Finally! the LONG overdue chapter! Here it is, I hope you guys are still hanging in there.

"No!" he cried, darting over to Ironhide's side. Yet, just before he could reach the large mech, something held him back.

"NO!" he screamed again, fighting against the restraint, "not him!"

"Bee, there's nothing we could do. He's gone…" as much as those words tore at Ratchet's spark he knew it was a far worse feeling for the youngling in his arms.

Wails and cries of outrage continued to bleed from Bee's vocalizer as he continued to struggle. However, despite the denial, reality slowly began to set in as the CMO's word sank heavily into his spark until all he could bring himself to do to express his grief was fall to back on the soft clicking from his sparklinghood. Ratchet tried to hold him closer, he tried tightening his grip in an attempt to provide more support, but Bumblebee hardly cared for anything around him anymore. His intense focus upon his guardian's lifeless form superseded the meaningless words the other medics attempted to comfort him with.

How could they understand what he felt, how could they act as if everything would be alright, how could they not see how unfair it was! His guardian had been brutally ripped from him without warning. There hadn't even been a short moment to utter a goodbye. He was not even given the chance to tell Ironhide just what he meant to him. The thought of accepting the truth quickly gave way to a wave of grief-stricken terror and began to sink its ice cold claws deep into his spark. He dropped to his knees without warning and emitted the most horrid spark-shattering how of agony any of the medics had ever known.

Every medic recoiled as the guilt of failure settled heavily on their shoulders. Not only had they lost a great comrade, but they had forever lost the bright energetic sparkling before them. Bumblebee would never be the same again and the loss was so much more acute to them.

Time lost all meaning to the youngling as his scream died; he was unaware of anything anymore. He went without resistance when Ratchet gently picked him up, taking him out while the others carefully cleaned up the warrior, but Bumblebee hardly noticed and the look in his optics dulled to distant and vacant. As soon as he was guided up on a berth, he curled into the smallest ball as possible. He could hear Ratchet talking to him, trying to say something to break through the shock but he didn't care and blocked it all out. Nothing mattered anymore; he just wanted to drift off into recharge and never wake again. Covering his face from the CMO, Bumblebee unwillingly fell into the darkness of nightmares.

He woke later, much later he realized when he saw nearly all the lights of the medbay were off and no medics were present. His mind was already made up before his feet hit the ground; silently he headed back to the room where Hide still remained, though now unstained and far more respectable. The ceremony for his passing would probably be held within the next orn, but for now he would have this moment for himself.

Walking over to his guardian's side, he found himself temporarily at a loss for words. Looking upon the massive mech so still, so silent, it made the pain all too real and a few tears rolled down his face. Pushing back a whimper, he carefully took a black hand within both his own. These hands for war had always been so gentle and caring all his life, they protected him from danger and comforted him during his fears. Each scar could tell a dozen stories and it was only then he would sit long enough to listen to them. Slowly his finger traced over the longest on his palm.

"Remember this one Hide?" he asked the warrior moving to sit up beside him, holding the hand in his lap, "this one was always my favorite."

His finger continued to trace back and forth over the scar as he recalled the story.

"Sparklings are always trouble you said, and I was above and beyond that exception. I had just started crawling and quickly began disappearing from sight. I sent the soldiers into a frenzy looking for me. You were always worried where I was, but you managed to always find me except one time. I was missing and the Decepticons were attacking. You couldn't just go fight without knowing where I was, you knew you had to find me, and as much trouble as I was, you knew exactly where I would end up."

"There I was, in the middle of the battle, confused at the fighting around me. You nearly had a spark attack you said and ran out to protect me," for a second he had to pause again as he choked up, tears free falling from his optics upon Ironhide's hand, "you picked me up with one hand and immediately had to block a Con with your other. You knew it could've taken your hand off permanently but you didn't care. I was your priority; I was all that mattered to you. You wanted to protect me as you have always protected me."

His shoulders shook and his voice grew weaker as he pressed the larger palm to his cheek, "I need you Hide, I still need you to protect me."

Watching silently, Ratchet's spark twisted at the youngling's words. He burned from the inside to help him, to ease the suffering but he couldn't, there was nothing he could do. Ironhide was gone.

For a long while, the youngling grieved alone unaware of the CMO's presence at the door way as he continued quietly reciting all the stories he knew of his guardian from memory until there were no more to say and the tears had finally dried. Knowing he couldn't leave Bee alone any longer, the medic moved forward until the youngling spoke again.

"Hide, I missed you so much already, I wish I understood why Primus has done this to me. He has always told me his plan, made it so clear and I never want to question it but now I don't know what to do. He has stripped you away from me forever and my spark hurts like never before. I can't do this alone, and I feel like blind faith is no longer enough. If I had a chance I would help bring you back no matter the cost. I hate this war and I hate my role in it. I don't want to follow this path, I don't care anymore! I have nothing left to fight for when everyone I love is going to die in the process!"

The youngling tilted his gaze up slightly, as if here were staring straight at some unseen mech before him, "give him back to me," he growled, "whatever the cost, I'll pay it but give him back. To. Me."

Confusion and curiosity gave Ratchet pause as he wondered who the youngling was speaking to until suddenly he realized that Ironhide and Bumblebee were both bathed in a pale blue light that seemed to seep out from within them. Primus…it couldn't be. There was no way this young mech could be speaking directly to Primus and above all, demand action be taken. However, it was clear to the medic that this was a divine event as the anguish and despair was washed from Bumblebee's face and the soft light glowed brighter until it seemed the two different sources from each mech connected into one.

Suddenly, the light grew brighter until it was so strong Ratchet had to turn away as it burned his optics, yet as soon as he did it flickered back to darkness and quickly he looked back. The youngling swayed, falling back as the light suddenly disappeared within him. Quickly, the medic ran forward to catch him before he toppled off the berth. But, before he could reach him a black hand slid around and caught Bumblebee.

Ironhide sat up, holding his exhausted youngling in his arms as he looked up at the CMO, "what happened?" but Ratchet was speechless and could only stare in shock at the resurrected mech.

"You're back," Bumblebee whispered, optics dull, "I brought you back."

Another big thank you as always to Vanilla for enduring the proof reads, though I'm sure the previews before everyone else make up for any inconvience it may bring!

Well let me know what you guys think! I can't wait to keep going.