Between Student Teaching and writer's block, I'm having trouble with the others. I'm going to try to get chapters for the other three written, but I've decided to start posting this story. It's a little darker than most of my other stories are, so READ THE WARNINGS BEFORE STARTING THE STORY! I DON'T WANT FLAMES BECASUE YOU DIDN'T READ MY LIST OF WARNINGS!

Units of time as I use them:

Astrosecond= .273 seconds

Klik= 1 minute

Joor= 3 hours

Cycle= 1 day

Breem= 1 week

Groon= 1 month

Stellar cycle= year

Meta cycle= 5 years

Deca cycle= 10 years

Orn= century

Vorn= 5 centuries

:underline:- spark twins talking

:bold:- bonded mechs talking

:italics:- comm link

Pairings:

Optimus Prime/Ratchet

Prowl/Jazz

Ironhide/Chromia

Wheeljack/Skyfire

Hound/Mirage

Inferno/Red Alert

Ultra Magnus/Hot Rod

Sideswipe/Bluestreak/Sunstreaker

Nova(OC)/BLaster

Megatron/Starscream

Thundercracker/Skywarp

Shockwave/Soundwave

Barricade/Bumblebee

Elita-1/Galvatron

noncon THe Fallen/Ratchet

past Optimus Prime/Swiftlight(OC)

Summary: After the battle in Egypt, the Fallen escaped with Ratchet as his prisoner. The implied threat to Ratchet leaves Optimus wondering if his friend and lover is still alive. When Barricade presents a chance for the Autobots to save Ratchet, the Autobots must decide whether or not they are going to take the risk of trusting Barricade to save Ratchet. As events unfold, the Autobots learns secrets from the past that others are willing to kill to keep from being made known. What is so important that others are willing to kill? What does this have to do with Optimus's deceased sparkmate Swiftlight? What will happen with Ratchet?

Warnings: slash, noncon/rape(nongraphic/implied), sticky, spark sex, mechpreg, discussion of abortion

Notes:

1) This takes place at the end of the second movie with a twist on the way the movie ended.

2) Jazz is alive. He never died.

3) Again, make sure to read the warnings! There are some senstive issues in the story, and I don't want any flames because I did warn you beforehand in this chapter!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot! Characters other than OCs belong to Hasbro.

Chapter 1

Optimus destroyed the Energon Harvester and stopped the Fallen's plan of destroying the Earth's sun. Now, the last Prime stood facing the fallen Prime, intending to end this once and for all. "This ends here, Fallen! You will pay for betraying the Primes that came before me!"

"Oh, young Prime. You have much to learn. My brothers could not stop me and neither can you!" An eerie smirk crossed his faceplates. "Although my alternative plan seems promising."

Those words stalled the newly revived Prime. "What plan?"

The Fallen's smirk only widened. "You should have avoided this battle, Optimus Prime. If you were not facing me, perhaps you could have saved your friend."

Optimus's processors raced, trying to figure out what the Fallen's words meant.

"RATCHET!"

The sudden horrified shout from the Weapon's Specialist forced Optimus to turn to see what was happening. What he saw caused his spark to stall, knowing that there was nothing he could do.

Megatron held Ratchet in his grasp, restraining the medic's arms so that he could not use his blaster or his saws to protect himself.

The Autobots moved on the Decepticon leader, trying to save their medic from what they were certain was his death. They didn't know how the tyrant had managed to get behind them in the first place.

Unfortunately, the other Decepticons intercepted them, firing upon the Autobots and the humans in the area, forcing them to take defensive positions that would not aid them in regaining their captive comrade. The Autobots also had to try to protect their human allies from the fire that was raining down on them.

The Fallen's cruel laughter drew the Prime's attention once more.

"Release him!" Optimus knew it was an empty threat as he could not save his medic without bringing great harm to the Autobot CMO.

"I think not. Though I may return him." The Fallen smirked in a way that sent chills and a feeling of dread through the red and blue Prime. "Once I'm done playing with him."

"NO!" Optimus shouted in horror, the underlying meaning making its way to his processors. He lunged forward at the Fallen, but was unable to grab his foe and stop what was sure to come.

The Fallen got away. "Decepticons! Retreat!"

The Decepticons followed the orders of the fallen Prime and retreated, taking the Autobot CMO with them.

Optimus dropped to his knees as a feeling of dread filled him. His CMO, his comrade, his friend had just been taken by the Decepticons, and the Prime knew what would befall his friend. He knew what the Fallen intended to do. And it scared him.

