human bioenergy field was weak, but still strong enough for his scanners to detect. And for his weapons to target and lock on. Running was only going to get them so far. His battle AI actively engaged, and everything else faded under the steady flow of tactics and strategies, battle plans and types of weaponry, offensive and defensive, and suitable for humans.
The weapons specialist hummed thoughtfully, a plan beginning to form. "Very well, I'll train them, but I want Ratchet's help. I have an idea how to level the battle field and even the odds against them."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
They had gathered in the kitchen area of the large Rec Room, the humans going about their lunch routine, but casting curious looks at the mechs speaking in their alien language.
"Whales humping modems," Maggie muttered, to Mikaela's snickers and Sam's muffled guffaw. Even Sarah had a small smile tugging the corners of her mouth as she watched her daughter.
Sam and Mikaela were still studiously trying to avoid each other, with some effort in the small area, and Mikaela finally gave up and brought her lunch over to sit near Sarah.
Annabelle chortled, happily chasing down little cereal circles spread out in front of her and humming whenever her eyes strayed over to Ironhide.
Mikaela perked at the sound. "That hum, you know that's a kind of language for them?"
Sarah raised surprised eyes to Mikaela, then looked from Annabelle over to Ironhide.
"I had no idea."
"You should ask him what he says to her, the next time you two talk."
The black mech chose that moment to look their way and Sarah and Ironhide gazed at each other for a long moment. Sarah dropped her eyes first, a troubled expression crossing her features.
"We don't really talk."
Mikaela frowned. "At all? Ever? That's not good. Ratchet was telling me if things get any worse between you two, Prime might step in and decide Ironhide had to leave and-"
Sarah inhaled sharply. "I just lost Will, and now Ironhide's leaving, too? But I thought-" Sarah broke off, her lips compressing in a tight line, visibly shaken.
Oops. The chirp of Mikaela's Bluetooth headset was followed by Ratchet's low growl.
:Sarah's vital signs are jumping. Ironhide is noticing and he isn't happy about it. What the Pit are you two talking about?:
Wide brown eyes met the glowering optics of the large black weapons specialist. Mikaela winced.
Shit. She took a deep breath, trying to ignore the feeling of two sets of optics boring holes into her, and the sinking feeling in her stomach. "Sarah... I'm sorry? I thought you already knew, that Ratchet told you it was a possibility. I'm really sor-"
"Would you excuse me, please?"
Mikaela gaped after Sarah as the other woman left the rec room, and flinched at the sound of heavy footfalls behind her. She sent a frantic pleading glance to Ratchet before looking up at 25 towering feet of angry, heavily armed robot.
"Ironhide, I'm sorry, I was trying to help-"
"Try harder." Ironhide huffed displeasure, staring down at her and then glancing to Annabelle.
"See to her," he ordered, turning to follow Sarah out into the hallway.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
She heard him coming, and felt his presence next to her, a warm wave of heat that washed across her skin and made her want to lean in close and soak it up. She stayed leaning against the wall instead, caught up in her own misery over Will and too uncertain of the giant mech beside her. It was enough that Ironhide was here. For now. Maybe not much longer, and then I'll be alone.
"Can we go home, now? Please?" Her request was made quietly enough, but inside Sarah was weary and heartsick, the thought of him leaving enough to send an edge of panic into her thoughts.
She heard a rumbling sound and turned to look up at him, and received the distinct impression of surprise. It was in the tilt of his helm, the slow blink of shutters over deep blue optics, and had she really thought they were cold at one time? Now they just seemed tired, and she had surprised him somehow.
Sarah looked away. Maybe she was dreaming, maybe she would wake up to find this had all been a nightmare, and it would be Will standing here with her, a loved and familiar figure, instead of a giant mech who was as alien and incomprehensible as the stars he came from.
But Ironhide was here, and Will was not. Ironhide seemed to want something from her, while Will had made it very clear he did not want anything at all. Mikaela's right. We need to talk more. He wants something, but what? And I need-
The sound of clicks and a soft whirr had her looking up again to find Ironhide had crouched lower, his optics considerably brighter. Not tired, she thought, ...interested? Something had definitely caught his attention. Sarah could not remember a time when Ironhide had been this close and she gazed at his optics, a faint stir of curiosity at the sight of the damaged one.
