Chapter Thirty-Six – Watched

Outside the Adonis III

One Hour Later

Hot Rod, in his robot form, ducked down slightly to peer into the window to Bumblebee's quarters, his deep blue optics looking left and right before zeroing in ahead of him to an entire Autobot squad circled around a single berth in the quarters. He raised an optic ridge and stepped over to a side, narrowing his optics as he let them scan more efficiently and fall over a certain couple lying on top of berth, holding each other lovingly.

He gritted his teeth, his jaw clenching.

"Bumblebee," he growled, recognizing that unmistakable yellow armor and pair of electric blue optics. His spark sank when he saw the candy-pink armor of his ex-femme, Arcee, cuddled up in his arms, her head on his shoulder. Frowning, his optics drooping, he set a single hand on the base, sighing.

"Why did you leave me, love?" he whispered to himself. "Why did you - "

He words were cut short in his throat as he saw two baby bots sitting on the berth before the couple, each one smiling happily as they looked up at everyone. One, the femme, a white and black, and the other, the mech, a bright yellow and black…

Just like Bumblebee.

Hot Rod shook his head slowly.

The sparklings had been born.

And he hated to admit to himself that they were beautiful.

Tears stinging his optics, he looked away quickly, clenching a hand into a fist. He couldn't help, but look back, just at the wrong time as Bumblebee kissed Arcee on her cheekplate. They took their sparklings between them and the squad departed, leaving them and their sparklings alone in the room.

Hot Rod took a step closer to the window, taking advantage of his now clearer view of them. He felt his spark sink even more as Bumblebee moved his arms around Arcee, drawing her against his frame, cradling her, caressing every nook and cranny with his curious fingers.

He made a look of disgust.

The sparklings snuggled between their creators, their happy gurgles and giggles faint to his receptors, as he was behind the window. But, he didn't need to hear their joyous cries. His spark already felt lonely, missing out on the wonderful pulsations of the bond that pulsed through the sparklings to their creators.

Not to mention, missing that sensation Arcee's spark had brought to him.

All of that was just a memory now.

He stared at them with blue optics glassed with tears, unable to look away.

He couldn't. He didn't think anyone could if the love of their life unexpectedly fell in love with someone else. His spark was torn in half, and breaking in fourths with every lonely second that passed by. Soon, those fourths would become eighths, and the eighths, sixteenths…

His pain would be never-ending.

Hot Rod, knowing that it only caused him more pain, kept staring anyways. If he couldn't be with Arcee, he might as well just pretend.

He closed his optics as he stepped away from the window, imagining himself as Bumblebee, seeing Arcee in his arms again. There he was kissing her, whispering in her receptor, telling her how'd she be his forever, and hearing her say the same back.

He opened his eyes to the harsh reality.

That would never happen again.

With a heavy spark, he accepted the fact.

Arcee was Bumblebee's, and their love was inseparable.

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

Meanwhile, Inside the Adonis III

Bumblebee's Perspective

"Dadaaaa," whirred my mechling me, trying his best to wrap his tiny arms around my faceplate. I smiled at him warmly, my own blue optics looking into those of my son's, my fingers moving gingerly underneath the bot's bottom.

"What is it, Zaidian," I cooed playfully, pressing my noseplate against the sparkling's. "What was that, huh?"

Zaidian giggled, pressing his little cheekplate against mine. "Dada," he said slowly.

"That's right," I told him. "I am your Dada."

Arcee giggled at me groggily, nudging her head into my shoulder.

Darren chuckled, nudging an elbow into my stomach plating. "Hey, could I see him?" he laughed, turning his eyes up at Zaidian, watching the mechling gurgle happily.

I nodded at him, lowering the bot to the metal berth.

"Of course," I grinned, letting Zaidian from my hands. My mechling fell onto his side and whirred, smiling, and I smiled wider. I took his tiny hand between two of my fingers and pulled him straight up, Zaidian struggling to sit up by himself. I cupped my hand around his little back, supporting him.

