Nothing.
Nothing had prepared Ratchet for the loss of another comrade. He had lost many comrades as the Autobots Chief Medical Officer, but this was his first on the planet Earth. They had come searching for the Allspark, but it had been destroyed and therefore there was no way to restore their home world to its former glory. They now had a new home, and it was all he could think about as he watched both the human male and female have their strange mating rituals on the top of Bumblebee's hood.
"Ratchet? Are you alright?" Optimus questioned as he sat next to the slightly smaller bot.
"I'm fine, don't you worry. " Ratchet responded as he glanced at the Prime.
"Is there a reason I don't believe that?"
"I'm fine Optimus, really and don't you start lecturing me or I'll weld your aft to the ceiling of the Med bay once we get the Ark down here. "
"Ok... I have the feeling you're just fine." Optimus replied nervously and smiled as he saw his friends features relax.
"How is Ironhide taking the new arrangement?" Ratchet asked.
"He's only blown up a couple of trees which is the preferable option to one of us I suppose."
"He'll get over it I presume."
"Yes... are you sure you're alright?" Optimus frowned as he saw the look on his friends face. "It isn't often that you are like this."
"I'm just thinking about our new home. Did you send the message?" He asked and looked at Optimus questioningly.
"Yes, however it is time we get to the hangar Major Lennox set up for us." Optimus replied and helped his friend to his feet. "Sam? Mikaela? Are you ready to return home?"
"Not really, I mean after all… we did just save the world. My parents are going to be pissed." Sam replied and groaned as he remembered his hyper active parents. The Autobots began to laugh as they remembered what had happened during the garden 'incident'. "What? You guys aren't really thinking of leaving me to fend for myself are you? You better not, you guys are the reason I'll probably get grounded for the next month. Geez!"
"I declare myself your new guardian against the greatest foes of men… women." Bumblebee blasted through his speakers, not yet used to his new voice.
"Thanks Bee. I guess I'll be alright so let's go home." Sam said yawning.
"We'll see you in the morning Sam. Ironhide, why don't you retrieve Major Lennox from the military base and take him back home." Optimus said and transformed into his alt-mode. "Ratchet, come with me. We'll head back to the hangar and start preparing for new arrivals… if there are any."
"I'm sure we'll hear from someone. It's not like we're the last of our race in the entire universe." Ratchet said and smirked. "Hey, and would you look at that. An incoming transmission from… very close by?." He reached towards his com-link as Optimus did the same.
"Hello…this- Auto… Prowl…. I am- 30 clicks-…. With- Bluestreak…… Hound. Do you….. Please res-"
"Autobot Prowl? This is Optimus Prime. What is your current location?"
"Our known…. –tion was… in a place…. Tranquility, Nevada?"
"You are 30 minutes away from our location. We'll rendezvous with you at coordinates 89N and 97E. Optimus out."
"As I said, we'll have contact soon enough." Ratchet said and tore down the back streets of Tranquility into the peaceful, moonlit desert behind the lookout. So much had happened in the last 2 days. With Jazz dead, nothing seemed the same anymore. No one to lighten the mood when things seemed down, or help him take care of the twins when they arrived and started causing havoc around the base. With this said, Ratchet quietly voiced his opinion of his current situation, however not quiet enough that Optimus was unable to pick up what he had said… "Stupid… fragging… what am I doing here… why couldn't I have saved him…. Huh?" He swerved as Optimus suddenly transformed and looked sternly down upon him. "What?" he asked as he transformed and put both hands on his hips.
"I know something is wrong Ratchet and if it has to do with Jazz, don't you dare blame it on yourself." Optimus said and his gaze softened as he saw the downcast look his friend gave upon him.
"You don't know anything, If I had just been a little quicker Optimus, I could have saved him. He would…" He said somberly silently. The last part of his statement lingering in the cold night air.
"If I said we had a way to bring him back, would you do all you could… without undercharging yourself with lack of recharge, to bring him back?" Optimus questioned.
"Of course. Why? Do you have a way?"
