The Favor

Chapter 10

By Voodoo Queen

Author's Note: Hello, Dear Readers! I'm very pleased to be bringing you another chapter. I hope you're all enjoying the story so far. Many thanks to those who have added this to their alerts and faves. Extra special thanks to those who took time to leave me a review: DixieChicrules123 and rybkakoi. Thanks you!

Summary: In all the vorns Ratchet had known Wheeljack, he certainly couldn't remember the mech ever mentioning that he had a sister.

Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers, only my own original characters and plot.

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Ratchet had been to Wheeljack's place of residence on numerous occasions. They were friends, after all. He hadn't been over since his sister had been there, though. When Caliper stepped back and opened the door to allow him entrance, he was immediately struck by just how neat and organized everything looked. Though it seemed the siblings had much in common it was apparent that Caliper was the more orderly of the two since he certainly couldn't envision Wheeljack doing such a thorough job of making the space look so inviting.

He turned back to the femme who was busy shutting the door behind him and smiled. "It certainly didn't look like this when I was here last. Your work, I presume?"

"Mostly," she shrugged. "I'm here alone most of the day now so it's a lot easier to keep things picked up without Jackie coming along behind me and dragging it all back out again."

"I'm sure it is," Ratchet's smile turned down into a frown. "He did mention to me that you'd asked to have your schedule rearranged."

"Yeah. Things are just...easier this way." Caliper stood in front of the door, now at a loss of what she was supposed to do. She really hadn't thought any farther ahead than inviting the mech inside. "Uh," she shifted nervously on her pedes and motioned towards the living area, "Do you want to sit?"

"Yes," Ratchet nodded, "Thank you."

The pair retreated deeper into the apartment. Ratchet settled himself upon the edge of the lounge, managing to look both slightly tense but oddly hopeful at the same time. Cali chose a seat across from where the mech sat. She settled back into it, trying and failing to look relaxed, as she was now a bundle of nervous energy. Both seemed to have much they wanted to say but neither seemed to know where to even start. A silence, almost painful in its intensity, settled over them. It seemed to stretch on for an uncomfortably long time before anyone dared to break it.

Cali was the first to crack. "So," she started, "Did, uh, did your secretary make it home alright?"

"Primus," Ratchet closed his optics and groaned, "You'd think somebot working in a medical setting would have enough sense not to knock back five cubes of high grade on an empty tank."

"Yikes," Cali winced in sympathy. "She did look pretty ill. Now I know why."

"As much as I hate to say it," Ratchet begrudgingly admitted, "Looking back on it, I'm glad you left when you did. You managed to miss the worst of it."

Caliper raised a brow. "Even worse than purging her tank into a fountain in front of Primus and all Creation?"

"Oh, yes," Ratchet shuddered. "Right after you left she managed to projectile purge all over myself and an unfortunate passerby right before falling into a high grade induced stasis. She came to after I finally managed to get her into a shuttle and then promptly proceeded to purge her tank again all over the seats. I had the pleasure of paying to have the bistro's fountain drained and cleaned as well as the shuttle's interior and ended my evening in the wash rack trying to scrub off the smell of regurgitated high grade."

"I'm sorry," Caliper stated simply and honestly. "It doesn't sound like your night turned out how you would have liked."

"No," Ratchet gazed at the femme longingly and gave a self deprecating snort before looking away. "It certainly didn't, but don't be sorry. I'm fairly certain I deserved it."

"I don't think anyone deserves having another bot spew their tank contents all over them. Although," Cali mused in an attempt to lighten the mood, "Being a doctor you're pretty much begging to be purged on once in a while."

"Yes," Ratchet managed a soft laugh. "I suppose you're right. It doesn't make it any more pleasant when it happens, though."

Cali gave a small smile, more from relief than amusement as some of the tension in the room shrank. "No, I'm sure it doesn't."

Ratchet sat quietly a moment, seemingly organizing his thoughts. He felt marginally better but knew deep down that his continued state-of-mind depended upon what transpired in the next few moments. He steeled himself for the worst but hoped against hope for the best. He had time now, he assured himself, and no outside distractions. There was no overcharged secretary or impatient, overprotective brother to get in his way. The only one who could frag things up now was him. Caliper struck him as a femme who valued honesty and integrity, for which he was thankful. A relationship built on dishonesty wasn't one worth having, he'd painfully learned. It was probably best to clear the air and get it over with. If she still wanted anything to do with him afterward, he'd consider himself a lucky mech.

