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Warning: Contains mild spoilers from Bumblebee (2018).
Note: This story takes place in the movie's timeline, but is more of a side chapter than else. (*see at the end for further notes.)
Disclaimer: I do not own this movie, nor any other adaptation or character from the Transformers franchise.
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-o-
8:00 am.
The alarm blared mercilessly on the nightstand and Charlie groggily slapped it shut, turning over in her bed with a groan.
Sunbeams were filtering through her bedroom's blinds and onto her pillow. She grunted in annoyance as one of them landed on her face, prompting her to pull the covers higher above her head as she tried to go back to blissful oblivion. Somewhere in the dark recesses of her hazy mind, she processed that it was the early morning and what appeared to be another cloudless summer day, but she was still much too drowsy to care. Flipping on her back, she closed her eyes as she enjoyed the stillness that surrounded her.
The house was quiet. Unusually so, even. Wasn't there supposed to be endless chatter and footsteps coming from the living room starting at 7:30?
She pushed herself on an elbow, throwing a sleepy glance at the Mustangs calendar pinned on her wall for validation. Her half-lidded eyes searched for the present date and lit up when she saw what day of the week it was.
Yes!
She swung a fist above her head in victory and let herself fall back onto her mattress with a bounce.
Saturday.
It was a Saturday, which meant no work. Which meant that she had the entire day to herself!
Or the entire day with Bumblebee, rather.
Arching her back, she nudged the sheet away as she stretched with a grin, suddenly more awake than she had been mere seconds ago. Now she remembered why she had set the alarm regardless.
Careful not to make a sound, Charlie got dressed and brushed her teeth, using one of her wristbands to tie her hair into a loose ponytail. She then slung her bag around her shoulders and snatched a box of Pop-Tarts from the kitchen cupboard before grabbing her keys and closing the front door behind her, smiling giddily as she made her way to the garage.
I wonder if he sleeps like us.
She snickered as the thought of surprising him crossed her mind. It was certainly tempting, and something she had loved doing with her father as a child.
Pressing an ear to the old rusty doors, she listened and waited.
Nothing.
Charlie then tiptoed to the nearest window and peaked inside. Sure enough, the yellow Volkswagen Beetle was resting on its tires in the middle of the workshop, looking to any observer like a perfectly regular and normal car.
But she knew better.
Sliding the garage door open by just a fraction, she sneaked inside and crept towards the vehicle, which was facing away from her. This could have been a great setup for a prank, but she decided to go easy on him. He hadn't exactly had many occasions to feel at ease... especially after their stroll in the forest the day before.
She paused as she recalled the strange event, her lightheartedness all at once deserting her.
Something was off. She wasn't sure what yet, but it had something to do with the look Bumblebee had worn on his face afterwards. She hadn't insisted, but it had kept her very preoccupied.
She sighed, halting mid-stride as she looked at him longingly.
His muteness wasn't a hindrance in the least to the closeness of their bond. They had developed an elaborate understanding based on body language and signs when it came to expressing themselves, and on the rare occasions this failed, Charlie knew he somehow understood everything she said.
But... still.
...Sometimes, she really wished he could talk.
Maybe one day, they would be able to exchange actual words, but in the meantime, she wanted him to get to spend at least one day without stress. She felt like he really needed the distraction. Just the two of them on a nice, fun excursion around the less visited parts of the city. To settle his nerves.
She nodded to herself, her smile returning somewhat.
That sounded like a plan.
"Bumblebee..." She called in a singsong voice, knocking softly on the driver's window.
A high-pitched double whistle answered her, followed by a deep rumble as the engine ignited itself to life.
"How are we today? Had a good night's sleep?" She inquired, patting his hood warmly.
He whirred and turned the radio on in reply, but all it produced was static.
...Right. Gotta' fix this later.
"Hey, guess what: I have the whole day off! You in for a little road-trip?"
He honked enthusiastically, no doubt excited at the prospect of leaving the narrow and shadowy confines of the garage.
Charlie laughed as she threw her bag on the passenger seat and retraced her steps towards the sliding doors, their hinges creaking loudly as she opened them all the way.
"I knew you'd be."
-o-
They circled around the main points of interest as they made their way across town, with Charlie dutifully describing each of their use for context.
