I have to say, I found A Crack in Time, for the most part, adorable. You can't tell me that I was the only one cooing after the Valkyrie's base, can you?

Anyway, since this is an ACiT fic, there are spoilers ahead- just thought I should warn you.

Disclaimer: Don't own it

It was all just an excuse, really…

Clank knew that, he wasn't ashamed of it, either. His final words to Sigmund had still been honest, however. He was not going to leave Ratchet alone, again. Aside from all of the property damage that this would prevent, there was a perfectly good reason for that… but for right now…

The little robot wasn't even sure where they'd ended up docking to rest, and he doubted his organic companion had really cared as they'd landed. That same lombax was currently sprawled out awkwardly in his seat, completely unconscious.

Disconcerting, however, was the fact that one hand constantly crept up to his collarbone, settling, without fail, right over the decal on his armor. No matter how many times it was moved away- intentionally, by the concerned mech, or via restless movement in slumber- it was only a matter of minutes before the same situation cropped back up.

Sighing, Clank finally gave up; it had been a long and harrowing day, it was best to let sleeping lombaxes lay…

The long and harrowing day in question, however, happened to hold the prize as- simultaneously- one of the best and worst days of the miniscule robot's life. It shouldn't have come as a surprise, given some of the paradoxes he'd faced in the last few days, but it certainly was odd.

On one hand, he'd made a great friend, found out a great deal pertaining to his own existence, and, above all, been reunited with the fuzzball he called his closest companion… but opposite of all that, he'd essentially failed in his duty, helped tear parts of the galaxy asunder…

…and he'd seen Ratchet die.

That look of dumbfounded shock was burnt into his memory banks, and try as the bot might, he was having a hell of a time ridding himself of it. Sure, there had been double-crosses in the past, and Clank himself hadn't been completely sure what to think of 'General Azimuth', but Ratchet had trusted the other lombax implicitly. Despite Alister's belated apologies, the robot would never truly forgive him for putting them both through that.

But…in a way, he'd atoned for his crime. It had been General Azimuth who had repaired the damage done to the Great Clock, at the cost of his own life. Had this not been the case, there was little doubt in Clank's mind that he'd currently be facing an error so critical as to make Nefarious's mental state read like a book by Qwark.

The mech glanced over to where the memento of the senior lombax lay, nearly forgotten. It was open, and two pairs of eyes stared blankly at him. Aside from a brief explanation when he'd asked about it, Clank knew virtually nothing about the locket-like contraption.

"Just like his father…" The bot murmured to himself, "…I do not see it."

Ratchet…was just Ratchet, nobody else. It was absurd that Azimuth couldn't see past the younger lombax's supposed resemblance to his father.

He'd grown up as the last of his kind; he started off in this crazy war of morals as a sarcastic, borderline bitter mechanic…but had grown to become a genuine hero. There was absolutely no way that this Kaden could match that.

In fact… the lombax had matured even further since their last adventure together… It made Clank wonder how long he'd been malfunctioning…or maybe how much trouble Ratchet had gotten himself into, since it took a Cragmite invasion for him to learn his lesson last time. After all, it took a lot of patience to deal with Qwark on a regular basis…for Ratchet, especially, he had to have been truly determined… or possibly blackmailed.

But the fact remained, it was a huge gesture, and despite it's bizarre nature, Clank found himself touched… Which brought him back to his decision…

Azimuth had confirmed his suspicions, in all that frustrated shouting, that both of Ratchet's parents were long deceased… but he hadn't been lying to Sigmund, when he said that he intended to stay with the lombax 'til he found his family… It was a hopeless cause, yes, but that just gave him an ex-

No, no, that wasn't right. Technically, that family was long gone, but the two still had one another. Oh well, what the senior caretaker didn't know wouldn't hurt him, after all.

As the arm wrapped around Clank's small frame unconsciously drew him closer to the slumbering lombax, he decided that everyone was allowed an excuse, every now and then.