*Alister's P.O.V*
I never realized just how many hints Ratchet had given me during our initial partnership about how much he concerned himself with things from the past. I knew I should have looked for him sooner instead of being blinded by my own desires of wanting the lombaxes back but at the time I hadn't known he'd been alive. Nobody really knew how to care for a lombax as we were a pretty solitary race preferring to keep in one sector. I know now that he had assumed he had been the only lombax left for years having no knowledge of where we went or why he had been left behind. The way he had to find out was through an enemy that wanted him dead.
Tachyon was a menace and there was no telling just how much he may have done to Ratchet mentally and physically and then there was the fact of the matter of the zoni taking Clank shortly after the battle with Tachyon leaving Ratchet wondering if his best friend was alive or dead for two long years. Ratchet likely never talked to anyone about his traumas and that has left him scarred in more ways then one.
Even in my hold I could feel heavy scarring under his shirt without even having to see them which inwardly made me both angry though also impressed that Ratchet's still going despite how big some of the scars felt. I didn't dare overstep my bounds right now as our relationship was still very new and full of mysteries of each others lives before now. I knew there were things Ratchet didn't wish to talk about right now and I respected that and I knew like everyone else He needs his space and I get that. His life has been a very interesting one for a while but, im hoping now that the whole clock thing is done ratchet can relax and enjoy life without fearing he will be killed every second of the day.
Soon enough me and Ratchet ended the hug and gave each other gentle nuzzles to reassure one another that we were there and weren't going anywhere soon which I know was a concern of his. From what I've gathered not having Clank for two years had possibly sent Ratchet down a self destructive path and if it hadn't been for his friends he may have done the irreversible and wouldn't be here now.
Just thinking about him not being here hurt more than I thought it would and made me regret that I even had any thoughts on killing him back in the clock just because he didn't want to test the limits and was actually the logical one and listened to his best friend. If it would have succeeded I would have been responsible for far more deaths then I could count and would of doomed any chance of saving the remaining lombaxes where ever they may be now. They are hopefully safer where they were now compared to our home dimension.
It became very obvious that we as a species were still being hunted if Vorsalon and Nefarious were any indication and though that backstabbing craigmite was likely no longer a threat I can't help but, have a feeling something will get between me and Ratchet that will mean life or death which meant unfortunately I still had to keep my guard up and do all I can to keep Ratchet safe even if it cost me my life to do so.