"You see the roller coaster peak over there? That's where I work. It's called a theme park. There's all kinds of stuff there that's specifically built to fling and hurl you around, just for the sake of adrenaline. Oh! Oh! And that's ol' uncle Frank's repair shop. That's where I found you!"
He slowed down as they passed in front of the decaying one-story building.
"Now how in the world you ended up there, I'd sure love to know," she said incredulously. "Seriously. You looked like you had been there forever. There was dust and grime all over you!"
Bumblebee however stayed silent, and Charlie thought that it was probably best to drop the subject altogether, at least for now.
Some time later, they reached an intersection and he stopped to wink his right headlight twice, buzzing inquisitively. Charlie looked back and forth between his dashboard and the path he was indicating.
"Oh, that? It's an old trail that leads to the north section of the beach. It was closed off a few years ago after the tide and caves there were considered a potential danger for tourists. No one hardly ever goes there anymore."
She paused then, her face splitting into a knowing grin.
"...Wanna' go check it out?" she suggested with a wiggle of her eyebrows.
Not needing to be asked twice, he revved his engine and promptly veered into the path, causing Charlie to let out an entertained yelp as she was thrown back into her seat.
-o-
The area was visibly unkempt. Branches and seaweed littered the coarse sand everywhere the eye could see, and tufts of dry grass expanded almost to the edge of the shore.
This was far from the typically pristine beaches often seen on postcards and magazines. Nevertheless, it had an enigmatic and compelling atmosphere to it, and Charlie was pleased to note that it was also conveniently located at the bottom of a tall slope. Like an isolated clearing hidden in a dense forest, the location had the benefit of being almost invisible unless one was high or close enough to see it, which gave them plenty of leisure to explore and move around without fear of being spotted.
"That's the place, alright!" Charlie declared happily as she pulled on the knob and exited Bumblebee's cab.
She made sure to reasonably distance herself from him as he transformed this time, not particularly keen on being sprayed in the face with grit and dirt again.
"What do you think?" She called over her shoulders as she skipped over a log and picked up a few pebbles to throw in the water.
He looked around as he followed her, as curious as ever. She explained many different things to him as they walked, from the saltiness of seawater to the formation of clouds and the various types of animals that lived in this kind of environment.
...And when she ran out of things to talk about in her line of sight, she turned to bombarding him with questions.
"With you being made of metal and all... Do you ever get tired?... Like, would you be able to carry someone like me for a long distance, for example?" She wondered from her current vantage point, panting in exertion.
After they had reached the edge of the beach, she had attempted to climb one of the many escarpments that encircled it, but had barely managed to go above the height of his head. Now, she was hanging to a root, her feet dangling in the air as she tried to regain her footing.
Bumblebee huffed in amusement, waiting a few more seconds before plucking her from her spot like a flower. He then placed her on his shoulder and chirped lightly before turning around and back towards the way they had come.
"That wasn't the reason why I was asking!" she defended, but paused with a bashful smile when he looked at her dubiously. Secretly, she had really wanted to try this.
"...Okay. Maybe it was."
-o-
They stopped under a large tree and she hopped off, trying to conceal a giggle when he heavily plopped himself down on the sand next to her.
He seemed content, and Charlie laid back further against the trunk with a smile.
As she watched him, a subtle but peculiar detail stood out to her. It was something she remembered noticing when she had first entered his car form and looked down at his steering wheel, but which she had dismissed soon after they had introduced themselves because her mind hadn't been able to keep up with the sheer amount of information it had been trying to absorb at once. Now that they had an occasion to finally enjoy a moment of peace, however, unanswered interrogations rapidly manifested themselves again.
She could say without a shred of arrogance that she knew vehicles like the back of her hand, but this honestly had her scratching her head. It was the only part of his exterior that she couldn't recognize as an already existing piece of machinery -or anything recognizable, for that matter- and she found herself undeniably intrigued by it.
...It wasn't a commercial brand, she was sure of it. She had never seen it advertised anywhere despite having always been surrounded by stores, and no other car she could think of had ever sported anything similar.
