Disclaimer: I do not own these characters.

A/N: I'm still trying to get a grip on how to write Ratchet. I'm going with the whole time travel thing might have affected him more than he likes to admit in case he seems OOC.

un-beta'd


"We're sorry."

Ratchet grunts as he polishes the grayed armor with slow and precise swipes. There's no grime, hasn't had any since the body was dragged out of the Laurentian Abyss, but he can't keep himself away from Jazz's broken frame. No matter how many times he stares at what's left of his friend he can't stop himself from trying. He's not even sure what he's trying to do but it doesn't deter him. Cleaning the remains is the only option he has at the moment. It's the only thing that helps settle his chaotic processor.

"We regret not keeping our word. We had hoped to have reached a different time but-"

Primus, if their apologies don't grind on his gears after the first fifty times. Locke, or Loki or whatever the slag he calls himself, continues to express regret and his twin isn't any better. It's enough to make him want to toss a wrench at their helms.

"Enough."

Ratchet's gruff voice stops the apologies from continuing. He doesn't blame them. They'd done more than enough just by coming this far back. After all, it was their war. Their fault the Allspark reached Earth. Jazz's fault for going against Megatron alone to buy them time. Jazz's fault for getting himself torn in half.

"He knew what would happen. I can't blame you for trying to help fix everything."

Ratchet sees Locke shift uncomfortably in his corner but doesn't say anything. Key is closer, sad optics starring into the empty spark chamber of the frame stretched out before them.

"Look, it's not forever, alright? We just… we went through a lot before we came here," Key's hesitation draws Ratchet's attention away from his scrubbing, "Our mojo was pretty low. I was in trouble and Locke went through so many doors to find me and then there was a fight that almost cost us everything. He was dead on his feet by the time it was over. I was worse but after seeing what would happen to this world I couldn't sit back. I couldn't watch them slaughter all of you or have them melt you down to nothing. I couldn't ignore you. Do you know what it was like to hear the screams of your people from worlds away? How much it clawed at our soul?"

Locke steps in, voice harsh and angry, "So many of you fell. There was so much destruction and chaos that it called to us. It called to our followers and if they had answered the call instead, well, rest assured the humans would have met a painful end. They would have destroyed their world with the same technology they gained from your deaths. They would only have themselves to blame for their greed."

Ratchet grimaces at the thought of Earth dying.

"Maybe once we recover," Key whispers desperately, "I'll be able to See again. There's no guarantee but maybe, just maybe, everything you experienced will stay a nightmare and not become a reality. A long time ago we were told doors open and close all the time and that's what we're doing. We have to try door number two and hope it's a better option."

Ratchet can only nod at their promises because if they believe they can bring back Jazz and finish the war then who is he to stop them? Especially when he knows the outcome of one reality. It's painful to think that their victory over the Decepticons is also their end.

"Sorry, you can't tell the others. We don't want you to choose us over them."

It's strange, Ratchet thinks, that he rarely speaks to the Autobots and their humans allies nowadays. Strange that the abilities of a pair of organics would render him silent. Strange that it was his idea of keeping everything a secret until the time was right or maybe not tell anyone, ever. He's reluctant to bring it up after not saying anything in the beginning and specifically after keeping Jazz's body hidden. The feeling of uncertainty makes his tank churn uncomfortably because he hates lying to everyone about something so important.

"I said enough!"

Ratchet fingers clutches the cloth in his hands trying to stave his growing ire. He scowls until Key clamps his mouth shut in shock and Locke flinches a step back.

"I've had just about enough of you treating me like I'm a hatchling. I've heard you long enough to know you're sorry but there's nothing to be sorry about. This, here, right now is enough to keep me in your debt for eternity. You don't understand how thankful I am for everything you've done."

Locke and Key fumble over their words as they express disbelief and reassure him they don't need anything as grand as a life debt.

"Too bad, so shut your traps."

A small smile tugs at the corner of Key's mouth, optics still downcast. Locke chuckles in embarrassment as he tries to busy himself by dusting the shelves he's nearest. Ratchet looks smug at having the two beings shuffle awkwardly around him. He lets them stew a bit longer as he methodically checks and rechecks to make sure every bolt and wire that belongs to Jazz is placed back in an insulated bag. There's no fancy snap of fingers or outlandish chanting, only a cold breeze and the bag is gone.

"So, which one of you is first?"

Locke and Key freeze, eyes darting frantically between them over Ratchets head before looking over at him. Their power is low and what little they managed to collect was used to keep Jazz's body hidden. Locke moves first using a nearby table as a shield to escape the hangar when Ratchet takes a step towards him. Key isn't so lucky having been cornered between two walls and a sheet of metal used for an operating table. He hisses and scrunches down to keep himself out of reach. His plating flares and his wounded door wings hike up as far as they can go.

"Locke, you traitor!"

Locke laughs from the safety of the doorway. He still clutches the table intentionally blocking the entrance from anyone going in or out.

Ratchet grins at Key, widening his stance, "We can do this the easy way or the hard way, kid."

"I like it rough," chuckles Key in response.

Ratchet almost offlines his audials when Key lets out a loud screech of irritation. He slams the smaller transformer against a table and holds him down long enough to cuff both wrists. Locke comes back into the hanger crooning gibberish at the immobile mech but Ratchet ignores him to run his scans. Key huffs and bucks trying to escape but he's too weak to escape or maybe he's not trying. Ratchet isn't sure since their strength wanes every now and then.

"The sooner you stop this nonsense the sooner you'll get fixed up and out of my medbay."

Key continues to growl throughout the checkup regardless of Locke's presence. He calls his brother a traitor for abandoning him and other words in languages Ratchet is unfamiliar with. Ratchet finishes, making sure to check every crack and dent to make sure they're healing correctly with no infections. When he moves away, Key slumps forward having tired himself out. Locke tries to soothe him with quiet whispers telling him he'll be free soon. Ratchet moves fast to clamp down on one of Locke's wrists when he becomes too distracted with Key. Ratchet smirks when the black transformer pales as he's cuffed to his twin.

"Your turn."

::O:O:O::

The twins kneel before him as he sits in what passes for the Autobot's common room. Ratchet ignores the incredulous looks his fellow Autobot's aim at his direction. The humans, red faced and stuttering, had long ago fled the small corner they inhabited in the hangar. He really should have known better than to test the twins' patience but it's too late now. He knows there was little to no chance he'd ever give them a checkup if he were to ask politely. Besides, he's used to being obeyed in his domain and more often than not handled mechs twice his size until they gave in to his demands. A few were bold enough to retaliate later but this was not what he assumed would happen.

"Master, how may we serve you?"

"Yes, tell us, Master."

He blames the group of humans that walked in while he was examining the twins. It didn't help when the twins began to moan provocatively, still cuffed to the examination table, once they realized they had an audience.

"Master, stop teasing us."

Ratchet ignores their lingering touches around his hips and knees. He's not willing to give them the satisfaction of showing any reaction. However, he ends up pinning a hand under his foot and growls out a warning after it dipped too far between the seams of his ankle.

"Forgive me, Master! Please do not punish me again!"

"Punish me! I can take it!"

He snorts and continues to read his datapad. It's mildly embarrassing, sure, but the small pets of affection feel nice on his plating. Now, if only everyone could stop calling his medbay a 'play room'.