Here's one of the little plot bunnies I was talking about on my profile. Oneshot

Don't own Transformers, Iacon, etc.

Enjoy! =)

~*~

Ironhide stood in the firing range at the Autobots' new base and shot at another desert rock. The red stone exploded into millions of shards in a nice fiery display. He sighed and shuttered his optics.

All beings who knew him, human or Cybertronian, recognized him as the gruff, trigger-happy Autobot that would blast the slag out of anything that gave him a reason to. He knew that most humans were afraid of him, and even some Autobots. They had a right to be. Ironhide admitted that he was blunt and he liked to blow things up, but it was only due to his shattered past.

Long before the war started, even before factions were named, Ironhide was a forceful but kind mech. He would pull out his cannons when he thought necessary, but that was rare. He would, however, shove them into the faces of anyone stupid enough to flirt with his sparkmate, Chromia.

She was one of the bravest and toughest femmes around, a perfect match for him. The two had met at one of Iacon's most popular clubs. He grinned as he remembered exactly how.

~*~

Ironhide was drinking Energon and checking out the femmes on the dance floor with his best friend, Orion Pax, when a slender blue femme walked up to them. She snatched Ironhide's cube of Energon and set it down on the bar. The femme grabbed his wrists and pulled him out to the dance floor. At first, the mech just stood there, watching the femme dance in front of him. She noticed him and giggled. "Come on. Will you dance for me?" she asked, her voice sweet at sugar. When Ironhide stayed still, she sighed and crossed her arms. "I… don't dance," he strained to say. The femme gazed back up at him. "Just try. Please?" she begged, a small pout forming on her face. Ironhide couldn't resist and started swaying to the beat of the music. The swaying soon turned into twisting and whirling. The little blue femme intertwined her own style of dancing into his, and the two spun together, totally in sync.

After the song ended, applause and cheers burst out. The mech and femme found themselves in the middle of a circle filled with curious and amazed optics. The femme slipped her hand into Ironhide's and smiled.

"We make good partners…" She looked into his optics meaningfully and he got the clue.

"Ironhide."

The blue femme stroked his other arm.

"Chromia."

~*~

From then on, the two were inseparable. They confided absolutely everything and anything into each other. Rarely were they ever seen without the other.

Not too long afterwards, the couple spark-bonded, forever expressing their outright love for each other.

A mega-cycle later, Orion Pax was promoted as the next Prime, and his brother the High Lord Protector. They were renamed Optimus Prime and Megatron. Ironhide felt privileged that Optimus Prime, the ruler of Cybertron, was his best friend.

Optimus and Megatron ruled together in harmony for many vorns. During that time, Chromia bore her own little sparkling, Fuse. The tiny orange sparkling was always making high-pitched chirps and trills, and was spoiled rusted by his parental units. The trio lived in blissful peace for a while. That was, until Megatron went power crazy and formed the Decepticons.

Ironhide and Chromia, despite their acquaintance with the Prime, remained neutral so as not to traumatize Fuse. Optimus understood and respected their decision. Megatron, however, did not.

Another painful memory relived itself in Ironhide's mind.

~*~

Ironhide awoke to loud crashing sounds and… was that gunfire? He opened his optics droopily and looked around. Figures were running around the room, ransacking it and shooting at something. The mech turned to see Chromia, already shooting at some of them in a near-by corner. She was badly damaged, leaking Energon from a gash in her side. His optics widened as he realized what she was standing in front of. It was their youngling, Fuse.

He jumped out of the berth and activated his cannons. Ironhide fired at the mysterious mechs, putting most of them in permanent stasis lock. The other mechs shot back at him; one shot hit dangerously close to his spark chamber, causing him to stagger backwards. Acid rounds started melting away his armor, slowly and painfully. More dark figures entered the room and pounced upon him. They started tearing away at his armor and plating. Ironhide swallowed his screams as he desperately tried to shove the dark figures away. One tried to rip out his optics, but got its hand blown off by one of Ironhide's cannons.

A cry pierced the air at an amazingly loud decibel. Ironhide's spark started pulsating faster. He couldn't let these things hurt Fuse and Chromia, he couldn't. Filled with rage, he started blasting the figures piling on top of him with no mercy; but the more he shot, the more that came. They soon overwhelmed him, all the shots weakening him quicker than they should. The last thing he heard was Chromia cry out his name.

He awoke later that morning to an absolute nightmare. Energon and coolant was splattered everywhere. Everything, including him and the other forms in the room, were covered in the liquids. The floor was slick with it. Ironhide slowly pushed himself up and took a good look around. A blue and orange heap in the corner quickly caught his attention. "No," he whimpered. "NO!" Panic filled his every circuit as he scrambled over to the colorful clump.

Lying before him was his sparkmate and youngling, both battered and lifeless. He repeatedly scanned their bodies for any signs of life, but none came. Ironhide collapsed to his knees. He lost them. He had failed them. A roar of pain escaped his vocalizer and rang throughout the room.

Failure; it had never felt so agonizing. Sure, he had lost bets and little things like that, but nothing compared to this. Nothing.

Ironhide took another look around the room. He crouched beside one of the fallen figures from the previous night and flipped it over. One its right chest plate was a purple insignia. It was a Decepticon.

