The moment of truth.
Ratchet sits at the monitoring station on the side of the common room, a half consumed can of oil in one hand. He taps the side of it thoughtfully, almost anxiously. He's just finished out a small number of text only conversations with folks in the Nexus in which he requested advice about the only female Autobot currently at the Detroit base. Having worked up the courage to at least speak with Prowl, the medic is awaiting the return of both the martial artist and the communications specialist. Both left much earlier in the day on their usual city patrol run, still assigned to work with one another under orders from Optimus Prime, who departed only a breem or so ago with Bulkhead and Wreck-Gar. Having decided that it's high time the young mech start taking part in duties around the base now that he's calmed down a bit, Prime is hoping to teach him a few things about protecting the city while running patrol alongside his commanding officer. Bumblebee and Sari have gone for the day, doing a little volunteer work on the other side of town to help further improve Autobot and human relations.
The sound of a motorcycle engine reaches Ratchet moments before the black and gold trimmed vehicle pulls in through the open bay doors, the holographic image of the police officer in the seat vanishing an astrosecond later. As Prowl transforms and continues further inside on foot, Communique swoops in through the entrance behind him and converts to robot mode, landing on both feet to follow her patrol partner.
"I take it Optimus Prime has already left?" Prowl questions as he approaches the communications station.
"He left about a breem ago with Bulkhead and Wreck-Gar," Ratchet responds, working to keep his voice steady and his gaze on the other mech. "Here's to hoping the kid's first patrol goes smoothly."
"He's been doing better since taking up a few hobbies to keep him occupied in his free time. I think he'll do alright," Prowl replies with a brief, small smile. He then takes on a more serious expression. "Do you mind if I speak with you a moment, Ratchet?"
Taking a cautious pull from the can in his right hand, the medic arches a ridge. "Sure. About what?"
"Ah, in private if you please."
Ratchet blinks. He's not sure if this is actually luck or not. "I'm technically not off monitor duty for another two breems, but--"
"Oh, go on now. You two discuss what you need to and I'll take over from here." Smirking, Communique walks up behind the chair and sets one hand on Ratchet's shoulder, giving him a gentle shove. "I'm supposed to take over when you're through, anyway. I'll just go on shift a little early."
Trying to ignore the shiver that ran through his relays at her touch, the medic complies and stands up so she can sit down. "If you insist?" He turns back to Prowl. "Where did you want to talk?"
"My quarters, if that works by you." Prowl motions for the other to follow before heading out of the common room and into the hall.
"I don't suppose you know what this is about?" Ratchet asks of Kay with a frown.
"He was even more quiet than usual this last patrol, so I couldn't tell you," she says with a slight shrug. "But you'll never find out if you don't go talk to him."
Frown sticking in place, Ratchet exits the common room and walks down the corridor to the quarters of their resident hand-to-hand combat expert. Prowl is waiting just inside the open door, shutting it in the wake of the red and white after he steps inside.
"Have a seat," Prowl offers before parking himself on his favorite mat. Once the other mech has joined him, albeit a little hesitantly, he rests both hands on his knee joints and tilts his head to one side just a bit. "I'll be direct for sake of ease. You have known Communique since the Great War, have you not?"
Ratchet nearly drops the can of oil. In order to prevent further risk of spills, he downs the rest of it and crushes the can in his hand to buy a few extra nanokliks to think his answer over and try to figure out just what Prowl is getting at, here. The medic had planned to discuss Kay with the ninja, but he had not expected Prowl to take the initiative. It's a little worrying.
"You know we have," he finally says. "I ran a number of search and rescue missions with Kay's assistance. Why?"
"I was merely curious how well you knew her then, personally."
"Well enough. We'd chat over the lines when the opportunities arose. For the longest time, we had the running joke that when the war ended, we'd hit a bar together for some high-grade. At the time, she couldn't drink for anything and said she'd only celebrate that way if she had a doctor on hand to make sure she got home safely afterwards."
"I see. Did you ever take her out for that drink?"
Ratchet snorts, trying to cover his anxiety with annoyance. "No! The bunker she was at fell under attack and as one of the only survivors, she was in rehabilitation for a long while after. I lost track of her and didn't see her again until that escape pod crashed in the river. That trip to the bar was just supposed to be some friendly little thing, anyway. Nothing formal. Never did meet with her face to face, either."
"You two only ever conversed over the communication links?" Prowl arches a ridge.
Ratchet huffs, optics shuttering a moment. "That's right. Look, why are you interrogating me about all this, anyway? It's not your business."
"I was merely trying to figure something out."
"Oh, and what's that?"
"When Kay and I are on patrol, we tend to discuss nature, humans and recent local news. Aside from that, however, she always manages to work in one off-hand question about you. They're small, innocuous inquiries. 'How long have you known Ratchet?', for instance. Or more recently, she will ask if I believe your are faring well in terms of health. She seems greatly concerned about your overall wellbeing."
Becoming more anxious by the passing moment, Ratchet tilts his doorwings back. "Nothing wrong with her asking about a friend, is there? All of you worry too much about me, anyway. I'm fine."
"I merely thought..." Prowl trails off, uncertain of how to proceed. This is digging at the medic more than he thought it would. "I am not matchmaker and I am not an expert on these sorts of social situations, necessarily, but it merely seems to me that Communique thinks of you a bit differently than the rest of us."
