Note: In my mind from what I have collected from TFP Ratchet and Optimus are pretty, fricken close best friends. They are practically brothers. Again in my opinion. In my "universe" Optimus and Ratchet have been friends since they were sparklings. Growing up together and have remained close friends. The reason I note this is to give you a better context in this chapter. I DO NOT SHIP OPTIMUS AND RACTHET! I find that concept weird and gross. Anyway enjoy! Airreon Princess, I am building up to the concept we discussed via PM :) I think it will add an excellent element to the story!

Jack's mind seemed to take over. The last thing he truly remembered was a giant spider coming into the screen. Everything went back. Not Black. Back. Back to that day. He heard and saw her clear as day. She was laughing. Acid was dripping from her mouth.

"Hello Jack."

He tried to get away. "No. Stay back!" he screamed. He was clawing and grabbing. Desperately trying to escape. She would never hurt him again.

Optimus looked sharply at Miko; his voice harsher then intended. "Miko turn that off now!"

Miko flinched. She quickly grabbed the remote and turned the tv off. Jack had backed himself into the railing. He was clutching onto the railing with his hand. His body falling, slowly sliding downward. His eyes were wide and wild.

Arcee came up to him. "Jack!"

Ratchet gently moved her out of the way, he came up behind Jack. Optimus was motionless. He wanted to help Jack but wasn't sure how. Jack at this moment was still cold towards him. He stepped back slightly, eyeing the others to do the same so Ratchet could work.

"Jackson. You need to calm down. Listen to my voice. Follow it. What you are seeing is a memory it's not happening."

Jack felt like his heart was going to explode from fear. He couldn't back away anymore. His back was against a wall. Airachnid was getting closer. He was shaking. He was too afraid to scream now.

"No. Please. Stop! I can't take anymore!"

"Jackson."

Jack gulped. Behind Airachnid there was a voice.

"Jackson. You need to calm down."

Jack was shaking. "I… I can't…. I am trapped."

"No, you are not. I'm here. Listen to my voice. What ever you are seeing it can't hurt you."

Jack blinked quickly. "She's right in front of me…. I can't escape."

Optimus watched with a breaking spark as Jack was on the floor now. His back was smashed up against the railing. He was shaking violently; he was soaked with sweat. He glanced at Miko and Raph who were in a stunned silence. Ratchet was remaining oddly calm. Despite the winces and gasps from Bulkhead and Bumblebee. Arcee was off to his side. Her hands clasped up to her face. She was tapping her leg anxiously.

"Jack. Remember you are safe. You aren't in danger."

Ratchet was right behind Jack. He was speaking in a low reassuring and comforting tone. He was slowly moving his hands towards Jack. Stopping them whenever the boy flinched or jumped. "Easy. Jack."

Jack couldn't take much more, his body was screaming at him to stop freaking out. His eyes were bloodshot red. His body was flushed from his blood pressure being so high. He closed his eyes. "Help me Ratchet!" He screamed.

Ratchet reached forward picking up Jack. Jack was whimpering, his body was shaking. Ratchet gently held him in cupped hands, his thumb rubbing Jacks back in an attempt to calm him down.

Jack was breathing heavily, his lungs burned from the excessive labor. His head was spinning. He felt cool metal hands wrap around him. His body tensed. "No!" He cried. He wanted fight back but couldn't. He kept his eyes closed. If anything, he at least wouldn't see the blow coming. He laid on his side shaking. A metal thumb began to rub his back slowly. A sensation of cool flooded Jack. He could feel the sweat. An overwhelming feeling of security washed over him, his heart rate was slowly slowing.

Optimus wanted to breathe a sigh of relief but waited. Ratchet seemed to be calming the boy. He wasn't shaking nearly as much, and his shoulders were heaving less. Jack was whimpering now. His hand covered his face. Ratchet looked up at all of them.

"He'll be okay." His face showed differently but he carefully carried Jack over to his medical bay. Optimus felt the tension in his shoulders release. He looked over at Miko. She looked horrified at what just happened.

"Miko."

Optimus made sure to soften his voice. Miko looked up at him.

"I apologize for my previous tone. I was not angry with you. I was merely concerned for Jackson. I should not have yelled at you."

Miko smiled. "Its okay OP. I understand. It freaked me out more what was happening to Jack."

Optimus smiled. "Ratchet will take care of him." Optimus looked over to the med bay. Ratchet was holding Jack like a sparkling. Jacks body was placed against his chest where his spark was. Ratchet was using his other hand to work on something, no doubt Jacks arm. While the other hand cradled him.

"I have to say this whole thing with Jack has brought out a side of Ratchet I didn't know existed."

Arcee spoke in a hushed tone to Optimus. Optimus looked at her with a smirk.

