*ATTENTION!!! DO NOT READ unless you have finished ALL of my story Endpoint. This One-Shot contains major spoilers. SO GO READ ENDPOINT!!!!*

And now that I'm without your kisses, 

I'll be needing stitches...

Taylor woke up slowly as she heard cries coming from the other room. For a second, she wondered why she was hearing a baby wailing. She quickly remembered, her blue eyes flying open as she jumped up in bed. Her legs were tangled in the sheets, causing her to fall as she hurried to get up. With a groan, the young woman, pried the covers off of her, freeing her legs as fast as she could, and stood up off the floor. She blew some silver bangs out of her eyes as the cries started to grow louder. Her feet seemed to move on their own, and she was quickly in the smaller room of her house. The mother quickly ran over to the crib, her hands grabbing the railing as she peered over to her newborn baby. 

"Shh, shh," she soothed as she reached down, taking her flailing son and picking him up gently. "It's alright, Hospice.. it's alright.." She leaned the baby on her shoulder, patting his back and bouncing and swaying slightly to try and calm him down. Her eyes turned to the clock that hung on the blue wall, and groaned slightly when she saw that it was only 4:27 am. 

Hospice began to wail louder and Taylor figured that she would probably have to feed him. With a small sigh, she backed into the rocking chair that was behind her and setting her son on her lap. The little boy seemed to realize just what she was doing and fell silent, watching her with wide, Energon blue eyes. Taylor flinched involuntarily at those eyes, the same color and shape of those of her sparkmate's. She bit her lip, wishing she didn't have to be reminded of him every time she looked at her child. It made her feel guilty and lonely at the same time. Hospice whined as she paused and continued to stare at him, not wanting to wait any longer. The mother smiled at him apologetically and lifted her shirt, letting him nurse quietly. 

As her son began to suck, she sighed through her nose and leaned her head back, closing her eyes. Her mind fell deep into thought, just like it did almost every time she nursed him late at night. Every day, she prayed that her son would survive without issues. She remembered that his birth had become so difficult, she had had to call Cybertronian doctors over to help her. The baby, a small boy with white and orange hair that had both blood and Energon pumping through him. They had both been under careful watch for nearly a month. The doctors had been afraid of allowing her to nurse him, unsure if that was the proper way to give Energon to him, or if the milk would even contain any. The mother had been relieved to learn that he did not contain any Cybertronian metals in him, having adapted thoroughly in the womb. After a short time, they learned that he needed both the milk and Energon. Nursing provided him with both, though he often required more Energon shortly after.

Taylor remembered how overjoyed and sparkbroken Optimus and Bumblebee had been when they learned of her baby, knowing that it was Ratchet's. Taylor had wanted to apologize to them, wishing she didn't have to hurt them this way. Optimus had told her that she needn't be ashamed of their relationship and their child. He only wished Ratchet could have seen the baby. 

Taylor wished he could have, too. Her heart burned, and the piece of Ratchet's spark ached every day. It felt alone, empty, and unfulfilled. She felt scared that one day, she wouldn't be able to provide what Hospice needed. Then she would feel like she had broken all the connections she had with her sparkmate. Then she would truly be all alone.

Questions always rang through her head. How would Hospice grow without a father figure? How would she be able to tell him about Ratchet, and what Hospice truly was? How would Hospice grow? Would he evolve in unwanted ways? Would he have a longer life span than most humans? 

Then there was always the question that haunted her every minute of every day. 

Would she be able to raise him right all by herself?

She was all alone in this. June Darby was one of the leading people that was putting Earth back together, the biggest doctor on the planet right now. Optimus was now Council Leader back on Cybertron, just as she had expected, and Bumblebee was under deep medical watch. She had no family to turn to, and asking for help from the others would be asking too much, taking them away from what they were already expected to do. She lived by herself, the only company being her little boy, who she worried over constantly.

As painful as it was, she never wished for it all to end. She couldn't bring herself to leave her baby to die without her. She couldn't bring herself to give their child to someone else. Taylor had to push on and protect Hospice, protect her family. 

Taylor felt Hospice shuffle from under her shirt, letting go of her and beginning to whine. She knew he probably wanted more Energon now instead of more milk, so she began to stand as she took him out and rested him against her chest and shoulder, patting his back as she headed to the kitchen. Hospice burped quickly, but thankfully didn't spit up all over her shoulder. She chuckled slightly, bending over and opening a pantry. The glow of Energon met her eyes and her facial expression shifted again. Her hand reached out and took one of the small cubes that Optimus had been providing her and lifted it up as she stood. The mother sighed again as she turned and went back into the nursery, sitting back down in the chair and setting her son on her lap. Hospice watched intently as she broke off a bit of the hard shell, revealing the liquid inside it. She tipped the cube to his lips, allowing the processed parts to leak into his mouth. Hospice was used to this ritual by now, his little fingers grabbing the cube as he drank. 

Taylor ruffled his white and orange hair slightly, gazing down at him as he closed his eyes as he continued calmly. She felt tears rise in her eyes and she bit her lip again. She inhaled shakily as the tears began to fall down her cheeks and she squeezed her eyes shut. Ratchet flashed in her mind and she sobbed quietly. 

You promised you would come back... now I'm all alone. Why did you have to go and leave me?

She hated feeling this way. She hated being alone. She hated that he had to go. All she wanted was for him to come back, but that could never happen. Her fingers traced her baby boy's face gently as she cried silently. Hospice remained quiet as he ate, but he did watch her closely with his blue eyes, a familiar wise look like his father's inside them. He was so much like Ratchet.

Just as Taylor felt her spark begin to sink into desperate loneliness again, she swore she felt something brush by her cheek. A sharp gasp escaped her mouth at the touch, something that felt warm and chilly at the same time. Like the last of a summer breeze. The young woman raised her head and blinked her eyes, looking around frantically. At first she was frightened, but then something, a warm kind of presence, seemed to calm her. Her spark suddenly filled like an overflowing cup and she inhaled deeply, lifting her shoulders. Her body completely relaxed as she continued to look around in curiosity and wonder. Something was here.

No, someone was here.

A tiny smile fell upon her lips as she recognized the warm presence, although that was only a small sliver to show how overjoyed she felt. Her eyes widened and her heart lifted as her vision shifted to the light ever so slightly. Now she was gazing at her guardian, sparkmate, and love of her life, dead in the optics. His faceplate was calm and his optics were gentle and shining. It was only for a moment, and then there were words.

I promised that I would come back, no matter what.

A sob burst from Taylor, but it wasn't one of sadness. As the figure of light faded away, she could feel his smooth digits gently rubbing her face, stroking her cheek fondly. Even when she couldn't see him any longer, she could still feel him there, watching over her with his wise optics and stroking her with his secure servos. Hospice seemed to realize that someone was there, too, looking up into the light. He paused from his Energon and lifted his hands, clasping his little fingers in and out as he cooed happily. Taylor watched him and felt her heart nearly burst, because never had she felt such strong emotions and love for her family. 

It was then that the mother knew that she was in fact never alone. For years to come, her sparkmate would be with her, watching over her and their son. Whispering to them every now and then in the silence and worst of moments. Gently holding them throughout their time together and apart. 

Ratchet was here.