"When my brother died," Optimus pulled out a small fragment of metal from his subspace, "I found this lingering by his spark chamber." It was a shard of the Allspark.
"OPTIMUS!!! Yes, I think I can do that. With the residual Allspark energy we can harness the power and have it do it it's job as a bringer of life one last time and perhaps more." Ratchet said and smiled, his negative mood suddenly brightening as he realized that this may be a change to bring back the one he had lost.
"I know can do it Ratchet. I'll have Major Lennox ask Defense Secretary Keller if he would be willing to retrieve Jazz's body for our use." Optimus said and frowned as an incoming transmission from Prowl flashed across his com-link receiver… as an emergency beacon.
"Optimus, we are being pursued by Barricade. I repeat we are being pursued by Barricade. We need back-up. Bluestreak was wounded on entering Earth's atmosphere as was Hound. I repeat…"
"Prowl? Hold on Ratchet and I are on our way. ETA: 15 minutes."
"Did you receive the transmission Ratchet?" Optimus asked and turned to find that Ratchet was already well on his way there.
"WE DON'T HAVE ALL DAY!!!" Ratchet yelled through their internal com-link.
"I'm on my way." Optimus replied grimacing at the excessive amount of force exerted on his audio receptors. "Hold on Prowl. We're on our way."
A flash followed by a loud boom echoed across the normally serene atmosphere of Tranquility, Nevada as the Decepticon Barricade fought the recently arrived Autobot Prowl.
"What's wrong brother? Can't withstand a little heat from entering an atmosphere? I thought you'd be better than that with all your logical insight." Barricade snarled as he raked his claws across Prowls chest leaving gashes that began to ooze energon as he crashed to the ground.
"Who said I was down?" Prowl asked as he grabbed his gun and pointed it at Barricade and shot the growling mechs leg and watched as he fell to the ground. "Give up, you're outnumbered."
"By who? You and those two offline weaklings?" Barricade hissed, pointing at the two mechs and chuckled as Prowl weakly grasped at his wound. "You couldn't withstand another attack anyway, might as well…"
"I suggest you turn around." Prowl said and smirked as his brother turned and his optics widened at the sight of a plasma barrel aimed at his face.
"Barricade, I suggest you surrender." Optimus Prime ordered as he leveled his weapon at Barricade's spark chamber. He nodded his head at the now offline Prowl, Bluestreak, and Hound. "Ratchet, check to make sure they're alright."
"Yes sir." Ratchet slowly replied and began to look over the three offline forms, but suddenly stopped as his entire frame began shaking. Slowly at first, but beginning to build in power and momentum. He grasped his helm suddenly as he began to get a curiously large processor ache. "No…"
"What are you still doing here Barricade?" Optimus asked wincing at the sight of his damaged frame.
"Might I ask the same of you. However…" Barricade paused looking past Prime to the quivering form of the medic. "What's wrong with him?" Optimus slowly moved around behind Barricade and his optics widened as he saw the symptoms of a protocol glitch within Ratchet's hard drive. He tended to break down if he lost anyone, usually drinking a couple barrels of high grade but if he didn't have any, he would break down wherever and whenever no matter if there was or wasn't a possibility of bringing them back. He then usually went on a rampage usually injuring himself, Prime, or Ironhide. No one else knew of the… glitch, I supposed you could call it.
"Ratchet? Get a hold of yourself, you can't let this happen." Optimus moved protectively in front of Barricade and the three offline forms. "Barricade… I suggest you get back." Barricade scurried backwards with caution as a large wail started spilling forth from Ratchet's vocalize. "Ironhide? Bumblebee?"
"Yes sir?"
"Ironhide… Ratchet's breaking down."
"FRAG!!! Bumblebee get down to their location immediately.
"Why?
"It doesn't matter just do it!"
The two bots raced towards their location and Bumblebee's optics widened as he saw the deep maroon glow in Ratchet's optics as he fought against the hold Optimus and Ironhide had on his body. "Optimus? What's going on?"
