Well, I'm back with another Bee and Sam one-shot. I think "Yellow" by: Coldplay fits Sam's relationship with Bee perfectly so I just had to write a songfic featuring the two although I don't know how truly good it is and if Sam's truly in character (and if he';s too corny or not; CC would be great). Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers, "Yellow", or any of the songs Bee uses in dialogue
Look at the stars
Look how they shine for you
And everything you do
Yeah, they were all yellow
"Where're we goin'?" Bee asked through the radio for the hundredth time. It wasn't every day that his charge would wake him up an hour before midnight to drive out of city limits.
"For the last time, Bee, it's a surprise," Sam replied. For the first time since discovering his car was a giant alien robot, he was driving, truly driving not pretending to drive. The only reason for this was that Sam thought it seemed funny to have his friend drive to his own surprise while Sam gave directions.
Some static played on the radio, and then Bee grumbled, "Fine."
"We're almost there. I promise," Sam said followed by a yawn. Despite sleeping in till noon today, he was tired.
"Kzzzzcht Kzzzzzcht – Okay – kzzzcht!"
Sam made a left turn onto a long and deserted highway. Then he turned left again onto a dirt road and up the hill to the overlook. Sam put his car into park. "Ok, Bee, we're here. When I get out, you can transform back into your robo form, ok?"
"Sure." Bee unlocked himself and opened the door for Sam. Sam got out, and Bee transformed.
Without a word, Sam walked to the lone tree and sat against it. Bee, watching Sam's actions, copied him and sat next to Sam and the tree."Why are we here?" Bee asked, confused.
Sam turned to look at him. "You've been down lately so I thought I take you here to see the stars. Whenever something bugged me and I just couldn't tell anyone, I would ride my bike at night to the Overlook and gaze at the stars. Nothing memorizes you more and makes you forget about yourself and the rest of the world than stargazing. Take a look."
Bee did and was amazed. The sky was a black sheet with thousands of glowing, yellow orbs that twinkled in the sky. It was like little tiny diamonds embedded in the smoothest, blackest marble out there. Bee was so used to being in space for the past millennium that he never really paid attention to the stars. Now his optics were truly lit up to the fantastical, astral display above him.
I came along,
I wrote a song for you
And all the things you do
And it was called 'Yellow'
Sam smiled at the obvious amazement on the yellow mech's face. He knew this would take Bee's mind off whatever was troubling him, but Sam knew that this wasn't enough. This would only distract Bee from his problems. He needed to talk it out, and Sam was there to listen. The problem is how to get Bee to bare his spark to Sam? Bee would never tell any dark story from his past or tell any dark thought to Sam, but he was willing to listen to Sam's problems and comfort him.
Sam contemplated this deeply. Bee was always there for Sam, protecting him, driving him everywhere, and just being a friend. Sam returned Bee's friendship by taking him out to drive-in movies, personally washing away every speck of dirt and waxing his yellow paint till it shined like the sun, keeping him company during the lonely days in the garage, and just spending time with Bee in any way he can. But no matter what, Bee always protected Sam with his life even if the enemy was a nasty dog who chased Sam and tried to bite him or a Decepticon with a desire to kill Sam, Bee always placed himself in harm's way to protect Sam. Sam didn't have badass cannons or unbelievable strength and speed to protect Bee, but just by being himself, Sam could protect the darkness that threatens to cloud over his cheerful, battle-scarred guardian's bright spark. But how to get Bee to talk?
So then I took my turn
Oh all the things I've done
And it was all yellow
Sam went with the most direct approach. He cleared his throat, and Bee turned around to face Sam. "Hey, Bee, the reason why I brought you here because I noticed you weren't acting like you. You seemed depressed. I thought the stars would make you happy, but I was also hoping you would share to me what's on your mind."
Bee smiled and through static, said, "It's nothing."
Sam wasn't going to let Bee lie. "It's not 'nothing', Bee. Something's been bugging you lately, and I want to help. But I can't help you if you don't talk."
