...well, I'm not dead hahah! But it has been a hectic few months for me. I deeply apologize for the long wait, but I can't control when life gets messy 😅 

I hope you all have been doing well. For those returning to read the rest of this story after all this time: Thank you for sticking around! I am glad to finally give you the last chapters you deserve. For those that are new here: I hope you enjoyed everything up until this point! Not much longer until things are all wrapped up now!

Enjoy!

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

It has been a week.

A whole week of counting the dead. A whole week of cleaning the streets. A whole week of fixing the damage and rebuilding...

A whole week of waiting.

To their dismay, Ratchet hasn't woken up, stuck in a coma and giving no signs of waking. Yuin tried to reassure them that there was no need to worry and that his body was healing, but they were still afraid.

Of course, Kaden and Phoebe could only stand by their son's bed so much. There were others that needed help and working off all this nervous energy away from Ratchet's bedside kept them busy and distracted from their spiraling thoughts.

There was also another problem...

"How could this be..." Arc whispered from his hospital bed, "No...Hunter wouldn't. He was on the line to evacuate. He didn't..." his voice trailed off then, eye roaming to the pristine white blanket covering him. Kaden sighed wearily,

"Arc-"

"No." the man refused to listen, "Cyfrin...I swear he's dead. I killed him. There was no one else in there with me!"

"But...Hunter is unaccounted for." Kaden said tiredly, "No one knows where he is. I'm sorry...Arc."

The man looked away with a frown, the words "Please no.." and "There's no way.." being muttered under his breath. Kaden, as much as he wanted to comfort his old friend and help him realize the facts, was too drained to even try...

He left the man alone with his thoughts and decided to come back later. Maybe then he could help the man come to terms.

"Kaden?"

He found himself walking into his son's hospital room and coming face to face with Phoebe. Her eyes were as tired as his own but her smile was as bright as ever. He swears that her optimism is all that keeps him going right now.

"Hey, Pho..." he kissed her cheek, "Any changes?"

The woman brightened then, "You missed it...he tightened his hold on my hand! Yuin says that's a great sign!"

She prattled on and on about it, while Kaden stood there watching her. He didn't know if she actually felt something and Yuin wanted to make her feel better or if Ratchet was actually on his way to waking up. Either way, he was happy to see his wife in such high spirits.

They would wait as long as they needed for Ratchet.

As the beginnings of a smile started to creep onto his face his holo-phone vibrated with a notification. He slipped it out of his pocket and glanced at the screen.

Mags.

He hadn't heard from the man since the end of the battle, but by the looks of it, he was ready to talk...

With a knowing look cast his way, Kaden pressed the button to call him. Hopefully, when he comes back his son will be awake.

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

His hand twitched...

Where was he? Why did he feel pain? Why did everything smell like disinfectant?

He cracked his eyes open and was blinded by the lights. He groaned, prying them open despite the pain. Where was he?

Last he remembered...

...

Nothing...his mind was blank.

...

He slipped back into oblivion, unknowingly missing the person who entered the room right after, waiting for him to wake up.

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

"Alister..."

He was exhausted. Left to sit outside his son's hospital room when the man approached him.

He was one of the last people that Kaden wanted to see at the moment. He had too many mixed feelings about it. Considering all they have gone through and the choices they made...the man's actions still stung.

And knowing that Alister's decisions contributed to all of their pain...

"Kaden."

Allister stiffened up, posture straightening as Kaden acknowledged him. If he had his Omniwrench on him, he'd surely be gripping it nervously.

Kaden knew the man like the back of his hand....at least he thought he did.

"What do you want?"

"I didn't come here for forgiveness-"

"-Then what is it!?"

"I still came to apologize. Even if you won't listen."

Kaden raised a skeptical brow, staring into Alister's eyes as he waited for him to say something. He knew that whatever words the man came up with, the odds of him earning forgiveness now were slim.

"There's no words that can express the guilt I feel, Kaden. I may not be able to take any of it back, no matter how much I wish I could, but...I want to do better in the future. For all of you."

Kaden shook his head, "Al-"

"-Let me finish." Alister said sternly, as if scolding a child, "Even if you don't forgive me now, even if you never do, that will be my mission. I've let my duty blind me from what was really important, what still is important."

He shifted on his feet, at a loss for words at the moment. "I've been blinded, and easily took what I was told and believed it wholeheartedly. I didn't stop to think about anything. For that and everything else I have caused...I'm sorry."

Kaden shrugged, the words sinking in slowly, "I'm not the only one you should apologize to."

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

"Ratchet...?"

"Ratchet!"

Ratchet lifted his head from the table, feeling close to snapping his neck at the force of it. He looked around in confusion as he took in his surroundings. The metal table, the uncomfortable stool he sat on, and his small robot friend sitting across from him.

Wait...what?

"C-Clank?"

"You have fallen asleep again." Clank shook his head in amusement, "If I am correct, I have told you numerous times to fix your sleep schedule. When will you finally listen to me, I wonder?"

Ratchet narrowed his eyes on instinct at the small reprimand. He always hated it when Clank decided to pick on him. Then again, he knew that his best friend just cared for his well-being.

But...that wasn't the weirdest thing...

"Was...it all a dream?" he asked out loud, waiting for Clank's reaction.

The robot tilted his little head so Ratchet just continued,

"I-It must have been...you look like yourself again."

Yes, Clank did. Or did he not? Ratchet's image of Clank was now replaced by that of a silver Lombax. No longer was he the small robot barely the height of Ratchet's leg. But...what happened? Was it all just a dream?

"Perhaps your exhaustion is getting to you..." Clank said softly, and it was so unlike the usual tone that Ratchet had come to know. Something was off and it made him scrunch up his nose in disgust.

This wasn't right...

"No...No, I don't think so." he shook his head, "This isn't real," he muttered.

Clank, once again, didn't have much of a reaction at first. His green optics, however, brightened by just a fraction. He analyzed Ratchet for a moment before standing up and hopping down to the floor. He walked around the workbench until he was beside Ratchet's stool, reaching out to grab at Ratchet's leg,

"Come with me. I believe we have much to discuss...or see." he chuckled, sounding much like his father. Ratchet felt his fur stand on end, but complied anyway as Clank led him out of the room.

Whatever he was working on now lay abandoned on the workbench, left to collect dust until his return. That is if he remembered after this.

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

[Ratchet]

It all passed in a blur.

He eventually found out they were back on Veldin. They were back home. Everything seemed to have righted itself, but it was obvious that among the usual things, there were the odds.