It wasn't a gear or mechanism either. Its shape was too irregular to serve a functioning purpose, and it appeared to be literally embedded in the metal. Its location was definitely something to be noted as well. For it to be displayed so prominently, it had to be of significance.
Then... What was it?
Her silent scrutiny was interrupted when Bumblebee, feeling quite justifiably stared at, blinked and glanced her way questioningly. Had this been anyone else, her cheeks would have flushed red in embarrassment, but she had come to acknowledge by now that nothing she ever felt around other people applied to him in any way whatsoever. So, she merely smiled instead, eyes squinted in fascination.
"Bee, can I ask you something personal?"
He loosely joined his hands atop his knees in interest.
"What does this," she tapped her forehead lightly with a finger, "stand for?"
The inner workings of his eyes whirled as he processed her inquiry. Mimicking her gesture, he lifted a hand to his own face and distractedly touched the front of his helmet, leaving it there for a short while. When no revelation came, he tried repeating the action, then gave her a clueless look.
Rolling her eyes, Charlie fished out a small pocket mirror from her bag as she stood and walked up to him.
"Not the move, silly," she chuckled indulgently. "This."
Still puzzled, Bumblebee cocked his head and leaned forward, adjusting his focus. He examined his reflection attentively, and upon noticing the engraved insignia above his eyes, something suddenly clicked. Almost immediately, his features went slack and his pupils shrunk as he froze, completely transfixed.
This symbol...
'
We need more firepower!
We won't hold much longer against them!
Retreat to Polyhex and await reinforcement!
'
They have infiltrated Vector Sigma! The Citadel of Iacon has been destroyed!
We mustn't lose hope. Others will join us!
'
You have shown great valor on this day. You will make a worthy Autobot, my friend...
'
"Bee?..."
No response. He made no indication that he had even heard her.
Unnerved by his reaction, Charlie hastily put her mirror away and waved both her hands to snap him out of his trance.
"Bumblebee!"
At the use of his full name, he jumped and blinked multiple times, effectively pulled out of his torpor. There was a strange wistfulness in his eyes when he broke his gaze and ghosted two digits over the symbol again; this time with what seemed like a vague sense of recollection.
"Hey..." She cooed, stepping sideways and back in his line of vision. "What's the matter?"
Bumblebee slowly lowered his arm. The movement was measured and precise; a stark contrast to his usual, clumsy eagerness.
Charlie stiffened, perturbed by the sight.
"Did I say something wrong?" She ventured feebly.
He was quick to oppose this with a firm shake of his head, but kept his eyes trained away from her. Something in him had shifted. Where there had only been naive and unrelenting curiosity, a shadow now lingered, flickering like a flame.
"Bee... look at me," she implored.
He was struggling to obey. When he finally did, it was with the same fragility that he had shown during their very first encounter, and what she saw in the depth of his eyes broke her heart.
He looked...
Lost.
And lonely. So very lonely.
"I'm here," she said waveringly, affected by his distress. "We're in this together, okay? I'm not going anywhere."
She was softly stroking the side of his face, and as always, the gesture appeased him greatly. After a minute had passed, she sensed that he had returned to a full state of calm, and risked another question.
"Do you... wanna' talk about it?"
He appeared reluctant to do so, but eventually acquiesced. Reaching down, he took a fistful of sand and held it out for her to see. Then, he spread his fingers and tilted his hand sideways, letting it fall away until there was nothing left.
"You've... lost something?"
He nodded sadly, gesturing at his temple.
"Your hearing? No, no... uh, knowledge?... Memories!"
She stopped herself, knowing in the way he suddenly bleeped that she had guessed correctly.
"Your memories..." She reiterated, crestfallen.
Of course...
There had been hints pointing at this since the beginning, Charlie now realized. How he hadn't seemed to know his own name, had been unwilling to discuss where he was coming from and the way he had cowered in fear, even though he was much bigger and stronger than her...
His perpetual confusion and credulousness weren't personality traits. They were the consequence of a trauma.
Her eyes trailed unseeingly across his face, neck and torso as her mind raced.
Everything made sense, now.
Focus, Charlie.
She licked her lips, trying to think of the right way to approach this. "Okay... Let's see... um... Is there anything you do remember?"
She watched as he bent down again and pointed to himself before tracing a vertical line in the sand.
