Recommended music for this fic: Where Does the Time Go? by the Continental Drifters, Better Day album
Ironhide sat in his quarters, an empty container of energon in one hand and the other hand dangling over the side of the chair. His optics were glazed over, a definite sign that he had overenergized, but he didn't care. It had been a long time since he felt like he could truly relax and, after the day he had, he certainly needed to relax!
As he sat in the chair, he began to reminisce about the day and days that had long since come and gone. Ironhide smiled a little to himself as he reached for another container of high grade and took another drink.
"Cheers," he toasted to no one in particular. Then he downed the rest of his drink in one gulp, dropping the container once it was empty. Immediately, his head began to spin and Ironhide knew that he had overdone it.
Time to stop, he silently told himself. Somehow, he got it into his head that he needed to lie down. Very carefully, he got up and inched his way to his recharge chamber. He recalled nothing after that. Nothing from the present, that is.
Begin Flashback
"Ironhide, wake up, lad! We've got work to do!"
Kup's voice rang out, causing Ironhide to groan. Why couldn't he just leave him be?
Ironhide rolled himself out of his recharge chamber and shuffled towards the door. Kup was waiting for him there. When older Mech saw him, though, he frowned.
"Primus, lad, you look terrible! What happened? Overenergize?"
Ironhide merely nodded, not wishing to elaborate more. In all actuality, he hadn't overenergized as much as he was letting on. Since Dreamweaver had left him several orns ago, he hadn't exactly felt like himself. The fact that Chromia and Elexis had left him vorns before that certainly hadn't helped, either. Ironhide was beginning to seriously believe that there was something wrong with him. It was depressing to say the least.
"Lad, you need to let go of her," Kup was saying. "First, it was Elexis, then Chromia. You're going to kill yourself if you keep this up. Maybe you should see Ratchet or make a trip to Stealth . . ."
Ironhide shook his head 'no.' The last thing he wanted to do was travel to see his older brother nor did he want to see his younger brother. There was nothing wrong with him, after all, and he had his pride as well.
"I can always make it an order, Ironhide," Kup said. "You need to be clear-headed, not dealing with a headache when you go to see Sentinel later."
"Too late," Ironhide finally spoke. "No instant cures for Decepticons."
Kup cracked a faint smile at that but the remark did not ease the concern Ironhide saw in his optics. Ironhide sighed inwardly. Why couldn't this be easier?
"I'll be all right, Kup," Ironhide assured him.
"I know, lad," the older Mech sighed. "You keep saying that but you look worse each time I see you. I don't mind if you overenergize every now and then but this is becoming constant. If you don't straighten yourself out soon . . ."
Ironhide was glaring laser bolts at Kup now. He appreciated the older Mech's concern but he didn't need to come down on him like this! With a snort, Ironhide stalked off, not even listening to the rest of Kup's threat. He even ignored Kup shouting out for him to come back.
I need to relax, he thought as he stormed off. And I know just how to do it.
Anger fueling him, Ironhide headed for the firing range. He got there in no time flat, selected his weapon and targets, and began firing away. Ironhide was starting to feel considerably better when he heard someone approaching.
"Hey, Ironhide. Got a moment?"
Ironhide set his rifle down and looked at the Mech who was intruding upon his target practice. Ratchet. Ironhide sighed to himself. Why was Kup meddling in his personal affairs?
"What is it, Ratchet? Did Kup send you?"
"No," the medic replied. "There are two Femmes looking for you."
"What?" Ironhide raised an optic at the younger Mech. Ratchet nodded with a slight grin.
"Electra and Star are here. Thought you would like to know."
"They're here!" he exclaimed. "Where are they? When did they get here?"
"Whoa, whoa," Ratchet raised his hands up in a placating manner. "Take it easy there. They just got here not more than two breems ago and they're waiting for you outside your quarters. I thought you'd like to know."
"Thanks, Ratchet. I appreciate it. Best thing I've heard in a long while."
