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Prowl relit his optics as the other commented, head tipping. Then a soft music started playing and he had to concentrate on it to see if it helped. It did, oddly enough. Especially since the tactician understood music and could break it down into its separate parts. "It is...soothing, actually. Gives me something else to concentrate on."
So he offlined his optics again, concentrating on the sound of the music and methodically breaking it into separate instruments and tempos, distracting his processors on a task that could take him hours sometimes if the track was a long one.
His doorwings slowly angled into a neutral position and his tense frame eased, though he was still holding on to either side of the medical berth just in case. "I believe it is safe now, I'm distracting myself." Of course he knew Ratchet was still there, but his systems weren't reacting to the medic's presence at all now, not with music to listen to and break down. A useful distraction, and one he noted for future use when he needed to idle down after work.
Prowl's intakes worked slowly, deep inhale and low venting over and over, as he was concentrating very hard on his task. It was the best he could do, and his chassis was unlocked and could be opened, though he didn't think he'd be able to really do so for himself.
Ratchet had permission to look, though the tactician wasn't pleased with it. He felt as if he were trying to protect something, like something vital lie inside other than his spark which was personal all by itself. "Just tell me when its over please."
What would be found, once Ratchet was able to look inside? A tiny flickering ball of light, a newly formed infant spark, nestled just below and to one side of the tactician's, attached and using his spark to sustain itself. A newling spark.
Yes! The music had been helping Prowl after all. Ratchet smiled as he looked to the tactician, happy to see him look a bit more relaxed than he had been. Now all he had to do was keep Prowl's processor occupied, and make sure that he didn't realize what was going on as it was happening. To be honest, Ratchet didn't want another shock to his systems.
"I'm glad I could be of help. Just focus on the music for now, and all will be well."
Slowly and carefully, Ratchet approached Prowl and got to work. As the tactician had already unlocked his chassis, it had made the CMO's job that much easier. With the most gentlest of touches, Ratchet opened up the chassis, and took a careful look at the other mech's spark. Doing something like this was definitely beyond personal, but by no means was Ratchet going to do anything to Prowl. He just needed to see what was wrong, and making sure his spark was in prime condition was key.
However, while his spark was fine, there was something else to be concerned about.
That little light right by it.. and Ratchet knew exactly what it was. His optics widened, his mouth agape. A newspark! He froze as he looked at it, checking it as well to be sure it wasn't his imagination. Prowl was.. carrying! The initial shock began to wear off, a mixture of happiness and worry taking it's place. He was happy that there was a new sparkling on the way, but.. he was worried not just for the extra amount of Energon Prowl would need for this carrying process but also for the sort of life this poor sparkling was going to have to live. He didn't want a sparkling himself until the war ended, but the medic was going to do everything possible to make this sparkling's life the best he could.. even if it wasn't his own.
Closing up the chassis, Ratchet backed off before speaking. "I'm finished Prowl. I'm.. not sure how to say it, so I'm going to just tell you outright. You're carrying."
The newspark seemed to know it was being looked at, because it scooted itself under Prowl's spark so that it was mostly hidden beneath the glow of the adult spark that kept it safe. The tactician's internals shuddered as a chill went through the mech, having no idea what was going on. It was only after, when he was able to shut his chassis and online his optics, that the shuddering stopped. "Is everything alright?"
He asked it just before Ratchet dropped the bomb on him. Blue optics brightened almost too much and Prowl had to very quickly shut down some of his higher processes in order to keep from having a massive crash of his processors. The news didn't compute, not on any level. "I'm...what?" His hand went over his chassis, protective in a completely new way and doorwings fanned out to make himself seem larger. "I can't be carrying Ratchet. I'm not...I don't.." He forced the crash that wanted to come on away, but it was costing him on his energy reserves.
"It is physically impossible for me to be carrying. I'm not bonded." The music was still playing, he noticed, and he focused on that before he hurt himself with a massive crash. His intakes worked a little faster than they should, but he slowly worked his way back from a massive processor crash. He'd already done that once recently.
Finally he looked to the medic, expression blank. "Is it okay? I mean did the..." His hand was still over his the area of his chassis that protected his spark chamber, and for a moment he looked pained before it fled his features. "Is the little one healthy?"
