Kerri opened her eyes and looked around. She was still a little groggy and not sure where she just. When she was able to focus she saw Ratchet sitting at his workstation. She was still in medbay.

"Ratchet," she mumbled,"how long was I out?"

"Well, it's about time," the doctor answered. "You've been asleep one and a half earth days." He commed Optimus to let him know that the woman was awake.

"Where's Ultra Magnus?"

"Optimus sent him out on patrol."

"Oh." Kerri sat up on the berth and rubbed her eyes before looking up at Ratchet. "I was asleep for all of that time but I'm still exhausted.

"Well, you haven't been getting full recharge. Even with the sedative I gave you, you still tossed and turned the entire time. You've been burning yourself out."

"I'm ok, Ratch, I don't need-"

"Yip, yip," he scolded her. "You have no idea what you need, apparently. You haven't been taking care of yourself."

Kerri looked down at the floor but said nothing.

He was angry with her, and rightfully so.

"You should have told me about Knockout," he continued, not looking at her. "You are my assistant, and before that, you were my patient. I thought that you would have confided in me, not Ultra Magnus."

Kerri found herself getting angry. He was pissed off that she told Magnus instead of him? That's his complaint?

"Look, Ratchet, I didn't intend to tell anybody-", she started.

Ratchet slammed his fist down on the table and turned to face her.

"And that was a stupid decision! Keeping something like that to yourself will eat you up inside, and that's exactly what it's been doing!"

Kerri locked eyes with the Autobot and didn't back down.

"Your problem," she said evenly, " is that I told Magnus and not you."

Kerri and Ratchet stared each other down. The doctor was fuming, and honestly, so was she. This was about his ego, and she wasn't up to soothing it for him right about now. He was being ridiculous, which was what she was about to tell him, when Optimus walked into medbay.

"Good afternoon, Kerri," he rumbled. "How are you feeling?"

She broke her gaze with Ratchet and looked down at the berth, rubbing her neck.

"I'm ok, Optimus, still a little tired though."

"Not surprising, consider you sleep pattern. The doctor has kept me informed."

"I'm sure he has," Kerri muttered. Ratchet threw an angry look her way before abruptly standing up from his work station and leaving the medbay.

"Do you need me here, Optimus? I have a few things to catch up on," he told the Prime before walking away, not waiting for an answer.

Optimus watched Ratchet walk away, surprised by his quick departure. He turned back to Kerri, confusion on his face.

"Is something the matter?" He asked the woman.

"I don't think so," she said tiredly. "You know how Ratchet gets. Guess he was just worried about me." She didn't feel like explaining this to Prime. Honestly, she just wanted to be left alone. She was being fussed over, and it made her uncomfortable. Kerri remembered how the Autobots had reacted to her Knockout revelation and she flinched.

They're going to make a big deal out of this, she thought to herself. Let's just get it over with.

Optimus stood silently, watching her. The woman was working through her emotions. That much he could tell from the looks that crossed her face: anger, hesitation, exhaustion. He would wait for her to start talking.

"Look, Optimus, I'm sorry that I didn't tell you guys the truth. But I didn't want it to be a big deal. I didn't want you all to see me as a weak human woman. I'm a soldier, I'm trained to deal with anything."

"Even being held captive aboard an alien warship and raped by one of its inhabitants? No, Kerri, no one can ever be prepared for that. It doesn't make you weak to be affected by what happened. You were strong enough to survive until Wheeljack rescued you. That speaks volumes. Agent Fowler asked that we allow you to remain here rather than your base after your ordeal because he felt that we could help you, or at least understand what you had gone through. I agreed to it because I saw the strength and spirit in you. I still do."

Kerri could feel the tears welling up in her eyes. Dammit, she was tired of crying, but she couldn't control it. She had incredible respect for the Autobot leader, and here he was praising her courage.

Optimus knelt down beside the berth so that he was eye level with her. He put his finger under her chin and lifted her head until her brown eyes met his brilliant blue ones.

"No one here sees you as weak. That, I can assure you." he said deeply. "But you don't always have to be strong. Sometimes, it's ok to let someone else help you carry the weight. I may be the leader of the Autobots, but if I tried to do it all by myself I would fail. I rely on them as much as they rely on me. We are a family. Something that you humans taught us."

Kerri smiled as she wiped away her tears. She knew that the Prime was right. She had taken that first step on the path, and she was ready.

"To that end," Prime continued gently, "I came here to ask you if you wanted me to inform Agent Fowler? Ratchet seems to feel that you may need to speak to someone more equipped to handle your situation. I'm sure Fowler can find what you need."

"That won't be necessary Optimus," she said calmly and with a relieved smile. "Telling you all has taken a lot of the weight off of my shoulders, and for the first time in months, I don't feel burdened. I'm really ready to move on from it. You know, working with Ultra Magnus, I figured it was strictly for his benefit. I didn't realize it was also for mine."

Optimus smiled back at the woman.

"I am glad to hear that. Ultra Magnus cares deeply for you, that I can see. You have helped him tremendously. He would appreciate knowing that he has helped you as well."

"I'll make sure he knows, sir," she told him. "But right now, I need to find Ratchet. I owe him an apology."

"Of course," said Prime as he stood back up to his full height. "Remain here. I will comm him back to medbay so that you two may talk."

Within minutes, Ratchet re-entered the room and sat down at his workstation, not looking at Kerri or Prime. Optimus put out his servo and Kerr climbed into his palm. He walked over to Ratchet and set the woman on the table, and with a parting glance, walked out.

Ratchet sat still at his station, optics fixed ahead of him, jaw clenched. Kerri took a deep breath, walked over to him, and placed her hand on his huge servo.

"Ratchet, look at me please," she asked.

He didn't respond, so she continued.

"I'm sorry that I didn't tell you Ratchet. As my friend and doctor, you should have been the first to know. Wheeljack saved me from the Nemesis, but you saved me from energon poisoning. A human doctor couldn't have done that. You care about me, and I pushed you away because I didn't want you to feel sorry for me. That was stupid. I should have trusted you. All of you. Anyhow, I hope you can find it in your spark to forgive me."

Still nothing. He still sat, unmoved by her plea.

With a heavy sigh, Kerri turned to climb down from the work station, only to have a giant servo block her way. She turned to look up at Ratchet, who was now staring down at her. She climbed into his servo and he lifted her up to eye level.

"I'll forgive you," he said with a soft smile, " if you forgive me for being an egotistical jackass."

Kerri reached for his face with her hands before giving him a kiss on his cheek.

"Deal."