"What? Are you insinuating she's...interested in me?" Ratchet leans forward a little, fuel tank churning. He makes the effort to look cautiously curious more than interested, himself, even though it's becoming a real fight to keep his voice from wavering. "And here I was starting to think the two of you were becoming attached to each other."
"We are good friends and patrol partners, but nothing more. We share some common interests, but she is not much for combat. I would prefer someone who I could spar with on a regular basis. There is also something about her that puts her in a different league, so to speak. Perhaps it is her age and experience. If anything, I feel myself looking to her as a younger sibling might look to an older one. I am fairly certain she feels the same."
Ratchet realizes he's managed to crush the can in his right hand into little more than a small, compacted metal ball. Prowl is not interested in Communique in the romantic sense. And if what the martial artist says about the femme is correct, she may well accept the idea of becoming involved with medic. "So are you suggesting that I ask Kay about all this? Here you've been analyzing her all this time, but I've just told you how things were between she and I on Cybertron. I've been terminally single for most of my life. And I'm old."
A small smile crosses the other Autobot's faceplate. "I think your track record on this team would have something to say about whether or not your age hinders you. And judging from what you have done to that can, I think there's more to how you feel than what you let on."
Ratchet glances sheepishly at the oil can, but before he can respond his comm link blips to life. Reaching up, he taps the side of his helm with his free hand. "Ratchet here. Go ahead."
"Ratchet, it's Communique. I need to speak with you at the monitoring station. Now."
Her tone is a little on the cold side. The medic feels his sudden hope quickly evaporating, replaced by dread. "Is something wrong?"
"I'll speak with you when you get back here."
As the comm clicks off, Ratchet regaining his feet to head for the door, Prowl arches his optic ridges and frowns. "If you need someone to talk with afterwards, I will still be here. Do not hesitate to knock and enter."
"I may or may not take you up on that." Ratchet casts one more look back at the other mech before letting himself out and heading back up the hallway to the common room. Upon arrival, he manages to remember that he's got a bit of garbage with him and tosses the crumpled oil can in an appropriate receptacle before walking towards the monitor station where Kay is still seated, her fingers working over one of the console keyboards. "What's going on, Kay?"
"Missing data," she says simply before turning to glance at him with one raised ridge. "The system recorded a number of lines of code during your shift, but is now unable to locate them. They've been deleted."
Ratchet rubs the back of his helm with one hand, fuel pump lurching a bit. He'd cleared out the text messages he sent and received earlier, not wanting anyone else to get a hold of the information. "Nothing important. Don't worry about it."
"Ratchet, please tell me this doesn't have anything to do with Xavier! You know I have to report these kinds of things to Optimus and even if I don't, it worries me that you might be risking something!"
"It doesn't have anything to do with that. Xavier, I mean! It was just... It was just nonsense. A few exchanged messages with a couple of folks in the Nexus."
"You could have just left the information in there. It just looks bad when things are deleted out without reason." Sighing, she shutters her optics a nanoklik. "I just... Ratchet. You know I hate going on about things like this. I'm not really angry, it's just..."
Taking a data chip from a compartment, Ratchet looks down at it with an ever growing sense of defeat. After several seconds of silence between mech and femme, he finally offers it up, voice quiet when he speaks again. "Here... The missing data is here. Check it if you want."
Hesitantly, Communqiue reaches out and takes the chip in one hand, pausing to glance at it herself before inserting it into one of the station drives. As the data appears on the screen, she turns to check it...optics widening a moment later. Ratchet stands in silence behind her, feeling as though his spark is pulsing up in his intake chute. Nearly a minute passes as Kay's optics scan over the messages, quickly taking in every word. Yet, when she finishes, she doesn't turn immediately, nor does she speak. Instead, she turns her gaze upon the keyboard in front of her before reaching with a trembling hand to take the chip from the drive. The other hand taps the side of her helm.
"Prowl." Kay's voice is small, wavering just the slightest bit. "I need a favor. Can you watch the comm station for a breem or two?"
"Certainly. I will be there in a moment."
Getting up from her chair, Kay manages to turn a unsteady smile in Ratchet's direction. "We need to talk."
The medic says nothing. Almost afraid to move, let alone draw air to help cool his heated systems, he waits in silence until Prowl appears in the common room. As the ninja approaches the pair, he regards them with a calm, yet somewhat curious expression.
Kay nods in Prowl's direction. "Thank you, Prowl. I need a word with Ratchet."
"You're welcome."
That end of the situation dealt with, Kay touches Ratchet's near arm to get him moving before leading him back to the corridor. Unable to suppress a minor flinch at the touch, fearful that all has been lost at this point, Ratchet follows in continued silence, anxiety continuing to rise when he realizes the former dispatcher is leading him to her quarters.