Bee just turned away from Sam and gazed at the stars. Sam wasn't about to give up. "Come on, Bee, please?"
"No."
"Pretty please with a cherry on top?"
"No."
"With sprinkles and icing and all the sugar in the world?"
"No, Sam!"
Sam flinched at Bee's sudden harshness but that didn't deter him. "Well, then you leave me no choice." Sam sucked in some air and held his breath. Bee turned around at the noise of air being sucked in and saw that his charge was holding his breath. At first, Bee was confused as to why Sam was holding his breath when he wasn't underwater. Then as seconds ticked by, and Sam's face grew red, Bee understood.
"Fine. I'll bare my soul to you," Bee said and played on the radio reluctantly. Sam let go of the captive air and breathed in fresh air, letting his lungs work. "I was thinking."
"About what?"
"Tyger Pax."
"What about it?" Sam asked. Bee only told Sam of happy memories and stories, involving Cybertron. Tyger Pax never entered Bee's storytelling.
Bee was about to tell Sam, but flashbacks of the agony he had to endure by Megatron's hands flashed like lightning in Bee's mind. Bee instantly pulled his legs closer to his chassis and hugged his legs. Energon tears poured. Bee cried, "No! No! No pain! Make it stop! MAKE IT STOP!"
Sam was horrified as he watched Bee break down like a little child who just had a terrible nightmare. Sam never saw Bee this vulnerable before. Bee cried and shouted more phrases that seem to Sam that he's begging someone to stop hurting him. "Bee, it's okay! No one's gonna hurt you. That person is not here right now. Bumblebee, listen to me!"
Bee's mind wasn't here on Earth in the present but years into the past on Cybertron. Sam had to calm down Bee so he got up and climbed Bee's right leg, hoping to get onto Bee's right shoulder. Sam was thankful for the rock climbing lessons his mom forced him to take one summer, but with Bee shaking, it was proving difficult. Twice Sam almost fell. Still, Sam persevered and managed to get to Bee's knee and climb on his right arm which was much easier due to it being parallel to the ground. After carefully crawling across Bee's arm, Sam managed to get to Bee's shoulder. He sat himself up and tenderly rubbed Bee's head and whispered soothing words into his guardian's auditory receptors. After fifteen minutes of this, Bee began to calm down.
Your skin, oh yeah, your skin and bones
Turn into something beautiful
D'you know? You know I love you so
You know I love you so
The tears stopped, and Bee made a sound equivalent to sniffling. Sam waited patiently for Bee to get himself back together. Finally, Sam asked, "What happened, Bee?"
Bee made a sound equivalent to a sigh. "At – kzzzcht kzzzcht – Tyger Pax, I stalled…Decepticons so – kzzzzcht kzzzcht – Optimus could launch AllSpark into space, but Megatron hurt me…hurt me so bad! Tore off my right arm! Crushed my voice box! Hurt so bad! Couldn't fight back! Thought I was gonna die!"
Bee's story consisted of only one broken sentence and five fragments, but Sam could hear every ounce of agony as though Bee told a very long and detailed story of what Megatron did to him at Tyger Pax. Sam could only rub Bee's head in circles while new energon tears poured from Bee's optics. Bee had been through a very traumatic experience so it was understandable that Bee was breaking down and crying.
Sam closely inspected Bee's socket and rubbed it, trying to feel any scar born from the severing of Bee's arm. Sam couldn't feel any. I guess Ratchet fixed Bee up good, Sam thought, but he continued to rub that area as if he were trying to erase what had been done to Bee's right arm. Then Sam turned his attention to Bee's throat where Bee's voice box would be inside. Sam couldn't reach Bee's throat, but he inspected it closely, straining his eyes to peer through the darkness and see any kind of scar that signified the terrible ordeal Bee was put under by Megatron's hands. Sam couldn't see any, and he hoped there was none to mar Bumblebee's beautiful yellow armor. After meeting Bumblebee, Sam grew to love the color yellow. It was now his favorite color. Yellow was Bumblebee's pain, glistening in the sun after washing him in his Camaro form. Yellow was the blinding color Bee's enemies see after attempting to hurt and/or kill Sam and now facing an angry, overprotective guardian. Yellow was the sunshine. Not just the sun in the sky but Sam's own personal sun – Bumblebee. No scar or dent should mar Sam's sunshine, and no black clouds should darken Sam's sunshine.
