My eyes opened lazily, the base quiet. I smiled lightly and rolled over, bringing my hands to my chin. The silence was calming, and I was still relaxed from my dreamless sleep. My eyes were happy with remaining only half open, but my mind slowly began to wake up. I realized that the base was nearly empty; this had to mean that the children were either going to school, or already there. I sighed, partially because I was already missing them, but also because I was happy for the quiet. As my eyes finally opened all the way, I realized my bed had been moved. I craned my neck upwards to see, and found that I had been wheeled closer to Ratchet's console. I groaned slightly, closing my eyes again and plopping my head back down. I could practically hear Miko saying "you're welcome!" She had definitely been giving me teasing stares as of late.

I heard the a small but heavy thump beside me, and opened my eyes again. I sat up slowly, looking up to see Ratchet's helm turned slightly, his optics gazing at me over his shoulder plates. I started slightly, but then the corners of my mouth turned up into a smile.

"Good morning!" I beamed, waving a little.

He harrumphed and turned back around. "At least you actually woke up in the morning this time," he grumbled.

I swung my legs over the bed. "I did? That's good!" I noticed a bag on the end of the bed and took it in one hand. "Hey, they left me breakfast!" I pulled out a wrapped breakfast burrito, relishing the smell.

"Indeed, Bulkhead said Miko insisted on getting up early to get you something," Ratchet said. "Even though she was already up late talking with him last night."

I giggled as I bit into the burrito. "So are we.. the only ones at base?"

"Optimus is here," Ratchet said, and as if on cue, the Autobot leader towered in. He nodded to his old friend, who in turn nodded back.

"Hi, Optimus!" I said cheerfully. I was feeling a lot better and happier today.

The corners of his mouth turned up into a small smile as he walked over to me, leaning over. "Hello, Taylor. How are you this morning?"

I smiled, scarfing down the last of my breakfast. "Doing good! I feel a lot better."

He smiled just a teensy bit brighter. "That is good to hear. It seems your recovery is nearly over."

I nodded. "I sure hope so.. I don't really like sitting around all day." I looked down for a moment, wondering if I should say the next thing that came into my head.

The Prime noticed that I was considering something. "Is something the matter?"

I wrung my hands a little. "Um... well, I-I.. I was wondering..." I took a deep breath, hoping to calm myself. "I know.. that for right now, I can't leave the base... and I won't be going to school for a little longer... but.. am I going to get a guardian?" I blurted finally, looking up at him with pleading eyes.

He blinked, leaning down closer to my level. " I hadn't considered.. I am sorry."

I deflated, a little disappointed. "Oh. That's okay. You've been busy with other stuff, and I don't exactly fit the whole 'charge' expectations..."

Optimus tilted his helm slightly. "Would you like one?" he asked, almost playfully. Like he was asking if I wanted a toy.

Nonetheless, I looked up excitedly and hopefully. "Yes!" I blurted, before settling back down, embarrassed. "I mean... I would, yeah.."

He stood straight again. "The only other options would be myself and Ratchet.." he pondered.

"It doesn't have to be you!" Jeez, why was I blurting so much? "I mean.. you're kinda busy all the time..." I said quieter, fiddling my fingers.

The leader raised an optic ridge in confusion, before he slowly let himself smirk a little in realization. "Yes, that is true," he said, nodding. "It seems that Ratchet would be the only suitable option, then..."

"Really?!" This time, I wasn't trying to hide my excitement. The commotion caused Ratchet to look over from what he was doing, raising an optic ridge.

Optimus lowered himself again, holding out his servo. "Here," he said simply, still smiling. I grinned as I jumped on, excited. The Prime usually seemed calm and steely, but he was really sweet and fatherly at times.

Ratchet turned as Optimus walked up behind him, holding me in his servos. "What is it, Optimus?" he asked, sounding a little annoyed.

"I know this will seem sudden, old friend," Optimus began, "but I am hereby putting Taylor under your watch." He held me out in his servos.

The medic blinked. "As in... you want me to be her guardian?" he asked dryly. I cringed a little.

Optimus nodded. "That is correct. And also an order." He me out a little farther, gesturing for him to take me from his grasp.

Ratchet blinked again, still processing, before he sighed and held out one servo. "It doesn't really seem that I have a choice."

Optimus grinned lightly at his friend, sliding me gently off his servo. "No, you do not."

As I slowly landed on the doctor's servo, I looked up at him and smiled. Ratchet glanced away, making me shrink back a little. He sighed again and brought me to his chest chassis.

Optimus saw the tense mood. "I believe I will go for a drive," he stated simply, before transforming into his alt mode and revving away, leaving me and Ratchet alone at base.

An awkward silence ensued for a little while, and the longer it lasted the more nervous I became. Was Ratchet upset? Had this been a bad idea? I thought he would have liked to be my guardian, but now I wasn't so sure. I curled up in his servo and tried not to cry. I didn't want him to be upset, but I didn't want him to abandon me...