As he enters, Ratchet's anxiety is momentarily pushed aside by the decorations in Kay's room. He's never actually been past the doorway before and the dark green she's painted the interior is in stark contrast to the grays and earth tones that makes up most of the factory. Photo posters line the walls in neat rows, each one courtesy of Sari and Wreck-Gar's adventures in camera work. There are a number of nature related pictures, but some of them depict members of the Autobot crew, both in candid and posed shots. In an area devoid of posters, a couple of shelves line the wall with various knick-knacks and personal items. One of them appears to be some kind of small bird sculpture on a stand made out of metal scrap pieces. Kay's berth is similar to Ratchet's in that it is low enough to the floor to sit on like a bench, though hers is covered with a dark blue cloth mat not unlike a good number of those all over the floor in Prowl's quarters. Likely the martial artist gave her one of his to make her living space more comfortable. Ratchet's nervousness quickly returns as the door is shut behind him, however, the female bot moving around him to absently push a few stray data pads into a neat pile on her desk. The entire room is clean and well kept, but Kay was never one for excessive clutter and in the face of a guest within her personal space, is likely operating on habit by straightening up a bit.
Or it could be anxiety on her part, as well. The medic blinks his optic shutters and frowns when he notes that her hands are trembling a bit.
"Kay, I didn't mean for things to happen this way," he says suddenly, the words just tumbling out in apologetic tones. Feeling weak in the knees, he sits down on the nearby berth before he falls down. "I wanted to talk with you about it, myself, but... Well, the thing with Prowl. You read the messages. You saw those parts, didn't you? I just wasn't sure what was going on and--"
"Ratchet..." Her voice is soft as she glances back over one shoulder at him, but he plows on, trying to explain himself before she can get in another word.
"I-I wanted to talk with him first and I did. Sort of. And I meant to speak with you after, once I had some sort of idea what to think. I just didn't want to hurt you or him, or...or to mess anything up. After what happened with Arcee and losing Eleven, I didn't want to do anything that might ruin our friendship or make things awkward between us--"
"Ratchet."
"--because even outside of being friends, we're teammates. There's been so much Decepticon activity lately that we can't afford anything to fall apart with our team dynamic. And Sari and Wreck-Gar are depending on us to keep them safe and out of trouble. If you don't want to be more than friends and teammates, it's okay. It won't kill me for things to stay that way and--"
Ratchet finds himself cut off mid-sentence as Communique approaches him and without a word of warning, puts her arms around his neck and presses her lips to his. His optics widen in shock. His hands, which had been in constant gesturing motions as if to add more meaning to his apologetic rambling, freeze up on either side of the femme before shakily seeking somewhere to rest. As his palms hesitantly fall on Kay's hips, Ratchet's optics finally shutter, the sensation of her lips against his causing his spark to pound against its casing.
When the kiss breaks, Ratchet exhales slowly through his vents, the tiniest of whimpers escaping him at the loss of contact. His shutters slide open to reveal thin blue slits, his cameras focusing on the faceplate of the female before him. Kay's own shutters open a little as well, her gaze on the red and white as she stands before and bit over him, his seated position giving her a slight height advantage. Her helm antennae twitch minutely at the sound that escaped him and she leans further into him, pressing her body to his hood and windshield. She meant to quiet and reassure him through actions as words were not quite working, but her advance had been a bit forceful and sudden... As if to apologize for that, Kay leans in and kisses him more gently this time, cautiously stroking the base of his neck a few times as her lips work against his. She is rewarded with a low, barely audible moan, Ratchet's arms sliding up under her wings to embrace her completely. Anxiety replaced with elation, he tilts his head back and presses into the kiss, trying to savor the moment as much as possible.
Finally, Kay slowly pulls back and opens her shutters to look into Ratchet's optics. A deep, rumbling purr building in his engine, he briefly touches his forehead to hers. He continues to hold her close, reluctant to let her go as though he's afraid she may vanish into thin air should their contact cease.
"Kay, you..." he begins in a low voice, but trails off as she smiles gently and shushes him.
"You wouldn't let me get a word in, edgewise," she responds quietly. "And I think you were even more nervous than I was relieved."
"Relieved?"
"Ratchet, you were one of my favorite contacts when we were both still working our respective jobs during the war. I told you about Codebreaker, about how I never really shared his enthusiasm for a relationship because I wasn't ready. Well, I..." Her optics shutter a moment before she continues, mouth pulling into a small frown. "I wasn't ready because there was someone I wanted to meet first. A field medic. We'd worked together over the lines so often and talked so much, I really came to like him. We discussed meeting up at some point and I thought that maybe if I met him face to face, I would know whether or not it was in my spark to try and get closer to him. To perhaps be more than a comrade and a friend. ...I was waiting for you, Ratchet."
"You... Back then? You were..." Mouth open in surprise, Ratchet stares at the femme in his arms before sighing heavily and glancing away. "Maybe you shouldn't have waited. I...I came to see you once before the bunker attack. I thought maybe we could at least go somewhere decent and talk over mid-grade for once, rather than over the links. But after passing security and getting into the bunker, I saw you with a mech. He had his arms around you and...I lost my nerve, so to speak. I left without saying anything. Without introducing myself. I figured neither of you saw me and seems now like you didn't. Our lives might have been different, been better if maybe I'd just worked up the courage to say something."
"Ratchet..." As the thrum of his purr falters under disappointment and embarrassment, Communique kisses his cheek. "You don't know that for sure. Even if we had gotten together back then, I probably still would have been at the bunker when it fell under attack. And if you never went on after the war to join Optimus Prime's crew and if I never got on board The Revelation, we wouldn't be here, now. You, especially, have been such an important part of all that's happened here in Detroit."