"Any time, Ironhide. Any time," Ratchet smiled as Ironhide hurriedly deactivated the program and put his rifle away. As quick as lightning, Ironhide left the firing range and headed straight for his quarters. He still had several breems yet before he really had to report in and it was time that he normally had to prepare his report for Sentinel.
As he reached his quarters, he saw the two Femmes standing outside, just like Ratchet had said, and they were waiting patiently. Ironhide smiled when he saw them. No matter what happened, they were still the only constants in his life, and he silently prayed to Primus all the time that nothing would ever happen to them. Ironhide took a good look at them as he approached.
There was Electra, older of the two. Intelligent, compassionate and logical, she had all of the makings of a good strategist. She and Prowl would have gotten along famously had she been branded an Autobot. Electra, however, had decided on another trade, the family trade. Like everyone else in his clan line, Electra was learning to become a medic. And, like so many others in his line, Electra was tall, taller than what he stood and her midnight blue hues were set off by grey-ish silver breaks and violet optics.
Then there was Star. Her indigo hues should have been his first clue that she would take on some of Ratchet's personality quirks. (Or is it the other way around? he often wondered.) It was well known that Star loved having a good time. Flirtatious and filled with a strong desire to have fun, Ironhide had had a hard time believing his daughter when she had told him she was studying to be an engineer, another family trade.
Would figure that I'd be the odd one in the entire clan, Ironhide mused to himself. Ah well. It makes no difference to me what they decide to do with their lives. They'll still be my beautiful girls.
Electra and Star beamed brightly at him when they saw him approaching. It would be a short-lived reunion but that was the way things were. The war was still raging on, after all. . .
End flashback
Ironhide awoke with a pounding headache and an overwhelming sense of depression. It had been a long time since he had seen Electra and Star. They, along with four others that were very dear to him, had left a million years before the Ark had launched. He didn't even know if they were still alive.
Another unfortunate thing, they'd say, Ironhide thought bitterly, standing up. Damn this war . . . Damn the Decepticons for even starting it. . .
"Ironhide! Is everything all right?" a voice called out. The voice was accompanied by a loud and persistent pounding on the door. Optimus.
Did I miss something? Ironhide thought, wincing at the loud noise. Shuffling slowly, Ironhide made his way to the door, duly ignoring his headache and his chronometer. The door slid open before he could get to it and Optimus walked in, calm as could be. Ironhide looked at him, bleary-opticked.
"Rough night?"
"You could say that," Ironhide replied quietly. "Dare I ask what I've missed?"
"You didn't miss any meetings, if that's what you want to know," Prime answered. "However, you are one day late for your rendezvous on Cybertron."
"What?" If it would have been possible, Ironhide would have gone pale. Missing that rendezvous was going to cost him. He knew it.
"Ironhide, are you sure you're all right?"
"Yeah . . . I need to go . . ."
Dazed, Ironhide walked by his leader and out of his quarters. He knew he had lost some time but an entire day!
How did I do that? he mused. I know I overenergized but it couldn't have been by that much.
All thoughts were interrupted as the pounding in his head increased. Ironhide leaned against a nearby wall to keep himself upright. The lights glaring overhead didn't help any, either.
That wasn't a good idea . . . Gotta remember to never do that again. Headaches are a killer, he chuckled to himself. Still had a good time, though.
Jazz walked up to him at that moment, concern etched onto his face. The other Mech had been walking up when Ironhide leaned against the wall. He stopped next to Ironhide, looking over him. After a second, Jazz shook his head.
"Ironhide, my man, you look terrible," Jazz commented, causing Ironhide to chuckle. "Are you all right?"
"Yeah, Jazz," Ironhide answered. For some reason, he was starting to feel good all over again. Everything was starting to become blurry and the last thing he remembered seeing was Jazz's face. Then all was dark.
888888888
"Prime!" Jazz called out as he tried to keep Ironhide standing upright. The older Mech had not looked too hot when he approached but to have him pass out on him . . .
