Transformers: Why'd You Leave Me Behind?
Ratchet’s waited many long, cold vorns to find Wheeljack again. He’s imagined countless reunions, each more dramatic than the last, but he’s always known it would happen differently than his imaginings. He’s more practical than that, and Wheeljack is more important.
Then, Wheeljack arrives on Earth, and all Ratchet’s plans and fears and questions go right out the window because he’s finally here. The planet’s solar cycle has nearly begun anew before the most important question, the one that drove him out into space more effectively than the missing Allspark ever could, even crosses his mind.
It’s the first time since Prime sent that slagging message that he’s been able to forget about it for so long.
Ratchet turns over in the darkness of their recharge berth and looks at his sleeping bondmate. He lightly strokes his fingers over Wheeljack’s faceplate, hardly touching at all. Ratchet doesn’t want to wake him up, not yet, but he needs to ask.
“Why…” Ratchet trails off, and makes a note to do a self-diagnostic in the morning. His vocalizer shouldn’t be malfunctioning like that. He doesn’t notice Wheeljack’s optics flicker on at the sound of his voice. “Why’d you leave me behind?”
“Because,” Wheeljack replies softly, “I never wanted you to follow me.”
Ratchet startles at the unexpected sound of his lover’s voice, then settles down again. He turns Wheeljack’s answer over and over in his mind, weighing all the angles and comparing them to previously recorded data. Then, he gives Wheeljack a soft cuff on the head.
“That,” Ratchet declares, “may be the dumbest idea you’ve ever had.” If Ratchet were more inclined to romantic fancy, he’d say that Wheeljack’s answering smile lit up the whole cabin.
“Yeah, I guess it was,” Wheeljack says contentedly. Ratchet smiles and prepares to go back into recharge, satisfied at last.