Bumblebee alerted me that was coming to see me. I almost expect poor Optimus to be injured again. He pushed the door open, and both he and the tag-a-long Ironhide entered. "Shouldn't you two be finding some poor bot to watch the sparkling?" I asked placing one of the tools I had been polishing on a nearby tray.
"We thought that maybe you should watch him", Ironhide said, handing me Optimus, and the two left.
"Wait! This is not in my job discription!" I yelled. Optimus really started to try to wiggle his way out of my arms. I remembered that Ironhide had said not to yell around him, so I softened my voice and said, "I'm sorry, Optimus. But I didn't ask to take care of you. I'm busy! I need to be running Med bay! Not a day care!" I sighed. "I really can't be mad at you, can I? It's Ironbrain and Bumblebutt. Not you."
Optimus laughed at the nicknames, causing me to smile. I put Optimus down on a berth, to try to get some work done. He just sat there. Watching me. I got the eerie feeling of someone staring at me. I turned, looking at the sparkling. He just sat there, as I got angry at nothing. I picked up a wrench, and walked towards him. As I did that, he started to cry. I suddenly felt guilty, and put the wrench on a table, and picked him up. "It's okay Optimus. You're great at getting rid of any anger. I didn't mean to upset you", I tried to comfort him.
"Aawwww. Look at the big nice robot, cuddling a sparkling... How adorable", Sunstreaker mocked. I narrowed my optics at the twins, who just entered.
"What do you want? Sunstreaker? Sideswipe?" I asked.
"Nothing. Just came to see the big kind Autobot, and his sparkling buddy. I just hope the boss remembers you cuddling up to him", Sideswipe added.
"Also, to give the boss a ball. 'Hide sent it, and said you'd give him a wrench to the helm before you'd let him give it to 'im", Sunstreaker tossed the ball to me, causing me to almost drop Optimus, and the sparkling cried out. The twins looked worried for a brief second, then their evil smiles returned.
"Well, he has it now. So, if you don't need repairs, I suggest you leave before you need them", I warned, eyeing my wrench. Suddenly, Sunstreaker came up and took Optimus out of my arms. "Hey! Be careful!"
Sunstreaker smiled, "Aawwww. You worried we'll hurt him?" He nearly tossed Optimus to Sideswipe, but then spun on his heel, shoving the sparkling into his brother's chest plates.
"Sunstreaker!" I snarled. He grinned, and Sideswipe tossed Optimus into the air. The sparkling shrieked in suprise, as he was nearly dropped by Sideswipe. "Sideswipe! You'll hurt him!" As Sideswipe repeated the motion, I ran forward, and caught Optimus. I narrowed my optics on the twins, and placed Optimus gently on the berth. "It's okay Optimus. Play with your ball for a minute, and I'll be right back".
I smiled reaching over and grabbing a wrench. I smiled at the twins, and gently hit the wrench off my servo. I sent about ten minutes putting deep dents into their heads, until they said they learned not to risk Optimus' safety like that.
I turned back to Optimus who chirped at me happily. I couldn't help but smile at the sparkling.
Optimus was amazing. Full-grown or not. He was kind, he cared, he could kick some Decepticon aft, he would sit still while I worked. Optimus was great with the others, keeping them in line. We all respected him as a leader. As a friend. Ironhide and I, since we are the oldest, have watched Optimus grow in so many ways. We both loved Optimus for the way he was. He was the perfect for the Autobots, and I would dread the day we couldn't repair him.
He curled up on the berth I had placed him on, and I just watched as he relaxed. I commed Ironhide.
::Ratchet to Ironhide:
::Ïronhide here:
::Can you find a bot to watch him tomorrow?:
::Sure thing Ratch. I'll send them to you. Ironhide out:
I sighed, knowing it wouldn't be long until at least one came here, waking Optimus. It wasn't long until two came in. Jazz and Prowl.
"Hey Ratch", Jazz had greeted rather loudly, and recieved an elbow joint to the chassis. "I'm sorry", he whispered.
"So you two are gonna watch him? Shouldn't you be up ta your chest plates with paper work?" I asked slightly amused.
"Yes. Jazz and I volunteered to watch Optimus tomorrow"
"Do either of you know how?"
"I do... a little. Can't be too hard, since we'll have tips from y'all"
"Might as well stay then. I'll fill you both in on his needs", I motioned for the chairs that were nearby. When they went for the chairs, I went to carefully pick up Optimus. Thankfully he woke up, so I could teach them properly. "Here Jazz. Show me how ta hold him". He did that correctly, and Prowl tried to copy the position. "Alright. He just woke up so we have to give him Energon. That way he doesn't need to cry for it. Prowl, here", I explained tossing him the small cube. He looked at it for a second, then timidly handed it over to Optimus. "Only give this type to him. His systems can't handle regular Energon right now. Don't yell near him. That'll get him really upset. Oh yeah. How about a funny story?"
