As promised, this chapter was uploaded the day after chapter eleven. I swear this is the last one of the four-part story.

WARNING = Angst ahead. Also, mildly lazy writing near the end as I had several different plans, but difficulty in executing all of them.

Enjoy!

"It has been said, 'time heals all wounds.' I do not agree. The wounds remain. In time, the mind, protecting its sanity, covers them with scar tissue. The pain lessens, but it is never gone."

- Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy (I learn about a lot of interesting people Googling these quotes).

Chapter Twelve: Realisation

Iacon, Cybertron, centuries before Team Prime . . .

Red Alert led me through the med-bay. They were so overcrowded. We walked past 'Bots with nasty energon gashes, severe post-traumatic stress, even missing limbs. This was the first time I'd ever really witnessed first-hand the effects of battle.

I preferred being the one that helped the fallen Autobots. After all, Ratchet had taught me to save lives, not take them.

Red stopped in front of me, gesturing to the berth to my right. Looking to where he pointed, I saw a thin blanket (the best people could do during the wartime) covering the blue frame that lay underneath.

"Be patient, okay? She's been through a lot," He reminded me, "And remember to call if you need me, Sil."

I nodded in appreciation, "Thanks for calling me, Red."

He half-smiled at me before walking back the way we'd come. Noticing that the seat next to Arcee was empty, I cautiously edged over to it, trying not to wake up my sister. She'd looked out for me for most of my life, now it was my turn to look out for her.

The blanket shifted a little, Arcee's frame moving with it as she turned to face me. I glanced up at my sister. Her optics were normally bright with confidence, but now they seemed duller. Across her face, a deep scar ran, like someone had used corrosive on her. She looked at me in bewilderment.

"Sil?" She questioned, moving to sit up, "Wh-What are you d-doing here?"

"Red Alert called me and told me you were here," I told her, trying not to focus too much on her now healing injuries.

It was strange seeing Arcee like this. I hadn't heard her stutter in orns, but (after what Red had told me) it was a relief to see she was at least talking.

"But...your exams for Med-training..." She realised, "I thought they were this week."

"Yeah, um, about that..." I began sheepishly, knowing how she would react.

She sighed, "Silver-"

"I know, I know, I'm sorry. But I had to make sure you were ok," I defended, "I only found out you'd been missing yesterday and now you're in here?"

"Well, I'm fine now," Arcee said with as much confidence as she could muster, but I could tell she was lying, "I'm tougher than I look."

"'Cee, I know what happened-"

"I said I'm fine," She cut me off, folding her arms defensively.

I sighed, "You don't know what I was going to say."

"You're going to say 'there was nothing I could do', or that 'he's in a better place now'. Same thing I've been hearing from the loud-mouth red 'Bot who 'saved' me."

I honestly had no idea what she was talking about, "Who's in a better place?"

My sister tensed up at what I said, "You...you really don't know?"

"No," I tilted my helm at her, "Arcee, who are you talking about?"

Her gaze fell as she turned away from me, "I...You should go."

I leaned back in confusion, "What? Why?"

"Silver, I can't do this right now. Just...go back to school, okay?"

"But, I want to help-"

"You can't help!" She suddenly snapped, making me shrink back, "Listen: Unless you can bring Tailgate back from the dead, there is nothing you can do to help me. So just back off already!"

Present day . . .

Like I said; After Airachnid, the sister I'd known was gone.

Airachnid knew exactly where it would hurt most. Of course, Arcee's physical scars had healed since then, but the emotional bruises she'd gone through had shown up constantly. 'Cee was eighteen when that happened, five orns older than me.

I lightly ran my fingers over the mark on my face. The possibility of permanent scarring was likely, though I really hoped that it would fade. Neither me nor Arcee needed any reminders of the spider-con.

"I'm sorry," My sister's apologetic tone came from the doorway, "I shouldn't have ran off like that."

I instantly turned away from her, unable to look her in the optic. Still, she walked over to where I sat and took the seat next to me. She stayed silent for a moment as she held out the energon cube to me. I didn't make any motion to take the offer, despite my injuries.

