"You're impossible," Knockout grumbled, and despite his clear attempt to sound disgruntled, the smug, blonder of the two still laughed as he sifted through the file folder, his ear holding the phone on his shoulder as he moved around everything in his hands. Knockout was totally smiling; he knew it, "No, stop laughing, I hate you. You are the worst comforter I have ever met. Don't start a career in therapy now. Save yourself while you still can,"

He couldn't help the teasing, even at that awful hour. "Aw, do you need a hug from your favorite lovebug?"

"As if!" And although his whisper-yell should have been an indication he wasn't exactly alone, Bumblebee chuckled. Knockout couldn't help but smile down at the file he wasn't reading, and he was at least feeling a little better than before. "I am really sorry about it though, Abeille. I wish I hadn't been on call."

Bumblebee shook his head, settling into his cubicle, a steaming cup of coffee calling his name. "I'm not worried about it. You are worth a million dinner reservations, and I know how much your job means to you, now that you've been able to really get your career going,"

"But spending time with you is important too."

"I am spending time with you, and getting paid overtime while I'm at it,"

"You don't get overtime pay, dearest,"

"Oh, really? I thought the sound of your voice was pretty priceless. Don't tell me I'm wrong!"

Musical laughter greeted his ears, and now he knew his ginger was smiling, "Hush," the doctor snickered, "You're going to get me in trouble,"

"Really? You're worried about that? And here I thought you were such a bad boy,"

"Oh, well now that I think about it, I am on the phone with you! How positively scandalous,"

"Quite," Bee beamed to himself, absently looking through the case file.

"Darling, as much as I would love nothing more than to listen to you embarrass me, you have court tomorrow."

"Really?"

"Yes, the judge's clerk issued the summons. The one I put on the fridge in your apartment?"

"How fascinating. Maybe I could swing by the hospital on the way over,"

"Or you could get some rest, so you don't look run ragged tomorrow.

"I am being run into the ground, though,"

"You're supposed to be a credible witness. Showing up late, in your pajamas, with Starbucks isn't exactly going to do that,"

"Not even if I've got my sexy doctor boyfriend on my arm? I've got class!"

"Especially not. Babe, I know you care and all, but if they ask-"

"If they ask?" Bee cut him off tersely, "Knockout, I don't care what they think about me,"

"You should. They'll stop at nothing to discredit you, and people aren't above the prejudice like they say they are. What are the chances someone will have ill will towards you because of just because they're racist? What about because some might call you a celebrity, they'll think you're an attention whore? If you add me-"

"I'll get to talk about my amazing-"

"Consultant. Darling. Consultant. I know how hard you've been working on this case, and I know it's a big deal. But, you should remember, I technically haven't been read in on it." Knockout sighed, sounding miserable. He hated this, he hated knowing that no matter how much he cared and loved his boyfriend, there was still that chance. There was always that chance, but it ate at him like nothing else, "It's a high-profile prosecution now, but not all the details were released to the public. A lot of this information is need-to-know. I didn't, and still don't. I do know how important it is to you that you get your guy, and I'd feel terrible if I messed it up."

"Dozens of cops talk to their distant cousins about cases they're working on. That open investigation restriction thing is thrown out the window more times than the media,"

"I resent that,"

"Oh. not you, babe. The high school newspaper was clearly a different story altogether,"

"You're making fun of me, aren't you?"

"Only a little,"

"Well maybe-" he paused, and Bumblebee's attention was quickly drawn from his case file, "I gotta go. Emergency room's calling me. Sorry, beloved,"

"Hey, you do what you got to do. I'll see you tomorrow though?"

"Definitely," the doctor beamed, rushing through the halls with his scrubs swishing at every step, "End of the line. Love you,"

"You too, Knocky,"

Somehow, Bumblebee felt reluctant to even put down the phone, even as it beeped to signal the end of the call. Something felt off. About everything.

It felt almost as if the case was too easy. Maybe it was. A witness coming forward was the first stroke of luck they'd had in weeks, but he felt worried about the upcoming trial. Sure, things weren't totally cut and dry. It hadn't been an easy case, and as the trail had grown cold, they'd gotten worried about ever finding the killer. Still, with him and Prowl going on the stand, there was no way things would unravel.

At least, he didn't hope so.

