"You know this is your biggest mistake,
What a waste, what a waste, what a waste,
And of all the things you never explained,
Well you know this is your biggest mistake."

»«

"I'm not going." Ratchet said firmly, looking at his Autobot compatriots with a set expression. "I need to stay here, with Dana. She could need me."

"Your dedication to the native lifeform is admirable, doctor." Ultra Magnus frowned. "But we need every available Autobot hand on deck."

"To be fair, sir, Ratchet hardly ever accompanied us on missions before." Bulkhead added. "He's our medic after all."

"Regardless," the Autobot pressed. "My original statement still stands."

"As does mine." Ratchet was not in the mood to argue, but he felt that Magnus was giving him no choice. "If there was a place where I monitor your activities like I did before, set up a med-bay, I would be all the more willing. But I am not leaving Dana here, by herself."

"And what is your reason for remaining here, doctor?" Ultra Magnus was starting to become irritated. He was not one to enjoy defiance, especially by a medic of all Autobots. It was also frustrating because Ratchet didn't seem to be understanding the importance of all Autobots. They need every available asset if they planned to take Darkmount.

"I have many reasons." Ratchet didn't bother with the sir this time. "None of which I believe you are obligated to know at the moment. Just understand that she could be in potential danger, and as her guardian, it is my duty to remain here and protect her."

The lieutenant looked like Ratchet had come up and just slapped him in the face. His expression down-turned even more, and his servos curled into fists.

"Due to time constraints, I will put this argument on pause, for now." The medic received a glare, which he gladly returned in kind. "But this conversation is not over with, doctor. Autobots!" Ultra Magnus addressed the rest of the team. "We take Darkmount! Board my ship, and I will provide you with the necessary weaponry."

Arcee gave Ratchet a concerned look as the other Autobots turned and began walking back toward the ship, putting her hand on his arm.

"I know why you are staying." She said softly. "And I fully support the decision, Ratchet. If Megatron were to find out she was alive . . ."

"You should go." He muttered. "Before Magnus yells at you too."

The smaller femme nodded, giving his arm plating a squeeze before she joined her team, the four departing members of Team Prime - including Wheeljack - giving the medic a solemn look.

Ratchet turned his back to them and faced the hospital, transforming into his alternate mode and settling on the ground, unable to help but scoff a little as he rethought his conversation with Arcee.

I know why you are staying.

"That's only the half of it." He mumbled to himself, not caring to watch as the rest of his team departed. As much as he wanted to worry about them, his every thought was focused on his charge, and the tiny life the doctor claimed was struggling to survive inside her.

»«

By the end of the next week, Dana had begun to remember a lot. Everything leading up to her time with the Autobots was becoming crystal clear, yet anything and everything that so much as pertained to the Cybertronians remained in a gap. It was as if her mind was intentionally blocking out any trace of them.

"It makes sense." Dr. Jefferson said as he spoke privately with June. "Her brain may be suppressing the memory because of the traumatic injuries that resulted from her interacting with them."

"The Autobots have never tried to harm her." June snapped back, her arms crossed. "It was Megatron, a Decepticon, that hurt her. I would understand if it didn't allow her to remember him, but everything else? I think she just needs a memory jog."

"Perhaps." The doctor replied thoughtfully. "You could introduce her to her guardian again."

"I intend to." The nurse looked towards the window, where she could see the ambulance reside. "But I want her out of that bed and in a wheelchair first. She should be mobile."

"The casts can come off by at least next week." Jefferson promised. "Her bones should have healed by now. They won't be susceptible to breakage again; at least in that area."

"I know." June said wryly. "I've worked on broken bones before."

During that time as well, Team Prime had returned with not just Smokescreen, but Optimus Prime as well. The latter had been given an upgrade by the Forge of Solus Prime, which had mended him whilst he was moments from death. The Autobots were currently in the process of transferring material from the Harbinger to the new base they called home, which was actually another extension of this military base a few miles away.

Ratchet was torn for a long time about whether or not he should return to his Autobot friends, or remain to watch as his charge slowly got better. There was still no sign of a miscarriage, or even a carriage at all, which made the medic uneasy. Something wasn't quite right.

Optimus had assured his old friend that the Autobots could manage without him for the time being, and he was right to focus on his human companion. It ate at the medic too, the secret that he kept. He didn't want to tell his comrades about Dana's potential pregnancy, not yet. Not until it was confirmed officially that the fetus would live.

June Darby finally relented and allowed for the doctor to take another blood test, which so far was being processed by their lab. Results were just moments away, and all parties were apprehensive.

Dana sat patiently in her own room, a little fidgety. There was no way she was pregnant, or even close. She had no boyfriend to be intimate with, much less a guy friend she could even comprehend being attractive while naked.

She was slowly weaning off the morphine as well, the worst of her bruises now faded to a yellow-green color that would eventually disappear altogether, though her face still had some purple splotches.

The young woman had no idea how she was going to tell her parents. June had warned her to not use a phone, especially hers, to contact her family. She was still dodging the question as to what "Autobots" were, and Dana suspected they were the reason she couldn't call. It was honestly a miracle she could even use her phone at all, given the state of her body, but it had survived with only a few dents and a crack across the screen.