"I guess there's no guarantee you would have chosen me all those vorns ago, either, is there?"
"I don't know. I was younger and a little less wise, but I did have a high opinion of you. Codebreaker was a good bot and friend, but I had so much respect for someone who actually had what it took to go out into the field, sometimes deep into enemy territory, to save lives. You were amazing to me, then, and you're still an amazing mech to me now."
Ratchet manages a small smile as he looks up at her again. "Despite the fact that I'm a far throw from the best looking bot around, huh? Maybe I should check your optic sensors."
Returning the smile, Kay brings one hand around to tenderly touch one of the scars on his faceplate. "You look fine to me, and certain aspects of your appearance just add to your special kind of charm. Just... The point is that I have felt this way for a while and more strongly than ever in recent weeks. I just wasn't sure when to bring up how I felt. Everything has been such a mess and you've been so stressed, I was concerned that if you did not want deeper relationship that it would just cause more problems. I know you didn't mean for me to find out by reading messages exchanged with people in the Nexus, but I am glad to know. And, admittedly, even a little flattered that you've been so mindful of how important our friendship is on both sides."
"Thinking that you might be involved with Prowl, though... I'm a little embarrassed about that, now."
"As much time as Prowl and I spend together, I think it was a legitimate concern. But my relationship with him is purely platonic. You, on the other hand, will always have a special place in my spark all your own."
"And you in mine."
Leaning against him in silence, Kay tilts her helm against his and listens as medic's rumble reverberates through his chassis, the vibrations easily felt through their contact. One hand returns to stroking the back of his neck, encouraging the sound to remain steady. "It's been vorns upon vorns since I've heard a mech purr. Yours is a lovely sound."
He manages a embarrassed smile, feeling his faceplate heat up in a light blush. "Good you like it. I think you'll be hearing it quite a bit."
"You'll certainly hear no argument from me."
"And what about you? You're so quiet."
Kay shrugs somewhat sheepishly. "I think it's less of a purr, more of a croon. I'm sure you'll hear it eventually." Sighing lightly, she frowns. "And it's been a little too long. I should really return to my post so Prowl can get back to his night off."
Ratchet gives her a gentle squeeze before releasing her from the embrace, standing up again as she steps back. "He's lucky we're both responsible types."
"My shift isn't that long, but I don't think it would be wise for us to be out there together or I'll be too distracted to do my job. Will you be in your quarters post 2200 hours?"
He nods and offers her a hopeful smile. "Come see me then? I'd like to just spend more time with you, talking and sitting together."
"Just talking and sitting together, hrm?" The female smiles mischievously, tail feathers fanning out behind her before slowly folding back in again.
Faceplate blushing, he manages a small chuckle. "Well...maybe...a little more of what we were doing about a breem ago, if you're interested."
"A little more of that now would be just fine. One for the road until I'm off shift."
Leaning down, Ratchet gives Kay a soft kiss on the lips, one hand straying to the side of her helm to cup her cheek.
Though the contact is brief, she tilts her head into his touch for a moment. "2200 hours, your quarters."
"I'll be waiting."
As they exit Communique's room and go their separate ways, both can't help but pause and glance meaningfully at one another before going in opposite directions.
Out at the monitoring station, Prowl is diligently listening in to the police scanners when Kay returns, her expression one of contentment. Getting up out of the chair, Prowl motions for her to take a seat.
"Thank you again, Prowl. I owe you one."
"I take it everything is alright?" Prowl questions, unable to ignore how relaxed the female appears.
She smiles at him. "More right than things have been in a while."
"Good to hear. I'll be back in my quarters if you need anything else." Turning away, he heads for the hallway with a smile on his own faceplate. Perhaps what was long overdue has finally come to pass.
-------
This time I wonder what it feels like
To find the one in this life
The one we all dream of
But dreams just aren't enough
So I´ll be waiting for the real thing.
I'll know it by the feeling.
The moment when we´re meeting
Will play out like a scene straight off the silver screen
So I`ll be holdin’ my breath
Right up to the end
Until that moment when
I find the one that I'll spend forever with
`Cause nobody wants to be the last one there.
'Cause everyone wants to feel like someone cares.
Someone to love with my life in their hands.
There`s gotta be somebody for me like that.
`Cause nobody wants to go it on their own
And everyone wants to know they´re not alone.
Somebody else that feels the same somewhere.
There`s gotta be somebody for me out there.
Tonight out on the street out in the moonlight
And damn it this feels too right
It´s just like Déjà Vu
Me standin’ here with you
So I´ll be holdin`my breath
Could this be the end?
Is it that moment when
I find the one that I spend forever with?
‘Cause nobody wants to be the last one there
'Cause everyone wants to feel like someone cares.
Someone to love with my life in their hands.
There´s gotta be somebody for me like that.
`Cause nobody wants to go it on their own
And everyone wants to know they´re not alone.
Is there somebody else that feels the same somewhere?
There`s gotta be somebody for me out there.
You can´t give up!
When you're Lookin´ for a diamond in the rough
Because you never know when it shows up
Make sure you´re holdin` on
‘Cause it could be the one, the one you´re waiting on
‘Cause nobody wants to be the last one there.
And everyone wants to feel like someone cares.
Someone to love with my life in their hands.
