A request story for EmeraldMoonGreen. Here you go, Amiga! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Kristin belongs to EmeraldMoonGreen and Transformers Prime belongs to Hasbro.

A Guardian Doctor

Kristin had just gotten out of school after a rough day and was looking forward to getting home, but her day just wouldn't stop being bad.

There was a group of bullies that hung out at the school and they just made her feel like she was unwanted. She tried to just ignore them, but the taunting would become physical violence.

As it was now, Kristin was running from that group of bullies, but they were catching up fast and one grabbed her backpack, pulling her back and onto the ground as they all began pushing her around and hitting her. One bully even held on one of her arms and bent back her wrist. Kristen felt and heard the bones crack and she screamed in pain, but no one heard her.

Except for one.

Ratchet was on a break, taking a drive to relax when he heard a pain-filled scream. His doctor instincts kicking in, he put the pedal to the metal and drove fast, deciding to not turn his sirens on yet until he saw what was happening.

When he saw a group of kids hurting a young teenager, he blared his sirens and drove into the circle, scattering the kids and pulling to a stop beside the young girl that was cradling her left arm close to her body and crying a bit, but when she looked up and saw that it was an ambulance that had come to her rescue, she grabbed her backpack and with a grunt of pain, opened the passenger door and got in, crying out as she jarred her injured arm.

Ratchet locked the doors and then took off with his tires squealing, hoping the police weren't out and about as he blared his sirens. Then again, he was an ambulance, so they wouldn't dare pull him over.

Not with an injured youngling in his cab.

Kristin was surprised that the ambulance was driving itself, but then she winced and checked her left wrist. It hurt so bad that she had tears in her eyes. "Are you alright, youngling?" she heard a voice say and she jumped.

"Who's there?" she asked fearfully.

"Calm down," said the voice, which sounded a little gruff, but deliberately softened so that it wouldn't scare her. "As to your question, I am the vehicle you're riding in."

Kristin looked at the dashboard. "You can talk?" she asked. "A talking car?"

Ratchet bit back the exasperated answer that came to him, knowing that him being sharp wouldn't help matters and she was in pain. "I'm a bit more than that, but right now, I'm taking you to the base. I can give you proper treatment there. For now, I need you to answer some questions," he said.

Kristin tried to breathe deeply. "O-Okay," she said.

"What is your name?"

"Kristin."

"Age?"

"Fifteen years old."

The next few were about where she lived and went to school. Then, he asked her about why she was being chased by the bullies.

Kristin hung her head at that one. "I don't know," she admitted. "They've bullied me ever since I came here with my family."

Ratchet sensed she was distressed and so dropped that subject as he noticed they were at the base and he went in through the rock wall door and pulled into the main room, opening the door so that Kristin could jump out and grab her bag. She then watched as he transformed into a tall white and orange-colored robot with a serious face. She looked amazed and then grimaced as her wrist began to throb in pain.

"Here, let me see your arm, Kristin," said Ratchet in a firm, but also gentle, tone. She looked at him and moved a little closer to his hand that was outstretched to her.

"Are you going to hurt me?" she asked.

He shook his head. "I'm a doctor, youngling," he said. "I'm not going to hurt you. But I need to see your arm so that I can properly assess your wrist and put it in a cast."

She looked up at him. "Be gentle, please?" she asked fearfully.

Ratchet would have rolled his optics, but he knew the kid was just scared. "I promise I'll be gentle," he said to her. "You have my word."

Kristin was a bit overwhelmed, but she let the large robot look at her arm and he kept his word to her, gently assessing her arm and then carefully wrapping a cast around her broken wrist. She assisted him in doing so and her arm was soon wrapped up and not hurting anymore. She looked up at him.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"I am Ratchet, an Autobot," he said.

"Autobot?" she repeated curiously.

Over the next hour, Ratchet explained to the young girl about the Autobots, Decepticons, and the war they were fighting. She listened respectfully and closely, not missing a word.