"No." Optimus whispered as he looked down at his hands. He should have done more. He should have stopped this. He should have been there to stop it! "Primus why?"

Optimus Prime jerked out of his recharge roughly, jerking up quickly and throwing the blankets that had covered him off of himself. The Prime scanned the room only to find that he was in his quarters at the NEST base. He glanced to the side to make sure he had not roused his berth mate only for his spark to clench in pain at the realization that his berth mate was gone and had been for a long time.

Optimus leaned forward and placed his face in his hands. His frame shook slightly from the horror that went through him every time he relived that nightmare of that day. He had been restored to life by the Matrix of Leadership only to fail to save his medic, friend, and lover.

Now, a year later, there had still been no sign of the medic. Every Decepticon attack left the Autobots hopeful that perhaps they would be led to their medic only to have their hopes dashed in the end. Hope for finding their medic alive was dwindling.

Optimus knew, as all the Autobots did, what the Fallen and possibly other Decepticons were doing or had done to their medic. It was the worst kind of torment, and it was a torment that horrified each and every one of them.

First Aid had arrived on the planet and taken up the role of CMO for his mentor. The young medic had been shaken to learn his mentor was a Decepticon prisoner and knew what his mentor had likely gone thought or was going through.

Wheeljack and his mate Skyfire had also arrived on the planet, and both were horrified at what they learned. Wheeljack was probably Ratchet's closet friend and knowing what had happened had killed the inventor. Wheeljack was constantly inventing new inventions, with a lack of explosions that startled all the Autobots, in order to find his missing friend.

Each and every time they failed, the Autobots feared they had permanently lost their CMO.

Optimus rose from the berth and left his quarters. He transformed into vehicle mode and drove out into the desert of their base where only the Autobots went. He then transformed and looked up at the sky. He stayed like that, looking at the sky as if he was waiting for a sign or an answer to a question in the bright morning sky above him. Finally, the Prime whispered five words he had uttered quietly to himself far too many times in the last year. "Ratchet. I am so sorry."

"It's not your fault." Elita told him as she approached her friend and Prime.

Optimus curled his fingers into fists as his frame shook slightly. "Yes. It is. Sam went through all that to revive me so that I could defeat the Fallen. I failed to do that, and I failed to save Ratchet! He's a medic! He's not a soldier! He shouldn't have been out there in the first place!" Optimus shook his helm. "I failed Ratchet just like I failed Swiftlight!"

Swiftlight had been Optimus's first and only sparkbound mate. It had been a politically arranged bond that was meant to solidify ties with Praxus, of which Swiftlight was lord. Falling for Swiftlight had not been part of the plan. Swiftlight had been carrying their sparkling upon his assassination. The assassin still was not known.

Optimus had blamed himself for the loss of his mate and his creation because he was not there when he had promised Swiftlight he would be.

Elita walked up to Optimus and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You are no more responsible for Swiftlight's death than you are for Ratchet's capture. You must stop this, Optimus. You couldn't have known that being kept late in your meeting with the council would result in an assassin taking Swiftlight's-life." Elita still struggled with Swiftlight's death. "And you couldn't have known the Fallen intended to capture Ratchet."

Optimus turned to face Elita. "Maybe, but a warrior should have been close enough that he could have saved Ratchet." Optimus shook his helm. "What Ratchet has been through-"

"Not even the Fallen would have allowed Ratchet to live this long." Elita's voice was full of sorrow at the knowledge that Ratchet was gone. She had developed a friendship with Ratchet that caused her spark to ache at his loss.

"I know, but it shouldn't have been like this." Optimus looked up at the sky. "The Fallen should have been destroyed, and Ratchet should have still been with us."

"Death in war happens, Optimus." Elita looked at him with sad blue optics. "We can't always have the happy ending we want."

Optimus looked at her, his optics full of sadness, grief, despair, and guilt. "No. We can't."

Optimus spoke of more than just with the war. His mate had been taken from him, and Elita's opportunity with her lover, Galvatron, had been stripped from her because of the war.

Optimus had opened his spark and taken a chance when Ratchet had come to him and expressed his feelings for the Prime. It was that forwardness and that uncaring attitude toward titles and status that had led the Prime to take that chance with Ratchet.

But now, because of the war, Ratchet had been taken from him as well. Every chance at happiness that Optimus had been given always ended in tragedy.

And the loss of Ratchet, despite the fact that the two had never spark bonded, hurt Optimus just as deeply as the loss of Swiftlight had hurt him.