"Silver, please. You've lost too much energon already," She pleaded.

A sigh came from her as I still didn't reply. I knew I'd lost a lot of energon, but it wasn't what I needed right then. All I really needed was for Bumblebee to walk through the door, waving cheerfully like he always did. But that wasn't going to happen then.

Arcee placed the cube down next to me since she'd sat a little farther away. Again, silence loomed.

After a bit, she had the courage to speak again, "I'm sorry. For a lot. For everything that's happened today. The worst part of my past came back and made you pay for my mistakes. It shouldn't have been you. Out of all the 'Bots, you're the one Airachnid made suffer for what I should've finished when she first arrived here. For all of that, for everything you've gone through, I'm truly sorry."

I made no attempt to move, or speak, or even smile to let Arcee know that I accepted her apology. Why was she even the one saying sorry? It wasn't her fault that her arch-nemesis was so remorselessly evil.

"I know you probably don't want me here after all that's happened," She continued with the same regretful tone, "And if you want me to, I'll leave you alone."

She stood up, half-smiling at me one last time in an attempt at comfort. Realising I probably wouldn't speak, my sister began heading for the door.

"Stay," My weakened voice whispered, causing her to turn back in surprise. I gazed up at her pleadingly, optics welling with tears, "Please..."

Arcee's expression softened as she walked back to me, placing her free arm around me and carefully pulling me into a hug. I gratefully returned it. I felt myself begin to let go, tears streaming down my face as I cried against her. After all that'd happened, I was just so relieved to have 'Cee there.

A few hours later . . .

No one's POV . . .

An austere atmosphere overtook the main room. Ratchet was checking over Bumblebee's vital statistics in the med-bay. Bulkhead had gone to gather Arcee and Silver Sun, per Optimus' orders.

The Autobot leader himself was currently sat at the control panel, trying to locate any kind of work that could distract him from what had happened. Optimus glanced back from the computer as the Wrecker walked in, closely followed by Arcee.

"How is Silver Sun?" He enquired.

"Finally got her to sleep," The blue femme replied, "She's not used to stuff like this, Optimus. It'll probably be a while before she's herself again."

Bulkhead looked over Optimus' shoulder to see the scout still laying in the med-bay, "How's Bee holding up?"

Optimus' gaze lowered to the floor in front of him, "Ratchet has managed to stabilise his condition, but it remains to be seen if he will resume consciousness."

"Optimus, I'm really sorry," The Wrecker sighed, "I never should've let him go into that fight alone."

"It is not your fault, Bulkhead," He said understandingly, "Right now, I am just grateful to Ratchet that Bumblebee is alive."

The others solemnly nodded in agreement. Bulkhead wandered off to his own room, too tired to stay up any longer. Arcee too moved towards the hallway.

"Arcee," Optimus began, "May I speak with you?"

She nodded and turned back to him, "Of course. What about?"

He seemed slightly hesitant to begin, "During Silver Sun's rescue, I thought that I noticed something strange about her optics."

"Yeah. I saw too," Arcee gazed down at the floor.

The Autobot leader raised an optic ridge in suspicion, "Do you know what it means?"

"No," She was quick to answer his question. A little too quick, "I mean...it's probably just I side effect of the stress, you know? She's not used to energon-shed and fighting like the rest of us."

"I may only have a rudimentary understanding of medicine, but I know that 'stress' has never been a cause for white optics," Optimus stated warily, "Arcee, I am unsure of why you are hiding the truth from me, but I respect your right to do so. However, if this secret is harmful to Silver Sun or anyone else in any way, I advise you to tell me."

Arcee sighed, silently longing to reveal what her sister made her promise to hide, "Optimus...I promised Silver I wouldn't say anything."

"Will it cause harm to anyone?"

She shrugged and slowly shook her helm, "I don't know."

His decision was made after those three words, "Arcee, please. I am urging you to tell me."

