Disclaimer: Transformers is owned by Hasbro and licensed entities. No infringement was implied or intended. No financial compensation received.
Joy Ride
"So, you can take me for a ride since you're here today, right?" Ellie asked sweetly.
"To where?" Bumblebee asked cautiously.
"Just downtown. There's something I wanted to look at."
"Downtown where? What do you need to look at?" he asked as he peppered kisses along her throat.
"Mmmm, take me downtown and you can see for yourself," she promised.
"I really would much rather spend the day here . . . with you . . . in bed . . . interfacing our processors out," he teased between kisses.
"I really love you, but I don't think I can," she answered honestly.
He backed away in concern. "Are you alright? You aren't in any pain are you?" He knew the process of breaching her would be painful at the time, but now he was worried something more permanent happened.
"Not really pain, more like a little sore," she answered as she blushed.
Quickly, he accessed the internet and breathed a sigh of relief. Soreness was common for females for a few hours after losing their virginity. Further research indicated a hot bath and some mild exercise would alleviate the discomfort.
"Alright, we can go downtown. But first, let me draw you a bath," he said as he kissed her quickly, and then crawled out of bed.
"Come on Buzz, let me out," Ellie said with a laugh as he turned off his engine and patiently waited for traffic to clear.
"Not without me beside you. I almost lost you once because I wasn't close enough to you, I won't make the same mistake again," he answered through the speakers. His holo image walked around his hood and opened his door for her.
"So, where did you want to go?" he asked when she was safely under his shoulder.
She pointed across the street to a jeweler's. Quickly, he jaywalked with her by his side and was pleased when they didn't have to be buzzed into the store.
Without even looking around, she briskly led him to the back room that had a script "Bridal Registry," sign posted above it. Bumblebee accessed the internet and thoroughly researched the subject. He cursed his own thoughtlessness. Of course; rings were a way to signify a commitment between two individuals, so it would follow she would want something humans could see.
"Hi! My name is Ellie Guardian Prime. I called about the ring yesterday?" she addressed the attendant.
"Yes Miss Guardian Prime.
"Is this young man your fiancé?" she said assessing him.
"Yes ma'am. This is my Bumble," Ellie answered with a great deal of pride.
Politely, he shook the hand of the woman, "Pleased to meet you ma'am." Eagerly, he wrapped his arm around Ellie's waist and kissed her temple.
"Well, I must say we don't have too many requests for black diamonds as engagement rings," she started as she led them to a display. "In fact, I had to bring back a few rings from the main floor to have a decent selection."
"That's alright. I'm sure most people don't realize the black diamond is the only gemstone known to be formed in space. And that is exactly what we have; a love straight from the stars," Ellie said with a secret smile for her spark mate.
Bumblebee smiled in response. Leave it to Ellie to be honest without being revealing. Suddenly, he stiffened.
Feeling his reaction, Ellie looked to him in concern.
"I'm being stolen," he said in disbelief over their personal frequency.
"Go. I'll be here when you get back," she said as she kissed him.
Distractedly, he kissed her back, then comm'd the house. "Autobots, my alt form is being stolen. I can't leave Ellie alone. I need one of you to get over here to protect her for me."
"This is Sunstreaker, I'll be there in five minutes," the newest arrival replied.
"Not until Sunny gets here," he told her stubbornly.
"How long will that be?"
"Five minutes."
"Are you sure it's a thief and not being towed?"
He looked at her with a "do you really think I'm stupid?" look.
"Yeah. Dumb question."
"Not dumb, just hopeful," he encouraged.
Just then, Sunstreaker's holo image walked in.
"That was a quick five minutes," Bumblebee noted as he walked back to the front of the store.
"No cops," he shrugged. "She's in the back?"
"Yeah. I'll be back when I can," he said as he opened the door, and allowed his image to vanish.
"Woohoo!" the teen was screeching as he hit the gas of the new yellow Camaro. "Davis is gonna love me!"
"Davis who?" a voice asked from the speakers.
"Huh? Who said that?" the teen asked in confusion.
"Hey! Wha . . . What's happening?" he stuttered as the wheel turned itself out of his grasp and the accelerator let up under his foot.
"I did. I happen to be the vehicle you are trying to steal," Bumblebee stated simply. "And now, we will be going to the local authorities."
"No! No cops!" the would-be thief screamed as he frantically tried to open the car door.