Alien he might be, and made of metal, but Sarah knew scars when she saw them. Will had plenty of them, marks of bullets and blades and shrapnel, welts and puckered skin scattered over his body, some faded to pale white, others still a deep angry red. Ironhide's scar gave the impression of age. There were no jagged edges, no bright gleam of newly exposed metal. The edges were worn smooth, the metal warped and distorted but dull.
It had the odd effect of making Ironhide seem less aloof and more accessible. The scar brought him down to a human level and made him vulnerable. He could be damaged, injured, and the scars remained. She wondered if he felt pain.
None of the others had such obvious scarring and Sarah was about to ask about it, when Ironhide's deep rumble interrupted.
"We can go- home- as soon as Ratchet has checked you out."
There was a peculiar emphasis on 'home', but Sarah missed it, pushed firmly back into the unpleasant here and now and trapped in her own misery again.
"Ironhide, I'm so tired."
"I know."
That deep throbbing hum she heard so often seemed to wrap her in a warm layer of comfort. A large grey hand moved close, just next to her, and the urge to lean against it was almost overwhelming. Ironhide had that air of waiting again, of expectancy, and Sarah's confusion bordered on frustration. What does he want?
Annabelle's distressed wail echoed down the hallway, and the hand withdrew as Ironhide climbed to his feet.
"I'll get her. Meet me in Medbay. Let Ratchet check you and Annabelle, then I'll take you home."
Sarah watched Ironhide move away, surprisingly quiet for such a huge mech. She wrapped arms around herself, already cold and missing his warmth, and it was only then she wondered how he could know she was tired.
tbc
~~~~
( A Universal Concept - Chapter Ten )
( Table of Contents )
____________
A/N: To my wonderful betas, thank you! And to everyone who left me reviews, faves, alerts, or PM'd me with encouragement, my heartfelt thanks. It helps me continue to write when Real Life is being an utter bitch. For those of you who nudged, prodded, and otherwise poked me with spears and pitchforks for this next chapter, much love, and I know where you live. >3 ;p <33
‘Verse: Post 2007 Movie
Rating: Mature for later chapters
Pairings: Jazz/Maggie Madsen, Ironhide/Sarah Lennox/Will Lennox, Prime/Ratchet, Bumblebee/Sam, Barricade/Mikaela
Summary: What is love? Is it an instinct? An emotion? Or an ability that can transcend species? After eons of conflict, the war-weary Autobots have a new home, a new life, and a chance for something more. And for a single Decepticon, a chance for salvation.
AU, based off of the 2007 Movie only, since I haven't read the books or comics.
Warnings: Mech/human sexual situations and mech slash in later chapters.
( Prologue )( Chapter One )( Chapter Two )( Chapter Three )( Chapter Four )( Chapter Five )( Chapter Six )( Chapter Seven )( Chapter Eight )
---------------
~ Chapter 9 ~
Ironhide straightened from his task of building an obstacle course next to the Base target range, turning to watch the Hummer bringing Sarah and Annabelle to him. May had come, taking the Captain away, and he knew Sarah was hurting. She had lost a battle, and defeat was never an easy thing to accept. It was painful to watch her not eat and not sleep or sleep too much. She tired too easily. Some days she could barely drag herself through taking care of her child.
Sarah had grown accustomed to bringing Annabelle out to him each day, the child clamored for him when she didn't. Ironhide noted the slight accommodation his energy field was making to the child's presence as she climbed around his foot or sat in his hand and hummed and babbled to him. Bioenergy fields emitted by organics weren't nearly as strong as their own, but they still registered, and his field adjusted accordingly. He regretted the lack of time with the Captain, the same changes would have taken place with him, allowing the Guardian to keep better track of his human charge.
Sarah herself remained aloof. She accepted his presence, but not his Guardianship. She was sitting closer to him, once she had even fallen asleep next to him, but the few times he had held his hand out to her she had regarded him with wide and wary eyes and taken a careful step back. Ironhide had withdrawn, puzzling over her behavior.
