Chapter 25

A/N: And we are back to Bumblebee in this chapter! Let's see what kind of trouble he gets himself into this time, shall we? Once again: I own nothing, but my OCs.

When 'Bee came back from the market, Eclipse's fever had spiked again, her skin was drawn, and her skin had started to develop a sickly yellow tint. 'Bee had seen the sign before, and it was never good. So 'Bee went to see the healer everyone had been talking about recently, unsure if his own skills would be adequate. After promising to pay him double, he literally dragged the man to his home. Naturally he was nervous, having heard of 'Bee's fearsome reputation. The man gave his mother sickly smelling brews and burned an incense that released more fumes. At this point 'Bee decided he was a grafter, and he wouldn't pay the man. Though his mother did say she was feeling better and could breathe easier…he didn't believe it. Out of desperation, and his lack of willow bark, 'Bee rode back up the mountain for Arcee, only to find out that she and Luna had gone up to Escarpment for a childbirth. Grabbing more willow bark and a few other herbs, he raced back to the city, leaving word for Arcee to come as soon as she could.

Arriving back in the city he turned Nightmare straight to Bonecrusher's shop. When 'Bee walked in the dealer looked up and cracked an uneasy smile. "There you are!" he exclaimed putting a hand on his shoulder, which he quickly removed after 'Bee's harsh glare. "I've found a buyer for that piece you showed me! He's very anxious to see it!"

"Really?" Bumblebee said studying the dealer. He seemed nervous, which was very unusual for Bonecrusher. "I take it he's met my minimum price?"

"Of course! He just wants to see it before he makes the purchase. You have it with you?" the dealer asked.

"I hid it for the time being," he growled. "Should I go get it?"

"No, no," the man said. "In fact the buyer is on his way here now, great isn't it?! He's very anxious to meet you. Once I get my commission, you can take him to get it."

"I'd rather do business here."

"Where did you hide it?" Bonecrusher inquired.

That set off alarm bells in his head. "Why do you ask?!" 'Bee snarled getting in close. Before he could say anything Bumblebee had him shoved up against a wall, a knife pressed against his throat. "WHAT DID YOU TELL THE BUYER BONECRUSHER?!"

"N-nothing! I-I swear! I just described the piece! He seemed very interested, that's all I swear!" the man begged as he saw the familiar deadly gleam in his eyes. It was a gleam few were able to tell the tale of, mostly cause they died before they could.

"Did you tell him where I live?" he snarled darkly.

"No! He found out some other way!"

'Bee grabbed the man's shirt collar and lifted him off the ground. "Who's the buyer?!" he snapped.

"A noble, a wizard…you wouldn't know him."

"WHO?!"

The bell on the door jingled and a man walked in. he was dressed in an expensive silver and violet suit, an amulet hung around his neck, his raven hair was cut military style, and his blood-red eyes focused on them. The piercing gaze sent chills down the teen's back, and every single one of his instincts told him to run. The dealer in 'Bee's grip took the opportunity to flee, but the wizard rolled his eyes and flicked his fingers. Flame shot from the man's hand and engulfed the dealer, after a few moments the body gave a final twitch before going still. "You must be Cuffs, the man spat glaring at him. "I've been searching for you for some time; you're incredibly evasive."

"Why look for me when you don't even know me?" 'Bee growled. There was something familiar about the falcon stoles he was wearing, and his appearance was ringing a bell he couldn't recognize.

"True," the wizard said. "But you do have something I want, something you've stolen from me."

"Sorry, you're confusing me for someone else," 'Bee grumbled moving slowly as he tried to find an opening.

"There was some confusion at first. In the beginning I was informed that a man named Steeljaw had taken it. Imagine my shock when after some effort on my part, and much pain on his, when I learned in fact he knew nothing, and I'd been misled."

Bumblebee felt his blood run cold. "You did it, you're the one who sent the demons," he growled. "The ones that killed the Maximals."

The man laughed. "Wizard assassins actually, glamoured up to cause hysteria. Fear can be a powerful motivator to get the community to turn against its own."

Bumblebee was extremely confused, until he remembered. Up on the mountain, he told Soundwave Morgenstern that his name was Steeljaw when he took the piece from him. It had just been a thoughtless lie, and now it had gotten over a dozen people murdered. 'Bee doubted he reach the back door before he burned to death like the dealer on the floor nearby. He took a breath to calm down and clear his head. "Just who are you anyways?" he asked calmly.

The man seemed surprised by his sudden composure. "Megatron Morgenstern," he said looking him over. "Lord Megatron to you though peasant."

'Bee was now mentally cussing with every single curse word he knew of. This was not just any wizard, but Iacon's High Wizard, the most powerful wizard in the nation. Soundwae's father. "Well, I'd be a fool to steal something of yours."

"True," Megatron said narrowing his eyes. He continued to look him over before speaking. "When my son told me how you handled the piece without being harmed, I got curious. I think there's more to you that meets the eye. The late Bonecrusher tells me you're the leader of the Scout Runners, and just…unusual for a street rat. Youaren't a wizard and able to handle the piece perfectly fine…" He sighed. "It's unfortunate Soundwave chose to experiment with that particular piece."

