Chapter Twenty-Three

"It's about time you got here." Ratchet said grumpily as the airliner walked in.

"I…I had somethings to think about." Skybolt replied hesitantly looking away from the medic.

Ratchet looked at the mech he seemed…sad maybe even depressed, what had Prime said to him? He was brought out of his thoughts upon hearing, "perhaps I should get Surefire instead." He started to head out "you get your slagging aft back here this instant." He told them angrily. "If she had been calling out Surefire's name then I would have told Prime to send him instead of you."

Skybolt turned to the ambulance in surprise, "she what?"

"She has been calling your name ever since she came back. In fact this is the calmest I've seen her."

"B-But she'd unconscious." Skybolt stammered only to receive a glare in return.

"I will not repeat myself again. Now get over here before you become wingless." Ratchet threatened.

Slowly the airliner made his way over to Moongaze's berth and looked sadly down at his teammate. He sighed remembering what he told Chaser on their way to rescue her. He looked away from her in an effort to control his emotions. "She's going to leave us."

"She's not dying yet, fragger." The medic said annoyed.

"You don't understand." The HIT leader said with a shake of his head as he looked at the ambulance, "she's going to leave us and go with you."

"If that were true then why would she be calling your name?" Ratchet said softly ignoring the pain in his spark upon knowing the answer.

"Hm." Skybolt looked down at her again "we were close, once. Then she left to pursue her medical profession I didn't mind I knew it was important to her. Then I started to get letters from her saying she thought she'd fallen for a mech in her program." He looked over at the floor his hands clenching into fists that shook with the sadness he felt upon relieving what happened his wings quivering. "It hurt me. To think that she would have forgotten me so easily. Every letter she mentioned this mech, in the end I just gave up writing back not wanting to know about how 'wonderful' he was and feel myself die a little inside every time." There was silence for a while as the airliner reigned in his emotions. "When I saw that she was assign to us I promised myself that I wouldn't let my old feelings get in the way seeing as she barely remembered me."

Ratchet sighed as he also looked down at the floor. "I was that mech." He said.

"What?" the airliner almost whispered looking at him.

"She was falling for me and I for her." The ambulance explained. "But because she was my student it made things difficult. I knew the penalties for a mentor/student relationship but I couldn't stop myself no matter how I tried. The day she…'disappeared' I was going to tell her that she was going to be taught by someone else, I never got that chance."

"Surefire told me the two of you had a…'history' after he came round but I never thought that you…you would be the one that took her." The HIT leader was both shocked and angry at Ratchet's confession.

"You make me sound like a Decepticon. As if I forced her into something she didn't want." Ratchet said looking at the white and black mech his optics narrowing in annoyance. "I assure you I did nothing of the sort. She never even mentioned she had someone."

"Skybolt." Came a whisper. Both mechs looked down at the femme, "Skybolt." She whispered again thought this time a tear followed after.

"I told you she spoke your name." the medic said "stay and watch her I need to know when she onlines and the first thing she does." He told the HIT leader before walking out.

"Why now, Gaze?" the airliner whispered as he wiped the tear away. "Why can't you just leave things the way they are? I'm sure we could have managed."

"Bolt, please. Don't..." she said her voice becoming louder.

Skybolt nearly cried when he heard her call him that. "Don't do this to me, Moongaze. Please," he knew what she was trying to say and he didn't want to hear it, not now.

Blue optics gradually came online, they looked confusedly up at the ceiling before looking over at the mech by her side. A small smile came to her lips. "Skybolt." She said happily she went to hug him only for him to move away "Skybolt? What's wrong?"

"Don't say it. Just don't." he told her "that was a long time ago, we've both changed."

"Then why do I still see the affection in your optics?" she asked amused. "You've tried to hide it but I've always seen it."

"I have to tell Ratchet you're back online." He said as began to walk out only to stop when she grabbed his wrist sitting as she did so.

"I'm sorry, Skybolt. I never meant to hurt you. Please, don't walk away from me."

"Moongaze, I…we…" he shook his head "we've gone past that."

"But Skybolt I…"

"Don't say it!" he said forcefully looking back at her "I mean it 'Gaze, don't even go there. I will let you choose if you want to stay or go but I will not let you drag this up again."

The Ford looked sadly down at her lap, "then you should have left me with the cons." She whispered "it would have been less painful." She let go of his wrist as her arm fell limp beside her.

The HIT leader sighed he knew he was going to regret what he was about to do. He walked over to her side and pulled her into a hug. "You know I couldn't do that. The others would have kicked my aft if I did."

The deep sky blue femme chuckled before looking up at him. They held each other's gaze for a moment before Moongaze reached up and kissed him. "I love you." She whispered looking into his optics for a few moments before pulling away from him.

"You had to say it, didn't you? you just couldn't leave it alone."

"I can't help how I feel." she told him.

"What about Surefire and Ratchet, huh? How do you think this'll make them feel?" he told her almost ranting.

"Ya know ya might wanna tell Ratchet she's online." A voice said catching the two Cybertronian's attention.

"He already knows I spoke to him yesterday." Moongaze lied.

"What? You mean the two, no three of you" Skybolt began as he remembered the talk he had with Prime about his feelings for her "planned all this?! Got me in here just so you could drag up the past."

"No! Bolt, that's not true." The Ford pleaded as she looked at him.

"He should be here watching over you. He's the medic." The airliner said as he stormed out.

"Ya feeling up ta heading out." Jazz asked changing the subject.

"You'd have to ask Ratchet that." She replied then looked at him curiously "why?"

"We've located Crystal."