Trust remained the biggest stumbling block between them, and the Guardian could see no easy way around that. The best he could do was extend his energy field and let it wrap around her as she sat watching her daughter play. She never seemed to notice, but he persisted, hoping there was some small comfort she could derive from it, and it was, for him, a way to make a connection with her.
::Don't push, Ironhide, let her come to you.:: Ratchet advised, observing Sarah as she got out of his cab and brought Annabelle over to him.
::Gotta give her some time, mech. She's been hurt, and she's not gonna trust ya too easily.:: Jazz chimed in from several yards away, where he was teaching Maggie how to shoot.
::I am not pushing her. I am aware that she's been hurt,:: the weapons specialist replied with the exaggerated patience that warned of someone about to become a target, if they persisted in annoying him with the obvious.
Ironhide lowered himself to sitting with a small grunt and stretched his hand out on the ground next to his charges. Ratchet watched as Sarah placed Annabelle into his hand, and waited for the usual step back, the setting of boundaries once again between herself and her would-be Guardian, a major source of frustration and the continued snarl and tangling of Ironhide's systems' functions.
To his surprise, Sarah stayed.
::Ironhide, don't move,:: Ratchet ordered. The mech in question gave him the electronic equivalent of a snort.
::I've got optics, medic.::
Indeed he did, and they were currently fixed on Annabelle in his hand, while his scanners were riveted on her mother. Ironhide had finally realized that looking directly at Sarah seemed to unnerve her, so he kept his gaze on her child, only occasionally glancing at Sarah, letting receptors and scans monitor her.
Jazz pinged Ratchet, an interested observer as always.
::Progress? ::
::Maybe, :: the medic replied, but he was quietly hopeful as Sarah not only stayed, but leaned over Ironhide's thumb to stroke gently over her daughter's hair. She left off when the child moved out of reach, but she still did not back away. As mild as the temperature was, Sarah shivered with the afternoon breeze and stayed close to Ironhide with her hand on the plates of his thumb. She seemed entirely unaware of what she was doing, completely absorbed in her daughter.
The medic's infrared scans detected the increase of heat as Ironhide warmed his hand for Sarah's comfort, but he remained unmoving, other than delicately shifting his fingers to contain Annabelle's explorations, and Ratchet could only admire him in that moment. Ironhide was naturally aware of his size, but his control with such a tiny being was superb in the way only a Guardian completely obsessed with the safety of his charge could be.
His focus switched to Sarah again, the Hummer's engine muttering unhappily at the study in contrast between the exuberant, energetic child and her mother. Sarah was too pale, looking worn out and defeated and utterly fragile next to the large gray hand of the massive mech beside her. She swayed in the slight breeze and her other hand came up to grip Ironhide's plates. Too pale, too thin, and his concern mirrored Ironhide's. Ratchet's audials picked up the sound of the deep hum, his sensors monitored the soothing flickers of Ironhide's energy field as it surrounded the femme, all he could offer by way of comfort.
A short muffled bang, followed by a peal of laughter from Maggie and a deeper one from Jazz, had Sarah startle and take a tighter grip on the plating of Ironhide's thumb, looking up and over to where the silver mech knelt next to the girl.
"Oh god, that was just awful. I missed that by a mile!"
"Nah, that was better than the last one, only half a mile this time. Try it again."
A little glimmer of emotion showed in the wan features, a hint of curiosity and puzzlement as Sarah observed Jazz hover over the girl, his fingers curling around Maggie's waist to steady her from the recoil of the weapon.
"Is Jazz her guardian?" Sarah asked, to no one in particular it seemed, but Ratchet began to answer anyway, until a low growl through his comm alerted him.
::Don't tell her what's going on with those two.::
At the same time, he heard Ironhide rumble softly to her, "He's teaching her, Sarah, they're friends," then the mech was pinning him with a warning glare.
::It would be more than she can handle right now.::
::I'm not an idiot,:: the medic huffed. ::I wasn't going to tell her. ::
Sarah continued watching the pair, but her head inclined towards Ironhide as he spoke to her.
"Oh," was all she replied, but her palms smoothed over Ironhide's metalloid skin, and the medic wondered if perhaps she wasn't taking some comfort in the contact after all.
Jazz lowered his head to say something to Maggie and the girl smiled up at him, her cheek brushing against the large silver finger touching soft blonde hair. Ironhide's optic ridges drew into a frown at the pair.
