HOME | DD

Description
A/N: Transformers Prime continuity - if Red Alert (fem) and others were in it.. Also, basing part of Ratchet and Medic Red Alert's past on my friend Victoria-Blackheart's (fanfiction.net) trilogy. Her trilogy on their past inspired this chapter more than the previous chapters. The parts about their superiors are all my idea though. -- Side note: My one online friend (electraskitten) cracked up over this chapter...

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers. They belong to Hasbro. I'm just having fun with them.

The day Ratchet had been planning for had finally arrived. Today was the day many years ago that he and Red Alert had become mates. They had been mates for many millennia, but this was the first time on planet Earth that they finally had a chance to celebrate.

Cybertronians didn't celebrate things like anniversaries, birthdays and holidays. Those things were only celebrated on Earth, but since the Autobots had been living on the terran blue and green planet, they decided to follow some of the Earth traditions - mainly holidays. They had a lot of help, not only by researching the internet, but also by their human allies.

However, the few mechs who had mates wanted to know more about anniversaries. They had researched that an anniversary was a celebration that marked a certain event that happened in their lives - in this case a mating/marriage. There were only two mechs who had one: Optimus Prime and Ratchet. Everyone was very surprised when they found out that Ratchet actually had a femme, especially when that femme was his mate. They had been seperated when the War broke out on their home planet and had recently gotten back together again after the aforementioned femme had landed on Earth with Elita-One and a few others.

Ratchet had talked to June Darby many times, mainly about human anatomy, but this time it seemed to be out of his element. He asked her about anniversaries and she did her best to explain it in terms he would understand. Ever since that day, he had been planning something special to spend that day with Red Alert.

~The week before the day~

When everybot was out in the field, Ratchet was alone with Optimus.

"Optimus? I was talking with Nurse Darby after she mentioned something about anniversaries and I realized that Red Alert's and mine is next week," Ratchet started, "I really don't know how to ask this, but..."

"You would like to request the day off for the both of you on that day," Optimus finished. It wasn't a question. It was a statement.

Ratchet nodded.

Optimus smiled and said, "Request granted old friend. You deserve it. First Aid is here and available to take care of any injuries that might happen."

Ratchet smiled, which was rare due to the fact that when he smiled, it usually wasn't good. "Thank you."

~Two days before the day~

Red Alert was out in the field with Optimus, Elita-One, Bulkhead, Bumblebee and Arcee. A few others were either on patrol or recharging in their berths in the silo. Ratchet was teaching a few things to First Aid, preparing him for the job he had in the next two days when both Ratchet and Red Alert were off for the day.

After Ratchet was done teaching First Aid everything he asked him questions to see how much the young mech remembered.

First Aid answered every question correctly.

"Ratchet, activate the ground bridge..." came Optimus' voice, which was heard by both medics.

Ratchet headed over to the switch and sent the ground bridge.

Everybot came back in one piece this time, but soon it was time for Arcee, Bulkhead and Bumblebee to pick up their charges from school, so they headed right back out again.

Optimus, Elita-One and First Aid all headed to their recharge berths, leaving Ratchet and Red Alert alone.

Ratchet smiled at Red Alert and wrapped his arms around her. They were finally alone. Red Alert returned the gesture and vented a contented sigh through her intakes. Ratchet then told her that they both had the day off in two days and that he had a surprise for her.

Red Alert wasn't sure what Ratchet had planned, but she was very interested and couldn't wait until that day.

~The day of the Anniversary~

Ratchet and Red Alert spent their Anniversary doing everything that Ratchet had planned. They went for a long drive, they went to the place they had gone to for their first date on Earth since they couldn't go to where they went on their home planet, and finally when evening came, they arrived back at the silo and retired to their shared quarters.

As they entered their quarters the lights turned on. Ratchet locked the door to their quarters, took her servo in his and led her over to the high-grade energon chilling in a bucket. He poured a glass each for Red Alert and himself.

The evening was going well. They were being very intimate with each other, almost close to joining sparks when the moment was ruined.

::First Aid to Ratchet...::

::Ratchet here...:: Ratchet grumbled ::What is it First Aid?::

::I have a problem...::

::Is anyone close to offlining?::

::No,:: First Aid replied, ::It's important though...::

Ratchet vented a disappointed sigh. ::I'll be there...Ratchet out.::

Red Alert looked down at him. She knew by the look on his faceplates that he wasn't happy. "Go help him...I understand...We have all night when you come back." She rolled off him and moved to his side.

Ratchet rolled off the berth and leaned down looking into her pale blue optics. "I shouldn't be long," he replied softly.

"I'll stay awake just for you," she replied just as softly with a smile.

