• ~ (Y/n)'s Perspective ~ •

Around 5 am, I awoke to a knock on the door. I got out of bed and make my way downstairs. My body tensing, trying to ignore the pain in my gut.

I give my Dalmatian a gentle pet as I pass by the couch where she was laying. Arriving at the door, I fumble with the lock. Hearing it click, I twist the knob and open the door.

"Oh. Hi June. Do you need something?" I ask, leaning against the frame of the door. My gaze slipping past her to Ratchet, who was still there. She got in front of my gaze and I look her in the eyes.

"So, today I want you to take it easy. I'd prefer it if you stay home unless it's absolutely necessary for you to leave. I will stop by here on my break and I'll have Jack stop by every now and then to check on you." June explained. A smile slipped onto my lips right away.

"June, I promise I'm alright. I know better than to push myself. I have things I need to take care of, like getting a new phone, because of the little fiasco from yesterday. Besides. I'm an adult, I can take care of myself." I reply with a small smile. June took a breath and sighed.

"I just want to make sure you're alright..." She sighed, excusing her over protective nature. I roll my eyes and give her a hug.

"I'm feel much better knowing that you want me to feel better. Now you need to go to work. And I'm going to go back to bed." I let her go and boop her nose. She rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Fine. But once things get back in order you better give me a call." She said before giving me another hug then leaving. I smiled and watched her leave while in the doorway.

As her car disappeared down the corner, I spot Ratchet's human form. I rubbed my eyes to make sure I wasn't seeing things, but once the world returned into my sight, he was right in front of me. I smile at him.

"Need something Ratchet?" I hum, standing up straight, though my head was stumbling from exhaustion. He took a small peak inside, past my head then back at me.

"Uh. May I come in?" He asked. I blink, it took me a moment to realize what he say, but I stepped aside. He entered and I closed the door behind him. I locked it once more then went to the couch. He followed.

I sat down beside my Dalmatian and he sat in the one seater that was to the right of the tv. My eyes felt heavy and all my body wanted to do was go back to sleep.

"Why did June come here?" He asked, staring at my dog curiously. I look at him, then my dog, then back to him.

"She was doing a doctor's orders. Just telling me not to push myself and to stay home and blah blah blah..." I sigh, running my fingers through my hair. I see him nod to me then return his gaze to my dog. "This is Freckles. She's my Dalmatian."

"Right. And this is your version of..."

"A pet? Yes. She was from an abusive household. So it would be best for you not to approach her so suddenly. Let her warm up to you." I say softly, gently petting the tired dog. She was rather young. About a year and a half.

"I'm sorry to hear that. I'll keep my distance." He replied softly. I smile at him.

"If she approaches you, just let her sniff you. She'll muzzle your hand if she's alright with you, but don't expect that reaction right away." I hum before standing up. "I hope you don't mind, but I'm exhausted."

"It's alright. I'll just be down here." He said, looking up at me.

"Yeah... feel free to look around. I don't have anything to hide. I don't think." I chuckle to myself. "Well, good nigh— nope. Good morning. I'm going back to bed."

He nodded and I went upstairs, feeling almost completely disoriented. I collapse back into bed and automatically fall right back to sleep.

~ • ~

I woke up around 8 and took a shower. I got ready for the day and went downstairs. I found Freckles and Ratchet cuddled together on the couch. I smiled brightly and took a photo on my camera I had conveniently placed on a random side table.

I went into the kitchen and start to make breakfast. While cooking, I began to wonder if he could eat food. I mean... he has a human form, so it might work the same way.

"What are you doing?" I heard a deep voice ask from behind me. Glancing over my shoulder. I smiled at him then look back to what I was doing.

"Immmm making breakfast." I hum, continuing to make the omelets. "Oh! By the way! Can you eat human food in this form? Or is that not how it works?"

"We can. It's just not something we've had the chance to do." He said, watching from over my shoulder.

"Great, because I was making one for you anyway." I smile and look over at him. He nodded and mumbled a thank you.

Next to join us was Freckles. She leaned against Ratchet, wanting attention. I look at her and smile. Ratchet complied to her wants and began to pet her. I look back to him and smile.

"I'm happy to see you two have gotten along~." I hum as I dish the omelets. I rip off a small piece of mine and give a small whistle. Freckles stepped away from Ratchet and in front of me. "Sit." I say and she complies. I raise the small piece a little higher.

"Can you beg?" She sits on her hind legs, her paws up. "Speak." I say, making a talking motion with my thumb and fingers. She gave a soft bark. I toss the piece gently and she catches it and eats it, landing back down on her front paws. "Good girl~." I hum, her tail began to wag swiftly.

"What did you just do?" Ratchet asked, sounding surprised. I look at him then grab some silverware, handing a fork to him then grabbing one for myself.

"I'm training her. She's learned quite well." I say before using my fork to cut a piece of the omelet. Eating a bite. Once I swallowed I continued. "I was supposed to train her to be a service dog for my friend. But she was too panicky in the beginning, then we learned she was abused. My friend couldn't have that so she let me keep her. But she's come a long way. She could probably still be a service dog. She just needs to learn to trust people again."

