Orion's Star 4: Connie & Ratchet (A slight deviation from the main story for just a moment)

Alexis stomped through Connie's front door into the storm room with tightly bundled Starlex. Opening the interior door she bellows, "Alright I'm here Connie! Now tell me what is going on!" Alexis shrugs off her jacket and then proceeds to help her daughter. Connie comes to the interior door. Alexis has to take a second look.

"What on Earth are you wearing?" Alexis is shocked. But on the other hand, she is pretty sure what it is.

Connie giggles like a school girl, "I don't know. It came with a note. I have a date tonight!"

Alexis' jaw drops and then looks back out to the brewing blizzard, "Connie, you know you are cracked to go out in that? I'm stupid enough to drag Starlex through it for you. The boys are old enough to take care of themselves for the night. What is really going on?"

Connie reaches to help unbundled Starlex shooting Alexis a look that she won't talk about it in front of the child. Alexis shrugs off her boots and hangs up the gear. Starlex then looks to Connie, "Are the boys here?"

Connie strokes her face, "Yes Sweetie. Orion is making fudge and Jazzy is finishing up a report. The boys have a lot of homework, but promise to make time for you." Starlex nods and runs off to the kitchen.

"Hey there Starlex," Orion's deep mature teen voice can be heard from the kitchen.

Alexis reaches over and shuts the interior door closing both the mothers into the storm room. Using her best commander's interrogation stance, Alexis scowls, "Out with it Conbeana!"

Connie cringes at her real name. "Ratchet is taking me out. We need to talk he said and doesn't want to do it through the link."

Alexis plucks the thickly woven material enclosing Connie's body from neck to wrist and ankles. "I know what that suit is. Do you?" Connie shakes her head. Alexis scrubs her face trying to decide if she should tell her.

Connie is now concerned, "Ratchet said it was a surprise. Why?"

Alexis decides if her mate wants to surprise his wife, she will respect it, "Let's just say, your eyes will be stunned at what you see." Then she sighs. "You don't know when you will be back, do you?"

Connie shakes her head, "I didn't like his tone. And I don't want the boys to worry. Otherwise I wouldn't have called you."

The flashing emergency lights can be seen coming down the street cutting through the swirling snow, but that is all that can be see, no siren. Connie grips her hand as it vibrates. Alexis hugs her friend, "Go have a good time. Take as much time as you need."

Connie nods, biting back her excitement. Quickly she tugs on the matching booties and gloves to the suit, but carries the hood. Connie bellows into the main house, "Boys! I'm headed out. I'm not sure when I'll be back."

"Mom! You're insane!" Jazzol calls down the stairs.

Connie barks back, "Yeah well takes one to know one." He chuckles.

Orion comes from the kitchen and gives his mother a hug, "Tell dad I miss him."

Connie looks out the glass stormed door and pulls his hand. He follows her to the EMT Hummer pulled up to the lawn through the swirling snow. Orion opens the passenger door for his mom, "I love you Mom."

Connie strokes his cheek, "I love you too son. Make sure-"

Orion hands her the seat belt, "Mom, just go and kiss dad. I know you can't say any more and neither can he. I'm fine with that. Just go and tell him to be safe, alright?"

Connie fights her tears stroking the dash board, "Yeah, I'll be sure he knows."

"Oh and don't forget to tell him I got accepted into the medical program."

Connie bonks the dashboard, "First thing on my list to tell him."

Orion leans in and kisses her cheek. He looks over to the driver in a military medic's uniform (a holo-form looking just as Connie had seen Ratchet as a human), "You get her to my father in one piece or don't bother reporting at all, got it?"

The driver smiles broadly at this boy giving him orders. At least that's how Orion interpreted the expression. The medic respectfully replies, "Yes Son."

Connie starts giggling. Orion shakes his head, "That wasn't a joke, Mom."

She shakes her head, "Get inside before you freeze to death and become a patient rather than a student." Orion scowls and slams the door against the storm then dashes up to the house. Alexis and Orion watch the Hummer disappear into the storm.

Orion shakes his head, "That driver looked so familiar." Alexis can only smirk, It's because he looks like you silly! She wanted to tell him, bunt instead, heads into the house with him.

~~ Ratchet's holoform turns to her, "Dear Primus, when did he get so big? Medical school?"

Connie smiles, "On his first try he got accepted."

Ratchet smiles, "That's my son."

Connie giggles, "Well my son has gotten accepted into the robotics program. He turned down the first one because it was too far away from were Orion got accepted." Ratchet chuckles and keeps going through the snow breaking into 4WD. Connie strokes the dash, "Where are we going?"

"Just hold on. It won't be long." Connie settles back into his seat and feels him mold around her. "I've missed you badly." She runs her hands along the door panel trying to sooth him. She knows whatever he has to tell her, it is going to be painful. He chooses to remain silent, instead turning on soft country music he knows she likes.