"That's you," she said with an understanding nod.
Nodding back, he then pointed to the sky before bringing his hand back down and tracing a series of lines next to the first. They were of varying lengths and sizes, all of them unique, and Charlie marveled at how much Bumblebee was able to convey with so little.
"You came from space..."
Another bleep.
Charlie felt her legs go limp as she stared, spellbound.
Bumblebee was an alien?...
In all fairness, she figured that she should probably have seen this coming. How else could one rationalize the existence of a sentient, transforming robot with such advanced technology?
"And... these are... your friends?"
He hesitated.
"Family?... Clan?"
He could still hear the faint echoes of the flashbacks that had assailed him only a moment before. There were sounds, faces, and the persistent feeling that he belonged somewhere... all fragments of a life he knew he had lived, but the memory of who they were, and who he once was remained locked out of reach. The one he used to be had somehow been buried along the way, only to resurface in rare and fleeting moments of clarity.
Bumblebee grew frustrated as none of the words that were supplied helped him make a connection. The awareness that had temporarily come back to him was beginning to recede, and in her determination to help him, Charlie all but latched onto the only clue she had.
"The hologram!" She blurted, giving his leg a brisk pat. "The hologram you projected in the forest the other day... Did it look familiar to you?"
The fog obscuring his expression cleared a little at the mention, and he blinked pensively before pressing a hand to his left chest plate in remembrance.
"Yes! That one!" She urged encouragingly. "Very large, blue and red... Do you remember him at all?"
Bumblebee put every bit of effort he could into trying, and to some degree, it seemed to work. It was muddled and faraway... but the certitude was there. They had met before, he was sure of it. Many times. All he was missing was a triggering element. Something like-
"He seemed to know you... What was it he said? One... One-twenty something..."
B-127.
Unbeknownst to her, the designation burst into Bumblebee's mind like a shattering glass, releasing scattered memories of sparring sessions and smoldering battlefields. These were infinitely more distinct than what he had experienced previously.
'
Well done, scout! At this rate, you'll become one of our best shooters in no time!
Don't encourage him too much, 'Hide, you know how impressionable young recruits are!
Yeah, but this one's got real potential, I'm telling you! Besides, everyone knows there's no better shooter around here than me!
'
Why so glum, young one?
I missed my target. I'm sorry, Ratchet.
You should never apologize for that! Instead, keep this in mind every time you do kill. See, factions don't matter at the end of the day. We're all the same; This war has just made us forget.
'
Am I... really one of you?
Tell me: what do you feel in your spark, soldier?
I feel, like... this is who I was always meant to be. I have never felt anything more strongly in my life.
And what would you be ready to sacrifice for this conviction?
For the Rebellion... and to follow you, my leader and mentor... I would give everything.
Then, there is no worry to be had. Never doubt yourself, my friend... for I have never doubted you.
'
He straightened as a long dormant allegiance in his circuits sprung awake, sharpening his focus with alertness and dedication. Before he even fully understood what had happened, he was ready and prepared to answer the unheard call; Ready, and prepared... to defend its owner with his own life.
Optimus...
The name flowed through him with all the tranquil and unyielding force of a river. In a daze, he reached forward and traced another line between the previous ones, longer and broader than the others. With great reverence, he then bowed his head and reached down to lay the palm of his hand on it.
Charlie's eyes followed the motion, wide with amazement at such an open display of admiration. It had to be someone extremely important to have left this much of an impression on him...
She remembered the moment the projection had materialized above her head. Despite it being quite striking and unexpected, she hadn't been afraid. On the contrary... Something about its deep, rumbling baritone and calm demeanor had radiated with goodness and nobility, inciting her to view the being as a respected figure of authority. She hadn't memorized everything he had said, but... he had given instructions. Like the briefing of a mission-
Brusquely, she swiveled her head to look at Bumblebee again. He was looking at the ground, his gaze solemn, and Charlie's mouth dropped with dawning understanding as the pieces fell into place at last.
"You're a warrior," she breathed, reeling with the shock. "This is what this symbol means, isn't it? It's an emblem, and these..." she motioned at the grooves in the sand, "these are your comrades. That's how you got your injuries. You were wounded during a battle!"