"We'll tell you when we get back to base. I need you to insert this sedative into the main fuel line in his neck." Optimus said through gritted teeth as Ratchet kicked him in the shin plating. As Bumblebee did so, the medic instantly became limp. "Let's get everyone home."
"What about him?" Bumblebee grumbled pointing towards Barricade who was backed up against the wall of a previously destroyed building.
"Bring him with us." Optimus ordered, ignoring the two looks of surprise and one look of anger that the three bots cast upon him.
"Excuse me?" A young female asked stepping timidly out of the shadows.
"Who are you young one?" Optimus asked kneeling to better hear the human.
"My name is Isabel and I was wondering if… he," she pointed towards the limp form of their medic, "needs any help. I heard you say he was a medic… correct?"
"Yes you heard correct."
"My father was a medic in the 109th Fighter Squadron and he's had those kinds of breakdowns before. He worked for Major Lennox if you've heard of him."
"Yes, I am his guardian." Ironhide stated gruffly as he withdrew his cannons which he had none so graciously pointed at the bound 'con.
"Well, I'd like to help." Isabel stated as she climbed on to Optimus' offered hand. "I've had to deal with these breakdowns before and my mother and father, who were both in the military, died in the Mission City attack. I have nowhere else to go."
"I believe we have no choice young one. I am able to appoint Ratchet as your guardian, you seem to be one of a challenging behavior and integrity."
"He's also been acting a little odd lately, maybe you can help." Bumblebee stated giving a thumbs up and Optimus smiled at his observation.
"Great, could you help me get my stuff out of my old house?" She asked Bumblebee.
"Yeah, no problem." Bumblebee replied, transforming with the young girl and racing down the street, and Optimus smiled at the thought of the once lonely medic of the Autobot forces finally having someone he could relate to, and also the thought of, once they were brought back online, having three new Autobots and possibly one more once he was resurrected. There was a new hope beginning to arise on Earth and he would accept it with open arms.
"Alright Autobots, load them up and ROLL OUT!"
"QUIET!!" Optimus bellowed and swerved as a crash was heard inside of the trailer he now carried.
"Is something the matter Optimus? Shall I terminate the disruption?" Ironhide growled.
"No, the 'bots inside just woke up and saw Barricade." Optimus sighed and transformed once inside the military hangar. Once parked he "gracefully" dumped the 'bots on the ground and had Ironhide gently lift Ratchet out of the back.
"Hey Optimus?" Prowl asked.
"Prowl… speak English. You can download it on the humans 'Internet'" Optimus sighed.
"Is this better Optimus, sir?" Prowl questioned, contemplating on his new 'voice.'
"Yes, much thank you."
"What happened to Ratchet, he looks just fine but he's not responding to anyway of my wakey wakey calls. You know? What happened to him?" Bluestreak asked with wide optics.
"Ratchet has a protocol glitch in his hard drive which prevents him from getting over any mourning or grieving ceremonies without possibly giving someone else life or taking his own, however we have been able to stop him from doing anything irrational unless there's high grade around. Then he'll just get drunk on it and he'll wake up just fine." Optimus explained.
"Why was I never informed of this?"
"You didn't need to know, and Ratchet persuaded us to keep his… problem a secret."
"Alright, are you sure he'll be fine?" Hound asked looking at the offline medic with concerned optics.
"Yes he'll be perfectly fine. Now, Bumblebee, why don't you show everyone to the recharge stations." Optimus said, his facial plating smoothing into a smile.
"Yes sir, It will be done." Bumblebee answered.
Optimus and the rest of the 'bots then went to the recharge station once everyone had been properly situated in the small hangar. Ratchet was placed on the recharge berth next to Ironhide and Bumblebee. However no one noticed as Ratchet groaned and his optics onlined. He began to wander around the hangar purposely making a mess of Bumblebee's paint. Hey, the twins taught him a few things. It felt good to be mischievous once in a while. Ratchet smirked as he painted small pink kittens on Ironhide's frame and poured white powder into Optimus systems. This was going to be fun…