If only Clank would stop being so cryptic.

Especially now that Clank was back in his Lombax form, seemingly oblivious to Ratchet's observations.

"So...I'm dead. Well, we're dead...right?"

"Not quite."

"Not quite? What the hell do you mean?" Ratchet huffed as Clank turned away from him again, seemingly ignoring him. Honestly, if this was how Clank was now, he would be utterly insufferable in life.

"I find it nice we have the chance to witness this moment, yes?" Clank said again, finally facing Ratchet, "After all we've been through...it's nice."

"Clank..." Ratchet felt oddly nervous, "Pal...just tell me we're dead already so I can stop worrying about it."

"We're not." the robot confirmed, "At least, you're not."

Ratchet stepped back to look at the other boy, taking it all in as the rush of memories flooded him, "That's...right." and he wanted to cry, he really did. But...he couldn't. No tears came and his heart remained steady.

"There's no time for regrets here." Clank said, "Or tears. It doesn't matter anymore, does it?"

"What do you mean!? It does!" Ratchet placed his hands on Clank's shoulders, "My best friend is dead! Do you think I'm happy about that? Relieved? I'm not! Clank, I'm not!" he shook him lightly, frustration bubbling to the surface as he tried to will away the urge to cry. Not like any tears were able to be shed.

Clank shook his head, "None of it is your fault."

"My fault or not, you're dead!" and finally a tear fell, and then another. Ratchet pulled back with a gasp as he touched his face and found both eyes intact. "What...what is going on!? I don't understand!"

"Think of it as an in-between." Clank said simply, "You're in the process of healing, and before you can go back you can rest."

"That's...that doesn't make sense but what else was I expecting?" Ratchet brought a hand up to his face and shut his eyes, "Everything including you is just part of my imagination and I'll wake up and this can be put behind us."

He didn't notice the tear being wiped off his cheek, nor did he notice the frown that Clank had on his face.

"If that is what you wish to believe, I suppose I can't stop you."

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

Ratchet walked over to the table and sat across from the other, staring out the same window they did.

"Nova..." he whispered so only they could hear, "I wished things turned out differently."

He didn't notice the robot turn to him,

"Me too." they admitted, before their face contorted into a mock scowl, "Then again, you never cease to annoy me."

"We don't even know each other that well!" Ratchet exclaimed, "Why do you still hate me?"

"I don't," Nova said, "I am simply envious of you."

Ratchet paused at that.

"You had opportunities. Choices. You had a life that I could only dream of living. Despite all the pain you've endured you're...you're still alive. Honestly, consider yourself lucky."

"I guess..." Ratchet rubbed at the back of his neck, unsure what to say. Nova continued anyway,

"Yes, I could have made different choices myself but I didn't. I walked my path and that is that."

"Your point?" Ratchet raised a brow,

"We all have our own paths to walk." Nova said, "Sometimes, we walk them no matter how much we want to stop, or how much we should stop, but we continue on." Nova looked out the window again and took in the boundless space, "I know you don't want to leave him, but your path doesn't end here."

"How do you know that?"

"Because against my wishes, I know you. I tried time and time again to forget you and what you've done but Clank had to implant, and practically drill, the memories into my system. And the Ratchet that I know wouldn't stop here."

"I'm not leaving Clank."

"Then you're neglecting others that care about you." Nova looked back to him, "Your parents. Friends. Your people." Nova nodded, "You would abandon them all for just one?"

Ratchet sniffed, "Clank and I have been through everything together." he said instead of answering Nova's question, "If it's death, so be it."

Nova scoffed, "Well, I bet your body is a bit worse for wear but your spirit is strong." They rolled their eyes, "Besides, not like those around you would just let you die."

Ratchet shrugged his shoulders, "So what happens if I do stay? If I don't wake up?"

"I don't know." Nova shrugged, the exact same way as Ratchet just did, "Contrary to popular belief, I am not an omnipotent being."

"Yeah right." Ratchet rolled his eyes, "Like you ever were."

Surprisingly, this got a good laugh out of them.

"I'm kidding, of course." they said once they calmed down, "Still, whether you like it or not, your journey is far from over. Even if it must be without Clank."

Ratchet said nothing.

"The longer you sit here, the longer you prevent the inevitable. Eventually, you'll wake up and be with your family, isn't that nice?"

"But...what about Clank?" Ratchet muttered, "What about you?"

"For some reason, I'm stuck with that stick in the mud. Perhaps because he used a part of himself to create me...we are just connected I guess." They pointed in the direction Clank left, "Once it's all over and...he moves on from whatever, I go to."

"So...you don't know?"

"No. I don't." Nova looked back out the window, "Perhaps it'll just be nothingness...but I like the thought of a brand-new start. Whatever it is, I'm ready for it."

At that, the two of them sat in silence. One is ready for the future, and the other is left dreading what is to come.

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

[Phoebe]

She wiped a stray tear off Ratchet's cheek.

It has been a week and a half by now, with no signs of waking.

...

She wondered if Ratchet would ever wake up from this...it was a thought she tried to vanish. But these tears? It gave her hope. Hope that, even if her son was crying, this meant he could wake up soon. But all they could do was wait.

She looked up when Kaden entered the room, a cup of water in his hand as he stared at her with his tired eyes.

"Anything?" he asked, sitting down next to her and handing her the cup. She sighed,

"He...cried." she said, "Do you think-"

"Cried?" He interrupted her, "That's...odd."

"Maybe he's in pain..." She mumbled, "Or waking up?"

Kaden shrugged his shoulders, looking over to Ratchet in thought. It was concerning, no doubt, but when was it not lately? Everyone has been under stress lately. Between rebuilding, caring for the wounded, helping the distraught, and dealing with loss, it was too much to deal with at once.

He didn't want to think about the loss. He didn't want to think about Clank and continued to block the thought as much as possible.

He couldn't get the picture of him broken out of his mind. He would never forget it. And his son distraught and wounded was a whole other image he wanted to erase from his memories, but he had no control over it.

"Kaden?"

He looked up then when he was snapped out of his thoughts.

"Yes?"

"What do you think will happen when...when he wakes up?"

It was a question they'd both been thinking about for some time now. The thought almost made Kaden shiver.

"I-I don't know." he replied, "But we'll help him get through it."

"We will." Phoebe agreed, "But we will not be able to fill the hole that...that Clank left." She sniffled, "He'll be devastated."

Kaden knew that. He knew how hard it was going to be for Ratchet to heal both physically and mentally. Hell, he just went through a war and ended up losing his best friend? He didn't want to think about it.

