The bundle of yellow armor and wires sat in a very content state upon one of the many medical bay's berths. His big blue optics stared at the few mechs allowed to see him. His gaze never left them and they never left his. His arm was hooked up to another set of wires, keeping its systems running to keep watch on the youngling's vital signs. The medical bay would have been full however, Jazz was keeping a good handle on keeping bots from going inside as he kept watch at the doors. Many bots were hitting the doors when they got the opportunity and there was lots of shouts. Ratchet insisted Jazz stayed until he commed in once he brought the youngling. Too many bots surrounding the bot would have been too overwhelming.

"Well, now what?" Ratchet asked, breaking the rooms silence first. Ironhide released his grip on the bridge of his olfactory sensor to look at the medical officer. His weight was dispersed onto a nearby cabinet.

"That's it? No brilliant plans?" Ironhide snapped. His frame tense with frustration.

"Well, I don't hear you coming up with any!" Ratchet snapped back, equally as annoyed and confused.

"We should send him to the Elite Gaurd." Prowl offered. He ignored the whipped helms aimed toward his direction.

"The Elite Gaurd?! We can't even make contact with them!" Ironhide threw up his servos. 

"Yes, and why should we give up a youngling to them? No offense Optimus, but Ultra Mangus is a complete aft. Knowing his affection toward his soldiers let alone younglings, Bumblebee wouldn't survive the first cycle." Ratchet huffed with a rumble. Optimus only looked at him questionably. Ratchet sighed as he explained shortly. "Hot Rod? Key example?" He rose an optic ridge.

"We will keep him in our care." Optimus said firmly yet calmly as he turned his attention to the child. His curiosity of the youngling peaking through the glint of his optics. Bumblebee tilted his small helm at that.

"Optimus, with all due respect, keeping this child here would cause more problems that we can't afford to have." Prowl muttered. The SIC really didn't want to be the bad guy. But this was war, what choice did he have? Optimus was enemy number one for all Decepticons. Did he not realize the danger he was putting the child under? Optimus faced Prowl as Bumblebee leaned on his large side. Optimus placed a protective and comforting arm around him.

"This isn't about the risk. It's about our future," Optimus sighed and retracted his mask. "He may be the last glimmer of hope we have if we want our race to exist."

"Bu-."

"I understand your concerns. I have...a deep feeling." Optimus said rubbing his chest plate with his free servo. His optics were furrowing and Ratchet stepped forward.

"Is the Matrix acting up again? Prime, you know you should tell me when-." Ratchet began to scold but Optimus held up a servo to stop him.

"Let me finish." He said softly. "I have a deep feeling this will not end in niether a few Cycles nor a few Ano-cycles. It has already been 12 Ano-cycles and it should have ended a long time ago. But, unfortunately, it has not and therefore we must begin to prepare for our future race if we are to stop our extinction." Optimus spoke looking between his most trusted friends and comrades.

"Many people of Cybertron are getting harmed. I fear there will not be many Cybertronians left after this war. Megatron has pulled an unbelievable  act of absolute cowardice and I will make sure he never wins this war because of what destruction he may allow. He has killed too many innocents and he will not get the pleasure to get what may be the last youngling. He will not get his servos upon Bumblebee." Optimus voice lowered with seriousness as he held the youngling to his side a bit tighter. Bumblebee buried his helm into his side and tried to reach around him with his tiny arms.

"Yes, Prime," Ironhide nodded. "So now what? We just babysit him until he's old enough to be a soldier?" Ironhide snorted, his optics moving between his friends and comrades. Prowl looked unsure as he tapped his pede in thought. Bumblebee squirmed a bit as he didn't fully understand what was going on. He could definetly sense the tension, however. 

Ratchet's optics flickered to the small youngling, his perhiphal bison catching Bumblebees twitches. "I think we should move this conversation elsewhere." He spoke lowly. Bumblebee's optics looked up to Optimus as they exchanged looks. Optimus blinked at the youngling and Bumblebee leaned further into his side.

"Agreed. We will discuss this later. For now, we must focus on caring for Bumblebee." Optimus nodded his helm. Bumblebees antennas flickered about. The room was silent for a good moment. Ratchet was furrowing his optic ridges, Ironhide held his arms folded, and Prowl was stiff
Prowl was trying his best to remain calm as he looked down at the youngling snuggling to Optimus's side. He didn't understand how a large army in the middle of war was going to care for a youngling. A servo was set on his shoulder, snapping him away from his thoughts.

"Don't glitch on me, Prowl. I have enough to deal with for a decacycle," Ratchet grumbled, removing his servo as Prowl blinked to his direction.

"This is great and all, Optimus-really. But we're missing something real important here," Ironhide spoke up, unfolding his arms as he gave the Prime his full attention. "We all have schudeles to follow. None of us can care for him at once."

"A fair point, which is why we will assign a guardian for him. This guardian will watch for Bumblebee and when this guardian cannot, someone else will care for him until his guardian is available once again." Optimus smiled. "We may be an army, Ironhide. But do not forget we are also a family. Everyone will help." He looked down to the youngling dozing off as he studied Ironhide. Ironhide blinked in surprise as he realized he was being stared at. He grunted and crossed his arms once more.

"Right," Ironhide mumbled.

"And who is this guardian going to be?" Ratchet asked, raising an optic ridge.

"I believe that is for Bumblebee to decide," Optimus smiled to the yellow bot. Bumblebees blue optics looked to Optimus. They stared at one another for a moment, Bumblebees optics whirling and Optimus smiling warmly.