"Optimus-"

"I am aware that you vowed Silver Sun that you would keep her secret, but if you yourself are unsure of the potential danger it could hold, then I beg that you allow me to help."

He was right. Arcee knew he was right. She knew exactly what had triggered her sister's relapse that day, and could only guess what had happened to Airachnid. And while she knew Silver would never intentionally hurt another Autobot, the incident with Firestar orns before then had been confirmation that her powers could grow beyond her control.

Arcee deeply inhaled, gazing up at Optimus with both regret and guilt, "Do you remember Shockwave?"

Silver's POV . . .

The next day . . .

My wounds were cleaned and bandaged, but I didn't get any sleep that night. How could I when Bee's life was on the line? Any time I'd even tried to recharge, all I could picture was Airachnid's evil optics, glaring as she struck one of the 'bots I care about most in the spark.

Most? I shook the thought from my processor, Why? Don't I care about Arcee more?

Arcee was my sister. Of course I loved her. But the way I...liked Bumblebee was different. He listened to me and confided in me. I trusted him with secrets that no one but Arcee really knew.

It must've been around eight o'clock when a knock came from the door.

"Silver? It's me," Arcee's voice called, "Can I come in?"

"It's open," I said solemnly, not moving from facing the wall.

I heard the door slowly creak open. Arcee didn't step in, just stayed by the doorway.

"How are you holding up?" She asked.

"How's Bee?" I ignored her question.

"He's stable. Woke up a few minutes ago." She smiled a little, "He keeps asking if you're okay."

I exhaled gratefully at hearing he was awake, but my relief didn't cause me to forget why he was in that position in the first place.

Arcee stepped closer, holding the door open, "So, do you want to go see him?"

I wanted to say yes, but guilt is a lot harder to avoid when you believe so strongly that it's true.

I sighed and shook my helm, "I...can't. Not after everything that's happened."

My sister sighed and strode over to my berth, sitting down on the opposite edge, "Don't start guilt-tripping yourself. You didn't do anything wrong."

"Yes I did," I disagreed decisively, "I didn't offline Airachnid when I had the chance."

"Offline her? Are you listening to yourself?" Arcee countered, "Silver, I've know you all your life. If you'd killed Airachnid today, no matter how evil she is, it would've gone against who I thought you were."

I stared at the floor, "Arcee, I don't even know who I am anymore. I used my weapons, something I swore I'd never do. Primus knows what happened to Airachnid after my powers-"

I immediately stopped myself from rambling, realising I'd been saying too much already. But Arcee wasn't dumb.

"They're back again?" She guessed.

Reluctantly, I nodded, "Just when everything's going relatively normal, of course it has to come back."

'Cee sighed, "It was pretty clear yesterday."

So Airachnid wasn't lying; I did have pure-white optics. But, that must've meant...

"Did anyone see?" I swiftly turned back to face my sister, "Scrap, what if they did? It'll be like Prax all over again..."

"Sil, relax," Arcee told me, sternly, "Look, the only one who saw you was Optimus. And...I took care of that."

I froze as she said those words, looking up at her as serious as I could be, "What do you mean you 'took care' of it?"

She shrugged hesitantly, "Well...I may have, you know...told him about you."

"What?!" By now, my nervousness levels were flying, "Arcee, what the Pit did you tell him?"

"...Everything...?" Before I could yell at her, she interrupted, "Silver, I trust Optimus with my life. And he knows you wouldn't intentionally hurt anyone at base."

Honestly on that day, I was confronting a lot of realities. The last thing I needed was for the leader of the Autobots to know my deepest, darkest secret. Arcee hadn't even asked me before telling him.

"Arcee," I was staying as calm as I could, all things considered, "I know you think you were doing the right thing, but you have no idea what Prax Academy was like after they found out what I was."

"I remember, Sil," She sighed.

I shook my helm, turning away from her, "You only remember what I told you."

My sister tilted her helm at me in confusion, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means a lot more happened when you weren't there," I admitted.