~*~

From then on, Ironhide felt nothing but pure hatred towards every being that wore that symbol.

A choked sob threatened to escape the weapons specialist's vocalizer. He was trembling all over; guilt, sorrow, and absolute anger overtaking him. As if automatically, his cannons charged up to a dangerously high level as he shot another rock formation. The boulder was reduced to rubble instantly by the shot. Dust floated over and coated his armor, dulling its shine.

The Decepticons had taken Chromia and Fuse away from him. They had murdered them.

More visions filled his processors.

~*~

He was alone, waiting in a small room furnished with no more than a desk and two chairs. The door finally slid open to reveal his old friend. The blue and red mech stepped inside and sat in the chair opposite of Ironhide. "Hello Ironhide. It has been a while since I've seen you," greeted Optimus Prime. The black mech nodded. "It has."

"How have Chromia and the youngling been?"

Ironhide's optics darkened as his body tensed. He shifted his gaze towards his clenched fists in his lap.

"They're dead."

Optimus' optics widened and he leaned forward. "Wh-What?"

"Decepticons came in and k-ki…"

The black mech lowered his head into his hands. He shook his head violently. The image was still vivid in his processors. Optimus shuttered his optics as his massive shoulders slightly drooped. "I'm sorry that the war has done thi-"

"I'm in."

The Autobot commander opened his optics and stared at his friend. "In?"

Ironhide got out of his chair and gave the Prime the Cybertronian salute. "Please, let me join the ranks of the Autobots, Optimus Prime."

At first, Optimus just stared at him in shock. "Are you sure this is what you want?" he asked tentatively. The black mech stared up at him, his optics full of determination. "Yes."

Optimus gave him a small smile and put his hand on Ironhide's shoulder.

"Welcome to the Autobots, Ironhide."

~*~

Ironhide sighed and sat down. The memory was full of mixed emotions. For one, he was somewhat embarrassed by the fact he had almost broken down in front of the great Autobot commander, Optimus Prime. On the other hand, he was more than grateful that he was allowed to join the Autobots. And of course, he was still mourning the loss of his loved ones at the time.

A small thump knocked Ironhide out of his thoughts. Seated beside him was the youngest Autobot of the bunch, Bumblebee. The bubbly little scout could usually make anyone happy with his lively attitude, but right now, the weapons specialist really didn't want to talk to anyone.

He grunted. "What do you want?"

Bumblebee looked up at his superior. "Well, I was going to shoot the slag out of some rocks, but then I saw you sitting here and decided to join you," he sighed.

Ironhide gave him a sideways glance. The yellow 'bot seemed more depressed than usual. "What is it, Bumblebee?" asked Ironhide in a softer voice.

"Nothing! It's, er, nothing…"

The older mech turned to glare at him. "Bumblebee…" he said warningly.

Bumblebee sighed again. "I… I miss Jazz," he murmured in a dejected tone.

Everyone on the base, mechs and humans alike, missed the vivacious second in command, but Bumblebee was the closest to Jazz. They were like brothers in a sense; always sticking up for each other with the occasional teasing, pulling small pranks, everything. Jazz was Bumblebee's guardian when he was a sparkling, and his best friend ever since. The little scout was affected the most by Jazz's death, but as always, he tried not to show it. Of course, everyone could see it anyways; the way his door wings drooped, the despaired look in his optics.

The only place Bumblebee truly expressed his growing anger was in the firing range. He'd usually stay and shoot every boulder and stone in sight, until Ratchet would come and force him to go and recharge.

Ironhide shook his head at the memories of seeing Ratchet dragging Bumblebee, arms crossed and pouting, to the med bay.

"I miss my family," whispered Ironhide. Bumblebee tilted his head to the side. "Family?"

"I used to have a sparkmate and a youngling."

The scout paused. "What were their names?"

"Chromia and Fuse."

"Hm. Did you think of Fuse's name?"

The weapons specialist chuckled. "No, Chromia did. I was never creative enough."

Bumblebee slowly nodded. A pregnant pause settled between the two. "What… What happened to them?" asked Bumblebee timidly.

Ironhide shuttered his optics and sighed. "Some Decepticons ambushed our abode. I was the only one who survived the attack."

The scout looked at Ironhide before bringing his knees to his chest and hugging them tightly, a human gesture he picked up from Sam. "I'm sorry," he mumbled. The black mech touched Bumblebee's shoulder companionably. "It's all in the past now. There will always be a place for them in my spark, but I know they wouldn't want me wallowing in self-pity for the rest of my life," he said. Then in a softer voice he added, "I think Jazz wouldn't want you to either."

Bumblebee leaned his head against Ironhide's hand. "I know he wouldn't, but I miss him somuch. I miss my brother," he lamented. Ironhide pulled the yellow 'bot closer to him and stroked his helm. "I know you do, and these feelings will stay for a long time, but you can calm those feelings. It will take time, but they will alleviate."

The little 'bot mourned for a bit longer before pulling away from Ironhide. "Thank you, Ironhide. I… I really needed this."

"You're welcome, Bumblebee."

Now pacified, the scout gave Ironhide a nod and made his way back to his quarters. Ironhide let a small smile come across his face. Unbeknownst, Bumblebee had actually helped him cope with his grief.

~*~

Was it okay? I tried to get the feeling right, but I don't know if I did.. Please review!