Chapter Fifteen

Moongaze walked into the command centre hoping only Skybolt was there, luck was not with her as she not only saw Skybolt but Prime, Prowl, Jazz, Ironhide and…Ratchet she thought sadly as she looked him.

"Everything okay, Moongaze?" Skybolt asked slightly worried.

"Hm?" she replied as she looked over at the airliner "oh! Yes, I need to speak to you." Trying hard not to blush as she realised she had been staring at the medic, Skybolt gave a nod and they both headed out.

"What?" Ratchet asked as he saw how the others were looking at him.

Jazz smiled and shook his head while Prime and Ironhide both gave a small chuckle, only Prowl looked at him slightly confused and asked, "Is there something between the two of you, Ratchet?"

The medic gave a small growl, "no Prowl, there is not." Crossing his arms over his chest and looking away from the tactician.

"What did you want to see me about?" the HIT leader asked.

"Actually I wanted to see our team, I was hoping you were alone so we could all gather."

"You didn't find her." He stated.

She shook her head, "they finally got her. I failed, just like I did on my other mission."

Skybolt lay a hand on her shoulder, "that wasn't your fault."

"Yeah whatever." she muttered and looked away.

"Let's go get the others." He said softly.

"Are you sure you looked everywhere?" Tazer asked worriedly. They'd all gathered in the back of the rec room.

"Are you doubting me?" the Ford asked annoyed narrowing her optics slightly at the mech.

"Tazer didn't say that, Gaze, he just wants to be sure you didn't miss anything being how worried you were during your search." Surefire said calmly.

Moongaze sighed and looked down, "your right. Sorry Tazer."

"If they do have her all we have to do is go over there and kick their afts," Chaser stated "like we did last time."

"This is going to be more difficult than last time, Chaser." Skybolt told the helicopter.

"Meaning?" the yellow and black mech asked.

"They'll no doubt use her against us, since they know we'd never do anything to harm her safety." The airliner stated.

"He does have a point." Cruiser said as Chaser gave a nod.

"I failed you all. I'm sorry." The deep sky blue femme said sadly.

Surefire walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder, "it wasn't your fault."

"Surefire's right." Chaser said "we were returning from kicking seeker aft," slightly amused by his own statement "there was no way of knowing where she would have been on the base.

The Ford sighed, "I guess."

Surefire placed a hand under her chin and gently lifted her head to look at him. "It was not your fault," he said sternly "you understand me."

Moongaze looked into his optics, tears threatening to spill but she fought them back and nodded at him. "Good." He said and smiled at her. The two Cybertronians heard someone clear their vocaliser both looked over and were embarrassed that they had shared an 'intimate' moment in front of their teammates, Surefire's hands instantly returning to his sides.

"We're going to get Crystal back." Tazer began.

"That's what they'll be expecting." A voice said catching the group's attention.

"Don't you know it's rude to listen to other's conversations?" Chaser said annoyed.

"How long have you been there anyway?" Cruiser asked.

"Long enough ta know that ya plannin' ta try and rescue Crystal." Another voice said appearing beside the first mech.

"What do you mean they'll be expecting us to do that?" Skybolt asked.

"They know you will not leave her in their hands. The same was true of your teammate, am I correct?" the first mech partly explained.

"You expected us to leave Tazer in the hands of the Decepticons?!" Surefire almost fumed.

"No, but that's the point." The second mech said.

"Then what do you suggest we do, kindly ask them to give her back." Cruiser said sarcastically.

"Prowl, Jazz, there is no way we're going to leave Crystal with the Decepticons." Tazer said.

During the conversation no-one had seen Moongaze slip away and head for the exit.

Ratchet walked into the medbay to find a datapad propped up against something on the nearest medi-berth. He took a quick look around to see who could have left it but saw no-one. He went over, picked it up and began to read it:

'Ratchet,
I am sorry for all the trouble I have cause you, sorry that I did not say goodbye when I left all those years ago. I could not take the risk that you would talk me out of leaving and make me stay, I realise now that I was wrong. It is why I am leaving this for you now, I'm sorry I cannot do this face to face but I had to leave as soon as possible.
It is quite likely that I will not return from this mission and I…I…just wanted to tell you something, something I should have told you a long time ago.
I…I love you, not Surefire but you.
Goodbye Chief Medical Officer Ratchet,
Love,
Moongaze.
HIT Team First Aider'

The ambulance didn't know what to do first, smack the femme over the head or jump for joy at her apparent confession. Though as he reread the letter something worried him, she believed that she would not be returning from her mission. He couldn't let that happen, she was going to return and he knew the very mech that would make sure of it.