Chapter Thirteen – Separated from Me Once Again

Bumblebee's Point of View

Back Outside Darren's Home…

I wrapped my arms around Darren and drew him closer against my side. He could barely stand with the pain of his wounds overwhelming his body. I heard him breathing shakily, struggling to get enough air in, his frame trembling. He lowered on one knee with a small groan, his pale blue eyes turning up to mine. I blinked at him, my face soft in concern.

"Darren, what's wrong?" I asked him quietly.

"B-Bee, I-I can't…" He trailed off, looking away with a heavy sigh. "I-I can't stay out here. I-I need…rest. M-My body…I-I'm weak, Bumblebee."

My heart fell inside me. "Darren, stay strong for me," I whispered. "Fight it, okay? You have to."

He whimpered in reply, gripping my leg for support with one hand. A cool breeze made him shiver.

I knelt lower at his side, continuing to listen for anything that could be the sounds of a Decepticon, my robotic eyes scanning through infrared vision. I clutched him tighter as I heard police sirens in the distance, nearing us both too quickly. I gulped. Darren shot a look at me.

"Bee, is that him?" His voice quivered, worried. "Barricade?"

I nodded. "Stay quiet."

He obeyed, looking out in the distance. His hand grabbed my leg tighter.

"I don't like this," he muttered under his breath.

The sirens grew louder and louder with each Earth second that ticked by. Adrenaline pulsed through my systems rapidly. I heard an engine roar. The sound was oh-too-familiar. I stood swiftly.

"Darren, go. Hide now," I ordered him, waving my hand. I stepped away from him.

"Wh-What? Where, Bee? What do I…"

"Darren, go!" I shouted, only angry because I didn't want him to be harmed at all. "Hide behind your house! Anywhere, but here. Go, Darren!"

He bit his lip gently, shaking his head.

"Bee, I don't want you to get hurt…" He said softly.

I looked at him, calm, but nervous for his safety. I shook my head quickly and looked away.

"Darren, just go. I'll be fine."

Darren's eyes were on me for at least a minute more before he shakily rose to his feet and ran to the back of his house, his pale blue eyes widened, staring back at me in total fear and worry. He knelt down and wrapped his arms around his stomach, trying to kill the pain and the discomfort that rose inside him. His eyes were on me.

"Don't get hurt, Bee," my antennae picked up his small plea.

I bowed my head and shut my eyes.

"For you, Darren," I murmured.

It had taken everything inside me to shout at him, but it was for his own good. If anyone were going to get hurt, it'd be me. Definitely not him after the Hell he'd been through. There'd be no way in the world I'd let him get hurt again, and I told myself this again and again as I transformed into my robot mode.

Stepping back, my blue optics met Barricade's heated red ones, and the Decepticon warrior sped over Darren's home's lawn with a roaring engine, darting swiftly past trees and shrubbery. When he reached me, he transformed in a mid-lunge, soon crashing into me. I threw punches and strikes at him, and in return, I got the same.

Dodging a blow to my head, I saw Darren, knelt up all curled. My spark sank a little as he waved at me. Tears stung his pale blue eyes, making my own optics droop at their corners.

Don't worry, buddy.

//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\

Darren's Point of View

Watching two giant robots fight wasn't a sight I'd brag about to my friends. It was so clear that Barricade hated Bumblebee and would tear him apart if Bee had made the smallest incorrect move to his advantage.

I hid more behind my home, afraid that the giant beast would see me. My eyes widened as Bumblebee jerked down his battlemask and brandished his shoulder cannons. Barricade had a chain mace, long and threatening, especially to a smaller robot like Bumblebee.

He lashed it out at Bumblebee, who gracefully dodged the opponent's move in great time, firing at the enemy. His bullets hit and the monster groaned out deeply. Bumblebee charged and grabbed Barricade, pulling the opponent and himself to the ground. They tussled violently on top of each other.

I twitched as I heard a scream I'd never heard before. Bumblebee cried out in pain as Barricade forced the spikes of his mace under Bee's side armor plating and into his metal skin. I saw purplish-blue blood spill out and spurt onto the ground, making my stomach queasy. Bumblebee struggled to get the mace out of his side, trying to grab it. The spikes penetrated his hands right through the metal, and he grabbed Barricade's wrist. He shook, groaning as he's not strong enough to pry away his opponent's hand. I looked away, his pain filled cries striking my ears.

C'mon, Bee, I pray. You can do it. Shoot 'im!

As if by magic, Bumblebee fired his shoulder cannons at Barricade twice, making the beast tremble in pain, but keep his mace locked into Bumblebee's side. Bee fired many more times, over and over, his body shaking with each one. Barricade finally gives, pulling out the mace swiftly. Bumblebee moaned lowly in anguish, grabbing his side with both hands.

