It was quiet.

The Medical Center was rather empty, which was a relief for medics and assistants alike. Ratchet was given a few Orbital Cycles off to recuperate, which meant that he had a bit of a break. He didn't remember really having a break before. If Voltlock hadn't practically forced him to settle down for a little while, Ratchet would most certainly be working, even if there wasn't a lot to do.

Motor had been reinstated into the Medical Center. He wasn't letting his state stop him from doing what he had been trained to do. Voltlock had met him only a few Orbital Cycles after Ratchet had been found. They seemed to get along just fine, and after Ratchet had woken up they went to get a cube of high grade together. They invited Ratchet, but he decided that after everything, he would rather spend time with his sparkling.

Ratchet and Orion walked down the hallway towards the Medical Quarters, side by side. They said nothing as they walked, just content being in each other's presence. They were together again. Finally, Orion was there to stay.

Ratchet wasn't going to let him go ever again.

They soon found themselves facing the entrance to their quarters. Ratchet looked down to Orion for a brief Klik. Then, he opened the door. It opened without a fuss, and Ratchet could soon see the interior, looking undisturbed, the exact same as it had been left.

Orion giggled with excitement, almost running into the room. He glanced over everything as if he hadn't been there in an Eon. He had been in there while Ratchet was in stasis, but he had been alone. He wasn't alone any longer. Ratchet was back, and he was in the room again. Orion quickly went to Ratchet and took his hand, gently tugging his caretaker into the room, careful not to hurt him. Ratchet let himself be led inside and to Orion's berth, sitting down as the sparkling crawled up onto it.

Everything was alright. Everything was finally alright. It was hard for Ratchet to believe that nothing was wrong, that nothing was happening to them anymore, that there was actually a moment of peace. It almost seemed strange, and would have if not for the fact that Ratchet was so happy.

He hadn't been that happy in a long time. There were short moments of joy, such as when he listened to Orion's stories, but everything that had happened with the Guilds and Tanker and almost being pulled apart, there was rarely a time where something bad wasn't happening at the same time, just lingering in the background waiting to make itself known.

But everything was alright. Orion had begun going on about what he had done while looking for Ratchet, about how he met many interesting mechs, how he traveled around Cybertron all on his own, how he went outside for the first time. Ratchet wished that the event had been under better circumstances, but Orion was still happy about it. Ratchet would be happy about it, too. Orion went outside.

Voltlock entered silently and placed two cubes of Energon on the desk, one much smaller than the other, then left without a word. Orion drank his quickly, finishing much faster than Ratchet, wanting to continue his stories for as long as they possibly could.

They did not mention Tanker, or the fact that Ratchet had been taken. Only about the things Orion had learned and seen. The mechs whose names were on the datapad. Ratchet quickly connected them to the events through what Orion told him, but he did not bring that up. It was over.

After a few Joors Orion had managed to tire himself out again. He had already napped a few times earlier, but Ratchet could understand how Orion would still be exhausted after everything. Ratchet moved to his own berth, shutting off the lights as he passed them. He set himself down on his own berth, looking towards his sparkling, who was already recharging on his own.

Ratchet let himself rest, too.

He felt strange.

Orion slowly onlined his optics. It was dark. He could barely see the ceiling above him. He waited for a moment to remember why he woke, but he couldn't find a reason. He closed his optics.

He felt strange.

Orion woke up again, but he did not open his optics. He could hear his caretaker's slow, even breathing from the other side of the room. Suddenly Orion wanted Ratchet. He didn't understand why. He didn't want to bother Ratchet so late, or perhaps early. Orion didn't know. He wasn't going to go into the halls and look out a window. Ratchet could wake up and wonder where he was. Maybe he should wake him up and tell him. But he didn't want to wake him up. But he really wanted Ratchet.

Orion onlined his optics again, and though it was brighter inside of the room, he could barely see the ceiling above him. He waited for a moment to remember why he woke, but he couldn't find a reason.

But he really wanted Ratchet.

Orion tried to sit up, but felt that he couldn't move. His limbs felt so weak.

