CHAPTER 21

"I think this is the first time we've both been free and alone in a while."

Ratchet smirked at Ben, knowing the statement was true. With Dave around, he hardly got enough time with him anymore. Optimus taking a liking to Dave had definitely helped, as Dave spent most of his time with him or Be now. Yet still, he was living with them, and that made it hard. Yet Optimus and Dave were actually out all day starting that morning. Ratchet knew Optimus was testing the waters to see if perhaps, he might be able to take Dave in given the chance, and he didn't blame him wanting to get to know him better first.

"With Dave and you both living here, I needed to spend time with you both accordingly." Ratchet explained, stroking his Foster Son's cheek gently "I missed our alone time just as much you did, little one." He noted, taking a deep breath "Perhaps I can tae you downtown to the drive-in theater tonight? I know you've been begging me for weeks. And with Prime and David in England meeting the Ambassador, we can go, just the two of us." He noted.

"Sounds like a plan, big guy." Ben grinned "Hey Dad, can I ask you-" Ben stopped knowing Ratchet would scold him for asking him if he could ask him a question "There's this dance, at school." Ratchet's optics widened at this "And it's called Sadie Hawkins. And this girl named Veronica asked me. It's kinda traditional girls ask the guys." Ratchet knew where this was going "And I said yes." He noted.

Ratchet felt a bit unnerved by that. He didn't know any Veronica, and that didn't sit right with him. While most Father's were like this when guy's asked their little girls out, Ratchet had no daughter. Ben was his only child, and the thought of some strange girl he didn't know asking out his son... Well, needless to say, his overprotective instincts were shining right through. "Ben, we've been over this. If you're going to date before you drive, and therefore have a guardian. I have to approve of your date." Ratchet explained "Especially after what happened recently." He noted.

"Dad, Dexter can't have that many connections." Ben explained.

"He's been murdering children for years, Ben. You don't know that he doesn't." Ratchet put a hand on the table "I wish to meet this girl before you step one foot into this school dance of yours, Ben. And believe me, I only wish to do so for your sake, not mine." He explained "If you cannot do so, then I'm sorry, youngling, the answer is going to be no." He then added "Not until Dexter is caught and in jail." He explained.

"Fine, I know she has nothing to hide." Ben sighed, he stared up at Ratchet "Are you going to do this with Dave when he's asked?" He groaned.

"I think Optimus will do that for me, personally." Ratchet snorted, shaking his head "But if not, yes, I will be approving of BOTH of your dates. I know you may think that I'm being strict." He looked toward him, a look of concern in his eyes "But I'm only doing this because I love you, and would hate to see you hurt." Ben stared up at him, and nodded slightly, starting to understand where he was coming from "I promise not to grill the girl TOO hard." He noted.

"Don't make promises I know you're not going to keep." Ben laughed a little.

Ratchet snorted a bit, knowing that Ben was probably right about that. "I can't help who I am, Ben. Anyone who dates my little boy will be grilled to the max. Get used to it, I'm surprised you didn't figure that out already." Ben smirked a bit, Ratchet smiled "Don't worry though, I promise to be FAIR about it. And that's a promise I CAN keep." He explained.

"Fine, fine, you can grill her, just as long as you take it easy on her." Ben replied.

"I promise to be fair, can't promise that I'll take it EASY on here." Ratchet noted, smirking a bit "I don't think I know the meaning of that." He added.

Ben's face fell, he could only imagine the way Ratchet was going to be with Veronica now. Considering what he just said, Ben would probably be lucky if she would even TALK to him after he was done, let alone go to the dance with him. "Please just promise me you won't weld her to the ceiling, Dad. If ANYTHING else, just don't do that, please." Ben replied, doing his best not to panic inside "If you do, I won't talk to you again." He added.

Ratchet groaned, noting his son's fear, and finally took a deep breath. "Fine, I won't grill her." Ben's eyes widened, he turned his head towards the mech "Invite her to dinner at the Mess Hall sometime this week. We'll have a casual talk. I'll be able to tell if she's lying anyway." He explained, Ben smiled a bit "I still have final say on your date, though, Ben. Whatever I decide about this girl, you will need to ACCEPT." Ben nodded his head, understanding.

"Alright, Dad. As long as you keep up your end of the bargain." Ben replied, then elbowed him slightly "Come on Dad, we going to that movie?" He asked.

"Yes, give me a minute to put my things away." Ratchet smiled.

Ben grinned and rushed off to get his coat, leaving Ratchet to sigh a bit. He knew it was not going to be easy not to grill this girl Ben spoke of. But then again, he didn't want to scare off the girl if she was a good person anyway. It wasn't easy, needless to say, but he had to do the right thing, he supposed. Otherwise he'd most likely find himself in a bad situation all around.

...

Dave was in heaven, that was it, plain and simple. Dave, in his entire fourteen years of life, had never even left Washington DC. So when Optimus had offered for him to accompany him for a day long stay in Europe, it was his first time out of the state. Of course, he was lucky Optimus's connections got him a passport rather quickly. Of course, he still questioned why Optimus had invited him along, but he wasn't questioning it, he was too amazed by the Ambassador's home to complain.

