Transformers One-Shots

Bring Me Back: Optimus X Ratchet

Ratchet softly gasped, he didn't know how he managed to get on the Decepticon warship, all he knew was that he was being carried by a large bot and was in a tremendous amount of pain, he felt warm energon leaking down his frame and he struggled to keep his electric blue optics open, he felt his consciousness slowly fade, everything started to get darker around him until a familiar voice jolted him back into reality.

"Ratchet, you must stay conscious" the voice pleaded, it was deep and desperate, he hadn't heard the voice so desperate since before the war, it shook him to the core and he fought his hardest to keep his optics open. "Bulkhead, cover us!" the voice said again. Ratchet heard the sound of shots being fired as he was whisked away by the bot carrying him, he heard the familiar sound of the ground bridge being activated and tried to lift his helm to see what was going on around him, Ratchet gave a soft groan, he was simply to weak to move.

"O-Optimus..." Ratchet whispered hoarsely.

"Save your strength old friend" Optimus replied, he carried his friend through the bridge and rushed him straight to the sick bay and laid him down on the medical berth. "Arcee!" Optimus called out to the femme, out of all of them she had the most medical training.

Arcee heard her leader call out and quickly stepped away from Bulkhead "Bumblebee, see if you can stop the leaking in his shoulder" Arcee turned away from the young scout and dashed to the sick bay "I'm here Optimus" the blue femme was immediately by Ratchets side observing the damage done to him, it didn't look good at all, he had a large nasty gash right over his spark chamber which showed a few busted fuel lines, his left arm was bent out of place and he had multiple cuts and dents littering his frame. "Grab me Ratchets medical kit" Arcee shook slightly, she had some basic medical training but she was no Ratchet, she wasn't sure she was going to be able to fix him.

Optimus grabbed Ratchets medical kit and passed it to Arcee, his spark was pounding in his chassis, he knew his friend was badly damaged, he was afraid he was going to lose him, Optimus took a deep vent and composed himself, he had to remain strong, for his team, for Ratchet. "What can I do to help?"

"Just pass me supplies when I ask for it" Arcee mumbled as she got to work trying to seal the busted energon lines.

Six hours later

Optimus paced outside the sick bay, he thought back to the incident that happened earlier, Ratchet had flatlined, and he had froze up, he didn't blame Arcee for asking him to wait outside, he was just grateful the femme had been able to stabilize his friend again. Optimus gave a deep sigh and stared at the door of the sick bay "Please Primus" Optimus whispered "Please do not take him from me" he did not want to lose the only bot who had been with him every step of the way through this Primus forsaken war. "Please..." He bowed his helm down and stared at the floor, his optics watered as tears welled up in his blue optics, he blinked rapidly to stop the tears from falling, he had not cried for a long time, he refused to cry now, he had hope his friend would survive.

"Optimus" Bumblebee beeped from behind him making the larger bot slowly turn to look at the young mech "Is Ratchet-- Is he going to be okay?"

"Arcee is doing everything she can" Optimus replied "I'm sure Ratchet will pull through" Optimus told him hoping to ease the young warriors worries.

"Are you okay Optimus?" Bumblebee asked, he could see how tired Optimus looked, it worried him greatly to see his leader like this.

"I'm fine Bumblebee" Optimus simply replied, his facial expression betraying nothing, he wasn't fine but he had to remain strong for everyone else.

Bumblebee gave a soft chirp and nodded his helm "I have to go check on Bulkhead" Bumblebee pointed at the door then slowly left.

Optimus watched his scout leave and his shoulders sagged down, his face suddenly showed how tired he was as he leaned against the wall so he wouldn't fall to his knees, he glanced at the ceiling and whispered one final prayer "Please let him pull through this Primus"

Four hours later

Optimus stood in front of a console in the main area trying to decode an old Decepticon file Arcee had retrieved from the warship a while back, it had been four hours since Ratchet had flatlined and been brought back and he couldn't take it anymore, he needed a distraction until he got some news.

Arcee slowly stepped out of the medbay, her facial expression was grim. The news she had was not good and she really didn't want to share the news with anyone, but she had to, she softly sighed as she walked over to Optimus "Optimus sir" She said softly.

"Arcee" Optimus turned to look at her, his optics held hope but his face remained neutral "How is Ratchet?"

"Not good I'm afraid" Arcee frowned slightly and crossed her arms "I did everything I could Optimus, but the damage done to his chassis was worse than I thought, his spark casing is cracked, and I can't repair it" Arcee felt incredibly guilty and useless at the moment, everyone was depending on her and she couldn't save Ratchet. "I'm so sorry but he won't make it"

"You did everything you could" Optimus told her while placing a servo on her shoulder, his spark ached painfully in his chassis "I thank you for your effort"

"You may want to say goodbye, I know you two were close" Arcee told him her voice strained and her expression spark broken.

"Bulkhead, Bumblebee" Optimus spoke, his tone soft but in reality he was barely keeping himself from breaking "You can go say your goodbyes if you wish"

Bumblebee nodded, his wings dropped down as he headed to the sick bay with Bulkhead following behind.

Optimus followed them after telling Arcee to go get some rest, he waited outside the sick bay for the the two bots to come back out, Bulkhead was the first to emerge, he looked upset but kept himself together "I'm sorry Prime" He said before he left.

Bumblebee emerged a few minutes later, his face was stained with tears and he was shaking, Ratchet had been like a sire to Bumblebee in a way. Bumblebee glanced at Optimus as more tears rolled down his light gray cheeks, he didn't say a word to his leader as he quickly headed to his quarters to be alone.

Optimus sucked in a deep vent of air as he walked into the sick bay, his optics immediately locked onto Ratchets frame which was already starting to lose its colour, his friend was slowly fading away, Optimus walked over and took Ratchets servo and gave it a tight squeeze "I'm sorry I didn't make it to you in time old friend" Optimus whispered, tears now slowly starting to fall from his optics, tears streaked down his face slowly as he shook, his optics remained on Ratchets dying frame as more tears started to freely fall from his optics, it was like a dam had been broken because Optimus couldn't stop crying, it hurt, his spark felt like it was being crushed and beated furiously against his chassis. "I..." Optimus began, a sob escaping his lips "I can't lose you Ratchet" another sob "Please don't leave me" his grip on Ratchets servo tightened as if somehow he could keep Ratchet here if he had ahold of him. The spark monitor showing Ratchets spark beat slowed down before stopping and flatlining for the second time today. Optimus sobbed and stood up, he released Ratchets servo and stood back just as Arcee burst through the door, Optimus turned his helm away so she wouldn't see his tear stained face.

"Come on Ratchet" Arcee tried her hardest to stabilize him again, but it was no use, after about five minutes of trying she began to give up, she tried for three more minutes then sunk to her knees after she realized she really couldn't save him. Optimus watched her pulled the cord to the monitor out before placing her servos on the ground in front of her. "I'm sorry" she whispered so quietly Optimus had barely heard her. Optimus took one last look at Ratchet, he felt numb, he lost the only bot he truly considered his friend, Optimus walked out the sick bay quickly and headed to his room, his venting became harsh as he struggled to breath in cool air, he couldn't feel anything, he looked at the wall and started to punch it, he kept punching it until there was a large energon covered dent in the wall, Optimus gave a pained gasp as he sunk to his knees, the emotional pain was to much, but he knew, he knew he had to stay strong, a sob escaped his lips and he gave a soft whimper as he laid on his side and curled up into a ball. "Why Primus... Why" Optimus shut his optics as his venting slowly evened out and he slowly fell into a recharge plagued by dreams of Ratchet.

The End.