::Thought you were teaching her to shoot. And you still need to test the perimeter security.::
::I am teachin' her, nothin' wrong with buildin' up her confidence while I do it,:: came the saboteur's laughing reply. ::Check your grid there, 'Hide, I've poked holes in three different spots already.::
The weapons specialist grumbled annoyance, and Annabelle paused in her play to look up, humming a soft little note. Ironhide looked down, rumbling a deeper note, and Sarah reached for her and lifted her, finally looking up at Ironhide directly.
"Should we meet you back inside? I left her snack in the kitchen. She'll be getting hungry soon."
Annabelle burst into animated chattering just then, laughing and pointing to where a large flamed Peterbilt and a small yellow Camaro were leaving dust trails as they approached the target range.
"I can take you," Ironhide replied, and rose to his feet as they arrived. Sam climbed out of his Autobot, and Mikaela jumped down from the truck and headed for Ratchet. Neither of them looked at each other.
Prime and Bumblebee transformed. Bumblebee wavered, looking indecisively between the two humans, until Mikaela took pity on him and blew him a kiss and made a little shooing motion at him. His optics half-shuttered in a smile for the girl, and he nodded and turned away to follow Sam.
And that was another problem right there, Ratchet thought, watching Sam flash his Guardian a grin and thump Bumblebee's armor, then pick up a rifle at his direction and begin to inspect it. The boy was beginning to handle weapons with a practiced ease that might have made Captain Lennox or any of the other soldiers take notice.
Bumblebee was young, new to Guardianship, and lonely. He had taken Jazz's death hard. There was something about the boy that appealed to him and given the circumstances, his love for his charge was understandable. Mikaela had been included because of Sam, but now that they were apart, the scout was finding it hard to let her go. If Bumblebee couldn't get his priorities sorted out, he was likely to end up in the same state as Ironhide.
Mikaela leaned against Ratchet's door to watch Maggie and Jazz, a faintly wistful expression crossing her features.
"They look good together, don't they? I mean, Maggie's a lot more relaxed with him."
Ratchet was noncommittal, focused as he still was on the trio before him.
"Mmm. If only Jazz could pass along whatever he's doing to Ironhide. That would help immensely."
Mikaela turned to look over at them. "Oh? That's still a mess?"
"Maybe not as bad as it was. Claiming the Captain helped, but it's still not an ideal situation. Sarah could use some encouragement in accepting Ironhide as her Guardian."
Or perhaps just having Prime around would be encouragement enough, he thought wryly. He recognized the look of awe tinged with fear on Sarah's face as Prime approached Ironhide. The femme had seen Optimus a mere handful of times, compared to the other humans who lived at the Base and the soldiers who came and went. Faced with a choice between the enormous and intimidating leader of the Autobots before her and the smaller yet arguably even more intimidating black mech behind her, Sarah chose Ironhide, slowly backing a few steps until she was within his shadow and standing close to his leg.
Her movements had not gone unnoticed, and Ratchet watched Prime slow his approach and Ironhide lift an optic ridge as Sarah came to a stop almost beneath him. Beside the Hummer, Mikaela murmured, "Is anyone else thinking 'King Kong'?"
The Hummer blew an amused snort of air. "Progress is progress."
If progress between Sarah and Ironhide could be measured in the tiniest of increments, then the progress with Jazz and Maggie was nothing short of prodigious leaps. Somehow he had gained her trust enough to agree to his bizarre idea, and the familiarity between the two argued for a lot of time spent together.
Which was due to be cut short if Prime had come with the news Ratchet suspected.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"We have a potential site," Prime announced to his team assembled in the Rec Room. He passed a datapad to Jazz, looking both pleased and relieved. "A small mountain over to the west. There are no inhabitants. We can begin excavations unobserved."
Jazz's whistle was impressed. "That's a lot of area, Optimus."
Ironhide grunted. "With no treaty, they're not just going to give us a mountain."
Prime smiled. "No, they wouldn't. This however, already belongs to us. It's part of this Base. According to the aerial survey, the territory claimed by the military stretches to the mountain range to the west of us, and encompasses a portion of it, including that site."
