Alright, Prowl. What'd you do to the kid?
If he could've ignored the question, he would have gladly done so. Just from it alone, Prowl knew that they didn't know what occurred between him and Bumblebee little more than five Earth hours ago which left him with two possibilities: they either hadn't seen it yet and Bumblebee was reluctant to come out of their room or the beetle had already painted over the mark and was too depressed to confide in any of his teammates. And Prowl just wasn't ready to admit to them what he'd done.
Instead, he settled for playing dumb.
"What do you mean, Ratchet?" Prowl asked.
What I mean is none of us have been able to find Bumblebee for the last three hours If not for the fact he was known for a quick reaction time, Prowl would have likely crashed into the oncoming car, unintentionally swerving into the other lane and back again, at Ratchet's words. Bumblebee was missing? Fearing the worst, Prowl picked up his speed, though he was unsure of where to start looking. When he got no response from the ninja, Ratchet spoke again,
We've looked everywhere, Prowl. Tried every camera we have in Detroit, nothing. Spark signature's not registering with the computer, and every time we try his comm. link, we get nothing but static. It's like he's dropped off the face of the planet
Prowl thought hard, trying to imagine where Bee could have gone. Anywhere, he could be anywhere.
"Okay Ratchet, I'm going to look for him, thanks for telling me," Prowl replied, trying to stop his voice from shaking, though he was sure Ratchet could sense the worry through the comm.
If anyone can find him you can Prowl Ratchet said, more softly this time.
"I hope your right Ratchet," Prowl said swallowing hard before disconnecting. Where did he start looking? What if he was hurt? What if he'd hurt himself? What if he was the cause of this? The panic started to take over and Prowl knew he'd get nowhere like this. Pulling over, he transformed and took a calming cycle of air, trying to focus on finding Bee and push the panic away. Thinking logically for the first time, he realized that maybe Bumblebee had just hidden himself away, wanting to be left alone and his signal had been blocked. Maybe if he tried to communicate with him through their bond, he'd see he was Okay. Sending a wave of panic down their bond he found with increasing concern that Bee and still blocked his side of the bond. Still, he was partly reassured by the fact he could still sense the others spark, meaning Bumblebee was still online if nothing else. Venting a sigh of relief he realized he still might be able to track him through their bond. Trying to probe their bond again, he this time focused on his location. Because Bumblebee was blocking him, he couldn't tell his exact location but it gave him a general area. Its still better than nothing, Prowl thought. He tracked Bumblebee's location to the woods, near the place where he and Bumblebee had first shared the news of their sparkling. Prowl had avoided that place, it hurt too much to go there anymore. But there were good memories there too. That was also the place where he and Bumblebee had first confessed their love for each other. Getting there took a long time, something that disgruntled Prowl. Why did he have to be so far away? And that didn't explain his lack of spark signature. He shuddered at the idea of his mate being offline. What if that hit, those words were Bumblebee's last memories of him? He didn't think he could ever bare that. Sending another wave of panic down the bond he hoped Bumblebee would open up, and he did. But not in the way Prowl was expecting, and Bee's words sent a chill down his spine.
:PROWL! PROWL HELP ME: Bumblebee screamed through their bond and Prowl felt pain filter through their bond. Speeding up, not caring an ounce anymore about being careful.
:Bee what's happening?: Prowl called back :Who's hurting you?:
:It's *static* and I he wants to…: but Bumblebee cut off mid sentence.
:BEE!: Prowl screamed through the bond in a panic, nearly at his location :Hang on I'm coming: Prowl burst into the clearing a few seconds later and skidded to a halt, transforming. He immediately spotted short green mech, his chassis stained in energon, his purple optics shining with malice and triumph. When he spotted Prowl, he immediately bolted, darting into the forest before Prowl could say a word. Prowl knew that bot, from the picture he'd seen that looked like Wasp, the innocent autobot traitor. But right now Prowl couldn't care less why he was here or what he was doing, he had to find Bumblebee. Then he spotted him.
"N…N…No…" Prowl mumbled as he stumbled towards the form of his bond-mate. Bumblebee was laying on the grass, covered in energon, not moving. Bumblebee was never that still. Prowl fell to his knees infront of Bumblebee with sob and gently scooped the limp form of his bond-mate into his arms. Bumblebee's optics were off and his helm moved to one side limply, facing Prowl. The mark Prowl had made on his cheek earlier was still there and Prowl's spark fell deeper into despair. He was out here because of him. He was dead or dying now because of him. He had to contact Ratchet, he just had to. He tried his comm but the signal was blocked and suddenly all the pieces clicked together. There was something about this place that blocked their signal, that's why they couldn't detect Bumblebee's. There was no other explanation. Wasp simply didn't have the technology to block his signal. Praying for a miracle, he turned his attention back to Bumblebee, not daring to move him incase he worsened his situation. Suddenly, Bumblebee's optics flickered, and online. Prowl gasped and held the little bot closer.
"Bee!" he said, weak with relief, "Its going to be Okay Bee, your gonna be Okay."
"P…P…Prowl?" Bumblebee called up to him weakly, his cloudy optics focusing up at him, "That you?"
"Yeah Bee its me," Prowl said with a small sad smile, "Its Okay, I'll take you to Ratchet, your gonna be just fine."