There has gotta be somebody for me
Ohhhhhh.
Nobody wants to go it on their own
And everyone wants to know they´re not alone.
Is there somebody else that feels the same somewhere?
There `s gotta be somebody for me out there.
Nobody wants to be the last one there
And everyone wants to feel like someone cares.
Is there somebody else that feels the same somewhere?
There has gotta be somebody for me out there.
- Nickelback, "Gotta Be Somebody"
The sound of a motorcycle engine reaches Ratchet moments before the black and gold trimmed vehicle pulls in through the open bay doors, the holographic image of the police officer in the seat vanishing an astrosecond later. As Prowl transforms and continues further inside on foot, Communique swoops in through the entrance behind him and converts to robot mode, landing on both feet to follow her patrol partner.
"I take it Optimus Prime has already left?" Prowl questions as he approaches the communications station.
"He left about a breem ago with Bulkhead and Wreck-Gar," Ratchet responds, working to keep his voice steady and his gaze on the other mech. "Here's to hoping the kid's first patrol goes smoothly."
"He's been doing better since taking up a few hobbies to keep him occupied in his free time. I think he'll do alright," Prowl replies with a brief, small smile. He then takes on a more serious expression. "Do you mind if I speak with you a moment, Ratchet?"
Taking a cautious pull from the can in his right hand, the medic arches a ridge. "Sure. About what?"
"Ah, in private if you please."
Ratchet blinks. He's not sure if this is actually luck or not. "I'm technically not off monitor duty for another two breems, but--"
"Oh, go on now. You two discuss what you need to and I'll take over from here." Smirking, Communique walks up behind the chair and sets one hand on Ratchet's shoulder, giving him a gentle shove. "I'm supposed to take over when you're through, anyway. I'll just go on shift a little early."
Trying to ignore the shiver that ran through his relays at her touch, the medic complies and stands up so she can sit down. "If you insist?" He turns back to Prowl. "Where did you want to talk?"
"My quarters, if that works by you." Prowl motions for the other to follow before heading out of the common room and into the hall.
"I don't suppose you know what this is about?" Ratchet asks of Kay with a frown.
"He was even more quiet than usual this last patrol, so I couldn't tell you," she says with a slight shrug. "But you'll never find out if you don't go talk to him."
Frown sticking in place, Ratchet exits the common room and walks down the corridor to the quarters of their resident hand-to-hand combat expert. Prowl is waiting just inside the open door, shutting it in the wake of the red and white after he steps inside.
"Have a seat," Prowl offers before parking himself on his favorite mat. Once the other mech has joined him, albeit a little hesitantly, he rests both hands on his knee joints and tilts his head to one side just a bit. "I'll be direct for sake of ease. You have known Communique since the Great War, have you not?"
Ratchet nearly drops the can of oil. In order to prevent further risk of spills, he downs the rest of it and crushes the can in his hand to buy a few extra nanokliks to think his answer over and try to figure out just what Prowl is getting at, here. The medic had planned to discuss Kay with the ninja, but he had not expected Prowl to take the initiative. It's a little worrying.
"You know we have," he finally says. "I ran a number of search and rescue missions with Kay's assistance. Why?"
"I was merely curious how well you knew her then, personally."
"Well enough. We'd chat over the lines when the opportunities arose. For the longest time, we had the running joke that when the war ended, we'd hit a bar together for some high-grade. At the time, she couldn't drink for anything and said she'd only celebrate that way if she had a doctor on hand to make sure she got home safely afterwards."
"I see. Did you ever take her out for that drink?"
Ratchet snorts, trying to cover his anxiety with annoyance. "No! The bunker she was at fell under attack and as one of the only survivors, she was in rehabilitation for a long while after. I lost track of her and didn't see her again until that escape pod crashed in the river. That trip to the bar was just supposed to be some friendly little thing, anyway. Nothing formal. Never did meet with her face to face, either."
"You two only ever conversed over the communication links?" Prowl arches a ridge.
Ratchet huffs, optics shuttering a moment. "That's right. Look, why are you interrogating me about all this, anyway? It's not your business."
"I was merely trying to figure something out."
"Oh, and what's that?"
"When Kay and I are on patrol, we tend to discuss nature, humans and recent local news. Aside from that, however, she always manages to work in one off-hand question about you. They're small, innocuous inquiries. 'How long have you known Ratchet?', for instance. Or more recently, she will ask if I believe your are faring well in terms of health. She seems greatly concerned about your overall wellbeing."
Becoming more anxious by the passing moment, Ratchet tilts his doorwings back. "Nothing wrong with her asking about a friend, is there? All of you worry too much about me, anyway. I'm fine."
"I merely thought..." Prowl trails off, uncertain of how to proceed. This is digging at the medic more than he thought it would. "I am not matchmaker and I am not an expert on these sorts of social situations, necessarily, but it merely seems to me that Communique thinks of you a bit differently than the rest of us."
"What? Are you insinuating she's...interested in me?" Ratchet leans forward a little, fuel tank churning. He makes the effort to look cautiously curious more than interested, himself, even though it's becoming a real fight to keep his voice from wavering. "And here I was starting to think the two of you were becoming attached to each other."
