Ratchet put the coat on, zipping it up some. He smiled at her a bit, starting to relax. He placed his hand on hers as he began to leave the apartment with her. "What's something interesting here?"
She thought for a few minutes as she scrunched up her face. "Depends on what you like." She said as she smiled brightly. "We have... a bakery... hmmm... library... what do you like?" She whispered.
Ratchets eyes brightened a bit. A library? Suddenly filled with an urge to go, he looked at her with a small smile. "Let's go to the library if that's alright with you." He said gently.
"Of course." She said with a small smile as she nodded slowly. She hugged his arm a little and grinned as she walked with him. They soon left the building and walked down the street.
Ratchet smiled faintly at her, looking around quietly. He looked at the people and the buildings. "Who built this?" He whispered.
"The military did at first when they were here in Jasper and needed a place... probably to monitor these robots... then when we first came down here... many years ago... we built more." she explained and looked at him as they walked.
Ratchet nodded a bit. "Well it looks nice here."he smiled a little. "Feels more at home here than above." He muttered.
"I know... it would be amazing to go back up eventually... but we have to stay here for now. We don't even know if we can defeat them or not..." she whispered. "Or how to..." she added. Ratchet frowned a bit, nodding quietly. He wanted to say something to that but couldn't. He sighed softly and pushed open the door to the library, feeling the heavy silence.
She smiled and inhaled as they walked inside the older building that was filled with books. "I love the smell of books and pages." she whispered and looked at him. It was warm here and inviting.
Ratchet smiled a bit and nodded. "As do I." He said and began looking around. It was peaceful and quiet, almost like a sanctuary. He went toward the counter, drawn to it. "Let's ask what they recommend." He muttered.
"Or we can go on an adventure and simply explore." she said as she looked at him and smiled. "That's what I do in a library, and I only stop when a book grabs at me." she grinned.
Ratchet blinked. "Really?" He then looked at the many books. "But... how do you know what's best?" He asked gently as he looked to her.
"Mostly depends on your mood and what calls to you." She said and looked around at the signs that told them the section of books. "Look at the signs, Grandad... what calls to you?" she asked.
He hummed softly and began looking at the signs quietly. "Fiction seems nice. I could use a nice story." He looked at her with a small smile.
"Perfect." She grinned at him then squeezed his arm a little as she walked with him to the said section. They slowly walked down the aisles and rows of books, pausing on occasion to grab a book off the shelf. Skye looked through it then at him as she grinned.
He smiled a bit as he walked with her. He was enjoying this, thinking of anything else. He took a book off the shelf and hummed, smiling a bit. "I think I'll read this one." He said quietly, looking at her. "One flew over the cuckoo's nest." He murmured, finding it amusing by the nurses name.
She hesitated and looked at the book for a few minutes then at him. "Um... maybe you... should try another one." she said hesitantly and looked for something else.
Ratchet watched her curiously and set it back onto the shelf. He looked around, humming quietly. "Have you read it before?"
She hesitated and looked down as she gripped the shelf just at her eye level. "Yes... but I didn't get very far.... I didn't like it..." she admitted and thought for a few minutes. "I mean...." she trailed off and thought about how the characters were crazy and her grandfather felt he might be. "Let's just find something else..." she whispered.
He looked at her quietly and frowned, not realizing. "I-I'm sorry." He muttered. "We can find another book." He said gently and began looking through the books quietly, his eyebrows knitting together as he looked. "What do you like to read?"
She shook her head and rubbed her face, feeling bad now. "It's okay..." she grinned. "Sometimes I don't like things but you will. Dad liked certain books mom hated." She giggled and grabbed the book he picked up earlier. "Here." She said silently worried about it anyway but not wanting him to be. "I like adventure and drama." She said. "Far off places...." she trailed off.
Ratchet slowly took the book, blinking. "Skye.... slow down." He smiled a bit, taking her hand as he tucked the book against his chest. "It's only a book and I'm not sure if I like it yet or not because I haven't read it." He tried to calm her. "I just found it intriguing." He murmured. "Let's find you a book now, okay?"
She nodded and smiled a little as she looked at him then glanced around again. "Well... I'm not sure what book to be honest." she whispered. "Let's keep looking though." she smiled. Ratchet nodded quietly, smiling faintly and began looking around with her, pulling books out and reading the backs quietly, showing her a few he thought she may like.
She laughed quietly at a few then covered her mouth and glanced towards the entrance. She smiled and grabbed one that he had read. "This sounds interesting." She whispered.
Ratchet smiled and looked at it. "That's a good one."he muttered, looking at the cover. "I read that. So did your grandmother."
"Really?" she asked and looked at him as she smiled a little then looked at the cover again to read the title.
"Yes, The Journey to the Center of the Earth is a good one." He smiled, nodding. "I think it was made into a movie but I didn't watch it." He murmured.
"Wow..." she whispered quietly and looked at him. "I hope to see it one day." She grinned and hugged the book close to her. "Do you want to keep looking or head out?" She asked.
"Hmm... I think I'm good." Ratchet smiled faintly. "Unless you would like to find another book." He spoke quietly.
"No... I'm alright." She whispered quietly and looked at him. She smiled a little and led him back over to the front. Ratchet walked with her and set the book down. He reached into his wallet quietly and began thumbing through his few one dollar bills and one five.
"Excuse me sir." The woman said at the desk. "You don't buy these books, you check them out. Don't you know that money is useless?" She said seriously and sounded a little rude. Skye glared at her and handed her the library card.
"Just let us get the books." his granddaughter said as she watched her.
Ratchet blinked, frowning a little. "I... I'm sorry. I didn't know." He muttered and began putting his wallet away. He looked lost, confused. He watched the woman take the card and swipe it.
