Transformers: Where You Belong

Chapter 4

Being part of an experiment with Ratchet was a lot like being a hamster. It involved a lot of staring, and watching. That was, when Ratchet didn't have his own work to attend to, anyway. Ben and Vos were quite the well, boring pair, they hung out, they played. And Ben did a lot, and he did mean a lot of reading. Ratchet could easily get the feeling that Ben was a real bookworm by the end of the first week of the month. By the time that first week had ended, Ratchet quickly decided it was getting nowhere. They bonded well, the two were good for each other, it was obvious.

But he had a problem, he had said Ben would stay a month. It was in writing, and he was still no closer to finding out any truths behind the orphanage. The mech nearly sliced through Sideswipe's broken servo that morning in his frustration. What in the world had possessed him to do this? That was all the mech could think, and he'd nearly hurt a patient in doing so. "Whoa doc, EASY!" Sideswipe freaked out "I need those." He piped up.

"Right, sorry." Ratchet grumbled, surprising Sideswipe by his response, he quickly caught it "That is-sorry you can't sit fragging still so I can CONCENTRATE!" He sharply snapped, trying to hide his distracted nature "Now fragging relax, or I might take it OFF next time." He added.

Ben looked up from "Of Mice and Men" quietly. Ratchet seemed more frustrated than usual that day, and that was really, truly saying something from what he'd seen. Peering over the crook of Ratchet's arm, he blinked slightly. "Wouldn't it just be easier TO replace the servo? I mean, remove it, then-." Ben began.

Ratchet turned his head, and he felt silent, afraid he had stepped out of line. But the look that fell over Ratchet was more shock and surprise than anything. The mech knew Ben had been reading over a few of his medical journals while he worked. But he didn't expect a human that was barely fifteen to pick up on anything in them. "Well, yes in some cases, that is best. But the servo he hurt isn't damaged bad enough for a replacement." He explained to the boy "Did you get that off of my medical journals?" He asked.

"The ones I could understand, yeah." Ben nodded his head, setting his book down "My Dad was a paramedic, a factory worker, and a mechanic over the course of his life. So I kinda grew up around this, I'm nowhere near an expert but..." He shrugged his shoulders "I like to read up on this stuff once in a while. Makes me feel closer to my Dad in a way, y'know?" He asked.

"Cybertronian Mechanics and human mechanics are NOWHERE near the same." Sideswipe scoffed as Ratchet began to mend him "If your Dad ever got a look at me... Well, bring him in, and you'll see." He added.

Ben's face fell, even if he knew that not everyone on-base probably knew who he was. Ratchet simply shot Sideswipe a glare, and smacked him upside the head with a wrench. Ben's eyes widened, being it was the first time he'd actually seen the medics bedside manner. "Keep up with the memos, ye little GLITCH." Ratchet growled slightly "Maybe you'll understand how insensitive that was." He said coldly.

Sideswipe let out a series of Cybertronian curses, which Ben being human couldn't even begin to understand. By the time Ratchet had finished it up, and kicked him out, Ben had already entered 'hiding the pain' mode. He'd buried himself in his book silently, taking deep, inward breaths. "Sideswipe is an insensitive fragger." Ben looked over at Ratchet calmly, noticing that the medic had a rare look of sympathy in his optics "Don't let him bother you, kid. I bet your Father would have made a great mechanic." He noted.

"Nah, he wasn't... Really that great." Ben chuckled lightly "I guess he was right about that."

Ratchet recognized a lie when he saw one, but knew Ben didn't want trouble with anyone on base. After all, he was only there on a trial basis to help Ratchet, not to start arguments or cause trouble. Ratchet sighed a bit, moved a finger forward, and gently stroked his back, comfortingly. Ben shifted a bit, not having expected that, but welcoming the comforting touch. "You need not lie to me, alright?" Ratchet asked calmly "Sideswipe can be an idiot, I accepted that long ago. You won't get in any trouble with me." He explained.

"It's not even him, it's just... I guess it's just thinking about my Dad." Ben shook his head a little, then looked at Ratchet "You probably don't understand, I doubt that robots have-."