But he needed Ratchet.

Orion used all of his strength to sit up, and he practically fell off of the berth, face down on the floor. He pushed himself to his knees. He felt to dizzy.

He needed Ratchet.

Orion tried to speak, but no words would come out. His vision began to darken around the edges. Without any time to panic over what was going on, all the Energon he had ingested quickly made it's way out of his mouth and onto the floor as he purged.

Ratchet woke with a jolt at what sounded like choking. He sat up rapidly and looked over to Orion's berth. The sparkling wasn't there. Ratchet was just about to throw a fit of worry, after what had just happened with Tanker, but even as he looked down and saw his sparkling safe and sound, he couldn't bring himself to feel any better about the situation.

Energon was spilled all over the floor. Orion knelt over the puddle, practically gasping to vent his systems. He was shivering, just like he did when he was younger. When he was colder than he should have been.

Orion was cold again.

Ratchet was immediately at his charge's side, a gentle hand on Orion's back as the sparkling continued to shake.

"I'm sorry," Orion whispered, clutching his sides as he took another shaky breath. Ratchet quickly shushed him, helping him stand. Orion coughed lightly, almost falling back down, but Ratchet caught him before he could hit the ground.

Ratchet started an uplink, and didn't wait for the Cybertronian answering his call to speak. "Voltlock, can you bring a cube of Energon to my quarters?"

"Can't you do that on your own?" Voltlock asked, voice groggy. Apparently he had been woken by the uplink. "I know you're recovering, but I didn't say I'd give you Energon in your berth."

"Voltlock, please," Ratchet persisted, sounding quite annoyed.

There was a mumble on the other end of the uplink before Voltlock disconnected. Ratchet took that as a 'yes'. But he didn't focus on that for very long.

"Orion?" Ratchet said quietly. After getting no response, Ratchet tilted Orion's head upwards so he was looking at him. Ratchet frowned. "Orion, are you alright?"

He obviously wasn't, and Ratchet knew it, but he had to ask. Orion didn't answer at first, then with a small whimper he shook his head. Ratchet carefully picked Orion up into his arms, knowing he was getting covered in Energon but not caring in the slightest. He spend the next few Kliks waiting for his fellow medic by letting his sparkling know that everything was alright.

Voltlock entered the shared quarters, and was clearly stunned by the sight. He shook his helm lightly to focus himself, then, avoiding the spilt Energon, gave Ratchet the cube he requested. Ratchet paused for a moment, then placed the cube down on the desk. "I'm going to wash him off first. It will give his systems a chance to settle down."

Voltlock nodded in understanding. "I'll clean up here. Take your time."

Ratchet said nothing, walking out of the room, still holding Orion close. The door shut behind them, and Voltlock started working.

Voltlock had finished cleaning the room just as Ratchet returned, carrying an exhausted Orion against his chest. The sparkling looked absolutely miserable. Though Orion wasn't covered in his own Energon, he still didn't look any better than before. Ratchet sent Voltlock a nod of thanks as he sat down on Orion's berth, and Voltlock decided that he should take his leave, exiting the room and letting the caretaker and his sparkling spend time alone.

Ratchet reached over and picked up the Energon Cube, shifting Orion just enough to wake him up and sit him upright. Orion glanced up to Ratchet in uncertainty before the medic brought the cube to his hands. Orion took it, and after a moment he began to drink. He was slow, but Ratchet was going to be patient. In another situation he might have told Orion to hurry up, but not then. He would be patient for Orion.

Orion finished the cube, and Ratchet set it aside as the sparkling buried his head into his caretaker's chest. Ratchet stood up, gently laying Orion down as he had before. Ratchet returned to his own berth, waiting for his sparkling to drift off again. He tried to think of a reason for what had just occurred.

A Cybertronian rarely purged their tanks unless they were damaged, or received an extremely volatile supply, but even the latter was unlikely to forcibly leave their systems. Ratchet scanned Orion from where he sat, the light as red as it always was on him, and the damage results came back negative. Ratchet frowned, not because he wanted Orion to be hurt, but because he didn't know what else could have caused his sparkling to be sick. Perhaps the Energon had been volatile.

