It has been a long while and I am sorry for the wait. Adult life is hard.

But here is the next chapter for Lives After War!

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers. Pixie and Helios are my OCs. Rhea and Optronix are Optronix Prime's OCs.

Enjoy!

Chapter 21

Prowl groaned, slowly easing his frame off of the med berth, his legs as wobbly as jello. Jazz did his best to support his mate's weight, wrapping an arm around the Praxian's waist and draping an arm over his shoulders. "Nice an' easeh, Prowler. Lil babeh steps."

After being bedridden for a few weeks, Prowl was finally able to come out of his berth, but the mech had difficulty controlling his center of gravity; he flared his wings in an attempt to spread his weight evenly. Prowl tried to carry his weight rather than let his mate physically haul him and place strain on his carrying frame. Aching muscles cables radiated pain across his sensory net and he grunted. "This is harder than it seems…"

Jazz raised his helm a little, smiling softly as he pecked his cheek. "Yer finalleh on yer pedes and dat's what mattahs."

A smile tugged on Prowl's lips, taking another small step forward. "Pixie will be thrilled to see me finally out of berth."

"Dat she will." Jazz led his mate around the room, walking in one full circle before allowing his mate to sit on the edge of the berth to rest. "Ya gotta git back ta runnin' speed soon."

Prowl allowed himself to laugh bemusedly. "And why is that?"

Jazz glanced down and gave his middle a pat. "'Cause these two're gonna be crawlin' before ya know it."

"I have a few months left to go, Jazz, before you're due. I am bound to be back to combat speed before then." he pulled his mate into an embrace, holding the other black and white close to his frame. White servos spread across his mate's middle, feeling how rigid it was beneath his digits. It wouldn't be long before he would actually start to show. A tender kiss was set upon Prowl's chevron.

"Ya bettah beh."

"I will, love."

Pixie sat close to the window during free time in class, staring outside with a thoughtful look on her faceplates. She wanted to see her Carrier more than anything; it had been difficult for her and her Sire everyday since the orn she was abducted. The little femme missed waking up to the smell of brewed coffee. She knew her Sire wasn't all too happy sleeping alone, so she would hop into their berth on most nights. On top of all that, Pixie didn't like moving into her new home. The Prime-she was astounded by his tremendous height-offered her Sire a new home so that the mean femme who had planned to kill her wouldn't be able to go back. It was closer to the center of Iacon where it was more heavily populated than the suburbs. Fortunately, Pixie was able to go to the same school and stay with her friends. Her wings gave a little flutter, drawing in her vents for a sigh.

She felt a mass settle beside her on the large cushion and her attention was diverted to Helios. Pixie gave him a small smile. "Hi, Heelie."

"Hey, Pix. You've been sitting here for a while. I wanted to make sure you were okay."

The little femme nodded. "Yeah, 'm okay. Just thinking of Carrier. Ay miss him…"

"But you get to visit him in the hospital, right?"

She nodded, her wings faltering a little. Helios cringed at the action, not meaning to sadden the femme. "Yeah, but… Ay want 'im ta come home…"

Helios could offer little comfort. "I'm sorry."

Pixie looked down at her folded servos, twiddling her thumbs. She held a small pout, lower lip puckering slightly. "Ay wish none o' dat happened… Carrier coulda… coulda died…" Pixie sniffled.

Helios dared to move closer in an attempt to console the femme, awkwardly hugging her from the side. "But he didn't. He's getting better with help from Carrier and Ratchet. They're the best medics I know."

Pixie hiccupped, trying to hold back her crying and quickly wiping away the tears that streamed down her cheeks. "Ay-Ay know…"

They younglings sat in a weird embrace, Pixie taking the comfort from her friend and settling down. After a moment of silence, Helios asked, "Do you want to color a little before our Creators get here?"

The mechling smiled when her petite wings perked up and she nodded.

"Okay, I'll be right back. Stay here."

Pixie giggled a little as he stood back up and went to his desk to grab his coloring materials. She waited patiently, hugging her legs to her chest and staring out the window again until he came back. The younglings laid side by side on their fronts, each with a datapad in front of them and multiple coloring styluses. They colored in silence, time passing by. Ms. Nitrous announced to the class that school was over.

Rhea skipped towards Pixie as the winged femme put her things away into her cubbie and she had a too-large grin on her face. Pixie looked at her friend oddly. "What's wit' dat smile?"

The older femme nudged her. "You know why."

Pixie blinked, her visor flickering.

"Don't be silly, Pix." Rhea giggled before stepping closer and whispering to make sure no one heard her. "You like him."

A heated blush crept onto Pixie's cheekplates, the thought of her liking one of her best friends unfathomable. She gasped quietly. "Rhe! He's my friend!"

"Then why are you blushing?"

Pixie turned back to her cubbie, hiding her face. "Ay am nat! Helios is my friend. Ay don't like kissin' too! That stuff's fer grown-ups."

