Chapter 21

Bumblebee sat outside, kicking his legs as he sat upon his waiting rock. He wanted to go with Ratchet and Prowl to check out Iacon again. They were running later than usual. He heard faint voices back in the old base. He turned around. It sounded like Prowl and Jazz. Waiting a second longer, he heard them greet Optimus. Bumblebee leapt up, running inside.

He found them standing in Prowl's office. He kept hidden, peering around the corner through the doorway. Optimus wore his usual smile, coming in as Prowl and Jazz offered him a seat. Somehow the two seemed more stressed out than usual. Bumblebee couldn't pinpoint the reason just yet.

"What's up, guys?" hummed Optimus.

"Orion, we just don't know how to say it," mumbled Prowl.

"What?" laughed Orion.

"If you were to," Jazz whispered, "learn something about…Oenopion again, what would you do?"

Bumblebee perked slightly. He'd only heard the name once or twice but the name Oenopion hurt him. Bumblebee had a quick flash of memory. He remembered it being cold waiting outside with his knees pulling inward. He stared forward, watching the horizon. He could just barely feel the presence of Prowl behind him. Bumblebee shook his head, waking up as Prowl continued the conversation.

"We know where Oenopion might be," sighed Prowl.

Bumblebee watched Optimus practically leap from his seat. He stood up quickly, his hands at his side. They curled into fists. Bumblebee couldn't see his expression but he felt an excited feeling and a slight twisted form of rage. Bumblebee never heard of Optimus being angry. He was always smiling.

"Where?"

Bumblebee held back his gasp. The voice didn't sound like Optimus, not the Optimus he knew. It was almost cold, making Bee shiver slightly. Prowl and Jazz didn't make contact, they eyed the ground. Optimus continued to stand with closed fists. He groaned.

"I asked, where?" repeated Optimus, his voice louder.

"Kaon," answered Prowl.

Bumblebee pulled away as Optimus turned for the door. He caught a small glimpse of his friend's face, and somehow it wasn't his friend's face anymore. Bumblebee closed his eyes, shaking his head again. A memory of being alone at the front door came back up again. Bumblebee sniffled, shaking his head harder. He crouched low, listening in more.

"You can't really be going to Kaon! Not now!" howled Prowl.

"I'm going to find him, again," whispered Optimus.

"We're just about to move again," Jazz gasped.

"We need your help," nodded Prowl.

"I'm not going to leave him! I'm going to find him," shouted Optimus. "Whether or not you're going to help me. I'm going out and I'm going to find him!"

"No!"

Bumblebee finally couldn't handle it. He remembered Optimus being gone for so long. He remembered sitting outside waiting for him to come back. He remembered waiting long nights in the cold. He remembered Prowl coming back to check on him. He remembered Jazz coming to check on him. It was a long continuous memory. One that he didn't want to relive.

"Bumblebee," gasped Jazz, leaning over the desk.

"You can't leave again," sobbed Bumblebee. "Don't leave again!"

"Bumblebee," whispered Optimus.

"Don't…leave again," sniffled Bumblebee.

"You don't…understand," mumbled Optimus, looking away. "I need to do this."

"No!" cried Bumblebee, throwing his arms down. "You don't!"

"I'm…I'm sorry," sighed Optimus, looking over at Bee slightly. He was much bigger since last they went through this.

"No," whispered Bumblebee, looking at the ground, "You're not sorry!"

Optimus watched as Bumblebee ran away. He couldn't quite find what to say or do anymore. Orion sighed, sitting on the desk slightly. Jazz looked out of the window. Prowl watched Orion staring out the doorway. Finally Orion stood up again. He didn't look back at them but simply exited.

"Orion!" gasped Prowl, chasing after. He stopped in the doorway, looking back at Jazz frantically. "Jazz, go catch Bumblebee!"

Prowl ran after Orion, finding him in the other office. He was sitting, staring out the window. He sighed, upon Prowl's entry. He looked back at him. Prowl looked into Orion's optics, seeing a pale, almost white blue. Orion tried to smile but it wasn't there. Prowl sighed, eyeing the ground.

"Please, think about this a moment," offered Prowl.

"I've thought it through enough. I need to find him. He's my brother…I…I need to," whispered Orion.

"You left us for a stellar cycle and a half," sighed Prowl. "You don't understand what Bumblebee went through while you were gone. He waited outside everyday and every night. He never came in or ate…I'm surprised he survived that long."

"I just…I can't leave him behind again," cried Orion. "I won't leave him behind again."

"Where…does that leave us?" whispered Prowl.

"Continue moving into Iacon. I'll meet you back there before I do anything else. Don't move my stuff either," nodded Orion, turning around.

"If…if you're really going to do this, take something with you," Prowl ordered, motion for him to follow.

Orion followed him into an unknown room. It was lined with shelves. One each shelf was a loud of weapons. Orion cringed slightly. Prowl stood in the center of the room and turned around. Orion was frowning slightly.

"What is this?" Orion asked.

"Protection," Prowl nodded. "Just in case."

"We'll talk about this later," growled Orion, snatching an Ion Blaster. He clicked it slightly.

"Be careful," sighed Prowl, turning away as Orion disappeared.

Jazz found Bumblebee waiting outside. He was tossing rocks against the wall, throwing as hard as possible. Dents were beginning to form. Jazz groaned, grabbing Bumblebee by the arm before he could throw another rock. Bumblebee looked up at him with a glare. It was the first Jazz had ever seen.

"Stop it," hissed Jazz.

"Let go!" ordered Bumblebee, pulling free.

"He'll come back," assured Jazz.

"How do you know?" questioned Bumblebee, picking up his dropping rock.

Bumblebee threw the last rock as hard as possible. It never hit the building. It missed, flying through the doorway and hitting Orion in the side. Bumblebee and Jazz perked upon his arrival. Jazz frowned, turning away as he saw the blaster on Orion's shoulder. Bumblebee snarled, picking up another rock.

"Bumblebee, please," begged Optimus.

"Shut up! Don't say it! Just stop it!" ordered Bumblebee, throwing another rock at Optimus.

"Bumblebee, stop it," growled Jazz, grabbing Bee by the arm again.

"Just leave," huffed Bumblebee, pulling free from Jazz and running inside.

Orion watched the empty doorway, hoping he would return like he so often did. Orion sighed, looking back to Jazz. The latter scoffed, turning away. Orion sighed, eyeing the ground. Neither was sure what to say nor do. Jazz moved slowly for the door. He stopped by Orion, patting him on the shoulder.

"Good luck," whispered Jazz, leaving.

"Take care," nodded Orion, walking out for Kaon.

"Optimus!"

Elita felt stupid and delayed. She rushed outside the nanoclick she saw Bee upset and Prowl silent. She knew what it meant. Optimus had found a lead of Oenopion. A lead he hadn't found in stellar cycles. He was going to follow it where ever it led. No matter what. She ran outside, but she knew she was too late.

"Optimus!" she called hopefully.

There was no answer.

"He's already gone."

She turned around, seeing Bumblebee in the doorway. He eyed the ground, his optics low and dull. Elita sniffled, pulling herself in close. Bumblebee looked away, scoffing slightly. They both were thinking fondly of him, hoping he'd come back soon.