I was, out of boredom coming up with titles to books. One of the titles I made up gave me an inspiration boost. So I decided to write this little fic.
Inspired by 'Because of Win Dixie'.
Start
Bumblebee still missed Sam four years after his death at age sixty-seven. Carly had moved to Europe to reconnect with her roots she almost immediately discovered after his charge's death only three months later sending a note to Bumblebee saying she wasn't coming back…ever. Sure it was heartbreaking to lose his closest friend but had made another. She was a thirty-seven year old woman who went by the name Hailey Hartford. He was her guardian now. The woman was…stubborn to put it lightly. To him personally, the woman seemed like she would downright refuse protection from him for all eternity. He didn't know the full reason she needed protection, it had something along the lines of knowing certain part of his race's history. One she would recall bits and pieces from, from time to time. After two years of breaking the rambunctious brown-haired women down we finally started seeing eye to optic which helped with the following two years. Now friends with common interests of hiking in the mountains and just plain talking to one another, we get along and trust each other. It's not like being with Sam, nothing could replace him, but it's the start of something new.
(Interval 1)
"Hey Bee!" called Hailey, jogging down the corridor.
Bumblebee eyed the skinny women dressed in skinny jeans, ankle high boots that seemed to be leather and folded over at the top, as well as a long-sleeved brown shirt and a tan slim-fit trench coat. Her hair was pulled back into an impossibly tight bun as she ran towards him.
"Was sup bro?" I clipped from the radio.
"Awe c'mon Bee; Ratchet fixed your voice box. You can talk normally now!" she complained.
"Just messing with ya Hailey." I sighed.
"Uh, hey?" she mumbled.
"Yes?" I asked.
"Can you uh, keep a secret?" she asked head bowed down.
"Of course."
"Well I was thinking, I've known you for a while now right?"
"Yes."
"And you shared your times with Sam with me remember."
"I can't forget."
"Well it's my turn. Let's go." She said spinning on her heels to walk out of the hanger.
"Where are we going?" I asked, noticing her stress levels raise suddenly.
"Well it's a secret actually; that's why I'm driving."
"Not that I don't trust you Hailey but I think I should drive."
"If you drive you can only go so far before you have to walk, if I drive we can go all the way there."
"Why?"
"It's just how it is with this."
With a sigh I shifted down into my Camaro alt mode. Hailey climbed into the driver's seat and carefully began to drive out of the hanger. It was a few hours until we reached the city limits since we drove all the way instead of using Ratchets new ground bridge. No words were spoken until we began leaving Washington D.C.
"Where is this place Hailey." I asked, confused by our depart from the city.
"Do you know where I used to live?" she replied.
"Yes, you used to live in the forests a few hours from here."
"Do you remember how I even stopped Ironhide from going further than the old Birch Tree?"
"How could I forget?"
"There was a reason for that."
"Am I going to find out?"
"Basically…yes."
I refrained from pushing any more questions. I picked up lots of guilt emanating from her just from that little conversation. I couldn't possibly imagine what could cause such grief and regret in one person. The rest of the drive was continued in silence. Soon we came down that familiar dirt road leading through those achingly familiar trees.
Flashback
We had gotten word from William Lennox that Cybertronian signals were emanating from the clearing down an old dirt road. Driving down the road in our alt forms we came to up to a well kept shack. It was run-down enough but still livable. When we transformed we picked up a lone figure on our thermal imagers.
An angry girl in her thirties stormed out of the shack and stormed straight up to Lennox.
"The hell do you think you're doing. Didja not read the sign? It says private drive idiot!" she raged.
"Are you Miss Hailey Ann Hartford?" Galloway asked calmly.
"Yes, what's it to ya baggy bones?" she scowled.
"Miss Hailey you need to return with us. It's a matter of national security." He seethed through grit teeth.
"I wouldn't care if it was a matter of your mother I stay here." She shot back narrowing her eyes to slits.
"I'm afraid you don't have a choice." He grinned viciously gathering his pride and swiftly whirled around to board his Humvee.
Lennox looked pitying towards the human as his men latched onto her and began to drag her towards the Humvees. Time seemed to stop as we heard fait tinkling, like glass against glass. No matter how much the soldiers struggled they couldn't budge her as she froze by that sound.
"The glass." She whispered softly.
Ironhide transformed and looked towards the sound.
"What is that?" he asked himself.
