From Teens to Sparklings

Chapter 19 Old Family,New Family

Optimus felt like screaming. It had only been around a few days since they had discovered the Sparklings were missing, but it was a few days too long. When he had first found them gone, he had assumed they were off playing somewhere. However, when no one could find the younglings, he began to panic. He had gone down every hallway, checked in every room. Nothing. He had been about to consider checking in the walls, when Bumblebee found the human door had been broken...

They had searched the desert for hours, but found nothing. Not until he had come across the fading tire tracks. Humans. When he had saw the marks, he had almost snapped. He knew he couldn't harm the humans, it wasn't right, but his spark said otherwise. His spark told him to hunt down whoever had taken his Sparklings and make them pay, to make sure they felt excruciating pain. His team felt similarly.

Ratchet was overworking himself, growling lowly at anyone who approached him. Arcee had taken off somewhere, clearly distraught by loosing her partner, especially when he was like this. BumbleBee just looked depressed, his movements were slow and sluggish, and he spoke much less. The poor Scout kept glancing at his pedes and the door, like he was waiting to see Raf apear there. Bulkhead was furious. The green mech was often in the training room, and Optimus almost pitied any Cons who got in his way.

And Optimus? Well, he might have felt the worst. It was his job as a Prime to protect and watch over his Autobots, to keep them safe when they couldn't protect themselves or needed help. He remembered how it felt to have Jack curled up in his chassis, and how proud and protective it made him feel. It stirred his mostly dormant protocols and made him feel like a good Prime, and a good Sire. Even if Jack was not biologically his, it made no difference to his instincts, and he had fully adopted the Predacon Sparkling into his family, even when he had been human.

When he looked at Jack, he saw himself. The teen was a natural leader, and he was protective of his family, which had been extended to Raf,Miko, and, only half surprisingly, Arcee and the other Autobots. Humans' fields were weak, but he could still read them, and he knew that Jack was most happy when he was with them.

So to have everything ripped away in one night? It tor him up inside and made his spark scream. He could feel his instincts berating him. He was a Prime. He was supposed to protect them. Yet he hadn't even been able to keep a few Sparklings safe. 'Just like the last time...' His spark whispered softly. Optimus shut his optics, forcing the memories that were resurfacing to recede. No. He would not break down. Not when his Sparklings needed him. They might have bonded to their respective guardians, but they were still his family. His whole team was his family, and it was all he had left.

"Primus, please... let me have this. Don't take my family away again." He whispered to himself, letting a single tear slide down his faceplates.

Miko looked up at the red mech, who had gone stiff. She chirped softly, stepping out to stand behind his pede. The mech's attention was instantly on her and Raf, and the two found themselves being held lovingly against his chassis. Any sense of hostility was gone from his faceplates, replaced by a look that was so full of love Miko almost felt like crying. He shifted them in his arms, turning to look at the scary mech, and the one who had saved them. She puffed up her plating and hissed, glaring at the big grey mech. She wanted him gone. NOW. 

The mech just chuckled, showing off his sharp denta. She squeaked and pressed herself into the red mech, who also puffed his plating out.

"Quit. Scaring. Her." He growled lowly, his optics narrowing.

The grey mech seemed to get the message and backed off, muttering something under his breath. The two mechs turned to leave, but stopped when Raf let out a distressed beep, wiggling in the red mechs arms. The mech who had saved them, Soundwave, if she had heard right, turned instantly, while the grey mech froze, before slowly turning and backing away. The red mech looked down at Raf, who was reaching out to Soundwave. The red mech held Raf out to Soundwave, who instantly scooped him up. 

|Raf? What are you doing?| She chirped.

The tiny seeker was clutching to Soundwave's chassis, gripping the living metal.

|I-I don't know, but i just feel like i need to be with him right now. It's the same feeling i felt when i was around Sire and Carrier.| He squeaked.

Miko could understand that. She nodded and pressed herself into the red mech. Now that she had a moment to think, the crushing sadness of losing her best friend and brother hit her hard. Images once again flashed. A human with kind, storm grey eyes. Sand exploding all around her. Carriers warm servos. She whined and closed her optics, feeling sad and lonely and afraid. Suddenly, clawed servos were stroking her back, and kind, calming words were being whispered to her. She latched onto the comfort, snuggling into the warm metal.

Knock Out rubbed the tiny femmes back, cooing softly at her. He knew Soundwave wouldn't say anything. He had been one of the mechs Knock Out had confided in when he had been going through his depression after the accident. Plus, the Communications Officer was acting just as loving as he was, purring and clicking at the tiny seeker that was holding onto Soundwave like its life depended on it. The small sparkling was making soft peeping noises, and Knock Out could already tell that Soundwave was deeply attached. He shivered. Soundwave had been dangerous before, but now that he had a Sparkling... he greatly pitied anyone who fragged with the masked seeker.

A small chirp brought his attention to the Sparkling in is arms. Oh Primus, she was small. Too small. She was like a bean- 

He stopped. If he let his mind wander down that path, he wouldn't be able to do his job, because he'd be too busy building a nest and once he did, he knew he'd stay there until his Sparkling was big enough to leave. Which would be never in his opinion.

His processor stalled for a moment as he realised what he had said. His. He had called the tiny bundle of pure happiness snuggled in his arms his. Then, he felt it. A deep warmth stirring in the bottom of his spark. It filled his entire being, flowing around his body. Suddenly, he could feel something new, yet familiar...

He gasped, feeling a wave of emotions wash over him. A bond. He had formed a Carrier bond with his Sparkling. Fat tears welled up in his optics, threatening to spill over as he began to shake. Soundwave touched his shoulder, tilting his head. He clutched his Sparkling closer to his trembling form.

"Soundwave- i-i bonded with her! There's a bond there!" He sobbed, leaning into his friend slightly.

Soundwave's mask lit up with a cheering emoji face, and the seeker bumped his head against Knock Out's in a rare display of affection. The medic laughed softly, wiping away his tears. After the accident, he had fully believed he would never get to feel a Carrier bond, that he would always feel like a piece of him was missing. Yet somehow, someway, Primus had smiled upon him, and he couldn't be more glad.

Stepping back, he wiped away the rest of his tears. He looked down and saw that his Sparkling had fallen asleep. He gently shifted her into a more comfortable position. Looking back up, he saw Soundwave walking towards his habsuite, holding a very sleepy Sparkling. The medic just stood there for a minute, composing himself. He looked back at the door to the med bay, a soft smile on his face.

"Come on sweetspark, let's go say hi to your Sire~"