CHAPTER 21
First Night Nerves

"So my parents... Well my Dad, anyway... Was your first liason?"

Jake was taken aback already, stunned beyond belief at what Ratchet had just told him. The mech nodded at him calmly, but Jake was far from calm, he didn't know how to react, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't think of a proper reaction. It was so strange to think that all this time, he could have had a permanent home if Ratchet had took him in. If he and his parents had been best friends, why had he been in an orphanage? "I went back for you." Jake turned his head as Ratchet spoke, as if reading his mind "When they died, I went in holoform to Social Services and searched for you..." He then muttered "The fraggers said I wasn't qualified." He explained.

"So you didn't-" Jake began.

"Of course not!" Ratchet replied, stunned the boy would even suggest that "You were the son of two of the closest friends I have ever had. I would never intentionally leave you alone." He added, shaking his head slowly in response "Primus, I spent upwards to two years fighting just to know where you were. They wouldn't even give me that." He was silent "Eventually, I had to give up." He explained.

"I get it. I guess it was for the best though, eh?" Jake turned to Ratchet slowly "I found Wheeljack. And I still came back here." He explained.

Ratchet smiled finally, but it was faint, yet that was true. He was among those who believed, truthfully, that Jake and Wheeljack had been meant to find each other. He was more than happy just to know Jake was alive and happy, and living near where he could keep an eye on him. "Richard and Amanda would be very happy on both accounts." He explained, Jake turned to him again, smiling a little "They'd be happy that we were together, and they'd be happy you'd found someone who loves you like Wheeljack does." He added.

"I'm glad I found you both if that's the case." Jake smiled a bit "So, what... What were they like?"

Ratchet looked at Jake, thinking through in his processor how to properly respond to the question. "Your Father may as well have been the offspring of Optimus Prime himself. He was a born leader, kind, compassionate, he didn't have a mean bone in his entire body as you would put it." Ratchet explained "He was one of the few people in this world that could calm me down, so-to-speak." He added "Brave too, very much so. Stood up to the President himself on one occasion, when he wanted to terminate the team." He explained.

"And my Mom?" Jake questioned.

Ratchet chuckled a bit, knowing where Jake got his patience now. "Between the two, you remind me the most of her. She was..." Ratchet shook his head "She was really something else, I'll tell you. How would you put it in human terms? A nag?" Jake laughed a little "But also sweet, kind... She went out of her own way to make a bad day better." He shook his head "She was the perfect match for your Father." He added.

"When did she-?" Jake began.

"I discovered that she was pregnant with you four months into your Father's job." Ratchet explained, smiling brightly "Make no mistake, your parents were the happiest beings in the world that day." He explained "I was quite excited myself, I will admit." He shook his head "There aren't many sparklings left, so to think we'd soon be meeting a young human one..." He shook his head "It was really something else." He explained.

"Yeah, well... I'm not quite small and cute anymore." Jake shrugged a bit "But I hope I'll do." He added.

Ratchet smirked, he had to admit, he did like Jake. And could definitely get used to having him around, despite the fact it'd been something he'd definitely been initially against. "I think I can definitely get used to your presence." Ratchet nodded his head a bit "But for now, I must cut our conversation short. I believe you need to be in recharge now, and I have work." He explained.

Jake nodded his head, hopping down to the ground on his feet as it wasn't too high. "But, if I ever have any other questions?" Jake asked quietly.

"Just make sure I'm not in the middle of work."

Jake nodded his head slowly, looking over his shoulder a bit. "Thanks Ratchet, you're a really good guy. No matter what the other guys say." He explained.

As Jake left, Ratchet smiled. "Thanks." He paused a moment "Wait a minute? What DO the others say about me?" He questioned.

...