Ratchet curled in on himself, his arms wrapped around his chest. He was so very tired of all this. His blue optics were dim with pain, grief, and despair. He could no longer care about what happened to him, and he had long given up hope of an Autobot rescue. After all this time, he no longer expected a rescue.

Perhaps the Fallen was right. Perhaps the Autobots no longer needed him and had not bothered to mount a rescue. Perhaps he was that expendable.

The soft kick within his gestation chamber brought him out of his brooding thoughts. The medic reached up and placed a hand on his chest plates.

The sparkling, his sparkling, was awake and active once more.

Only after being raped by the Fallen for a single groon had the medic ended up sparked by the monster. Much to the Fallen's delight.

How the Decepticons had known that Ratchet was a carrier was something Ratchet still had not figured out. They had known, and the Fallen had decided to take him prisoner and force him to carry his sparkling. Or his "heir" as the Fallen put it.

Ratchet offlined his optics, wanting to forget everything. Wanting to forget his year of torment. Wanting to forget the feeling of abandonment. Wanting to forget the feelings of betrayal. Wanting to forget everything but his sparkling.

A hum across the bond with his sparkling told the medic his creation was awake and already sending feelings of contentment to its carrier.

Ratchet smiled at he placed a hand over his chest plates. "Yes. I know, Sweetspark. I love you, too." He could only hope his sparkling wouldn't be ripped from his arms the moment he gave birth.

Once more, his sparkling kept him sane. Kept him from offlining himself. As it stood, the medic had already lost his life.

"Carrier." A strained, remorseful voice spoke.

Ratchet onlined his optics and looked up into the pained, regretful red eyes of the Decepticon front liner, Barricade.

Barricade looked at his carrier in pain. He had not known that Ratchet had been captured by the Fallen nor had he known that the Fallen intended to force Ratchet to carry a sparkling. At least not until it was too late.

Ratchet smiled slightly at his son. "How is it that Megatron and the Fallen allow you to come and see me?"

"They-they don't know you are my carrier. I never told anybot here." Barricade's optics filled with tears as he dropped to his knees in front of his carrier, hugging Ratchet tightly and burying his faceplates into Ratchet's chest. "I'm sorry, Carrier. I-I would have stopped them if I had known what they planned. But I didn't know and by the time I learned, it was too late. I can't get you out of here. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry!" The black and white mech's frame shook violently as he held on to his carrier so tightly. He hated this. Hated what had been done to his carrier. Hated to see his carrier's spirit slowly break.

Ratchet wrapped his arms around Barricade. "I know, Barricade. I know." He held his son tightly. "You aren't at fault here."

Barricade continued to sob into his carrier's chest plates, unable to contain them.

Ratchet merely held him as he fought his emotions. He had to stay in control. For Barricade and for his unborn sparkling.

The future for Ratchet was uncertain, and he did not know what to next. Not that there was anything he could do.

"Master, what shall we do with the Autobot medic once he has delivered your heir?" Megatron asked, not knowing the full of extent of his master's plan.

"Quite simple, my disciple. If the sparkling is a mech, then we will merely hand the broken shell of their medic back to the Autobots." the Fallen smirked cruelly. "I will love to see Optimus Prime's faceplates at the sight of his broken medic."

"And if the sparkling is a femme?" Megatron asked.

"Then the sparkling will be killed and he will be sparked as many times as it takes to give me a mech heir." the Fallen retorted.

"Very well, Master." Megatron had no problem with that plan, though he was uneasy at the idea of killing a sparkling. He could not protest his master, though, even if the thought of killing an innocent sparkling did not sit well in his tanks and would most certainly enrage the Seekers. All of them.

The jet form of Starscream flew into view from the outside airstrip and transformed to land right in front of the Fallen and Megatron, bowing as he did so. "Pardon the intrusion, Master, but I have a report."

"And what is it, Starscream?" Megatron asked.

"The Autobots are searching the area of our last battle thoroughly. It would seem that they are attempting to use the battles we fight in order to find our base of operations." Starscream reported.

"Do they honestly think that we are so foolish as to lead them back to our base? Only a fool would do such." the Fallen scoffed.

Megatron tapped his chin. "This does work to our advantage. We know that they are not close to finding us at all."

"That is hardly news. The Autobots have spent the last year attempting to find their little medic and yet they have not even gotten close." The Fallen smirked. "And should they ever get him back, they will find him a shadow of his former self. He will doubt them and mistrust them. He will hardly be the Autobot that they remember him to be."

