Transformers: Where You Belong

Chapter 5

Ratchet was driving down the highway as slowly as humanly possible. Ben knew why too, because he was inside of him, but he found it a little bizarre. Ratchet had said today would be a 'break' from the experiment. As such, they'd left Vos with Lennox's daughter, Annabelle to play with. Did Ben find it weird they were spending some time alone together? Maybe a little, but it was, without a doubt, a good weird, oddly enough. The boy leaned against the seats of the Hummer quietly, crossed his arms, and smiled a bit.

Ever since the day before, he had found himself actually enjoying the medic's company. Was he a hard-ass? Yes. Was he a good mech though, friendly, and a pleasure to be around outside of his work? Ben was starting to think the answer to that was 'Yes', too. They traveled down the highway calmly, finally pulling to a stop in front of what appeared to be a museum "You took me to a museum?" Ben cocked an eyebrow.

"Indeed I have, a medical one." Ben's eyes widened, surprised by Ratchet's reply "Given how you read my journals excessively, I have come to the conclusion that you are at the very least intrigued by the field." Ben nodded is head slowly but surely "Well then you're in for a treat. I contributed to this museum in many ways. They even added a small Autobots section." He noted, his holoform appeared, the door opened, and Ben climbed out slowly "We're getting the VIP tour." He noted.

Ben stared up at the large museum, it looked new, which meant Ratchet was being truthful most likely. "I'll pay my own weight somehow, you-." Ben began.

"Ben, this is a treat." Ratchet replied, he smiled at him soothingly, tilting his head "I want nothing in return for this other then you enjoying yourself. You clearly haven't been able to do so in a long time." He explained, putting an arm around the boy's shoulders a bit, Ben looked up at him calmly "It'll be fun for both of us, it gives us a chance to get to know each other. Something I haven't done enough of: Getting to know you." He tilted his head "And since we are trying to prove you are trustworthy, I should be working on that." He noted.

"Sounds like a plan." Ben smiled shyly.

Though he felt somewhat uncomfortable with the arm around his shoulder, Ben allowed it. The mech was being kind, and doing a kind thing for him, he could do that, he figured. And at the same time, he was slowly beginning to like it, the closeness. It was odd, but the more time he spent with the mech, the more natural things like this became. But he pushed those thoughts away, after all, he wasn't here to find somewhere to stay for good. But he was there to gain the trust of people like him. Something he planned to do, needless to say.

Entering the museum, Ben was almost at once blown away. It was huge, with everything medical he could have ever imagined. The first thing that entered his mind, his Dad would have loved this. And Ben, well, he was his Father's son, and he definitely loved it himself. Ratchet smiled, noticing the light in Ben's eyes, he pulled him close. "Amazing isn't it?" Ben could only slowly nod his head "I'm glad you like it." He noted.

As they entered the line, Ratchet was greeted almost immediately. Handshakes, lots of talking, Ben was too mystified to hear any of what was being said. "And this... Is my young friend, Ben." The words Ratchet spoke brought Ben back to reality, he turned his head "Ben, this is my good friend, and museum curator, Bradley White." He noted.

"It's a pleasure to meet you sir." Ben nodded to the middle aged man.

"The same goes for you, Ratchet told me about you." Bradley reached a hand forward, and shook Ben's hand "It's a pleasure to meet you Ben. After I heard your last name, and have seen you for yourself. I'd like to say I knew your Father." He nodded a bit, obviously noting that Ben very much resembled his late Father "He was a good man, and though he died some years ago... I was very unnerved by his passing." He noted "He was a good man." He added.

Ben tried to let that one slip over his head, he'd been tired of hearing that. The man probably didn't even really know him, his Father had been raised there, so he'd probably known him before he was an adult, he figured. He'd had it happen a lot when he was living with his Grandparents for a year, people claiming to know him really well. But still Ben put on a smile, the man seemed friendly enough, he could fake-buy that for one day, he told himself. "Yeah, he was a good man." Ben muttered, then added "So should we get this tour started?" He asked.

