Ultra Magnus let Ratchet be on leave for ten millenniums for that is what Ratchet asked for. Arcee wondered why he didn't take forever, but he just told her his friends would eventually need him again and he enjoyed saving people. Arcee asked him what it was like to save a Decepticon seeing how Ratchet told her about his torture years. All Ratchet said is it was like betraying his very spark knowing that Decepticon you just saved could very well be the murderer of your best friend.
Arcee helped a LOT with Ratchet's mental recovery. Ultra Magnus kept a close optic on him and was pleased that the two helped each other along in life. Ratchet had also helped with Omega Supreme's mental grief. Once he learned he was alive he couldn't wait to see him. When Ratchet told him what happened to him all the years he was gone Omega Supreme became angered and swore to kill just as many Decepticons as Megatron did Autobot Medics, but Ratchet stopped him only tell him that if he did he'd be no different than Megatron himself.
Omega Supreme understood and so decided to just be an Autobot and be happy that Ratchet, his best friend, was alive and well. He didn't know what he'd do without him. Ratchet saw though how much he couldn't handle it and so smiled and promised never to fall for a fake Autobot again. They just laughed at it no matter how much Ratchet hated bringing it up.
The old wounds hurt him deeply. Mentally and physically. No one knew how strong he was dealing with so much death and angony. No one would ever be as strong as Ratchet in that area.
Never before has an Autobot P.O.W. survived that long and live to tell the tale. Certainly he'd be remembered and read about by younglings for a long time to come. This is not what Ratchet wanted. He wanted to live peacefully now with his friends.
He wanted to act like it never happened even though he knew he could never forget something as horrible as that. Keeping his mind on Arcee helped though and every day he'd see her whether she was working or not. He was glad to see how well off she was. She loved sparklings and loved him.
Those two kept her at peace. Every evening Ratchet would take her out somewhere. She was a miracle herself. None ever thought she'd recover to this capability, seeing how she managed on her own with just a mech inspiring her to smile and she him.
The two were made for each other and Ratchet seemed to be seeing this. Arcee thought the same thing, but waited till Ratchet himself saw it before she said it. She wanted to know for sure he felt the same about her even though she knew, in her spark, he did. One of the places she loved to go the most with Ratchet was the picnic sight he took her before he left for war.
She loved being so alone with Ratchet and so did he with her. There was not another femme he'd rather be with. Slag, he never thought he'd ever be seeing a femme, much-less an old victim of his accident. He loved her to death though and very soon he wanted her to know this.
Many would see the two walking hand-in-hand down the streets just not saying a word. Each smiling like they had something sweet to say to one another, but were saying it mentally. They were quite a cute couple seeing how they were veterans and have been through much in their times in the Great War. Ratchet going through the most breaking, but still pulling through to just hold his love's hand.
As they walked down a street one day Ratchet began to speak to Arcee about many things, and some personal.
"Arcee," he started.
"Yes, What is it Ratchet?" she asked with a smile casting her loving optics on him.
"What do you think about us?" asked Ratchet.
"Well," blushed Arcee. "It depends what you think I say."
"Tell me," said Ratchet.
"Well," started Arcee shaking her head and looking down at the ground they walked on. "I think we're lucky."
"Lucky huh?" said Ratchet with a smile.
"Very," said Arcee wrapped her two arms around his right arm and laying her head on his shoulder.
"I feel the same," sighed Ratchet shaking his head.
And so they walked for a bit and then Ratchet had stopped all of the sudden. Arcee looked up wondering why and when she turned and looked at Ratchet she asked-
"Why have we stopped Ratchet?"
"There's . . . something I've been meaning to say," said Ratchet bowing his head whether in grief or sadness Arcee didn't know.
Arcee was afraid of what it was being how Ratchet looked and acted. He did something was least expected to Arcee. He took her hand in his and knelt down on one knee looking up at her with soft optics and a smile.
"Will you bond with me Arcee?" he asked knowing now was the time.
Arcee covered her mouth with her free hand and just couldn't speak. Ratchet could tell she was smiling and that her spark was over flowing with emotion as her body swayed in disbelief yet joy. She then uncovered her mouth revealed that smile Ratchet knew was coming and joyfully said as she shook her head-
"Yes Ratchet! YES I'll bond with you!! OH YES!!"
