The front door opening and closing drew Ratchet's gaze to the hallway; Fowler rounded the corner and entered the room. "Ratchet," he greeted with a nod of his head. "How's it going?"

Ratchet leaned against the counter, making a gesture towards the sliding glass door. "They are being rather loud, but they are having fun." Fowler shifted his weight and looked through the glass, watching as Miko shoved Jack into the pool, screeching with laughter. Jennie was on a large unicorn floatie, shouting to Raf, who was wading at the shallow end of the pool.

"Looks like a party." The agent smiled.

"It will be once their guardians show up. I have a feeling holoforms are going to be very popular among them once they try out swimming with the children."

"Has Jennie settled well?"

The medic nodded. "Very. She practically lives in that pool. Stargazes on that unicorn every night." He tied a stray bag containing a loaf of bread properly, noticing it had been left open.

"That's good."

The front door opened and closed once again, and Bulkhead's voice echoed through the hall. "Yes, Bee, I'm sure this is the right house, I wouldn't lead you into a random house. This is the address Ratchet gave me." Bumblebee and Bulkhead rounded the corner and entered the room, both looking excited.

Fowler raised an eyebrow. "No Arcee?"

"Pool parties aren't her thing." Bulkhead shrugged. "The kids out back, Ratch?"

Ratchet pointed to the sliding glass door. "Go crazy. Tell Miko to quit screaming."

They hurried through the sliding glass door, visibly happy to be given the opportunity to indulge in a human activity. Fowler followed behind them, leaving Ratchet to organize out of habit. His charge wasn't the cleanest.

He was in the middle of sorting out the refrigerator when a wet Jennie came running in. "Primus, you're getting water all over the floor," he grumbled as she shoved past him to grab a drink.

"You're under MY roof now!" Jennie declared, grinning. "My rules! No cleaning!" She stuck her hands into the fridge and knocked over all the contents he had just organized.

Ratchet rolled his eyes, quietly laughing. "I feel like I'm raising a sparkling." He muttered.

His charge beamed at him. "A toddler with a new, giant house."

"The other children will be here often. It'll be helpful when I'm busy... keep them from getting underfoot." The medic stopped for a moment and listened to Miko yelling and splashing. "It's a good thing this was worked out."

"Yeah, I'll miss constantly being around you," Ratchet groaned at that, "But this house is awesome, and I'll be safer here." She sipped her drink and grabbed his sleeve. "Now come out and be with the group."

He let out an annoyed sigh, but allowed himself to be dragged outside. Raf and Bumblebee were on the unicorn floatie, paddling together and laughing as Bulkhead tried to flip them. Jack was sitting with his feet in the water, laughing and watching in amusement. Ratchet walked over to the edge, as Bulkhead successfully flipped the floatie and drove the scout and his charge into the water. Jennie laughed and dove in, moving to avenge them. Ratchet watched, crossing his arms, realizing a moment too late that Miko wasn't in sight.

Two hands shoved against his back, and suddenly he was submerged in the water, a splash following his surprised yelp. As he broke the surface, Jennie screeched in laughter as the others watched in terrified silence. Miko was crouching on the edge, looking slightly nervous but not regretful.

"Miko," Ratchet seethed, grabbing the ledge and pulling himself closer, "You shouldn't have done that."

"Ratch, it was just a-" She didn't finish before he grabbed her arm and pulled her in. This triggered a heavy battle of splashing, in which the others joined immediately.

Ratchet escaped and pulled himself onto the ledge, sitting with his legs in the water, fully clothed and drenched. Jennie swam over.

"Thanks for being great, Ratch."

"That was the only time I will allow myself to be pushed in, understand?"

His charge laughed. "Sure thing."

She climbed up beside him, and they watched Bulkhead and Bumblebee wrestle in the water, their charges cheering.

"Having you as a guardian was probably the best thing to ever happen to me. You know how much my life sucked before this. Who knew making a salty doctor babysit you works such wonders." Jennie glanced over at him, grinning.

"Who knew babysitting wears down on you so much." Her guardian replied, shrugging. She laughed.

"Looks like things are gonna be pretty good from now on. My dad's never gonna be a problem again, you and I have a boss hangout zone, and once you guys win the war, it'll be twice as good." Jennie leaned back and stared at the sky. Ratchet smiled. "Everything is going to be okay now."

"Yes." He agreed.

"Everything is going to be okay."