I haven't updated since last Christmas...and that is not right. I'm sorry x3

So here's a heart-warming, tear-jerking, cavity-inducing Oneshot for you all :P

Enjoy :D

Inspiration - I guess you could say I was contemplating life and thinking of Oneshots at the same time...and this is what happened xP

Setting - Many years after You're Not Alone, on a dusty planet in the Polaris galaxy...

Ratchet looked about him in wonder. Fastoon, his home planet...so changed from when he'd first seen it. No longer were the buildings lying in rubble, half destroyed and lifeless. No longer was there a stench of dust and dirt to the air, the smell of death. Now, there were new buildings built from the foundations of the old, and some originals that had been restored to their former glory. Now, there was the smell of plant-life and fresh soil, the scent of life. All kinds of native Fastoon plants curled up the buildings in colours of red, purple and yellow. There were few people about, as this section of the city was complete and the workers were elsewhere, slowly putting the planet together piece by piece.

It had been his and Skyla's lifework, restoring their home planet to its former glory. They'd paid for crews to clear away old debris, tear down the most damaged buildings and rebuild some of the old. Years had passed, and progress was slow, but steady. The section of the city he'd first visited was unrecognisable, the buildings complete and shining, the centre cog-piece a work of art once more. Bio-scientists and botanists alike had helped breed new native plant life and planted them all over the place, encouraging them to blossom into an inner city jungle. It was beautiful, and Ratchet knew that his children, and their children, would continue overseeing the work until Fastoon was a Lombax home world once again.

Alas, he would never see it to its completion, not in this life anyway.

Walking slowly he moved away from the city centre to a small garden behind a wall. Here was where he and Skyla used to come when they were younger, by the old Jytsy Tree. Their youngest daughter Hope had been conceived under the branches of the tree. And it still stood, after all these years. But it had changed, for now something lay at its base.

His knees groaning slightly, Ratchet knelt down beside his most beloved's grave. A simple mound of earth and a headstone marking the resting place of his beautiful Skyla, departed from this world only a year earlier. She'd asked for a simple grave, one that would last.

Reaching out, Ratchet removed the old bunch of flowers from the vase beside the grave and placed in it a new bunch. Lavender roses, her favourite. His eyes trailed to the headstone, rereading it once again, though the words were long since engraved into his memory.

Skyla

A loving wife, mother and grandmother

A dear friend

Fell asleep aged 93

You're Not Alone

Ratchet felt tears begin to trickle down his cheeks, his grey fur dampening with salty moisture. How he missed her, so desperately...

"Ratchet?" a familiar voice made him turn and his eyes flooded with joy.

"Clank," he croaked, smiling at his oldest friend. The silver robot approached respectfully, his own form unchanged by time. He was still the same Clank he'd always been. Only Ratchet had changed, his fur grey with age, his bones old and creaking, his eyes full of sorrow. Clank took a seat beside his best friend but said nothing, letting his silence comfort the old Lombax.

"I miss her," Ratchet whispered eventually, feeling tired from all his mourning. He still had family, his children were grown with families of their own...but still he felt lonely; because he wasn't with Skyla.

"You will see her soon," Clank told him quietly. Though it pained him, logic told him that Ratchet did not have much longer to live. If only he'd been a robot like Clank...

Ratchet sighed, wiping the tears from his eyes with a gloved hand. One thing about him that hadn't changed over the years was his clothes, he still wore the same style, to remember all that he'd been through. He smiled as he remembered when Skyla had first commented on the colour of his peach top, saying it looked like a sick flamingo.

"She always made me laugh, Skyla," he murmured, more to himself than Clank, "she was always so kind and strong, so full of life..."

Clank simply listened as his friend reminisced of years gone by, saying nothing as the two suns moved across the sky and day gradually turned to night. Eventually, Ratchet had spoken all he could, and felt all the more tired for it. He blinked sleepily at Clank,

"I'm sorry for rambling, old pal. But I'm really tired now...think I'll just lie down here for a rest." He slowly lowered himself to the ground beside Skyla's grave, the grass tickling his cheek like it had done so many years earlier. Clank nodded, the inevitable upon him. With a saddened heart, the little robot got out a blanket from his chest cavity and draped it over his oldest friend. Ratchet smiled, pulling the cloth closer around him,

"Thanks, pal. You always know what I need...I appreciate it."

