Another June and Ratchet one shot. I had to, he needs it. Ratchet needs a friend. And June I believe is more then willing to be that friend. Enjoy.
Ratchet's Midnight
The night was quiet. The moon shined over the Nevada desert, the gentle evening winds sweeping over the landscape. The landscapes beauty was soon broken by streets of tar and gravel. A highway cut through the land and not far was a cemented parking lot that was set around a large medical building.
Glass doors slid open and three ladies walked out as an ambulance pulled away.
One of the women with red hair stretched her arms. "What a night. Can't wait to hit the hay."
The other woman beside her smiled. "Not me, Roger called a few minutes ago. I'm going home to change my clothes."
The two women smiled. Then they looked at the dark haired woman beside them that continued her way towards the exit. "Hey June. What have you been up to?"
"I'm headed home as usual. With all that's been happening lately, I appreciate the time to relax. See you tomorrow ladies."
The women glanced at each then decided to leave it at that. "See you tomorrow." They replied.
June stepped onto the sidewalk when she saw a pair of head lights flash twice. She blinked twice and realized the ambulance that sat at the curb wasn't a regular ambulance.
"What are you doing here?" A smile started to curve on her face.
"I heard your car was in the shop. I figured it's really late for you to be taking the bus."
June smiled. Was Ratchet actually starting to care.
"I wasn't going to take the bus. William is supposed to pick me up."
June heard Ratchet make a strange noise. "I know. He sent me. He can't get out of work until tomorrow morning. So I'm your ride for tonight."
June couldn't help but smile at the tone in Ratchets voice.
She saw his side door open. "All aboard m'lady."
June smiled at that as she buckled her belt. "M'lady?"
Ratchet made a coughing sound. "I guess the western film I saw the other night must be still stuck in my head. Home?"
"Yes."
Ratchet pulled away from the curb and took off onto the road. The night was perfect, barely anyone on the road. The ride was fairly quiet until Ratchet despite himself, decided to break the silence. "You really helped Arcee that day." Ratchet said calmly. "She thanks you a lot."
June looked at Ratchets steering wheel where his Autobot symbol flashed as he spoke. "Of course. I love her. She's my family." Then she put a gentle hand to his steering wheel where his Autobot symbol was. "As you all are."
Ratchet felt strange inside and thanked the All Spark he was in vehicle mode. June spoke again. "I'll admit, I never imagined having you all as my family. But I'm glad I do and couldn't imagine my life without all of you."
"Well, I'll admit I wasn't too keen on the idea of working with humans, but I realize now you play an important roll."
June laughed a little. "Aw, high praise from the stoic doctor." She straightened up. "Remember when all the bots were stuck in vehicle mode and you were the only one unaffected. We were the only ones to figure out what to do." June laughed again. "You bridged me over in the middle of the night in my pajamas. That was funny the look on your face." She playfully slapped her hand on his dashboard.
Ratchet coughed again. "I wasn't use to seeing you in anything but your uniform. But I'm glad I did. You were able to keep me focused enough so I could get everything straightened out."
"Anytime Ratchet." June said kindly.
Ratchet saw the exit that led into her part of town. June saw the exit and realized she would be home soon. Home to what? An empty house. The night was calm as Ratchet pulled into her drive way, his headlights shut off.
"Here you are. It was good seeing you again." June stepped out of Ratchets passenger seat and heard his engines start up.
"Wait." June felt strange. She knew the house was empty now that Jack lived at the Autobot base and William only came by every now and then to visit. Truth was she enjoyed the car ride and hated to lose Ratchets company so quickly. Strange as it was, she enjoyed the old soldiers company. "You don't have to go." She stared at his vehicle form. "Do you?"
Ratchet stayed quiet a moment. Truth was he hardly ever left the base or pursued any other interests outside of Autobot matters. The war had left him so tense most of the time, he never felt he had the time to relax. "Well, decepticon activity has been pretty quiet for the last few days."
June spoke up. "I mean, you hardly ever leave the base. I'm glad you help the team as much as you do. I mean I owe the safety of my Grandchildren to you, but shouldn't you have time to yourself."
Ratchet breathed out. "June, truthfully, I need to keep myself busy. It's just the way I am." He started his engines. "But thanks for your concern."
June saw him pull out of the driveway. "Goodnight." Ratchet said, ignoring the tugging feeling he felt deep inside.
June stood there, staring at him. "Goodnight Ratchet. I just thought you wouldn't mind letting yourself be at ease for one night. I thought that's what friends did for each other. But I guess it's still very hard for you and I have to understand that." June turned and was about to go inside.