But Ratchet had Energon from the same stockpile. They might have come from the same place, or all from different areas. Ratchet stood up and made his way out of the room, giving Orion one last glance before exiting. He was going to speak with whoever was working the stockpile and ask them what they knew.

Orion couldn't seem to keep any Energon down.

He spent most of his time recharging, rarely waking of his own accord, and even if he did it was to turn and purge into the container placed on the floor next to his berth. After it happened the third time, Ratchet stopped having Energon cubes brought in, instead having an intravenous drip hooked up to Orion's chest. It wouldn't replace the Energon that remained in him. He would never purge all of it. The drip would his give him what he needed.

But that didn't help at all.

Energon still found its way purged into the container, which had to be emptied time and time again from filling up much faster than anticipated. Ratchet was concerned after the first time, but when it happened again and again he began to feel dread. He had expected that. Since Orion was placed in his care, Ratchet had expected that to happen.

When Orion was first placed in his care, Ratchet already knew that the sparkling was unlikely to survive. When he grew fond of him, Ratchet didn't want to believe that it would actually happen. Orion was a defective. He was infected. It wasn't as if he could just receive a cure and be fixed. His spark was infected. His being was infected. That wasn't something that could be cured.

Ratchet sat on his berth, watching over his recharging sparkling. It was quiet again, but this silence wasn't pleasant. It was not even completely silent. Orion's labored breaths could only be heard because Ratchet wasn't making a sound. He had been sitting there for a while, just thinking. Thinking about everything.

How could it have gotten to that point? He had been only a simple medical assistant, just doing what he was told. Then Cybertronians died, and one was sparked.

And then Orion was ill.

It wasn't the Energon. All of the Energon came from a mine in Kaon, and none of it had been tainted. That left Ratchet at a blank. He didn't know what the problem was, and he didn't know what he could do.

The door opened, but Ratchet didn't look up. He already knew who had entered. There was only one mech who ever did, at least of his own accord.

Voltlock walked over to his fellow medic, stopping a few steps away. "Ratchet."

Ratchet didn't respond. Not because he didn't hear Voltlock, but because he had nothing to say.

Voltlock's frown deepened, and he looked over to the sparkling laying on the berth. "How is he?"

Ratchet didn't answer at first, making sure that Orion was still in recharge. Then, he spoke. "Worse."

Orion was worse. Much, much worse. Almost as bad as when Tanker had tampered with his spark monitor. But that was only because Ratchet didn't know. Ratchet knew now, and it was even worse.

Ratchet had spent his time thinking about what could have happened to cause such a reaction in Orion's spark. It took him so long to realize it. It should have been obvious. He had warned Orion not to do it since he could understand what he was told. Ratchet understood why, and the reason why made Ratchet feel like it was his fault.

Ratchet had been taken. Orion's caretaker had been taken away. There was no doubt that Orion would to anything to keep Ratchet from getting hurt. Orion told Ratchet about how he saw Cybertron. He saw Protihex, he saw Iacon, he saw Kaon. He saw roads and the Monorail, the mines and the Hall of Records. He left. He went outside.

He went outside. Orion was not strong enough for that. His systems couldn't handle any of that, not then. His immune system was not yet developed. He wouldn't be strong enough to hold off a minor glitch, let alone a virus. That had been why Ratchet was so worried when Orion disappear all those Solar Cycles ago. Going outside could kill him.

And he went outside.

Ratchet tried not to show how worried he was, though he failed miserably. His voice was quiet as he spoke. "How was he? While I was in stasis. Did he show any symptoms this severe?"

"No. He seemed fine," Voltlock mused, crossing his arms in thought. "He didn't show any signs of this. I mean, he coughed once or twice. He said that it was normal and- frag, I am such a fool. I should have scanned him, slaggit."