At the 'OH YES' Ratchet stood and she threw herself on him hugging him so tightly and rejoicing in happiness. Ratchet held her close and thanked Primus she said yes and that He gave him someone like her. Arcee didn't care if there were others around she wanted to everyone to know how much she loved this mech.
"OH I LOVE YOU SO MUCH RATCHET!!" she cried out in happiness as joy overwhelmed her very being.
"And I love you Arcee!" said Ratchet being the happiest mech on the planet.
She said yes! She said YES! was all that was running through his mind. Ratchet couldn't stop himself from smothering her with kisses. Arcee gladly received them though. They stayed there for the longest time till Ratchet let go of Arcee and took her hand in his and smiled before he took off running with her so they can go tell their friends and prepare the bonding ceremony.
The very next day Ratchet came to Omega Supreme telling him about the news and so he shared in Ratchet's joy.
"You're getting BONDED?!" he said with that large smile of his.
"Yea, and I'd be I'd be proud if you'd do me the honor in being my best mech," said Ratchet with a smile.
"YOU BET I WILL!!" said Omega Supreme bendind down to him.
"Um, Question here," said Bumblebee raising his hand. "Who is this Omega Supreme character?"
"Weren't you LISTENING?!" asked Ratchet poking his head out.
"He's Ratchet best friend, like you and me Bumblebee," said Bulkhead. "Expect, he's a LOT bigger seeing how he's a Guardian."
"Oh, okay," said Bumblebee. "How long have you known the big guy?"
"Ever since Protoform school . . . ehhh, protoform school. Worst years ever," said Ratchet remembering.
FLASHBACK
"Give it back you slagheads!!" spat a youngling Ratchet trying to get his schooling belongings away from the local bullies who seemed to upgrade faster than him being inches higher than him.
"Oh you got a mouth," they chuckled holding it in front of him. "What's the magic word?"
"NOW!!" he cried out in his tiny voice.
"Mech, you are so dumb!" they laughed at him.
"I'll have you know I'm going to be an Autobot medic and when I do I'll be sure to disconnect your leg and shove it up you AFT!!" growled the feisty little Ratchet.
Soon enough their laughing stopped as a dark shadow engulfed them all. The bullies just looked up with wide optics and soon dropped Ratchet's belongings and ran away.
"Let's get out of here!" they cried running off like a bunch of sparklings.
"You better run!!" warned Ratchet gathering up his belongings.
"Um . . . excuse me," came an abnormally deep voice to be heard around school.
"Huh?" turned Ratchet looking up at the large mech.
In his largs fingers he held some directions he seemd to not know how to use and so asked-
"Do you know where the Guardian classes are?"
"Yea, they're down there," said Ratchet pointing. "Are you sure you're even a protoform?"
"Oh yes," he said shaking his head. "When I upgrade I'm gonna be a Guardian."
"I'm gonna be an Autobot Medic!" said Ratchet standing up and smiling.
"Then maybe we'll see each other," said large bot with a smile.
"I'm Ratchet," he said extending his hand.
"I'm Omega!" he said so happy and smiley as he took his finger down to Ratchet to shake. "Omega Supreme."
"Nice to meet you Omega," said Ratchet with a smile. "Thanks for chasing away those fragafts."
"Huh!" gasped Omega never hearing just profanity before in his life.
"What can I say," said Ratchet holding out his hands. "I was raised around warriors."
"Oh . . . I see," said Omega.
They then heard the siren to go to class and so Ratchet ran off, but stopped and turned to him saying-
"You coming?"
"Oh, right," said Omega following the little one to class.
END FLASHBACK
"We've been best friends ever since," said Ratchet with a smile. "We went through upgrades together, schooling holograms, don't ask for me to show you one."
"Wasn't gonna," said Bumblebee.
Ratchet gave him the evil optic before he continued saying-
"He was the only mech in school that large. Most other Guardians are raised in Iacon. Our town was pretty small, but not as small as some. The dancers were fun though, but poor Omega Supreme, no one wanted to dance with him for he was so big and so I assisted him."
FLASHBACK
"Would you like to dance?" asked Omega bending down to a femme who sat down.
"No," she said.
"Would you like to dance?" he asked another.
"No," she said.
"How 'bout you?" he asked.
"Frag off!" she spat at him.
"Oh . . . okay," he said bowing his head and walking away.
"I'll dance with ya," came a familiar voice.
Omega looked down and saw his buddy Ratchet just smiling at him. Omega smiled and shook his head saying-
"Okay."