When he began walking towards it, despite the fact the soldiers were stronger; Hailey Hartford sprang from their grasps and was instantly rooting herself in Iron hide's path.
"If you're smart you won't go back there." She warned with a certain edge to her voice.
"And why wouldn't I?" he smirked, crouching to her level.
They couldn't hear what she told him due to the sheer quietness in her tone. Whatever she had said to Ironhide caused him to nod and turn around. He transformed into his GMC alt mode and opened the door.
"Get in Hailey." He murmured.
"But Ironhide…" Optimus protested.
"Prime we don't always see Optic to Optic; this is one of those times. This time it's for the best." Ironhide cut off, ending the discussion as Hailey climbed into the passenger seat and buckle herself in. Lennox climbed in the driver's seat and laid a wary eye upon Hailey. The brown haired woman fought the urge to squirm under the captain's scrutinizing gaze. But it was what Ironhide said that led us to believe there was more to it.
"That's enough Lennox; don't give her any more pain. She has enough as it is." He barked gently.
End of flashback
That day was the start of his life trying to protect Hailey…emphasis on trying. We finally pulled up to the run-down shack and Hailey shifted me into park. Once she was out I shifted into my bipedal mode and looked down at her.
"I'll only be a moment." She said suddenly and walked into her former shack of a home.
I sat down in the dirt and broke a branch off a tree. Using the branch, I began doodling in the dirt. Seems like all those wasted hours of listening to Sunstreaker bitch and whine while he painted gave me a hobby after all. A few minutes later Hailey exited the front door which swung shut with a rusted screech of protest. She was now dressed in a simple white sundress which stopped at her knees. The dress was decorated with peach and orange flowers. She wore no shoes but let her hair into a ponytail instead of her traditional tight bun. While her shoes were missing something else replaced them, a small tub full of glass shards broken from beer bottles to windows. Also inside the tote laid a roll of yarn and a small scrap of paper with the number four hundred and twenty-six scrawled on it. She turned to me and offered no explanation to my overly confused look.
"Would you mind giving me a hand with that ladder?" she asked nodding her head towards an old wooden ladder that had obviously seen better days.
Without a word I picked up the old piece of wood and followed after Hailey who was headed to the back of her house. She continued silently past the old birch tree that she had convinced stubborn old Ironhide not to pass. Unsure if I was allowed to follow I stood awkwardly next to it.
"Bumblebee I didn't bring you all the way here for you to stop next to the barrier. Keep following." She said without ceasing her walking or even turning around.
"I'm allowed to follow?" I asked hesitantly.
"Yes Bee." She replied, still without stopping.
I walked past the tree and followed after her, catching up without much effort. She continued to walk and the trees began to get bigger than me. The trees started to reach heights even taller than Optimus Prime himself. But amidst all of this I noticed something was off, I just couldn't quite get a grip on it. Suddenly Hailey stopped in the shroud of trees.
"We're here." She told me without moving.
"Where's here?" I asked.
"Wait a moment and I'm more than sure you'll figure it out." She replied.
I noticed the sad tint to her voice but decided not to mention it. A small gust of wind jerked me from my musings. But it was not the gust that stirred me but the thousands of sounds it produced. Millions of glass shards I had somehow missed hung in volumes in the trees. Disturbed by the wind the shards clinked together in a mass of beautiful sounds. I looked to Hailey slightly confused and awed at the same time.
"Thirteen sections." She said aloud.
"What?" I asked.
"There are thirteen sections in this forest." She replied.
"What for?" I asked.
"Each member of my family owns a section of trees. My section holds exactly one thousand six hundred and ninety-one glass shards." She explained.
"What are the glass shards for?"
"They stand for many things; but mostly to remind me."
"Remind you of what."
"I used to be an alcoholic. When I nearly killed my own parents in an accident due to buzzed drinking I found out what my trees would be for. Everyone uses their trees for something. Mine remind me of my guilt and what I've done."
"What do the glass shards stand for?" I asked, afraid of the answer.
"Every glass shard stands for one beer I have consumed since the very first one. After the accident I counted every beer from the beginning. The glass reminds me of my guilt and shame. And I wanted you to help me. I broke my own promise. When I lived here I was dependant on the sound of all that glass clinking to remind me to never drink again. I have been at base for four years now with no glass that reminds me of my guilt. I'm sure you saw the number on that scrap of paper. If for some reason you didn't it reads four hundred and twenty-six. I've broke my own promise that many time in the past four years. I need a friend to be by my side." She explained softly.
