• ~ (Y/n)'s Perspective ~ •

Soon after my return, everything calmed down. I was now sitting on the couch with the children. Rafael and Bumblebee racing on the television, Miko bugging me with questions and Jack either answering for me or telling her to back off.

They were quick to start their own conversation. Miko and Jack seem to get along well as long as Miko is calm and behaved. Difficult to achieve with such a spunky and wild personality.

While they were talking, I got up and made my way over to my... "guardian". Ratchet seemed like a grumpy person, naturally. I didn't particularly mind. They were in war, anyone would be upset. Not to mention, he's a physician. He's probably had many frights and challenges, ones that the others have not much experience in.

As Optimus said, he works a lot, so I'd imagine he keeps a lot to himself. Making him defensive and grumpy.

Letting go of a breath I didn't realize I was holding, I take a mental step back. I could always just be looking too far into it and he's just a mean and grumpy old bot. I'd rather take the long road and say there's a reason though...

As I approach, I let my eyes wander for a conversation starter. Jack had said he was also a scientist, which made sense. The portal would be the best topic; I think bringing up their species in a questioning manner they might take offense.

"Ratchet." I address with a soft, even toned voice. He sighed and finished what he was doing before glancing at me, then moving on with something else.

"What do you need?" He grumbled, only taking a glance at me every now and then. At least he seemed to be putting in minimal effort to be polite, even though I was interrupting his work.

"I'd like to have a conversation, if it isn't too much of a problem." I reply calmly, ready to take a no. He grunted and scoffed with an eye roll. But then he looked at me and paused.

"Why?" He asked, looking back to his computer. Clearly he was hesitant. Or maybe shocked. Or both.

"Well I assume you'll all be here for a while, which means I possibly will as well, so it'd be a little more comfortable, to me at least, to communicate with you so there's no awkward and uncomfortable silences." I explain calmly.

"I guess that's a good reason." He mumbled, before giving me a glance of approval. I give a small sigh.

"Jack tells me you're a physician and a scientist." I comment, trying to take the right steps into things.

"Jack tells me you went to medical school and never made a career out of it till now." He commented back. I glance at Jack and shrug.

"I have my reasons." I hum, leaning against the rail, trying to see what he was doing, but I couldn't read anything. "What do you call the portal I came here through?"

"That's a groundbridge. A scaled down version of the grander piece of technology, the spacebridge." He explained, still working.

"I'd assume it's called a ground bridge due to limited range?" I ask, looking at the thing I now know is called a groundbridge.

"Precisely." He said, giving me another glance, but this one lasted longer. "I made this one myself."

"That's amazing. The idea of teleportation is usually just a dream, yet there it is." I hum, "How does it work?"

"Well, you simply just put in the coordinates and you can go anywhere." He said the simple stuff, which I appreciated, seeing as it wasn't very necessary for him to go into great detail. This was foreign technology anyhow, meaning there could be a foreign energy source we wouldn't know how to use.

"Any side effects?" I ask, considering there's always something quirky with technology. Ratchet paused momentarily, his fingers hovered over the screen. I started to wonder if I offended him before he turned his head to me.

"It depends on where you're going to and if you can't lock the coordinates correctly. But the humans have said it made them a little nauseous in the beginning." He answered, before going back to work. "Why didn't you hop straight into the medical field after school?"

That question made me frown, not sure if I should tell him the reason. Maybe I should, considering it would be the truth. I'm not particularly a fan of lying. I only do it when it's necessary. This isn't really a necessary thing to lie about. I take a deep breath and start to explain.

"I didn't go to medical school because it was something I really wanted to do. I went to medical school because after high school my mother had another kid. And he was sick." I explain, I didn't look at him, considering I was uncomfortable. But when I did, I saw he was looking at me.

He didn't say anything, he looked... surprised to say the least. I took his silence as a demand to continue, so I did. The others were busy cheering over their game anyway, so at least I was only telling him. Though, June and Jack did know.

"Through my first year in college, we found that there was no cure. So I devoted myself to making one. The doctors expected him not to last long. That we'd be lucky if he even got to 3. Me and my mother didn't accept that. My father and siblings shunned him out though. Every week, it was me and my mother taking care of him. A day was me juggling a job, school, equations and formulas, and taking care of him. Some nights I didn't sleep." I give a pause and look at him again, he had kind of turned himself to me.

I stood up straight and crossed my arms. My body becoming defensive. I felt like I was going to cry. I brush my hair back and take a deep breath.

"To cut things short. I continued with that life, and once I finally made it... it was too late. I didn't jump into the profession because I didn't know if I could take it. So, instead, I used what I learned to do other things. I went back into school and helped June take care of Jack once her husband left." I finish, trying to avoid to continue to talk about my brother. He looked away from me and back at the screen.

