This was cut from the end of the last chapter, so there are no original comments. Please enjoy, and know that I might get the rest of this story up today.
Bumblebee stood looking out over the ocean, listening to the conversation behind him. He was, for the most part, unresponsive to Kup's story of Sam changing and becoming part of their team. Bumblebee didn't give a damn about all the changes, only that it was his boy, and he was safe, sound, and, more than anything else, alive. He was waiting for Sam to wake up so that he could talk with the boy directly and ask him why he didn't trust him enough to reveal who he really was. That was the first and only thing Bumblebee had asked Kup. It also happened to be the only thing that Kup wouldn't tell them.
"I'm sorry, lad, but that's for Silverstreak to explain to you," Kup had said seriously.
"His name's Sam!" Bumblebee had snarled back before going over to the spot that he was still standing in.
First Aid came out the door and whispered to Kup, who nodded at the medic and watched as he went back inside. Bumblebee felt a surge of anger when the green mech just continued on with his story, not telling them what First Aid had said. The yellow mech turned and walked inside the base, glad when nobody tried to stop him. He walked straight to the medbay and tried to open it, but it was locked.
Bumblebee knelt down and broke open the panel that concealed the wires to the control panel and quickly cross-wired them; he wasn't a scout for nothing. The door slid open, and Bumblebee went in. Sam lay on the berth, awake and staring up at the ceiling. He turned to see who had entered and his eyes went wide when he saw Bumblebee. The yellow mech let the door slide close behind him before, in a moment of childlike anger, smashing the control panel located inside the door. Nobody was getting in or going out until he had gotten some answers. Sam actually looked afraid as his guardian approached him.
"Hello, Sam," Bumblebee said quietly.
"Um, h-hi," Sam whimpered in English.
Bumblebee sat down on the side of the berth, staring down at Sam. "You know what I want to talk about, don't you?"
Sam nodded, and he spoke bitterly. "Yeah. Why I'm such a coward."
"Sam, you are many things, but I do not classify you under coward."
"But I was afraid to tell you about…me."
"Ah. That's what I want to know. Why didn't you tell me?"
"I was afraid," Sam repeated, looking away.
"Why? You know you don't have to be afraid of me, so why would you be? Don't you trust me?"
"Of course I trust you! It's just…"
"I'm listening Sam," Bumblebee said patiently. "And I won't judge you."
"Well," Sam said slowly, trying to put his thoughts and feelings into words. "Kup and the others treat me like a mech. A Cybertronian. I was afraid you guys would treat me like a human, but I'm not human anymore! I-I like being treated like a mech. It makes me happy. And…" He trailed off, suddenly feeling shy.
"And?" Bumblebee prompted gently.
"Well, I look different. I'm a freak, Bee."
"Show me."
"What?" Sam asked in alarm.
"Show me how you're a freak," Bumblebee repeated.
Sam opened his mouth to protest, but stopped and thought. Back on Cybertron, Kup's team didn't really ever comment when they saw him naked. He recalled First Aid telling him about how Cybertronians were unashamed of their bodies, and, keeping that thought in mind, stood up shakily and let the blanket drop. He couldn't help the hot blush that spread across his cheeks as Bumblebee looked over his new body. His silver form had black metal bandages on his arms, hands, and around his chest. The yellow mech tilted his head and smiled gently after taking in Sam's whole body.
"I don't see anything freakish about you."
"You don't?" Sam asked, looking up at his guardian.
"No, I don't. I see Sam," Bumblebee replied simply.
Sam smiled and pressed against Bumblebee's warm side. How could he have not trusted Bumblebee? The yellow mech had been his closest friend for years, and had never once made fun of him for anything stupid he'd done (and holy hell, had he done some stupid slag). Bumblebee smiled warmly and curled a hand around his boy, lifting him easily up to optic level.
"Sam, remember this. I will always love you. You are my best friend and my charge. You do know what the true definition of a guardian is now, correct?"
Sam nodded. "I don't feel that I deserve you, though. You are the best thing that's ever happened to me."