Jazz passed the datapad to Ironhide and the weapons specialist looked it over. "Hmph. No blasting?"
"No blasting," Prime confirmed. "We can't cover that up."
There was a small disappointed sound from Ironhide. "Alright. I'll melt the rock instead."
"Good." Prime nodded. "Jazz, I'll need you to hack the satellite surveillance and keep our activities unnoticed."
"Got it covered, boss," the silver Autobot readily agreed, a teasing grin aimed at the large black mech. "Sorry, no explosions for you today, 'Hide.'
Ironhide merely arched an optic ridge, a chuckle vibrating through his chestplates. "The day's not over yet, Jazz."
Under the guise of studying the datapad, he flashed Jazz images of a room, a berth, and a small silver mech who tossed his helm back and moaned beneath a much larger black one, chestplates spread wide and brilliant blue light between them as they pressed together, spark to spark. Ironhide's keen optics didn't miss the small shiver that went through the silver saboteur.
::Haven't forgotten, I see.::
::Nah. Be hard ta do that with you, old mech.::
::Did I tell you how glad I was when you came back to us?::
::Yeah, ya did. Ya also told me ya'd blast me back ta Primus yourself, if I ever made the mistake of takin' on Megatron again.::
::Good. Don't forget that either, Jazz.::
Jazz smirked fondly up at the massive weapons specialist. ::I won't.::
Ironhide rumbled softly, then passed the datapad to Bumblebee and turned his attention back to Prime. "When do you want the drones brought down?"
"As soon as Jazz has scouted a suitable location. Stagger the landings and make it look natural, a few scattered meteorite hits here and there, drop them in the ocean if you have to. I want to avoid any possible detection."
Another datapad was pulled from the Prime's subspace and passed to Ratchet. "Here's a survey that was done in that region. There's a wealth of mineral deposits, but buried too deeply to make it worth the humans' efforts to recover. Once Ironhide gets in, you can obtain all the fresh materials you need to replenish armor and weapons."
"That can't come soon enough, Optimus, we're low on just about everything," Ratchet cautioned.
"Which brings me to my next assignments. Bumblebee, how close is the nearest cache of supplies?"
"Approximately two days, staying within the human speed limits."
Ironhide immediately objected. "Absent from the Base that long, you know they'll track you, 'Bee."
The yellow mech's optics half-shuttered in a smile. "Not if I have a good reason to be gone. I take Sam wherever he wants to go, including a camping trip near the beach, which just happens to be close to our cache."
Jazz's voice chimed in over his comm. ::And get some alone time with him, too. Smooth, 'Bee, very smooth.::
Bumblebebee rolled his optics. ::He has a friend coming, Jazz.::
::Chaperone, awww. Too bad.:: Jazz quirked a grin and Bumblebee huffed laughter, well aware that Jazz was keeping tabs on him, and entirely pleased that Sam had been spending more time with him since his breakup with Mikaela.
Prime held up one more datapad. "Ironhide, I want you to initiate a training program with some of the troops from the neighboring Base. I've spoken with the C.O., he has several teams of their elite Ranger corps ready to begin when you are."
"No." The rumble this time sounded more like a growl, and the pleasant camaraderie vanished, the other mechs turning watchful in an instant. Ironhide's temper was notorious these days, and Prime glanced to his medic.
::Ratchet? Is he...?::
::You'll see the glow of his cannons when I do, Optimus.::
::He wouldn't, not near the humans.::
::Probably not, and certainly not near Sarah.::
::That's a relief.::
::All the same, tread carefully, Optimus. He's not in the best of moods lately.::
::You don't say.::
Ratchet's mouthplates twitched at Optimus' faint snort.
The Prime slowly straightened, optics locked on the black mech. "Why not?"
Ironhide matched him, stare for stare. "They aren't our allies."
"That may be, but they still need our help."
"Not my problem."
"Do I need to make this an order, Ironhide?"
Ironhide folded his arms, optics narrowing on Prime. "If you did, I would still have to refuse."
A flick of optics over at the others, and Jazz rose, pushing Bumblebee ahead of him, followed by Ratchet, leaving the two to settle their differences privately.
