Ratchet was sitting by the stop where track cars came in, resting on a bench. He frowned deeply as he waited and watched, hopeful. His eyes were distant as he held a photo in his hand. Percy sat next to the man, talking to him quietly. Though the doctor didn't seem to want to talk. Ratchet soon got up, held onto the picture and he began returning to the apartment, unaware he was being looked for. He went to the door and opened it, going to his room quietly.
Skye stared blankly at the buildings and streets as she waited and watched for him. She knew he wasn't with her father and was worried as she went to the apartment. She didn't find him there and she became more worried. She left and started running around as she started to panic. She was in tears now and continued to look for him as she felt panicked. She couldn't find him and started to sob. She lost someone else in her family. She shook her head and continued to look.
An older man with white hair was walking around when he saw her, frowning at her distress. He went over to her worriedly. He placed a hand on her arm gently. "Hey, hi, are you alright?" The man asked gently, his eyes searching her face.
"Yes... I'll be fine..." she muttered and quickly wiped her tears away in embarrassment. She was acting like a child and wasn't meaning to.
The man frowned deeply. "Are you sure? I'm happy to help you." He spoke kindly, his voice warm and gentle.
"I don't know... I mean... no... I'm sorry... I'm just being silly." she muttered and wiped her tears away quickly. "Sorry to have bothered you..." she muttered. "Thank you Mr... um..."
"Mr. Burns but you can just call me Charlie." The man smiled a bit. "You didn't bother me at all. I just wanted to make sure your alright." He spoke calmly. "What's bothering you?"
She looked at him as tears fell down her face and she sniffed a little as she smiled, or tried to. "Thanks Charlie... um... Mr Burns..." she said. "I really am sorry... I lost my grandfather... and I know that sounds... dumb..." she muttered.
Charlie shook his head. "That's not dumb. I'm sorry to hear this. I can help look for him if you would like." He said gently, smiling kindly at her. "I'm sure more eyes could help."
"I sound like a child..." she choked and forced a smile then bit her lip. "Thank you..." she whispered and looked around. "I don't even know where to start... I've looked everywhere." she whispered.
"No you don't. You sound like a family member concerned for their grandfather." Charlie reassured as he looked around. "Well first, stay calm and tell me the most likely places he would go." He told her gently.
"The hospital or home... but I've looked there already." she said as she glanced around and bit her lip. She looked down as she worried more and sniffed a little.
Charlie nodded, frowning a bit. "Well it's getting late. Maybe he just wandered around. I'm pretty old and I'd go home after walking around. Maybe he went home again." Charlie told her calmly, taking out a cloth from his pocket and handed it to her for her tears.
"Thank you..." she whispered and took it then wiped her tears away. "I'll... I'll head home then..." she whispered and smiled a little. "Thank you again..." she said and handed it back.
Charlie nodded. "Of course. Stay safe." He smiled at the woman before he let her go back home alone, continuing his walk.
Skye hugged herself and sniffed sadly as she walked to her apartment. She was worried she lost him and continued to wipe her tears away. She sniffed again as she got to the apartment and entered.
Ratchet was laying on his bed exhausted, shaking a bit as his fist was clenched holding the photo. He trembled, his eyes filled with tears. He blinked and began sitting up hearing the door and footsteps. "Skye?" He called out, voice hoarse.
She stopped suddenly and looked around as she heard her name then looked to his room. "Grandad?" She choked and went to him then hugged him tightly. "Where have you been? Why are you crying?" She asked and wiped his tears away.
Ratchet frowned deeply, seeing her upset. He gently placed a hand on her cheek. "I was around. Why are you upset?" He asked worriedly. "What's wrong?"
"I... was afraid I lost you...." she whispered quietly and looked at him. "I... I couldn't find you and feared the worst..." she muttered and looked at her hands. Feeling dumb again for being upset about it.