"We have parents, we call them, Creators, and children, or what we call sparklings or younglings." Ratchet interrupted the boy, Ben nodded his head slowly "I know exactly what you mean. I lost my Creators when I was seven vorns. Or years old." Ben nodded his head slowly, looking at him "I grew up in an orphanage as well, my entire 'childhood'." He explained, his voice quiet, distant "I know exactly what it's like to think about your creators. And only be able to think about how they're no longer there." He explained.

"How did you lose them?" Ben asked, curiously.

Ratchet shook his head, hesitation in his optics. "I'd rather not... Speak about it." Ratchet replied, trying to keep his cool "All I can say is this, Benjamin. Be glad your parents died as quickly and painlessly as they did. Mine were far from that lucky." He noted, Ben frowned slightly, noticing that it seemed to be an actual pain for Ratchet to even say just that "If only..." He added quietly.

Vos crawled off of Ben's shoulder, moving towards his inventor, and snuggling his finger gently. Ben watched with a smile, Vos knew how to make someone feel better, even the medic, it seemed. Being that Ratchet seemed to smile before stroking the small ferret's cheek. Ben stared at Ratchet, surprised to find out that the medic had been just like him. He thought older kids in orphanages were rare more often then not. "Well, that gives me hope... After all, you ended up okay." Ben noted, Ratchet turned his head "You were in an orphanage all your life, and now you're the medic of an ENTIRE base." He explained.

"It's usually the people that have the hardest lives." Ratchet mused "That grow up to be like... Well, me." He explained "The orphanage was where I met Ironhide, Primus rest his spark. And where I met Optimus Prime." Ben's eyes widened, in complete and utter disbelief "You'd be surprised how many great men and women were orphans if you simply did the research." He told him with a small smile.

Ben nodded his head slowly, peering off to the side. Could he be the same? Even with the way Dexter treated him, like a slave he could use and abuse to his liking? For a moment, Ben thought of bringing it up. He thought of asking sincerely if Ratchet thought he would be the same. But rather than bring that up, he slowly looked up, and asked him the more simple. "Do you think it'll be the same way for me?" He asked.

"From what I've seen? I have no doubt." Ratchet replied.

Ben nodded his head a bit, and looked up at him slowly. He could have replied, but Ben felt going any further might have headed into awkward territory. The boy now had a real reason to keep going, at least in his mind. After all, Ratchet, Ironhide, and Optimus were orphans, and they had more then made something out of their own lives. "I guess that being alone has... Made me stronger." Ben finally spoke up, taking a deep breath "It sucks, but, well... You know what I mean, right?" He asked.

"Loneliness is only a state of mind, Ben." Ratchet explained "I'm sure if you tried to make more friends, you would by no means be alone." He explained.

Friends, Ben bit his lip, that wasn't so easy when he was home-schooled. Or better yet when everyone in the orphanage was always much, much younger then he was. It was hard to make friends, but again, Ben wouldn't bother or bore the medic with that. He didn't care, if anything he was just trying to keep his spirits up, and that may have even been a bit of a stretch. "Yeah, friends... I guess I could try." Ben coyly lied "Dexter only lets us out for two hours at a time." He added under his breath.

Ratchet heard the words, and frowned a bit. Something definitely did not sound right there, at fifteen, Ben should have at least been allowed out as much as he liked. Why would this Dexter man keep him inside that much? Sighing a bit, and pushing those thoughts aside, he looked thoughtful for a moment. Then turned his head toward Ben slightly. "I have a day off tomorrow, with my friend, First Aid, taking over for the day." Ben turned his head towards Ratchet at this statement "How would you like to get out and see the city you're clearly missing out on?" He asked.

"You mean you leave here long enough to know it?" Ben asked.

"More then you do, anyway." Ratchet smirked.

Ben nodded his head slightly, looking thoughtful for a moment. He finally stared up, and gave a nod, this time in Ratchet's direction. "Yeah, I-I'd like that." He finally told him.

Ben could only let his imagination run wild with where Ratchet planned to take him. But by the look on his face, he had a feeling the medic already knew exactly where he was taking him.