'Bee started to go pale, when people went on like this usually meant that they were going to kill you. He needed to get out. Now. "Look, I'm just a street rat, the thing was sparking so much I buried it in a random lot, because I was afraid it'd blow up on me," he lied. "I could show you." If he just got outside, he knew he could get away.

Megatron raised a hand to silence him. "I've already sent the guard after it, you're going to come with me to my fortress where I will figure out how much you know about the piece, and once I'm certain I've gotten everything, then I'll kill you. You've caused me a lot of trouble boy, I intend to take my time," he grinned wickedly.

"What do you mean you sent the guard after it?" 'Bee asked his voice quaking as the first cracks in his calm appearance appeared.

"Why your home of course," Megatron smirked as 'Bee stiffened in horror. "You do live above a stable correct?"

"I-its not there! I can show you where I hid it!"

"I'm sure you can tell me about it," Megatron said. "Now, my carriage is outside. It'd be much more civilized if you just came quietly, and who knows, if you do I may just spare you. You could become my personal assassin. But I will use force if I have to."

Megatron's cold expression said it all, he was a fool to believe he even had a remote chance against Megatron. He was a nobody, and now he was going to pay for his mistake with his life and quite possibly his own mother's. Megatron was just like every other rich, noble bastard. He played by his own rules, breaks the law whenever it suits him, and never spends a day in prison. Steeljaw and a dozen others were dead. And now that same danger was heading straight for Eclipse and quite possible Luna.

'Bee put on a defeated look as he walked next to the grinning man. Just as he passed him, 'Bee lashed out. Stabbing his knife just under Megatron's ribcage, he twisted and yanked up viciously. Megatron howled in anger and pain, as he fell back. Taking the opportunity 'Bee bolted. He could hear the wizard gasp out a spell, and like last time, the magic was sucked right into his cuffs.

Swinging himself onto Nightmare he kicked the horse into a full sprint, barely making sharp turns as they made an almost untraceable path through the city. As he approached his home, the scent of something burning reached him. He could see smoke, and flames. Nightmare broke into a run again, rearing to a stop as they came on his street to see the stable burning. A crowd had gathered around and was using water to keep the other building from going up with it. A ring of guards stood around it, keeping everyone away. Not that anyone could go in, Bumblebee could feel the heat from where he sat on his horse in the back of the crowd.

Dismounting, he grabbed the nearest person's arm. "What happened?"

"The guard, someone said they'd been searching for Cuffs, and that's where he hid his stash, but he hasn't been seen for weeks…anyways they seacrjed it from top to bottom, even dug up the ground, before lighting the place up," the man explained.

"Did the guard take anyone out?! Or has anyone come out?!"

The man shook his head. "I wasn't here when it started, but no one's come out, we couldn't even go in for the horses."

'Bee went around trying to find another way, but the place was surrounded by guards, and the heat was too intense. Pulling out a scarf from his saddlebag, he hid his horse in an alley, and tied it around his face. He was going to go in, he refused to let his mother die just like that. He was about to go when someone grabbed his arm, it was Shadow.

"I'm sorry Cuffs, she's gone," Shadow said. "You can't help her, you'll just get yourself killed."

"If it was your mother burning in there would you just stand there?!" he snapped before he was pinned against the wall by two of the others. "Let me go!"

"I already tried, we all did," she confessed sadly. "I'm so sorry."

"I know where she'll be, I can reach her!" he begged.

Shadow just shook her head. Giving a motion, Bumblebee found something being pressed to his mouth, and his jaw being forced open. A liquid was shoved down the struggling teen's throat, and all he saw was the flames before his world faded to darkness.

When he woke up, he realized that he'd caught Eclipse's fever. He allowed himself to drift in an out of consciousness, when he woke up one time he saw Lu and Arcee leaning over him giving him a mixture of willow bark and mint tea, before he passed out again. The next time he awakened, he found that the fever broke, and he was in the temple. Fern gave him reports during the week he was still recovering, and the others stood watch around the remains to keep people from plundering them. All the while Luna was stuck to his side like glue, crying her eyes out.

Walking through the burn site the siblings stood before a charred body, burnt beyond recognition. Arcee stood with them, having refused to leave them alone for long. "The smoke would've put her to sleep, she shouldn't have felt much pain," the woman said hugging them as they both broke down. 'Bee was the first to regain his composure. He had Arcee take his sister away while he sifted through the wreckage. He grabbed Eclipse's locket, Luna's charred book, and a few other things. He went over to the old forge and took the amulet, stuffing it in his bag.

Without a second glance he went over to where the others were standing. "Where's Shadow?" he asked.

"I don't know," Fern said with a shrug.

'Bee nodded. "You don't need to guard the place anymore, I've gotten all I need from it. And tell Shadow my old hideouts are hers."

"Won't you need them?"

"No, not anymore," he said. "In fact, I don't think I'm coming back to this place."

"You know we'd all swear to you in a heartbeat."

"I know, but trust me, I'm just a magnet for death and suffering, I recommend you stay as far away from me as possible." With that 'Bee left, meeting Arcee and Luna back that the temple he swung up onto his horse, and they left, going back up to North Woods where the brother and sister continued their grieving.

A/N: wow, that took forver! I'm currently the only one still awake, so till next chapter!