"We'll be there for him." Kaden said softly, bringing her in for a hug, "That's all we can do."

Hopefully, it will be enough.

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

"They found Hunter."

Kaden looked up from his seat next to his son's hospital bed, seeing Arc standing right by the door. He winced,

The man has managed to force himself out of the hospital bed to join the search for survivors (especially his son) two days ago.

And...It has been a little more than a week now...the odds of Hunter being found alive-

"Arc...I'm sorry th-"

"He's alive." Arc interrupted, "He must have been asleep or unconscious most of the time to have oxygen. But any later-" He said shakily, "He would have been gone."

"He was under the rubble the whole time!?" Kaden's eyes widened, "Is he hurt?"

Arc nodded, "Yes, but I wasn't told how much yet. Not like it matters to me. My son is alive."

Kaden nodded, "Thank you for telling me. You should wait for news then."

Arc nodded, silently leaving the room as the door slid shut with a hiss. Kaden sighed,

They all survived then.

...

Except for Clank.

...

This past week, the image of Clank all broken and in pieces next to his battered and bloodied son kept plaguing him. It was there while he was awake and while he slept. He just couldn't forget.

He probably never will.

He could have been faster. He could have been stronger. He could have done many things differently but he didn't, and now Clank was gone.

He reached out to lay his hand upon his son's own,

"I'm sorry I failed you. The both of you."

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

"It's time to wake up."

Ratchet's eyes snapped open. When did he close them? How long has it been?"

He looked around in the vast expanse he was in. There was no more room, and the blank space certainly wasn't Veldin. He looked down and saw that he was standing on a ground he couldn't see. He then wiggled his fingers and felt it...

"Ratchet? Sweetie?"

It was a woman's voice, one that was so familiar yet he couldn't tell who it was.

He looked around again and then touched his face to see if he really was real. He was, yet something was wrong with it...

"Ratchet."

He whipped around and came face to face with Clank in his Lombax form. He looked the robot up and down, "Clank?" he raised a brow, "Where am I now?"

"You're going to be waking up soon." his friend responded, voice echoing and muffled. Ratchet felt like he was underwater then.

"What?" Ratchet whispered, "But you and..."

And who else?

...

The name didn't come to him, but it was on the tip of his tongue...

"It's time, Ratchet."

Ratchet sighed out in pain, his chest feeling heavy with the emotions that coursed through him.

"So...you really are a figment of my imagination." he said, "Helping me cope...with whatever this is."

Clank was silent.

"It was all just a lie." he felt his heart beat faster, "You're dead and I'll be alone. After all, we have been through...this is how it ends?"

No response.

Ratchet let out a choked sob,

"What did I do to deserve this!?"

Again. Silence.

He looked up and realized he was alone again. He then got down to his knees and tried to suck in air but it felt like he was suffocating. He started to hear a faint beeping noise, a rapid one. It assaulted his ears until it hurt. He pressed his hand against his ears but it wouldn't go away.

Stop. Stop. Stop! Leave me be! He shook his head, I'm not ready to wake up from this! I can't face it!

"Ratchet?"

He heard another voice, and then he felt pain, like an arrow piercing his chest. And then coldness. And then...he felt relief.

It all stopped, and slowly the noise faded...he released his head and looked up.

What was this feeling?

He was calm, and overly so. He hasn't felt this way in years...at least it felt like it. The chill he felt before was replaced by warmth...as if he was covered by a blanket. He felt an odd pressure on his arm as his senses came back to life.

The smell...disinfectant. The touch...comforting. The sound...oddly familiar.

...

It's time.

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

Like a light switch, his brain turned on. He felt the world around him and clutched the blanket on his lap.

He heard voices...

"Yuin...it's been 2 weeks..." a masculine voice said, "Is there anything more-"

"Kaden, all we can do is wait."

"But just before it looked like he was waking! He even twitched! Doesn't that-"

"It could just be reactions." The other voice sighed heavily, "Kaden, Phoebe...we are trying everything we can. I promise you. Ratchet will wake on his own terms and-"

He cracked his eye open, eye trailing over to where the voices were coming from. They were behind a privacy curtain beside his hospital bed. He listened to them, eye bleary...

Or...wait a second...

He lifted a shaky hand and touched his face, wincing at the tenderness...

His eye. Oh right...he lost it. But how? His head was foggy...

"Now...there is still brain activity so we can assume-"

A man with glasses perched upon his nose pulled the curtain aside and immediately stopped in his tracks. Ratchet looked up, and the man gasped softly.

"Ratchet?"

The man came forward, and the two other occupants in the room pulled the curtains back even more. Their eyes widened too, and the woman covered her mouth in shock. The man next to her just stared.

Meanwhile, the doctor fiddled with the wires on his chest, then the monitor beside the bed.

"Any pain?" he asked immediately, "Your head? Chest? Legs? Anything?"

Ratchet tried to shake his head, but how did the body work again? His mouth refused to cooperate too, and he couldn't form a word.

Suddenly a light shone in his eye. He winced at it before it was taken back again. The man above him hummed, "Can you speak?" he asked softly, "I wonder if you still have the capacity to speak right now. Then again...you have been out a while...."

A while? Just how long?

In a moment of clarity, he looked down, poking at one of the wires attached to him. The man pushed his hand away and he looked up in confusion, his mind finally waking up enough...

"Where am I?"

The doctor's eyes widened, pushing his glasses up on his nose, "I see...well, it will take you a while to remember after everything." he cleared his throat, "You're in the hospital...clearly. Do you remember me?"

Ratchet paused.

"Well...you're a doctor."

The man chuckled, but it quickly ended as he glanced at the man and woman standing at the end of the bed, "Seems like everything is in order but we'll run a few tests later. I'll leave you all be and you-" he pointed at Ratchet, "Don't strain yourself."

The man left shortly after, and Ratchet was left alone with the two others in the room. He looked at them both, relaxing in the bed as he tried to recall where he had seen them before.

"Hey, kiddo..." the man approached him, and Ratchet realized the man looked much like he did. Ratchet hummed tiredly and felt the man's hand tap his own, "You alright?"

Ratchet slowly shook his head, "I...feel like I've been hit by a hoverbike." he muttered, "Everything is...blurry."

Suddenly the woman sat on the bed on his blind side. His head whipped towards her, just a bit started.

"You'll be okay," she whispered.

Her voice...he knew that voice.

"Mom?" he asked, watching as she nodded her head. And suddenly...his memories came back to him. At least, he thinks. Or was this just another figment of his imagination? Were his parents dead or alive? And the last thing he remembers...