Prime inclined his head back to Ironhide, puzzled at the stubborn stance of the old warrior, but wisely refraining from pushing the issue further.
"Very well, but please explain."
Ironhide regarded him steadily.
"What would you have me do, Prime? Teach the soldiers how to kill us all? A few already know of our weaknesses. I won't add to their knowledge or show them how to do it better and faster."
"They need help to survive against the Decepticons. You will not work with them?"
Ironhide shook his helm, all too mindful of what Lennox had told him. "No, I will not. Not until they are solidly on our side, as our allies."
He knew Ironhide well enough to know that on this point, a matter of their own survival and protection, the black mech would not concede. Prime sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose plates, finally nodding over to the humans. "And what of them, and your charges? They'll die without us to help them."
Ironhide glanced to the small kitchen area and the gathered humans, his gaze lingering on Sarah before returning to lock optics with the Prime.
"They can't hurt us, they aren't soldiers. I could train them to be survivors, but to what end?"
A part of him protested the futility of even that much. Ironhide knew their chances and the odds against them, and Sarah, with the addition of a young one in her care, stood no chance at all. None, and he would have to watch those he cared for die. Again.
His fists clenched, optics shuttering tightly as the tremor worked its way through his core, the pain deep and twisting cruelly. One cannon whined as his control slipped, and then into the maelstrom of anger and doubt, disillusion and bitter loss their war had wrought came Optimus' voice, just as it had before.
::There is always hope, Ironhide, always a chance as long as there is life. For what other reason are you here, why agree to Guardian again, if not to give them that chance?::
:: ...You don't give up, do you?::
::Not often, old friend, and with you, never. You'll fight to the last pulse of your spark, Ironhide, I have no doubts about that.::
::I'm tired, Optimus...:: Pain and weariness right to his very spark, and he felt Prime move close, his energy field wrapping warmly around him, deep tones of comfort and encouragement soothing across his processors.
::Focus on Sarah. She needs you now.::
Prime's field lingered, long enough for Ironhide to regain control, lock his errant cannon down and force the pain aside. Optics flickered in silent thanks, and he turned to watch Sarah and her child again.
Her human bioenergy field was weak, but still strong enough for his scanners to detect. And for his weapons to target and lock on. Running was only going to get them so far. His battle AI actively engaged, and everything else faded under the steady flow of tactics and strategies, battle plans and types of weaponry, offensive and defensive, and suitable for humans.
The weapons specialist hummed thoughtfully, a plan beginning to form. "Very well, I'll train them, but I want Ratchet's help. I have an idea how to level the battle field and even the odds against them."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
They had gathered in the kitchen area of the large Rec Room, the humans going about their lunch routine, but casting curious looks at the mechs speaking in their alien language.
"Whales humping modems," Maggie muttered, to Mikaela's snickers and Sam's muffled guffaw. Even Sarah had a small smile tugging the corners of her mouth as she watched her daughter.
Sam and Mikaela were still studiously trying to avoid each other, with some effort in the small area, and Mikaela finally gave up and brought her lunch over to sit near Sarah.
Annabelle chortled, happily chasing down little cereal circles spread out in front of her and humming whenever her eyes strayed over to Ironhide.
Mikaela perked at the sound. "That hum, you know that's a kind of language for them?"
Sarah raised surprised eyes to Mikaela, then looked from Annabelle over to Ironhide.
"I had no idea."
"You should ask him what he says to her, the next time you two talk."
The black mech chose that moment to look their way and Sarah and Ironhide gazed at each other for a long moment. Sarah dropped her eyes first, a troubled expression crossing her features.
"We don't really talk."
Mikaela frowned. "At all? Ever? That's not good. Ratchet was telling me if things get any worse between you two, Prime might step in and decide Ironhide had to leave and-"
Sarah inhaled sharply. "I just lost Will, and now Ironhide's leaving, too? But I thought-" Sarah broke off, her lips compressing in a tight line, visibly shaken.
Oops. The chirp of Mikaela's Bluetooth headset was followed by Ratchet's low growl.
:Sarah's vital signs are jumping. Ironhide is noticing and he isn't happy about it. What the Pit are you two talking about?:
Wide brown eyes met the glowering optics of the large black weapons specialist. Mikaela winced.
