Save yourself....

The fire burned the base to the ground. "Ratchet! Ratchet!" "Prime, we have to go now!" Arcee grabbed his arm and he shook it off. "RATCHET!! ANSWER ME!" He ran into the fire and rubble. "OPTIMUS!" Everyone yelled.

He coughed as he walked. "Ratchet!" He stopped and gasped.

Ratchet was on the floor, he was bleeding, coughing, and had burn marks all over him. Optimus then heard the roof crack as it was about to collapse. "Ratchet, oh my God..." Optimus felt tears fall. Ratchet coughed up blood and looked at him. "Optimus?" Ratchet's eyes were a darker color. "Ratchet...come on, you have to get up. Here let me-" Ratchet smacked his hand away.

"Ratch-" "Stop, just go...leave me...I'll be fine..." Ratchet said. "Ratchet please we have to-" he stopped and looked at Ratchet's legs. They were trapped under a piece of the roof that had fallen. Optimus shook his head, fear in his eyes. "No...Ratchet...please don't give up..."

Ratchet smiled, "It's okay...I'll be alright, just go." He gently pushed Optimus. Optimus didn't go. He grabbed the man's hand and brought it to his face. "Please, I can't lose you..." Optimus sobbed softly. "It's okay, it'll be okay, so just go...save yourself. They need you." Ratchet moved his hand away and continued smiling.

Bulkhead pulled on Optimus' arm. "Optimus we have to go, NOW." Ratchet looked at Bulkhead, then at Optimus. The Prime was heartbroken at the thought. "Go..." Ratchet looked at Bulkhead again and he looked back. His eyes were of sadness and nodded.

He pulled the Prime away from Ratchet. "Let's go-" "NO! RATCHET! Please...I can't lose you...I love you..." Ratchet stayed quiet then looked up, affection in his eyes. "I love you too...that's why I want you to leave me behind...it's already to late." The fire started to spread more and it slowly engulfed Ratchet. Ratchet screamed out.

"Ratchet....NO!" Optimus tried to pull out of the ex-Wrecker's grasp. "LET GO OF ME!" Bulkhead didn't let go. "I'm sorry Optimus...he's already dying...he can't be saved." Optimus kept on trying to pull. "BULKHEAD! LET ME GO! RATCHET!" He reached out and Bulkhead then picked him up.

"STOP IT! NO!!" Ratchet smiled and waved. "Adios...Mi Amour..." Ratchet said. The flames then reached his whole body and he burned, after Ratchet stopped screaming in agony the roof fell on his corpse.

"RATCHET!!!" Optimus yelled, his voice now cracking from all the yelling he did. They escaped and Bulkhead dropped Optimus on the floor and he broke into loud sobs.

He slammed his fists on the ground. "SHIT!" He yelled in sobs. The other team members quietly sobbed. Optimus screamed and sobbed loudly the whole world could hear him. The kids looked at the broke Prime. "What happened? Where's Ratchet?" Raf asked.

Everyone didn't look him in the eye. Optimus coughed as he sobbed. His throat was now hurting and his eyes burned like the flames that had engulfed Ratchet.

"He's gone..." Arcee answered. Raf, Jack, and Miko's eyes widened. They looked at Optimus who was doubled over, sobbing and hurting himself. "GODDAMMIT!" Optimus cursed out.

"FUCK! SHIT! SON OF A BITCH!" Optimus continued cursing out, one after another he slammed on the floor, his knuckles now bleeding. The kids and the Autobots watched sadly.

They had never seen him like this...

"Optimus...he was a great man...but he's gone now we have to-" "SHUT THE FUCK UP SMOKESCREEN!!" Optimus yelled in anger. "JUST SHUT UP!!" Optimus pulled out his hair as he yelled out.

He fell on the floor again. "Just...leave me alone..." his voice said through a quivering voice. Smokescreen tightly squeezed Bumblebee's hand as he looked down. "I'm sorry..." Smokescreen apologized.

....

Time had passed and the Autobots found a place to camp out for the night, hopefully the Decepticons wouldn't find them there. Optimus had stayed quiet, muttering things to himself, apologies and how it should have been him.

He stared at the sky. 'The stars are beautiful this time of day...' he muttered to no one. 'I wish you could see them...mon amour...' Optimus hugged himself as he sobbed and hiccuped.

The team didn't know what to do, he couldn't lead at this state...

Raf hugged the Prime and sobbed quietly, "It's okay Optimus...he's in a better place..." the Autobots stood up just in case he lashed out at the boy.

But to their surprise...he didn't. He looked at the boy and smiled. He hugged back as he sobbed into his shoulder.

Everyone joined the hug and Optimus smiled. 'I won't forget you Ratchet...you were always there for my time of need when I needed it most...I just wish I could have been there...to save you in time...' Optimus thought.

He looked back at the sky and saw a comet or well...as the humans called it, a shooting star had fallen. He smiled softly and closed his eyes.

The image of Ratchet had appeared before him. He reached out and Optimus took his hand. "Don't worry about me, worry about yourself and the others. I'll wait for you here..." Ratchet leaned his head on the Prime's.

Optimus smiled. "Okay...I hope to see you soon..." "Not too soon I hope." Ratchet chuckled, then disappeared into black smoke.

Optimus looked at the abyss and closed his eyes again, waking up to see his family, who were now asleep. He smiled. 'I'll see you on the other side soon My Love.' He whispered, he put the fire out and fell asleep, the night consuming everything around them.

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤

Hope you enjoyed as much as I wrote this. I know I've always done something to Ratchet despite him being my favorite character but I like to imagine how Optimus would feel if he did lose Ratchet and all his reactions.

That's what I like about writing angst, the feeling and emotions of the characters and how it takes the story into fruition.

Hope that makes enough sense...

-Sam