"Of course, Master." Megatron agreed.

The Fallen turned and swiftly left the room without explanation, though Megatron held no doubt of where his master was going.

"Where is he going?" Starscream asked.

"To the Autobot medic." Megatron replied.

Starscream growled. "I do not like this, Megatron."

"I know, Starscream, but it is the only way." Megatron told his mate.

Starscream wanted to tell him that there was another way. He wanted to say that his mate did not want to anger his master. He wanted to tell his mate this was wrong by any standard.

But the Seeker said nothing as he knew it would be wasted words. Nothing would sway Megatron from following his master's path. Even if it was a path that all Decepticons hated.

Ratchet had once again been left alone in the room that had become a cell to him. He had once enjoyed the peace and quiet that he found in his medbay. He enjoyed being alone in the solitude.

Now, Ratchet loathed the silence. He wanted somebot around. He needed that. Unfortunately, the only bot besides Barricade and the Decepticon medic Knock Out was the Fallen, and that was never fun.

Ratchet could feel his sparkling as it moved. That movement kept his spirits alive. "I know, little one. I can't wait to see you either." He smiled sadly. "I wish I could guarantee you I will be there for your life, but I don't know what the future holds. I will always love you, though."

The sparkling nudged him once more.

"Don't worry. That won't happen yet." Ratchet smiled again. "Not yet."

The door to the room unlocked, and the medic instantly tensed, fearing the worst. His fears were well founded as the Fallen walked into the room once the doors opened.

The Fallen smirked at the medic. "And how are we doing today?"

Ratchet said nothing, keeping his faceplates from revealing his emotions.

"Quiet, I see. For one who claimed that the Autobots would never give up looking, they certainly have. Not one rescue attempt in this time." The Fallen taunted.

Ratchet kept his wince internal. His spark ached with the fear that he had truly been abandoned by his allies.

"Medics are normally valued, but you seem to be useless to them. Replaced you with a young medic. First Aid, I believe." The Fallen said as he took a step closer.

Ratchet knew First Aid. Had trained the young Protectobot himself. He knew that the Autobots were in good hands with First Aid in charge of the infirmary.

"I suppose you are old and outdated. Replaced by a younger mech." The Fallen stated, moving closer.

Ratchet barely suppressed his shudder as he blocked his bond with his sparkling. He didn't want his creation to feel his fear or his pain.

"I suppose Optimus Prime truly does not care. He did not even bother trying to stop Megatron from taking you a year ago. Didn't even move. Just watched. He has not sent a rescue team out to save you, either." The Fallen smirked. "You call me a monster and yet, your Prime could care less what I did to you."

Ratchet couldn't stop the shiver that went through him.

That pleased the Fallen. "You are unwanted by them. Unneeded. They have no need of an old, outdated bot like you." The Fallen was within arms' length of Ratchet now. "I believe that the only thing you would be good for with the Autobots would be as a breeder."

Ratchet still said nothing.

The Fallen laughed. "At least I am using you for what you are good for." He grabbed Ratchet and pulled him up.

Ratchet braced himself for the coming rape and torment. He hated how gentle the Fallen was, though he knew that it was only because of the sparkling.

Optimus Prime sat miserably in his office. He had received a report from Jazz, who was heading up the team searching the area of their last incursion with the Decepticons in hopes of locating Decepticon base. The silver TIC, unfortunately, had to report that there was no sign of the Decepticons.

The area had been thoroughly searched as Jazz wouldn't have left any centimeter unsearched. Not considering the fact that Jazz was Prowl's bondmate, and Prowl was Ratchet's son, meaning that Jazz would make sure no stone was left unturned, as the humans say. The reason that they could not find the Decepticon base was because the Decepticon base was not there. It was the only explanation.

Optimus ordered Jazz to bring his team back as there was no reason to continue searching an area that obviously held nothing for them. The Prime leaned forward so that his elbow joints were on the table as he buried his face in his hands. He was so tired of not knowing. He knew, logically speaking, that the chances that Ratchet was still alive were almost nonexistent. Why would the Decepticons allow him to live this long? It didn't stop the Prime from hoping to find Ratchet alive. He needed to know for certain.

"No luck?"

Optimus looked up and then down over the side of his desk to find Lennox standing there. "No, Colonel. I'm afraid not."

"Damn. I was hoping that they would have found something. Even a clue to where their base is." Lennox sighed. "Guess we're back to square one."

