Hotshot walked out with the rest of his team after they said their goodbyes to Medix and Starlight. The team all ended up talking in the main area as it was getting pretty late.

Hotshot tried and failed to cover up a yawn.

Hoist chuckled, "didn't get enough recharge?"

"Yep", Hotshot said tiredly, "I was too worried about Medix."

"Well there's no need to worry anymore! Both Starlight and Medix are happy and healthy!", Whirl cheered.

"True dat!", Hotshot said happily, "now they're both extremely tired."

"Don't you mean exhausted?", Wedge corrected.

Hotshot rolled his optics, "sure."

Hoist spoke up, "are you still going to take paternity leave Hotshot?"

"What kind of question is that?!", Hotshot joked, "of course I am! I want to spend time with my sparkmate and my sparkling!"

Wedge rolled his optics playfully, "okay we get it, you want time with your family. Anyway, will Medix be taking maternity leave?"

"Yep. And he hates it."

The team all bursted out laughing.

Whirl giggled as she spoke, "of course he wouldn't like it. He hates not working!"

"Exactly!", Hotshot chuckled, "but once I told him it was for spending time and adjusting to our new life with Starlight, he shut up."

"No doubt he's still going to try and end his maternity leave early", Hoist giggled.

"Oh we've already discussed this one too many times. He wants his leave to be one month instead of three. He "tried" making it better by saying that he'll keep Starlight with him as he teaches his classes", Hotshot sighed.

"Well that doesn't seem too bad", Whirl said, "he's pretty good at multitasking and the recruits are so sweet! They're bound to adore the heck out of Starlight!"

"Thank. You!", Medix suddenly blurted out from the medbay.

Hotshot facepalmed, "great. Now it'll be much harder for me to convince him to take his full leave."

"Oh just let him do what he wants", Wedge spoke up, "he hates not being on the job."

"Yeah I know that, but his job right now is to take care of Starlight. She's too vulnerable and needs to be cared for", Hotshot said in frustration.

"But Medix can't be the only one to care for her", Hoist said softly, "you're also her parent and she'll need you to be there for her too."

"And you'll be doing that on top of rescue work and teaching your classes", Whirl said sternly, "Medix wants that too. Yes Medix is her mother and is her only access to fuel at the moment.... but this is when you two need to work together and figure this all out. Medix is not going to be a "stay at home mom". We all know that. He's going to get back to work because he loves helping and teaching others. And he wants to be there when it matters most... You should know that better than any of us."

Hotshot sighed as he looked down in pure guilt, "you're right.... I should've known that. Primus I feel like such an aft..."

Wedge placed his servo on Hotshot's shoulder, "you were thinking about your family. You can't call yourself an aft because of that. You wanted what you believed was better and safer for them, but forgot to consider what they wanted instead."

"Why don't you and Medix talk about it? You two have plenty of time to figure it all out", Hoist suggested.

Hotshot smiled, "that's a great idea. Thanks guys, I'll go and talk to him now."

Wedge spoke up as Hotshot got up and walked toward the medbay, "yo Hotshot?"

"Yeah?"

"If it'll help, you have three perfectly good babysitters right here", Wedge smirked.

Hotshot laughed, "thanks Wedge. That'll definitely help."

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

Medix sat comfortably on the medical berth as he cradled Starlight in his arms. His voice hummed a sweet melody as Starlight slowly drifted off.

Hotshot walked in and gently closed the door behind him. His audios perked up once he heard the sound of his mate's beautiful melody.

He turned around and instantly fell in love at the sight.

Medix stopped his melody as he looked over at his mate, smiling sweetly as his mate flashed him a goofy smile, "she's almost in recharge."

"I can see that", Hotshot said as he made his way over to his mate and sparkling, "your beautiful voice kinda gave it away."

Medix blushed slightly as Hotshot carefully sat next to him on the berth, "it's not that beautiful."

"Stop denying every wonderful thing about you", Hotshot said as he wrapped his arm around his mate, "you're basically denying your whole existence."

"So you're saying that everything is wonderful about me?"

"I'm saying that you're wonderful", Hotshot said as he lovingly rested his forehelm against Medix's, "I mean... you were able to bring our beautiful little Starlight into this world all on your own! And that's just one of many things that make you wonderful."

Hotshot then nuzzled him lovingly as a few tears fell, "I really lucked out. I never could've imagined myself finding somebot as wonderful and as beautiful as you, marrying them, and then starting a family..."

Hotshot's optics immediately filled with love as he looked deeply into his mate's breathtaking optics, "but here I am. Married to the most breathtaking mech I have ever seen and falling in love with him all over again after seeing him soothe our newspark into recharge with his beautiful voice."

Tears fell as Medix cupped Hotshot's cheekplate and gently pulled him in for a tender kiss. He smiled into the kiss as he felt Starlight relax against him from the warmth of both of her parents.

Eventually, Starlight fell into full recharge.

Hotshot and Medix finally let go of their kiss to marvel at their daughter.

Medix smiled warmly as he looked up at his mate, "she recharges in the exact same way as you do."

Hotshot chuckled softly as he rested the side of his helm on top of his mate's helm, "she sure does. Squished faceplate and all. All that's missing is the snoring."

Medix snorted softly, "you don't snore honey."

"But you do."

"I do?!?!"

"Well.... you started snoring halfway through the second trimester."

"....and why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I wanted to live."

Medix sighed heavily, "you're too smart for your own good."

Hotshot stifled a laugh, "oh thank Primus. Starlight won't be dumb because of me."

"That's right! It'll be because of me!", Medix joked.