Ratchet knew it was hard for him to be at ease as long as their home planet of Cybertron was dark, and few Cybertronians survived. But at the same time he couldn't understand what he's been feeling these last few years. The humans that have made their way into their lives have truly changed things. It was true Ratchet needed to be at ease, but it was too hard for him. Too many years of war and pain, it had scared him too much. But as he saw June standing there with the, as he imagined it, sad look on her face; it came to him that maybe this tiny human actually cared for him. She really did want to be his friend. He flashed his headlights.
"I doubt you have a sofa big enough for me." Ratchet said humorously.
June turned and smiled. She ran up to him and leaned over his front hood, her warm cheek touching the cool metal of his hood. Then she stood up. "You can sit in the garage. Jack and Arcee used to do it all the time."
Jack walked in the main room of the Aubot base, his dark hair on end, his slipper clad feet shuffling across the cement floor. He heard the beeping at the main computer and glanced around.
"Strange, where's Ratchet?" He climbed the stairs and stood in front of the large computer. He climbed up and tapped the button. "Hey, Jack here."
-Jack? Sorry to wake you. Where's Ratchet?-
"Don't know. Maybe he went for a drive. What's up?"
-We have the energon. No confrontations this time, thankfully.-
"Okay. Bridging you back." Jack typed in the code then walked over to the switch and tugged with both hands and a foot as hard as he could, he was tired. The sound of the ground bridge started. He hoped it wouldn't wake up Arcee or the kids. They needed their rest.
The garage door closed and Ratchet transformed into biped mode. He met Junes warm smile. "Don't worry, no one can see you here. Besides, this is Jasper, most people are asleep by 10:00pm anyway." Ratchet couldn't help feel a little more at ease with her warm smile.
He glanced around and realized it was a pretty small garage. Not enough space for him to stand so he'd have to kneel or sit. "I can't believe Arcee did this for so long."
"Neither can I." June replied, equally surprised. "Jack kept you guys a secret for months without even a shred of evidence. That's scary."
"I'm sorry, but he had to. Our lives were at risk."
June put a hand to his lower leg. "Oh no, I completely understand now." She smiled. Then she stretched a moment. "Make yourself comfortable. I'll be right back." June went through the door that led into the house.
"Comfortable." Ratchet looked around at the small space filled with shelves, boxes, tools and an old sofa. "Right."
He spotted a bike in the corner and remembered seeing Jack ride that when he was younger." He leaned over and curiosity getting the better of him, squeezed the horn. "It still works."
Ratchet adjusted himself a bit. Suddenly, he spotted something fuzzy run across the garage floor. The old soldier jumped up, his head hitting the lights, a slight sound escaping him. Then he breathed out. A strange habit the bots had. And calmed down. "An earth rat."
June came running through the door after hearing the commotion. What's going on?" She saw the lights were out.
"Sorry. It was me. I hit the lights when I spotted a rat." Now Ratchet was surprised when June jumped up on his leg, and climbed up to his shoulder.
"A rat! I hate those things. Get rid of it please, will you." June said anxiously.
"Me. Why should I. Besides it's your property, you should get rid of it." Ratchet wasn't any better and June realized it.
"You fight deceptions but you can't get rid of a rat." Ratchet fumbled around the small space as the rat darted back and fourth.
"The garage door!" June shouted. "Open it and shoo him out."
Ratchet spotted the button and pressed it, then the rat quickly felt the night breeze and ran out happily. Ratchet shut the door and June leaned against Ratchet in relief.
"Thanks Ratchet. I haven't had a rat in here in years. I hate them they're awful." Breathed a sigh of relief.
Ratchet chuckled and Junes eyed widened. She hadn't heard Ratchet laugh in ages. She sat straight.
"At least they're not as bad as Scraplets. THOSE are awful." Ratchet said seriously.
Suddenly he realized their closeness, she was sitting on his shoulder, he blushed slightly. June caught sight of this and inwardly smiled. She didn't understand how beings of metal could blush, but it was the cutest thing. She quickly made her way to the floor and Ratchet managed to compose himself. But his composure didn't last long as he then noticed the human standing there in a gray knee length night gown and a blue rope. Why was this happening. He shook himself. "Yes. The vermin of Cybertron."
June smiled.
Ratchet glanced around and spotted a old box on a shelf that was too far to the edge. "You should adjust that box up there, or it will fall."
June glanced up. "Oh, I was going through some old family photos the other day, I guess I didn't put it back well enough."
Ratchet was curious. Why would she keep family photos in the garage, instead of in the house. Humans from what he read keep things like family memories as something special. He pushed the box back so it no longer sat precariously on the shelf.
He saw June grab a broom from the corner and start sweeping. "Thanks. I heard the phone ring and left it there."