"I'm afraid so, Colonel." Optimus sighed. "I'm certain that Director Galloway is demanding we stop our search for good and focus on stopping the Decepticons once and for all."

"Actually, he's not. He can't say much because there are no human resources being put into these searches. Only the Autobots are conducting the searches, and the battles have been won by us for the most part. As long as the human casualties and exposure are kept to a minimum, Galloway doesn't care how long you continue searching." Lennox looked up at the Autobot leader. "Do you honestly think that Ratchet is alive?"

"I do not know, Colonel Lennox. I will happily admit that I hope that is the case. The chances grow slimmer the longer it takes." Optimus was quiet a moment. "If Ratchet is alive, then there is but one reason that the Fallen would have allowed Ratchet to remain alive."
"To be a breeder." At Optimus's look, Lennox continued. "Ironhide told me. Told me Ratchet's a carrier and that he'd probably be used that way by the Decepticons."

Optimus nodded. "Yes. That is true. If Ratchet is alive and if we can rescue him, he will not be the same." Optimus rubbed between his optics. "The hope fades every cycle, though."

Lennox hated what he knew the Autobot CMO was probably going through. He would happily admit that Ratchet was a gruff mech with a personality that made most want to turn and run for the hills, but the mech was a good one. And one Lennox had come to rely on. "Anything we can do?"

Optimus knew that Lennox was referring to the humans and NEST. "None that I know of. We are doing what we can, but I fear it is for naught." The Prime vented air roughly. "It is close to time to give up."

"But you don't want to?" Lennox asked.

"No. I do not. I have known Ratchet for a long time. He is an old and dear friend. One I do not wish to lose in this horrid manner. I also do not wish what has most likely been done to him on anybot." Optimus leaned back. "A part of me wonders if Ratchet's spark extinguishing and joining the Well would not be better. Considering what he has been through-" The Prime didn't want to think about it. And he couldn't stop speaking of Ratchet in the present, as if he was still alive.

Lennox nodded. "I'm sorry, Optimus. Maybe if we all would have been a bit more attentive-"

"No, Colonel. You are not at fault. You could not have known that this would end up happening nor could you have stopped Megatron. Of those there, Ironhide would have been the only one who stood a chance against Megatron. And even he would have been defeated most likely." Optimus told him. He vented air again. "Placing blame on others or ourselves does not change the outcome, I'm afraid."

"When are you going to stop blaming yourself, Optimus?"

Optimus smiled at the man he had come to respect a great deal. He was much like Optimus, leading his men into battle and fighting their enemy as one. "Never."

"Same here." Lennox replied.

Optimus wished that he could let go of the guilt that plagued his spark, but he knew that something like that most likely would not happen. Instead, he held on to what little hope he had of finding Ratchet alive and rescuing him from the Fallen's clutches. And try to make up for what he had allowed to happen by his failure.

Ratchet had been grateful when the Fallen had left. He hated when the Fallen would do this to him. He hated that mech more than any that he could think of. He hated what he did to him. Hated how he treated him. And hated the very spark of the mech.

But his words hurt Ratchet more. Mostly because Ratchet was starting to believe them.

Ratchet finally reopened his bond with his creation and could feel just how frantic his sparkling had been at not being able to sense him. The medic sent waves of pure love to his sparkling, soothing the fears of the sparkling. "It's all right, Sweetspark. I am right here, and I am not going anywhere." He smiled as he placed a hand on his chest plates. "You still have me."

For how long was the question. Once the sparkling was born, Ratchet knew that the Fallen would have no reason to keep him around. Unless he intended to use him as a breeder.

That thought sent a shudder through the medic. He would rather join the Well of the AllSpark than become a breeder.

Ratchet offlined his optics and leaned back. He didn't care what happened to him as long as his sparkling was safe. And in the company of the Autobots, not the Decepticons. Even if his team had abandoned him.

Optimus stood looking up at the night sky. He used to do this as he looked for any sign of any Autobots who had received his message and were coming to Earth. Now, he came out here to wallow in his own guilt and to ask Primus why this was happening. He had yet to received an answer nor had he received an answer to if Ratchet was alive or not.

The Prime silently looked up into the night sky and vented air sadly. "Primus, why did this happen? I always believed things happen for a reason, but why did this happen to Ratchet? If nothing else, give us a sign that Ratchet is still alive."

The only answer he received was the peaceful quiet of the night sky.