"Of course, of course. Follow me." Bradley nodded, waving the two of them over.

The actual brunt of the museum was even more amazing then just staring in from the lobby. If Ben had not known any better, he would have sworn he'd died and stepped through the pearl gates of Heaven. Bradley gave a narration as they went along, explaining some things Ben already knew, and some that was completely new to him. When they reached the section Ratchet had spoken of, "Autobot Anatomy", the medic placed his hands gently on the boy's shoulders, staring down. "I think I can give him the tour at this point, Bradley." Ratchet told him, the man looked over, and nodded, stepping aside slightly "Now this is my pride and joy, so don't break anything." He noted.

Ratchet led Ben into the section calmly, pushing aside the sign that read 'Coming Soon'. It was clear that if he hadn't heavily contributed there was no way they could have gotten in there. Ben stared around, the room was huge, and filled to the brim with Autobot things. The rug on the floor or the room was one huge Autobot shield, and a massive model of an Autobot Warrior stood in the center, roped off. A 'dissected' version of the model much like a human body piece was off to the side, showing their systems, their functions, their well, everything.

"This is... So cool." Ben looked up at the medic calmly "You helped MAKE this?" He asked.

"You sound surprised." Ratchet snorted lightly, he smiled widely "I sure did, my partner, Wheeljack and I did so before the invasion of DC last year." His voice became distant at mentioning his old friend, but he perked up "Well, don't let me anchor you, go explore, if you have questions, give me a hollar." He patted the boys shoulder, Ben grinned and rushed off to give it a real look-over.

Finding a bench for his holoform to sit on, Ratchet had a seat slowly. Ben was certainly happy, which surprisingly made him happy too. What had made him this nice, he didn't know or bother to think over. But he got a certain joy from making the boy happy. Perhaps it was because he reminded him so much of himself at his age. Dorky, alone, unbelievably shy in almost every way. Perhaps it was simply that after loosing even more of his allies in Chicago had greatly softened the medic more then usual.

Whatever the case, he was here, and he was making the boy happy. And frankly, that was what Ratchet believe mattered more then why he had decided to do it. Of course, it was than Ratchet was surprise attacked, not by a Decepticon, but by Ben. Ratchet had never actually been 'hugged' before, and as such, he had considered it a sneak attack, he hadn't seen it coming. No one ever bothered, or wanted to hug him, but Ben just had, rather tightly in fact. "Thank you, for... Everything." Ben told him.

Ratchet stared at Ben, at first, he thought of telling him to let go. But Ratchet took a deep breath, and wrapped an arm around Ben, hugging him back carefully. Even in his holoform, he had to belittle his strength when hugging the fifteen year old. It was an awkward hug, there was no denying that, but only because Ratchet oddly liked it, both the hug, and hugging back. "You're welcome, kid." Ratchet told him before patting his back "Want me to give you a rundown of the section here?" He asked, as he looked curiously at him.

Ben finally let go of his holoform before he nodded in response. The medic stood up, and led him away slowly, beginning one of his long rambles. But with Ben, he no longer felt like everyone was just tuning him out. He couldn't have done this with most anyone else, but he could do this with Ben, he now realized. Something he was more then happy about. Even if this only lasted a month, he would take advantage of that as best he could. After all, he might have kinda, sorta, liked having the young man around. Perhaps.

From the doorway into the section, unseen by Ben or Ratchet, Dexter watched them quietly. The look on his face spoke volumes too, Ben was happy, Ratchet was happy, and the man could already feel his pocket getting lighter. The man shifted, he couldn't let that happen, he refused to let Ben leave the orphanage, which was where he knew this was going. The man had received a big check for taking care of him for five years, he was the one boy he always made money off of, even if kids left days after arrival.

He would not let the boy leave, even if he had to break the two's slowly forming relationship himself.