Jack and Miko walked into the base, depressed. "Where's Raf?" Starscream asked. "About that. Where's Ratchet?" Jack asked.

Ratchet then walked in as June Darby, Jack's mom, pulled up. "I'm here." Ratchet stated. "Ratchet, it's Raf. He's been poisoned. He's dying. He has a day or two at most, no longer than that. His dying wish is to see you. He doesn't know that he's dying and it's best not to tell him." Fowler stated, solemnly.

Those news hit Ratchet like a stack of bricks. He was extremely close with the young boy, and saw him as a son. Ratchet stumbled backwards, grabbing the console for support.

"He needs to see you, Ratchet. Do that for him." Optimus stated, gently. Ratchet nodded and transformed, driving to the hospital.

When Raf came out, he saw Ratchet waiting for him and got in. "Hi Ratchet!" Raf chirped, happily. "Hello Rafael." Ratchet greeted back. "How's everyone been at base?" Raf asked. "Good actually. A little stressed but, nothing the kids can't handle. Especially Sunstreaker and Sideswipe." Ratchet replied.

He then started driving in a different direction. "We're going to drive for a while and then back to base. I was told that you wanted to see me and drive for a while." Ratchet replied.

Raf smiled happily as he saw the scenery pass by him. Ratchet, however, was far from happy. He was losing his friend, and there was nothing he could do. Raf yawned and Ratchet knew it was time.

"Ratchet, I'm sleepy." Raf stated. Ratchet chuckled slightly. "Go to sleep. I'll be here for you when you wake up." Ratchet stated. Raf closed his eyes and took his last breath. "I love you, Ratchet." Raf sighed.

"I love you too, Raf." Ratchet stated, choking back his tears. He felt Raf go limp in the seat and stopped, trying to hold his tears back. He drove back to base and transformed, holding Raf.

June covered his body with a blanket and looked at Ratchet. "Is he gone?" Ratchet asked. "Yes. He went peacefully, Ratchet." June replied.

Ratchet finally let his tears out and went to his room. Everyone knew how close Ratchet was to Raf. "Poor Ratchet." Megatron sighed.

A week after Raf's death, Ratchet shut down. Everyone tried to reach out to him but he pushed them away. "Ratchet's getting worse. He won't talk to any of us." Ultra Magnus stated, clearly worried.

"I'll try to talk to him. It's better to try then to not try at all." Wheeljack stated. He then walked into Ratchet's room and saw the medic, sitting on his bed, seeming lifeless.

"Ratchet? You okay?" Wheeljack asked gently. Ratchet faced Wheeljack and had tears streaming down his face.

Wheeljack pulled Ratchet into his arms and hugged him. Ratchet broke down crying in Wheeljack's embrace from the pain. "I miss him, Wheeljack. His last words to me was 'I love you'. He died in my care." Ratchet sobbed.

"I know how much he meant to you, Ratchet. When you weren't here, he'd get on my shoulder and tell me so much of how he looked up to you as a father. He loved you and you loved him."

Ratchet fell asleep in Wheeljack's arms after crying himself to sleep. Wheeljack couldn't help but feel sympathetic for Ratchet as the medic loved that little boy.

After a month, Ratchet started coming around again. But he felt a huge ping if sadness in his heart. He missed Rafael. Raf's murderer was no other than Vince, the school bully.

Ratchet soon adopted Sunstreaker and Sideswipe as his own sons and whenever he had time, he visited Raf's grave. He knew that Raf was happy and no longer suffering. It gave him some sort of closure.