"Officer," the district attorney began, strutting over to the stand and snapping him out of his trance the next morning, "You look a little pale, are you alright?"

He stiffened, nodding firmly at the prosecutor who stared him down, "I am," I just couldn't sleep for the life of me, he thought miserably.

"Well, then allow me to begin. What is your full legal name and occupation, for the record?

"Benjamin Bumblebee Prime. I am a police officer for the city of Iaconis."

"Officer, when did you first lay eyes on the defendant?"

"The seventeenth, of January. This year," he responded automatically.

"And what was he doing at this time?"

"Walking, some ways behind me and another officer."

"Who was this officer?"

"Prowl. Police captain of our station,"

"And what did the suspect do?"

"Pull a gun on us and fire."

"How many times?"

"Once."

"Were you harmed?"

"No. But Prowl was."

"Your partner was injured, what did you do?"

"I reached for my weapon and fired back."

"Did you hit your assailant?"

"Yes. I did."

"What did you do after this?"

"I was fairly certain I had discouraged him from attacking us further. My concern was with my friend, and I began applying pressure to the wound, telling someone to call for an ambulance,"

"Did the caller know who you were?"

"No, but we were not in uniform, which may have contributed to some of the confusion."

"What confusion?"

"The defendant shouted and caused a great ruckus to escape. Panic took over the crowd,"

"And in this time, the defendant escaped?"

"Yes. He vanished and did not reappear for some time."

"What happened after this?"

"I discovered the panic had been the cause of another casualty."

"Another casualty?"

"Yes.

"The very same casualty who is the victim in the heinous crime we are here to seek justice for today?"

"Yes."

"I have no further questions for the witness, your honor," the district attorney said firmly, as if concluding a grand chapter of a play.

The defense lawyer also asked him some questions, each of which he answered as truthfully as he could, but he found himself more than a little anxious as the suspect he'd hunted down mercilessly for hurting his friend smirked at him in one of the most sinister and unsettling ways he'd ever experienced. "I have no further questions, your honor," the lawyer said, and as soon as he'd turned around, the defendant's smile vanished, but he felt sick just thinking about it.

Bumblebee fought off the trembles that threatened to consume him, and he

It was then Prowl's turn. He was also sworn in, but quickly Bumblebee tuned the questioning out and breathed unsteadily as he tried to clear his head. This felt like more than nerves. What was wrong with him?

"Who was the victim you are referring to?"

"Laurie Grace Byron, an employee in a nearby store. She was shot and killed when on her way to her place of employment."

"And she worked in the café, only two blocks from the scene of the crime?"

"Yes."

"You are telling me that the defendant, this man right in front of you, murdered an innocent woman in cold blood, after he attempted to do the same to you, Captain?"

"Yes."

"Why would he do that?"

"Further investigation revealed Andrew Timmons had ties to a criminal organization I oversaw the dismantling of. His motives were based in vengeance and resentment."

Standing up abruptly, Bumblebee made his way out of the courtroom and fought hard to maintain any semblance of dignity he had left. The last thing he needed was a question of his credibility. As soon as he was out the doors however, he stumbled in the hallway, and nearly toppled over, bracing himself on a wall. All of the emotions he'd been feeling, all of the anxiety and hurt and confusion and worry seemed about ready to burst, and frag it, he was going to be sick.

His stomach clenched, and he faced the wall, burying his now sweating face into his arm, trying to ground himself.

He fumbled in his pocket. Courthouse rules be damned, he needed it in case of an emergency, and his shaking fingers dialed the one number he knew was the only person he could confide in. One right. Two rings. Three- "Hey, big brother!" Came the cheery greeting on the other end of the line, "How you doing? How was court? Did you nail the fragger?"

Bumblebee coughed and trembled a little, that same shake rattling his brain and sending his thoughts flying. "I don't feel so good, Roddy,"

He could have sworn he heard the clattering of something metal and a flurry of curses, "Don't you dare chicken out on me, big brother. What's wrong?"

"I feel… like something bad is going to happen. Court's still in session, I just had to leave, I felt terrible. I still feel terrible. I think I'm gonna be sick, Roddy,"

There was a silence on the other end, and for a second, he thought his younger brother had hung up on him. "Roddy?"