Nobody wants you.

I shuddered, hugging my knees and burying my face into them. This couldn't be happening right now...

Why would anyone want you? You were such a reject you got kidnapped. Who knows what they did to you then! You could be disgusting!

I whimpered, praying that the awful thoughts would go away, but the whimper turned into more of a sob.

They could have been dirty with you and you just won't admit it... or given you some kinda drug that you're addicted to now. You must have heard the rumors about what they did to you.

Let's just... take a break from each other, okay?

Just go away, filth!

Look, I don't really want to be friends anymore...

You're gross! I bet soon enough even your mom won't want you!

I screamed, clutching my head and trying to force the voices to leave. I felt my body jostle, but I didn't care. I just wanted them to go away... they had to go away.. I was so caught up in my thoughts that I barely noticed that I was being lifted higher, and didn't see the bright blue optics staring at me or feel the servo shaking me. I didn't see Ratchet at all, not until he called my name.

"Taylor!" he called, shaking me out of my oblivion.

I gasped as I looked up at him, realizing that I had been whimpering and groaning in his servo. I looked up at his worried and confused faceplate and suddenly burst out crying, covering my face with my hands.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" I cried, shaking even more violently. "Don't hate me! Please don't hate me!"

Ratchet blinked, flustered and confused. "What are you talking about?!"

I couldn't look up at him, I didn't dare. "Please! Please don't leave me! I don't want to be alone!" I shuddered as memories started to flood my mind.

Ratchet's optics narrowed. "Taylor!" he shouted, shaking me with his servo. "Taylor, look at me!" he commanded, his voice stern. I

I sniffed, finally working up the nerve to looks back up at the medic. His faceplate was hard, making it seem like he was angry with me, but something in his optics told me that it was okay, and made me relax a tiny bit. I gave a shaky sigh, sniffling some more, my hands still over my mouth and my body still trembling.

"What in the name of the AllSpark makes you think I think that of you?" he asked firmly, his voice sounding agitated. "Why would I?"

I choked, trying to answer. "You.. you don't want me as your charge..." I sobbed, glancing away again.

He blinked, raising an optics ridge, before sighing in realization. "Taylor..." he said gently, bringing me closer to his faceplate. "I'm sorry if I made you feel that way... that was never my intention."

I hiccuped, looking up at him with wide, watery eyes. "R-really? You weren't?"

"Of course not," he scoffed, rolling his optics before he became gentle again. "If anything... you are probably the human I'm most fond of..."

My eyes widened even more, before another uncontrollable fit of sobs burst from my chest again. Ratchet's optics widened, before he sighed again.

"No, wait!" I cried, a small laugh escaping me. I probably looked like a mess, sobbing and laughing at the same time. "I'm not upset anymore.. this is like before.." I chuckled again.

He vented a sigh of relief, lowering me slightly. "Oh. So you aren't upset with me anymore?"

"I was never upset with you!" I blurted again. "I was upset with myself..."

He raised an optic ridge again, but decided not to pursue it. Instead, he held out his other servo close to my face, a gentle expression across his faceplate. I leaned forward and hugged his digits tightly, burying my face into the warm metal. I stayed like that for a few more minutes, my sobs slowing down little by little until they were nothing more than whimpers. Eventually, they were only sniffles, but I didn't let go for a little while longer.

It was Ratchet who broke the silence after a while. "Ahem," he coughed, clearing his throat. "I should probably get back to work.."

I sniffed one last time before I let go. "So... you're okay with me... being your charge?"

"I'm your guardian," he said simply, putting his optics back to the screen. "I have to be."

A smile played my lips, my heart lifting. In his own way, that was praise. It meant he really did like me. That he was at least okay with being my guardian. And for now, that was more than enough for me.

My eyes widened slightly, surprised that he was actually lifting me higher instead of lowering me to his chest chassis, like he normally did. Instead, he raised me up to his shoulder plate, letting me slide off his servo, setting me between his neck cables and his shoulder plate.

"There, now you can still be close and I have both servos to work," he told me, saying it as if it were completely normal.

I beamed, leaning back and watching. "So.. what are you working on?" It was okay for me to ask that now, right?

He paused, his optics flicking back to me just before swinging back. "The Synthetic Energon formula. Hopefully, I can finish it."

"I bet you can," I said, hopefully not too enthusiastically. "You're really good at stuff."

Gosh, that sounded stupid.

His derma slid up slightly nonetheless. "Thank you."

I resisted the urge to lean on his neck cables. I satisfied myself with watching him work, eventually rolling over onto my stomach to get more comfortable. He remained steely and focused on his work, so I didn't read any of it aloud this time. It was okay, though. I was happy.

I got my guardian.

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Yay!!! I posted!! I'm glad I got too, cus my laptop is charging. Oh well. You will get more in the other stories too, no worries.

Thank ya!

*waves*