Sam rubbed the back of Bee's head. Sam loved Bee so much. Bee was like his big brother, his best friend, and Bumblebee returned Sam's love. Sam couldn't stand the thought of Megatron hurting Bee like he had. It broke Sam's heart to see Bee vulnerable like a scared child. Sam wanted to kill Megatron for what he did to Bumblebee, but of course that ship has sailed. Sam already killed Megatron. He was lying on the bottom of the Pacific Ocean.
I swam across
I jumped across for you
Oh what a thing to do
'Cause you were all yellow
Sam remembered when Barricade had kidnapped him, demanding to know where the AllSpark sliver is, and when Sam didn't give an answer (not that Sam could), Barricade was about to kill him if Bumblebee hadn't intervened. Then when Barricade was about to deliver the deathblow to Bumblebee, Sam managed to distract Barricade from offlining Bee so Bee could offline Barricade (although Barricade escaped alive). Sam saved Bumblebee because he loved Bee as a brother and Bumblebee saved Sam not only out of duty as a guardian but because Bee loved Sam as a brother. Sam knew it in his heart. Now he wished he could travel back in time to save Bee from Megatron. Sam doesn't know how he would have been able to offline Megatron but he would have either thought of something or go blindly into battle. He would have done everything in his power to stop Megatron from hurting his beloved guardian. Sam shuddered to think what might have happen if Megatron killed Bee than simply caused him agony.
I drew a line
I drew a line for you
Oh what a thing to do
And it was all yellow
There was no time to think of what ifs. Bee needed to be comforted. "Bee," Sam said. Bumblebee didn't look at him but raised his head to show that he was listening. "It's going to be okay. I promise."
"No, it's not okay!" Bee played on high volume.
"It will be, Bumblebee, and I know because I will be here for you one step of the way. I'm not gonna leave you alone to fend for your demons," Sam nearly shouted. "Trust me. There have been times when I felt alone and scared like you. Remember Trent DeMarco?"
Bee nodded.
"Well, he and I went to the same middle school, and he was still as much of a jerk as he is now. He used to bully me a lot – calling me names, using physical force, all that crap. I was really scared to go to school and pretended I was sick to avoid going. I felt alone and scared whenever I was in the same building with him, and not matter how alone or scared I felt, I could never bring myself to tell my parents or a teacher because I felt ashamed of how weak I was to be depending on an adult to help me instead of standing on my own two feet. And sure enough, I began to grow depressed and had constant nightmares, but things began to look up. You know why?"
"Why?" Bee asked.
"Because I found a friend through Miles Lancaster who was also dealing with the same crap as I was. We became fast friends, and sure enough, I didn't feel alone or scared or depressed anymore. Not only that but together Miles and I kept Trent off our backs. We watched out for each other and provided support. Now Trent is only just a nuisance that could be ignored," Sam explained. "So my point is that you may feel alone and scared and ashamed to let anyone in on how you're feeling, but it will just get worse just like what happened to me, and it's okay to feel hurt after what Megatron did to you. I would, too, and now that you told me, I'm going to help you out and ease the pain. I promise. After all, that's what friends are for."
Bee's face was the equivalent of smiling. "Thanks, Sam."
Your skin, oh yeah, your skin and bones
Turn into something beautiful
D'you know? For you I bleed myself dry
For you I bleed myself dry
"Bee," Sam said, "I wish I could travel back in time to prevent this from happening to you. You know I love you, and I would do anything, even if it means giving up my own life to protect yours."
Bee lightheartedly remarked, "Since when did you become my guardian?"
"Since when we became best friends and you needed a shoulder to lean on," Sam said.
"I'd do anything for you to protect you," Bee said without his earlier lighthearted tone.