Optimus sighed before allowed his regal form to slump in anguish as he sank down to sit on the ground. He rested an elbow joint on his knee joint as he rested his helm in his hand. He struggled with this more than anything, and he was terrified of the answer he would one cycle get.

The sound of an engine caught the Prime's attention, and his scanners instantly told him who the vehicle was that had rolled up. He supposed he shouldn't be surprised. His bodyguard was rarely that far behind him, especially since his bodyguard seemed to know when he was allowing his guilt to get the best of him.

The vehicle transformed into robot mode before the large black mech sat down beside the Prime.

The two sat in silence for a while.

"If anybot's at fault, it's me." Ironhide finally said gruffly.

"Ironhide-" Optimus started.

"You set up the rule that a medic is to have a guard on them at all times in the field of battle. Ratchet was a good fighter, but not one that could have held off Megatron. Sideswipe, Arcee, Elita Chromia. Any of them could have protected him. I was ranking officer at that point. I was the one who should have assigned one of them to watch Ratchet's back. I failed to follow protocol." Ironhide vented air himself. "I'm the one to blame, if anybot."

"Ironhide, I'm the Autobot Commander." Optimus protected.

"Who had just been brought back to life by the Matrix and had little clue what was going on. You were instantly given Jetfire's parts and launched into battle. You didn't know our positions, Prime. You had a job to do, and you did it." Ironhide rubbed his helm. "I'm at fault here."

Optimus looked up at the sky. "It doesn't matter who's at fault. What matters is that Ratchet was taken as a Decepticon prisoner." He shuddered as he remembered the Fallen's words. "And he's been tortured in the worst possible way."

"I know." Ironhide hated the thought of what Ratchet had been through. He and Ratchet had been good friends for a long time. And the Weapon's Specialist hated the thought of what his friend had been put through by that monster.

"I failed Swiftlight, and I failed Ratchet." Optimus muttered.

Ironhide looked at him. "You didn't fail either of them. You couldn't have done anything." Ironhide grew quiet. "Now are you willin' ta admit what's really got ya gears in a twist?"

Optimus turned to look at his Weapon's Specialist and friend. "What the slag are you talking about, Ironhide?" He was tired and upset, which was the only reason he let his regal and refined exterior fade and use such language that he normally would not use.

"Come on, Prime. It ain't that hard ta admit that ya were in love with a bot." Ironhide stated.

"I never denied living Swiftlight." The Prime sighed. "And I don't deny loving Ratchet, either. He was the first bot I could let in my spark after losing Swiftlight."

"Now admit what's really gotten to ya spark. Ya regret not bondin' with ole Hatchet." Ironhide stated.

Optimus knew that that was true. He had wanted to wait until after the war. So that if one of them did not survive the war the other would not suffer as most mates do. He had felt that pain when Swiftlight had passed on, and he had hoped to spare Ratchet that pain. "I do regret that, Ironhide. I always told myself we would have time. After the war." He groaned. "And now it's too late." He sighed. "I just don't know how to get this anger and guilt out of my systems."

"Do what I do. Take it out on the 'Cons." Ironhide told him.

Optimus laughed. "That's your answer for everything."

Ironhide shrugged."It's effective."

Optimus vented air sadly once more. He had wondered every cycle for the last year how things might have been different if he had actually bonded with Ratchet like his spark had wanted to. Now, he would never know the answer to that. It would be a regret that he would carry for the rest of his function.

Ratchet shivered slightly in the room. He was cold, meaning that whatever climate they were in was a cold one. He knew that this wasn't good for the sparkling, but it's not like he would be given anything to keep warm. He curled in on himself as he shivered. He wished for a hotter climate to be hidden in at the moment. At least he'd be warm and his systems, and his sparkling, would not be in danger.

Thankfully, the gestation chamber provided enough protection that his sparkling would not feel the cold. The medic was grateful for that fact.

Ratchet leaned his helm back and looked up at the dark ceiling. He was tired. So very tired. He had thought that he was important to the Autobots, but perhaps the Fallen was right. Perhaps he was not important to the cause. Perhaps he was expendable. Perhaps no bot needed, or wanted, him there.

Regardless, Ratchet prayed a prayer to Primus that he had said every night since learning he carried. "Primus, please let the Autobots find my sparkling and take it out of this place. Please let my sparkling be raised in a safe, happy environment. Not raised here by the Decepticons." Ratchet closed his optics as tears fell down his cheeks. "Please don't let my sparkling become a monster like the Fallen."

Ratchet, like so many nights before, ended up crying himself into a fitful recharge.

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