Ratchet quickly shushed him, not only because of Voltlock's poor choice of words. He gestured to Orion's berth, where his little sparkling was waking up from recharge. Ratchet anticipated to see if Orion would roll over and purge into the container again, but Orion just onlined his optics and looked up to him tiredly. Voltlock quickly made his leave again, knowing that it would be best if those who lived in the shared quarters spent time alone.

Orion smiled with exhausted relief. "I'm feeling much better now."

Ratchet returned the smile, standing up and kneeling next to Orion's berth. He over to gently caress his sparkling's cheek. Orion was still so cold. Ratchet's smile faded slightly, and he pulled away.

Orion watched Ratchet stand up and look over the machinery that was hooked up to him, his smile not fading at all. Orion always felt better whenever Ratchet was around, both physically and emotionally. He was glad that he caretaker stayed with him, though he had to admit he felt like a burden. Ratchet probably had patients to attend to, but he was stuck with one. Orion began to wonder if he was only going to be a patient to Ratchet, but he already knew that wasn't true.

Orion had to admit that he felt that being what he was, something that shouldn't be, was only making him hurt Ratchet. He didn't want to hurt Ratchet, not ever, but because he had to be cared for so extensively, Orion wondered if there was anything he could do to make things easier, and a reason for why.

Orion voiced a question that had been plaguing him since he knew what he was.

"Ratchet?" Orion asked quietly, gaining his caretaker's attention. Orion tilted his head innocently. "Am I sick because I'm a defective?"

Ratchet was shocked. He had never told Orion that he was a defective. Ratchet hadn't known that Orion even knew. And the fact that Ratchet only just found that out left his processor blank and he had absolutely no idea what to say. Orion noticed this, and he continued speaking.

"I know that's why you wouldn't let me go outside, or be alone for too long," Orion said with a light shrug. "I read that defectives are supposed to die."

Ratchet never wanted Orion to know. Orion was a defective, but it wasn't his fault. He was sparked with his defects. There was nothing he could do. He could have been offlined because of something he had no control over. It wasn't Ratchet's fault either, yet he still felt terrible about it.

"It's okay," Orion smiled, weaker than before, but still strong. "I'm Cybertronian, and I know that sometimes other's don't treat me like I am, but that's because they don't understand."

Ratchet remained silent, unsure of what to say.

"I know I'm wrong, but that's alright." Orion said, and he nodded to his caretaker, his smile not leaving his faceplate. "Thank you for caring about me."

Orion knew that he was a defective. He knew that he was wrong, and he accepted that. A mech once told him that there was nothing wrong with being wrong, and he was right. He was still a Cybertronian, just like the rest of them. They just didn't like things that were different. Defectives, the higher and lower Guilds. If he had the chance, Orion would want to help them understand.

Ratchet stayed where he was, processing everything that he had just been told. Orion accepted that he was sick. He accepted that he was hated. Orion wasn't hated. The Guilds didn't even know Orion well enough to hate him. The Guilds wanted to fix what they felt was broken. Ratchet just wanted Orion to be cured, but he felt that wasn't going to happen.

Ratchet had scanned Orion again and again, but there were no new viruses inside of him. He knew the effects of so many infections and that any one of them could have ended up harming his sparkling, but nothing known appeared on the scans.

Something suddenly clicked inside of Ratchet's processor.

Ratchet had known. Orion's immune system was weaker than the rest. Going outside could kill him, and it might, but that wasn't the point. Ratchet scanned Orion before. There was no known virus inside of him. The only unknown virus was the one that was already in him.

The infection had never spread to his Energon before. That wasn't what the infection did. It had to have been triggered, and Ratchet already knew the trigger.

Orion's systems couldn't handle being outside. The Energon that flowed through him when he was outside, that Energon became infected. The infected Energon never left his system. It remained inside, tainting all Energon that came into it's stream. That was why he couldn't stop purging. His systems were trying so hard to expel the infection, but he couldn't survive without Energon, so the infection remained.

Ratchet knew what to do.

Ratchet began to swiftly walk out of the room, only looking back to speak to his sparkling. "Stay here."