Shit. She took a deep breath, trying to ignore the feeling of two sets of optics boring holes into her, and the sinking feeling in her stomach. "Sarah... I'm sorry? I thought you already knew, that Ratchet told you it was a possibility. I'm really sor-"
"Would you excuse me, please?"
Mikaela gaped after Sarah as the other woman left the rec room, and flinched at the sound of heavy footfalls behind her. She sent a frantic pleading glance to Ratchet before looking up at 25 towering feet of angry, heavily armed robot.
"Ironhide, I'm sorry, I was trying to help-"
"Try harder." Ironhide huffed displeasure, staring down at her and then glancing to Annabelle.
"See to her," he ordered, turning to follow Sarah out into the hallway.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
She heard him coming, and felt his presence next to her, a warm wave of heat that washed across her skin and made her want to lean in close and soak it up. She stayed leaning against the wall instead, caught up in her own misery over Will and too uncertain of the giant mech beside her. It was enough that Ironhide was here. For now. Maybe not much longer, and then I'll be alone.
"Can we go home, now? Please?" Her request was made quietly enough, but inside Sarah was weary and heartsick, the thought of him leaving enough to send an edge of panic into her thoughts.
She heard a rumbling sound and turned to look up at him, and received the distinct impression of surprise. It was in the tilt of his helm, the slow blink of shutters over deep blue optics, and had she really thought they were cold at one time? Now they just seemed tired, and she had surprised him somehow.
Sarah looked away. Maybe she was dreaming, maybe she would wake up to find this had all been a nightmare, and it would be Will standing here with her, a loved and familiar figure, instead of a giant mech who was as alien and incomprehensible as the stars he came from.
But Ironhide was here, and Will was not. Ironhide seemed to want something from her, while Will had made it very clear he did not want anything at all. Mikaela's right. We need to talk more. He wants something, but what? And I need-
The sound of clicks and a soft whirr had her looking up again to find Ironhide had crouched lower, his optics considerably brighter. Not tired, she thought, ...interested? Something had definitely caught his attention. Sarah could not remember a time when Ironhide had been this close and she gazed at his optics, a faint stir of curiosity at the sight of the damaged one.
Alien he might be, and made of metal, but Sarah knew scars when she saw them. Will had plenty of them, marks of bullets and blades and shrapnel, welts and puckered skin scattered over his body, some faded to pale white, others still a deep angry red. Ironhide's scar gave the impression of age. There were no jagged edges, no bright gleam of newly exposed metal. The edges were worn smooth, the metal warped and distorted but dull.
It had the odd effect of making Ironhide seem less aloof and more accessible. The scar brought him down to a human level and made him vulnerable. He could be damaged, injured, and the scars remained. She wondered if he felt pain.
None of the others had such obvious scarring and Sarah was about to ask about it, when Ironhide's deep rumble interrupted.
"We can go- home- as soon as Ratchet has checked you out."
There was a peculiar emphasis on 'home', but Sarah missed it, pushed firmly back into the unpleasant here and now and trapped in her own misery again.
"Ironhide, I'm so tired."
"I know."
That deep throbbing hum she heard so often seemed to wrap her in a warm layer of comfort. A large grey hand moved close, just next to her, and the urge to lean against it was almost overwhelming. Ironhide had that air of waiting again, of expectancy, and Sarah's confusion bordered on frustration. What does he want?
Annabelle's distressed wail echoed down the hallway, and the hand withdrew as Ironhide climbed to his feet.
"I'll get her. Meet me in Medbay. Let Ratchet check you and Annabelle, then I'll take you home."
Sarah watched Ironhide move away, surprisingly quiet for such a huge mech. She wrapped arms around herself, already cold and missing his warmth, and it was only then she wondered how he could know she was tired.
tbc
~~~~
( A Universal Concept - Chapter Ten )
( Table of Contents )
____________
A/N: To my wonderful betas, thank you! And to everyone who left me reviews, faves, alerts, or PM'd me with encouragement, my heartfelt thanks. It helps me continue to write when Real Life is being an utter bitch. For those of you who nudged, prodded, and otherwise poked me with spears and pitchforks for this next chapter, much love, and I know where you live. >3 ;p <33