Chapter Two: Complications

Sari couldn't believe it: Bumblebee, mute. She was sitting next to Bumblebee on the repair table, looking down at his resting form, completely without dent or damage. If things hadn't been so serious before, and the other bots hadn't explained just how close to death the yellow bot had come, she wouldn't have believed it was true to look at him now. Ratchet did a good job repairing him. His armor was now so pristine that it looked like it was newly forged, and he was resting so peacefully it was easy to mistaken the coma-like state with a deep recharge. Of course, that had a lot to do with Sari's AllSpark key and it's never failing ability to remake anything. Remake yes, create out of nothing? No.

Sari sighed as she pulled her knees up to her chin. What would the talkative young bot do once he came out of stasis unable to speak? She didn't know, but she was going to be right here for him when he did. Ratchet said he'd wake up any time now, so Sari waited.

Slowly, but surely, Bumblebee could feel himself coming back to wakefulness. He couldn't remember what happened to him, his mind still in a fog, but he could remember feeling pain. A quick, overwhelming burst of it. But now, as he came back to consciousness, he felt none. Ratchet must have patched him up already, he figured.

His optics finally came back online, and he realized he was in Ratchet's med bay. He heard murmuring voices off to his right, so he tilted his head to see who was there. He saw Sari sitting on the edge of the examination table. Her back was turned to him, so she didn't notice he had awaked. Bumblebee could see she was listening to Ratchet, Prime, and the others discussing something. They all seemed rather grim.

"How are we gonna tell him?" He heard Bulkhead ask. Tell him what? Were they talking about him?

"As carefully as we can, Bulkhead." Prime said. "We don't want to scare him."

Uh-oh. What's happened to me? I feel fine. Maybe I should tell them that. Bumblebee thought. So he sat up and opened his mouth to explain that. Nothing came out.

Upon hearing the movement, everyone turned to look at him. 'What's going on?' he tried to ask, but nothing came out. How come his throat hurt so badly?

"Bumblebee! You're awake!" Sari jumped up and wrapped her small arms around his neck. He put his arm around her and wanted to say something, but for some reason, he just couldn't. He looked up at Ratchet with pleading eyes, hoping the doc bot would have an explanation.

Ratchet understood the look immediately. "Well, ok, Bumblebee, I guess you wanna know what's wrong with your vocal processor?"

Bumblebee scowled and nodded his head fiercely. Well, duh! He thought. Sari stepped back from her embrace to watch Bumblebee's reaction as the medic continued.

"Do you remember the Decepticon attack?" he asked.

He nodded. Now that Ratchet mentioned it, it all came back to him. He didn't know if it was Lugnut or Blitzwing that got the drop on him, but from the damage that he knew was inflicted on him before he passed out, he guessed it was probably the larger mech.

"You were damaged pretty bad. And, I did all I could, but your vocal processor was missing." Ratchet said hesitantly. "And, Sari's key didn't replace it, and I don't have a replacement part here."

'What!' Bumblebee's jaw dropped, and his servos flew up to his neck. His mouth was working overtime as he tried to get something to come out but failing in his attempts. His whole body went rigid, and then slammed back down on the berth, his optics now closed and every joint still.

Ratchet groaned at the young bot's over-dramatics, and shook his head slowly side to side. "Calm down, kid! I said I didn't have the replacement here! I can get it though!"

Bumblebee chanced to peek open an optic from his death feint to see the medic near his head.

"All I have to do is contact Cybertron and ask them to send the part." Ratchet explained as the yellow compact slowly eased up into a sitting position again.

"We're going to contact the Elite Guard today and ask them how long it will take them to send the part." Optimus explained. "Until then, you're just going to have to accept the fact you can't talk."

Bumblebee frowned and his bottom lip quivered. He looked completely crestfallen, all slouched over like a junk heap, so Sari hugged his arm reassuringly, claiming it was going to be all right in no time.

Just as Optimus promised, he got in contact with Cybertron and explained the situation. While he was doing that, Bumblebee was sitting in front of the giant TV screen, flipping through the stations in boredom.

"Hey, that's a good show!" Sari said, but Bumblebee didn't even stop and continued on to the next channel and then the next. "Well, fine." Sari grumbled. She crossed her arms and glared at her mute friend. He wasn't paying any attention to what he was doing. He had a very faraway look on his face, as if no sentience inhabited his mind. And for all Sari knew, he'd probably be like that until Prime came in and told them when to expect the replacement part.

But Sari was getting sick of watching channel after channel flash by in a blur of colors and splotches, so she reached out and tried to take the remote away from Bumblebee. Apparently, he wasn't too far-gone because he snatched the remote out of Sari's reach and shook his head no.

"Come on, Bee! You're not even paying attention!" Sari argued.

'Am too!' Bumblebee tried to say, forgetting his problem. He grimaced when he realized Sari wasn't going to understand him, and he sank back into the couch and held back a sob.

Sari didn't need to be told Bumblebee was almost to tears, if robots could cry that is, she could read his expression just fine.

"I'm sorry, Bumblebee." She said. She didn't ask for the remote again, deciding that she could stand awaiting Prime's return with nonsense flashing by on the screen.

"Well?" Bulkhead asked Prime once he and Ratchet returned from the communications room after explaining the situation to the bots back on Cybertron. They seemed a bit agitated, especially Ratchet, well, a bit more so than normal for the medic.

Everyone gathered around them, Bumblebee standing right in front of them, impatiently awaiting the news. He put his hands on his hips and started tapping his foot like he had seen Sari do when she was impatient.

"Tell him, Ratchet." Optimus ordered, obvious he didn't want to be the bringer of news.

"They can get us the part," the older bot began. Bumblebee grinned and punched the air with his fist. "But," Ratchet continued, "They won't get here for an Earth month, maybe longer."

Bumblebee's arms flopped to his sides and his jaw dropped again. I don't believe this, he groaned inwardly.

"Apparently, they don't consider repairing one of our team is important enough to go ahead and send it." Ratchet grumbled. It was obvious he was ticked off but good.

"They said they were having some problems with new Decepticon raids. They'll get it to us as soon as they can." Optimus tried to smooth things over before it turned into an enraged medic and a panicky Bumblebee.

"So, Bumblebee's not going to be able to talk for a month?" Sari asked in utter disbelief. She always thought Ratchet could fix anything. "There's no way we can do a patch-up job?"

"I don't have anything to replace it with!" answered Ratchet, his voice rising.

Bumblebee was now sprawled on the floor, his arms and legs splayed out around him. It was as if the world was about to end for the small, yellow bot. If he could make a sound, they were sure he'd be whining like a small child not getting his way. His scrunched up face sure looked like it.

He sat up and then crossed his arms and glared up at the medic.

"Well, there's nothing I can do!" Ratchet informed, glaring back at the smaller bot.

"So, we're actually going to have peace and quiet around here?" asked Prowl. "Finally."

Bumblebee scowled, and turned his attention away from the medic to the sleek, black and gold cyber-ninja. With a tremendous leap, he lunged for the motorcycle bot and tackled him to the floor. Prowl was easily able to escape, however, and slipped out of Bumblebee's reach before he was able to do anything more. A small grin came to Prowl's face as Bumblebee looked where he had been and then up to where he stood now.

Oh, it's not going to be quiet around here. Bumblebee promised himself as he glared daggers at Prowl. Especially for you. You're going to wish you had never said that!

OK, everyone! Here's chapter two! And I actually got it out sooner than I was planning. Are you happy for that? lol Ok, so the next chapter is where the hilarity will truly begin. The first chapter wasn't funny, but the rest are going to be. At least, I hope they will be!

If you like it, then please review! :)