Note: Changed Chapter 18 a little. Bumblebee will be able to be a robot.
Chapter Twenty-Nine – I'm a Father
About an Hour or so Later
Bumblebee's Perspective
My tongue grazed hers lightly, and I heard her laughter dance in my receptors, light and beautiful. A breath left me, to her, and hands slid up my chest, my back, caressing. We laughed together between groans, exploring wildly without any limits to stop us. Our eyes looked deeply into each other's and our sparks fluttered happily as they longed to bond, wanting to break through the skin that impeded this.
"Arcee," I breathed.
"Bumblebee," came back in a groan. "E-Easy…"
I went for it, and pressed my mouth against hers, cutting off her gasp. She whimpered. I shook my head.
"I would never hurt you…"
It seemed like voices always followed me, echoing in the back of my head. I tried to ignore them, but that wasn't easy.
"Bumblebee, please wake up. This is urgent."
A hand shook me. "Son, wake up."
Ratchet?
I returned to my dream.
Arcee whimpered again, her breaths quick and fast now. I let her fall against me, his nails in my skin. Our sparks thudded on each other's, pounding in sync.
"Easy…"
Interrupted…
"Bumblebee, c'mon…"
"Dad, wake up. They're calling you."
Darren's voice made my eyelids rise, and I looked at everyone that surrounded me.
I blinked. "What is it?" I said in a tired voice.
I saw Hot Rod, standing behind Ratchet, his optics blazing in a blue fire. I blinked at him, then to Darren, who I saw seated in Ratchet's hand. They were all looking at me.
"Bumblebee, come with us right now," Ratchet ordered, already turning to leave, as did Hot Rod. "Please. It concerns Arcee."
Without a word, I slowly swung my legs to plant my feet on the ground, rising to a full six and a half feet, my eyes focused on Ratchet. In the blink of an eye, I transformed into an eighteen foot tall robot, following the others out of my quarters. I only hoped Arcee was okay, and not in any critical condition. My spark couldn't bare a sight like that.
//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\
Bumblebee's Perspective
I slowly entered Ratchet's quarters, my optics immediately falling upon Arcee who lay flat on the recharge berth, her optics closed. My spark sank and before I could move any further, Ratchet halted me in my path, his optics looking into mine. He sighed, sitting Darren on his shoulder.
"Bumblebee," he sighed again, meeting my optics. He stared for a while, and I blinked back, waiting for him to continue. He looked away shaking his head. "I'm not too sure on how to say this…," he said in a small smile.
Darren and I exchanged glances. I looked back to Ratchet.
"Just tell me," I said softly.
He twisted his lip. "Bumblebee…have you…bonded with Arcee?"
My optics widened and I broke our gaze, watching Darren chuckle to himself. I laughed weakly with him, rubbing the back of my neck in embarrassment. "Y-Yes, I have," I said, stammering.
Ratchet shook his head, grinning. "Well, Bumblebee, all I have to tell you, Son, is congratulations." His hand landed on my shoulder and squeezed.
My eyes widened, my hand falling limply to my side, hard as a rock.
"Wh-Wh…Wh-What?!"
"You'll be a father, Bumblebee."
I stared, mouth agape, eyes wide. My spark thudded madly and soon enough, my optics rolled and I fell back onto the metal floor with a thud, passing out cold.
I couldn't believe it.
I. Was. A. Father?!
Dear Primus.
//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\
Ratchet set his hands on his hips and shook his head, sighing at the yellow mech that lay cold on the floor. He turned and faced Arcee and Hot Rod, grinning. Darren shifted on his shoulder.
"A-Aren't you gonna help 'im?" he asked.
Ratchet turned his optics to look down at the human, still smiling. "Ohh', he's done that plenty of times before. He'll be awake in less than a few Earth minutes."
Darren only blinked, looking back at Bumblebee. "O-Oh…"
Hot Rod stormed past Ratchet and stepped over Bumblebee, thudding out the room without a word. Ratchet had just moved out of the way in time, looking past at the red blur flew by. He blinked, looking down at Arcee.
