One day, Miko walked in the base, but something was off about her. She was quiet, too quiet.

No one noticed except Ratchet. He didn't like her loud music, but he secretly saw Miko as a daughter.

"Miko, is something bothering you? You don't seem to be the same." Ratchet asked. Miko looked at Ratchet with tears in her eyes.

"I'm not okay, Ratchet. I'm really not." Miko stated. She moved a strand of hair out of her face and Ratchet gasped.

There was a bruise on her right cheek and her left eye was bruised. "Miko, who did this? Vince?" Ratchet asked, rather gently.

Miko bit her lip, trying not to cry in front of Ratchet. "No. It was my host parents." Miko sniffed. "Host parents?" Ratchet questioned, rather confused.

"Mhm. The people I'm staying with. My biological father is abusive and my biological mother died a few months after I was born. When I came here, my host parents were nice to me at first. Then, they started screaming at me and that turned to beating." Miko explained.

The next morning, the other boys were busy so Ratchet went to pick up Miko from school. But when he got there, he lost his cool.

Miko's host parents and Vince were beating on her. Miko was on the ground, bleeding and begging them to stop.

Ratchet turned into his horse form and reared at them. "Stupid horse!" Vince exclaimed. John, Miko's host father, grabbed a whip and hit Ratchet with it. Joanne, Miko's host mother, just stood there shocked.

Ratchet grabbed the whip and bit John. Hard. He neighed angrily and lashed out at the people. Miko stepped in once the other three were gone.

Ratchet felt Miko's gentle touch and looked at her. Miko climbed on and Ratchet galloped off towards the base.

Once back, everyone was shocked at seeing Miko on Ratchet's back. Once she got off, Ratchet transformed and put Miko on his shoulder, still fuming.

"Uhh Ratchet? You okay?" Bee asked. "No, I'm not. I just saw something that I shouldn't have." Ratchet growled, defensively.

Miko pet Ratchet's shoulder and he looked at her, concerned. "My host parents were abusing me with Vince. Ratchet attacked them, defending me. He got slightly injured and brought me here." Miko explained.

"Abused?" Arcee asked. "Yeah. My biological mother is dead and my biological father is abusive. My host parents are abusive to me too. Ratchet blew his lid when he saw me. He protected me." Miko confirmed.

Ratchet still hasn't calmed down yet either. "Optimus? Is it ok if Ratchet picks me up for a few more days? Just so I know I'm safe?" Miko asked.

"Of course, Miko. The others will be busy anyways." Optimus agreed. "Is that okay with you, Ratchet?" Miko asked. "Definitely." Ratchet replied.

Miko just slightly whimpered as her face was still bleeding. Ratchet scanned her and gave her and ice pack and some pain pills.

"Why are you so protective of the humans, Ratchet? You never were before." Bulkhead asked. "Because I see them as my own kids! I see Jack and Raf as sons and Miko as my daughter! I don't care if they don't feel the same way as me!" Ratchet blurted.

Everyone was taken aback, especially the humans. "We see you as a father, Ratchet. Mine was never in my life." Jack started. "Mine ignores me constantly." Raf continued. "And you know what mine does." Miko finished.

Ratchet smiled gently and placed the other kids on his shoulder with Miko. As time progressed, Miko and the other humans were put into Autobot protection permanently. They were legally adopted by their guardians but only as siblings. They didn't change their minds about Ratchet being a father figure to them.

That's where they now spend their lives. They all lived happily together after that.