Ratchet left their quarters and headed towards the medical bay. When he arrived at the medical bay, he couldn't believe his optics. "By the AllSpark!" he replied. There in front of him, every bot was injured in some capacity. "What in Primus' name happened?"

Bulkhead looked at Ratchet sheepishly. "Uh... finger painting?"

Ratchet scoffed. "Highly unlikely, unless you happened to be finger painting in a demolitions field." He shook his helm, grabbed a few tools and headed over to Optimus first to repair his right arm.

First Aid started to repair the huge gash in Arcee's left leg.

A few kliks later, Red Alert came out to see why Ratchet hadn't come back yet. Her pale blue optics went wide when she saw the scene before her. She stood there saying nothing, just taking it all in. She also noticed that the human children were still there, but it wasn't too bad as June was also there.

First Aid looked up in mid-repair on Bulkhead's left arm when he saw Red Alert standing there. "I'm so sorry, Red Alert," he replied, looking very nervous. He was afraid she was angry with him for keeping Ratchet.

Red Alert gave First Aid a smile. "There's nothing you need to feel sorry about, First Aid. You felt overwhelmed, that's all. It happens to every medic. It happened to Ratchet when his superior left him in charge and it even happened to me when mine did."

Ratchet grumpily continued to repair Elita-One's left servo. "Yes, it does," he replied, "However this should never have happened."

Red Alert looked at Ratchet. "Calm down Ratchet, or I will make you calm down." She looked at Bumblebee and asked him if he had been repaired yet.

Bumblebee beeped that he hadn't.

Red Alert picked up a tool, headed over to Bumblebee and started to work on his injury. Without looking at Ratchet she asked, "Why don't you tell the story about the time your superior left you in charge of the medical bay?"

Ratchet looked up from his work and said, "No one wants to hear that."

Miko giggled and said, "Of course we do!"

Jack, Raf and June had become very interested then. They looked at Ratchet and waited to see if he was going to tell them.

Ratchet vented a sigh. He finished repairing Elita's servo. "When I was a young medic-in-training, my superior decided at the last minute that he was going to take a day off without even telling me. I wasn't prepared at all. Not only did I have to repair others, but I had to delegate orders to the staff members. I was completely overwhelmed. I commed my superior and he came to bail me out just like I did with First Aid. A few weeks later he did it again, but this time I didn't com him for help. I handled it and then was promoted to part-time medic, no longer medic-in-training."

Red Alert smiled as she finished repairing Bumblebee.

Bumblebee beeped his thank you to her.

Red Alert looked at everyone. "My experience was just as bad. My superior was the crankiest and grumpiest mech you could ever meet. He was a few years ahead of me. One day he left me in charge of the medical bay while we were in medical school. When I ended up overwhelmed, I commed him, but he told me that I could handle it. He knew I could. So I calmed down and handled it. Little did I know that he had been watching me the whole time."

"So who was he, Red Alert?" Jack questioned.

Red Alert smiled. "You know him already, Jack."

Jack and the others looked over at Ratchet.

Ratchet shrugged. "I knew she could do it. Okay, all bots need to recharge for the night. Your guardians will be fine in the morning."

Optimus looked at June and the children. "I think it would be best if June and the children stay here for the night. That way they're protected."

June said, "I should call Miko's host parents and Raf's mother to let them know that they're spending the night at my house with Jack so they don't worry."

Optimus nodded then sent the bots to their quarters. He and Elita headed to their shared quarters.

Red Alert started to clean all the tools.

First Aid followed June out of the silo so she could make her phone calls. After she had made the calls they came back inside. He looked at the four humans and asked them to follow him. They could all bunk in his quarters for the night since he was on duty the rest of the night.

When they were finally alone again, Ratchet walked over to Red Alert. "I'm sorry our night was ruined," he replied.

Red Alert turned to him with a smile and lightly rested her right servo on his left cheek-plate. "It wasn't ruined, Ratchet," she replied softly, "Things like this happen and you can't plan them ahead of time."

Ratchet returned the smile, moved her servo from his cheek-plate and gave the top of it a gentle kiss. He headed over to the computer quickly, pulled up his list and found the next item. 5. Put First Aid in charge of things while Red Alert and I take a day off. Next to the item he typed 'completed'. He saved it and closed it out.

First Aid came back and looked at the couple. "Okay you two. You two go finish what you were doing and get some recharge yourself."

Ratchet grinned. "Yes Sir." He gently picked up Red Alert bridle style and carried her back to their shared quarters for the night.

First Aid shook his helm and chuckled. He wished he had a mate like Optimus and Ratchet. He wondered if there were any femmes still alive out there.

Next: First Aid has a problem...What it is, is not what anyone would have suspected. Can Ratchet help him? Let's find out.