"And we've been here with our human allies and we've just added you to the list," he finished.

"Wow," said Kristin. "Wish our history was as exciting as that."

Ratchet chuckled and gently rubbed her back with one finger. Then he stood up. "Optimus is here," he said to her.

Kristin saw a massive blue and red robot step into the room. Her eyes grew wide when she looked at him. "Whoa," she whispered to herself.

Optimus turned to her, having heard her and she cringed, looking at him with fear in her eyes as he stepped closer. "It's alright, little one. I will not hurt you," he said in a deep voice that calmed Kristen down as she looked back up at him. "Ratchet," Optimus said to the medic. "This is the young one you rescued?"

"Yes, Prime," said Ratchet respectfully. "I'm afraid the bullies had already injured her arm, but I stopped them from doing more harm."

Kristin nodded and looked up at Optimus, who looked at her thoughtfully. "She will need a guardian," he said. "And she will no doubt need to get home as do our other human allies."

Ratchet nodded. "Prime, sir, I wish to be Kristen's guardian," he said. "If you will allow it."

"I don't see any problem with it," said Optimus. "Very well, old friend."

"So, you'll be my guardian, like in protecting me from Decepticons?" asked Kristin.

"That, and bullies," said Ratchet. "I will take you to school from now on and pick you up from there. For now, where are your parents?"

"At a conference at their workplace," said Kristin. "I have a house key."

After a bit longer, Ratchet drove Kristin home. "I'll see you in the morning, little one," he said.

"Thanks, Ratchet. Goodnight," said Kristin as she headed inside. She collapsed in bed not long after.

For two months, the routine was the same and because Ratchet picked her up before the bullies could cause trouble, Kristin had no problems and her wrist was almost healed.

But the bullies came early one day when she was waiting for Ratchet. "You're overdue for your beating," said one of them.

Kristin began to quickly back up and she hoped Ratchet would be there when suddenly a red muscle car rolled in-between her and the bullies. "Kristin, get in," said a voice that she recognized and she jumped in as the car took off. "Did they hurt you?"

"No, you stopped them in time, Cliffjumper," said Kristin. "Thanks."

"No problem, kid. I was on patrol when I sensed trouble. Ah, there's the doc coming."

Kristin felt relief when she saw Ratchet and jumped out of Cliffjumper, heading toward her guardian with a thank-you wave to the red bot, who took off to get back to patrol.

"Are you alright, youngling?" asked Ratchet.

"I'm okay," she said. "But the bullies came a bit sooner today."

Frustrated that his charge was still bullied, Ratchet sent a message to Cliffjumper, asking him to prank the bullies. At first stunned, the red scout agreed, knowing Ratchet's protective side was showing for the young girl. Ratchet then took Kristin to the base. They were the only ones there since everyone else was out and about. "Are you feeling alright, little one?" asked Ratchet, rubbing Kristin's cheek with a gentle finger and then checking her cast, smiling as he saw the bones were healed and the cast could be removed.

"I guess," said Kristin, feeling down. "I sometimes wish I wasn't here."

Ratchet knew what she meant and then looked at her when she cleared her throat. "But then, I wouldn't have you for my guardian, Ratch," she said honestly.

Ratchet chuckled. "That's true," he admitted. "Come here."

Kristin let Ratchet pick her up and she hugged his hand, giggling when he gently vibrated his finger on her neck. "That tickles," she said to him.

"I know that," he said as he then began to really tickle the young human's neck and Kristin tried to get away, but couldn't as she kept giggling and laughing as Ratchet continued to tickle her neck for a bit before stopping and she sighed as she again hugged his hand.

"Thanks, Ratchet," said Kristin, falling asleep in his hand as she was tired. He only chuckled and held her tenderly.

"You're welcome, Kristin," he said gently as he let her sleep while he worked, keeping an eye on her as that was now his job. He was not only a doctor for her, but her guardian as well.

And he wouldn't change it for anything.

Please leave a review, but absolutely no flames!

GoldGuardian2418