Ratchet looked at the human and wondered why he decided to stay. He did need a friend, someone to talk to but how could she possibly understand anything he had gone through. But then again, he started to realize she wasn't a kid. She had seen hard times herself, without even meeting the Autobots.
Ratchet adjusted himself and sat on the garage floor and leaned against the wall. June looked over and smiled. She could not help it. She loved when Ratchet seemed more comfortable. "Hey, comfortable there."
"As comfortable as a forty foot bot can be in a twelve foot garage."
June put the broom down and smiled. "I don't know, but Arcee use to sit here all the time. Her and Jack would be in here for hours talking and laughing, sharing their lives I guess." June smiled at the memories. "I'm glad Jack met her. He needed something positive in his life since his dad left."
There it was. Jacks father. Ratchet always wondered about him and why would he cause so much pain for such an intelligent woman and her equally intelligent son. Truthfully, over the years the one thing he hated most about the whole human Autobot team was the fact June's husband had left her.
"I imagine their conversations must have been amazing, learning all about each other. I didn't find out until he was older, that Jack and Arcee had shared their first kiss in this garage. And boy was I surprised."
"You're not the only one." Ratchet commented. "Their relationship was always a mystery to me until recently. But I never found it right to say anything because I could tell how Jack truly had grown and how he truly cared for her."
June smiled. "Yeah, they do love each other so much. And I'm so very happy. At least one Darby is happy." June came and sat on the old sofa near Ratchet. That last statement hit Ratchet hit Ratchet pretty hard.
He knew she did everything she could be a good wife, a good mother, her husband should have been happy. But the whole human existence was far from his understanding being a Cybetronian as he only started to learn about them in recent years. He was always curious as to what happened but never thought it necessary with everything that was going on to ask, or if he had the right to. But at the very least, he could do something good, by being here, when she needed someone to talk to. Then he remembered Agent Fowler. In recent years it been clear Fowler and June had found commonality and enjoyment with each other and that made Ratchet feel awkward. The simple fact was Fowler did love her and that by all standards was good. June needed to be happy. And their friendship as frail as it was, was also good. But why did he feel strange around her. It was silly. An old soldier of war to feel strange around a tiny human woman. But the truth was as odd as he may have felt, Ratchet did indeed enjoy her company.
"Come on now June. I thought everything was great with you and Fowler."
Junes eyes widened. "No, I-It's fine. William is a great guy. I just meant, I wish I could understand-" She looked down at her hands.
And Ratchet could sense where this was going. And he was amazed at himself for realizing it.
"Early in the war, I wished things could have been different too. The war had gone on for so long, we cybertronians barely had time to feel so many complex emotions. Things like fear and love, was often put aside."
June looked up at him. It was the first time he mentioned anything about love in a long time. She always knew the doctor had a stoic personality, and the war was to blame. The loss of friends can always hurt but she always felt Ratchet had more in his past then he let on. And it always made her curious about him.
June tucked her feet beneath then her ran a hand through her lose dark hair looking up at him. "When you're young, love seems to take priority. Then it seems to fade away." Ratchet nodded his head, beginning to understand.
"I suppose war isn't the only way to lose love." She heard him say finally.
She knew it. She sat up straight looking up at him. She stood up on the sofa and put hands on his arm. "Ratchet-"
Ratchet knew she was curious so he decided it was time to tell her, tell someone, it might as well be a friend. "Only Optimus knows but-" June sat back down and continued to look at him. "In the early years of the war, I was a field medic still learning. Putting theory into practice, learning and sometimes losing. The two biggest disappointments in my life were not being able to give Bumblebee back his voice and not being able to save her."
"Her?" June repeated.
Ratchet breathed out. He thought he had long forgotten her but in recent years, probably after Jack and Arcee got together, he found himself thinking of her. The female medical officer he had fallen deeply in love with.
"A female bot I once knew. We met in the early years of the war. She was filled with so much spunk and gusto, I often wonder how I came to love her. But I did. Oh I did, so much." Ratchet hung his head a moment.
June felt terrible. Maybe she shouldn't have pressed him. There was a reason he kept his feelings to himself. She felt terrible.
Ratchet knew it was so long ago, but he couldn't believe how he could still hurt even after all this time. But he took a deep breath, feeling the air pass through his systems and decided to continue to June's surprise.
"We went to the same medical academy together but I never really spoke to her until one day our leader at the time introduced her to our team. A slender white and red female with legs that went on for days, and green eyes that could tare into your spark." Ratchet said softly. "I was on a mission near the Hydrax Plato. I was sent to help the soldiers. The conditions in that area were not to be taken lightly but there she was, working diligently helping the best she could. I was surprised. Most female bots stayed in the compounds in the medical wards, working with circuits and plasma coils, not sitting out in the field seeing soldiers leaking energon as the threat of joining the All Spark loomed over them."