"Ratchet?"

He looked back towards the man, his father, and watched as he placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, "What do you remember?"

That was a hard question...the last thing he remembers-

"The...Clock." he muttered, "Then a light and-" his eye widened, "Clank! Where is he?"

Was he dead or alive? He felt like his mind tricked him!

He registered the pain in the man's eyes as he let go of his shoulder, "Ratchet..." he started, "No...that's not-" he breathed in deeply, "That's not what happened before this."

Ratchet looked down and tried to remember...

...

And he did...

"Oh..." was all he said. He remembered everything clearly.

The before. The in-between. The aftermath. He remembered it all now.

Clank was dead. He was alive....that wasn't right. He and Clank were supposed to live on together through it all. His best friend was supposed to be by his side. Heck...Clank was supposed to outlive him, be there as long as his body could run. Until his robot parts were obsolete and he couldn't walk another step or solve another problem. Then, and only then, was Clank supposed to die.

Sure, they had dangerous lives, but Ratchet couldn't accept this now. He thought he could, but now he realizes that he only came to those terms for himself. A life where he was left without Clank barely crossed his mind.

But now it was reality...and he had to live it...

"Oh..." he repeated, clutching his fists weakly as he felt his mother's gentle hand on his shoulder.

"It's my fault! " he wanted to say, "I should have died, not Clank!" He wanted to argue, but couldn't. He was silent.

"None of it is your fault." Clank's voice echoed in his mind,

"I remember," he muttered, closing his eye,

"The Ratchet that I know wouldn't stop here." That was Nova's voice this time...

He remembered Clank's peaceful face there too...

"After all we've been through...it's nice."

Then memories...and more memories. Everything that they have been through together. When he met Clank, their adventures, the laughs they shared and so much more. When they lost each other. When they reunited. The joy they felt when those things happened. All the words they exchanged...

Yes...Clank was right.

It was nice while it lasted.

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

He needed some alone time after that.

He had to think about the past and the future. He had the chance to move on now, even if he would be...upset for a long while. Maybe the ache would go away eventually, or maybe it wouldn't. But Nova's words rang in his head...

He had more people who cared for him now. That was more than enough.

His silence continued until the next day. Then the next one after that. He thinks it was 4 days later when he was able to go home. Only then did he speak when they stepped outside the doors...

"It's nice to be going home."

His mother and father turned to him after he spoke, Phoebe having a small smile on her face, "We're glad to finally take you home." she said. Somehow her soft voice drowned out the rest around him to the point where their stares no longer bothered him.

He was used to this, after all. All the staring and all the attention...it was getting old again, and he found himself wanting to crawl under his blankets and sleep.

But instead, he held himself a little higher despite the pain in his chest. He walked a little faster and looked ahead like he always did.

It was the first step to moving on, no matter how hard those steps were to take.

Kaden placed a gentle hand on his back as he directed him around the crowds and people with stares who were looking way too invasive.

"You all rebuilt quickly..."

"Thanks to our technology." Kaden smirked, "Some of which I made."

"Of course." Ratchet smiled back, not surprised at all. While he could talk with the man all day about tech, all he wanted to do was get home and away from all the prying eyes.

When they arrived at the door, Ratchet watched his father quickly rush to the door and tap it. He looked towards his mother, "What's up with him?"

"A-Ah...just making sure the door...works?"

"Nice lie."

"I tried!" the woman shifted nervously, laughing it off. Ratchet didn't even notice the door open as he continued to stare at the laughing woman. But once he was shoved forward it all made sense.

"Welcome back!"

A chorus of voices made him step back in shock, but once he took it in...his heart filled with warmth, especially when Oliver came running towards him to envelop him in a hug, or when Mags smiled at him warmly...or even when Arthur patted his back...

And even if he was given some painful reminders of his friend, he stood there before them all with a new purpose.

Because even if Clank wasn't there with him now, his mission was to live for him. Clank would never want him to dwell on his death for too long, after all. Eventually, Ratchet would move on. Never forget him, but accept. No matter how much it made his chest hurt and his heart ache.

So he put a smile on his face, and let the warmth of his friends and family wash over him.

"I'm glad to be back."

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

The days passed, and with it came a new sense of longing.

He found himself waking up most days and expecting a small robot sitting on his desk. It was then he remembered reality.

But, to everyone else, he was coping just fine. He smiled, and even laughed a bit. But not many noticed the stares out the window or the pain in his eye. Yet on his bad days, someone was always there to fill up the void, not like they really could. But...he was grateful they tried.

While he could move on, he was also a stubborn individual.

Which is why he found himself standing in front of a familiar door, knocking repeatedly until the occupant inside was rushing to the door. A few locks clicked and the door was opened.

"Who the heck knocks like- oh, Ratchet. It's you..uh..." the older Lombax looked around, "It's 2 in the morning. What are you doing here? Wait, no...do your parents know? I swear if your Dad kills me I'll-"

"No, they don't know. Now let me in." Ratchet pushed past the man right after the words left his mouth. "They won't find out since they are both sleeping and I locked my door this time. Also, I don't really care. This is more important."

"Sheesh, kid. You're exactly like Kaden when he was your age..." Mags shut the door, "And that's not entirely a good thing." he turned to the younger boy, "And what's so important that has you knocking on my door at this hour?"

Ratchet was silent for a moment, tilting his chin up in a show of confidence in what he was about to say.

"I want to rebuild Clank."

The burgundy-furred Lombax almost staggered back, but instead, his gaze hardened as he clenched his mouth shut. He wasn't angry, just...surprised.

Honestly, he should have expected this sooner...

"What?"

Ratchet sighed, "You heard me. I want to rebuild him. You know? Take the parts and put him back together!"

"It's not that simple..."

"It can be if you have the right mind." Ratchet pointed to his temple, "I know I can do this. The problem is that Dad won't even let me look in that box anymore and I doubt he'd let me do this."

"So..." Mags tapped his chin, "You want my help, is that it?"

"Obviously." Ratchet rolled his eye, "Who else would secretly work on this with me and not tell anyone else?"

Mags sighed, "Ratch-"

"Please?"

Mags looked up to the ceiling as if begging the stars to strike him down, but then he stopped and thought for a moment.

Clank was his friend. Practically family. While he knew the chances of Clank coming back the same as he was were slim...they could at least try.

"Fine." he answered, "It'd be nice to have that tin can back with us anyway, but what made you want to do this?"