"Where's he off to?" He asked, raising an optic ridge.
Arcee sighed and shook her head. "It doesn't matter."
Ratchet hesitated, nodding slowly. "How are you feeling about holding new life?"
The femme smiled. "I'm extremely blessed," she said. "Though I-I wasn't…expecting it."
Ratchet shook his head with a smile. "No one was," he sighed. "Bumblebee, a father…Who would've known?"
Bumblebee groaned as he lifted a hand to his head, his yellow fingers massaging slowly. He shook his head and looked up to Ratchet as he smiled at him, his blue optics a drowsy blue. The young mech whirred, slowly standing.
"Ughh', what happened?" He groaned, waddling over in little balance.
Arcee giggled, blushing. "You fainted, honey," she laughed.
Bumblebee stumbled sideways, catching himself with a hand to the berth. "I did?"
Ratchet smiled. "About…you being a father." He caught Bumblebee as he stumbled back again, hearing the youngling groan again. Bumblebee shook his head, grabbing his spark for a minute to calm down.
"R-Right," he breathed, looking to Arcee with a slow smile. "I'm… a father…" He took Arcee's hand in his, looking down to her open chest compartment. His optics watched her beating spark with a wider grin, then sat his palms against the metal berth, leaning down to see the second wiggling spark. He whirred affectionately, leaning down to press his metal lips against her cheekplate.
"Honey, our sparkling will be beautiful," he whispered. "Only if…you wish to keep it."
Arcee smiled, lifting her hands to Bumblebee's faceplate. "Of course I want to."
Bumblebee blinked, his faceplate now concerned. "What of Hot Rod?"
She frowned. "I'll take care of him, Bumblebee."
The mech smiled. "Alright," he whispered, leaning down to kiss her again. He pulled away and sighed, stealing a glance at her spark one final time before turning to Ratchet.
"Optimus will be quite surprised," the medical officer sighed.
Bumblebee's optics widened. "No, no, no, no. Don't tell him yet," he begged. "Let me."
"…Let's hope his reaction is positive."
"I'll tell him," Bumblebee said. "He'll be convinced."
Ratchet nodded, letting Darren shift. "I understand that this is early to be asking this, but," he said, crossing his arms. "How would you like the sparkling delivered?"
Everyone blinked.
"…Meaning, by the human process or our way," he clarified.
Bumblebee looked to Arcee, smiling. "It's up to you, hun."
The femme blinked, looking to Ratchet. "W-Would the newborn be given a protoform?"
"If they were to be born as a Cybertronian, then yes, I could give them a human protoform."
"How soon?" questioned Bumblebee.
"Early. Only a couple weeks after they were born."
Arcee and Bumblebee nodded.
"We'll think about it," the yellow mech murmured, taking Arcee's hand. He looked at Darren. "Looks like you'll have a sibling, Darren."
The human smiled, though his eyes were closed. His head rested against Ratchet's jaw, his body limply extended to a side. The medical officer turned his deep blue optics down at the boy, lifting a finger to gently prod the human's stomach. Darren smiled wider, his exhaustion making him to slip into a dream.
Bumblebee looked and smiled at them all, his spark warming greatly. In only a couple months, maybe even less than that, he could have a family. As that crossed his processor, he looked down at Arcee, looking into her eyes lovingly.
"Does this mean…your spark has made its decision?" He asked, smiling.
The femme squeezed his hand. "Yes, it has," she said softly. "The bond that our sparks hold…it can't be broken." She smiled. "Bumblebee, I can't be separated from you." She ran her fingers to his heart.
Tears of joy stung his optics, glistening, and he took her hand with both of his, clasping it gently.
"Will you take me as your sparkmate, Arcee?" He murmured warmly.
They stared into each other's optics for a moment, feeling their sparks flutter inside through their intimate bond. Bumblebee whirred tenderly, pulling her hand against his spark. Leaning up to kiss her cheekplate, the femme whispered with a smile, "I do."