Transformers: Where You Belong

Chapter 1

The DC Orphanage would have been enough to make Little Orphan Annie cringe. Located deep in the heart of the Nation's Capital, it was easily passed by anyone that wasn't desperate enough to give it a second look. The paint was old and chipped in all sorts of places, the lock no longer worked, and one of the steps leading up to the front door was actually missing. There were always six orphans at a time inside of it, five children ranging in various infancy to toddler ages, they were always lucky enough to be in and out of the hell hole within a few months.

Then there was the sole older child in the orphanage, a fifteen year old boy whom called it home for the last five years. Benjamin Tracker had lost his parents in Mission City, his Mother and him having bore witness to the battle between Optimus and Bonecrusher on the highway. He had managed to exclaim "Cool Mom!" before she was hit by a stray blast, and killed. His father had been murdered in the same battle, on his way to a job interview. He'd gone to live with his grandparents before they died little more then a year later.

And that was how he'd gotten there, the oldest child in the orphanage. The only orphan to be branded 'alone for life'. Did it matter? Not much to Ben, because where the bookworm- ish young man lacked in family, and even in friends. He had his little 'discovery'. It was a small robotic ferret he called Boomer. The Cybertronian, Autobot, whatever it was, had been found by him behind the orphanage. He didn't know where Boomer came from, but he knew one thing. He was alone, friendless, and familyless, just like him.

Perhaps that was why he didn't mind months like this, where no other orphans had been brought in. A month where he was alone in the orphanage with no one but the rather cold owner, Dexter Blaze. And since he rarely showed up, he may as well have been all alone before Boomer showed up. Boomer gave him someone to talk to, though he only ever replied in grunts, and growls. He gave him companionship, a pet, of sorts with whom he no longer felt alone.

Ben often, if not always wondered if Boomer belonged to someone, anyone. More specifically to the robots he hero-worshiped since the day he witnessed Mission City: The Autobots. Having his own room in the orphanage, pictures and posters of them lined the walls. He often was sneered at by Dexter about it, but Ben didn't care, they were his heroes. It had been one of them that had saved him during Mission City years ago, stopping to carefully lift him out of the rubble of the overturned car, and carry him to safety before returning to the battle.

He later learned the Autobot had been named Ratchet, and was their medic. While he was not his 'favorite' Autobot, Ben had a fond soft spot for the mech, as he had saved his life. His favorite Autobot, to be put simply, was Ironhide. Though he knew he had died in Chicago, being among the casualties listed on the news, he still had found him awesome. Especially with the cannons he wielded, and often showed off whenever on camera. He mourned his loss, even if he never even personally knew the mech.

Even as he snuck out of the window of his room that morning, and snuck out of the orphanage, he suspected he never would. Ben was quick to make sure Boomer was safely in his pocket, in the form of the small hand radio he owned. The boy walked along the sidewalk calmly, keeping the hood of his jacked over his head, he hated to draw attention to himself, especially without reason. Not there was anything outstanding about Ben by any means. The boy was pimple faced, lanky, his blond hair rarely combed, and his eyes a dull green.

Most people labeled him a 'geek', most girls called him 'ugly', but Ben didn't seem to care. The sensation of crawling and curling around his neck caught his attention right away. Peering towards Boomer, Ben's eyes widened slowly. "Boom, are you crazy! You got to get in my pocket." He hissed quietly, the ferret tilted his head at him "If someone sees you-!" He began.

The ferret pointed slowly, and Ben rolled his eyes. Oil, he figured, or something else, he didn't really care. Turning his head, his eyes fell upon the nearby Hummer calmly, his eyes shifted a bit. Of course, his eyes hit the unmistakable Autobot shield right away. Ben couldn't even believe his eyes. It was him, and he knew it. Ben pushed away many memories of Mission City. But he never forgot the Hummer that had drove to his aid that day, he never forgot Ratchet. Boomer tugged, and Ben simply shook his head.