Skye glared at the woman and took the books. "It's okay." She whispered quietly and gently hugged his arm. "Come on Grandad." She mumbled and gently led him away from the building. She held on to him as they went down the street.
~
Percy was silent until he saw Raf come in. "Hey Raf." He smiled at the man when he came in, looking over at him. "How are you?" He asked kindly.
Rafael hesitated and looked at him then glanced to his desk. "I'm alright... just thought I left some paperwork." He said as he smiled and fixed his glasses nervously.
The other man hummed softly, watching him quietly. "Anything I can help you look for? I think I saw most of everything, I went through some paperwork to help understand what you have so far." The man said, his dark brown eyes watching him. Raf tensed a little and nodded slowly then went over and looked around. He sighed shakily in relief and quickly put the picture in his pocket, he had found it under a few papers. He gripped the desk for a moment and sighed shakily. He missed all his friends. Everyone.
Percy watched quietly. He smiled a bit to himself and began working with his back turned to him. "So, I was thinking one day we go out to eat? Just us. Like friends." He smiled and glanced at him.
Raf stared blankly at the desk then glanced at him briefly. He nodded a little and turned to look at him. "I... yes..." he mumbled.
The other scientist smiled and nodded. "Great! How's the weekend for you?" He asked gently as he turned to face him.
Raf jumped a little at his outburst and looked at him. "That... that sounds like a good idea..." he whispered, making a mental note.
Percy nodded and began going back to work. He sighed softly. "Find the paperwork yet?"
The young father blinked a couple times then looked around before grabbing the file on his wife's illness. "Yes... thank you." He mumbled and fixed his glasses again. "Goodnight." He said and nodded once before leaving the room.
Percy watched him leave then shook his head. He reached into his pocket then panicked a bit, not feeling the copied picture he had folded. He stood up and looked around, frowning. He had planted the other back on Rafs desk but couldn't find his own copy. He needed it.
~~
Raf sighed shakily and rubbed his face as he put his things in his satchel. He then walked back out and towards the apartments. He paused as he looked over and saw Skye with an older man. He smiled a little and walked over.
Ratchet frowned deeply as he walked with her, sighing softly. "I don't understand how someone could be rude in such a comfortable place. It makes me not want to go again." He scoffed.
"Don't worry about it. She's just the night shift and super grumpy." his granddaughter said as she smiled slightly and gently rubbed his arm. "It's okay." She reassured him and glanced towards the hospital, thinking of her father.
He smiled a bit at her, thanking her with his gaze. He sighed softly and looked to the streets, looking around quietly. "This is... so peaceful down here." He murmured. "I wish everyone could experience it."
She stopped in the street and watched him then looked up towards the high ceiling again. She closed her eyes as she felt a light breeze. "Yes... it is..." she whispered.
Ratchet stopped, frowning. "I'm sorry, Skye I didn't..." he whispered, realizing. He gently brushed hair from her face sadly.
"What? What's wrong?" She whispered quietly wondering why he was saying that. "Why are you apologizing?" She asked.
Ratchet blinked, frowning as he was growing a bit confused himself. ''I... thought you got upset." He muttered and saw a man walking to them. He frowned a bit, protectively standing close to Skye then realizing it was the man they spoke to a while back.
"No... I was just contemplating." She whispered quietly and looked up at the man then smiled brightly. "Hello Dr Esquivel." She said as she waved him over.
"Hello Skye and... um... I'm sorry I forgot your name... sorry let me introduce myself..." he mumbled feeling embarrassed as he held his hand out to him. "I'm Doctor Rafael Jorge Gonzales Esquivel.... or... Doctor Esquivel for short..." he said as he smiled nervously.
The doctor stared at him quietly, blinking as he felt a sense of familiarity. "I... um... Henry." he muttered, shaking his hand quietly. "Good to meet you." The old man said quietly, studying his features. Those glasses... that hair... the sweater. "I'm sorry, do I know you?" He furrowed his eyebrows.
"Um.... I do know you a little." He whispered quietly. "You married June and are now Jacks step-dad." He said and trailed off a little. "I'm sorry for your loss..." he sighed shakily. Skye looked at him then remembered the picture and looked at her grandfather.
"Um... you knew my dad and Miko...." she said as she looked at him. "And...." she trailed off a little.
Ratchet looked at him, blinking as he nodded. His eyes then widened as he looked at Skye in realization. "He's the one from the photo..." he whispered to her then looked to him, making sure the other man hadn't heard. "I know you." He spoke seriously then blinked, realizing how odd that sounded. He shook his head. "I mean-yes, that's right." He closed his eyes for a moment as he nodded. "I knew you when you were young, close to when I married June."
He watched him for a few minutes then furrowed his brow. "Wait... what picture?" He asked and gripped his bag a little, hoping they hadn't seen it. "Yes... we know each other." He said gently and smiled slightly.
"Grandad..." she whispered quietly and looked at him. She wondered if he should say his other name. "The gear machine..." she whispered so only he heard.
Ratchet looked at him then back to Skye. He frowned and looked back to the man. "I... I'm not sure, Skye. He might think I'm crazy." He whispered as he looked at her, turning away from him as he tried to be quiet. "Who would believe me that my name is Ratchet? Even my own granddaughter doesn't..."
Her face fell and she stared at him blankly for a few minutes. Tears filled her eyes and she pulled him into a hug, she felt awful for not believing him. All she knew was the robots were bad creatures and none were good. Her mother spoke about them and so did her dad, but they only acted horribly towards the people. Raf felt awkward and looked down at the floor. He decided to head out and could tell she was struggling with something. The older man seemed to have memory issues. He wondered if he could help with that.