Bumblebee laughed softly. "I can still remember your first reaction to me. Something about me being Japanese…"
Sam laughed. "Seeing as how I've been to your home planet, I can confirm that you are definitely not from Japan."
"Indeed. Cybertron is nothing like Japan." Bumblebee paused. "What do you think of our music?"
"Oh, I love it! Blaster is amazing! He can make almost anything into a musical instrument, and, no matter what, it sounds great!"
"Of course he does. He's Blaster," Bumblebee replied. There was a pounding at the door and Sam started in Bumblebee's hands.
"What the hell was that?" Sam asked.
"Bumblebee! Open this door!" Optimus called from the other side.
"Um, I can't," Bumblebee called back. Maybe smashing the controls had been a bit extreme.
"What do you mean you can't?" Ratchet demanded.
"I, er, destroyed the controls…" Bumblebee flinched. Ratchet was going to kill him, put him back together, and kill him again.
"You did what?!" Ratchet bellowed.
"Calm down, Ratchet!" Ironhide growled. "I can blast through the door, no problem."
"You are not blasting through the door of my medbay!"
"Fine then, we'll have to fix the controls," Optimus mediated.
"Sorry!" Bumblebee said sheepishly.
"Oh, you're going to be sorry when we get through this door!" Ratchet snarled.
"I can get you through the door," Sam said, amused.
"You can? Well then what are you waiting for?" Ratchet asked impatiently.
"I'll get you through the door if you don't hurt Bumblebee," Sam replied, grinning at his friend.
"What? Oh fine, just open the damned door!"
Sam grabbed his shorts up and pulled them on before getting ready to leap off the berth. Before he could, Bumblebee grabbed him up and carried him over to the controls without question. Sam smiled up appreciatively before turning and putting his hands into the exposed circuitry. His fingers worked quickly, plugging the wires into the proper places. There was impatient mumbling from the other side of the door, but Sam ignored it and concentrated on putting all the wires in the correct places. When everything was back in place, Sam pulled his hands back and relaxed in Bumblebee's hands as the door slid open. Optimus, Ratchet, and Ironhide came in and stared at Sam, who smiled nervously at them.
"Is it really you, Sam?" Optimus asked gently.
Sam rolled his eyes. "No. I'm a Decepticon whose molecular structure was changed into this strange form to spy on you cursed Autobots."
"That's Sam alright," Ironhide said, unable to keep the affection out of his voice.
"So…you're different…" Ratchet stated, his optics taking on a gleam of interest that all medics seemed to possess when faced with something new.
"You can look me over once I'm better, but you'll have to get First Aid's permission," Sam said with a tired smile.
Ratchet looked thrilled. "Really? Ooh! I can't wait!"
"Sam?" Optimus asked.
"Yes, sir?" Sam replied automatically.
Optimus looked surprised then frowned. "First of all, there's no need to call me 'sir' when we're not on duty. Second of all…why didn't you trust us?"
Bumblebee cut in and answered for Sam, unconsciously starting to pet the boy's back with gentle strokes. Sam sighed, enjoying the feeling of Bumblebee's rough fingers stroking his back. His eyes were closed so he didn't realize that the Autobots were staring at him until Optimus spoke.
"I recall that you used to hate it when any of us did that."
"Hm? Did what?" Sam asked, opening his eyes and staring up at the Prime.
"Pet you like that," Ratchet replied.
"Mm? Oh, now I know it's just the way you show affection. I like it. So nice…" Sam trailed off, relaxing further into the petting.
"You need to sleep," Ratchet said suddenly. "That was quite the burst of power that you used."
Sam had no complaints there. He stripped off when Ratchet told him to and allowed himself to be covered with his warm blanket. To his surprise, Bumblebee lay down next to him and pulled him close to his chest. Sam snuggled into the warm metal and easily fell asleep. Before he did, he heard the Autobots murmuring a good night to him. He knew that when he woke up, he'd have to have a more revealing talk with all three of them, but at the moment, he was too tired to care.