Family

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"So, I blew past the finish line." Raf exclaimed while talking to his unconscious guardian. "Then my other sister, Pilar, asked how I got so good at racing games and I told her I know a guy who knows cars."

Ratchet approached the young boy hopelessly talking to Bumblebee who was put in shutdown mode for the time being. The scene made his spark drop and optics widened at the sight.

"Rafael," Ratchet called out. "I'm afraid Bumblebee can't hear you in power-down mode. It's getting late, why don't I bridge you home to your family?"

"But I told Bee I'd stay. He's family, too." Raf said.

"Don't be ridiculous." Ratchet scoffed, "You're not even the same species."

"That's being related." Raf corrected. "It's not the same thing. I'll show you." The boy brought out his phone and scrolled to a family photo. "This is my family."

Ratchet took a look at the picture. There was his mother, father, siblings, and many more.

He could only focus on Ava who was off to the side and staring at the screen without a smile.

She looked out of place with her frown and teary eyes. She didn't look happy at all and it made Ratchet really think about her life before joining Team Prime.

He wanted nothing more than to reach into the phone and pull her from the thing upsetting her. He wanted to place her in his servos and tell her everything was okay, to hold her, and... love her.

"It's very nice." Ratchet mumbled out the lie.

"It's very large." Raf said. "Sometimes I can shout and no one hears me. But Bumblebee always listens."

Ratchet's dermas lifted upward, thinking that Bumblebee wasn't the only one who listened.

"And I can understand him." Raf added. "I'm not sure why, but I do."

Ava closed out the security camera footage at the sound of footsteps coming her way. She covered the screen with her body and turned around to see Ratchet.

"Ava, let me drive you back to your dorm." Ratchet politely suggested.

"I'd like that, thanks." Ava smiled, "Let me get my things."

She hopped off the base computer and rushed away to get her supplies scattered across the base.

Once she had left, Ratchet approached the base computer and reopened the video Ava was watching.

He continued where she had left off:

"It's like how Ava and I are the closest family members but she's only my half sister." Raf said.

"Half?" Ratchet asked.

"Same mother, different father." Raf quickly explained. "Or like how you and her get along really well."

"We... do." Ratchet tenderly agreed.

Raf paused, seeing the glint in Ratchet's eyes as he stared at the family photo once more.

"Home life wasn't the best for Ava, being the oldest." Raf admitted and casted a sad glance at the photo. "I can still remember the way she'd cry every night with no one by her side."

Ratchet stared at the frown on Ava's face. It didn't seem right being on her beautiful face. He would've been there to comfort her and cease her painful sobs.

Raf noticed the Autobot's look and smiled. Ava didn't have anyone in her actual family but she had her guardian. Family was more than a last name.

"Family for Ava right now... is you, Ratchet." Raf truthfully told the Autobot.

Ratchet hadn't taken his eyes off of the picture. He could imagine her soft lips turning upwards as she stared right at him.

"Family..." Ratchet repeated.

The word loosely fell on his dermas once the video ended. It was like a melody never forgotten.

He looked around the base once he heard Ava approaching with a hum in her voice. He was too embarassed to show her the rest of that video.

He quickly brought his servo to the screen and pressed the delete button. It faded away, never to be seen again, forever etched in his mind.

"You ready, Ratchy?" Ava asked as she shrugged her backpack into her shoulders.

Ratchet smiled at her cute action, "Of course."

He set the ground bridge, turned the lever, transformed, and opened the driver's door for her.

Then he mumbled so quietly that even Ava couldn't hear him, "I'd do anything for my family."

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