Honest fact: I made a promise to my youngest cousin when he was born (and to my oldest cousin, but I'll explain that another time), that he would never have to get vaccines alone. I'd held his tiny hands when he was only minutes old, when he got them, and I promised he'd never be alone. July 15, his mom took him and his older brother, and left his sister (the oldest) with me. I feel so bad about that. Poor little guy…


"Normal Talk"

"Bee's Talk"

"Bee's Talk Holoform"

"Other Side Over the Phone (Comms)"

'Thoughts'

~Bond communication~

~Telepathic communication~


Vaccines

Week and a Half Later, Ratchet's POV

It's been a couple weeks since Mariposa's birthday. I'm once again almost month in—three weeks, to be exact—and so far things have been going well. With any luck, things will continue to go this well.

It has been brought to my attention that human children require vaccinations after six months of age. Since I hadn't known, Mariposa is now six months behind, I had Agent Fowler make an appointment for her to get her required shots.

"Dada! Up!"

I smile at my daughter in her light green sleeper with a pink floral print and pink collar and cuffs. "Good morning, Mari." I walk over and hand her a "Daddy's Girl" pacifier, which quickly finds it's way into her mouth.

"Baba?"

"Not until you're dressed, Sweetspark. You know that." I sigh before changing her and dressing her in a light pink short sleeved onesie with a red daisy, red pants, and a yellow pullover sweatshirt with a red collar and a white daisy print, with red daisy sandals and her tiara, then fix her bottle and hand it to her before carrying her into the main room. I set her into her new fenced area and switch on the TV to a show we can both tolerate before turning back to the computers. I learned early on that she's scared of the characters on one of the children's shows.

Mariposa plays, the TV simply being background noise.


Three Hours Later

I carry Mariposa into my room and feed her, then lay her down for her nap with her energon bottle before returning to work in the main room. I have to have this done before I have to leave for Mariposa's appointment.


One Hour Later

I get Mariposa up and change her before dressing her in a yellow cap sleeved dress with a black bow on the left side of the waist and two daisies as pockets, black leggings with a daisy print, and white daisy sandals. Once she's dressed, I set her in her play area and pack a small bag for our trip. I clip a solid pacifier with "Princess" onto her clip and attach it to her dress, then find the stroller Maya had bought for her.

"Baba?"

"Just a minute, Mari." I fill a bottle and hand it to her.

She eyes the bag wairily. "Go?"

"You need to see a doctor."

"Why?"

I sigh heavily. I don't want her to be afraid. "It's just for a checkup."

She gives me a look. I know what it means. I'm a doctor, and I've handled her checkups as much as I can. Except for the two days when she was hospitalized, I've handled her medical care personally.

I have Arcee help me get her settled in my vehicle mode, then take off for town.


Health Department, Ratchet's POV

I activate my holoform and take out the stroller before getting Mariposa secured in the seat. Once she is, I pull the canopy over her head and put her bag in the bin underneath before starting to walk to the other side of the thankfully small town.

I push the stroller inside before signing her in and waiting in one of the chairs.

"Marianne?"

I stand and follow her back to the room with Mariposa.

The nurse flips through the paperwork I had given her. "She's six months behind on her vaccinations."

I sigh softly. "I'm adopting her. She's my first child. I didn't know they were required until a friend of mine mentioned getting them for his daughter."

She looks like she wants to say more, but holds back. "Marianne will be getting seven vaccines. That will get her caught up, but you have to keep on top of these. They'll keep her healthy."

"I understand." Who does she think she is, lecturing a doctor on the importance of vaccinations? Of course I know how important they are! I learned that when Agent Fowler first brought them up! I shake my head and unbuckle Mariposa from the stroller.

The nurse walks back in with seven needles contained in a tray. "Hold her still for me."

I do my best to comply, but hearing her scream as they give each vaccine almost tears my spark in half. Once she's finally done, I give Mariposa her pacifier, then turn her around and hold her.

"I expect to see you again in six months." The nurse hands her a sticker before leaving the room.