"Why do you need a friend?" I asked.
"So I know I still have friends when it's time to pay my dues and hang my glass shards. It makes two thousand one hundred and seventeen glass shards over a course of, in three days, twenty years." She said softly.
I crouched down so I was closer to her height and cupped a servo around her small femme form. Using my thumb to dry her tears, I smiled softly.
"If you ever need me I won't far away." I clipped for her, just as I did for Sam.
Hailey smiled at me and picked up the small tote. Before she could even take a step towards the ladder I picked her up and set her gently in my palm. Lifting her to the treetops she smiled. Setting the tote down she picked up a few glass shards and the roll of yarn. Hailey cut the yarn with the glass shards and tied the pieces around the jagged edges of glass. Reaching up above her head she tied a shard of red glass to the branch and let go. This simple action sent the hundreds of shards cling and spinning sending a flurry of musical sound into the air. I don't care what other people would say I found the sound to be magical despite its deeper meaning. Hailey glanced down at me.
"Hey Bee?" she asked.
"Yes Hailey?" I replied.
"Can we come back here in the winter?" she asked.
"Why?" I questioned.
"I remember you showing me holographic images of the crystal city. In the wintertime the trees are covered in snow. When the sun first rises on the first snow day it's beautiful. Morning winds clang the glass around making all the tinkling and that sun's first rays hitting the glass for the first time in the morning makes the snow and glass shards look like crystals. It's the closest I have ever seen to resemble the crystal city." She told me as she continued to hang the shards.
Tapping my palm I moved her to a new spot and tree for the glass shards to be hung. It was a few hours before what I thought was the last shard was hung.
"So are we done?" I asked watching the setting sun's shattered rays filter through the trees.
"Not quite." She said.
I saw a swatch of royal purple fabric poorly hidden in her fist.
"What's that?" I inquired suspiciously.
"The final shard, but it doesn't represent a beer." She replied heading deeper into the forest.
I followed after her, half-heartedly cursing my lingering sparkling curiosity.
"Have you ever heard of elephant rock?" she asked randomly.
"I came across its website when I was researching earth's natural forms." I replied.
"Okay." She said with a small smile.
The trees began to grow farther apart before I found we had reached the back of the forest. In front of us spread a slanting hill. Due to its slant, not its height, I couldn't see over it. What I did notice was that Hailey was mere seconds from reaching the top. With a few steps I found myself staring at a little pond about four inches deep with a huge cherry blossom tree in the middle. The tree must've been different or something because there weren't very many flowers but in place were the most beautiful things he'd seen in a while. Glass shards seemed to have been melted and doused with chemicals, from the smell, and made to look like diamonds.
"My dad made this tree for my mom for their sixty-fifth anniversary…I think. Somewhere around that number of anniversaries you're supposed to get the girl diamonds. So instead of doing the guy thing and going to Macy's to buy fake diamond earrings he put his years of building and chemical skills to use and fashioned my mom a "Tree of Diamonds" so to speak. He gave me the last glass he never got to put on and told me to do it for him sometime. So I guess I should while I'm here." She explained.
"I like it, I'll have to suggest something like it to Ironhide." I murmured, not intending for her to hear.
"Why to Ironhide?" she asked, confused.
"Well uh, word is that he's in some hot water with Chromia right now." I mumbled.
"What did he do?" she asked trying to stifle a giggle.
"Apparently Chromia thinks she saw him looking at Flareup the "wrong way". Primus knows Chromia's a touchy femme." I muttered.
To my surprise Hailey laughed.
"Poor mech, we should probably help him." she suggested chuckling.
She finally had the chemically morphed glass hung on her mother's "Tree of Diamonds" so we began heading back.
"Back to the trees of glass and shame." She sighed.
I smiled down at her softly. She was fighting the urge to drink through guilt. She was a strange femme but she had a big heart. By remembering her faults she fixes her future. I wondered if maybe, just maybe, if I kept Sam in my memory and my times with him, I could have a future with less pain.
"Hey Bee?" called Hailey.
"Yeah?" I replied.
"Thanks for…everything. Accepting me." she said giving me a genuine grin.
"I'll always accept you Hailey."
"Yeah but what did I do?"
"Hm?"
"You helped me through my past and even stayed with me when I hung those shards. You accept me even though I was an alcoholic. What have I ever done for you?"
"Many things, because of you I can still contact Carly, Sam's wife."