"I'm sorry for your loss." He said. I wipe my eyes to make sure I wasn't crying. I took another deep breath and let it out. It took a moment, but I continued with a different subject.

"So what are you working on, if you don't mind me asking?" From then on, he didn't bring it back up. He told me about what he was doing and we continued to have a pleasant and enjoyable conversation.

Soon though, he politely sent me away because of a piece of work he needed to put his full attention into before me and him left to my house. I respected that and went back to talk to June and the other bots instead.

June was quick to leave. She deserved some rest though, so I didn't blame her. Me and Arcee ended up getting along fine. I couldn't understand Bumblebee, though I discussed other options with him: such as teaching him sign language which he seemed excited about.

A couple hours later, the kids had to leave. I ended up alone on the couch. I didn't have my phone, I didn't have my purse. It was just me and the television.

I went through the channels. I wasn't used to watching television. My life has always been learning and taking care of people. There were some things I enjoyed watching on tv, but none of those things were on.

After a few minutes of quickly scanning through all of the channels, I just turned off the tv. I was definitely outside of my comfort zone. Soon enough, I was on my feet and off to talk to Ratchet again.

"If you give me 30 more minutes I should be done." He said, clearly assuming I was going to snap at him to hurry up. Which means it was probably common around here.

"Actually, I was going to ask for you to give me something to do." He looked to the tv and then me. "I'm not a tv person."

He thought for a moment by working, then grabbed a mop from the closet. I take it and he motioned to the floor.

"Thank you." I replied and got to it. This was definitely something I'd prefer to do rather than sitting on my ass for another 30 minutes. Besides, this would tire me out.

About 15 minutes later, Optimus came out. I was still mopping and Ratchet was working. He went over to Ratchet and started speaking to him in a language I didn't know.

I knew better than to assume it was about me, but I could only think it was about me. I soon finished mopping and put the mop up. After their small conversation, Optimus turned to me.

"I'd like to apologize for what has happened to you. We didn't mean to keep you here for so long while you're injured. If you'd like to leave now, you can." He said, glancing to Ratchet then back to me.

"I'm fine and you don't need to apologize, but I thank you for your concern." I said to him with a nod. "As for my injuries, it's nothing I can't handle and it's been taken care of. Ratchet can take as much time as he needs."

"You seem quite calm for just going through such an experience." He commented. I brush my hair back and give a small laugh.

"Well it's not the first time something like this has happened." I shrugged, trying to brush it off. "I try not to let these things get to me. All that currently matters is that I'm not there now."

Optimus nodded, deciding not to question it as he wished me a goodnight before leaving. Maybe to his room? Do these life forms sleep?

I sit back on the couch and wait. A few minutes later, Ratchet turned to me and put his hand out. I stared at him for a moment, before realizing he wanted me to get on. I hesitated, but I got on and he set me down.

Suddenly, in only a second, there was an ambulance in front of me. The door swung open and I got in. It felt weird, knowing I was in a living thing. I was surprised to see that we were only a little outside of Jasper.

I kept my hands in my lap and examined the vehicle. It looked exactly the same as any other ambulance. Though, the radio looked different and on the steering wheel was their symbol. I then remember what I had seen earlier and was curious about.

"May I ask a question about your species?" I asked, just to be sure that it wasn't offensive or anything.

"Sure." He responded, heading toward town. I looked at the radio, seeing as that's where his voice seemed to emit from.

"Can you turn human? The red decepticon did, so I was just wondering if that an everyone thing." I asked and explained, sounding a little awkward. I felt I had worded that wrong, but due to his response, it didn't seem like he cared.

"Yes. We all can do that." He answered. I released a sigh of relief, glad I didn't offend him.

I flinched when I felt a tap on my shoulder. Turning, there I saw a man with tan skin and white and red hair braided and brushed to his left side. He was wearing a black top and black pants as well as a white lab coat. I blushed feeling embarrassed.

"Y-you didn't have to show me." I looked at my lap. In the corner of my eye, I saw him shrug.

"Wouldn't this make you more comfortable instead of talking to a radio?" He asked.

"I-I'm not picky. It doesn't matter to me." I stammered, brushing my fingers through my (h/l) hair. I then get an idea. "But it does give me an idea."

"And that idea is?" He asked, side eyeing me in his human form. I look at him, seeing as that's what he wanted.

"Well you could do work at my house in this form if all you need is a computer and an outlet." I suggest. He thought about it for a moment.

"I'll think about it." He said, once we arrived his human look alike faded and I exited the vehicle.

"Thank you for the ride. If you need something, knock." I said, but I only received a grunt.

I left to my front door. I might've lost my keys in my bag, but I always kept an extra key under the vase I had in my front yard. Unlocking the door, I take a glance back at Ratchet then enter my home.

I continued to do my nightly routine then go to bed.