Starlight stirred slightly at the noise.

Hotshot carefully had his servo slapped over a sheepish Medix's mouth, "new and sensitive audios baby... lower your voice."

Medix sighed as he removed his mate's servo from his mouth, "I know, I know... I'm still adjusting to having a little one now..."

"You know... there's something that definitely helps with that", Hotshot smirked.

Medix gave him a look, "no."

"Why not??? Honey it's just three months out of, oh I don't know, eighteen years!"

"You know high and well that I am not entirely fond of not working. One month is my limit."

"Honey please! Take the three months! We'll cover for you! Please, just take it. Our sparkling will rely so heavily on you-"

"And you too Hotshot."

"Yes she'll need me too and I will be there for you and her... but I'm not her main source of fuel at the moment."

Medix stayed silent.

Hotshot's hope skyrocketed, "please. Take the three months. Do it not only for yourself... but for our daughter. She needs the time to bond with you... and you need the time to adjust to life with her."

"But why is this only me? Where do you fit in the picture?", Medix challenged.

Hotshot stayed calm, "I will also be there when I'm not at work or out on a rescue. But I'm focusing on you because you're not used to change. You had a routine and now you need to figure out how to fit Starlight into a majority of it."

"Honey it'll be fine-"

"Do you really believe that?"

Medix stayed silent again.

Hotshot sighed, "look I'll make you a deal. Take three months off from rescues but only take off a month-- wait no a month and a half-"

"One month."

Hotshot sighed heavily, "fine. One month taken off from teaching. Seem fair?"

"And what will you do as part of the deal?"

"Take paternity leave."

"Deal."

"Wait, seriously??"

"Yes. It seems like a fair deal and it sorta ties in with what I originally wanted."

"Are you still going to take Starlight with you to class?"

"Of course! I'll actually be using the baby carrier that Whirl got for us from the baby shower."

Hotshot immediately started giggling.

Medix let a small laugh escape as he spoke, "what's so funny?"

Hotshot continued to giggle as he looked lovingly at his mate, "I can't stop imagining you wearing the carrier as you teach the class while Starlight whacks you over and over to get your attention. Oh my gosh that would be so cute and so funny!"

Medix pouted at his mate as he started getting up and securing his grip on Starlight.

Hotshot almost panicked, "where are you going???"

"I'm putting Starlight in the temporary crib Blades provided us with so that she can recharge and I can punch your faceplates for saying such nonsense", Medix said as he fully got up.

Hotshot backed away slightly.

Medix caught that, "I'm kidding sweetspark. Now get over here and say goodnight to Starlight."

"Yes ma'am", Hotshot said cheekily as he quickly made his way over to his mate.

Medix looked up at his mate after kissing Starlight's forehelm sweetly, "do you want to put her in the crib?"

Hotshot knew this was a test, "absolutely."

Hotshot then gently took his daughter from his mate, cradling her as she recharged comfortably in his strong arms.

"Goodnight Starlight", Hotshot said softly, "and welcome to the world."

Hotshot kissed Starlight's forehelm gently and then carefully lowered her into her temporary crib.

Medix helped guide him on how to set her in properly.

And to also put him at ease with handling her.

Then, sure enough, Starlight was comfortably placed in the temporary crib.

The new parents held each other close as they lovingly watched their little femme recharge peacefully.

"I still can't believe we made her", Medix said as he leaned into his mate.

"I can", Hotshot said as he nuzzled his mate, "best night of my life."

Medix shoved Hotshot a little too roughly, wincing at his sudden pain, "owww....."

Hotshot immediately put him back in the medical berth and cupped his face worriedly, "are you okay?"

Medix chuckled softly, "I pushed out a sparkling from my lower half not too long ago... I'm incredibly sore and drained."

Hotshot covered his mate with blankets, "then get some rest baby. You've more than earned it."

They both exchanged a sweet kiss as they settled down in the berth.

As Hotshot spooned him, both of them facing toward their sleeping daughter, Medix spoke up.

"It was worth it."

"Huh?"

"It was worth it", Medix repeated, "all of this pain from birthing our beautiful Starlight was more than worth it."

Hotshot was at a complete loss for words as tears fell.

Medix continued, "as I was saying earlier... I can't believe we made something as wonderful and as beautiful as our daughter. She's perfect."

Hotshot snuggled his mate, "she came from you, didn't she? Breathtaking mommies equal breathtaking babies. It's simple math."

Medix faced his mate and exchanged a sparkfelt kiss, "you need to stop that."

"Stop what?"

"Telling me how breathtaking I am."

"Why? It's the truth-"

Medix looked deeply into his mate's optics, "because my compliments sound inferior to yours. Anything wonderful I say about you is immediately overpowered by anything you say about me. Give me the chance to say how utterly wonderful and breathtaking you truly are because you're honestly the breathtaking one here- don't you dare say something about me right now, love."

Hotshot got clever, "fine. I'll stop doing it if you take the full three months instead of one-"

"We've already settled that."

"Suit yourself you beautiful mech who just birthed the most beautiful sparkling in the universe because your own beauty shines within her-"

"Fine! I'll take the three months! Just stop going overboard with the compliments!"

"Deal! Glad that's settled!", Hotshot said cheekily as he snuggled a grumpy Medix.

Hotshot's voice eventually became softer as he held his mate close, "now get some rest baby."

"You too sweetspark", Medix said as he relaxed and snuggled into his mate, "goodnight Hotshot. I love you."

"I love you too."

The new parents slowly fell into recharge, smiling sweetly at what the future holds for them and their little gift of love.