Orion did as told, though even if he wanted to leave he was in no shape to do so. Orion waited for a few Kliks, and Ratchet returned with tubes and wires and a machine that Orion didn't recognize. Ratchet placed them all on the desk, and he began to put them together. He finished, and then he came up to Orion, removing the intravenous drip and replacing it with one of the tubes attached to the machine.

"This will circulate your systems to rid you of any infected Energon and replace it with already filtered Energon," Ratchet summarized, activating the machine as it began to do its work. He turned to Orion. "You just need to rest."

And even that might not have been enough.

Orion nodded, then reached over to pick up his datapad, deciding to spend the time reading, at least for a Joor or two.

With that, Ratchet sat back down on his berth, placing his head in his hands. There was a chance. There was a chance that his sparkling would survive. But it still might not have been enough. Ratchet wanted Orion to get well so badly that all he could think about was everything getting worse. That was how it had been for the longest time, and he wanted it to stop.

"Ratchet?" Orion asked softly, gaining Ratchet's attention. Ratchet looked up, and saw that the smile Orion had was gone. His optics were shining a gentle blue as he looked to his caretaker. "Am I going to die?"

The question caught Ratchet completely off guard, and he froze. He hadn't expected that question at all. Ratchet knew that Orion seemed very wise for how long he had functioned, but he never thought that he would truly understand. Yet, there he was, laying on his berth and waiting patiently for a response, and it was not why Ratchet had been so shocked.

But Orion had asked that so calmly.

And that upset Ratchet more than anything else.

"Don't you ever say that again," Ratchet scolded, voice quickly rising, sounding very accusing. "Don't you ever act like it's alright for you to offline. Don't act like it doesn't matter. It most certainly does matter. Did you think that no one would care?"

Orion slowly looked away, a soft, sad expression on his faceplate, and for that Ratchet quickly found another reason to hate himself. Ratchet wasn't angry with Orion in the slightest. He was just...

The procedure was risky. Ratchet knew that. Orion knew that. That was probably why Orion had asked that question. Orion's systems would be cleansed of the infected Energon that ran through his veins, but that would not cleanse the infection itself. It wasn't that simple. Orion was sparked with his defects. Ratchet didn't know if they would ever truly go away.

Ratchet was afraid. Orion was the most important thing to him. He didn't want to lose him.

With an exasperated breath, Ratchet sat down on the edge of his sparkling's berth. He wasn't sure if Orion understood his meaning. Orion mattered. If his spark extinguished, others would care. Voltlock would care. Motor would care. The sorter would have cared. The Guilds of Cybertron would care, but not in that way, so Ratchet refused to include them. Ratchet. Ratchet would care. Ratchet would most definitely care. Orion meant something to him, and Ratchet knew it would hurt to see his sparkling go. It would hurt so much.

"Ratchet?"

Orion's voice pulled Ratchet from his thoughts. Blinking, he turned to his sparkling and waited for him to continue.

"I was wondering..." Orion trailed off for a Klik, tapping his fingers on the datapad in his grasp. Then, he held the datapad to his caretaker with both hands. "Will you read me story?"

Ratchet wanted to say yes. He desperately wanted to say yes, but his vocalizer wouldn't function properly.

Ratchet remembered when he didn't remember. When he didn't remember Skylight. When Orion used his datapad to see everything that was hidden from him while he was trapped in the Medical Center. He read stories. That was how he learned all he knew. Ratchet would listen to Orion as the sparkling told his caretaker about things he found fascinating. Back when everything was alright. Just spending time together.

Just like they always did.

And might never do again.

"No," Ratchet answered abruptly, turning back to the doorway and walking out, the door slamming shut behind him.

He just needed a moment. Just a moment. He needed to think, even if just for a Klik. Slaggit, he was getting too emotional. He didn't know what to do. Knowing that his sparkling could drop dead at any moment was sending Ratchet to his breaking point. He didn't want to make Orion upset but if he didn't leave that room right then and there he knew he was going to lose it.

"I fragging saw that."

Ratchet turned around to see Voltlock staring at him disbelievingly. Ratchet quickly brought up whatever composure he had left and watched Voltlock with a raised optic ridge. "What?"