Clank sat by the Lombax as his breathing slowed to the steady rhythm of sleep, his slumbering easy next to the remnants of the one he loved. Gradually, Ratchet's breathing slowed even further, as if his body were drawing itself to a close, like a curtain being drawn over the grandest of stages. Finally, Ratchet breathed out a single breath that sounded so much like a sigh of content, his mouth twitching up into a small smile as his body relaxed completely.

Clank watched as life left his friend like a leaf caught in the autumn breeze, swept high into the sky where he knew others awaited him. All was quiet about him as he sat next to the empty shell of the best friend he'd ever had, not even a breath of wind to stir the silence.

A single oily tear trickled down Clank's face.

He was alone.


Ratchet looked about him, where was he? Everything was white and...empty. It was like he was suspended in a cloud, unmoving and unfeeling. Was this the afterlife? As he watched, a shadow appeared above him, expanding to reveal the outline of a building, and then another building. To his utter surprise, a perfect replica of Fastoon city had sprung up around him like a plant from the ground. It was unmistakably Fastoon, down to the plants and cog sculpture.

"Ratchet," came a voice, one that rang a bell of memory in his mind. Turning, he saw a figure step out of the white like a ghost. His eyes widened in recognition,

"Alister!" he exclaimed. The pale Lombax smiled, his amber eyes shining with pride and joy.

"Yes, it's me," he said. Before Ratchet knew what he was doing he'd lunged forwards and embraced the Lombax in a fierce hug.

"I've missed you," he hissed into his old friend's fur. Alister patted him gently on the back,

"I've missed you too, kid." Drawing back, he clapped a hand on Ratchet's shoulder,

"You've done good, Ratchet. And now it's time for you to go home."

"Home?" Ratchet echoed, his brow furrowing in confusion. Alister stepped aside and Ratchet realised that behind him stood a portal of some sort, like a gateway to heaven. He glanced at the other Lombax who gestured the gate,

"Go on, they're all waiting for you on the other side." Ratchet's heart fluttered in anticipation, and not even stopping to question Alister further he stepped through the portal, feeling new life wash over him as he did.

When he emerged, he found himself in a place that was utterly indescribable in its perfection. The only he could seek to describe it was to say that this place was the very essence of happiness, of joy, of life. This...was paradise.

"Ratchet!" someone was calling his name and he looked over to see another Lombax coming towards him. Everything seemed to freeze around him as his mouth fell open.

"Skyla?" he croaked, hardly daring to believe this was real. His wife smiled at him as she approached,

"Ratchet," she whispered as she reached him, her blue eyes shining with overwhelming joy and love. In a daze, Ratchet reached out and touched her. She was herself again, the way she'd been when he met her all those years ago. Gone were the wrinkles and tired bones, and here was the young, perfect Skyla. His Skyla.

And he was changed too, his own body young once more, in his stage of perfect youth.

Pulling her to him, he hugged her tightly, praying that he would never have to let go. Tears of pure joy began to stream down his face as she hugged him back, her hands folding around his neck in a careless, natural way.

"I've missed you so much," Ratchet choked through his tears.

"I've missed you too, my love," Skyla whispered to him, stroking his head soothingly, "but I'm here...now and forever." Ratchet drew back, his eyes wide with surprise and disbelief,

"Forever?" Skyla beamed at him and kissed him softly on the mouth, his lips instantly reacting to the familiar feel of her mouth against him.

"Forever," she whispered firmly, her hands cupping her face as he looked deep into the blue of her eyes. Ratchet smiled, and hugged her again, happy beyond his wildest dreams.

"Ratchet?" came another voice, and he drew away from Skyla, looking around for the source. He spotted them a few feet away and his breath froze in his throat. He glanced at Skyla who nodded at him, giving him an encouraging push towards the figure.

Ratchet stumbled towards them, then paused. They looked...just like him. The same sandy fur, the same caramel stripes, the same bright green eyes. Yet he knew...this was not his reflection.