Ratchet had expected Prowl to be shocked by the news that he was carrying, but he hadn't quite expected how much the news would impact him. He watched as the tactician placed his hand over his chassis, trying to relax himself. It was probably for the best that he had kept the music going for the time being, as it could help in relaxing Prowl, which had been the case.
"There was no mistaking it. When I looked at your spark, there was a much smaller spark in your spark casing, too. It tried to hide behind your spark, as if startled by my presence, but I know a newspark when I see it." He'd been taught how to work with newsparks, how to make sure they and the creator were fitting fit during the carrying process, and what to do when it was time for the newspark to become a sparkling.
However.. that hadn't been what Prowl seemed most bothered by. He didn't understand how this was all possible, especially when he wasn't bonded with anyone. "I've heard of cases where unbonded sparks have managed to create a newspark. Perhaps that's what happened in your case, but.. even still there has to be someone to be the sire. Otherwise there is no way the newspark could be there." Ratchet glanced aside thoughtfully, tapping his chin. "Could it.. be Jazz?"
They had been extremely close from what he could gather, and even Prowl had been talking about him earlier on.
When questioned whether the mysterious spark was fine, the CMO simply smiled. "Of course. Your newspark is perfectly healthy, and we should keep it that way, but.. you need to remain healthy during this as well. You're going to need to consume more Energon than usual to keep up your strength, and we should schedule regular visits so I can check the progress of it's growth. So long as your symptoms aren't preventing it, I see no reason why you can't return to your duties.. but take great care. Don't place yourself in any strenous activies as it may harm the newspark." It would be a long process, and who knew if Prowl's symptoms would worsen or not during the process of carrying. Either way, he would have help around the base. "I suppose.. congratulations are in order."
His processors weren't handling the news very well. He knew Ratchet wasn't lying to him, nor was this some cruel joke on the medic's part. It all made perfect sense, the restless energy, the mood swings, the sheer exhaustion he tended to feel after one of said mood swings ended. Not to mention the additional need to refuel more frequently as he'd already experienced. He also knew nothing of newsparks or the sparklings they would eventually become.
"What am I supposed to do now?" He wasn't really asking Ratchet, more of talking to himself. This was bad, not that he wasn't oddly happy for it since it had been so long since there'd been a new life for their kind, but the timing was terrible. How was he supposed to protect the little one? He couldn't even deal with Jazz, who was already close to his spark, how was he going to be able to give a being literally made from his spark the attention and care it needed?
And then...well then Ratchet had to go and bring up Jazz. Doorwings hitched high and the tactician got off the berth to pace, sharp back and forth motions in the confined space. "I have no idea who the sire could be. And no, there is no way it is Jazz. He and I are...partners, but not romantic in any form or fashion. I would suspect spontaneous sparking off of a newspark would require a bit more...ah...stimulation." And yes he was ranting because he was embarrassed.
He was nodding rapidly at the instructions he was getting, trying frantically to calm down and regain the sense of serenity and patience that he usually had. Carrier protocols and the shifting of his moods made that almost impossible it seemed. "It's healthy, that's good." And he was speaking far too fast, panic setting in. He kept nodding as Ratchet listed off what he'd need to do and scheduling appointments to make sure he came in when he was supposed to. All while pacing back and forth in the small space of the medbay.
Finally he stopped, turning sharp to face their CMO. "I don't want the entire base knowing about this." He realized how that sounded, and that it was unreasonable, so backtracked. "Not immediately at any rate. I need a little time to come to terms with this. I am aware that some will have to know, since it may effect my ability to perform my duties adequately."
And Primus help him, how was he going to tell Jazz about this?
What was Prowl to do now? That was certainly the question.
No one was prepared for a newspark with this war going on, and Prowl was quite possibly the one no one thought to get sparked first. Ratchet put digits to his chin, thinking to himself. It was only made worse that the other mech had no clue as to who the sire could be. Jazz seemed to be the most likely candidate, but if they weren't involved romantically, then.. who? Maybe now wasn't the best time to ask who all Prowl had been active with, but the question was going to have to come up eventually, no matter who the one asking it was.
"There will be time for us to learn the identity of the sire, but for now we need to focus on keeping the both of you healthy so that the newspark can grow. While it's healthy now, it's not all too hard to endanger it's health with even the smallest of errors. I'll do what I can to help, but it's ultimately up to you."