Optimus came running out and immediately lifted Ironhide up, relieving Jazz. Jazz knew he was a strong Mech and Ironhide wasn't necessarily that heavy but dead weight was still dead weight.
"What happened, Jazz?"
"I'm not sure," he shrugged. "I saw him lean against the wall, approached him and the next thing I know, he's passing out. It was weird."
"Did he say anything before he passed out?" Prime asked. He began to move towards Repair Bay and Jazz followed.
"Yeah. I asked him if he was all right since he wasn't looking too hot. He laughed, said he was then he was out."
"That's not like Ironhide," Optimus stated. Jazz could've sworn that he was frowning but it was hard tell because of his facemask. "Maybe Ratchet will know what's going on."
With that, the two Mechs continued towards Repair Bay.
888888888
Ironhide watched as Star and Jazz walked arm in arm down the hall. They were talking about the last movie they had watched together and were laughing. It made Ironhide smile as he watched them. Star and Jazz were two kindred spirits. They had a lot in common and they had both lived through some harrowing ordeals.
'Something they'll talk about eventually, if they haven't already. Right now is the time for fun. And I like Jazz. They'll be good for each other.'
At that moment, Star turned as she walked and waved, a bright and warm smile on her face. Ironhide waved back, his own smile getting just a little bigger.
'Good luck, baby. I wish you the best.'
Slowly turning his head away, Ironhide walked back to his own quarters. Chromia was waiting for him and, if he were late, she'd really let him have it. Of course, it would possibly lead to another argument between if he was but that's just how things went between them.
'Nice to know some things will never change.'
888888888
"Well, I know what happened," Ratchet announced. He'd spent the last half hour running scans and a fuel analysis on Ironhide to find out why the older Mech had passed out after just regaining consciousness. To say the very least, Ratchet was not a happy Mech.
"What is it?" Optimus asked. He and Jazz had been waiting anxiously for that half hour for Ratchet.
"The sedative I reported missing weeks ago is in his system," Ratchet stated angrily. "His high grade had been spiked with it. It's a miracle it didn't kill him sooner."
"How do you know, Ratchet?" Optimus inquired. "That his . . ."
"Energon was spiked?" the medic continued. "Because I've known Ironhide a very long time, Optimus. He's lucky you and Jazz were right there. Ironhide's deathly allergic to this particular sedative."
"Is he . . .?" Jazz began.
"Going to be all right? Oh yeah. It's being siphoned out as we speak. He'll be back on his feet in no time. I'll let you know when he's awake. Just be forewarned that, once he is awake, he's going to be just as grouchy, if not grouchier, as he's ever been."
Optimus nodded then stood straight.
"Thank you, Ratchet. I'll inform Elita of what's happening."
At that, Optimus walked out of Repair Bay. Jazz, however, lingered. He had a question and was hoping Ratchet could answer it for him.
"Hey, Ratchet . . ."
"Yes, Jazz?"
"Who's Star?"
"What?" The medic raised an optic ridge at the communications officer.
"Who is Star? I heard Ironhide mumble her name as Prime brought him in."
"You'll have to ask Ironhide, Jazz," Ratchet answered. "It isn't my place to say, really."
"You know who she is then?"
"Yes but Ironhide can answer more about her than I could so ask him."
"Oh . . . She must be an unforgettable Femme if Ironhide can remember her."
"Ironhide remembers everything, Jazz," Ratchet pointed out.
"I know," Jazz conceded. "I'll ask him about her when he's awake."
He fell silent after that and watched as Ratchet checked the siphon and, as he sat there, Jazz got to thinking. Whoever did this was going to be in a whole world of trouble. After Prime got through with them, it would be Ironhide's turn. And Ironhide could have a very nasty temper when he was angry. It made Jazz glad that Ironhide was an Autobot.
He'd be lethal as a Decepticon.
Letting his mind wander, Jazz sat back in a chair to wait, paying no attention as the time just slipped by.
El Fin