The Pit Just Happened? (UNDER HEAVY REWRITE!!!)

Chapter 15

The next day was just a normal day. Well, as normal as a day living with aliens can be. After showing Skater and Slim Shady around the new base, we went to the rec room and hung out a bit. There was a rough spot when Ratchet demanded to scan me and saying he needed to run some test. I was alright with it since this is Ratchet we're talking about (also having a mom who works in the ER helps), after all no one can run away from the Hatchet. It's just best to get it done and over with.

As soon as Ratchet said he was done, he had to run some tests, Slim Shady and Skater started flipping out and getting over protective of me. *Insert eye roll here.* I already have two over protective guardians, I don't need my brothers adding to it. As it is, Sideswipe started asking a million questions, mostly wanting to know if I was alright and if something was wrong. Sunstreaker was hesitant to let Ratchet run his tests, but didn't completely object either.

"So why exactly do you need to run some tests?" I asked for the tenth time now.

Ratchet vented softly, "I just need to make sure your health is not at risk." He explained, leaving me even more confused.

Right now I was in the med bay sitting on one of the Autobot sized medical berths. Ratchet kicked Sunstreaker and Sideswipe out when we first came in. I'm not really sure where they were at the moment, but Ratchet had also kicked out Skater and Slim Shady, most likely to keep them out from under his pedes. Ratchet was currently running some blood tests from the blood he took from me.

"Why would my health be at risk?"

Ratchet vented softly again, "I wish I could say, but I don't know the answer at this time." I noticed Ratchet's shoulders fell minutely as he spoke. At that moment, he didn't appear to be the grouchy CMO, but someone who had a lot on their shoulders. Someone everyone trusted with their lives even though he couldn't save them all. Someone who has been in a war far longer than most can or care to remember... Whatever the answer was, it troubled him greatly.

Ratchet quickly returned to his usual gruff act. That's all it was, an act, to hide all the pain he feels. But I saw that moment of pain. I already had a lot of respect for this mech, and now seeing something I thought I would never see from him, my respect for him grew to a whole new level.

I smiled up at him in reassurance. "Don't worry Ratchet. Whatever the problem is, you'll figure it out. You always do." He paused in what he was doing and looked at me. He smiled softly back and returned to his work.

The rest of the time I was there, was spent in a comfortable silence. I was fine with the silence; it gave me a chance to think over what I saw. I could go and tell Sideswipe and Sunstreaker what I saw, but something deep down was telling me that this was something I should keep to myself. This was something I'm more than happy to keep a secret. After all, how many can say they've had to deal with what Ratchet has? I mean sure, in a war people (or bots in this case) die. You could be stuck in a fire-fight with your best friend next to you and suddenly BAM! they're not there anymore. But with Ratchet's profession, he always has a chance to save a dying bot. Though sometimes, he could do everything he knows and the mech or femme he's working on could go offline with his hands still in them and there's nothing he could do.

I won't say I know what it's like, but my mom has had that happen to her. She doesn't do surgery, but she helps keep patients stable. Sometimes though, someone dies in front of her even if she and others tried everything in their power to keep that person alive. My mom might not show it at home, but I see it. I see it even when she does everything to hide it. I won't tell her I see it because she tries so hard to hide it as it is. I might not know what it's like to watch someone die, but I do know when someone hides their pain.