"We are good friends and patrol partners, but nothing more. We share some common interests, but she is not much for combat. I would prefer someone who I could spar with on a regular basis. There is also something about her that puts her in a different league, so to speak. Perhaps it is her age and experience. If anything, I feel myself looking to her as a younger sibling might look to an older one. I am fairly certain she feels the same."
Ratchet realizes he's managed to crush the can in his right hand into little more than a small, compacted metal ball. Prowl is not interested in Communique in the romantic sense. And if what the martial artist says about the femme is correct, she may well accept the idea of becoming involved with medic. "So are you suggesting that I ask Kay about all this? Here you've been analyzing her all this time, but I've just told you how things were between she and I on Cybertron. I've been terminally single for most of my life. And I'm old."
A small smile crosses the other Autobot's faceplate. "I think your track record on this team would have something to say about whether or not your age hinders you. And judging from what you have done to that can, I think there's more to how you feel than what you let on."
Ratchet glances sheepishly at the oil can, but before he can respond his comm link blips to life. Reaching up, he taps the side of his helm with his free hand. "Ratchet here. Go ahead."
"Ratchet, it's Communique. I need to speak with you at the monitoring station. Now."
Her tone is a little on the cold side. The medic feels his sudden hope quickly evaporating, replaced by dread. "Is something wrong?"
"I'll speak with you when you get back here."
As the comm clicks off, Ratchet regaining his feet to head for the door, Prowl arches his optic ridges and frowns. "If you need someone to talk with afterwards, I will still be here. Do not hesitate to knock and enter."
"I may or may not take you up on that." Ratchet casts one more look back at the other mech before letting himself out and heading back up the hallway to the common room. Upon arrival, he manages to remember that he's got a bit of garbage with him and tosses the crumpled oil can in an appropriate receptacle before walking towards the monitor station where Kay is still seated, her fingers working over one of the console keyboards. "What's going on, Kay?"
"Missing data," she says simply before turning to glance at him with one raised ridge. "The system recorded a number of lines of code during your shift, but is now unable to locate them. They've been deleted."
Ratchet rubs the back of his helm with one hand, fuel pump lurching a bit. He'd cleared out the text messages he sent and received earlier, not wanting anyone else to get a hold of the information. "Nothing important. Don't worry about it."
"Ratchet, please tell me this doesn't have anything to do with Xavier! You know I have to report these kinds of things to Optimus and even if I don't, it worries me that you might be risking something!"
"It doesn't have anything to do with that. Xavier, I mean! It was just... It was just nonsense. A few exchanged messages with a couple of folks in the Nexus."
"You could have just left the information in there. It just looks bad when things are deleted out without reason." Sighing, she shutters her optics a nanoklik. "I just... Ratchet. You know I hate going on about things like this. I'm not really angry, it's just..."
Taking a data chip from a compartment, Ratchet looks down at it with an ever growing sense of defeat. After several seconds of silence between mech and femme, he finally offers it up, voice quiet when he speaks again. "Here... The missing data is here. Check it if you want."
Hesitantly, Communqiue reaches out and takes the chip in one hand, pausing to glance at it herself before inserting it into one of the station drives. As the data appears on the screen, she turns to check it...optics widening a moment later. Ratchet stands in silence behind her, feeling as though his spark is pulsing up in his intake chute. Nearly a minute passes as Kay's optics scan over the messages, quickly taking in every word. Yet, when she finishes, she doesn't turn immediately, nor does she speak. Instead, she turns her gaze upon the keyboard in front of her before reaching with a trembling hand to take the chip from the drive. The other hand taps the side of her helm.
"Prowl." Kay's voice is small, wavering just the slightest bit. "I need a favor. Can you watch the comm station for a breem or two?"
"Certainly. I will be there in a moment."
Getting up from her chair, Kay manages to turn a unsteady smile in Ratchet's direction. "We need to talk."
The medic says nothing. Almost afraid to move, let alone draw air to help cool his heated systems, he waits in silence until Prowl appears in the common room. As the ninja approaches the pair, he regards them with a calm, yet somewhat curious expression.
Kay nods in Prowl's direction. "Thank you, Prowl. I need a word with Ratchet."
"You're welcome."
That end of the situation dealt with, Kay touches Ratchet's near arm to get him moving before leading him back to the corridor. Unable to suppress a minor flinch at the touch, fearful that all has been lost at this point, Ratchet follows in continued silence, anxiety continuing to rise when he realizes the former dispatcher is leading him to her quarters.
As he enters, Ratchet's anxiety is momentarily pushed aside by the decorations in Kay's room. He's never actually been past the doorway before and the dark green she's painted the interior is in stark contrast to the grays and earth tones that makes up most of the factory. Photo posters line the walls in neat rows, each one courtesy of Sari and Wreck-Gar's adventures in camera work. There are a number of nature related pictures, but some of them depict members of the Autobot crew, both in candid and posed shots. In an area devoid of posters, a couple of shelves line the wall with various knick-knacks and personal items. One of them appears to be some kind of small bird sculpture on a stand made out of metal scrap pieces. Kay's berth is similar to Ratchet's in that it is low enough to the floor to sit on like a bench, though hers is covered with a dark blue cloth mat not unlike a good number of those all over the floor in Prowl's quarters. Likely the martial artist gave her one of his to make her living space more comfortable. Ratchet's nervousness quickly returns as the door is shut behind him, however, the female bot moving around him to absently push a few stray data pads into a neat pile on her desk. The entire room is clean and well kept, but Kay was never one for excessive clutter and in the face of a guest within her personal space, is likely operating on habit by straightening up a bit.