Jake hadn't been on a normal bed for a while, so to finally sit on his bed felt strange. They'd by now moved out the spare bed and set up a real one for him that they'd transfer to his room when it was ready. It was a decent, queen sized bed, blue comforter, and white colored sheets and pillows, nothing special, but definitely soft, comfy, and inviting. "I still don't get why I need a bedtime." Jake mentioned to Wheeljack, who turned his hed towards him "I mean, come on Dad, I'm sixteen." He added.

"You live under the Autobots roof, you live with my rules, son." Wheeljack snorted a little, Jake frowned a little "I don't think eleven is a bad time for bed, though. You do need your sleep, but it's not like I'm telling you to go to bed at eight." He added.

"Yeah, I wouldn't do that even if you told me to."

Jake grinned a bit, climbing beneath the covers of his bed. He could see Wheeljack prepping his blades, and some other weapons, as well as devices. Jake frowned a little, something that did not go unnoticed by the Wrecker. "I'm on-duty now Jake, remember that?" He asked, politely, Jake nodded his head slowly "Chances are, while you're asleep I may be going out." He added.

"What happens if you're still gone when I'm awake?" Jake questioned.

"One of us has to be here to man the Ground Bridge." Jake nodded his head slowly "They'll handle your stuff that morning."

Jake sighed a bit, he hoped that wouldn't happen, he really did. He didn't like the thought of waking up without Wheeljack being around, he'd worry too much, way too much in fact. Feeling pressure on the bed, he found Wheeljack seated there. "Bud, if I do leave I promise to do everything I can to be home by the time you wake up. I promise." He commented, tugging the covers over him gently "But I do think I have patrol tonight." He added.

"Be careful." Jake told him quietly.

"Always am, son." Wheeljack leaned forward, kissing his forehead gently "I love you bud, now get some sleep and have sweet dreams." He added.

"Love you too, Dad."

The holoform slowly disappeared and Jake was soon left in a dark room. For a moment, he tried to go to sleep, but he couldn't. He had a feeling the first night Wheeljack was on duty would be very hard. Carefully he opened his nearby backpack. Bringing out the one thing that helped Jake to fall asleep. It wasn't much more than a puzzle box that had been left with him at the orphanage. It was odd, but his parents had left it with him so he often tried to solve it. In sixteen years, he'd yet to have any luck, but it wore him out often.

He liked to daydream about what might be inside more often than not. He really had no idea, as much as he wanted to have an idea. It wasn't all that big, but it was intricate, as if it held something extremely important to them. Jake had once thought that perhaps it was a keepsake, a number for a trust fund, something like that. But it did have some weight to it, and something did rattle around in it. It was not big, but it wasn't tiny either, that much he knew.

Sighing quietly, after an hour of playing with it, and failing, Jake set it back into his backpack, and zipping it up. Jake was fast asleep moments later, never shifting once until he heard Wheeljack belittling his footsteps. Though he knew Wheeljack was trying, it was hard to ignore. Jake felt more pressure on the bed, and something gently stroking his hair, most of all, he felt Wheeljack's eyes upon him. He hadn't ever noticed Wheeljack do that since they were on the road, but that night it felt good, very good.

Wheeljack himself smiled gently upon the sleeping boy. There was one night where he kept his promise, at least, he told himself. Now he just had to work on doing it like that every night, and hopefully, nothing would go wrong. Sighing a bit, he took a deep breath, aware that Fowler would be checking on them the next day to see how Jake was making progress. He had to admit, he was nervous, Fowler wasn't the social worker, but he may as well have been at this point. He could take Jake away as easily as one of them could, and he knew it.

"Goodnight, Jacob." Wheeljack whispered, laying a final kiss on the boy's head "I'll see you in the morning."

His holoform disappeared and the mech quietly stretched a bit. He couldn't face Fowler on little recharge, and at four in the morning, he needed the seven hours he had to do so. Quietly moving onto his berth, Wheeljack let his body relax, and his optics dim until he'd entered his recharge cycle. Tomorrow was definitely a big day for him and Jake, but he'd be ready for it.