"It's all right, Sweetspark. She's done now. You don't need to get them done again for several months."

She looks up at me with tears in her eyes.

"I know they're no fun, but if they keep you healthy, then it's worth it."


Base, Ratchet's POV

I feed Mariposa her lunch before tucking her into her crib with her energon bottle. Once she's down, I return to the main room, grumbling the entire way about some of the humans on this planet we've been forced to live on. I have to keep my voice down, since I know Electro is recharging, but with Mariposa down as well, it's actually not too hard.

"Is something wrong, Old Friend?"

I turn to find Optimus standing at the monitors with Sunset in his arms, and sigh. "The slagging nurse thought I was an idiot and made Mari cry."

Optimus turns to me, obviously confused. "I am afraid I do not understand."

"Agent Fowler made me take Mari in to get her vaccinations. I didn't know they were necessary for human children, and the nurse acted like I was an idiot because of it. Then she proceeded to use my thirteen-month-old baby as a pincushion." I shake my head. "I may not have the best berth-side manner, but I don't use sparklings and younglings as pincushions as a general rule. She does it for a living!"

"I am sure there is a valid reason for her choice of career."

"I'm not—Optimus, she looked like she was enjoying causing my little one pain. She's no better than the abusers I saved Mari from!" I sigh heavily. "I know I shouldn't be complaining. At least I know that she's going to be healthy, but I can't stand to hear her cry like that."

Optimus glances to Sunset, who has started to drift off during our conversation. "I need to get her into her berth."

I nod. "Thanks for watching the comms… And listening to me complain."

"It was no problem."


Ratchet's Berth Room, 2:00 pm, Ratchet's POV

I look up when Mariposa starts to cry, then shift into my holoform and pick her up. I then grab her pacifier and slip it into her mouth.

"Dada."

I hug her gently. "It's all right, Little One. I'm right here." I change her and dress her in a light blue short sleeved dress with a daisy border on the bodice, light blue pants, white socks, and light blue Mary Jane shoes with daisy shaped cut-outs. I return to my normal form and start for the door only to almost run into Bumblebee.

"Can I play with her?"

I sigh. "She's a little cranky right now, Bumblebee. Agent Fowler made me get her vaccinated earlier today."

"Oh… I can cheer her up for you."

"Not right now, Bumblebee. I'm barely keeping her from throwing things."

"Like you always do?"

I roll my eyes. "I'm not in the mood for this right now." I sigh before pushing past him and continuing to the main room. Once there I set Mariposa into her fence and return to the monitors. If I wasn't under so much stress right now, I'd turn back and apologize for pushing him, but I've got to worry about Mariposa, and try to get my own volatile emotions under control before Optimus or Agent Fowler show up.


Nightfall, Ratchet's POV

I change Mariposa and dress her in a white sleeper with a light pink floral print and light pink collar and cuffs, then tuck her into her crib with a bottle. She reaches up to me and whimpers, causing me to sigh. "Just this once, Mari." I lift her out of the crib with her blanket and teddy bear. "We can't make a habbit of this. I could squish you far too easily." I lay her in my berth before climbing in beside her, letting her cuddle into my side.


2:00 am

I groan when I hear Mariposa crying beside me. "What's wrong, Little One?" I sigh heavily. She feels a little warm. "I thought that nurse said those would keep you healthy." I pick her up and head into the main room. We may have the ability to look things up with our processors, but with the signal dampeners I've set up to shield the base, I can't get a connection. "I've got to get a computer set up in my berth room."

I sigh and lay her in her old playpen before running my scanner over her. After I run over the results, I turn to my computer and look into why her temperature would be elevated. "Vaccines have side effects?" I skim through the ones she got before wincing. "Some of these seem dangerous…" I glance to Mariposa. "But, the benefits outweigh the risks, and I don't want to lose my Mari."

I head back into my berth room with Mari, and lay her in my berth before climbing in with her. I still need to recharge. After having to leave the twins, then losing my little one on Cybertron, I never thought I'd get to be a parent, and now I have my little Mariposa, and Bumblebee. It's great being a creator.