I've Forgotten You (TFP AU)

Chapter Ten

Ratchet blinked, furrowing his optics ridges as he began sitting up. "W-Where am I? Where... Skye? Where is Skye?" He asked worriedly and began trying to get up, hesitantly taking the servo outstretched in front of him. His blue optics searched around and looking at the bots, overwhelmed. "Jack... Tim..." he murmured. 

"Jack is fine." A blue femme said and frowned deeply. "Who's Tim?" She asked and looked at the others.

"And the sky is outside the base." The green one chuckled softly as he watched them. The red and blue one helped him stand and steadied him.

"Everything alright old friend?" He asked again as he furrowed his optic ridges with great concern.

"You must have really hit your helm when you fell over." A white and blue bot smirked as he folded his arms. 

Ratchet looked at them, frowning deeply. He looked at the green mech and glared a bit. "This is not a joke." He spoke seriously and looked at the taller mech next to him. "I'm not your old friend... who are you?" He asked as he stared at them in confusion. "Where am I?" He whispered then looked at the yellow bot and his optics widened. "You... you are the bot. In the photo." He spoke with a bit of awe and fascination. He grunted as another helmache came to him, making him rub his helm. "I don't understand. I was in a hospital with Skye... Tim wanted to stop Jack from..." he shook his helm. "What is happening?" He repeated with more stress in his tone.  

They just stared at him blankly for a long time and the tall one seemed a little hurt by what he said. "Wow... you really hit your helm." The green one said quietly and with concern. They all looked to the tall one who seemed to be the leader.

"Ratchet... I am Optimus Prime leader of the Autobots... you were working on a project and something went wrong. This is Bumblebee..." he said pointing to the yellow bot. "Bulkhead... Smokescreen..." he mumbled and motioned to the green then the white and blue bot. "And Arcee." He explained as he motioned to the femme. "We are a team... a family." He whispered and gently set a servo on his shoulder plate. 

Ratchet frowned deeply, jumping a bit at Optimus's servo. He glared at the mech Bulkhead a bit before looking to Bumblebee. He was silent for a moment before shaking his helm. "This... is not right. You are not my family. June... Jack... Skye and the twins...they are my family. How could you be my family when I don't even know you?" The old doctor asked with a frustrated voice. "This... must be a dream. I fell and hit my head... Tim hit me hard. This is... just a dream." He muttered but something was familiar in their names. Autobots... why was that name so... intriguing? 

Optimus watched him intently for a few minutes then looked over at the others. The doctors rejection hurt them all to the core. He nodded slowly and they quietly left. Transforming and driving down a tunnel. Optimus looked at him again then went to the computer and typed a little.

"Jackson Darby and June Darby are at home." He said seriously and looked at him. "I asked you to help me with a project and... it may have gone wrong." He explained. 

Ratchet relaxed a little as his son and wife were safe. He wasn't completely sure but the mech didn't seem one for lying. He carefully followed him, frowning deeply. "What do you mean? What project?" He asked, looking at him then the computer with confusion.

"Perhaps you should go rest... I don't want to make things more difficult for you, old friend." He said gently and looked at him. 

Ratchet shook his helm. "No Optimus Prime, I must know what's going on. I'm not where I was, I'm lost, and I'm confused." He spoke firmly, not adding how he felt scared. 

The Prime stopped suddenly and looked at him. He knew him well enough to know he was afraid. He nodded slowly and led him to the medical berth and sat down by him. He waited for him to get comfortable and looked at him as they sat there.