Slumping forward, Bumblebee nodded with a mix of exhilaration and relief. It was as if he had waited a lifetime to hear her say those words.
Charlie blinked, stunned out of her wits.
Looking at him, it was hard to believe that he could even hurt a fly, but everything that she had progressively discovered since knowing him said otherwise. His reflexes, his tactical approach to every situation, his mistrust towards anything that resembled a weapon...
There was much, much more to him than it had first seemed. What else had she yet to learn about him?...
"You did it," she said nonetheless, proud of his achievement. "You remembered! The other members of your team will be glad to hear about this once you all reunite!"
A spark of genuine happiness entered his gaze at her praise, but it was short lived. He seemed to remember something else, then, and his face quickly fell as he looked back at the lines he had drawn. Tilting his head in contemplation, he went to move his hand again but stopped, letting it drop as he hunched over himself with a small whine.
"...Aren't they coming to get you?" Charlie asked, voiced laced with growing apprehension. "Where are they now? Bumblebee..."
With great effort, he finally lowered his palm again, and to Charlie's horror, swiped it across the sand; erasing all the lines except his own.
"Are they all...?" She couldn't finish her sentence. She was beyond mortified.
Bumblebee was silent as he pondered her question, and for a moment, Charlie feared the worst. But after what felt like an eternity, he turned his head towards her, shrugging despondently.
"You don't know," she softly concluded for him, unsure whether to feel alleviated or dispirited by this information.
He imperceptibly shook his head in confirmation, frowning tiredly. He suddenly looked years older; eyes tinted with a weariness and experience way beyond his young traits. He had gone through more than she could imagine, and probably through more than she could ever comprehend.
Eyes constricting along with the throbbing pang in her chest, Charlie reached out and wrapped her arms around his neck, closing the space between them.
"I'm sorry," she murmured as she pressed her cheek to his, moved to tears. "I had no idea."
He returned the hug with a quiet hydraulic hiss, welcoming the tender gesture.
To think that he had been alone all this time... How scary and disorienting it must have been for him, to be stranded on a strange planet all on his own! And with so many perils too... It was only by pure chance that she had found him. She didn't want to think about what would have happened if the authorities or government had captured him first.
He needed all the help he could get, and she would do everything in her power to assist him in his quest.
Pulling back slightly, Charlie studied his face, tracing a hand along every crease with the hope of storing a perfect image of him in her memory. She wanted to remember every detail, so that if he ever forgot more of who he was, she could remind him. And if he ever forgot her... she would always know him in her heart.
But I know he won't.
"I'm sure they're looking for you," Charlie said, with all the confidence she could muster. "Just you wait and see! They'll come for you, I just know it. He won't let you down."
She was referring to Optimus, and Bumblebee's eyes shone with endearment at her persevering attempt to lift his spirits. She was right, however. If there was one thing he remembered about Prime, it was that he had never left anyone behind. He was the only one apart from Charlie who had pulled him back up and taken him in when he was nothing; forever changing his life for the better.
...Yes. He was willing to trust her on this.
"In the meantime, I'll watch over you," she assured gently, lightly caressing the top of his head. His antennas twitched up and down at the touch, moving seemingly on their own accord, and Charlie's smile broadened at the display.
He was fortunately still a youngster in many ways. She didn't know what the version of him that was whole and complete had been like, had no idea how different, wiser or fiercer he had once been before all of this had happened... But the Bumblebee standing before her... The one she had gotten to know and love... this was who she wanted to keep close and never let go of.
He was her best friend, and she wouldn't trade who he was for anything in the world.
-o-
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Me again!
This time, I wanted to write something that would really focus more on Bumblebee and show a glimpse into his psyche. As saddening as it is for this wonderful character, I really loved how his amnesia was used in the movie, and was fascinated by the childlike candor with which it made him act as opposed to how poised and fearless he is during the opening sequence.
...Now, if this oneshot is in any way inconsistent with the order in which the film's events take place, I apologize and hope this feels somewhat coherent regardless. The story is set right between two scenes (Optimus' hologram and Charlie installing a new radio for Bumblebee), if that makes sense.
And of course, thanks for reading! Feedback is greatly appreciated. :3
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