~~ Soon Ratchet has them to their destination and tells her to pull on the fabric hood. She does and climbs out. She can see they are near a lake and the blizzard is really starting to kick up. Ratchet then kneels, holding a hand out to her. His tone is so warm and inviting, pushing sensuous, "Come into my spark, My Love." With that, he parts a panel in his chest and brings her to the blue glow of his chest. He would never do anything to jeopardize her life, after all he is a medic and her spark mate. Connie reaches her hands out and is enveloped by his spark. She hears him gasp in delight and then the blue light overcomes her, blinding her.

~~~Opening her eyes, she can see they are back on Cybertron. But this looks like the pictures between the wars. There are healthy fruitful plains laying out before her. Then she hears his voice, the way she heard it once back home, "The Goren Plains before the war desecrated them."

Turning to the sound of his voice, she gasps in delight. It's Ratchet in his Cybertronian proto-form mode the way she had first seen him. White with streaks of red and the points to his fore-helm. The smiles on his face is genuinely pleased, "Oh my beautiful Connie." He strides forward reaching a hand out to her. Connie raises her hand and sees a hand she hasn't seen in way, way too long. Ratchet lightly laughs, "I guess I should explain." He takes her hand and leads her to a pool of water. Looking down, Connie can see a reflection she hasn't seen since before her capture. Ratchet wraps his arms around her from the back while she touches her metallic face.

Her black body with red accents accentuating her femme features. She looks amazing. With red and black blades falling loosely from her helm and swaying in the light breeze. Ratchet watches her reaction as he reaches and strokes his fingers through her blades of "hair". Connie looks away and admires his own physique. It's her turn to lay her hands against his chest and slide her hand up to his shoulder curling her long fingers around his neck. "Ratchet?"

He leans over and kisses her. Connie feels their bodies move closer, curling her arm around his neck while one of his delves into her blades deepening the kiss and the other hand cinches around her waist. Connie's other hand reaches for his waist and pulls him even closer. When her hand accidentally touches a sensitive circuit, he growls animalistic and pulls back.

"Oh Primus," he whispers. Connie lays her head against his chest. "I didn't mean to lead to that so quickly."

Connie giggles, "I'm not objecting."

He laughs, "So I see." She lifts her head for more, but he puts a finger tip to her lips, "We need to talk first, then, believe me I planned to interface." He can feel her body heat up at just the word. He tugs a piece of armor on her back holding her back for a moment. "This is a hologram program I've been working on with Wheeljack. But I have to admit, I like this feature." His smile is so delighted and inticing.

Connie narrows her gaze at him, "What did you intend it for, if not this?"

"It's supposed to be an interactive program for the humans for training, so see what it is like form our side. Since you are my mate, I could make this more hands on. I can feel your emotions. Empathic abilities. I do not intend that feature for the others. Even Wheeljack doesn't know I planned to bring you into my spark."

"You can feel me?"

"Can you feel me?"

"I just thought it was because I missed you so much?"

He smiles stroking her face, "In this case, we are both feeling the same thing. I have found a way for your human body and my Cybertronian one to spark bond." The delight of feeling each other's love is soon replaced by the wave of dread comes over them both. "Yeah, I know, now you want me get to the point." He signs heavily and tries to move away. Connie grips him tighter, not letting him move. So he faces her directly, "We're headed back to Cybertron."

"How soon?"

He shakes his head, "Soon." Now he holds her closer.

"You want me to go?"

"Connie, you know I would never force you to do anything."

"Ratchet, I would love to go with you, but let's get real. I'm not a soldier. You would spend more time being worried about me getting hurt than doing your job, right?" He nods, "And you couldn't leave the boys. I wouldn't ask you to abandon them."

"And the boys can't go. It just isn't safe."

"Nor is it practical. They can make a better difference here than with us there."

"The same for me. I know you could use one more medic, but not at the cost of having to defend me constantly. Besides, as a human?"

Ratchet stokes her face lovingly belaying the inevitable information. "I have no idea when we will be back. And I have no idea when I will be able to contact you again. The plans call for some deadly covert missions. Silence. It could be years before I hear your voice again."

Connie snuggles in closer to his arms. She can feel his overwhelming ache. "You are torn about going too." He nods. "How long do we have tonight?"

Now his voice is husky with desire to make her forget his deployment, "Until he calls." Connie reaches her hand to cup the back of his neck and pull him into a passion lit kiss. His hands slip down to her waist pressing her hips against his. Connie reaches her other hand under a shoulder panel to release the pin. Ratchet yanks his head back as she hit's a pleasure sensitive circuit.

Connie nearly blushes, "Love, you are going to have to show me what to do."

Even though his head is swimming he catches the meaning and her nervousness, "You haven't…?"

She shakes her head. "Ratchet, you are the only lover I've ever had."