"Let's just say I don't know when to quit. Besides, Clank is my best friend. I need to try, at least."

"And if it doesn't work?"

Ratchet sighed, "Then...then I really do have to accept it."

"Good." Mags placed a hand on the boy's shoulder,

"When do we begin?"

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

Ratchet has been acting off these past few weeks.

At first, he blamed it on Clank's death. It made sense at the time. Ratchet and Clank were close and for Ratchet to lose him must have been hard. But as the weeks went on, Kaden felt like something else was going on that he didn't know about.

Did Ratchet harbor guilt as to what happened? The boy seemed to be overly sympathetic to his friends and family and excluded himself from the picture. Was it something else that Kaden didn't know about? Or was it just Ratchet's personality to blame?

Whatever it was, he was determined to get to the bottom of it.

"Kaden?"

He snapped out of his thoughts and looked over to his wife. They were currently finishing up dinner, and she looked to be at her wit's end, "I called your name 3 times! What are you thinking so hard about?"

"Nothing....Just work."

"That's a lie." Phoebe chuckled, "You're thinking about Ratchet, right?"

Kaden swallowed his food hastily, "Of course! He's acting weird and I don't like it!"

This caused Phoebe to laugh even more, "Kade, you're worrying too much. He went to visit Hunter at the hospital, remember? He's sleeping over at Oliver's house."

"Yeah but..." Kaden grumbled, not really knowing what to say after that, "Still...you know how sneaky he is."

"I know. Reminds me of a certain someone." Kaden glared playfully at her, "But, I trust him." She continued, "He's a teenager, Kaden, and he's been through more than most people have in their whole lives. Let him cope in his own ways and if something bad does happen, we'll be there for him."

Kaden nodded, "I guess you're right." he mumbled, "Still, he's up to something. I can feel it."

Phoebe sighed heavily but said nothing as she went to bring her plate over to the sink. Kaden followed right after to help her.

He'll figure it out.

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

Meanwhile...

Mags grunted as Ratchet placed a few spare parts in his arms, rushing to the table as yet another idea came to his head.

"If some circuitry is intact, including his motherboard, his memory banks should still be intact." he mumbled over their blueprints, "I just have to finish rewiring the rest."

"Still, this takes time, Ratch." Mags places the parts just below the table, "And this is our 4th attempt..."

"Yeah! But Clank built this body out of scraps basically...so we have to use better parts."

Mags smiled at the boy's cheerfulness...even if he had his hand deep inside what is supposed to be Clank's stomach, "Besides, this gives us a chance to upgrade his systems...if we could find the parts."

"Kaden gets new parts to work on all the time. I doubt he'll notice one thing going missing...or two." Mags slipped a rubber glove on, "It's actually quite fun seeing how much I can get away with."

"So...you like committing crimes?"

"Only if I don't get caught. If your dad ever finds out, I'll be toast."

"He won't. He's too distracted by his inventions." Ratchet said, wincing as his finger slipped against something sharp, "But...it'll all be worth it when Clank is awake."

Mags chuckled, reaching blindly into the box of Clank's old and damaged parts and pulling out a familiar piece. It was the arm he and Kaden made...

He smiled,

"Yeah. It will be."

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

Everyone was getting suspicious.

Ratchet could tell when his shifty actions made his father watch him more closely. His mother started to pay more attention as well, trying to keep him busy by asking for help cooking or in the garden. Oliver even started to ask what was wrong between the levels of the video games they played.

But now he sat with his friend, Hunter, who was still in the hospital recovering from his extensive injuries. Apparently, learning to walk again after being confined to a hospital bed for so long was very hard, but he was making good progress! Before they knew it, he would be up and running again in no time...

For now, though, he had to deal with Ratchet's rants about the tendencies of those around him.

"Sounds like they are being a bit overbearing, for a good reason though." Hunter told him, sitting up in his hospital bed, "I mean, after everything that happened it's not really surprising.

"Yeah...but I'm not used to family...like this, you know? It's weird." Ratchet said, "Then-"

"What are you up to exactly, then?" Hunter asked, raising a brow, "You're hiding something."

"Oh? And how do you know that?"

"Because you're being very obvious, and that coupled with the fact that you are annoyed with the concern everyone is having for you means that you are being paranoid. Therefore, you are hiding something." The older Lombax chuckled, "I can tell right away. So, what is it? I won't tell."

Ratchet sighed,

Should he? Should he not? But Hunter appeared trustworthy...

"I'm rebuilding Clank."

....

"Oh." Hunter stared at him, "Am I supposed to be surprised?"

Ratchet scoffed, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, if I lost my best robot friend I would try to fix them. And considering what you two went through and...well, who you are, I'm not surprised that you're trying. Actually, I think this should have happened a while ago."

Ratchet sighed, rubbing at his face, "It's just hard without him. And I know it's possible to bring him back."

"Perhaps his body. But his memories?" Hunter asked, "I know if anyone could rebuild him, it's you. But what if he doesn't remember anything?"

"Then we start back at the beginning." Ratchet replied, "He'd still be his own person. Even if he doesn't remember me..."

He didn't finish his sentence, unwilling to even think about that scenario right now. "Clank had a soul. He was different from the beginning. If anything, he will be the one beating the odds."

Hunter nodded in understanding,

"Well, your secret is safe with me-" he smirked, -On one condition."

"And that is?"

"You come to me first, with Clank. I think it's fair."

Ratchet rolled his eye, "Fine. Whatever you say..."

He couldn't really be mad about it, not when he earned a genuine laugh from his friend....

It was all worth it.

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

[?]

What was happening?

[Entering Code: Please Standby]

Code?

[Implementing...]

What were they? What was going on? What was turning on? What was-

[Finalizing...]

Something was changing...Change? What was that? What was this....feeling? It felt wrong...What even was a feeling anyway?

[Transfer Complete! Loading Data Files!]

...

Suddenly there was light, and then more, until it covered the expanse of the mind. Then all that was seen was color...more color. That was red, yellow, and blue until it bled into a string of numbers. Colors...numbers...this was easily remembered.

Then images. Countless images. Black and white until colors bled into them.

Suddenly, like a puzzle piece was added, the images were complete. They floated beyond the expanse, and one by one...they were remembered.

They remembered...themselves. No, himself. He remembered.

XJ-0461...

Designation: Clank.

That was him. And then-

Ratchet. Ratchet was his friend. His family. He was the first thing he remembered...how could he forget? Why did he forget?

Then there were more memories. The battles they fought and won. The secrets of his past. Then the incident at The Great Clock, then his time in the New dimension...

