"It's been too long, Bee!" Danielle shouted happily above the wind as it whipped through the open Camaro windows. They flew down the deserted highway, racing far away from the Autobot base and all the daily burdens there. One hand out the driver side window, the sun scorching on her skin, she couldn't help but close her eyes and smile. She let her mind relax in the splendor, savoring the moment through her senses.
Even Bee was filled with pure joy, ecstatic to get away for the first time in six months. After all the death of those inexorable days, it finally felt as if life might be starting to return to normal. Even though he couldn't dance with Danielle anymore, he could still hold her tight when she rode with him like this.
This freedom tasted sweet, out in the open with just them together, no rules, no orders. Slowing down before rolling off road, Bee pulled into the shade of a lone acacia tree. They sat in silence for a time, Danielle resting her head back against the seat. A gentle buzzing fluttered over her cheek. She opened her eyes to see the transparent Bee sitting in the passenger seat.
"It has been too long, Danielle. I miss just sitting and talking like we used to. It feels like it's been forever since I have really gotten to ask you how have you been?"
She smiled, leaning into the touch that wasn't really there. "It was hell at first, especially when you first found me in that godforsaken tent camp the day of the blast. I'm sorry by the way. I've had time to think on that night, and I never really told you how grateful I was that you were there for me. Since then, I've been taking it one day at a time. I've been working a lot with Dr. Tornat, trying to unpack these last several months mostly. Soon I might even get to walk to our appointments instead of yelling "Roll Out!" everytime they come to get me" she chuckled.
Bee grinned, trying to imagine Danielle commanding Ironhide with that order and the absolute folly that would ensue. "About that, I've been wondering if I could help? Walking, I mean. You could hold on to me, go as slow as you want, and if you get tired of it, these big comfy seats are just a swoon away" he patted the seat, sheepishly smiling.
"What, here? It's… well there's no one here to see me fall over at least. So… yea, I think I'd like that Bee."
With a deep breath she opened the door and gingerly lifted one leg out onto the sand. Gripping the top of the door where the window had retracted, she heaved up onto her left leg before slowly bringing out her right. Reaching back inside the cab, she grasped the roof handhold and nodded, smiling, to Bee's hologram standing next to her now.
The engine purred quietly as the car crawled forward. One step. Another step. Her next faltered and she tried to catch herself on the slippery door. Inelegant, she bumped her way down to the ground.
"Woah hey, you okay?" he asked, concerned. She nodded, clearly embarrassed for him to see her so weak. "Hold on, I have a better idea." The hologram flickered out as the car pulled away then circled back around. Just feet away from her, Bee transformed, knelt in front of her, and held out his hand. A rich baritone rolled from his speakers into the hot summer air.
"If I gave you my hand would you take it
And make me the happiest man in the world"
Static briefly cut in before giving way to bright strings and a slow beat.
"I know we'll be alright this time
Darling, just hold my hand
Be my girl, I'll be your man
I see my future in your eyes"
Looking up into those big blue optics as the song continued quietly, her heart fluttered like it had when everything was new and simpler between them. She smiled and grabbed tightly around the tip of his finger. His other hand gently came up to float just inches from her back, ready to catch her. She leaned forward and he helped lift her back to her feet. Standing steady, she took a step. Then another. Slowly, she walked forward until she was just about at his leg.
The hand at her back gently scooped her up so Bee could gaze at her at his eye level. The joy in his spark was evident, as was hers. She wrapped her arms around his thumb, humming gently and smiling. Tiny fingers traced lazy circles onto his metal. The familiar desire to hold her to him pulsed through his circuits, spark-rendingly powerful. All he could do was hold her frail body to his chest, above his spark chamber that she used to fall asleep on so long ago.
She looked up at him, a sad smile on her face hiding the sinking feeling in her chest. She could tell he wanted to be able to embrace her, but one thought circled in her mind; it may never work.
"It really has been too long, Bumblebee."
Five stations had been set up in the corner of the hangar that housed the mech body under construction. Each sat a large ergonomic chair at a heavy desk with three monitors perched on top surrounded by various computer peripherals.
Every day saw progress, every week leaps aheads of the last. The mech legs were no longer yellow, having been replaced with the JLTV parts when the rest were added to the arms and torso. The removed leg plates had been melted down to their alloys to fabricate more components from the living metal.
Unable to source enough energon to run through the mech, alternate energy sources were being considered. So far, the only prospect to meet the stability and power standards was a small-scale nuclear plant despite the necessary protective bulk and weight.
With the project expected to be completed within the year, the five selected pilots, collectively the ARC Unit (Armed Remote Core), had begun their training. Controls designed to pilot Reaper drones had been repurposed to govern various systems of the mech. Each pilot had their own set of joysticks, vision and auditory headsets, and microphone sitting at their assigned station.