"A funny story?" Prowl asked looking up from Optimus.
"Ironhide invited me to his quarters last night to talk, when the wall caught my optics. There was a hole. I also found scorch marks on his helm. It turns out, that he'd let Optimus explore his desk, and he'd left one of his guns up against the wall without thinking. The little sparkling managed to push the thing over, and it fired, just missing Ironhide's helm. Oh, and yesterday, when 'Bee was watching him. He was sat on", I paused.
"He what?" Prowl and Jazz exclaimed together, suprised that Optimus was nowing sitting in Prowl's lap, looking nearly unharmed.
"Wheeljack was paying more attention to a data-pad, and forgot where he'd put Optimus down. Optimus had his shoulder relocated, so it'll still be sore. Sunstreaker and Sideswipe also came in here, nearly scaring the spark outta him. I wouldn't be suprised if he recharged for hours straight. Or felt miserable with that shoulder. Can you two watch him for an hour? I need to see Wheeljack", I finished saying. They nodded, and I went off towards Wheeljack's lab.
I knocked, and the door swung open a second later, startling me.
"I didn't blow anything up!" Wheeljack yelped.
"Whoa! I'm not here 'cause you did. I'm here to see how the invention's coming", I said, causing him to calm down a little. His shoulders seemed to sink.
"I just can't figure out what's wrong with it... I can't do it! Optimus is stuck as a blasted sparkling! One I hurt! I can't help him! I want ta fix it so he can get back to normal! Right now, if I tried the invention I made to fix him, it would leave him with a useless processor. He might as well be knocked offline forever if that happened. He'd be a dumb waste of a mech! Ratchet! I need your help. This is all my fault", Wheeljack moaned.
"Lemme see the plans", I said, and he handed me a complex set of blue prints. "And the ones for the first machine." A second data-pad was placed in my servos. "I'll take these with me, and I'll try to find what's wrong. Don't take it so hard. If Optimus SURVIVES this, I doubt he'll be mad at the accident. Don't be suprised if he's a little more cautious around your inventions", I smiled giving him a light tap on the back, standing and heading towards Prowl and Jazz's quarters. I checked the time, and I saw I had about fifteen minutes until I was expected, so I started to look over the data-pads.
The plans were extremely complex, but I would be able to find the problem. He was right. Optimus would have no hope of recovering from this if Wheeljack tried to build it with these plans. I sighed, and I started to make notes on how to fix it. I could read blue prints, but I couldn't draw them. I would have to see if Prowl or Jazz could. But, my notes wouldn't be finished for days. What about the Decepticons? What would happen if they came? I shook my helm, and I knocked on the door to their quarters.
"Heya Ratch!" Jazz greeted. Prowl walked over to us, and placed Optimus in my arms.
"He behaves better than I thought he would", Prowl commented.
"Yeah, he does", I smiled. They shut the door when I turned towards Med bay. Optimus snuggled into me, and I laughed softly. I went off to find Ironhide. The red mech was in the lounge, and I dropped Optimus gently into his lap.
"Hey! Ratchet! What are you doing?" Ironhide asked. Optimus crawled all over Ironhide, wanting his attention.
"You can watch him for a few hours. I need ta get ta work. To get him back to normal! I can't watch him and fix him too. You know how to watch him, so if ya need me, ya know where to find me", I said walking away.
A few hours later, Optimus was sitting on my desk, just watching me. He seems to like to just watch. I chose to talk to him, since I don't know how to entertain him. "Ya know Prime, the others look up to you. You could use a break from working, just like the rest of us. Some of the others are trying to impress you. Like Bumblebee. He trys to get ya to notice. It could be good for the kid, if you notice that", I said. I smiled at Optimus, who sat there listening to my every word. "Sometimes, I wonder what goes through that processor of yours." I picked him up and placed him on a nearby berth. The day was going slowly, so I got busy working on the plans.
About ten minutes later, I looked over at the berth Optimus was on, and found him recharging. I sat back in my chair, and before I knew it, I was recharging myself.
The next morning, Optimus was up before I was. He climbed down the side if the berth carefully and managed to climb my chair, to end up in my lap. I suddenly woke up with Optimus being in my lap, since he hadn't been there before. I smiled, and put him on the desk as I got him some Energon. He gladly took it, and when he finished, I took him towards Jazz and Prowl's quarters.