He almost pulled the phone away from his ear to see if the call was still going, but the rushed, "Yeah, I'm here," came just in time, "Bee, you're going to be okay. I know how that is, trust me, I do. I get the same way before every big race. Dad got it all the time too. It's just who we are, you know?"

The slight blonde tuft of hair on his head bounced as he nodded slowly, "Rod, I'm scared. I don't even know why, I'm just flat fragging terrified. What if this doesn't work out? What if he says no? What then? I'd die if he rejected me, Roddy, frag it, what do I do?"

"Calm down, Bee! You're going to be fine, trust me. Bee, you're an amazing guy, and Knock Out knows this. He knows it, and he knows he can rely on you to always be there for him. Give him some credit. This guy is really something special, and we all know it. He won't reject you for some dumb shallow reason, and it's been a while since you started going out. A long while. Some might say that this is overdue,"

"I'm scared, Rodimus. I feel like he's still ashamed of me."

"He probably thinks you should be ashamed of him. He's not too self-confident you know. You're a war hero, and he's… a lucky doctor who managed to defect at the right time. He probably feels like he doesn't deserve everything he has, let alone anything you've given him. You gotta make him feel like he's worth it, because I know you believe he is,"

"Yeah, I do" Bumblebee exhaled slowly, still shuddering a little, "I'll try my best. I just, I don't know what I'd do without him."

"You don't have to find out. Just ask, Bee. Just ask,"

The jittery officer hesitated, "Yeah?"

"Yeah," his grinning ginger brother responded

"You think so?"

"I know so. I'm not as inexperienced as you might think, big brother! I managed to snag me one fine piece of- Oh, hey, babe!" came a greeting and something that sounded suspiciously like a snort. "Hey, what, no kisses for me?"

"Roddy," Bumblebee said crossly. He so did not want to listen to his brother make out with his own lover. Frag it, he was trying not to empty the contents of his stomach on the floor after all,"

"Like, I said," the younger Prime brother's grin could be heard through the phone, "I know what I'm saying, big brother. And I've got the proof of how lucky I am right here in my arms-!"

"Rodimus, stop it," another, clearly uncomfortable voice came across the line, "Roddy, you're such a sap,"

"Mm, and you wouldn't have it any other way, now would you, darling?"

"Ugh, okay, nasty boy, I'm gonna go back to court, see this thing through to the end."

"Excuse me, I am not nasty!" he protested, only mildly offended.

"Thanks, Roddy," Bumblebee said softly, "I mean it. Thank you,"

"Let me know how it goes!" The younger man said excitedly, and the line went dead very quickly, leaving Bee to his thoughts. Rodimus was right. It would all be fine.

Or at least he hoped. Still, chalking his anxiety up to something along the lines of stage fright made ignoring it that much easier. Putting his worries out of his mind, he turned on his heel, and made his way back into the room.

They were supposed to be going on a date. That had been the whole reason he'd dressed up so nicely to begin with. He absolutely hated the monkey suit he was wearing, and Knockout… Well, Knockout loved it. It was enchanting, seeing his face turn the color of his vibrant hair, almost like a lovesick schoolboy meeting the eyes of his crush. A weight was pressing down on his chest, and though it ought to have been barely noticeable, he was getting jittery every time it bounced in his pocket.

Which happened at every step on the way to said date.

And he was late, so he was moving quickly. Or, as quickly as he could, what with the restrictive movement choices offered to him. The sidewalks were slick with fresh rainwater, puddles only an hour or so old shuddering as droplets tore through their peaceful rest. Faint misting touched his face, and he almost swore, stopping short when a small child looked up at him in awe, two green eyes sparkling up from behind the firm hand-holding of his mother, someone who was also staring.

People did that nowadays. They just stared. Didn't matter what he was wearing or doing, but he shifted under her gaze, a frown settling on his face. He had somewhere to be, after all, and her less than polite gaping wasn't something he looked forward to. They couldn't help it, he told himself, but it didn't mean he was required to stand there and take it. A glance back and forth across the street told him all he needed to know. He could make it across in the gap that was coming; he was known for moving fast for a reason, after all.

One foot dangled off the curb as he prepared to try and be a little less late, and not draw anymore curious citizens to look at what was apparently a new zoo animal. Thunder rumbled overhead, the gloomy clouds in the sky practically ready to burst. So much for the weather improving, then.

Then the other slipped, and he fell into the street.

He never even looked up.