"I saw how you just treated Orion," Voltlock answered, glaring. "What in the Pit made you do that, Ratchet? I could hear you from out here. All he wanted was for you to read with him and you just shun him for it? He doesn't deserve that."

Ratchet frowned. He knew that what he did had been wrong, and he felt bad about it, but hearing about what he did made him feel even worse. Orion didn't deserve that. Orion had done nothing wrong. Ratchet didn't make any move to defend himself, as he did exactly what had been said, but Voltlock continued.

"The kid is dying, and you're just standing around and waiting for it to happen," Voltlock pressed, and though he wished he said what he had said in a different way, he continued. "He might offline, Ratchet."

Ratchet said nothing for a long moment. Then, looking directly into his fellow medic's optics, his voice went quiet and he looked so very tired. "I know."

Voltlock's expression softened even more so, and his posture became slightly more slouched. He took a long, slow breath and let it out in the same length of time. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, but there's nothing you can do besides care for him as best as you can."

Ratchet nodded slowly, and Voltlock returned the gesture sympathetically before turning back and heading through the halls. Ratchet chose to do so as well. It would be something to pass the time while his sparkling was being treated. If anything were to happen, Ratchet would be alerted wirelessly by the monitor.

Ratchet decided to spend his time attending to his patients throughout the Medical Center. He acted just as he normally would have. In any situation what he would have done before, he did. The other medics in the Medical Center did not speak to him, just as they had not before, but that was only because they had been asked not to by Voltlock. Ratchet didn't need a reminder of what had happened, and what was still happening.

Ratchet walked down the halls towards one of the examination rooms. The patient who was in there had apparently been waiting for a while. Ratchet expected whoever it was to be annoyed about it, but he couldn't bring himself to care. He reached the door, which opened silently and Ratchet walked in, though he paused after a few steps after he saw a familiar looking mech seated on a berth.

That mech came back again?

"Hello, Ratchet!" The old mech said with a grin.

Ratchet could clearly see that rust was covering the mech's leg again, but had spread farther than before. He ignored the old mech's greeting an instead began a scan of his patient's limb.

The old mech shook his head. "The rust is more stubborn than before, I'm afraid. It just found it's way into my joints, and the oil bath did nothing for it."

Ratchet nodded to show he had heard as he finished the scan. He read over the results, stared at them for a moment, before letting out an exasperated breath. "How often have you been taking an oil bath?"

"I'm not sure," The mech replied, pausing to think. "I believe every few Joors."

Ratchet huffed, as if the answer was obvious. "The rust is forming because you're bathing far too frequently. You only need to once every Orbital Cycle or so."

"Oh, I should have known!" The mech said with a chuckle, and he stood up off of the berth. His laughter quieted down and he looked at Ratchet with a smile. "And how is your little sparkling?"

Ratchet stopped cold.

He had managed to stop himself from thinking about Orion while he was working, knowing that if he started worrying about his charge he would never stop. Then that old mech had to show up and just make Ratchet feel even worse about the whole thing by bringing it up and that hurt.

"That is none of your concern," Ratchet said, with much more force than necessary. The old mech didn't seem to notice, still looking as cheerful as before.

"I met him again, you know," The old mech continued, as if recalling a fond memory. "He was looking for you. Asked me about some other Cybertronians, too. I didn't know any of them, but I was able to help your little sparkling find his way outside."

Ratchet could have been angry. Ratchet could have blamed the old mech for Orion's state if he felt inclined to do so, but he didn't. It wasn't the old mech's fault. Even if he hadn't given Orion directions, the sparkling would have found a way out on his own. Instead, Ratchet slouched slightly, looking very somber.

The old mech seemed to notice that, and he instantly calmed himself down. He did nothing for a moment, then placed a hand on the medic's shoulder. "I don't know what's troubling you, but don't fret. It'll turn out fine."