"Dad?" he spoke the single word aloud, his voice hoarse with emotion. The sandy Lombax smiled,

"Son," he muttered, the word affirming what Ratchet had believed in his heart to be true. Father and son stumbled towards each other as if they hardly dared believe their eyes. When they were within a foot, his father deliberately stuck out his hand firmly.

Ratchet looked at it uncertainly before taking it and squeezing it in a shake. His father's eyes sparkled before he suddenly pulled Ratchet to him, wrapping him in a warm, paternal embrace.

"Oh Ratchet," he muttered gruffly, obviously holding back tears of his own, "my boy." Ratchet choked as his father pounded him heavily on the back with great manly thumps, but he was too happy to speak. Could this be real? Could this be Kaden, his...father?

They drew apart and Ratchet finally knew this was no dream. This was real.

"Dad," he croaked again, the word making him choke with untold emotion. Kaden clapped his own son firmly on the shoulder as Alister had done moments before, looking him right in the eyes,

"I'm proud of you, son," he said solemnly. Ratchet swallowed, trying to stop himself from crying. Alas, it was useless and he threw himself into his father's arms as great sobs began to wrack his body, making it shake and tremble with happiness and pure, pure joy. Kaden held his son to him, giving in as tears began trickling down his own cheeks. This was his son...his own son! The one he'd watched grow up from afar, knowing they'd never meet...until now.

"I'm so proud of you," he whispered fiercely into his son's ear, "I'm so, so proud of you."

Eventually, Ratchet had cried himself dry and drew apart from his father, still reeling from it all. He felt a hand on his arm and he turned to see Skyla standing beside him, a shy smile on her face. Ratchet put his arm around her,

"Skyla, this is my dad," he announced proudly. Skyla smiled gently,

"I know," she murmured, her eyes twinkling at Kaden who winked back, "there are some people I'd like you to meet," she said to Ratchet. With Kaden in tow, she led Ratchet over to another couple of figures. It was then Ratchet realised that there were Lombaxes everywhere, laughing and playing together in endless paradise. Skyla stopped before two Lombaxes, a sandy female and a dark male. Before she'd even said anything, Ratchet could tell who they were. He could see it in the woman's blue eyes and the man's dark fur.

"Ratchet...this is my mum and dad. Lea and Jozeff," Skyla introduced, her mouth twitching as she struggled not to beam in pleasure. Lea smiled warmly at Ratchet and hugged him briefly,

"Thank you for looking after my little one," she murmured to him. Jozeff stuck out his hand which Ratchet shook firmly, determined to make a good impression...even if this was the afterlife.

"Sir, ma'am," he said politely and Lea laughed, but Jozeff's eyes sparkled in acknowledgement.

"Jozeff and Lea is just fine," he told Ratchet in a gruff voice, "you've done a fine job with our Skyla, thank you," he added, giving a brief wink to Skyla who playfully stuck her tongue out at her father.

"I look forward to getting to know you both," Ratchet told them honestly. They beamed,

"Likewise," came the reply. Kaden tapped Skyla's arm and gave her a pointed look. The grey Lombax turned to her husband with a small smile,

"Ratchet...would you like to meet your mother?" Ratchet blinked,

"My...m-mother?" he stammered. Kaden nodded,

"She's waiting for you," he told him, eyes sparkling. Ratchet glanced at Skyla, mouth hanging open.

"S-sure," he managed eventually, not quite certain how else to respond. Skyla squeezed his arm and began leading him away, following Kaden through the endless paradise.

"What is this place?" Ratchet wondered aloud as they walked across land and sky, colours he'd never imagined before blossoming in full splendour. Creatures of all kinds danced about in perpetual delight, sentient and non-sentient alike celebrating in the joys of freedom.

"This is heaven," Skyla told him, nestling her head into his shoulder as she had done so many times before. Ratchet pulled her closer still, finally accepting that this was all real. He was really here...he was in paradise. Skyla smiled up at him, her blue eyes full of new-found love and life as she whispered her next few words to him and only him,

"Welcome home, Ratchet."

Not gonna lie...I cried when I wrote this xP

By the way, the sequel to 'You're Not Alone' should be up within the week...so do pop me on author alert if you haven't already!

Oh, and review...because I love you ;3