Ratchet frowned a bit. "Don't be afraid. I'm not going anywhere." He smiled a little, setting the image in his pocket before taking her face in his hands. "I'm sorry I scared you. I didn't want to scare you." He murmured as he kissed her forehead.
She nodded slowly and looked down, feeling ashamed for freaking out. She stayed silent then hugged him tightly as she buried her face in his shoulder. "I'm sorry..." she muttered. "I don't mean... to be... childish..." she mumbled.
He hugged her back, holding her close as he stroked her hair gently. "Shh...its alright. Don't be worried about it." He murmured quietly. "Besides, you are still a little girl to me."
She choked back a sob and a laugh as she held onto him tighter then buried her face more. She smiled a little and nuzzled him. "Where.... where were you?" she asked quietly.
Ratchet shushed her gently, smiling faintly. He rubbed her back in soothing circles, frowning a bit. "I went to the lab to check something after I went and checked on patients. Then I went to the tracks to clear my thoughts... then I came home." He murmured.
"Oh... okay..." she whispered as she continued to hold on to him and thought. She sobbed suddenly and quietly apologized as she held onto him. She was so fragile in a way.
Ratchet shushed her gently, rubbing her back as he held her close, swaying a bit as he held her in his arms. "Easy...its alright.." he muttered. "I'm here.."
"I miss them... my mom, my dad... the two twins... they were so annoying... my older brothers... but I miss them now..." she sobbed as she buried her face. Ratchet remember Jacks children now as she spoke. They had the twin boys and Skye. Miko wanted more but ended up not being able to have anymore. It was hard on any woman to have children here.
Ratchet blinked. "The twins..." he whispered as he slowly remembered. "Their names... what were their names?" He asked as he held her close before leading her to his bed, having them both sit. "Remind me." He said calmly, smiling a little, hoping it would help if she talked about them.
She looked at him and sniffed sadly as she wiped her tears away, it was sad to her that he couldn't remember, but she didn't know why he couldn't. She smiled a little and gently gripped his hand. "Adrien and Hunter..." she whispered and looked at him.
He nodded slowly, frowning a bit. "Adrien and Hunter..." he muttered as he repeated the names. He remembered a little. "Yes... they used to be competitive boys." He smiled more, knowing they got that from Miko, looking to her. "They were good to you, when you needed them anyway."
"Yes they were... but they loved to get into trouble and irritate you..." she smiled a little then it faded. "They disappeared when mom did... went looking for her... then dad followed and..." she trailed off and looked away.
The old doctor frowned deeply, gently rubbing her back. He struggled to remember much of the twins and it made his chest feel heavy. "Don't worry about that now... if your father is alive then the others might be too." He told her calmly.
"I hope so...." she whispered and looked at him as she furrowed her brow and sat back. "Grandad... why can't you remember things? Did those... robots hurt you?" she whispered.
Ratchet tensed, frowning deeply. "I... no. I'm not sure why." He said quietly to her but looked away, a few flashbacks filling him. His eyes were stuck staring at the doors hinge, watering quickly. She looked up at him as she studied his face then felt tears of her own as she wiped his away. He seemed to be far away. She missed him but didn't want to take him from what seemed to be a happier place.
Ratchet choked a bit and began to break into tears. "I-I'm sorry, I can't... I don't want to upset you or worry you..." he murmured as his voice got wavered. "I can't remember... it... it was too terrible." He let go of her to rubbed his forehead and face. "I can only remember so much." He moaned, tears streaming down his face.
"Hey... it's okay." she whispered and looked at him then gently wiped his tears away. "Don't think about it then... please... don't think about it... I didn't mean to upset you..." she whispered and hugged him close again. "Don't think about it if it hurts..." she said.
Ratchet trembled a bit, hugging her back and burying his face into her hair, sobbing. "They were awful." He rasped a bit, shaking his head. He tried to calm down, not wanting to worry her. She had so much on her mind already. He shook as he let go of her, taking out the photo from his lab coat pocket. "P-Percy found this." He whispered, handing it to her.