"Caliper," he took in a great gulp of air and looked her straight in the optic and stated as-a-matter-of-factly, "I've been a complete aft lately and I'm truly sorry that you've seen me this way. I can't even imagine what you must think." He heard her sudden intake of air and saw the parting of her lips as if she meant to argue with him otherwise but he held his hand up to stop her. "Please, just hear me out."

A frown creased Cali's face but she nodded.

"I know I've been acting like an aft. Pit, even Wheeljack never passes up an opportunity to remind me how much of a glitch I've been. He'd be furious if he knew I was here, by the way." Ratchet smiled sadly and continued. "But I wouldn't blame him. That mech loves you more than you can even imagine and doesn't want to see you hurt if he can help it."

Caliper smiled slightly at the mention of her brother but didn't interrupt.

"I came to see you today because I guess I was hoping..." Ratchet scrubbed a hand down over his face plates. "I don't know what I was hoping. I haven't been a very good mech in any sense lately and you...you're..." He trailed words weren't coming as easily as he'd hoped.

"The truth is," he tried again, "I like you, Caliper. I truly do. I enjoy your company like I haven't enjoyed anything in a very long time. For a while I wasn't sure if I'd ever enjoy anything ever again but then I had the great fortune of meeting you. You're intelligent and kind. You have a wonderful sense of humor. You're quite possibly the loveliest femme I've ever seen with my own two optics. I'd love to spend more time with you and get to know you better but I'm sure I've probably fragged things up beyond repair. If you want nothing else to do with me," He looked away from her then, not wanting to see her inevitable rejection. "I'd completely understand."

"Hey, now."

The femme had moved so quietly that Ratchet hadn't even heard her cross the space between them. The feeling of her slighter mass settling beside him and the soft touch of her fingers on the backs of his own startled him. He turned back to find himself staring down into a pair of warm, yet concerned, sky blue optics. He felt his intakes hitch. Primus, he thought she was beautiful.

"I'm flattered, truly, but there's obviously something else weighing heavy on your processor or you wouldn't be this upset." Her voice was soft and soothing. "You can tell me, Ratchet. Rumor has it that I'm a very good listener. It may make you feel better to get it off your chest plates."

Ratchet wasn't sure if he wanted to laugh or cry at the sudden rush of deja vu he felt. Her softly spoken words were too much like the one's she'd spoken to him in the dream he'd had when he'd fallen asleep at his desk. He didn't think kissing her senseless would work on this scenario, however. Though he could easily imagine pulling her into his lap and doing just that. No, it was important that he do this properly as the opportunity may never present itself again. Normally never at a loss for words, however, he wasn't even sure where to begin.

Looking to where their hands rested on his knee, her's comfortingly draped over the top his, he was struck by just how right they looked together. They weren't exactly holding hands but that much he figured he could easily rectify without too much trouble. Tipping his hand slightly, he caught her slender fingers within his own and gave them a gentle squeeze. When she gave an encouraging squeeze in return he felt as though an enormous weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

"You're an amazing femme, Caliper." Ratchet uttered the words quietly as he ran his thumb tenderly over the joints of her index finger. "I've done nothing but make a mess of things since meeting you and you're still willing to invite me in and listen to me ramble."

"That's what friends are for," she replied just as quietly.

"Mmm," Ratchet hummed, "Some friends are better than others."

"You sound like you're speaking from experience." Cali frowned, "Is that what this is all about?"

"Yes...no." Ratchet shook his helm. "Not exactly, but, I suppose it hasn't helped matters any."

Cali gave his hand another squeeze. "I'm all audios."

"I don't want your pity, Caliper," Ratchet sighed.

"Well rest assured," the femme nudged him. "Because you're not getting it."

He glanced over to where she sat next to him and was again struck by just how lovely she was. Her bright optics were focused keenly on him, full of worry and concern he was seldom sure he deserved coming from her. He was simply grateful for her presence. One corner of his mouth lifted in a wry smile. "You're very persistent."

"Yep," Cali easily agreed. "It's one of my finer qualities."

"I'll agree that you have many fine qualities." The CMO noted the way the femme fidgeted shyly at his compliment and felt his spark warm. "I'll be sure to add that one to the list."

Cali, a bit flustered, rolled her optics. "Now you're just stalling."

"You're right," he admitted. "But I stand by my statement." He paused a moment before continuing on. "A while ago I was...involved...with a femme. Quite seriously, or so I believed at the time. She wasn't as serious as I was, apparently. I came home from work early one cycle to find her otherwise occupied with another mech."

"Oh," Cali's optics widened in realization. "Oh! Ratchet, that's horrible!"