"I know, but just know that while I'm not a Transformer and even if I don't have weapons and it's just me against the whole world, I'll still find a way to save your life so don't ever doubt my own human fragility. We're best friends, brothers even. Brothers will protect each other forever even if it means giving up one's own life. That's what my dad always told me except he was being general and saying siblings rather than brothers because he grew up with four brothers and a sister."
"I'd never doubt you, Sam. Just overprotective of you," Bee defended himself.
"Okay, Bee," Sam said, and he and Bee turned their attention to the stars.
It's true
Look how they shine for you
Look how they shine for you
Look how they shine for
"Sam?" Bee asked after twenty minutes of stargazing.
"Hmmm?"
"What if you got killed saving me?" Bee asked in a childish (but unavoidable) voice.
"Then just look up at the stars, and I'll be watching over you. That's what humans do when they die and go to Heaven. They watch over their loved ones, and people call the stars and space 'the heavens' so there's got to be a correlation," Sam said.
"Ooh, heaven is a place on earth," sang Belinda Carlisle on Bee's radio.
"Not that kind of heaven, Bee," Sam corrected.
"Greener pastures…higher hills…sweeter waters…Champagne supernova in the sky," bee then played again.
"Yup, that kind of heaven," Sam said.
"You're a star the way you are…You got the eyes of an angel…And all of the stars in heaven/I saw yours shining bright/and of all my heart's desires/I wished for your love tonight," Bee played from a couple of songs.
"Yeah, Bee, thanks. Glad I could help," Sam said. A little embarrassed at Bee's choice of songs especially the second song which happened to be a love song.
"You're welcome."
Look how they shine for you
Look how they shine for you
Look how they shine
"But, Bee?" Sam asked.
"Yeah?"
"What happens if you die and leave me all alone?" Sam asked, scared. Bee dying in the line of duty was a great possibility. Even greater than Sam dying to save Bee.
"Then – kzzzcht – won't join Well of AllSparks. Kzzzcht – become a star and watch over you. When you die, you become a star, and we'll be together forever," Bee said while misinterpreting Sam's reassurance of watching over Bee like a star.
Sam yawned. "That sounds nice." Then on a further note, Sam asked, "Are you feeling any better, Bee?"
"Yeah. Much better 'cause I got you to help me now. Thanks."
"Glad I could help."
Look at the stars
Look how they shine for you
And all the things that you do
Nothing was said after that and for the next hour, Sam and Bee gazed at the stars. Sam noticed the childish awe on Bee's face and was happy that Bee no longer wore the face of someone battling depression all alone. Sam tenderly rubbed Bee's head and gazed at the stars whose bright, twinkling yellow and their tendency to watch over those down on Earth reminded Sam of his own yellow guardian. But for once, Sam was able to act like a star for Bee, watching out for Bee when he was alone and guiding him out of the darkness that Bee stumbled and grew lost in. Sam understood that darkness all too well even though it came to him in a different form six years ago, but when the darkness revisited Sam in the form of low self-esteem and worthlessness, Bee was there to be the sun. Now it was Sam's turn to be the sun in Bee's life, but what Sam didn't know, he had always been the sun in Bee's life ever since Sam bought him as a 1976 Camaro. But right now, even at nighttime, the darkness couldn't touch any Bee or Sam. Not when there with each other under the yellow stars.
Songs Used For Bee's Dialogue
"I'll bare my soul to you" Bare My Soul by: Mr. Mister
"No, it's not okay" It's Not Okay by: Zac Brown Band
"Ooh, heaven is a place on earth" Heaven Is A Place On Earth by: Belinda Carlisle
"Greener pastures…higher hills…sweeter waters..." Heaven Song by: Phil Wickham
"Champagne supernova in the sky" Champagne Supernova by: Oasis
"You're a star the way you are…You got the eyes of an angel…" The Star Song by: Bowling For Soup
"And all of the stars in heaven/I saw yours shining bright/and of all my heart's desires/I wished for your love tonight" All The Stars In Heaven by: Chris Holmes