The CMO watched as Prowl began to pace, speaking all too fast. The mech was panicking, and for good reason. This was too much to suddenly be dropped on one mech alone, and Ratchet felt for him. "Prowl.. I know this is all sudden, but I need you to try and relax. Just vent and focus on the music if you have to, but just try and calm down. Panicking isn't going to help you, nor is it going to help the newspark."
Thankfully the tactician stopped, but only to speak of how he didn't want the others to know.. at least right away. Ratchet chuckled softly to himself, looking directly at Prowl. "I had no intention of telling anyone. There is such a thing as doctor/patient confidentiality. You can tell them when you're ready, but don't feel obligated to let anyone know that you don't want to just yet."
"You...you don't understand." His tone had gone flat, but he was still in a full panic as his systems threatened him with a processor crash for the second time in so short a frame of time. He did not want to say this, but it was best for the medic to know exactly why this was bothering him so much. "If there was anyone in my life that could be the sire that would be one thing. But, Ratchet, there's not. I am not and have never been involved with anyone. Ever. I had no inclination to be. Jazz is the one closest to me, and he's my best friend." That put what Jazz was to him mildly at best, but describing the compatible phenomenon to Ratchet just now was not on the agenda.
News like this would have gone over better if he hadn't gone to the medic alone. He suddenly, and he had the sense that his newspark agreed, wanted Jazz there with him. Badly.
Relax he said. The tactician went to the nearest wall and braced his hands against it so that he could rest his helm against the metal surface. That done he deactivated all external sensory input that he knew how to and let himself idle in the sheer quiet. His intakes were still working too hard, but slowly, painfully slowly, he calmed down again. He didn't even register how his frame was trembling from the sheer amount of information he was trying to process and accept. A newspark was huge.
It took him a long time before he was stable enough to online his external sensors, having trusted Ratchet to look after him while he'd been calming himself so that he wouldn't harm his newspark. "I believe I'm alright now." It helped that Ratchet wasn't going to tell anyone. "I know that, I was just...I panicked."
He turned finally and sat back down on the berth, just to give himself something to do. "Optimus will have to know, so I don't get sent out of the base on patrol." He rarely went on them, but sometimes he took some of their higher energy troops out and raced them around so that the base could have a break from them.
"Tell me what to do to keep this newspark healthy. Refueling regularly is already in my reminders, as well as the need to recharge. Anything else?" He wished to do right by his newspark, regardless of how it had come to be.
No one it could possibly be? That just didn't make any sense to Ratchet. There had to be someone out there, unless the sire had managed to erase the memory of their time with Prowl that would have resulted in this sort of situation. Ratchet could have suggested the idea of having his processor examined in order to find clues, but he knew far too well that Prowl was under enough stress. While being sparked was something that could make someone happy, every part of this situation had caused Prowl nothing but worry.. and understandably so as well.
He let the tactician be as he calmed himself, patiently waiting until he had calmed back down in order to speak with him again. "It's alright. Considering what you are going through, it's natural that you did. I don't fault you for that one bit."
Ratchet picked up a datapad from a nearby shelf, one containing Prowl's medical history and began to add everything that had transpired during this visit. All the symptoms, the newspark, it was all to be put in there. It wouldn't do well to leave this out of his notes, but it was one that wouldn't be seen by others. Prowl had no need to worry, especially as he stated he wouldn't tell anyone. "You're right in that Optimus will need to know at some point. Don't wait tremendously long, however. The longer you're sparked, the more exhausted you will become and really won't be able to preform your duties to the extent you normally would."
Setting the datapad back down, he looked to Prowl as he asked what he needed to do in order to care for the newspark. "I cannot stress enough the amount of rest and energon you will need. No strenuous activies. As the newspark grows, you will find yourself needing to refuel more as it's consuming some of your energy in order to grow. Humans call it 'eating for two', apparently. Aside from the obvious, I will say that as you further into the carrying process, you are going to need others to assist you, so don't think about doing everything on your own. You will also need to consider having a protoform made for the newspark, but you don't need to worry about that quite yet."
While he listened attentively to their medical officer Prowl's processor was whirling with the things that would have to happen as his carrying progressed. He needed to research what was going to happen to him, tell at least Optimus that he was carrying so that his duties could be shifted when he got to the point that he could no longer carry them out. And of course he had to tell Jazz.
