Irreplaceable you || TFP Ratchet x Femme reader

9. The tapes

"Were we ever something more than colleagues? Because I just had the strangest dream and there's no way I'm going to Ratchet on this." Y/D said with a sigh, adjusting on the stool.

Without a proper approval from the medic Optimus was at a standstill with words, lost on what to say or do. Of course he wanted to tell her everything, but 1: It wasn't his place and 2: would Ratchet approve of her knowing?

"It's stupid, I know. Maybe I should just brush it off or something." The femme said, wrapping her blanket tighter around her frame as she went to stand up, but was stopped as Optimus ended his silence.

"What...happened in the dream, if I may ask?" He said politely, relieved when she sat down again.

"We were in a field, back on Cybertron." She started, talking alongside her servos as they danced with her words, painting the description better. "And he was holding me. We were smiling and happy, and I just remember this small red flower he placed in my servo. I woke up smiling, and Optimus, it felt so real."

"Your memory is improving, Y/D." He smiled down to her. "There's something you do not know, and I am only telling you this for the sake of your memories to come back, because Y/D, you have been the key to crack this code all along."

"Fill me in Optimus, please."

~

The light shadowed the doctors faceplate as he sat in the dark medbay alone, pulling out another ancient video wheel from his dusty shoebox underneath his monitor desk. He popped another video in the tiny projector, this one labeled "Argon sea, solar cycle 103."

Wrapped up in a light sheet from the incoming breeze from the vent above his head, Ratchet peacefully smiled to himself at the displayed memories in front of him.

He remembered the memory like it was yesterday. In reality, it was such a long time ago, a time left forgotten to most.

He was young in the video, so much younger. Brighter metal shimmered even through the thick ancient filter the video projected with. The film skipped around as the medic grew inpatient, worried with the irreplaceable material.

"C'mon, piece of junk." He hit the back of the projector until it regulated itself out, the video finally playing in the correct order. He sighed in relief. "That's better."

"Is this thing on? Oh Ratch, it's not recording." Y/D said through the crackly video, helm dangerously close to the camera as she looked at the device. He smiled, brushing the screen at the memory.

"Nono, you're holding it wrong. Move." He said out loud, pushing his sparkmate to the side to adjust the camera, his present self laughing at his younger, bold persona.

"There." Ratchet said in the recording, stepping a few feet away from the camera. "Hello there." He waved awkwardly to the camera.

"Ooo, this is a life-changer!" Y/D declared through the video, running into frame and into Ratchet's arms, the young medic wrapping his arm around her shoulder as she hugged his torso. "So, we're currently at the Argon sea, ready to take a swim." The femme declared, moving back to the camera and zooming into the water behind Ratchet, whom was still in the view.

"Zoom out honey, it's just water."

"But it's our first video, don't tell me what to do." She laughed.

"You're not actually thinking about swimming in here, are you?" Ratchet said in the video, looking behind him. "There's aquatic mechanics in there! Warwhales and scrap."

"I'm sure they don't bite."

"I'm sure they DO." He said. "Nahahah, you're not going in the water."

"But..but Ratchhhhhh" She wined. "Look at the water! Why did we go to the beach if we're not going to swim??"

"I didn't want you to be all cranky and stuff!" He defensively yelled, cracking a smile. "Fine, go get eaten by a oxide shark."

Ratchet smiled at the older memory, grabbing his little box to shuffle another video in. The video played a little more as he looked for another title,
Specifically the rose field tape.

"Alright love, say goodbye now." The younger medic said, waving to the camera.

"Goodbye! Until we crack out the camera again, future us. No wait, hey future us! That sounds cool. Doesn't it sound cool?"

"Hey." Y/D said, leaning on the door of the medbay, mimicking the video playing as Ratchet snapped his helm up to look at her, optics widening.

"Hey, what are you doing up so late?" He coughed out, pushing the video and his monitor away as he turned to her. "Are you feeling well?"

"Yeah." She said quietly, studying his faceplate. "What are you watching?"

Ratchet looked to the screen, contemplating his next choice of words fast. "An old video, it's not important."

"Oh it's very important." She said quietly. "Ratch...why didn't you tell me sooner..."

"I bet your pardon? Tell you what?" He questioned, looking for any sign of hope in her optics. And for the first time since before he lost her he seen it: that sparkle.

"About us, Ratchet. Optimus told me the missing piece of the story, and now it makes sense why I'm drawn to you."

He stood up, almost tripping over himself and the sheet he wore as he quickly grabbed his footing and stood in front of her. "What??"

"We were Sparkmates...Ratch..?" She said with a broken spark. "Why can't I remember your faceplate...why can't I remember you..."

The older doctor held his emotion back as he slowly vented in and out, coming clean after holding it all in for so long now. In a way, it was a relief in its own shattering way. "You were the love of my life, Y/D. I suppose Optimus didn't say much so I could..."

She nodded as Ratchet took her servo back with his, a sharp spark of electricity spiked with the touch of two old flames re-lighting.

"Let me show you something."

~