He tried to slide away from Barricade. His blood oozed between his fingers and onto the back of his hand, eventually staining the grass. He's weakened. I wished I could help him somehow…

Bumblebee collapsed on his back and started breathing awkwardly, the pain in his side looking like it was beginning to overwhelm him. He slowly unleashed his arm cannon and fired at Barricade, who easily dodged the injured robot's shots. The giant beast laughed evilly at him, and then leaned down, grabbing Bee by both shoulders with his prickly claws. He threw him against a tree and Bumblebee groaned, shivering uncontrollably, his systems malfunctioning. I covered my mouth, resisting the urge to cry out.

Bumblebee, hang in there…

My friend didn't move much at all. He groaned and whirred in pain, looking up at Barricade with big eyes, as if pleading for mercy. I tensed.

No, Bumblebee. C'mon…Don't give in to him. Kick his ass.

Just in time, I heard more engines roar on to the scene. I couldn't see any one from where I am, but I hear cars transforming, hydraulics hissing, and armor sliding into place. Pretty soon, Optimus Prime stepped into view, whipping out his laser cannon and firing it twice at Barricade. The Decepticon goes flying back and impacts a tree hard, right in his back. He cried out and Optimus only fired again, gesturing back at the others behind him.

The enemy twitches, and then rises to his feet like nothing happened. I gulped.

Optimus waved his hand forward, stepping aside one step.

Another Autobot slides in, the silver robot that had a nice personality, the second one to hold me that morning. I peeked around the corner of the house, only seeing Optimus, Jazz, and Bumblebee. Where could the other two be?

"Jazz, cover me while I check on Bumblebee," I hear Optimus order. Jazz lifted his shield to a proper height before firing through an opening. The bullet hit Barricade, but didn't do any good. The giant monster charged at Jazz and hit him with his mace, causing him to fall back. Barricade lunged, and the two were locked in a fight of fists. Jazz, even though he was small, kicked ass…Like, Barricade. I tore my eyes away to look at Bumblebee. I grimaced.

Bumblebee's side was bleeding a lot, and Optimus was knelt beside him, probably examining. Bumblebee's eyes flickered on and off as he looked up to Prime, but it was obvious that he could barely stay online. My friend collapsed on his side, and I frowned. Optimus set a hand on his shoulder and pat him twice before standing to fight again.

My eyes were zeroed in on Bumblebee.

C'mon, Bee, get up. You're alright…

Bumblebee's chest fell at uneven times. I saw him cough up his own blood. My stomach churned sickeningly.

Bumblebee, fight it off, man. You're stronger than this, I know you are.

I didn't know what I was telling myself, but Bumblebee had to get up. I couldn't lose him, my greatest friend, my other father figure. I knelt down, watching him as tears blurred my vision.

Don't go, Bee.

//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\

Bumblebee's Point of View

I fluttered open my optic lids to look around the wooded area, my vision incredibly blurred and worsening with every Earth second that passed by me. I shut them tightly again and coughed up energon again, feeling my hydraulic fluid trickle from my mouth and onto my chin. I smudged it in the dirt and opened my eyes again. My hand clutched my side tighter, as it had been for the last several minutes. I turned my eyes to where Darren was. I saw him and whirred helplessly.

"D-Darren…" I groaned. I slid a hand out to him. I wasn't giving up.

Darren had tears on his cheeks, and they fell slowly. He stood, staring at me with pale eyes. He waved as his chin started to tremble. I knew he was encouraging me to get up, like every transmitter of my mind. I shut my optics for a moment more and sat up.

For you, Darren…

I shakily rose to my feet, a huge wave of pain washing over my whole body. I swallowed it away and cocked my arm back slowly, releasing my arm cannon. Stepping into the battle, I aimed for Barricade fired.

"N-Not… giving up…"

//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\

Darren's Point of View

I smiled wide as Bumblebee rose to his feet and reentered the battle scene. The shot from his arm cannon impacted Barricade's chest, a bullet from Optimus' laser cannon hit his shoulder, and Jazz contributed by sweeping out a leg, tripping the massive opponent. Barricade fell and I stumbled back as his head fell only a few feet away from where I was standing. I held my breath.

Oh, God, no. Oh, no.

Barricade's head suddenly turned. His optics flashed at me, making my heart stop for at least two seconds. I screamed, I couldn't help it. I started to run away. I heard him get up and chase me. I didn't dare look back, I couldn't, and I wouldn't. My heart sped over what felt like three million beats per second. I ran as quickly as I could to nowhere. Away from the monster of my nightmares.

A giant hand swept me off of my feet and clutched me in its palm. Barricade's claw.

I thought I heard Bumblebee call my name. I couldn't hear much over my pounding heart.

Barricade stumbled forward as shots hit his back, roaring. I shuddered.

Oh, God. Save me…

The next thing I know, he's transforming and I'm sitting in a police car. He floored it and speeds through the grass, onto the road. I looked behind me, but he tightens a seatbelt over my middle and darkens every window. I'm locked inside.

Barricade turned a hard right and disappeared in an alley. He shuts off everything.

…So no one can detect us.

NO!

We sat in silence. Tears burned in my eyes the instant I heard familiar engines drive by.

"I'm right here!" I wanted to yell at them. But, it was no use. They drove by. They missed us.

I'm trapped inside a monster.