His creation...

Nova. The Creator. Kaden. Phoebe. Oliver. Hunter...more...so many more.

Images of Lombaxes he saw in passing. Categorizing each of them. Noting their features. Analyzing everything about them. Knowing the world. Seeing the world. It was all right there.

His death...

Everything...Everything...

[Powering On...]

His eyes snapped open to welcome the world once more.

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

"Ow!"

...Was the first thing he heard after he sat up.

His eyes slowly adjusted to the world, unfocusing and refocusing several times as he registered everything he was seeing.

A metal table. A chair. The...dirty floor that really needed to be clean. So much so that he wanted to do it himself.

Well, that didn't matter now. Not while two Lombaxes were staring at him.

"C-Clank...?"

That voice...

He looked up, taking in the Lombax's features. That light gold fur...that green eye.

Ratchet.

But he found himself unable to speak as more and more memories came back to him. Everything was sorting itself out, but slowly.

"Clank?" Ratchet asked again, this time more nervous, "Are...you in there, pal?"

Yes, I am He wanted to say, but nothing was ready to come out yet.

The two Lombaxes were silent, and Clank watched as they both looked down in defeat. His metaphorical heart constricted as his friend walked up to him, shakily holding a hand out,

"My...My name is Ratchet. It's nice to meet you..."

And suddenly, Clank got a twitch in his arm, and he had the urge to move it. He had the urge to-

"Whoa!"

He took Ratchet's hand and pulled him forward into a tight hug. While the position was weird, he bet he couldn't stand on his feet yet...

"C-Clank?"

The robot hummed softly, voice slowly returning,

"I'm here." he hugged his friends tighter. He didn't need to know how or why...

"I'm here."

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

Needless to say, the tearful reunion ended when Clank finally managed to stand on his own two feet.

"O-Okay...there has been enough of that now." he playfully glared at Ratchet, who was still wiping his face discreetly, "Now, to get to the matter at hand..." he brushed himself off, noticing the new clothing that he wore. It must be Ratchet's clothing.

"How...am I awake? The last thing I remember is-" he paused when he saw the sad frown on Ratchet's face, "Well...you know."

Mags decided to pipe up, "Well, this guy right here-" he placed a hand on Ratchet's left shoulder, "-decided he wanted to try rebuilding you. Somehow, your memory chip was easy to recover and intact. Which is what really made this possible."

Clank hummed...

That really should have not been possible. He has what many would call a "soul" so...how could he come back from the dead like nothing ever happened? It just didn't make-

"Don't think about it too much, Pal." Ratchet said, his bright smile back on his face "You're here now, that's all that matters to me."

With that, he brought the robot back into his arms, hugging him, "It's great to have you back, Pal."

"I'm happy to be back, Ratchet," Clank said, pulling away soon after. "How long has it been since...the incident?"

"Almost 5 months," Ratchet replied as if nothing was shocking about that statement. Clank's eyes widened,

"5 months!? You spent all this time trying to...build me?" his voice shook at that end, at which he was surprised by. "All...that time?"

Ratchet rolled his eye, "More like 4. Took me a while to get my head together and actually decide to fix you. And of course, I would! Why wouldn't I?"

"Ratchet, you have a family, friends, and a whole life to live."

"So what? You're family too!" Ratchet laughed, "And what's five months out of all the time I have to spend? It wouldn't be worth it without those beside me...and that includes you, pal."

And that made Clank's metaphorical heart seize, and he touched his chest. Before he could speak, Ratchet held up a hand,

"Please, don't get all sappy on me."

Mags rolled his eyes, seemingly wiping his face so no one could see his watery gaze. Clank didn't say anything, but he did plan to tease the man for it at a later date.

"For now, I made a promise to someone that they would see you first," Ratchet said, gesturing Clank to follow along,

"What? I didn't know this!" Mags looked at the boy in shock.

"Hey, I have my secrets too, Mags!" Ratchet pulled a very confused Clank along, "Look, come to my house later. I bet my Mom and Dad will want to celebrate...after they get over their shock, that is."

Mags rolled his eyes, waving his hands to dismiss them, "Sure, just leave me with cleaning up the place then. I'll see you two later."

"Thanks Mags! You're a lifesaver! I owe ya' one!"

He then tugged on Clank's arm more, "Come on! We don't have all day!"

Clank, still confused and trying to process what was going on, has no choice in the matter.

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

They arrived at a small, comfy home, one that was unfamiliar to Clank. He tilted his head, "Where are we? I do not remember this house..."

Scanning it, the most prominent materials were wood and steel. It all came together to create a small two-story home. A welcoming, brown door stood before them...

"That's because it's new." Ratchet stepped up to knock on the door.

It opened soon after, a familiar man laid his eyes upon them and gasped. Clank mirrored the expression, "

"Oh, my stars...you did it!"

Hunter smiled brightly when he opened the door, standing on shaky legs. Clank shifted, uncomfortable under Hunter's unrelenting gaze.

"I know, right!?" Ratchet smiled, "All nice and upgraded too!"

At that, Clank finally realized he never scanned himself after he woke up. Hesitantly, he lifted his arms and looked at himself. Everything seemed to be in order. He still had his old functions on his arms and the rest of his body. He also had some new ones.

They really worked hard on this new body...

"I...Ratchet, thank you," he said, only to receive an exaggerated eye roll from his friend.

"Ah, none of that, pal! You deserve it!"

"Okay! Okay! Enough! Come inside real quick before my dad hears you!"

Ratchet pulled Clank inside, letting Hunter bring the robot into a hug right after the door was closed. The robot slowly returned the hug, awkwardly patting Hunter's back as he squeezed harder.

"Well...you're lucky I am made of steel. Otherwise, you would be crushing my ribs."

"Ah, be quiet and let me hug you!" he pulled away after a few more seconds, "Besides, I deserve to be selfish after all the ranting I had to hear from this one-" he pointed to Ratchet, "Wouldn't stop talking about his work to get you going. I don't even understand half of it!"

Ratchet glared playfully at him as Clank chuckled, "Well, thank you for dealing with him." he decided to play along, "He does ramble."

"Exactly!"

"Hey! I'm standing right here! At least gossip about me in private!"

Hunter laughed along with them until he heard the familiar sound of heavy footsteps coming down the stairs. He winced, "Uhm...well, he'll be surprised..."

"Huh?" Ratchet finally noticed the sound, seeing the man reach the bottom and turn to them, "Hunter what did I tell you about having friends-"

He stopped dead in his tracks.