Simulations had been set up to teach controls and practice movement and fighting. Every morning, the team entered the hangar, training, bonding, harmonizing, and they would not exit again until after nightfall.
While the humans learned their new fighter, the Autobots sparred with each other to stay sharp, often drawing a small crowd that kept a healthy distance from the dueling giants.
Today, Arcee was squared up against Bumblebee, while Ironhide tolerated a violent jousting with Sandstorm.
"Hand to hand is my specialty, little Bee. Sure you can handle it?" Two sleek blades silently rose from her forearms. "Wouldn't want to scratch your paint" Arcee jeered dryly. The yellow bot bounced side to side, fists up, then dropped his mask.
Arcee sprinted forward, arcing a lightning fast swipe at his face, glancing off his defending arm. He punched forward with his free hand, striking only air as she dodged around to his side, spun, and sent a kick square into his back. Knocked off balance, he sprawled across the dirt after another swift leg swipe. Before he could respond, her weight was on his back, her dagger pressed against his throat. He managed to clamp down on her arm to protect his vitals before bucking her forward over his head. Landing on her back with a grunt, Arcee rolled up into a crouch to again face her young opponent.
"You really shouldn't have let go" she admonished with delight. The blades dazzled in the sun, Bee finally seeing exactly what she wielded. Running from her wrist to beyond her elbow, the metal was clearly lethal with her prowess.
The lean hunter bolted at him once again, leading with a right jab, then swinging a left, then an upper cut across his chest, sending bursts of sparks flying. The blows came impossibly fast, nearly a blur even to his advanced tracking processor. She continued to push him a step back with each deceptively forceful strike. Unrelenting, she slipped inside his defenses and knocked one of his blocking arms aside. Before he could bring his other arm across, she had pulled her blaster out and pressed it against his chest, directly over his spark chamber.
"Match" she stated flatly.
Far from the battlefield, Danielle sat alone under an entryway awning watching with piqued interest. She didn't know much about her, but it was evident how fierce a fighter Arcee was.
To no one in particular she whispered "I pity any Decepticon that gets in her way."
"She's been one of our best fighters for a very long time."
Startled, Danielle turned to see Optimus had managed to quietly take up post behind her to watch the fight club. His gaze had not left Arcee, even as he spoke. "She's incredibly capable, but she fights her own inner battles too." He looked down at Danielle, his face void of judgment but full of knowing concern. "She has also lost partners to this perpetual war. It almost destroyed her, but time and wisdom have allowed her to turn that pain into nearly unshakable resolve. You two could make a fearsome team."
Their conversation was interrupted by the thunder of Ironhide's rockets pounding the sand in a trail behind Sandstorm. The green bot was clearly exhilarated as he rushed his opponent from the side, fists pumping as he ran. Ironhide launched a grenade that detonated in the oncomers face, blowing thick white smoke in all directions.
A whistling volley of rockets fired into the cloud and exploded. The smoke began to cyclone from the inside to the whine of a small roter furiously ripping through the air. The smoke cleared as it funneled upward. Sandstorm now wore conspicuous scorch marks all along his side, but his roguish smile hadn't faltered. Aiming his hand of spinning blades, he blasted waves of desert sand at Ironhide, sticking and stinging in his sensors.
Forced to protect his optics, Ironhide turned away, two missiles streaking out of his back and slicing through the tempest with ease. Surprised, Sandstorm quickly dove to the side to evade the explosions. Taking advantage of the bot's momentary distraction, Ironhide leapt back into the fray with heavy punches, landing where the scorch marks were concentrated.
Putting away his tail rotor, Sandstorm engaged Ironhide blow for blow with glee. Sensing his strikes becoming outmatched by the Wrecker in brute strength, Ironhide seized one fist as it descended on him, then the other. Both began trying to wrestle the other to the ground. Aided by his sheer size, Ironhide managed to buckle his opponent to his knees. One hand viced around the kneeling bot's throat and the other was suddenly a screaming-hot cannon pressed to the side of his head.
"Boom" Hide said triumphantly, releasing Sandstorm before stepping back to wipe sand from his shoulder plates.
Sandstorm pulled himself back up. "Great fight, warrior. I'm very grateful to be on your good side. How about another round? No guns this time." He cocked a wry smile and flicked at Ironhide with finger guns.
Ironhide considered the fun before declining. "We've got our specialities, Sandstorm. You're good at dishing out a proper beat down, while my skill is all in the firepower" he said while patting his cannon arm. "I'd pay good energon to see your bulky aft take on Arcee, though."