Rhea grinned as Pixie continued to flush. Luckily, Pixie was saved when their teacher rounded them up to go outside and wait for their Creators. Pixie found Jazz almost immediately, throwing herself into his welcoming embrace. She received a peck to her helm. "Ya have fun tahday, babehcakes?"

Pixie nodded within the crook of his neck. "M-hm. Are weh gonna see Mommeh tahday, Sire?"

"Yes weh are, babeh. An' Carrier has ay surprise fer ya."

The little femme perked up. "Is 'e comin' home?"

"Nat yet." Pixie faltered at that. "But yer gonna see soon."

With little complaint, Jazz took her to the IMF; Pixie talked about her orn in class the entire way there.

Prowl sighed, gazing out the window towards the Iaconian city. He wished so badly that he could leave the IMF, but he had several more weeks to go before the medical staff could diagnose him with a clean bill of health. The same white walls, the same staff, the same berth… Boredom killed his processor and despite his attempts of getting Jazz to bring over his datapads from the Enforcer station, the Iaconian Enforcers' Chief refused to let Jazz take work to Prowl. It was supposed to be his time of recovery, not processor exhaustion.

Physical therapy was going to begin soon now that Prowl was able to come out of his berth and he would be gradually returned to full muscular and strength capacity.

Prowl sighed again. He just wanted to go home. A knock on the door brought Prowl out of his thoughts and he announced, "Come in."

The Praxian instantly lit up upon seeing his Creation and Pixie immediately wanted to be set down. Jazz held onto her with a chuckle. "Hold on, babeh. Hold on. Ay want'cha ta stay right 'ere, 'kay?"

Pixie was set down, looking at her Sire in curiosity as he made his way to his mate. Jazz held out his servo for Prowl to take and guided the other mech off his berth. Prowl grunted as he pushed himself off the berth, pedes touching the floor. With a heave-ho, Prowl stood up with Jazz's support. Pixie gasped as Prowl made his way towards her and she met her Carrier halfway.

"Ya can walk, Mommeh! Ya can walk!" Pixie cried happily as she hugged around Prowl's thighs. Prowl lost his balance for a split second, clutching his mate tightly.

Once Prowl stabilized himself, he chuckled, lowering a servo to stroke Pixie's helm. "Yes, I can, babycakes. And Daddy is gonna take us for a walk."

Pixie grabbed the white servo with her smaller black one. "Let's go!"

The little femme eagerly tugged Prowl in the direction of the door and the Praxian did his best to keep up with his Creation, glad to see her enthusiasm.

After hours of nonstop walking, Prowl needed to rest. Finally back in his room, Prowl laid against his semi-Fowler's positioned med berth. Hydraulics within his legs hissed softly as pressure was finally released and he sighed in relief. Pixie made effort to climb onto his berth; Jazz chuckling in amusement as he pushed her aft up to assist her. The little femme crawled up his side and settled comfortably. An arm encircled her frame, pulling her close. "Mommeh, are ya gonna come home soon?"

Prowl stroked her chevron, sighing. "I don't know, babycakes. I have to see special bots that will help me move better."

"Ya need ta come home, Mommeh." she whispered into his side seams, offlining her visor.

"Believe me, Pixie. I want to go home.

Hushed moans filled their room, two frames entangled in the spacious berth. Servos were clasped together, Bumblebee thrusting into his mate and thoroughly enjoying the sensation of her wet valve; his mouth pressed against her neck, peppering the cables and wires with little kisses and nips. Optronix stared at the ceiling, her optics dimmed in lust. Soft moans left her vocalizer, hips rocking with every thrust her mate sent her way. Sensory nodes were nudged and swept across, pleasure burning through the femme's systems. They were trying again after their few weeks of taking a break and this time, Optronix wanted to make sure that she would be able to conceive.

"Bee..." she whispered softly against his audio, her one free servo rubbing at her mate's chestplates. The yellow mech lifted his helm from her neck, gazing into her optics; he could see how much she wanted this interface to kindle a spark and truth be told, Bumblebee wanted it too. "...Please."

A gentle kiss was pressed to Optronix's lips and she felt the surface beneath her touch slide away. The servo that was clasped gripped Bumblebee's servo tighter, anticipation and hope running through the femme's frame. She opened her own chestplating, her spark pulsating hard and without hesitation, Bumblebee pressed their sparks together. Energy coursed through their frames enough to send them into overload and transfluid gushed into the femme's reproductive chamber. They allowed their sparks to remain in contact for a prolonged amount of time as their overload began to waver away. Optronix's frame slowly began to relax, her spark pulling away as she settled into the berth. Bumblebee tucked his spark and spike away before cuddling his mate's frame, laying his frame over hers and setting down his helm on her chest. A thin servo stroked his backplates, digits lingering.

"Think we did it?" came Bumblebee's quiet, breathless question.

Optronix kissed his helm, shifting her frame into a more comfortable position. "I hope so..."

The mech raised his helm slightly enough to see her faceplates; he was met with a gentle smile and he couldn't help, but return the smile.

"Even if we don't, I still love you."

The mech chuckled. "I know, Princess. I love you too."