• "Explain this to me once more, Ironhide."

    The feeling known as "guilt"--one he had learned of when the girl's father was of her same age-- wretched his spark. The medic and his comrade the weapon specialist loomed over the fallen mass that was once their leader, Optimus Prime. Crouched just below his spark chamber, was the human female he had made them promise to protect, along with the two Witwicky boys. However, they were not as...careless as she was. The worry she had always caused Optimus ,ever since she was able to leave the house, was quite humorous. But for once, she had gone too far.

    "She had appeared in his line of sight, and pulled his attention away from battling Thundercracker, who took the opportunity to land a finishing blow." Ironhide explained as simply as possible. Further details would be unnecessary.

    Ratchet's pale yellow form seemed to stiffen and he turned his gaze away from the scene before him.
    "This was my error. Had I not allowed the girl to leave the vicinity, then she would not have come here."

    "A mistake any of us could have made, Ratchet. Do not be so hard on yourself." Ironhide murmured, attempting to comfort him. It was a human reaction the Autobots had picked up on rather quickly. When one was any sort of upset, another would do their best to ease their anger, anxiety, or pain by merely telling them what they wanted to hear. It was a simple, but fairly efficient process.

    The faded yellow Autobot approached the unmoving Witwicky girl and gently scooped her up off of Prime's chest plate. Cradling her in his hands, Ratchet uttered the closest thing to a sigh that an Autobot could manage.

    "Foolish girl..."

    A small crowd of city folk--those that hadn't fled during the somewhat short battle against Thundercracker-- had gathered around nearby. Their optics wide with horror at the scene that had unfolded before them just moments ago. Their reactions confused the Autobots, the ways they ran and the cries they emitted were of no help to their cause, but what was even more strange, was how easily they would stop such actions and approach that which they feared once the threat was passed.

    None of that was important, or worth wasting processing time over however. For now, Ratchet was to take Nicole back to her home and do the horrible duty of informing Sam and Mikaela of what happened to their daughter, while Bumblebee and Ironhide would wait for the military to come transport Optimus out of the city.

    Ratchet approached the nearest human, and lowered Nicole's limp body to the man's level.
    "I require your assistance for only a moment, human. If you may hold her..."
    The man hesitated, his entire body trembling, but he took the girl in his arms. Ratchet transformed quickly, and the doors in the back of the medical vehicle opened.
    "Set her down on the stretcher," his voice came from inside, startling the man even further, but he complied anyway and set her down.

    The doors closed, and Ratchet started off down the road.

    "No...You are not the fool, Nicole. I am, for not obeying Prime's orders. I should be the one that had his spark shattered. Not him..."

    His engine seemed to sputter and cough for a moment before returning to normal.

    "Oh Primus, what are your parents going to think? Surely they will never want to see us again."