Tinman: The Untold Chapters

Nightmares, Stories, and Lullabies

A week or two after Ironhide returns home from his recovery...

From the driveway below Ironhide could see the light in Annabelle's room was still on. Sara's silhouette was clearly visible as she was sitting on the side of the bed reading Annabelle her bedtime story—an interesting human ritual very akin to the Cybertronian custom of retelling old stories of their history. It was one of the few cultural traits they shared. However, the human stories were often far-fetched and downright ludicrous.

Talking pigs who could build houses only to have them blown down by an evil wolf? A kitten named Frieda Fuzzypaws who refused to eat her vegetables? Boa constrictors devouring laundry?

Ironhide just didn't understand how humans came up with such ridiculous plots and characters. But, whatever their reasoning, Annabelle was enthralled by these stories and it seemed the more preposterous they were the more she liked them. Every night Ironhide would listen from the driveway to the stories Sara and Will read to their daughter. Tonight's story was something called, "Cinderella".

"...Cinderella and her handsome prince were married and they lived happily ever after. The end." Sara concluded, "Ok Annie, time to sleep."

"Another, Mommy. Another." Annabelle requested.

Sara shook her head, "No Annie. It's late. I'll read you another one tomorrow before naptime, ok?"

"K." the girl relented in a quiet voice.

The woman kissed her child on the forehead and was about to turn off the light when—

"Wait, Mommy!" Annabelle cried.

"What, baby?"

"Check."

Sara sighed, "Annie there are NO Decepticons under your bed or in your closet."

Ironhide tensed upon hearing those words. He'd only been back from his recovery on the Autobot base for about a week and had no idea Annabelle was having these fears. Of course...he should've expected it. Annie and Sara both had survived a terrifying ordeal at the hands of the Decepticons, how couldn't she still wonder if they would come back? It was a fear he faced almost every day. But what disturbed him even more was that Annabelle feared their presence now even with him in the driveway.

Had Annabelle subtly lost faith in him and his protecting abilities?

The bitter sting of his failure still haunted him. He'd promised to protect her from the Decepticons, but he failed and she was captured. It was a miracle she wasn't harmed but it didn't change the fact that he failed her, pure and simple. Now, he had to earn back her faith in him and he would do whatever it took to achieve that.

"Check." Annabelle whimpered.

Just as Sara was about to grant her request, Ironhide transformed and stood up.

"I will check to make sure there are no Decepticons." he announced, peering in the second-story window.

His optics flashed brightly, bathing the room in blue light as he scanned every inch of the house. Annabelle and Sara waited until his optics dimmed.

"Everything is secure. There are no Decepticons." he assured.

Sara gestured to the window, "See, Annie? Ironhide is here and he'd know if there were any Decepticons. Now, go to sleep."

"K." Annabelle agreed snuggling down into her pillow. "G'nite mommy."

"Good night, sweetheart."

"G'nite, Ironhide."