The next week went by slowly and painfully, as time stretched on; Optimus grew more and more busy, leading the army that was called the Autobots, who were defending against the Decepticons. Most mechs and femmes all over Cybertron had decided where their place was: An Autobot or a Decepticon. Of course, Ratchet knew he was going to be an Autobot the moment the Decepticons began, he'd offline before he sided with Megatron.

Optimus was increasingly busy. He and Ratchet were staying in a military base, sharing an apartment type facility, where Ratchet stayed most of the time, waiting for his mate's return. But when Optimus did come back, he was exhausted, paid rare attention to the worried medic, who noticed right away, but remained quiet about the whole ordeal. Ratchet knew the Prime was busy and had very, very important issues to attend to, and he couldn't argue with that. Still, Optimus could at least have a little conversation...

So it was the middle of a cold day, Ratchet was alone in their temporary home, laying on the couch, as the sparkling caused the worst of discomforts. Endless abdominal pains were surging through his middle, he couldn't get any recharge, and he couldn't drink energon without feeling sick. Optimus, of course, had no idea about the pain, because he was always too tired to notice Ratchet's behavior, which hurt the medic the most.

It broke Ratchet's spark. The one he had bonded with was... neglecting him in a way; even through the course of leading an army, he should at least have a little concern for his mate and his unborn sparkling...

"Eeeennnngh." Ratchet whined as another wave of pain coursed through his abdomen. "Primus, stop these infernal cramps..." He put an arm over his middle. "Goodness little one, your really being a servoful right now..." Part of him was angry with himself, this had to be from deprivation of recharge and energon. Despite the discomfort it brings, he should be able to pull through for the sparkling, but instead, he's let it get the best of him...

The door opened, and a tired Optimus stepped in, rather clumsy on his peds.

"Y-Your early." Ratchet observed, removing the arm from his abdomen and moving to a more comfortable laying position on the couch.

"I... wanted a little time off so I could discuss some matters with you." The Prime replied, coming to stand in front of the couch and gazing down at his mate with dull optics. "How are you?"

"Been better." The medic shrugged.

Suddenly, he gasped abruptly as a horrible pain hit his middle hard, worse than all the others he'd encountered before; Ratchet surpressed a cry and gripped the edge of the berth, squeezing his optics shut, waiting for it to pass, but it kept going. He gave a quiet yelp and gripped the edge of the couch tighter, biting his lip and holding his breath.

Optimus lowered to his knees, so he was at level with Ratchet's abdomen, and rested a servo gently on the medic's stomach, where his sparkling was creating pains.

"Your hurting your carrier, Little One." He said softly, stroking with his thumb a little.

Ratchet couldn't help but smile, Optimus's touch relaxing him a little, when the pain appeared to slowly cease, as if the sparkling was responding to Optimus's touch and words. Optimus began to rub his middle softly, a small massage, which eased the pain much more, and Ratchet sighed with relief. Optimus watched his face as he massaged Ratchet's abdomen slightly with his one servo, doing his best to relieve his hurting mate of the pain, when Ratchet reached and rested his servo on his.

"Optimus..." He murmured, his gaze meeting his mate's.

"I want to apologize. I've been neglecting you this last week, and it's been breaking me inside... your my mate, and I should've been there for you. Has this pain been going on for long?" The Prime took Ratchet' servo in his and asked, his expression becoming concerned.

Ratchet nodded. "I can't recharge and I'm having trouble drinking energon."

The Prime sighed. "I should know this. I'll get you some energon." He stood and left for a moment. Ratchet sat up, feeling much better now the pain was gone. It was like the sparkling knew what Optimus was saying...

Optimus returned with a cube of energon, and handed it to Ratchet, who took it and stared with dull optics at the cube, already feeling sick. The Prime sensed his mate's reluctance, and sat down beside him, pulling the medic close with an arm around his waist.

"Think you can drink the whole thing?" He asked softly. Ratchet looked up at him with bewildered optics. Optimus smiled. "For me?"

This drew a sigh from Ratchet. "I'll try..."

"That's my mate." Optimus kissed his cheek encouragingly, doing his best to motivate the medic.

Slowly, Ratchet began to drink the cube, almost gagging as a nauseous feeling began in his middle, and he slowed his drinking a little, tensing, struggling to finish the last bit of the the cube.

Optimus once again placed a servo on Ratchet's middle and began to massage it, trying to ease his mate into comfort. Ratchet relaxed a little at the gentle touch, the nausea slowly going away, and he finished the last bit of the cube, before putting it down and sighing in relief. Optimus continued massaging his middle, knowing it helped. Ratchet leaned on his shoulder, closing his optics and relaxing, the sweet and gentle touch easing him into complete comfort.

"Thank you..." He whispered.

"Your doing great." Optimus replied back quietly. "It'll feel better once you get some recharge."

Ratchet didn't answer, already starting to nod off. The Prime got himself into a laying position on the couch and settled Ratchet beside him, snuggling his mate close, nuzzling him affectionately.

