"Let's go Recruits! 15 more laps!"

"Professor Wedge can we stop please??"

"Yeah... we're tired..."

"If you have enough energy to talk then you have enough energy to finish these laps!", Wedge shouted.

The recruits all groaned as they kept running on the track outside.

The recruits were about ready to pass out until a certain bot walked toward them, making their faces light up in joy as they all shouted, "Coach Hotshot!!"

Hotshot smiled tiredly as he made his way over to his best friend, "Hey Wedge."

"Well good morning sunshine", Wedge teased, "I hope those extra hours of sleep were worth it."

Hotshot glared at him, quickly directing the topic back to their students, "How many laps have they done?"

"After these... 50."

"50?! Jesus-", Hotshot then yelled toward the recruits, "stop running Recruits!"

The recruits then proceeded to collapse onto the track, completely out of breath.

"Thank you Coach Hotshot."

"We were dying!!"

"Take as long as you need to regulate your breathing", Hotshot ordered, "then I want all of you to head inside and do some stretches as a cooldown."

"Yes sir!"

"Got it sir!"

Eventually, the recruits were able to get themselves up and head inside the Academy. As the last recruit was able to get up and go in, Hotshot and Wedge remained outside.

"You need to remember that they're young and can't handle that. Yet."

"Well it's not my job to do this in the first place!", Wedge argued back.

Hotshot sighed as he looked down shamefully, "I know... it's mine... Thank you for taking my place..."

Wedge softened when he got a good look at Hotshot's tired and stressed face, "Did something happen last night? Is Medix and the sparkling okay?"

"Yes they're okay. Thank Primus they're okay... but last night was rough... especially for Medix..."

Wedge slowly walked toward the Academy with Hotshot, " What happened?"

"The sparkling kept kicking. Each kick harder than the last. It started getting really bad in the middle of the night. Medix was in so much pain from how hard our sparkling was kicking him. We both stayed up for the rest of the night trying to get our sparkling to stop kicking."

"Did it ever stop?"

"Yes, thank Primus."

"How?"

"I forced Medix to walk around, which oddly enough started to soothe the sparkling."

"Oh boy. I bet Medix wasn't too happy about doing it."

Hotshot chuckled softly, "oh yeah. He was pissed. He complained the whole time but he shut up the moment he realized that it was actually helping."

Wedge stifled a laugh, "I bet even after all that, he was still pissed."

"Well duh."

They both bursted out laughing as they finally entered into the Academy.

As they walked the halls and even waved at some recruits, the conversation at hand never ceased.

"So are they both okay now?", Wedge asked.

"Last I checked, yes. But if anything came up I told Blades to give me a call."

"Blades?"

"Oh right. I forgot to mention that we called him in last night. He was the one who suggested that Medix do some walking."

"Is he still there now?"

"He is", Hotshot said softly, "I wouldn't have left if he didn't offer to watch and care for Medix."

"Are there any concerns that he might go into labor?"

"Yep. That's why I look so stressed."

Wedge then gently placed a servo on Hotshot's shoulder as they stopped their pace, "Then you should be with him. He's probably very stressed and scared. I can take over for you here."

"And let you overwork the Recruits? Ha!", Hotshot joked.

Wedge didn't laugh, "I'm serious Hotshot..."

Hotshot sighed, "I know you are... and trust me I desperately want to be there with him... but he wanted me to be here."

"Why?"

"He didn't want the Recruits to worry about my "sudden absence"."

"That makes no sense. They already know that he's due soon."

"That's what I said! But there was no sense in arguing with him..."

"I don't blame you. He's terrifying when you argue with him. How do you put up with it??"

"I don't. I've learned that if I don't do as he says, I'm not gonna live much longer."

They both bursted out laughing again as they resumed walking the halls, eventually dropping the subject to a more lighthearted one.

"Thought of any names for the sparkling?"

"Nope. I'm not allowed to", Hotshot joked,"Medix was supposed to work on that."

"Oh Primus. He's gonna name the sparkling "Sparkling" because he's so bad at names."

"I know right??", Hotshot wheezed, "Damn if I told him that to his face I wouldn't live to see what he ends up naming them!"

Wedge snorted, "so be honest, do you have any names?"

Hotshot was about to answer.

Until his phone rang.

He almost dropped his phone, "It's Medix!", he immediately answered as his sparkrate picked up, "Honey?? Is everything okay?? Are you okay??? Is the sparkling okay???? PLEASE TELL ME YOU'RE OKAY-"

"Yes! Hotshot I'm okay! Our sparkling is okay! I'm just calling to ask if you've been getting my texts!", Medix said over the phone.