"Ratchet is an exceptional Medic. Human or Cybertronian, he has an ability to help unlike any other medic I have encountered."

Arcee scoffed with a smirk. "His bedside manner could use a touch up."

"He's a field medic Arcee. Bedside manner is moot on the battlefield."

"If the two of you are going to talk about me either speak louder so everyone can hear or go out earshot."

Ratchet didn't even look up as he yelled across the base. Arcee crossed her arms.

"One might say he has super hearing. Are you sure he wasn't a decepticon experiment?"

She looked over at Ratchet who shot a glare up to her. He was still cradling Jack who appeared to be asleep.

"I've always had exceptional hearing thank you."

Optimus just shook his head with a smirk. He had seen Ratchet care for patients with PTSD, limb loss, depression, etc. etc. He seemed to especially excel with those who were like Jack. Struggling with PTSD after a traumatic event.

Ratchet just shook his head. Curse his hearing. It had definitely been useful at times but then there had been those times when he had heard things, he wished he hadn't. Jack moved slightly with a moan. Ratchet looked down. Jack was curled up in his hand. His head leaning on the medics chest where his spark was. Jack had passed out shortly after Ratchet had picked him up. The poor kid.

Ratchet had found out with Cybertronians when one of them was suffering like Jack was it always helped to have someone around, they loved, a friend or a family member. Someone who could be there for them. Holding their hand, hugging them, touching their shoulder. Any form of touch from someone they trusted seemed to calm them down.

Sparklings loved to be laid on their mothers chest where they could hear her spark. Some of the sparklings he had dealt with, especially during the war were orphaned or their parents were hurt. He had found that it calmed the stress ridden sparklings, even the hurt ones to hold them like he was holding Jack.

He smirked to himself. Jack wasn't a sparkling, but he was small enough that Ratchet could hold him like one. He worked with his other hand on Jacks arm. It was a little harder to use just one arm, in a way he was realizing what Jack had to learn.

"Ratchet?"

Ratchet snapped his head up. He must had zoned out. "Optimus?"

Ratchet raised an eyebrow. "Is Jackson okay?"

Ratchet nodded looking down at him. "He passed out. I am employing a technique I learned with some sparklings in my care during the war. It seems to work for humans."

Optimus smiled. "Age wise on Cybertron they would be considered sparklings."

Ratchet chuckled slightly. "Indeed. Its both interesting and devastating the short life span of humans. They are so much smaller then us and yet their lives are so short."

Optimus nodded. "To them, their life spans are long. I have seen their faces when they are told of our life spans. Its as if that length of time alive is inconceivable to them."

"Have you ever told them how old you are?"

Optimus blinked at him; a smirk played on his face. "No. Have you?"

Ratchet scoffed. "Absolutely not. If they asked, I would let you go first and then depending on their response to you would determine whether at that moment I would be older or younger then you."

Optimus put his hands on his hips. "You would lie?" He asked the question seriously but with more amused tone then condescending.

Ratchet looked over at the kids. "I said it depends. Have the others told them?"

Optimus looked over his shoulder. "I do not know. I would have to imagine so."

"We all know you're older then Optimus…"

Ratchet looked down to his cupped hand. He had forgotten that Jack was there. Jack was smiling slightly but he said curled up. His head and hand placed against Ratchet chest. His speech was slow and tired, but conveyed amusement.

"And just how do you know that?" Ratchet quipped. Jack shifted slightly.

"Arcee told me. And no, she never told me her age. That's generally not a question you ask a woman. At least on this planet, they tend to get offended."

Optimus was smirking. His arms crossed over his chest. Granted he wasn't that much younger then Ratchet, the two of them had been pretty much welded at the hip since they were kids. At time he forgot that Ratchet had known him for so long. There really wasn't much about Optimus that Ratchet didn't know.

"Arcee!"

Ratchet called over for the femme. She practically trotted over, a smile on her face when Ratchet handed her Jack.

"Be gentle." Ratchet hissed. "He's still a little out of it. And don't discuss it yet. Let him rest. We'll talk about it later."

Arcee nodded. Jack looked up at her. "Sorry if I scared you."

"I was more worried about you."

"I'll be okay. I would tell you about it, but Ratchet seemed pretty adamant I not."

Arcee smirked placing Jack back on the human area. He stumbled over the sofa.

"Yeah. Best to listen."

Arcee looked a Miko. "You have any movies that don't have…"

She glanced at Jack, she had to watch her wording. "certain creatures that are enormous in size?"

Miko smirked. She reached into bag. "Big Bang Theory. It's a sitcom. No…uh…. Things or aircraft noises… I think…. If there is, I'll turn it off."

Jack smiled; he closed his eyes. He was exhausted. He didn't care what she put on. He wasn't going to stay awake anyway.