When Ratchet woke up, he found that he was crying. Lubricant was falling down his faceplate through his closed optic, and he could even feel the tears stinging behind his blind one. He let them spill, allowing himself to fall into this weakness. It hurt, but he didn't know how to make it stop. Something inside him told that he deserved these feelings, that he could never allow himself to be happy again. That part of him would slowly grow as time went on, and right now it seemed at a high peak. Taking a shaky vent, he felt his derma involuntarily curl upwards, like he was ready to sob. Slowly, hardly noticing the pain in his chassis as he moved, he brought his good servo to his faceplate, covering his closed optics as the tears continued to fall. His chest chassis started to throb from holding back cries of sorrow, but he could deal with it. 

Look at me. I'm hopeless.

It took him a moment to realize that something tiny and cool was rubbing along his faceplate. He felt the lubricant being wiped away, and he stiffened. Confused and slightly curious, he lifted his servo from his facial plate and tilted his helm. His one optic shuttered open slowly, allowing him to realize that he really was exhausted. As his vision cleared, having been blurred from the tears, he saw a silver haired girl looking up at him with wide and worried blue eyes. She was holding his faceplate with her hands, having paused wiping it gently. He blinked, surprised to see her there, and then it slowly sank in that he was on the berth. He remembered what had happened previously and looked away, both embarrassed and ashamed.

"Hey," she whispered quietly, leaning closer. To his surprise, she placed her forehead on his cheek gently, closing her eyes. "You had a bad dream, didn't you? Was it a memory, like Optimus' were?" 

The medic was silent for a little while, afraid his voice would crack if he answered. With another shaky sigh, he nodded his helm once. She backed up, her face sad. Slowly, tears formed into her eyes and her face twisted into sorrow. With a sob, she lunged back forward and hugged his neck cables. He stiffened, first startled and then surprised that she was clinging to him. Slowly, he reached up, first getting rid of what remained of his tears before resting his servo on her back, covering almost her entire body. 

She sniffed and looked up into his optic tearfully. "I'm sorry. I thought I was going to comfort you." She chuckled lightly, and for some reason, Ratchet felt his spark lift slightly.

"Comfort me?" he asked quietly. 

She nodded. "You were crying in your sleep, and you were twitching, too..." she trailed off, her gaze growing more and more focused on his optic.

Ratchet was unsure why, but despite their position, he wasn't uncomfortable, sparkwise. Physically, his chassis was throbbing, but he could handle that later. Right now, he was slowly starting to feel just the smallest bit better. How was it that this girl brought out his best side?

Taylor broke the silence first, her face turning red a little. "Um... I'm really sorry about everything that's happened," she started slowly, but didn't tear her gaze away. "I wish there was a way to change it.. I can't even imagine what you've gone through.."

"You were tortured," he argued. 

She pouted cutely. "So did you. You saw all your friends.. your family die," she said, and tears started to rise again. "What happened to me hurt, but.. you know me. I'm never thinking about myself a lot. I just want you to be okay." Slowly, she rested her head on his faceplate, sighing. "I want to do something.. anything.. to help you."

He listened to her finish, his spark sinking at all she had said. It was true, but he wanted to grow to accept it. Did he really want to feel better? Maybe he was getting what he deserved.

"Maybe I'm being punished for something..," he muttered quietly, looking up at the ceiling blankly. He felt tears rise into his optic again and squinted.

Suddenly, Taylor shifted out from under his servo, standing up on the berth. Her face was angry, and she reached out and smacked him on the cheek, plain and hard. Ratchet turned his helm sharply in surprise. It hadn't hurt, though he could feel a slight twinge, but he was more shocked at the fact that she had just hit him.

"DON'T SAY THAT!!" she yelled loudly, angry tears flushing from her eyes. "Don't ever say anything like that!" She burst into a sob and hugged his cheek she had just slapped.

"T-Taylor.." Now he was a bit uncomfortable, and confused.

She choked on her sobs and lifted her head, looking up him again intensely. "Are you really telling yourself that..?" she whispered, her voice cracking. "Please don't do this.. you did nothing wrong."

He blinked, unsure of what to say. 

"Ratchet, you are not  an awful mech," she told him sternly, standing up straight again. "You are the best thing that ever happened to me, and if you hadn't been there for me.." She stopped, looking over to her arm, where a scar seemed to taunt her.

He instantly knew what she was talking about and his gaze softened. "Taylor, what MECH did to you, it wasn't your fault."

"I know," she said with a hint of hardness in her fault. "And everything that I've gone through isn't your fault, either." She sighed and brought her arm forward. "Ratchet, something else happened to me while I was on the Nemesis..."

He started, growing uneasy. "What?!"

She took a deep breath. "MECH gave me metal and powers, powers I could never use." She lifted her hand. "Megatron gave me Energon, and... now I can."

Her hand suddenly turned into a blaster. A Cybertronian blaster. Ratchet's optic went wide with shock, and he instinctively reached up to console her. When his servo reached her, her hand went back to normal, and she reached forward, taking his digits into another hug. 

"I thought I'd lost my humanity.." she said, repressing another sob. "But... just being with you, I feel like myself again.."

He shifted to try and sit up, but the movement left him nauseous and dizzy. Taylor reached forward, grabbing his faceplate and pushing him, a mock attempt of keeping him down.

"You have no idea how much you mean to me..." she muttered, her gaze fixated on him.

He sighed, unsure exactly what to feel. He was depressed, but at the same time, Taylor made his spark lift. The medic was taken by surprise when the girl stood up again and climbed up his chest chassis, getting on her knees and resting her hands on either side of faceplate. His optic widened, watching her carefully. Her eyes were calm, but her face was turning red. 

Then she leaned in and gently placed her lips on his, parting only after a few moments of stunned silence.

"Don't you see?" she whispered, her face bright crimson but sweet and calm. "I love you.. so I want to protect you."

Ratchet couldn't help the rush of Energon to his faceplate, his optic wide in shock. He could still feel her lips on his derma, the gentleness of her fond touch. He took one look at her and knew she was serious; a human in love with a mech. Her heart had completely fallen for him, and nothing could change that. He vented shakily, blinking.

Taylor's calm demeanor left her and she glanced away, utterly embarrassed. "Oh my gosh, I actually said it..." She glanced back at him only for a moment, her eyes hurt. "That was stupid.."

What is this?

The old medic, despite himself, reached up with his servo and caressed her face the best he could in his servos. She opened her eyes wide in surprise when he leaned in and kissed her lips, his face towering over hers. Both of them heated up, but he didn't let go. Slowly, Taylor's eyes relaxed and closed. She brought her gentle and tiny hand to his metal cheek and stroked it gently. They let go, their breath and vent heavy, before leaning in again and letting it continue. Ratchet at first had been surprised with himself, but know he knew. He wanted this; he wanted her. Taylor felt quite the same, coming to an understanding that he accepted her as she was.

Eventually, they let go, and Taylor looked up at him with a kind smile. "Thank you."

He smiled at her, leaning his helm back on the berth and closing her optic. "I thank you as well. I had no idea you felt that way for me."

Taylor shifted from under his servo, laying on his chestplate and sighing. "Guilty as charged. I'm just glad you're okay with it."

He rubbed her back with his servo, sighing in small content. "More than 'okay'. I want it."

I'm in love with a human.

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Sorry not sorry, I couldn't not do this. I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR SO LONG PRIMUS!!

Remember, this is an alternate universe, so... 

*grins creepily*

mwahaha this is going to be so NOT what you're expecting. 

Anyway, thanks for reading. Enjoy! 

*waves*