"Shh," Bumblebee said, "Don't waste your efforts Prowl, you of all bots should know…" But he didn't finish. He dissolved into a coughing fit, the coughing of a mech choking on his own energon.
"No Bee," Prowl said softly, "You can't give up, I won't let you. Ratchet will fix this." As though Prowl's prayers had been answered, the sounds of engines and sirens could be heard in the background, not to far away. Prowl could hardly believe it, they were coming! Knowing his comm would be useless he yelled to the others.
"Ratchet!" Prowl yelled and he heard the screeching of tires as they skidded to a halt.
"Prowl!" Ratchet yelled back, "That you?"
"Yes!" Prowl yelled, "Please hurry! Bumblebee's hurt! He needs you!"
"We're coming! We're not far from your location now…I think!" Ratchet called back and Prowl prayed with his entire spark he was right. Looking back down at his bond-mate, he saw Bumblebee's optics starting to slowly fall offline again, his helm dropping. He shock the small mech to wake him up.
"Come on Bee, you can't sleep now," Prowl said gently as he rested his helm on the younger's, "You just have to hang on until Ratchet gets here. He won't be long."
"Prowl…" Bee said, his voice weaker now, "I…I can't…I can feel…my spark…its fading." Prowl found that he was indeed right. He could feel his bond-mate's spark, slowly fading away from him. Prowl's spark quickly wrapped protectively around its other, trying to keep it here. It seemed to perk him up a little, but it didn't do too much to help.
"Prowl…" Bee said again, "Do…do you remember the first time…we were here?"
"Of course I do Bee," Prowl said softly, rocking the small bot, "How could I ever forget?"
"That…that was the best day…of my entire life-stream," Bumblebee said with a smile, "One of the best anyways. The day we bonded is pretty close, if not…above that." Prowl kissed the top of his helm, the oil tears streaking down his faceplate.
"You…you were the best thing that…ever happened to me," Bumblebee continued, "You mean everything to me."
"Oh Bee," Prowl said nuzzling the top of his helm, "You are everything to me. Nothing could mean more, nothing. You made me happy, you took away the pain, and you made me whole again Bumblebee. You and your smile, the way your optics shine, everything about you…you fixed this bot Bee, you made me better."
"There was…nothing to make better," Bumblebee breathed, "How could I change something that's perfect?" And with that, he leaned up with his remaining strength and kissed Prowl on the lips. Prowl poured everything into that final kiss, his love, his grief, his need to be with him, his entire spark. Suddenly Bumblebee broke the kiss, his optics dimmed and his armour a dull yellow.
"I love you," Bumblebee whispered, and his optics shone with the feeling of love he felt for the ninja-bot. Then they turned dark grey, his armour darkening to a similar hue of grey, and he went completely limp in Prowl's arms. Suddenly Prowl felt a searing pain in his chassis and he gasped, putting his servo's over his chassis where his spark was. Memories flashed through his meta. He saw Bulkhead and Wasp with other bots, Sentinel at the head, Bumblebee standing next to Bulkhead looking excited. Bulkhead saving Bumblebee from a laser, sending a building crashing in the process. Wasp being accused of betrayal. He saw himself sitting in a tree and felt a stab of admiration. Battles with Megatron and the Decepticons, the fear and exhilaration of battle. Prowl standing opposite Bumblebee in the clearing, both bots looking nervous as they confessed their love for each other. Prowl's lustful gaze above Bumblebee as they interfaced for the first time. The light that filled the room when they bonded. Ratchet telling him he was carrying and then Bumblebee telling Prowl. The agony of losing the sparkling. Bumblebee's feeling of utter turmoil and guilt when he and Bee argued, the hurt of Prowl's angry words. The pain as Wasp struck him again and again. The feeling of completeness and understanding in his final moments. The soaring feeling of ecstasy and overwhelming love as they shared their final kiss. That all faded, leaving Prowl's spark shuddering in its chamber. Had he…Had he just seen Bumblebee's memories as his spark faded? Desperately trying to deny the idea that his beloved was offline he tried to feel Bumblebee's spark with his own. But instead he was rewarded with a broken connection, no feelings of love or affection…none…and none would ever be felt again. Prowl could almost feel his spark shattering. He was gone…Bumblebee…the light of his life…he one true love…he was gone...As the shock left, the overwhelming grief set in. Prowl couldn't take it, it hurt, it hurt so much. He shock with the depth of emotion. Everything…it was over…all over…nothing…there was nothing left…everything that he ever loved was gone…his little Bee…his smile…his beautiful optics…Prowl threw back his helm and did something he'd never thought he'd do. He screamed to the heavens.
"NOOOOOOOOO!" Prowl screamed, all his grief, all his new found sense of agony and utter spark break was poured into that display of emotion, the oil tears flowing freely down his faceplate. He no longer cared what he looked like, or what anyone thought. This pain was too much. He needed Bumblebee. He needed the only bot that had ever truly understood him, loved him, cared for him. He needed him.
"Prowl!" Ratchet called out in alarm, "Where are you Prowl?" Suddenly Ratchet burst into the clearing, his optics wide with alarm, the others on his heels. Ratchet instantly spotted the two.
"Oh Prowl…"
