Bee is leaning into Cade embrace.
They, or better their holoforms, are just outside the NEST base sensors radius, sitting inside the Mustang.
The blonde kisses the older man playfully, and the other respond enthusiastically, sliding his hands under Bee's black jumper.
They don't need to breath, so when Bee realizes that there are black spots in is field of view, he understands this date is almost over.
He sighs, and Cade looks at him in understanding. The older man takes Bee's hand in his own and lead it to his lips to kiss gently Bee's knuckles. Bee cannot avoid to tease him "Where did you learn that, Bad Boy?" but as he speaks, he notices that his own fingers are not the only translucent ones.
"Cade? your holoform…"
"Don't worry for me, babe. I will be fine… I'm more concerned about your energy levels… You should go to Ratchet, little one" Cade says carefully
"Looks like you could use a docbot as well…" Bee murmurs, but the black in his vision is too much, and suddenly he's back into the base, laying on the berth in his room. When he tries to stand, the dizziness almost knocks him out.
He needs energon. And probably he needs to speak with Ratchet as well. But energon first.
HIs approach to the energon dispenser is painfully slow as he tries to reset his gyroscopes and fights against the dizziness. He's almost there, when his legs give up. Takes him couple of minutes to realize that the confusion around him increase, and then drop as someone gently scoops him. Bee's too weak to completely understand, but he is pressed against a black chest, and the smell and the electromagnetic field are familiar. "Cade…" he murmurs.
"I knew that was going to happened, what did he do to you? where are you injured?" Is the growl from the black mech. "Hide" his brain acknowledge.
"YOU DID BELIEVE I WAS HIM?!" Hide sounds shocked, but Bee cannot tell if it's for being mistaken for a Decepticon, or if his mentor is more concerns for Bee's processor condition. Bee's definitely concerned for his processor himself, but the dark spots are back, and Bee's too tired to fight against them.
"Kiddo?… BUMBLEBEE!" calls Hide, shaking yellow youngling in his arms, but Bee cannot bring himself to answer as he succumbs to the darkness.
When he come back, he is welcomed by the sound of the machines in Ratchet's medbay.
Said docbot is at the end of the berth, speaking softly with Optimus and Ironhide.
"… pre-bonding. It's the only explanation."
"What does it means?" Asks Hide in a growl
"Means that his spark belong to the decepticon" Ratchet says bitterly "but because of his loyalty to us he's not letting the bond grow. Because of our reaction, our little Bumblebee is going to die of a broken spark, and probably will take Barricade with him"
The idea of Cade dying because of him is unbearable for the young mech in the berth, and he lets out a shaky sigh. Immediately the three older mech are aware of him, and of his distress.
"Hey, kiddo…" Hide starts cautious.
"He's going to die, and it will be all my fault" Bee sobs out.
"No, kiddo, you cannot know if it will happen…" Ratchet tries to comfort him, but the yellow mech his shaking his helm.
"No, no… its already started… his holoform was disappearing as well.."
"You where still meeting him, didn't you?" Hide is back to be angry now, and Bee knows that is easier for his mentor just blame the decepticon. "I'm going to find that Con, and I'll make him pay" Hide says, and Bee was expecting something like that, but it hurts nevertheless. He wonders how he can alert his mate. This thought makes his spark sinks, because feels like betraying his family, but he cannot let Cade down.
The young mech his distracted from this thoughts from a wrench thrower to his mentor.
"Ironhide" Ratchet growls dangerously "which part of 'because of our reaction' wasn't clear for you? You are hurting him!"
"Ratchet, what can we do?" Optimus asks in his usual solemn way.
"Let the two of them complete their bonding, there are no other options" the docbot answers, and Bee needs a moment to understand what that does it means.
"I see" Optimus says. "Hide, you will indeed find Barricade, and you will bring him here. We will have a word with him, and if he'll disavow his faction, we will welcome him."
"But Optimus…"
"No, Ironhide! My friend, I know that is hard, but we need to accept him for Bumblebee sakes.
Now, go, and fetch him" Optimus tone turns in order in the last bit, and Bee vents, and for the first time since this story began, he feels his spark lighter.