"Well yeah but that's small."
"I remember that one thing you did."
"What was that?"
Flashback
When Sunstreaker came into earth's atmosphere he was accepted into the N.E.S.T program immediately. The humans quickly learned while he's as big as a house, his ego is bigger than earth. The vain bot expected to be treated better than Optimus when he wasn't around. And with Sideswipe usually gone on missions there was no-one to keep the pompous gold twin in line. While Sunny was an airhead he knew he could be demoted if Optimus caught him doing something wrong. And he absolutely despised that. So he took it upon himself to use his cunning on the boss bot to keep himself outta trouble. While Optimus wasn't blind or oblivious he was known to see the good in people…to a point where he was unable to see the bad. So Sunstreaker used his mouth to lie to boss bot. Somebody could've done something but then again sunny was a frontline warrior. The humans, even Lennox, didn't dare make him mad. The only one who would even consider it was Dino or Ironhide. But Dino was hardened to where he told us to deal with it and Ironhide had a bad past with Sunny to where he wouldn't due to the scars.
(May on the last day of Hailey's college)
"Finally done with Day College for the rest of the summer!" she cooed with glee.
"That's good." I muttered back to her over the radio as she piled in.
"Hey, what's wrong Bee?" she asked.
"Sunstreaker." I muttered.
"What about him?" she asked.
"He uh, got me in trouble. I'm on double shifts for the next week." I sighed.
"What!? He's so rude and just…ugh!" she growled.
(Back at headquarters)
"Bumblebee please report to hanger four." The radio gurgled.
"Uh oh, what now." I groaned.
"Can I come along?" asked a voice.
I looked down to find Hailey standing on the ground next to me putting a hand on my leg. I still didn't know her very well due to the fact she was still incredibly reluctant to accept a guardian.
"Why do you want to come?" I asked warily.
"Sunstreaker and Optimus are in hanger four. And if there's one thing I hate it's a bully. I don't care if that bully is gold, as big as a house, and could kill me with a flick of his wrist." She announced, elbowing my leg to emphasize her hint.
"As long as you stay out of trouble." I sighed.
Reaching down, I lifted Hailey up off the ground and gently seated her on the gap between me neck and shoulders. Giving her a few seconds to situate herself I began the long, painful walk to hanger four. When I arrived my spark fell. Optimus was indeed with Sunstreaker. While Sunstreaker looked smug and happy in his evil little way, Optimus on the other hand looked…angry in a way. More like extremely disapproving. I tentivly made my way inside the hanger.
"Bumblebee I wasn't aware that you um…disapproved so much of your punishment." Said Optimus.
"I don't understand sir." I replied, confused.
"We have recently found that only a mere hour ago that the storage facilities near your room was found demolished. Many things of importance survived but some less important things had no such luck." He explained.
"Well that's not good." I murmured, unsure of where he was going with this.
"I have reasons to believe that…you have done it." Optimus revealed slowly.
"Optimus sir I…I would never…" I tried.
My field of vision faltered for a moment as I found Sunstreaker cracking his knuckles silently behind boss bot. He pointed to me then made a fist. I realized he had done it and if I didn't take the blame I would end up in the med bay before I knew what happened.
"Optimus sir I…" I began, trying to lie for my own sake.
"He didn't do it."
Our heads all jerked to my shoulder. I had forgotten that Hailey was there while Optimus and Sunstreaker had not noticed her. She had stood up and was staring Optimus straight in the optics with the dramatic "oh really" expression. The ones people used when they glared with eyebrows rose. I almost couldn't explain it but it made her look like she knew what she was doing…intimidating almost.
"It is Hailey Ann Hartford isn't it?" asked Optimus who was struggling to contain his surprise.
"Yeah." She replied in an almost rude tone.
"I ask, pray tell, what did you say?" Optimus asked, frowning at her unchanging expression.
"Bumblebee didn't do it. Don't accuse him." she replied unwavering.
"How are you so sure?" barked Sunstreaker.
"What was the exact time the storage facility was destroyed?" she asked.
"Two hours ago." replied Optimus.
"Then Bumblebee didn't do it. Two hours ago I got off of school and Bee was driving me here. I've been with him in the same hanger since we've been here. He hasn't done anything in the past few hours besides drive me here and converse with Trailbreaker about who's faster and all those stupid guy competitions you men have. Kapeesh?" she said.