Primus, Jazz was going to....his doorwings drooped. The spy made no secret of how he felt for him, and a newspark was a big deal. But that he had no idea who it belonged to and Jazz may feel as though he betrayed him. Which he hadn't. If anything, and he was aware of this, someone had erased the memory from him after assaulting him so that he couldn't retaliate. He shuddered in revulsion at the thought.
The real problem was that he never left the base, so whoever attacked him was an Autobot. Or a Decepticon spy that he'd outed. "Is...is there anyway to find out who the sire is, since I don't know?" It was the closest he was getting to admitting that he had most likely been assaulted.
Prowl was at least calm, hand laid against his chassis in a protective gesture that meant far more now that he knew he was carrying. The first newspark to be sparked on Earth. He vented lowly, settling on the berth he'd sat himself down on. "I'll start preparing so that there will be someone capable of taking over my duties when that time comes." He paused. "Can you tell how far along I am?" He wondered how long he had to wait to meet this unexpected new addition to his familial unit, and it would also give him a timeframe on conception.
Ratchet felt for Prowl. Truly he did. Finding the answers to his questions were going to be difficult, especially in this particular situation. Just where was one supposed to begin? "I'm afraid that it's not going to be easy, but if we can narrow down some of the potential sires, then that will make the process easier. We would just have to find a time frame that this could have happened and then go from there."
And the only way to find that time frame would be to determine the age of the newspark.
The CMO was glad that Prowl was already starting to prepare for this situation, just as he would in the battlefield. There was a reason why he was such a great tactician after all.
"When I looked at the spark, it was enough to be noticeable, as well as try to hide from me. I would say.. a couple of Earth months along. So that narrows your sire down to anyone you interacted with in the last couple of months. I know you don't remember, and don't press yourself into remembering just this moment. We'll find who the sire is, but for now.. I want you to focus on you. Both you and your newspark."
Ratchet sighed softly, thinking about the newspark. This really was bad timing.. but he was happy to see new life finally coming to be. Realistically they did need to find a sire immediately, but Prowl needed to keep his health in check as well. Otherwise there was a chance the spark would fizzle out.
"If you need someone to talk to about raising sparklings.. I can help you. This wouldn't be the first time I've helped with the carrying process, not to mention I adopted Strongarm when she was a young."
His processors were working very fast, trying to come up with any scenario where this could have happened that didn't involve someone tampering with his memories. None of them were feasible. It chilled him to his spark, thinking about how his newspark had come to be, but he knew that he wouldn't trade this new life. It wasn't the little ones fault its conception came in such an unhappy way. He'd do his best by the newspark, that was something he swore to himself and to the new life growing in his chassis. And at least he wasn't alone. Jazz would help him, if he didn't take off over the occasion, and Ratchet knew what to do with sparklings. So perhaps this wouldn't go as badly as the scenarios rolling through his processors at the moment.
"I will consider the sire problem at another time. For now it is stressing me out too much." He vented. At least he could admit this was bothering him so much. And Ratchet could easily have either sedated him or hit him with a wrench for his general disposition in this entire matter, but the bot had kept his cool.
Prowl tipped his helm finally, regarding the other mech calmly. "I know nothing of sparklings, so that would be very much appreciated."
At least for now Prowl was beginning to relax, and knowing what was going on was only going to make this easier for the both of them. Sure there was still the issue of finding out who the sire was, but it would come all in due time.
"I'm glad that you're accepting that fact that it's stressing you out. For now.. you just need rest and to try and relax as much as possible. If not for yourself, then for the newspark." He didn't want to see the loss of the new life, and he knew that it deeply affected the carrier should it be lost. Prowl was one of the greatest assets to the Autobots, and he was a force that couldn't be lost by any means. He needed to be safe.
"I can help you when it comes to the knowledge of sparklings, but I can't promise that I can answer every question of yours. There's a lot you need to know when it comes to taking care of a sparkling. You're going to need plenty of Energon for them, but not a regular grade. Medical grade is the best to start them off with as it's easiest on their fuel pumps while it's still adjusting. Once they start to grow, then it is alright to give them regular Energon in small doses. Just like with you and I, you don't want them to have too much or they're going to purge.. not that it couldn't happen anyway."
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