"Silver, what did they do?" Arcee's voice grew more and more severe.

I just shrugged it off, having mostly gotten over it orns before, "This was orns ago. What difference will it make now?" Once again, I sighed, "My point is: you shouldn't have told Optimus. I trust him, but...you at least could've let me know first."

My sister stood up, folding her arms in annoyance, "Like you gave me a heads-up before telling Bumblebee?"

I tensed at hearing her mention Bee. Even more so at realising she already knew that he was aware of my abilities.

"H-How did you know?" I asked, knowing there was no point in trying to deny it.

"When did you tell him?" She ignored my question.

I shrugged shyly, "The day after I got here."

Arcee huffed in disbelief, "So you'd trust a scout you'd just met a day ago before trusting Optimus?"

"No. Arcee, I never meant for him to find out," I defended, standing and turning to face her, "And Bumblebee isn't just a scout. I know he's a good person. I saw his past-"

"And you think seeing a 'bot's past defines who they really are?" She snapped, "Trust me: Thinking you know someone and actually knowing them are two very different things."

"You don't think I know that? After what Lunova did, it's safe to say I know people can surprise you...mostly in a bad way."

She snarled, "If you think school friendship fallouts are the worst thing that can happen to you, you've got a lot of growing up to do."

My shoulders slumped as those words escaped her. She seemed to understand the gravity of what she'd said, her gaze softening. I glanced away from her.

My servos balled shakily into fists as I took a hurt step back, "I think I've done enough 'growing up' the past two days, thanks."

"Silver..." Arcee finally spoke, "I...I didn't mean-"

"No." I cut her off, shaking my helm, "You did. And that's what hurts most."

Without waiting for a response (and not really wanting one), I began lightly walking towards the door. I didn't glance up at Arcee as I passed her. She sighed and in turn didn't look at me.

"Where are you going?" She asked.

I didn't reply to her and I felt no obligation to. I just opened the heavy metal door - which felt even heavier in my state - and slipped out of the room. Once it closed lightly behind me, I stormed down the hallway, no real destination in mind. Just away from the Main Room and far away from her.

She didn't try to follow me.

My breaths were unsteady as I choked back the urge to march back into my room and yell at my sister. After everything that had happened, everything I'd suffered that day, everything Bumblebee had gone through, still Arcee had said what she said.

You've got a lot of growing up to do.

After being tortured by Airachnid and watching Bumblebee almost offline, I felt like nothing anyone did could truly hurt me. And yet, here we were.

I've mentioned before that I was bullied in school. What I didn't mention was that one of them was my former only-friend in the entire academy. Like the naive little kid that I was, I'd trusted her enough to tell her about my powers, thinking she wouldn't tell anyone. Well, when we reached academy age, she joined the popular group - I didn't.

It stung that Arcee knew all of that, but suddenly forgot in the moments she claimed that I had a lot of growing up to do. We were fighting a war that had destroyed our planet and forced us to seek refuge in unknown parts of the galaxy - it doesn't really get much more grown up than that.

My pace finally slowed as I came to a stop outside the energon storage room. No one ever really went there unless they severely needed energon (rations could've easily depleted during that time). It seemed like as good a place as any to just sit and think for a while.

I made sure no one was watching before slipping inside the room, shutting the door quietly behind me.

An hour later...

My frame jolted awake as a light knock echoed from the door. When did I even fall asleep? I shrugged it off, telling myself that I must've been too tired to remember.

Struggling to my feet, I wondered who even knew I was in here. Arcee? Knowing her, she'd probably act like everything was normal and try to avoid the subject for as long as she could. Still, I hesitated at the thought of it being her.

But it wasn't.

"Silver?" My optics widened at hearing the familiar warm tone in the scout's makeshift voice, "I-It's me, Bumblebee."

It was like a huge weight had lifted. Since he'd fallen unconscious, our telepathic connection had been broken, and I had no idea if he would return to normal. Even though it was only a few feet away, I practically sprinted for the door. I felt the anxiety slowly creep over me as I realised how rough I must've looked.