The three boys were silent as they waited for him to say something.

...

"I...am not surprised." Arc finally said, "But all of you have some explaining to do! I-"

"-Yeah yeah! Enough of the lecture old man!" Before Arc could argue back, Hunter reached out to open the door, going to turn both Ratchet and Clank around. He gently pushed them both out, "We'll come over later!"

And...then he shut the door. Ratchet and Clank stared at the door in confusion before they all burst out into laughter. They composed themselves after a while, Ratchet clearing his throat, "Now...there is one more stop before we get back home-" Clank's eyes widened when Ratchet addressed his house in a way that implied it was his home too...but why was this surprising? Of course, it would be his home too...

"Ready, Clank?"

The robot looked up, smiling at Ratchet,

"Absolutely."

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

Needless to say, suddenly surprising people with your (previously) dead friend would have mixed reactions.

"Ratchet...what the hell did you do!?" Oliver was backed into the corner of his room, in shock at the sight. He didn't think when he let Ratchet into his house that he would see Clank walking in too.

"Ollie...look, I know it's crazy-"

"Crazy!? No! This is insane!"

Clank decided to pipe up, "If we are going by the definition, those two words can be-"

"-Oh my stars just stop talking! You're dead. Well, you're supposed to be dead! Why are you talking!? He then looked at Ratchet, "What did you do!?"

"Me!? Isn't it obvious?" Ratchet held up his hands in mock surrender, "I fixed Clank!"

"You...fixed him!?" Oliver stood up now, "That's not how this works! Ratchet, you're like a brother to me but I have to tell you...you can't keep hanging on to the hope that-"

Clank cleared his throat, "Oliver...it's me." he said softly, "Ratchet did fix me, or should I say...he powered me back on? Either way, I am...me. I assure you."

At this, Oliver seemed to calm down a little bit. He was about to speak before there was a knock on the door,

"Oliver? Who are you talking to in there?"

It was Arthur...

"Uhm..." Oliver looked at both Ratchet and Clank before sliding to the door, slowly unlocking it, "Uhm...we have visitors but don't freak-"

"What the-" Arthur took one look into the room before bolting out, "What the heck did I just step into!" he ran downstairs, "Mom, Dad! There's-"

The rest of his voice was muffled since he got to the kitchen. Oliver chuckled nervously, "I'm still in shock but I think it's your cue to go!"

As they started getting pushed out, Ratchet smirked, "Will you come over later?"

"Maybe when I...yeah, fine! We will!" Oliver rolled his eyes, "Now go, out the window with you two...again."

"Fine! See ya'!" Ratchet was out in a moment. Clank, feeling mischievous, gave a quick hug to the younger Lombax before following Ratchet out. Oliver just watched them go, wondering if what he witnessed was just some weird dream...

...

Guess he'll find out later?

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

Ratchet paused in his steps and looked back, fully turning around when he saw Clank wringing his hands and rubbing them together. He looked both nervous and worried, ears lowered as he stared at the door.

"Clank? You alright?"

The robot's gaze snapped to him, "What?"

"I asked if you're alright? You look...upset?" Ratchet tilted his head, "So...what is it?"

Clank looked down at the ground, feet shifting as he tried to think of how he could explain his feelings,

"I...I am nervous about how they will react." he started, "You said that this whole thing is a surprise and that you were fixing me in secret. But...how will they feel? Surely they will-"

"Clank." Ratchet came closer to him, "They will be shocked. They will need time to process. But that doesn't change anything about you being here again. With all of us." he made sure Clank lifted his head to look at him, "And...well, if they freak out too much, you have me here."

Clank mulled over the words before smiling, "Yes. I do."

With that, Ratchet smiled back and turned to unlock the door, "I'll go in first, alright? You stay here."

He saw Clank nod before he pushed the door open. He slid inside, making sure it didn't open too much so the surprise wouldn't be spoiled. Everything was going well before he heard his mother clear her throat,

"And where have you been?" she asked, causing Ratchet to smile nervously. He turned to her slowly, only to see his father standing there as well. He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly,

"Uhh...Oliver's house?"

"Nope. We called." Kaden said flatly, "You haven't been there for weeks."

"Oh..." damn...he was caught...

"So, enough with the lies. Tell us the truth, now." Phoebe said sternly, "Are you in trouble?"

"No..." Ratchet looked back and forth between them, "Actually-"

"And no excuses." Kaden added, "Ratchet?" he looked at the boy expectantly, waiting for an answer.

"Well...I have been working on something." Ratchet started, "Mags-"

"Mags!?" Kaden looked at Phoebe, "Why didn't he say anything!?"

"Because I told him not to!" Ratchet butted in before things escalated, "And...well, I think you'll love what I made! Really...just...well, don't freak out!"

His parents looked at one another questionably as Ratchet went to open the door again. He whispered something inaudible to them before tugging something (or more like someone) inside the home.

Silence.

"R-Ratchet..." Phoebe started first, "This isn't funny."

"What? This isn't a-"

"Clank is...not here anymore, Ratch." Kaden cut him off, "This-"

"It's me!" Clank finally decided to speak, clamming up once again as he was met with two shocked stares, "I-It's me! Ratchet fixed me and...and I still don't fully understand how but he did it!" he glanced over to his friend,

"H-He was unsure if he actually could achieve it but...but now I'm here. He wanted this to be a surprise but-"

"-Clank." Phoebe cut him off, eyes teary as she sniffled, "Come here."

As if on instinct, he stepped forward to hug the woman close, cooling down now that he realized that she was no longer angry. Kaden, however, was still quiet.

When he pulled back from Phoebe, the woman had a bright smile on her face as her hand was placed on his shoulder, "I'm so happy to have you back. We-"

She stopped when Kaden abruptly turned and left to go into his workspace in the garage, shutting the door quickly. Ratchet's ears lowered at that, which Clank noticed immediately.

He'll do the damage control.

He regretfully stepped away from the woman, "Perhaps I should go have a chat with him. You two get settled and..." he looked playfully at his friend, "We have guests coming over, right?"

Phoebe gasped, looking over at her son with a glare, "Guests!?"

Clank laughed and turned away as the woman started to lightly scold her son about inviting guests they were nowhere near ready for.

With a shake of his head, he quietly approached the garage door and opened it. He stepped and shut it softly as he looked over Kaden. The man had his back turned, but seemed tense. A quick scan showed Clank that his heart rate was faster than normal, along with his slightly higher blood pressure.

He was upset, but perhaps...angry, in a way? Either way, Clank could not really blame him. This was all shocking.