And so the two young mech got out on the dance floor and began to get jiggy with it, but just as soon as they began to break out their 'best' moves a femme came over and asked Ratchet to dance.
"Okay," said Ratchet smiling forgetting all about Omega.
"Ratchet where are you-?" started Omega but realized he had been abandoned. "Hhh . . . do you wanna dance?"
"No!" said the femme walking away.
"Okay," sighed Omega Supreme bowing his head.
END FLASHBACK
"We were as close as brothers. Heck we even got into trouble, but I was always there to bail him out," said Ratchet remembering.
FLASHBACK
"SLAG!! It's the Bops!" said Ratchet looking out of Omega's window from the driver's side.
B.O.P. ('Bots On Patrol) Cops in other words.
"We weren't speeding were we?!" asked Omega afraid of getting a ticket on his perfect record.
"Frag yea!" said Ratchet jumping out of him and taking a sprint for it. "You're on your own!"
"UH! Ratchet wait I can't have a ti-" started Omega, but it was too late, the bops were already upon him giving him the hard stare. "Heh, heh, hi officer."
END FLASHBACK
"Duh, well . . . sorta," said Ratchet scratching his chin. "Now were was I? Oh yes . . ."
It was only a matter of months till the big day was nearly there. Ratchet and Arcee wanted to be bonded as quick as possible still having that small fear they were about to lose another in some way. Just one more week until it. Ratchet and Arcee seemed to not have been able to keep their hands off one another.
They knew they'd better keep their distance before they ruin the bonding night for themselves. Ratchet couldn't help it though. He loved her so much and so in order to keep the two in line their friends would plan events with them alone. Like Omega would take Ratchet out somewhere and and Arcee's femme friends would take her out somewhere.
One day thought Ratchet managed to get Arcee alone all to himself. He took her on a picnic just like before and at the same spot. It had become their little secret spot to meet to get away from their friends and be together. Once there they had begun to get a little 'intimint'.
Ratchet was on top of Arcee as he just smothered her with kisses letting his glossa find hers in a very close and passionate embrace. Arcee had wrapped her legs around Ratchet's waist and her arms around his back every now and then she'd carress up and down it. She enjoyed Ratchet holding her like this, but she knew if they continued this there bonding night wouldn't be so special after all. Ratchet's hand began to drift up under her armor and so she moaned out to him saying-
"Ratchet . . . I don't think we should continue."
At that Ratchet realized what he was doing and, no matter how much he wanted to be one with her right then and there, stopped. He got up off her and apologized. She just giggled as she sat up and straightened her armor. Ratchet did the same a bit and just looked at her for a short moment.
"What?" asked Arcee as she finished straightening her armor.
"I still can't get over the fact with how beautiful you are," said Ratchet with a smile full of so much young love.
Arcee just turned her head and blushed. Ratchet always said things like this to make her feel so wanted. Ratchet then placed his hand under her chin and pulled her closer to were she fell on him with a kiss. Ratchet leaned back and laid down gently as he wrapped his arms around his promised.
Arcee's small hands rested on Ratchet's collar plates slightly tugging as she kissed Ratchet so deeply. Ratchet's hand slid up her back and rested on the back of her head to push her closer and deeper. Arcee's hands soon moved to the sides of Ratchet's face and then she began to rain kisses down his face and neck.
"Arcee," moaned Ratchet very much enjoying the sensations of her kisses upon his sensative wires.
"Yes?" she moaned back just wanting to be held closer.
Ratchet then took hold of the back of her head and pulled her back to tell her something.
"Let's get bonded, right here, right now," he said. "I can't wait another day being without you. I need you."
Arcee's spark began to beat faster as Ratchet said this. She then smiled and laid her head on his chest saying-
"What would our friends say then? We've already planned a beautiful bonding ceremony."
"But I need you now Arcee," said Ratchet.
Arcee perked up head up at him and just smiled as she softly kissed his on the lips and then looking into his optics said-
"Not now. If we stop being so intimate you can probably control yourself more."
She then said up and situated herself again saying-
"The same goes for me."
Ratchet had lost. He sat up and just smiled. He was ready to spend the rest of eternity with her. Each one knowing the other very well. Not keeping any secret from the other.
At that something sharp his Ratchet in his spark. At first he thought it was just an old war wound, but then, as he looked at her, he knew it was the truth nudging him to tell her. If they wanted to keep no secret from the other he had to tell her.