"Very well. I will turn you over to the military then. I happen to be an ally to your American armed forces. Consider me to be . . . a top secret military experiment in artificial intelligence," Bumblebee threatened.
"What?
"Oh God! No! No jail! Please! I'm sorry! Really I am," the boy pleaded.
"Then who is Davis?"
"She is just a girl I go to school with. She's in my auto class. She's a total motor head and has a real thing for Camaros. The only thing she likes better are 'vettes. But I couldn't find any in running condition that I could afford," he tried to explain as the tears streaked his face.
"So, you thought it would be smarter to steal me to impress this girl?" Bumblebee was incredulous. "Why didn't you just get a Corvette that you could repair and ask for her help?"
"She's rich okay? And I didn't want her to know where I live. It's embarrassing."
"If she would judge you based on where you come from, then maybe you should set your sites on someone a little less shallow."
"She's not shallow!" he defended hotly. "I just didn't want her to be subjected to the insults my dad would throw her way. He's a computer programmer and he doesn't think too highly of anyone who chooses to work with their hands."
Bumblebee pulled up behind the police station and parked. He materialized his holo image behind his Camaro form and roughly dragged the teen out of the seat by the collar.
"So, you decided to steal my car to impress a girl?" his holo image asked calmly.
"What? How did you know what I was saying to your car?"
He signaled to his ear with his free hand. "Earwig," he said simply.
"Look! I really am sorry. I just wanted to impress her so she would agree to go to the prom with me. Honest! I was going to bring it back."
Easily, he pulled the teen along to the police station.
"Please! No cops! I promise I will never do something so stupid again," the teen begged.
"Why should I believe you?" Bumblebee asked coldly. He really had no intention of turning the kid over to the authorities, but he wanted to scare the kid straight, as the human expression put it.
"My name is Justin Brookfield. I'm seventeen years old and go to Lawrence County Vo-tech," he started. "My dad is August Brookfield and my uncle is Detective Brian Huffman of the Pittsburgh police. You can call him and ask him if I am usually this stupid!"
"I do believe I will," Bumblebee said as he pulled out a phone and made a 'call.' What Justin didn't know was that he was simply accessing the internet to research his story. It turned out to be true.
"Sunny," Bumblebee started through the phone line. "I have a Justin Brookfield who stole my Camaro to impress a girl. I guess the only reason he chose it was because he couldn't find a Corvette to steal."
"What? He wanted to go on a joyride with your alt form? To impress a femme?" Sunstreaker's voice sounded amused through the com link.
"Yes. I was wondering, since I have to go on exercises tonight, would you be able to devise an appropriate punishment for him?" he said in the boy's hearing.
"I think this kid just made a mistake," he continued in his head. "Maybe we can make him repair one of those old clunkers or something at the house."
"Why don't you just tell him you believe he made a mistake and let him go?" Ellie asked over their link.
"Besides, I like to fiddle with those old clunkers," she added grouchily.
"Will releasing the boy after he made such a gross misjudgment not encourage him to continue such behaviors?" he asked over the com.
"Well, he's not touching my cars," Ellie was insistent.
"Very well," he replied aloud. "I'll call General Lennox to pick him up."
"No! Please no jail!" Justin begged.
Bumblebee looked at the teen for a few minutes, and then the perfect solution came to him. He picked up the phone and spoke aloud into the receiver. "August Brookfield. Dial number," he said.
The boy paled visibly. "Oh God! I am so dead," he said as he slumped onto a bench.
"Mr. August Brookfield?" Bumblebee asked over the phone.
"Yes? May I help you," a tinny voice sounded over the line.
"My name is B.J. Bumble and I have your son here. Justin Brookfield?"
"What do you want?" the voice asked suspiciously.
"He attempted to steal my alt – automobile. Fortunately, it is equipped with anti- theft technology and didn't get very far. We are at the Ellwood City police station. Can you come down to pick him up?"
"I'll be there in ten minutes," he said as the line disconnected.
"He will be here in ten minutes," Bumblebee addressed the youth.
"I am so dead. Just turn me over to the cops, they'll go easier on me," he said dejectedly.
"I am certain you are exaggerating," the scout encouraged.
"You don't know my dad."
"True. But I don't really know you either."
Both parties were silent until a tallish man with thick glasses and slicked back hair came into the hall where they were sitting.