Although most were healing or bandaged, my body was covered in scarring wounds. My abdomen's pain had shot back with the panic. And then there was the deep mark corroded on my face.

I lightly brushed my fingers over the mark as I'd done before, this time with more concern with what Bee would think. But I quickly shook it off, telling myself to just open the Pit-spawned door.

Needless to say, Bumblebee was looking much better than when I'd seen him. Ratchet had bandaged his spark-chamber wound and he seemed much stronger. I half-smiled at immediatley noticing the bright ocean-blue had returned to his optics.

"Bumblebee?" I didn't mean to sound as surprised as I did, "Are you alright? What're you doing out of the med-bay?"

"I'm fine now. Managed to get past Ratchet without him noticing yet," He smiled underneath his battle-mask, "You're okay."

I nodded coolly, though my spark pounded on the inside, "I'm fine, Bee. Thanks to you."

Bumblebee blushed and quickly glanced away from me. I didn't know why. Maybe he was just trying to be modest about it.

"N-No problem, Sil," His blush didn't disappear, "It's what any decent Autobot would've done."

"But it wasn't any Autobot," I lightly placed a servo on his arm, "Without you, the team wouldn't have found me." My gaze fell onto the wound in his chassis, "I'm just sorry...that you had to pay the price for it."

Noticing my guilt start to seep in, Bee quickly spoke up again, "Hey, I'm fine. And it was worth it for you to be okay."

I playfully rolled my optics at him, "Okay, now you're just trying to flatter me."

"No, really," Bumblebee's tone seemed to grow more serious.

I could see the nervousness in him grow as his servos fidgeted nervously.

"Silver, I-I care about you...a lot," He took a deep breath before continuing, "You're so good-sparked and that's the bravest thing you can be in this war."

I honestly didn't know what to say. No one had ever said anything like that to me. When people found out I didn't fight, they thought of me as weak and incapable of defending myself. And here was Bumblebee, actually seeing me for who I was instead of as some coward who's too scared for battle. If my spark wasn't pounding already, it definitely was now.

It was my turn to turn bright red. I glanced away from him, allowing my hair to cover the side of my face that he could see.

"Um...th-thanks, Bee," I said, feeling my nerve levels rise as I half-smiled at him, "I...I care a lot about you too. You're probably the most selfless person I've ever met."

He smiled at me, but quickly glanced away, suddenly looking more nervous than he did before.

"Um, speaking of caring, I...I actually came here to tell you something."

I hadn't really heard him stutter before, "Sure. What is it?"

"I...I just..." Bee paused for a second, clearly struggling to say what he wanted to, "Uh, Raf brought over X-Men and I-I was wondering if you wanted to watch with us."

That wasn't what I'd expected. I mean, I hadn't thought it would be anything in particular, but it seemed strange that Bumblebee was so anxious to ask me to watch another superhero movie with him and the kids.

Still, I brushed it aside and nodded, "I'd love to."

He returned my smile as we began to walk down the hallway. Bee appeared a little bothered. I just assumed it was the recovery process that was troubling him. But I was wrong, and very wrong at that.

To this day, my cluelessness astounds me.

Bumblebee obviously had something else to tell me. I just didn't know what.

End of chapter.

We made it! And they said it was impossible.

A LOT happened in that chapter.

(Future reference, I'll try to finish writing cliffhangers before I publish them.)

So, I'm aware there's kind of lazy writing near the end, but trust me: My life is eat, sleep, fanfic, repeat. I rewrote this ending at least three times before I settled on this one. I really hope you guys like it.

Also, I apologise for any spelling mistakes: I tend to miss out quite a few when I'm trying to check for typos.

Bumblebee the Movie = Can we say 'legendary'?

I really hope they just continue with the Movies from that point. There's that possibility, since it broke The Last Knight timeline that Bee arrived on Earth before World War 2.

Once again, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. New ones will be posted as soon as I finish them and check them for mistakes.

'Til All Are One,

GreyroseLegacy