June smiled. "Why were you so surprised? She went through the same medical training you did." June asked, realizing having a male ego was not just relegated to humans. "I'm sure she was good at what she did."
Ratchet looked at June. "Of course she was. She jumped right in the middle of things without fear. In that way I'd almost say she was a bit like Miko, only a lot more mature."
"Of course." June agreed with a smile.
"It was then that I realized I had fallen in love with her and wanted nothing more then to keep her safe. when there was spare time, and there was very little of it, we shared each others thoughts and hopes; and dreamed an end to the war would be close in sight. One night we sat under a star filled sky, and I finally decided I'd tell her how I truly felt. And as I held her close to me, I felt like the war was far away. But that was only love that blinded me.
The next day she volunteered to go on a spy mission and I didn't want her to go. But she was a stubborn one, much like Arcee, and said I wasn't her keeper. She held me close and said she would be careful."
June felt terrible. "Ratchet-" She put an hand on his arm looking up at him. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked you. I know this is hard for you and I'm being selfish to sit here wanting to hear about your past. Please, don't go any further. I don't want you to have any more pain then you already have. I'm so sorry." She sat there, her face in her hands.
Ratchet shifted and looked at her. The memories of his lost love were hard for him, but so was it to see June upset. He reached over and gently touched her shoulder with his finger. "It's alright. You were right, I did keep a lot of my feelings to myself because I thought there was no use in expressing them. But I realize now it's ok to feel. When I was angry at Optimus I told him how I felt. And now I can admit I miss her. And I can deal with it because of you. June don't be sad. I'm glad you're here with me. This old bot is finally starting to let himself be himself."
June looked up and smiled. "Oh Ratchet." She held his finger. Then she climbed up his arm and sat on his shoulder again. Now they were eye level.
"This is much better." June said. "Now I have a better view at those pretty eyes of yours." June smiled and Ratchet felt strange. "She was a lucky female to had chosen you."
Ratchet blinked. "Yes, I suppose so."
June crossed her arms. "You suppose so. I'm sure she was in love with you as much as you were with her."
"Yes but-" And then it hit him and June knew it. "I couldn't save her."
And that's when Ratchet broke down and June was amazed at the sight.
"I told her not to go but she had to prove she was strong. I already knew that but she went anyway. Her unit was attacked and taken hostage. But by the time I got there it was too late. She was gone. She had joined the All Spark and I wished I had joined the All Spark as well."
Ratchet was hurting so badly and June wished she could stop his pain. She threw herself against him sobbing with him. "It's not your fault, you have to see that. She wouldn't have wanted that for you."
A long while passed and Ratchet managed to compose himself. June wiped her tears and Ratchet saw her. "I'm sorry, I didn't think I'd still feel this way after all this time. I didn't want you to be bothered by this."
June ran a hand through her dark hair. "No, I'm glad you told me. I always felt like you needed someone to talk to and I kind of wanted to be that person for a while. When I saw how well the others got along, I knew you needed someone too."
Ratchet found it strange but comforting to know someone wanted to be there for him. Oh he indeed cared for Rafael and Optimus. But there was something about June that somehow made it a tiny bit easier.
Just then Ratchet head his com link come to life.
-Ratchet? Are you there. Is everything ok. Where are you?-
June slid to the floor hearing the concern for him. Ratchet got into a kneeling position.
"I'm here. Sorry, I went for a drove and didn't realize it had gotten so late. Is everything ok there?"
-Everything is fine here. We were just worried about you.-
"Don't be, I'm on my way."
June smiled. "They missed you."
"I can see that." He said strangely and slightly annoyed. Then he breathed out then leaned closer to her. "June, I'm sorry I was so rude to you when we first met. I was still getting use to the idea of humans and-"
June reached up and put hand to his mouth, smiling at him. "Don't worry, we all were getting use to new ideas." She saw the look in his eyes and put a hand to side of his metal face. "I'll always be here if you need me. That's what friends are for." Suddenly she leaned up and kissed him on the cheek.
Ratchet was shocked, but somewhere deep inside, not so much. June turned, her hand trailing away from his arm. "Goodnight Ratchet, we should do this again." Ratchet watched her go inside the house as the garage door began to open. He was speechless. He transformed back into vehicle and made his way down the drive way into the street lit up by the early dawn.
Ratchet glanced at her one last time through his drivers side mirror. "That's a good idea." Then he drove off into the early morning feeling somewhat better then he had in a while. June was truly a good friend, and he was glad to have her there. The type of friend he needed, for a long time.
The End.
I had to write this for Ratchet, he's the cutest thing.