"Arcee," sighed Ratchet casting his optics down in shame.
"What is it Ratchet?" asked Arcee seeing his downward mood. "What's wrong?"
"I've . . . lied to you Arcee," he said still not being able to look at her.
"What do you mean?" she asked sitting up straight. "Have you . . . have you known another femme?"
"No, no" said Ratchet shaking his head and slowly looking at her. "It's not that it's . . . something else. Something that happened a long time ago."
"Is it Megatron?" she asked.
"No, not him," said Ratchet. "Do you remember that story I told you about losing that Intelligence Officer?"
"Yes why?" asked Arcee.
"Well I never really lost them," he said casting his optics down a bit. "My EMP accidentally erased their memory. That was why I never forgave myself."
"Oh my Primus," she gasped. "What ever happened to them?"
"I . . . I tried to go make peace with them," he said. "But they couldn't remember the fragger who ruined their whole like to where it was like they never had one!"
"No, no," said Arcee. "I'm sure they'd forgive you."
"I never asked because I was told not to and . . . too afraid," he said looking at her.
"Then ask," said Arcee.
"I'm not sure I can because that Intelligence Officer . . . was you," he finally admitted.
At that Arcee's optics widened and her mouth opened as well as her breathing began to become heavier and heavier. Ratchet now thought she'd never forgive him even though she couldn't remember it.
"I know I should have told you but I-" started Ratchet until he noticed Arcee's optics scanning everything.
"R-ratchet?" she asked like she remembered him from long ago.
"Arcee?!" gasped Ratchet his optics becoming so wide from the fact he might have caused her to remember. "Do you . . . do you remember?!"
"Yes . . ." she gasped almost in a whisper. "Yes I do!"
Ratchet's smile began so wide, but in a split moment it vanished in horror. Did she remember now the time they spent together and the years after her forgetting?! Did she even know she was promised to him.
"Ratchet . . . Ratchet what's wrong?" she asked. "Shouldn't you be happy? I can REMEMBER!!"
"Yes that's good but . . ." started Ratchet his spark sinking.
At that Arcee knew what was wrong. She sighed and dropped her shoulders as she looked at him softly.
"Does this mean . . . you're no longer promised to me? Did you have another?" asked Ratchet.
Arcee just smiled as she leaned in and gave him a soft and slow kiss. Once her lips were her own again she smiled and said-
"No Ratchet, I'll always be yours."
Ratchet couldn't control himself then. He grabbed her by the waist and squeezed her as close as he could to himself. Arcee's arms wrapped around Ratchet's neck as she smiled. Ratchet then knew she remembered EVERYTHING, including the years they spent together.
Ratchet then shoved his lips on her and they kissed passionately. Arcee's instinct automatically made her wrap her legs around his waist as the sun set and the star began to come out. Ratchet's hands kept on Arcee's hips and the more he caressed her the more she tightened her thighs. Ratchet then broke the kiss quickly and looked at her heaving heavily.
Her optics scanned his wondering why he stopped. His face then became serious as he stood up with her saying-
"We're getting bonded now!"
"Alright," said Arcee kissing him quickly just wanting to hold him, but Ratchet broke it again to speak.
"Go get your friends, I'll go get mine."
"Alright!" she said as he let her go and she sped off to get her femme's of honor.
Ratchet took off to get Omega Supreme. They didn't have to have a large bonding ceremony, but if they didn't get bonded now anything goes with him. And so they returned and came back with their friends and priest 'bot. They were married then and there and all rejoiced.
The cerimony went by a little quick and their friends only wondered why. Just as soon as Ratchet asked Omega to take them home quickly they all laughed and understood. They just couldn't control themselves. Omega did what Ratchet wanted and dropped them off at his place.
There they quickly found a berth room and unlatched their armor. As Arcee waited for Ratchet both became calmer realizing how special this night was going to be. Ratchet joined her side and just smiled. He gently touched her face and then kissed her.
Arcee wrapped her left leg around Ratchet's waist and just tightened, but Ratchet placed his hand on her thigh pushing her off a bit and said trying to calm her down-
"Just take it slow Arcee. We have all night."
Arcee just smiled and nuzzled his nose. She did what he said and enjoyed it a whole lot longer. Ratchet was as gentle on her as could be and she was on him. Both never felt so bonded and close to anyone as one another.