Or it could be anxiety on her part, as well. The medic blinks his optic shutters and frowns when he notes that her hands are trembling a bit.
"Kay, I didn't mean for things to happen this way," he says suddenly, the words just tumbling out in apologetic tones. Feeling weak in the knees, he sits down on the nearby berth before he falls down. "I wanted to talk with you about it, myself, but... Well, the thing with Prowl. You read the messages. You saw those parts, didn't you? I just wasn't sure what was going on and--"
"Ratchet..." Her voice is soft as she glances back over one shoulder at him, but he plows on, trying to explain himself before she can get in another word.
"I-I wanted to talk with him first and I did. Sort of. And I meant to speak with you after, once I had some sort of idea what to think. I just didn't want to hurt you or him, or...or to mess anything up. After what happened with Arcee and losing Eleven, I didn't want to do anything that might ruin our friendship or make things awkward between us--"
"Ratchet."
"--because even outside of being friends, we're teammates. There's been so much Decepticon activity lately that we can't afford anything to fall apart with our team dynamic. And Sari and Wreck-Gar are depending on us to keep them safe and out of trouble. If you don't want to be more than friends and teammates, it's okay. It won't kill me for things to stay that way and--"
Ratchet finds himself cut off mid-sentence as Communique approaches him and without a word of warning, puts her arms around his neck and presses her lips to his. His optics widen in shock. His hands, which had been in constant gesturing motions as if to add more meaning to his apologetic rambling, freeze up on either side of the femme before shakily seeking somewhere to rest. As his palms hesitantly fall on Kay's hips, Ratchet's optics finally shutter, the sensation of her lips against his causing his spark to pound against its casing.
When the kiss breaks, Ratchet exhales slowly through his vents, the tiniest of whimpers escaping him at the loss of contact. His shutters slide open to reveal thin blue slits, his cameras focusing on the faceplate of the female before him. Kay's own shutters open a little as well, her gaze on the red and white as she stands before and bit over him, his seated position giving her a slight height advantage. Her helm antennae twitch minutely at the sound that escaped him and she leans further into him, pressing her body to his hood and windshield. She meant to quiet and reassure him through actions as words were not quite working, but her advance had been a bit forceful and sudden... As if to apologize for that, Kay leans in and kisses him more gently this time, cautiously stroking the base of his neck a few times as her lips work against his. She is rewarded with a low, barely audible moan, Ratchet's arms sliding up under her wings to embrace her completely. Anxiety replaced with elation, he tilts his head back and presses into the kiss, trying to savor the moment as much as possible.
Finally, Kay slowly pulls back and opens her shutters to look into Ratchet's optics. A deep, rumbling purr building in his engine, he briefly touches his forehead to hers. He continues to hold her close, reluctant to let her go as though he's afraid she may vanish into thin air should their contact cease.
"Kay, you..." he begins in a low voice, but trails off as she smiles gently and shushes him.
"You wouldn't let me get a word in, edgewise," she responds quietly. "And I think you were even more nervous than I was relieved."
"Relieved?"
"Ratchet, you were one of my favorite contacts when we were both still working our respective jobs during the war. I told you about Codebreaker, about how I never really shared his enthusiasm for a relationship because I wasn't ready. Well, I..." Her optics shutter a moment before she continues, mouth pulling into a small frown. "I wasn't ready because there was someone I wanted to meet first. A field medic. We'd worked together over the lines so often and talked so much, I really came to like him. We discussed meeting up at some point and I thought that maybe if I met him face to face, I would know whether or not it was in my spark to try and get closer to him. To perhaps be more than a comrade and a friend. ...I was waiting for you, Ratchet."
"You... Back then? You were..." Mouth open in surprise, Ratchet stares at the femme in his arms before sighing heavily and glancing away. "Maybe you shouldn't have waited. I...I came to see you once before the bunker attack. I thought maybe we could at least go somewhere decent and talk over mid-grade for once, rather than over the links. But after passing security and getting into the bunker, I saw you with a mech. He had his arms around you and...I lost my nerve, so to speak. I left without saying anything. Without introducing myself. I figured neither of you saw me and seems now like you didn't. Our lives might have been different, been better if maybe I'd just worked up the courage to say something."
"Ratchet..." As the thrum of his purr falters under disappointment and embarrassment, Communique kisses his cheek. "You don't know that for sure. Even if we had gotten together back then, I probably still would have been at the bunker when it fell under attack. And if you never went on after the war to join Optimus Prime's crew and if I never got on board The Revelation, we wouldn't be here, now. You, especially, have been such an important part of all that's happened here in Detroit."
"I guess there's no guarantee you would have chosen me all those vorns ago, either, is there?"
"I don't know. I was younger and a little less wise, but I did have a high opinion of you. Codebreaker was a good bot and friend, but I had so much respect for someone who actually had what it took to go out into the field, sometimes deep into enemy territory, to save lives. You were amazing to me, then, and you're still an amazing mech to me now."