"No way, no way, no way." Ben told him, gulping slightly, then staring at Ratchet "He doesn't even remember me Boomer. I was ten years old." He told the small creature calmly "Come on, let's go." He told him calmly.

Ben turned up a heel, trying to move back down the way he'd came. Yet, as the other Autobots often said, Ratchet never forgot a patient. And while Ben was not technically his patient, Ratchet recognized the life signal right away, both of them. How Ben and the young mech he and Wheeljack had created years ago had found each other, Ratchet did not know. But he had half a processor to find out. While the mech hardly, if ever intruded upon humans, he felt a tug towards the boy, an odd one. Perhaps because he had Boomer with him, perhaps not, but Ratchet had little time to think.

Ratchet whistled first, gently, to get Boomer to come. And as if recognizing his creator's frequency, the small Ferret quickly darted for the Hummer. Ben turned, shocked as Ratchet transformed, there and then. Yes, the orphanage was deep in the city, a place where it was surprisingly unpopulated, but he was still not quite ready for that. The green-ish mech crouched, he held out a palm, and Boomer climbed onto him. "And where did YOU run off to?" Ratchet grunted, looking down at Boomer "Gave me quite the scare." He noted.

Ben stepped forward a bit as his optics turned toward him. "I am so sorry, I-I didn't know he was yours." Ben gulped, he tried to swallow all of his fear as best he could "I found him behind my... Behind the orphanage a block down." He noted, Ratchet tilted his head a bit "Look, he's-." He began.

"Just relax, young one." Ratchet chuckled, looking his creation over "I can see that he has not been harmed. I thank you for taking care of him." He nodded a bit, Ben sighed in relief "You've grown." Ben blinked, stunned he remembered him at all "In my age, I forget many things. But I never forget a life I save." He explained, crouching down, and letting Boomer rush to Ben, climbing up his leg an onto his shoulder "I see he quite likes you." He noted.

"Yeah, I guess so." Ben smiled, then looked up at Ratchet "I never did get to thank you that day." He explained.

"No thanks necessary, I was doing my job." Ratchet told him, smiling a bit, he shook his head slightly "It is quite odd we would cross paths as we have yet again, isn't it?" Ben simply nodded again "You live in the orphanage, then?" He asked.

"Yep, the one on-. Well you probably don't even know." Ben shrugged a little, looking and stroking Boomer's chin "Little guy's lucky I found him and not the owner. The owner would have killed him." He told him, rather sadly, then looked up at him "He was a fun little guy to have around. But he belongs to you so..." He smiled slightly "Well, y'know-." He began.

"I would allow you to keep him." Ratchet replied, staring at Ben "But of course, it is not my place, unfortunately." He explained, staring at Ben "I would like to thank you in some way. You had no reason to take him. I owe you something." He noted as Boomer nuzzled Ben's neck then made his way back to Ratchet "Allow me to do something for you, no?" He asked.

"Consider us even." Ben replied "You saved my life, I saved the little guy." He explained.

Ratchet smiled, the boy had done him a debt, one he wished to repay. But he was treating it as if he'd already done him a service by only really doing his job, if anything. He looked at Ben slowly, he tilted his head, and he eyed Boomer slowly. Boomer looked as unwilling to leave Ben, as Ben looked to leave Boomer. Slowly he set Boomer down, and transformed down into his Hummer form. Opening the passenger's side door carefully. "Take him, and get inside." He told Ben calmly "Perhaps we can discuss things in more secluded space." He noted.

"I can't take him from you, Ratchet." The boy noted.

"Just get in."

Ben stood there, quietly, calmly, uncertain as to what to do or say. But slowly, surely, he moved forward, picking up Boomer, he climbed into the passengers seat. The seat belt slipped over him, and the door closed. As Ratchet drove off, Ben stole a glance back, expecting Dexter to show up at any time now. When he didn't, Ben relaxed, he felt Boomer snuggle against him, and he too, leaned back, and closed his eyes slowly. He was tired, he hadn't slept well the night before, and the movement slowly rocked him into a slow, lulling nap.