"You should bring her to base." Ratchet suggested. He copied what I did and tried a piece of the omelet. "This is surprisingly good..." He mumbled. I smiled.

"Thank you. But uh... I don't know how good of an idea that is. She doesn't like car rides and if dizziness is a small side affect with the groundbridge and you haven't tested it with a smaller organic organism like a dog, then I would prefer to not test that with her." I explain. "Plus, you guys are giant. With dogs, by nature, the alpha is the biggest and the strongest. She will be terrified. She'll submit when she doesn't need to and might pee everywhere. I still have to open her up more to open areas and such."

"We've had birds fly through without a problem. They only really become a problem when they're in the base. I'm sure she'd be fine through the groundbridge, but I understand that we are larger and in view more dominant." He answered, sounding slightly disappointed.

"Maybe we could bridge with her to a large open field to introduce your natural form, but not right now. I'd like to take it easy with her." I said, petting her gently. Ratchet nodded, understanding.

We continue to eat, making small talk. Once we finished eating I began to clean up and Ratchet decided to help out. I explained what you're supposed to do and he got the hang of it quickly. Everything was great, until I burned myself.

"Ow!" I hissed, gripping my hand. Silly me forgot to turn off the burner. Turning it off I huff and sigh. Ratchet was quick to come over to me.

"What's wrong?" He asked, obviously having heard me. I give him a quick smile and gently blow on my hand as I turn on the water.

"I burned myself. I grabbed the skillet but I had forgotten to turn off the stove. I'm fine. I just need some burn cream and to rinse it under cold water." I said, putting my hand under the cold water and wincing slightly.

"Where's the burn cream?" He asked, I pointed to a cabinet with my free hand. He looked through it momentarily and found it. I dry my burnt and wet hand then apply the cream.

"Can you also grab the bandages? It's a white roll." I say, motioning to the same cabinet. He nodded and got me the bandages. He helped me apply them to my burnt hand. "Thank you, Ratchet..."

"Just doing my job." He said, looking at my now wrapped hand, then to my stomach where I had been stabbed then back to my eyes. "Do you normally get hurt this often?"

I shrugged and then fed Freckles. I check my list on the fridge as he poked around. Once I read my list I look up at him.

"I don't mean to keep you here Ratchet. You can go back to base. I have to run some errands anyway. If you can give me a number, I can contact you when I'm ready." I said, he looked to me then grabbed a sticky note and a pen and wrote down a number.

"Alright. Make sure you contact me if anything happens." He said. I nod and wish him goodbye. Once he left, I put Freckles outside and grabbed my wallet and my id.

Thankfully I wasn't carrying those things in my purse or I'd be in big trouble. Usually when I'm just walking around town, I have gift cards and a bit of cash and spare change. As well as lipstick or lipgloss, (whatever I had chosen to wear), and mascara. That was usually it. I mean, I also had like a thousand old receipts in there, but nothing important.

I let Freckles back inside, then went to my car after grabbing my keys. I get her started and drive to town with my list. First things first, phone.

After getting my phone, then it's groceries and apology calls. Those calls were made to friends, my employer, and to the bank to shut down a credit and debit card I had in that purse, also asking them to send new ones.

Arriving back home, I unpacked the groceries and called Jack. June had told me to call him around this time because he was supposed to come over. I was calling to make sure he didn't. I was just going to go to base soon anyhow.

"Hey (Y/n)! Mom told me to head over, so me and Arcee were just about to head over." Jack said through the phone. Only knowing it was me because I had the same number.

"No don't worry about doing that. I'll be headed to base soon anyway. I'm just doing some adult stuff and then I'm calling Ratchet. Sound good?" I ask, getting a work bag together so I could get some work done over there.

"But mom said she wanted you to stay there. You're injured." Jack said, now sounding like his mom. I smile, my heart swelling in my chest as I feel cared about. It's such a wonderful feeling...

"You sound like your mother. I'm fine Jack, I promise. I've been through a lot worse. It barely even hurts." I comment, with a small laugh. He sighed and gave in.

"Alright. Just make sure you take care of it before you head over." He said, making me roll my eyes playfully, though he wasn't even with me.

"Jack. I have a medical degree, I know what to do." I heard him chuckle on the other side.

"I know I know, just want to make sure you're alright. Can't be losing my god mother now can I?" He asked with another light hearted chuckle.

"You won't be losing me this early~." I hum. "Anyway, I gotta go. See you soon hun."

"Bye Aunt (Y/n)." He said before the call ended. I sigh happily. My mind happy and looking at the bright side. Then finally fell to darkness. I could only imagine my brother. His face, smiling as he spoke the same words I did. He was cupping my cheeks while I saw crying.

"You won't be losing me this early~!" His voice echoed in my mind, his giggles bouncing off my skull throughout my head. I glance at a picture of him I had in my nightstand.

"I wish I didn't..." My world crashed momentarily as I began to cry. My eyes wander my room and land on a picture me and June took when we were in college. On the photo was writing.

"You'll never be alone. When you're feeling upset, talk to me. Doctor's orders."