A/N: My first Transformers fic in a long time. But I just saw Bumblebee last night for the first time and I had to write this…

A Final Meeting

A yellow mech lie on the cold, stony ground of the night. The mech was damaged far beyond any repair, groaning for all the pain and suffering to end. He couldn't even bring himself to open his eyes; couldn't even bring himself to look upon the damage dealt to his frame.

"B127. Bumblebee." A familiar, deep voice came from next to him, the other mech's hand on his shoulder. "We must go. Get up."

"I-I can't." The yellow mech gasped out. "Optimus, I can't."

"You have to, Bumblebee." The Prime urged. "The Decepticons will be back."

"I know." Bumblebee answered weakly. "But I don't think I'll get far. Prime, when I said that I would lay down my life for you, I meant it. And this is it. Go! I'll hold them here." As they torture me asking for him…

Optimus didn't reply.

"Please, Optimus…"

"You started our group on Earth, you should be the one to finish it." The Prime argued.

"No, I didn't start this group." The smaller mech finally forced his optics open and looked up at the indecisive mech towering over him. "You did. You were the one who sent me here, Prime. You should be the last. Now go. I'll...I'll catch up, I promise." He knew that he wouldn't fulfill that promise; that he didn't have but a few minutes left to live.

And Optimus knew it too. "Bumblebee…" His voice shook, ever so slightly. He didn't want to leave him behind, it was evident. "I'm doing this for you."

The blue and red mech rose from his position at one knee to his full height, looking down at B127. His optics narrowed for a moment before returning to normal as they glanced over the form of his friend for a final time.

"Thank you, Optimus." He gave a grateful look.

"Farewell, old friend." The Prime murmured mournfully as he turned away.

Bumblebee watched his form fade and merge into the darkness of the night. Exhausted, his optics drooped shut again. He listened to the larger mech's footsteps fading in the distance. He lowered his head back to the ground in defeat against the pain, the noise he'd been named for sounding.

"It's like a….Bumblebee!" A familiar, yet aged voice rang through the air.

Human footsteps raced towards him desperately and he opened his optics, antenna sticking up in excitement of seeing her again after so many years. Surely enough, Charlie Watson was at his side within moments. She looked just like her mother, her face kind and her eyes soft.

"Charlie…" B127 whispered, not even realizing this was the first time he had ever said her name aloud.

"Bumblebee...what happened? Are you okay?" She was frantic.

He nearly laughed spitefully upon hearing the second question. "Decepticons…"

"Where are they?" She asked, head jerking around.

"Not here. Not yet." He answered. "Charlie...I need you...to get as far from here...as you can."

Charlie hadn't questioned how he'd been talking yet, he realized. She was more worried about his condition and the fact that there were Decepticons around somewhere. She hadn't changed over the years, not one bit.

"What? No!" She shook her head.

"You have to!" He retorted. "I won't make it either way, whether they find me or not! Charlie, I want you to get out of here and stay safe...please."

"Bumblebee…" She looked distraught.

"Please…" He pleaded.

"I've missed you, Bee." She hugged his head.

He gently touched her back with an energon covered hand. "I know. I've missed you too. But...no living thing lives forever. You should know that. And, I guess it's my turn to say goodbye."

"Don't talk like that, Bee." She pulled away from him.

"Look at me...I'm not going anywhere, Charlie."

"Then neither am I."

B127 sighed. "You have to, or they'll kill you too! I don't want them to do that; I can't let them do that."

"I won't leave you." Charlie told him stubbornly, tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

"You've always held my heart, Charlie...and I know that I hold yours." He told her as softly as a mech could. "But you have to let me go."

His optics flickered dangerously. He only had a matter of time left. He raised a hand and petted her head, like he had the time he'd accidentally covered her in sand on the beach. Her tears had spilled free now and she was practically sobbing.

"Bee, don't make me." She begged.

His own spark cracked a bit at that. He pointed at her heart with his hand. It was a weak gesture, but it was all he could manage through the pain and black spot filled vision. "I'll always be in there, like your father. Just search me out when you need me." His optics flickered again. "Now go, Charlie. They'll be here soon and you don't need to be here when they arrive."

"Bye, Bee…" Charlie choked out.

"Goodbye, Charlie...good luck."

And with that, she dashed off, still crying. Bumblebee hated seeing her like that. And he hated using her father as an example of things. But he had no choice. It was a matter of her being found by the Decepticons or not. Death or life. Life or death. And he'd make her choose life, always.

The sound of jets roaring through the night was the last thing he heard as his optics finally gave out and he lost his grip on life. The Decepticons were not getting anything out of him.