A World Beyond Our Own | TFP AU

37 || Company

"Would you relax? If anything, Antioch was more interested in you than your human pet."

"Precisely my point. If I had known he would react the way he did, I would've gone by myself. She was put in danger because of your failure to warn me."

Taylor listened fearfully as their argument intensified. She knew Ratchet was reaching his breaking point. They were far from home with no idea how to find their way back. The stress of putting others before himself weighed heavily on him, and she couldn't help but feel guilty that she was contributing to it. All he wanted to do was help, but things just kept getting in the way.

"Ratchet." She tried to get his attention, but he couldn't hear her. She moved closer to him and reached out to touch his leg. "Ratch—"

His head whirled around to face her, teeth bared and eyes blazing. "Taylor! I thought I told you to—" He snapped, though he stopped himself short once he recognized the fear and hurt in her expression. He'd gone too far. The anger in his eyes died instantly, now replaced with guilt. "I'm... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to—"

It was too late. She'd already gone to Cliffjumper for comfort, unable to keep the tears from streaking down her face. Ratchet felt his heart break a little as he watched her go.

"Old habits die hard, huh?"

Huntress's snide remark would've sent him over the edge had his anger not been extinguished. Waves of guilt crashed over him. It drove a dagger into his heart, twisting and plunging deeper with each passing second.

His attention then shifted to the marigold that Taylor had dropped. In order to treat Cliffjumper, he'd have to be near her. He couldn't bear to do so, not right now. Instead, he took a few flowers for himself and limped away to find a quiet place, hardly sparing Huntress a glance as he passed. He needed to clear his head. The best thing he could do for Taylor was leave her alone and hope that he hadn't caused too much damage.

*
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*

Taylor didn't leave Cliffjumper's side for several hours. Only when her stomach growled with hunger did she get up to go look for a place to be by herself. Huntress was on the opposite side of the hollow, lounging by the entrance of her den while she cleaned her claws. Taylor ignored her as best she could, though she could feel the rogue's gaze on her as she walked past.

Eventually, she came across an oak tree. A thick bed of dead leaves surrounded the base of its wide trunk. They crunched under her shoes as she approached the tree and pressed her hand against the bark. Looking up, she decided to start climbing. She climbed about halfway up the tree, not wanting to go too high since she was afraid of heights.

After hauling herself onto one of the thicker branches that could support her weight, Taylor slipped the bag from her shoulders and dug through its contents. She settled on a pack of peanut butter crackers that she'd gotten from the house. It wasn't a full meal, but it was better than nothing.

A passing breeze rattled the bare branches above her head. Shivers traveled down her spine and she hugged herself with one arm, wishing she hadn't lost her jacket. She hadn't found a replacement in the neighborhood, so the best she could do was layer up with some of the long-sleeve shirts she did find.

As she finished off the crackers, her sharp eyes easily spotted the white and orange figure of Ratchet among the dormant undergrowth. He had chosen to lay down in a spot that was a good distance away from the hollow and surrounded by a protective circle of trees. His harsh voice echoed in her mind, still able to rattle her to her core even if it had happened a few hours earlier. Ratchet had never spoken to her like that. Not even Bumblebee or Smokescreen were yelled at like that.

She knew he hadn't meant it. She knew he was stressed and being pushed to levels that had never been reached before. For some reason, however, the outburst awakened a memory deep within her mind. She couldn't see it clearly, but she could remember being screamed at in a similar manner. Cruel insults made by arguing parents cut through the air, soon directed towards her by the stronger voice.

Her father's voice.

Silas.

Just the thought of him made Taylor sick to her stomach. How long had that memory been suppressed? She was young at the time. She didn't understand that her mind's suppression of the memory was a defensive tactic to ensure she wasn't harmed. It only came out now because she was old enough to understand, and meeting Silas face-to-face certainly sped up the process.

She soon found herself feeling guilty for the way she reacted. To her, it felt like an overreaction. Based on previous experiences, she knew Ratchet was beating himself up over it at that very moment. It would take him a long time to forgive himself—if he ever did—and she wanted to spare him from that pain. She didn't want this to drive a wedge between them. They needed to be together in order to be strong.

Taylor put the bag back on and carefully climbed back down. Once she was on the ground, she started heading in Ratchet's direction.

"Where are you going, runt?" Huntress's voice stopped her in her tracks.

"To make sure Ratchet is okay." Taylor replied, keeping her gaze straight ahead. She wasn't going to give Huntress the satisfaction of knowing she still feared her.

Huntress lifted her paw to examine her claws in the sunlight. "Why? He hurt your feelings."

"He didn't mean to. He's just having a hard time right now."

"How can you be so sure? How do you know he's not just an old grump who doesn't want you getting in his way?"

Taylor pursed her lips together. In a way, Huntress was right. That's what their relationship was like at the beginning, but things had changed now. They had been through a lot together and he had come a long way. Still, Huntress's words planted a seed of doubt in her mind despite the fact that she knew she had nothing to doubt.

"I just know, okay? I know him a lot better than you do." She murmured, starting to walk away.

"Have you ever considered that maybe he doesn't want you around?"

Taylor clenched her jaw and kept walking instead of reacting. Huntress was trying to get to her, but why? She had done nothing to her, yet it was obvious she still held a grudge against humans.

Shaking those thoughts away, Taylor focused on Ratchet. She needed his comfort as much as he needed hers.