She had projected her voice, spoken loud, spoken clearly. She had not hesitated or wavered in any part of her little speech. If I hadn't known better I would have thought she had rehearsed it a thousand times over. Primus forgive me but I doubt even Optimus himself could have done it better.
"I understand Hailey. It seems that Bumblebee could not have done it due to location." Murmured Optimus.
"Yeah well we'd better go." I stammered, finding my voice and now eager to get away.
"Bumblebee," Optimus sounded laying a hand on my shoulder."Do you have any idea on a suspect?"
"Um," I glanced back at Sunstreaker, "Sorry sir but no."
"Thank you either way." He smiled.
"I think I know." Hailey rang out once more. I winced.
"Who do you have in mind?" Optimus asked before I could run.
"Well judging by the way Sunstreaker has been cracking his knuckles and pounding his fist in his hand then pointing at us gives me the strangest of feelings that he may have something to do with it!" she rang in mock surprise, voice spilling over the edges with sarcasm.
Optimus spun around to face Sunstreaker with actual anger in his eyes.
"I did not detect any lies in her and judging by the look on my scouts face this is true is it not." He growled, eyes narrowed at Sunstreaker.
I prayed thanks to Primus for that time, and used it to silently slip away. Once in my room and or quarters I set Hailey down on my desk and paced back and forth. She watched me for a while before I spun on her.
"Do you have death wish?" I clipped harshly from a famous movie.
"Not really but I guess I should mention that when it comes to bullies, if you don't want me to say anything then you're better off not bringing me along. I hate bullies and I'll speak out against them. I don't care if he has the ability to tear me apart; don't bring me along if you don't want my two cents'." She said swiftly snapping her fingers at the beginning to emphasize her attitude. I couldn't help but release a small smile at how cute it was.
(Three hours later with Que in his office)
"I think this plasma cannon suits you just fine Bee. It matches you paint and it's just your size." Que hummed.
"Oh uh, thanks Que." I nodded returning my gaze to Hailey who sat on Que's desk next to his random inventions.
All of a sudden the doors to Que's workshop shot open and clanged loudly against the walls. Whoever threw them open was enraged because the doors…didn't go that far. To my horror Sunstreaker stormed inside looking around wildly and his eyes settled on me. With an ungodly amount of speed, eve for him, he rushed towards me and clutched my throat.
"Your little pet bug just got me three weeks of studying with the annoying paranoia Red Alert. Where is it?" he growled.
"Where is what?" I mumbled.
"THE INSECT OF A GIRL YOU CALL HAILEY!" he raged.
"RIGHT HERE SLAG FRAGGER!" thundered a voice behind sunny.
I was amazed at what took place both of them shot at one another at the same time. Hailey had shot Sunstreaker with a high powered Cybertronian flamethrower which went up his cannon therefore ripping apart. While Sunstreaker was sprawled on the floor with his arm blown up Hailey faired a bit worse. She had been hit with a low powered Plasma Rifle and it had cut deep into her stomach and left arm. I quickly rushed to Hailey ignoring Sunstreaker's weary protests when I stepped on him. Rushing the dying girl to the med bay I made just in time as the loaded her up and began working on her as I paced outside the med bay. Then and there I realized she cared enough. She had probably just saved my life by putting hers in danger. I would make it up to her, somehow I would.
End of Flashback
I looked at Hailey as she recalled that day.
"I remember that day. Even more so the day after." She mused.
"Yeah every time they tried to sedate you, you screamed bloody murder. I heard that one day when you thought you were well enough you did something to the nurses. What did you do?" I asked.
"I was well enough to move and run so when the nurses tried to sedate me again by force I acted out of pure instinct and ripped the I.V out of my arm and beat them with it. Not enough to hurt them but enough to have them sprawled out on the ground. I ran like hell after that." She laughed.
"You are one crazy femme." I chuckled lightly.
"Yeah but I'm your charge so I have to look out for you." She said with a sigh.
"I think you reversed that Hailey." I teased.
"Well it's true," she smiled up at me, "you take care of me, I take care of you."
"Fair enough." I nodded.
Picking her up off the ground I held her at optic level.
"Hailey, let's go home." I suggested softly. She slowly gained a gentle grin.
"Bumblebee, at the moment, I couldn't even dream of anything better." she smiled.
"I don't think I could either."
Finish
It's a short little one-shot…at the moment. Either way I think it's cute. Tell me what you think!
Ciao for now,
Songbird O.o