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June 5th, 2007

South Gate, CA

"I honestly don't see what the big deal is," Charlie said as she looked over Bumblebee, who had transformed back into his VW form so she might inspect him. They had moved into the junkyard proper, the other Autobots still a block or so away, lingering anxiously but giving her a few moments alone with the scout. Mostly because they'd all heard tales of the human who had helped Bumblebee when he'd been injured with his memory damaged and understood how important it was for them to reconnect. They would have done the same thing had Charlie been one of their number, a long lost Autobot who had returned in their hour of need. "Ugh. Bee, what did you do to your hubcaps?"

"You should see the other guy," his speakers stated.

"Messed up some evil robot ass I take it? Good, I expect no less from you." She patted the hood. "And back to the Bug? Still mad I never got to drive the Camaro."

"He can switch back and forth, apparently," Mikaela said helpfully. Sam was too busy trying to process the fact that his car had apparently been best friends with his friend's mom. He muttered that it was like Darth Vader building C-3PO and then gone silent.

"Good because you owe me a ride, mister." Bumblebee shifted back into his smaller armored form and Charlie patted him on the chest. "You need a good wash and wax, because you look worse than when I first got you, but we'll deal with that later." She looked over at her partner and shrugged. "No big deal. He's like a friend. A big metal friend."

"It is a big deal," Rebecca complained, standing off to the side with her arms folder across her chest, "because you never told me when you were in high school you fought aliens and kept one in your garage!"

Charlie sputtered a bit before finally getting out, "Everyone does weird things in high school."

"No one makes friends with alien robots!" Rebecca complained. Charlie made a face and gestured at Sam and Mikaela, the former pursing his lips together before shrugging weakly while Mikaela gave her mama a cheeky wave. "They don't count!"

Charlie walked over and took Rebecca's hands in her own. "Okay. So when I was 17 I got a car from Uncle Hank's salvage yard and it turned out to be Bumblebee."

"Hold up," Sam said, thrusting his hands out and waving them slightly. "So you went to a place filled with crap and just so happened to find a yellow vehicle that you took home with you and it turned out to be an alien robot that needed your help?" Charlie nodded and Sam pointed at his chest. "I went to a place filled with crap and just so happened to find a yellow vehicle that I took home and it turned out to be an alien robot that needed my help."

Bumblebee tried to step away but it was too late and Charlie and Sam both whirled and glared at him.

"Did you regift your introduction to her with me?"

"Did you just repeat how we met with him?"

Bumblebee let out a staticy groan/cough and his speakers declared, "I plead the fifth."

"Not cool, Bee!" Charlie complained, jabbing a finger at him before letting out a sigh. "Alright, what do you need help with?"

It was Mikaela who answered though. "Apparently there is this… thing. An Allspark?"

"Allspark," Sam confirmed.

"Yeah. It is… well, it gives Bee's kind life. And they had to get rid of it so the bad guys, the Decepticons, wouldn't get it. Now Bumblebee and his friends are here to get it back because it's here on Earth."

"Huh. Small world… galaxy? Galaxy. So you did find who needed you, huh Bee? Are they around?"

"The gang's all here!" his speakers declared.

"We have them waiting around the block, just to make sure things were safe," Sam said. "Bee… I think you should call them in."

"He already did," Optimus said, causing the humans to jump and Rebecca to back away as four more large robots walked into the salvage yard. Only one of them was close to Bumblebee's size and the largest was truly massive. "I never got a chance to thank you for what you did for Bumblebee. Your cared for him in his time of need… we can never repay you for your kindness."

"It was the right thing to do," Charlie stated.

Mikaela walked over to her mama and wrapped an arm around her. "It's okay. They aren't going to hurt us."

Rebecca managed a nod. "If you say so…" she whispered. "How are you not freaking out right now?"

"Oh, I already did my freaking out," Mikaela told her. "And you should have heard Sam shriek when the cop car attacked us-" Her mama's eyes went wide and Mikaela realized she had said too much. "uh… I'll let them handle it."

While they had been talking Optimus had been introducing his team to Charlie, the woman looking at him in thought. "So you guys have been around Bumblebee for a long time."

"Since the little slagger first onlined," Ironhide rumbled.

"Then you guys are his family." She pointed at Jazz. "Big brother, you two are his uncles," she gestured at Prime. "And you are his dad."

"We do not have family roles like you do on Earth," he stated. "We are not connected in a biological sense, thus there is no-"

Rebecca cut him off, stepping forward and looking up at the robot. "Did you teach him everything you wanted him to know so he could become the best version of himself he could be?"

"…yes, but-"

"Were you there when he was scared and needed comfort?"

"I… I was."

"When he succeeded did you celebrate? When he failed did you tell him it was alright?"

"I did."

Rebecca reached out and took Charlie's hand. "That's what a parent is. You're his dad."

Bumblebee looked at Optimus who let out an amused huff. "Yes… yes, I suppose I am."

"Listen, I'm all for takin' a moment ta chat but we can do all that once we got them glasses in our possession," Jazz stated. "So we need to roll out and go grab them before those Decepticon punks go snaggin'em."

"Yeah, I have to agree," Sam said. "I'd like to remove the thing that is putting a target on my back from my house."

Mikaela turned to her parents. "The original plan was for us to get you two to take us to Sam's house, claiming Bumblebee was acting up. We'd snag the glasses and then I'd take them back to Optimus."

"No," Rebecca said firmly. "Alien robots are hunting you and those glasses and you think we are going to let you go to ground zero? No… no."

"We need those glasses," Ratchet said firmly.

Rebecca, her earlier fear forgotten, turned and glared at the medic so hard he actually flinched. Charlie, enjoying the show, walked over and leaning against Bumblebee who placed a hand around her to keep her steady."And I need my child not to be crushed and blasted or whatever else your kind can do just because you were stupid enough to send out your baby maker without a GPS." Bumblebee played sitcom laughter and cheers at that, pointing at Rebecca. "Okay, seeing why you like him Charlie. Yellow here actually has some sense."

"We are open to suggestions," Optimus said, realizing that they needed these two women on their side if they were to keep the glasses from falling into the Decepticons' hands.

Rebecca and Charlie shared a look.

"Well… up for a visit to the Witwickyss?" Rebecca finally asked.