Hotshot felt instant relief and then became pissed, "Honey you almost gave me a spark attack! I thought something was wrong!"

Medix sighed, "I know and I'm sorry... but please check your texts!"

Hotshot kept his mate on the phone as he checked his texts, rolling his optics so far back into his helm as he read the text and showed it to Wedge.

Wedge immediately choked on a laugh.

Hotshot got back on the phone as his voice sounded irritated, "Honey."

"Do you like it??"

Hotshot internally facepalmed as he sighed heavily, "We are not naming our sparkling "Blue Steel"."

"Why not??", Medix whined, "It's unique!"

Hotshot gave Wedge a 100% done look.

Wedge bursted out laughing.

Hotshot got back on the phone, "Please think of another name babe..."

Medix scoffed. "You don't need to be so rude", he sassed.

"I'm not-"

*call ended*

Hotshot groaned as he rested his helm on Wedge's shoulder, "He's impossible..."

"Hey you were the moron who married him", Wedge joked, "besides, this is exactly what he did when you two were dating. You would drive him nuts! Remember that Hoist?"

Hoist was not listening as he was passing by, "Remember what? Oh hey Hotshot! You're here! What happened this morning??"

Hotshot sighed as he re-told all of the events from last night and this morning to Hoist.

-----------------------------------------

Hotshot waved goodbye to his best friends as they parted ways to attend to their own classes.

He roamed through the halls while also catching some stray recruits who were trying to skip class.

After he got the recruits to their classes, he found himself walking the halls all alone.

He got on his phone and texted Blades, "Anything?"

Blades immediately texted back, "Just like the last 20 times you've asked me in the hour, no."

Hotshot sighed as he put his phone away, turning a corner to continue his walk.

Until Whirl slammed into him and fell back from the force of the impact.

"Whoa! Careful Whirl! Are you okay??", Hotshot asked as he helped her up.

Whirl shook her head, "I'm fine. Thank y- oh Hotshot! It's you! Thank Primus! I've been looking for you everywhere!"

"What? Why?", Hotshot asked slightly puzzled.

"I heard what happened last night and this morning. Are you okay?"

"W- I'm fine! It's Medix that you should be asking abo-"

"He's already told me how he is and he says that he is fine. Now I'm asking how you are."

"Wait when did you talk to Medix??"

"I just came from the Firehouse. Now answer my question."

Hotshot hesitated, "I'm... fine."

Whirl obviously didn't believe it.

"Seriously! I'm fine!!"

"Hotshot it's me. It's okay to talk to me."

Hotshot sighed, "Fine... let's talk in my office."

With that, they walked together toward Hotshot's office.

-----------------------------------------

Hotshot sat in his chair as Whirl sat on his desk.

Both of them just... talking.

"I'm very excited for our sparkling to be born... but I don't know if I'm going to be a good father...", Hotshot said as he set his cup of low grade down.

Whirl crossed her legs, "Do you love your sparkling?"

"Well... yes, but-"

Whirl didn't stop, "Would you protect your sparkling at all costs?"

"Of course!"

"Do you love your sparkmate?"

"With all of my spark!"

"Have you been there for him throughout the pregnancy?"

"Yes. And everything that came before that!"

"Hm", Whirl hummed as she took a sip of her low grade, "Seems to me like you're going to be a wonderful father on top of already being a fantastic husband."

"But-"

Whirl leaned into him, "The fact that you're worrying about this tells me that you're gonna try your damn hardest to be the best father you can be. Am I right?"

Hotshot smiled at her, "100%"

Whirl chuckled softly, "Feel better now?"

"I do. Thanks Whirl."

"You're welcome. Now can I talk to you about what I saw when I visited Medix earlier?"

"Oh Primus what did he do."

Whirl couldn't hold in her laugh, "He had a bickering war with Blades! Blades! And Medix was winning!"

Hotshot bursted out laughing, "Aw really?? And I missed it??" 

"You sure did! And oh my gosh when did Medix get so huge??? That sparkling must take after you."

Hotshot wheezed, "I've noticed that too. I almost feel bad for him."

"Oh but don't get me started on how gorgeous he looks!", Whirl gossiped, "that pregnancy glow is looking fantastic on him!"

"Hey now", Hotshot cut her off, "he's always been gorgeous."

"Truuuuueeeee", Whirl said as she giggled, "oh and just a tip... you might want to remind him of how gorgeous he is when you see him tonight."

"Oh God what did you do."

Whirl finished her glass of low grade, "I may or may not have let a quick "wow you're huge" roll off my glossa..."

Hotshot shot up from his seat as Whirl booked it out of there, "WHIRL!!!"

Hotshot sighed heavily as her laughter echoed throughout the halls, "Oh lord help me now..."