Author's note: This chapter (First paragraph courtesy of Faeryl Faeryl bows and Zaerith bows to her) takes place long after the other two. How long? This chapter is just after the Allspark was launched into space, only a few days after Megatron ripped out Bumblebee's vocal possessor.

Warnings: Pre-movie, implied MegatronXOptimus, and BB cuteness

Disclaimer: Me owning Transformers is like Megatron owning the universe; there is a big-noble-justice-seeking Optimus Prime standing in the way, in this case it's a lawsuit…

Chapter 3

Family

One thing that is often overlooked about children is that they know things. Maybe their parents told them it was time for bed and they stayed up and eavesdropped, or maybe they figured things out for themselves. Whatever the method, they know, and they don't let their parents know that they do. Even children have secrets that they hide from the rest of the world, secrets as simple as their first crush, or secrets much more complex. And so it was that Bumblebee, just as his parents before him, had secrets to be kept.

Bumblebee grew up, like all the other sparklings with no parents, in the youth sectors and, when he became old enough, joined the Autobot army. He felt a strange warmth and safety when he was near Optimus Prime and the leader's optics sparkled strangely as well when they saw each other. Bumblebee passed off his feelings as admiration for his leader and Prime's kindness as admiration for a brave soldier; after all, every Autobot loved their leader and said that Bumblebee was a true Autobot.

Then there was Megatron. Bumblebee was confused about him. They said that the Decepticon Lord had once been very close to Optimus Prime (some said that the two were brothers), but had betrayed him. Bumblebee did not hate Megatron, he thought he should after what he'd done to Optimus and what he was still doing to Cybertron, but he didn't. For some reason he felt the same way about Megatron as he did Optimus.

Optimus had said himself that Megatron, unlike the rest of the Decepticons, posed a real threat. For most of his life, Bumblebee was sure that it was just admiration for a commendable enemy, and he lived on that belief. Until now.

Bumblebee was recharging on one of the berths in the medical bay. They were still reattaching his arm and one of the medics had said the damage to his vocals from Megatron's assault, might never be repaired. Still he did not hate Megatron.

His recharge was one of a restless youth trapped in a war he'd been born into and a touch was all it had taken to awaken him.

For a minute Bumblebee stayed still, not believing what was happening. Optimus Prime was there. In the medical bay. Stroking his head…lovingly?

There was silence and Bumblebee was about to get up and find a way to inquire as to what his leader was doing when Optimus spoke and the scout's curiosity shifted to his leader's words.

"I…I'm sorry Bumblebee…Life shouldn't be like this for you…If only…" His voice trailed off for a moment, he stopped stroking Bumblebee's head and placed his hand at the side of it. "If only I knew what happened to Megatron…and found away to undo it… then maybe we could have given you the life you deserved…the life with us…your parents…"

Bumblebee stayed still. He didn't understand what Optimus meant, but then he slowly pieced it together. Megatron and Optimus had been close, he felt safe when with Optimus and content when in close proximity with Megatron, Optimus had once said that he had a femme spark, and Bumblebee had no parents. They were his parents.

Optimus began to speak again. "I love you Bumblebee." He said stroking his head once another time, but his hand left again and he stood up to leave. "More than you'll ever know."

He didn't plan to do it; the thought had never even entered his mind, but Bumblebee found himself reaching out and grabbing Optimus Prime's hand and stopping him from leaving.

"…Bumblebee…?" Optimus said softly.

Again Bumblebee acted with out thinking, and made a few small noises that would make Optimus think he was still recharging.

The Autobot leader stood still for a moment, holding his son's hand and wishing he could wake the scout up and tell him the truth, but Ratchet's warning about a child's instinct to find his father came back to him. He stoked Bumblebee's hand gently and then left.

When Bumblebee was sure that Optimus had gone his sat up.

Megatron and Optimus are my parents… he thought, unable to whisper them softly aloud. Optimus is my mother and Megatron is my father… he had a desperate urge to leave Cybertron and go after Megatron, try to convince him to forget about the Allspark, end the war, and live together with him and Optimus. Then a thought wavered in his mind.

No, I can't. He'd never be able to… he thought, remembering what a friend had once told him about insane Cybertronians who killed their families when met with the burden of coping with their lunacy and raising a child. Megatron must never know…

Still something stirred in the young Autobot. A family had been the only thing he'd truly wanted ever since he'd been told he had none, and now he had the opportunity to get his back. He shook his head and lied back down on the berth. Optimus didn't tell me that I was his son because he must have known what would happen if I did know. If I go after Megatron now, it would destroy everything he'd tried to prevent…

Bumblebee became the first Cybertronian to successfully resist his instincts and with that accomplishment, came the loss of any hope for a true family, but later in his life, when he met Sam Witwicky and Mikaela Banes (the closest friends he'd ever had) he knew he had made the right choice. He never told Optimus he knew the truth, it was his secret now and he'd carry it with him as long as he needed to. When he saw Optimus Prime standing over his dead lover, Bumblebee thought to tell his mother that he knew, but he decided to wait until he was ready…until they were all ready…

Author's End note: There is to be much love for me writing a multi-chapter fic and actually finishing it. Oh, and the last sentence 'until they were all ready', means Optimus, Bumblebee and Megatron. It's sort of a spiritual…thingy…you know what I mean right? Is hopeless for an explanation Thanks for reading!… Whoa… I've never finished a multi chap before….did I really finish this!? Gets giggly and faints Vote on the poll in my Bio!

VE:-Mwa ha ha- Maybe I should be mean and made Zaerith do a sequel (cross your fingers loves), or maybe I won't. Anyway, this is done and over with for now so leave your reviews and I'll go eat breakfast now I'm so hungry No flames on this chapter 'cause I'm scary.