"Justin! What did you do? Stealing a car? What were you thinking? How are you going to get into college now with a record? Where you even thinking about the future when you pulled this stunt?"
"Mr. Brookfield," Bumblebee interrupted forcefully. "I am B. J. Bumble. It was my vehicle that was taken."
"I am so sorry about that. I'll make sure he pays for any damages."
"There were no damages. There also will be no criminal charges filed against your son at this time. However, the fact he stole a car is troubling to me."
"I'm sure.
"Why are there no criminal charges?" August Brookfield asked with suspicion.
"I haven't filed any against him. He confessed he took me, uh, my Camaro for the purpose of impressing a girl. At his age, I am inclined to believe him."
"You stole a car to go joyriding with a girl?"
"She wasn't there. I just wanted to go riding by in a sweet little competition yellow Camaro to impress her. I was just going to go three blocks and put it back," Justin confessed miserably.
Bumblebee smirked at the descriptive of his alt form. He wasn't a vain mech by any stretch, but he still appreciated complements.
"Thank you," he addressed the boy.
The youth looked at him in confusion.
"For the appreciation of my alt, uh, auto's appearance."
"So, he stole your car, and you aren't filing charges? What do you want?" Mr. Brookfield asked with even more suspicion. The twenty-something Brit had to be playing an angle. No one was that forgiving anymore.
"No, Mr. Brookfield, I am not filing charges. However, the vehicle in question is a prototype for the military. Your son will have to undergo a thorough debriefing on what he saw and experienced while inside. You will both have to sign non-disclosure agreements. That is also not to say the military won't decide to demand some sort of punishment for his actions."
"You stole a government vehicle? Are you really that stupid?" the adult asked of his son.
"He does not strike me as being stupid in the least," Bumblebee addressed the man. He was really starting to not like this human.
"Try living with him for seventeen years and see what your opinion is then," he said condescendingly.
"Don't, Bumble," Ellie said over their private link. She was listening to what was going on because he hadn't bothered to sever the link. She could sense his desire to protect the boy from his father.
"General Will is at the New Castle plant. I'll call him about what's happened and ask him to 'debrief' the kid. That should scare him straight.
"Do you want Sunny to take me home or what?" she finished.
"Yes. Ask him to take you back to the house for me. I'll deal with the boy and his father, then we can finish our little visit."
"Yummy! Wonder what chocolate covered Bumblebee is going to taste like?" she mused teasingly as she disconnected the link.
Bumblebee was proud of the way he didn't smile outwardly at her antics, but he was certain his optics got decidedly brighter.
"With your permission, Mr. Brookfield, I will transport him to one of our local associates where the military supervisor is currently inspecting the plant. He will be debriefed and then released back into your custody. Is this acceptable to you?"
"You know what? Do whatever you want with him. I'm done. I have to get back to work," the adult said with a dismissive wave. He turned around and walked back toward the door.
"You have two weeks to get your shit out of my house Justin! After that, the locks will be changed and you are no longer welcome," August Brookfield finished as he left.
"I told you," the youth mumbled up to the scout.
"Your father is most likely exaggerating. I am certain he is merely upset with the situation and speaking without thinking."
The boy just looked up at him with a forlorn expression. "Are you going to take me to this military type or what?" he asked instead.
Bumblebee headed back to the house with a decidedly heavy accelerator. He only had six hours left until he had to return to exercises, and he really wanted to spend it in the company of his mate.
His navigation equipment indicated he had twenty minutes at his current velocity until he would be driving up to his front door. He spent the time musing over the reaction of the adult to his offspring's dilemma. Never, in all of his existence, had he ever come across the apparent willingness of a creator to sever ties with their young. The male had to be using some form of psychological punishment to teach the boy it was wrong to steal.
His holo image's shoulders shrugged at his thoughts; it was not his place to dictate parenting skills to humans.
"I'm on my way lovey," he sent over their private channel. "Perhaps you should get your chocolate ready."
"We'll both be waiting, warm and wet," Ellie answered seductively.
"You read too many romance novels," he teased as he increased his velocity. He didn't want to waste a nanosecond of the time he had left with her.
A/N: Okay folks, this is what I came up with. Not my best, but I hope it proved entertaining. So, does anyone have any suggestions about what happens next? Or, what I should have done better if I hadn't lost the line? Messages and reviews welcome.