After a few moments silence, Ratchet gave a quiet whisper:

"I missed you, Orion."

Optimus blinked in surprise. Nobody had called him that for a time, he was 'Sir' or 'Commander', or 'Prime'... He just smiled and snuggled Ratchet closer to him. "I missed you too... Princess."

~~

A kiss on his cheek woke Optimus from recharge the next morning, and as he gained consciousness, his gaze rested upon his smiling mate, who was laying on his stomach beside him.

"Good morning." Ratchet said softly, a bright smile on his lips and a shine in his optics. Optimus smiled, slipping an arm around the medic's waist, and pulling his frame against his own.

"Good morning." The Prime whispered to him before bringing their lips to meet, one servo around Ratchet's waist and the other drifting down to touch his middle, over the sparkling. Ratchet cupped one of Optimus's cheeks with one servo, melting into it, passion heating in his spark.

Ratchet pulled away after a few seconds, only to start nipping playfully at the Prime's neck cabling and jawline, earning a small hum of pleasure from Optimus's engines.

The Prime smiled, and closed his optics, as Ratchet explored his neck, searching for a soft spot to mess around with. When he did find one, which was in between the jawline and neck, and nipped at it gently, Optimus gave a tiny and barely noticeable yelp, his sensitive cabling tingling with pleasure as Ratchet continously nipped, kissed and bit at it.

"I love you, Optimus." Ratchet whispered in between kisses.

"And I love you." The Prime replied softly, cupping Ratchet's cheek affectionately, which stopped the medic from what he was doing. "Your doing a great job as a carrier..."

"Ha! If only the little thing would stop sending me those infernal cramps."

Optimus smiled. "Such a perfect mate..." He leaned to kiss Ratchet, but his optic caught the digital clock on the nearby wall, and came to sudden realization he was late.

He jumped up, startling Ratchet, who had been ready for the kiss, and was now staring up at him, puzzled.

"I'm late." Optimus grabbed an energon cube from the counter and took a drink as he came back towards the couch.

Ratchet had stood up, a hint of disappointment in his optics, as he watched his mate prepare to leave. The Prime approached him, laid a gentle kiss to his lips, before lowering to his knees, and shortening a little, so he was at level with his mate's abdomen. He rested his servos over Ratchet's middle, or rather, their sparkling, his spark heating with affection and bringing a smile to his lips.

"Be kind to your carrier today, my little one." Optimus said softly, optics shining a sweet glint. "I love you both," he added, his gaze drifting up to meet Ratchet's, a smile on his faceplate.

Ratchet couldn't help but smile back, his optics softening, and disappointment ebbing away as his spark melted for the Prime. "I love you too..." Optimus stood up, cupping Ratchet's cheek in a servo.

"Goodbye, Ratchet." He kissed Ratchet's forehelm and left, without another word.

Alone. Ratchet was alone in the room, once again. But this time, he knew, that he was real to Optimus again, just like he was real to Orion Pax.

"Oh, little one..." Ratchet sighed, smiling, resting a servo on his middle. "You have one unique sire..."

He got to work organizing the rooms, every datapad neatly stacked, as well as the energon cubes, organizing anything he could in alphabetical order... it was what he did during the day, while he was alone, and there wasn't much to read, and it offered something to keep him occupied. He knew, however, he could not go on like this. A war was going on, and he would need to get included in the action, and start fighting for the cause he had joined, and use his medical expertise in the only way it's useful in a war: working as a field medic. He would begin working on the field as a field medic. It was his job.

Ratchet sighed, upon thinking this over, knowing Optimus wouldn't be very happy. The Prime would be worried sick with his carrying mate on the battlefield...

:: Ratchet? :: Optimus's voice over the com link interrupted his thoughts.

Immediately Ratchet replied: "Yes, Optimus?"

:: We've found a wounded scout, and we lack the medical expertise to treat him. Could you?::

"I'll be down right away." Ratchet cut the link and grabbed his medical kit, and was out the door, without second thought. This was the first time in weeks he was needed to treat a patient.

What could've happened...

Once he was in the bridge, his gaze rested on a scuffed, dented, beaten, black and yellow scout, that laid unconscious on a stretcher.

"Scrap!" Ratchet hissed, rushing to the scout's side, taking his wrist and feeling for a pulse. Alive. Thank the Allspark. "I need energon, a medical berth, stabilizers, and tools." He said to a nearby couple of soldiers, who looked at him in a weird way, but obeyed.

Optimus came to his side. "Can you save him?"

The medic stared down at the wounded mech. "I... hope so."

That's when he noticed the energon flowing from the scout's neck cables. Slowly and gingerly, he reached down, and lifted his chin to look at his neck, and gasped in horror.

There was a gaping hole, and his voice box was torn out.

"I need tools NOW!" Ratchet hissed to Optimus, who was already running to get supplies. "I... I can still save him..." He told himself quietly. "I can still save him..."