"Kaden?" he asked softly, only to receive no answer. Instead, the man stiffened up even more.

"I assure you that I am real."

The man scoffed, "I don't doubt that...Ratchet is smart." he said weakly, "I just...I can't face you."

"Why?"

"After what I did! Or...what I let happen!" Kaden said, back still turned to the robot, "I let you get hurt all those times and I even let you die! I-"

"-and how are all those things your fault? Last I recall, they were all a result of my choices." Clank said simply, "It is not your job to protect me from every little thing."

"No, it's not. But I do anyway." Kaden replied, "And what about that time with the hoverboard? When you fell off? That was my fault! O-Or that whole thing with the USB stick and don't forget the fact that I-"

"-Kaden." Clank started, "Again, it was my choice to do those things, and those could even be considered accidents." he reasoned, "You played no part in my injuries or death."

"I-I could have led to-"

"-Those are what-ifs. There is no use dwelling over those. I know that now." Clank said softly, "We have all faced a great deal of tragedy. Quite honestly, I am happy I am now getting a second chance with all of you."

"Heh...you sound wiser than any adult I know, kid."

"Well, I don't know about wise...I find it to be common sense."

Kaden rolled his eyes, finally turning to go over and give Clank the hug he has been waiting for, "I see even robots can't accept compliments."

At this, Clank started laughing, enjoying the hug more than he thought he would.

...

"Kaden, you must let go eventually. We do have to welcome guests, after all."

...

"What!?"

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

Clank stood back and watched everyone from a distance.

...

This feels...surreal.

He swished the drink in his hand as he processed everything. Today...there was a lot to take in. He was dead, but now he is not. He had a new, better body. Well...his Lombax body. He almost forgot what it was like to barely be over Ratchet's knees...

"Clank? You okay, Pal?"

The robot snapped out of his thoughts, looking to his left to see a concerned green eye staring right at him. Ratchet analyzed him for a few seconds longer, "You have been standing here for pretty long all by yourself."

Clank looked away from him, feeling quite vulnerable at the moment, "I am just thinking."

"Ha! When are you not?"

"Shush. You know what I mean." Clank did not laugh along with him, but he did have a soft smile on his face, "I will never be able to stop thinking, but right now I find it hard to do so. Everything to process...it is a lot for my systems to handle. You don't just come back from the dead and everything is fine." he saw Ratchet's shoulders slump, "I am grateful you gave me a second chance. For now, time is the best remedy for me." he gestured to everyone in front of them, having a pleasant time,

"It may take a while getting used to, but I would not trade it for anything. Ratchet."

He finally turned to look at his friend, who had gone uncharacteristically silent. Perhaps he was too overcome with emotions to do so, or maybe he started thinking too deeply himself.

But Clank knew one thing for certain, and that is when Ratchet hooked his arm around his shoulders in a tight one-armed hug, he could tell what Ratchet was saying with his actions,

Me too, Clank.

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

That night, he had a dream.

Well...not really. He couldn't see anything, but it felt like he was in that weird gray area between stasis and being awake. Almost as if he was trapped in his sleepy mind...

He felt this odd, nagging sensation in the back of his head,

"What is that?" he questioned himself, directing all of his attention to this bothersome spot. He looked over his code, and then his stats, but nothing indicated anything abnormal.

He was about to put himself into stasis again for the night, but a message popped into his head, from a random strand of code floating around.

"Creator."

...

"Nova?"

No response. Perhaps he was just hearing things then...

...

Then why could he not enter stasis comfortably?

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

The next two days went by as normal as they could.

At first, Clank felt like everyone was walking on eggshells around him. But after the initial shock...he could see that they really were trying for him.

"Well, this will be your room starting tomorrow!" Phoebe said, pointing to the spare room that previously held many, many boxes of belongings in it. "We just have to get you a bed and some other necessities."

They both stepped out of the way as Kaden pushed another box into the hall.

"I-I...this is...I don't want to be so burdensome and-"

"-Shush!" Phoebe held up a hand, "This was going to be your room whether you like it or not, mister!" She tapped his head, "Why don't you go see where Ratchet is while we finish up? We'll go shopping for you later!"

Before Clank could argue, the woman entered the room again and was out of sight. Kaden also went right back to moving out more boxes, so finding Ratchet was the only thing he could do at this point without feeling uncomfortable.

He knew Ratchet wasn't in his room, but he wasn't in the living room either. However, a quick glance out the back door revealed Ratchet to be outside and working on his hoverboard.

Clank opened the back door and stepped out, scanning the hoverboard for any imperfections, "There appears to be nothing wrong with it." he narrowed his eyes suspiciously, "What exactly are you doing with it?"

"Trying some new upgrades." Ratchet said vaguely, "What are you so stiff for?"

"You aren't even looking at me. How-"

"Just your flat tone of voice." Ratchet replied, shrugging his shoulders, "Sit and relax already. You're making my shoulders stiff."

Clank rolled his eyes but sat down next to Ratchet and looked up at the clear blue sky above. He tried to relax his shoulders like he was told, but found himself still carrying the weight of...everything.

Which is what has been nagging him since he woke up from the dead.

Ratchet worked some more on his hoverboard before stopping entirely. "I'm not good at all this emotional talk, y'know, Pal?" he grunted, wiping some grease off his fingers, "So I'm not gonna give you one of those long, boring speeches so I don't make a fool out of myself but..." he looked over to the robot, "What is bothering you?"

Clank hummed at the question, "Well..."

How should he put this? How would Ratchet react? Well, there was only one way to find out...

"I have been thinking of something ever since you woke me up." he started, "And...And I don't know how to put this, but it is something that I have to do still. I have to do it before...before I can be comfortable again. And once it's gone I can-"

"-What is it?" Ratchet interrupted him, "Something bad?"

"Not necessarily..." Clank muttered, then looked away again. Ratchet stayed silent and gave him a few moments to collect his thoughts.

"There is something I need your help with once again, Ratchet."

"Anything, Pal. What do you need?"

...

And with that...Clank finally told his friend what he needed to do.

...

Fix his mistakes...

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

Okay! One more chapter after this everyone! I hope you are all excited as much as I am to give you all the last chapter. It just needs to go through some editing, so don't worry about much more waiting. 

(Also...sorry for any spelling or grammar errors. Once this is all wrapped up, I will be going back and making some edits. For now, though, I hope it's all good!)

Until then, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Sorry again for the wait, but I'm glad I could finally get this out to my readers!

See you next chapter!