Ratchet glanced to him, surprised to hear that from the same mech that thought taking a bath every couple of Joors was a good idea. Ratchet did not reply, not thanking or anything, but the old mech felt that wasn't needed, and he turned to walk out of the room, leaving Ratchet alone again. Ratchet remained in that room for almost a Breem before he left as well.

He continued treating Cybertronians, mechs and femmes, Gladiators and Miners, whoever needed his attention. He did not see them inferior to another. They were all Cybertronian. His little sparkling taught him that.

After working for nearly half an Orbital Cycle and feeling the exhaustion from it, Ratchet decided it would be best to return to the Medical Quarters and check over Orion. The machine should have finished its work by then.

Ratchet felt dread. He knew that his wireless connection to the monitor would alert him if anything was wrong, but it hadn't before, and while that was because it had been tampered with, Ratchet was still terrified of walking into his shared quarters and finding his sparkling laying lifeless on his berth. The thought alone hurt, but actually happening would hurt even worse.

Ratchet soon found himself facing his quarters. He hesitated. If his sparkling was offline, he wouldn't be able to handle it.

But Orion might have needed him. Orion might have needed Ratchet to be there with him, and if that was the case, then Ratchet would be there, no matter what.

The door opened and Ratchet stepped into the room, spotting Orion sitting up, reading from his datapad. Orion heard the door opened and he looked up, seeing his caretaker standing in the doorway. Orion smiled, placing the datapad aside and watching Ratchet intently. He looked better than ever.

"How are you doing?" Ratchet asked quietly.

Orion seemed to stop and think about it for a moment before replying. "I'm alright."

That was all Ratchet needed to hear for him to relax, even just barely. He walked over to his sparkling's berth, turning off the machine and removing the hook from Orion's chest. Then, Ratchet took a seat at the end of Orion's berth, looking over his charge as he did so.

Freed from the machine, Orion crawled over to his caretaker sitting next to him with his legs dangling over the edge. He looked up to Ratchet, and they met optics, before Ratchet turned away and glanced over the spark monitor, which beeped steadily. Orion noticed that Ratchet looked so tired, but more emotionally than physically. Orion looked over his caretaker with a tilt of his head. "Ratchet?"

Ratchet turned back to his sparkling with an optic ridge raised. "Yes?"

Orion watched Ratchet with concern. "Are you alright?"

Ratchet blinked, then looked back to what he was doing. "Of course I am."

Orion eyed Ratchet carefully before speaking again. "Are you sure?"

Ratchet paused, returning his attention to the sparkling who was waiting for an answer. Ratchet wasn't sure. He didn't know enough to be sure.

He would only be alright in he knew for certain.

Ratchet wanted to check one last thing.

Ratchet stood up, facing the berth where Orion rested. His forearm shifted, revealing his scanner. He almost didn't want to check, because he was concerned that he might have failed again, but he knew that he had to. Hardening his spark, he let the light of his scanner trail across Orion's frame.

Ratchet almost couldn't believe what he was seeing. The results of the scan, they were the same as they had always been, but the light was blue.

Perhaps Orion was cured. Ratchet hoped that Orion was cured. He couldn't tell for certain. But the light was blue.

Ratchet didn't know what to think. Orion couldn't have been cured. He was born defective. That could never be cured, but no other defective had survived long enough to actually figure out if that was true. Perhaps the infection transferred itself into the Energon. Perhaps cleansing the Energon cleansed the infection itself. Perhaps the infection wasn't really gone, just tamed. Ratchet didn't know, and he didn't believe he would ever know.

Orion was a defective. Orion was born a defective, and he would forever be a defective, but he was cured.

Orion started out weaker than the rest, but he would grow up stronger.

Orion was alright.

"Ratchet?"

The caretaker looked to his sparkling, who watched him with glowing optics. He looked hopeful, wondering why Ratchet was finally happy after everything. For once, Ratchet was the one who hugged Orion, leaving the sparkling surprised. Ratchet laughed in a mixture of relief and happiness. Orion returned the laugh, happy himself because his caretaker was. Ratchet held Orion close, telling him something that he had been wanting to tell him for so long.

"You're alright."