The lack of communication added more worry. Where was her family? Why is she not in Jasper? Did something happen? If so, was everyone alright?

Her parents were probably asking the same questions, as June hadn't mentioned telling them about her whereabouts. Well, June had said she did tell them where she was - in a hospital - but Dana suspected that she had remained vague, like she was now. That only led to more questions.

All of this waiting, the questions, and her lack of ability to move was all driving Dana insane. She wanted some fresh air, or better yet, she wanted to be outside, enjoying the desert sand. Being bedridden was one of the worst things she could think of.

After another hour of waiting Dr. Jefferson came in, looking a little odd.

"We have your results back." He spoke slowly, gazing at the clipboard which held her file. "Due to the inconclusiveness of the second test we ran a third, and the results . . . Well, it depends on your point of view."

"What are you talking about?" Dana asked, sitting up a little straighter and becoming slightly panicked. The doctor was avoiding the diagnosis and she did not like it.

"Both tests came back negative for hCG." Jefferson answered. "Which means that when we took the first test, you had been previously pregnant, or the first test had given a false positive, which could be due to the trauma your body suffered or a flaw in the test."

June let out a breath that sounded both relieved and angry. "So this entire time, she was not pregnant?"

"Yes, that is the case." He stated. "I want to sincerely apologize on behalf of the lab staff and myself for giving you a false reading. We are currently searching for the first test in order to determine whether or not it had expired before we used it, which is generally the reason most false-positives occur. Again, I apologize."

Dana nodded slowly, remaining silent as relief washed over her. It was one mystery that didn't need to be solved, now, but she did have a question.

"Why did you initially take the test?"

"Standard procedure." The doctor replied. "Due to your age and, of course, gender, we wanted to make sure that, if you were with child, we would not administer any treatments that could jeopardize your fetus. Early development is critical, and we wanted to make sure that the fetus would have every chance to survive should the scenario arise. Naturally, a lot of ethics come into play, but if the situation had arisen, without your consent to do otherwise, we would have treated you and risked losing the fetus if it meant in turn saving your life." He paused. "Again, I apologize for the false positive."

"Thank you, doctor." June Darby's tone suggested it was time for him to leave, for the moment. "I think Dana needs some time to absorb this information."

"Of course." He nodded, and left the room, looking a little ashamed of himself.

Dana looked at the Nurse when she turned back to her, offering a smile.

"I'm actually rather relieved." The girl spoke first. "I don't know how I would have explained that to my parents."

"It would have been difficult." June agreed, glancing at her watch. "I need to go talk to the doctor again, will you be okay here by yourself?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine." Dana settled back in her bed, frowning a little. "Not like I can move anywhere."

June gently touched the top of her head in silent reassurance, not sure what else to say, before she left the room and made her way out the hospital to Ratchet. The medic was sitting silently, patiently, his tires rolling forward a little when he spotted the Nurse.

"What were the results?" He asked, sounded both reluctant and hopeful.

"Negative." June answered. "Twice. Apparently the first test had given a false positive."

Ratchet paused, the silence louder than he thought possible, his hopes falling just a little. He felt both relieved and disappointed, feeling as though he had worried for nothing, which was usually a good thing. But at the same time, the thought of a sparkling had given him hope for the future.

He felt disgustingly selfish for thinking such things.

"I'm glad." He said instead of voicing his concerns and worries.

June barely believed him. "Is that it? Is that all you have to say?"

"Should I not be glad?" Ratchet questioned, a little hissy. "She doesn't have to worry about the dangers of carrying a human and Cybertronian hybrid! Of course I'm happy for her, and I suppose for me as well. We don't have to worry about it."

The nurse gave him a long, half-convinced look before accepting his answer. "Dr. Jefferson said that Dana will be out of her casts and working on getting into a wheelchair by next week."

"Can I see her then?" The medic asked, hopeful. He had been wanting to see her the moment she woke up, though after hearing about her memory loss, he backed off a little. But there was so much he wanted to tell her, to apologise for. They had left one another on unhappy terms, and he doubted she had listened to his voicemails. He wanted to make things right; and after almost losing her once, seizing the chance had never felt so paramount.

"Once she is moving about in the wheelchair, yes." June confirmed. "She still doesn't remember you, though, so she may freak out upon meeting you again."

"She didn't the first time." He pointed out. "So I doubt she will a second time."

The nurse frowned, shaking her head slowly. "I don't know, Ratchet. A lot of things have changed for her, she may not react in the way you think she will."

"How could she be any different?" He asked. "This is Dana we're talking about!"

"Just, don't get your hopes up." June cautioned him. "All she needs right now is time."

Ratchet backed up a smidgen on his tires, finally sighing and acknowledging that June may be right, though he really didn't want her to be. "Keep me posted on how well she is healing."

"I will." June promises before patting the hood of his car, and then walking back into the hospital, not wanting to leave Dana alone for long periods of time. Being lonely hurt, especially when she had multiple life-altering changes to deal with.

As June walked back into the room, her heart stopped, mouth dropping as she froze up, not sure at first what to do.

Dana had her phone open and to her ear, and was in the process of calling someone.