He gasps, "Oh Primus," and Connie can feel his love for her surge and enrapture her whole being. She reverberates it back to him. There is no way she is going to ask how many lovers he has had. But she can feel it doesn't matter. She was the only one who ever had his spark.

Slowly, tenderly he shows her how to remove the panels exposing his highly sensitive under armor. And even more reverently, he begins to remover hers. Until she can't take it any more and rips the rest off, hologram or not. Then she lays her body across his pressing the heated metal and then rubbing each of their sensitive circuits against each other. The cry is echoed as are the bounce back of sensations.

He rolls her to her back and lets her watch as he takes one finger tip and strokes ever so lightly the fold of light armor surrounding her port. Her body shutters and arches into his touch. Then he licks his finger and does it again. She cries panting and he slips the finger in. Her body heats up to a level she didn't know she could reach. "Please," she gasps. He lets his finger caress and stroke the opening, teasing her to greater heights. "Ra-Ratchet, what are… what are you …doing to .. Ah! ME" Her body thrust it's self into his finger. His smile and cocked eyebrow says it all.

With his other hand, he takes hers and brings it to his own chest, "Your turn."

"What do I do?"

"Find the cord."

"And then?"

"What do you desire?" he whispers.

"Oh Primus!" she gasps in ecstasy. Her fingers tease him as bad as he did to her. His own body is cringing and urging her on. Now the sensations are ricocheting to a dangerous point as she draws the cord from his chest, tantalizing it between just two light finger tips. His spark stops as she licks it and grins.

Shuttering he warns her, "You better… oh scrap… soon Connie or…else…." She thrusts it into her chest and they both cry out. And then the calm just before, "I love you Connie," he pulses into to her causing wave after wave of pure ….

There's no word in any language for what they experienced. Only true mates know the impact two souls joining have on the universe. Time, space and bodies no longer exist. Just them wrapped in warmth and oneness.

~~ Optimus actually had to come to Ratchet because he had shut his radio off. It crushed Optimus to find Ratchet laying in the snow with a grin of pure pleasure on his face, optic closed. He really didn't want to bring him around. Even debated leaving him there alone.

But Ratchet would never forgive him. Ratchet would probably come after his aft with two wrenches. If the mission succeeded. Optimus just stared at his dear friend in utter bliss.

Finally, he made the move after Ironhide pinged him. Optimus knelt and shook the shoulder, "Ratchet, it's time." It took three tries before Ratchet's optic cracked open.

"Ummmm? Optimus?" Ratchet was drunk on his mate's love.

Optimus knew that look, been there himself. Fragged into oblivion. He smiled gently, "Should I leave you two alone?"

Ratchet knows what Optimus is really asking, Should I got without you? Ratchet shakes his head. "No, I'm coming. Connie is supporting the decision." Optimus looks around not seeing her. Ratchet chuckles, and then Optimus sees the doctor stroking his spark chamber, not his cord. Rolling to his side and moving his hand slightly aside, the spark is exposed and Connie falls out into his hand. She is just as messed up as Ratchet first was.

With a stupid grin on her face she smiles, "Hey there Optimus."

Optimus smiles tenderly to her, "Hello Conbeana. How are you?"

She looks to Ratchet beaming and then back to Optimus, "Out of my ever frag'n mind." Ratchet blushes. Optimus chuckles and Connie giggles.

"I need to leave. Should-"

Connie turns serious very quickly, "Sparkmate, take me back to our sons. You have my blessing and my prayers." With that, Optimus watches Ratchet kiss his mate ever so tenderly on the lips. And once again, he is watching the mates separate. It pains him. Ratchet carefully transforms and Connie staggers but gets in. Optimus follows them out. Ratchet is a bit dazed still and a couple times, Optimus has to nudge him back in line.

But them make it back to the house with the snow still falling heavily. Connie is strong as she gets out. She presses her hand to both of their hoods, "Look after each other, alright?" They both grunt in reply.

Ratchet's voice chokes as he orders, "Go Connie, before you become my son's first patient." With that, he tears off down the street. Optimus waits until she enters the house before he follows the fleeing Hummer.

Connie staggers back into her house. Alexis is the only one home and jumps up when she sees Connie. Exhausted, but with a huge grin on her face.

"Oh my word! You got laid!" Alexis gasps!

Connie laughs, "No. "

Alexis can only smirk, "An how does it compare to human sex?"

"No comparison. Two totally different experiences."

"What was he better at?"

"You tell me, Mrs. Starscream?"

Alexis only laughs. "You're right. No comparison when talking about two different bodies."

Tears stream down her face, "But one soul."

Connie plops down onto the couch and then sinks her face into her hands. The sobs comes shortly. Alexis wraps her arms around Connie tightly. Alexis isn't sure why, but wonders if this is what she looked like the last night she saw Starscream. Connie doesn't tell her. Alexis doesn't ask. Mates have been separated.

"Until all are one…." Alexis whispers to her own ring of white metal and green star stone.

That was the last time Connie ever heard or saw Ratchet. It would be years later when she would find out that Ratchet's shuttled had been boarded and Ironhide and Ratchet along with several others had been brutally slaughtered on the shuttle.

But this is not the end of his spark….. Keep reading to see what happens to his sons….