Ratchet manages a small smile as he looks up at her again. "Despite the fact that I'm a far throw from the best looking bot around, huh? Maybe I should check your optic sensors."
Returning the smile, Kay brings one hand around to tenderly touch one of the scars on his faceplate. "You look fine to me, and certain aspects of your appearance just add to your special kind of charm. Just... The point is that I have felt this way for a while and more strongly than ever in recent weeks. I just wasn't sure when to bring up how I felt. Everything has been such a mess and you've been so stressed, I was concerned that if you did not want deeper relationship that it would just cause more problems. I know you didn't mean for me to find out by reading messages exchanged with people in the Nexus, but I am glad to know. And, admittedly, even a little flattered that you've been so mindful of how important our friendship is on both sides."
"Thinking that you might be involved with Prowl, though... I'm a little embarrassed about that, now."
"As much time as Prowl and I spend together, I think it was a legitimate concern. But my relationship with him is purely platonic. You, on the other hand, will always have a special place in my spark all your own."
"And you in mine."
Leaning against him in silence, Kay tilts her helm against his and listens as medic's rumble reverberates through his chassis, the vibrations easily felt through their contact. One hand returns to stroking the back of his neck, encouraging the sound to remain steady. "It's been vorns upon vorns since I've heard a mech purr. Yours is a lovely sound."
He manages a embarrassed smile, feeling his faceplate heat up in a light blush. "Good you like it. I think you'll be hearing it quite a bit."
"You'll certainly hear no argument from me."
"And what about you? You're so quiet."
Kay shrugs somewhat sheepishly. "I think it's less of a purr, more of a croon. I'm sure you'll hear it eventually." Sighing lightly, she frowns. "And it's been a little too long. I should really return to my post so Prowl can get back to his night off."
Ratchet gives her a gentle squeeze before releasing her from the embrace, standing up again as she steps back. "He's lucky we're both responsible types."
"My shift isn't that long, but I don't think it would be wise for us to be out there together or I'll be too distracted to do my job. Will you be in your quarters post 2200 hours?"
He nods and offers her a hopeful smile. "Come see me then? I'd like to just spend more time with you, talking and sitting together."
"Just talking and sitting together, hrm?" The female smiles mischievously, tail feathers fanning out behind her before slowly folding back in again.
Faceplate blushing, he manages a small chuckle. "Well...maybe...a little more of what we were doing about a breem ago, if you're interested."
"A little more of that now would be just fine. One for the road until I'm off shift."
Leaning down, Ratchet gives Kay a soft kiss on the lips, one hand straying to the side of her helm to cup her cheek.
Though the contact is brief, she tilts her head into his touch for a moment. "2200 hours, your quarters."
"I'll be waiting."
As they exit Communique's room and go their separate ways, both can't help but pause and glance meaningfully at one another before going in opposite directions.
Out at the monitoring station, Prowl is diligently listening in to the police scanners when Kay returns, her expression one of contentment. Getting up out of the chair, Prowl motions for her to take a seat.
"Thank you again, Prowl. I owe you one."
"I take it everything is alright?" Prowl questions, unable to ignore how relaxed the female appears.
She smiles at him. "More right than things have been in a while."
"Good to hear. I'll be back in my quarters if you need anything else." Turning away, he heads for the hallway with a smile on his own faceplate. Perhaps what was long overdue has finally come to pass.
-------
This time I wonder what it feels like
To find the one in this life
The one we all dream of
But dreams just aren't enough
So I´ll be waiting for the real thing.
I'll know it by the feeling.
The moment when we´re meeting
Will play out like a scene straight off the silver screen
So I`ll be holdin’ my breath
Right up to the end
Until that moment when
I find the one that I'll spend forever with
`Cause nobody wants to be the last one there.
'Cause everyone wants to feel like someone cares.
Someone to love with my life in their hands.
There`s gotta be somebody for me like that.
`Cause nobody wants to go it on their own
And everyone wants to know they´re not alone.
Somebody else that feels the same somewhere.
There`s gotta be somebody for me out there.
Tonight out on the street out in the moonlight
And damn it this feels too right
It´s just like Déjà Vu
Me standin’ here with you
So I´ll be holdin`my breath
Could this be the end?
Is it that moment when
I find the one that I spend forever with?
‘Cause nobody wants to be the last one there
'Cause everyone wants to feel like someone cares.
Someone to love with my life in their hands.
There´s gotta be somebody for me like that.
`Cause nobody wants to go it on their own
And everyone wants to know they´re not alone.
Is there somebody else that feels the same somewhere?
There`s gotta be somebody for me out there.
You can´t give up!
When you're Lookin´ for a diamond in the rough
Because you never know when it shows up
Make sure you´re holdin` on
‘Cause it could be the one, the one you´re waiting on
‘Cause nobody wants to be the last one there.
And everyone wants to feel like someone cares.
Someone to love with my life in their hands.
There has gotta be somebody for me
Ohhhhhh.
Nobody wants to go it on their own
And everyone wants to know they´re not alone.
Is there somebody else that feels the same somewhere?
There `s gotta be somebody for me out there.
Nobody wants to be the last one there
And everyone wants to feel like someone cares.
Is there somebody else that feels the same somewhere?
There has gotta be somebody for me out there.
- Nickelback, "Gotta Be Somebody"