As for the Ambassador they were meeting, well, needless to say, Dave liked him. The forty year old man, single as he was, had the largest estate he had ever seen. Which he had opened to him and Optimus while they were in England. He was kind, friendly, and, Dave even noted, he was very humble. His home did not flaunt the fact he was rich by any means. It was all very simple furniture, with perhaps one or two expensive items here and there, but even then, it was a stretch.

Dave sighed a bit as he seated himself in the den of the home. Near Carl Temp, the Ambassador himself. The man stared at him with a smile, Optimus had gone to get something from his alternate mode and left the two of them alone. And although Dave noticed the way the ambassador looked at him, he didn't pay it much mind. "So..." Carl noted slowly "You're Optimus's friend?" Dave nodded his head shyly "Wow, I'm surprised your parents were okay with this. I expected he was bringing an adult." He noted.

"I umm.. I don't have parents right now exactly." Dave looked down slightly.

"Oh, I'm so sorry I-." The man began.

"No, no don't worry about it. They didn't die, they were just... Abusive." Dave played with his fingers passively, and turned his head to Carl "I'm best friends with Ratchet's kid, Ben. And, Ratchet found out... So they got me out of their custody." He explained "Optimus has just sort of taken me under his wing, kinda like a role model." He nodded his head slightly "With him, Ratchet, and Ben, I'm really not alone, so there's no reason to be sorry." He noted.

"For him to take you here, I think he thinks of you as a bit more than a friend." Carl noted, Dave stared at him "Seems like he's trying to find ways to sneak in some quality time with you." He noted, then tilted his head "He isn't fostering you, is he?" He asked.

Dave stared at him in surprise, and looked down. He'd never thought of his and Optimus's relationship that way. And he wasn't sure that Optimus thought of him in that way either. So far, he saw Optimus as someone to look up to, he'd never looked at him like a Father. "No, I'm a ward of NEST right now until they catch my Dad. He's the psycho child-killer I'm sure you heard about." He noted sympathy in Carl's eyes "I'm staying with Ben and Ratchet until he's caught and they can send me to a family they know they can trust." He explained.

"Anyone show interest?" Carl questioned.

"The Witwicky's. Colonel Lennox and his family are considering. Sergeant Epps and his wife were but they can't handle it with money so tight right now. They have four kids already." Dave shrugged his shoulders "Really, I've only spent time with Will and his family, and well... Optimus." He shrugged a bit, shaking his head "But Optimus has never really... Looked at me that way I don't think... And neither have I." He admitted.

"I think he does." Dave turned his head towards Carl, surprised "I see the way he looks at you, kid. There's a fondness in his eyes I've never seen before. Not to mention out of all the humans he could bring, he brought you here." Carl carefully put a hand on his shoulder "I'd bet money, a lot of it. That he's already giving serious thought into it." He noted.

"He has ten kids already, why would he want damaged goods like me?" Dave muttered.

"The same reason my Mum wanted me." Dave stared at Carl, stunned by his words "You think you were the only one in the world who was taken away and put up for adoption? Kid, there are tons of them." He then added "I was one of them, my Dad was a 'stoner' and my dear Mother was VERY sick. I still have scars where my Father thrashed at me. My poor Mother could do nothing to help..." He shook his head "I was only ten years old." He added.

"And someone found you?" Dave asked.

"Indeed, a single Mother with five children under her belt." Carl stood slowly, grabbing a picture off the nearby mantle and bringing it over, showing it to Dave "That's us... All twenty of us." Dave's eyes widened, looking down at the huge picture "My Mother, God rest her soul, was as kind a soul as Opitmus if he truly has raised ten children. By the time I left home, Mum had ten children. And by the time I was first elected, she had seven in her home at once." He noted "I was 'damaged goods', as you call it. And she loved me all the same." He added.

"You really think Optimus may feel the same way about me?" Dave asked, looking at him.

"Maybe not now, but perhaps, in time." Carl replied "Just remember this, David. Never give up hope, there's a place and home for every "damaged good" in someone's heart... Or spark." He noted as he took the picture from Dave "I can already tell that you will have nothing to worry about. You're a good kid. And if I did not live here, I might be tempted to give it a shot myself. However, if it did not work out, you'd be in a different culture's Foster System and that would not be good." He noted.

"Yeah, you're right about that." Dave smiled a bit, and looked at Carl "Thank you though, it means a lot."

Optimus's holoform lingered behind a wall quietly, having heard every word. He had been unaware at how lonely the boy was, or just how little he thought of himself. In truth his whole reason for taking Dave along was what Carl had said, quality time. He wouldn't be against another child, or more after that. And perhaps, it was time he began giving that far more serious thought than he had been.

...

A/N: Sooo looking forward to writing Ratchet meeting Ben's date. Lulz But I'm not sure how that will go so I didn't feature it yet. :) Anyways, hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. Reviews of course, make my day!