She looked at him then furrowed her brow before glancing at the picture. She looked confused then at him. "What is this? Why are they with the enemy?" She asked.
Ratchet frowned. "No, no, this bot isn't the enemy." He mumbled. He sighed softly. "This was before you were ever born but.. " he rubbed his face as he struggled to remember. "I can't remember why or who this is but I used to be like that bot there. That bot... I know him. I know it." He muttered as he wiped away his tears. "We... we tried stopping these bots that hurt people today. I can't... put together the pieces and I know I don't make sense but that bot there was the sweetest bot." His expression softened a little.
Skye stared at him blankly for a few minutes then looked at the pictures again. "What... Grandad... how... how is that even possible?" She asked as she looked at him. She could tell he was distressed and gently hugged him again.
"Oh, what's his name would be better at explaining this." Ratchet muttered as he rubbed his head, feeling a few scars making him frown. He looked at her and hugged her, sighing softly as he placed his chin on her shoulder. "You believe me?"
Skye stared blankly and hesitated as she thought about how to answer. He sounded crazy to be honest, but his question sounded like a cry for help. She hugged him tighter and buried her face in him. "I want to... it's... just hard to process... does... Dad know? I mean... he and Mom told stories but...." She trailed off and furrowed her brow.
The man frowned. "Skye... what do you know me as? My name?" He muttered as he held her close, stroking her hair gently to try to keep her calm. He felt he was scaring her, or going to.
She thought for a moment then looked up at him. "Henry Darby." She whispered quietly. "Isn't... that your name?" She asked.
Ratchet frowned deeply, unsure how to reply. "I... no." He muttered then took out his wallet and showed her the drivers license. "This is my name." He murmured. "I'm yes still your grandfather, your fathers stepdad, but..." he groaned softly and rubbed his head, so confused and overwhelmed. How did he have two names? What did this mean?
She stared at it then looked over at him and gently gripped his shoulder. "Ratchet..." she whispered quietly and looked at him. "You mean... like the gear... that... constantly moves forward?" She asked quietly and furrowed her brow. She gently set a hand on his head to see what was wrong. "Grandad?" She whispered.
"Y-Yeah... I think it's right. It sounds right." Ratchet rubbed his head where his scars were. "I don't know. When I told Zane my name was Henry it didn't sound right... I woke up at the slave mines and I was told my name." He frowned deeply, shaking and putting his head against her shoulder.
She furrowed her brow and looked at where he kept rubbing his head. She gently rubbed his back then worked on locating the scars. She frowned deeply as she continued to look. "Hold on... Grandad..." she whispered.
Ratchet frowned, rubbing his face. Two scars were along both sides of his head, just a few centimeters above his ears. It was almost difficult to see by his white hair but it looked recent, making it pinkish. He began moving away. "What? What is it?" He asked in confusion, it hurt a little when she touched them.
"It's okay... I'm looking at something." She whispered quietly and rubbed his back again. She watched him then looked at the scars. "Did... they do this to you?" She whispered quietly and hesitantly touched one.
Ratchet flinched a bit, moving his head away a little. "I...I think so." He whispered, closing his eyes a bit, unable to continue talking without his voice shaking. He didn't know what happened to him. He began standing up. "I can't continue this. Not right now." He said, overwhelmed. "I need air, I need a walk." He muttered.
"Okay... I'm sorry..." she whispered quietly and stood. "Grandad... I'm sorry..." she said as she walked with him and went to the kitchen. "Do... you... want me..." she trailed off and bit her lip.
Ratchet sighed softly. "Don't be sorry, I... I'm sorry. I'm just..." he rubbed his face as he walked with her. "Overwhelmed." He muttered. "Would you like to take a walk with me?" He asked gently, going to grab his coat by the table.
She looked at him then smiled a little and put her coat on. She put her beanie hat on then went over to him. She gently put a hat on his head and smiled a little. "I'd love to." She whispered quietly and gently hugged his arm.