"It was," he nodded. "She wasn't the least bit apologetic. She did, however, inform me that the entire situation was my fault because I was called away to the med bay more often than she liked."

"Well, that's just ridiculous." Caliper bristled. "I hope you don't believe any of that slag. You're a doctor, for Primus sake. If they're calling you at home to come back in it's safe to say some bot's been hurt pretty badly and needs your help."

"She didn't see it that way." Ratchet shrugged. "I found out later, after all was said and done, that the mech she was with was only one of many. She said she needed variety. That...isn't what I needed."

"Ratchet..." Caliper breathed. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I suppose it was better that I found out sooner rather than later." Ratchet shook his helm. "I thought I loved her. I thought I may have even wanted to ask her to spark bond. Looking back now, though, I don't believe we had all that much in common where it really counted. I honestly don't even know what kept us together as long as we were."

9'"Still," Cali interjected, "That doesn't mean it hurts any less."

"You're right about that," Ratchet nodded. "I told myself that I never wanted to put myself in a position to feel that way again but being alone wasn't any better. It gave me too much time to think. I threw myself into work, spending long hours in the med bay just so I can wouldn't have to go home by myself. A little while later, I took to hanging out at this energon bar after work most nights after my shift ...meeting femmes there who were just as miserable as I was. I guess I figured some company was better than no company at all. I'll spare you all the gory details but it hasn't really help matters. It's made me feel worse, in fact."

Caliper offered quietly, "Jackie mentioned to me that you stayed pretty busy with the femmes."

"Primus," Ratchet scrunched his optics closed and pinched the bridge of his nasal plates with the fingers of his free hand. "Wheeljack...He told you that?"

"He did," Cali gave his other hand a squeeze. "He worries about you, you know?"

"I know," the CMO opened his optics to look at the femme next to him. "And I'm thankful for him but between what I've told you and Creator only knows what kinds of things Jack's said, you probably think I'm an awful mess."

"Not at all," Cali smiled wistfully at him. "I think you're a good mech who was hurt badly by someone you cared a great deal for and that you tried to deal with it the best way you knew how. That doesn't make you a mess. It makes you a mech with feelings just like everyone else."

"Caliper..." Ratchet felt as though a great weight had been lifted off his chest plates at the realization that she wasn't going to pass judgement on him. "Thank you for...just...thank you."

She asked hopefully, "Feel better?"

"I do, actually." Ratchet smiled genuinely for the first time in several cycles. "I know I've already said it once but I think it bears repeating it again...I do think you're amazing."

"Nah," Cali looked away shyly. "I just call them like I see them, that's all. But," she added softly, "I think you're pretty alright yourself."

"Really?" Ratchet seemed genuinely surprised.

"Well, yeah," Caliper nodded. "I mean, any mech willing to sacrifice time out of his busy schedule to make sure his friend's sister gets home safe, a femme he doesn't even know, by the way, has to be a pretty decent bot."

"Pretty decent?" Ratchet chuckled. "That's better than I hoped for. I'll take it. It was hardly a sacrifice, though, Caliper. I was happy to do it and," he threw in hesitantly, "If you'd allow it, I'd love the opportunity for us to spend more time together. Properly," he added. "Outside of the arrangement Wheeljack made."

"I-I'd like that, Ratchet," Cali replied honestly. "It's just that Jackie..."

"I know." Ratchet understood her concern without her even having to voice it. He shared it as well but for an entirely different reason. "We can deal with it as it comes. That is," he tossed out hopefully, "If you're willing to give me a chance."

Caliper worried her lip plates with her denta for a moment. She'd never really been in this sort of situation before. She would be lying if she said the thought of spending time with the mech didn't intrigue and excite her, though. Knowing that Ratchet was her brother's friend coupled with the fact of how disapproving she knew her brother to be towards Ratchet's known proclivity for company of the femme kind, made her hesitant. In her spark, though, she knew that Ratchet wasn't that mech regardless of what her brother claimed or what he had just shared with her. She would have been hard pressed to explain her certainty had anyone asked but she knew she was right.

Pulling air deep into her intakes, Cali let it out slowly and smiled. "What exactly did you have in mind?"

The giant grin that spread across the medic's face plates, a mix between elation and relief, said more than any words could have. Still, he felt the need to reassure her that she'd made the right decision. "You just leave all the details up to me, Caliper. I promise you won't regret it."

End of Chapter 10

A little shorter than my other chapters but I felt this was as good of a place as any to stop. Just so you're all aware. I've gone ahead and written a future chapter for this story that is over 7000 words long so I'll definitely make it up to you later. Much love! -VQ