"Honey, make sure he stays up," warned my half-awake femme, holding a sleeping Xylastar gingerly against her breastplate. "Don't let him fall…"

"Oh, I'm aware," I told her, stroking Zaidian's back with my thumb.

Zaidian fixed his big blue optics on Darren, staring wide-eyed, his little throat making curious whirrs. He reached out a hand for the human, his little fingers slowly easing against Darren's chest and stomach, feeling his body lightly. Giggling, he took Darren in his hand, squeezing, lifting Darren into the air.

"Rrrr…!" the mechling purred.

I widened my optics, watching intently as Darren squirmed, struggling to breathe in the tight grip Zaidian had on him. I took my son's hand and slowly peeled away his yellow fingers, letting Darren fall into my palm. Zaidian whimpered at me, and I gave him a chastising look.

"Zaidian, you know better," I droned at him, shaking my head. I looked down at Darren. "Are you okay?"

Darren nodded, looking a little shaken. "Y-Yeah, I'm fine," he stammered.

I nodded, setting him against my stomach armor with hand as I took Zaidian in my other. Both hands were soon on him, and I lifted the sparkling to my chest, looking into his optics seriously.

"Zaidian, look at Darren," I told him.

He only blinked, whirring at me.

I raised an eyebrow, jerking my head in Darren's direction. "Zaidian…"

The mechling turned his optics down at the human, his chin trembling.

"Tell him you're sorry, Zaidian."

He reached out a hand for Darren, waving his little yellow fingers. He whimpered and shifted his optics to me, staring innocently. I smiled at him with a nod, wrapping him up in my arms as I drew him closer against my spark.

"Good, boy," I murmured.

Zaidian sniffled, then turned his head to the door of my quarters as approaching footsteps sounded. I looked up to meet the optics of my commander, who greeted me with a smile.

"Hello, Sir," I said at him warmly, shifting the bot in my arms. "Welcome."

Optimus entered slowly, his optics immediately falling upon a sleeping sparkling in a recharging Arcee's arms. His metal lips curved into a warm smile as his blue optics turned to Zaidian.

"Bumblebee," he cooed gently, sitting himself at my side. "Is that your son…?"

I nodded at him. "It is, Sir," I said, turning Zaidian to face Optimus. I looked down at the mechling, grinning. "Say, 'Hi,' Zaidian. Say hello to Optimus."

Zaidian's chin tremored and he looked away, turning his optics up at me with a nervous whimper. He clutched my arm, his little frame shivering quickly.

"M-Mmm," he hummed frighteningly. He shook his head.

I chuckled. "He won't hurt you, Zaidian," I told him, leaning down to kiss his little head. "I promise you." I shifted my optics to Optimus, smiling wider. "Would you like to hold him?"

Optimus blinked. "He wouldn't mind, would he?"

I laughed, shaking my head. "No, besides, I'm right here to take him back if he becomes too much of a handful."

My commander smiled, nodding slowly. "Only if you're sure, Bumblebee."

"I am, Sir," I replied, lifting Zaidian away from my spark to Optimus' awaiting hands. The mechling gripped Optimus hands firmly as the towering mech brought him to his chest, the spark unfamiliar to the little bot making him whirr in fright and curiosity. Zaidian shook and looked up at Optimus with a whimper, sulking down as the commander looked back warmly.

"Hello, little one," he cooed, stroking the mechling's head with a single finger. Zaidian's antennae twitched several times, their hypersensitive circuitry receiving an unpleasant jolt that rattled him. Optimus smiled, tracing the outline of Zaidian's cheekplate and jawline.

"M-Mmm," he hummed, trying to wriggle out of Optimus' hands.

Optimus shook his head. "Needn't be afraid," he told him softly. "I'm not going to hurt you."

Zaidian started writhing and twisting in Optimus' grasp, letting out choked sobs from his throat, his optics ducts welling with tears. He threw his head back and squealed shrilly, turning his tear stained faceplate and drooped optics at me. A little hand reached out and he whimpered.

"D-Dada!"

I frowned, meeting Optimus' optics. He blinked, looking back to Zaidian.

"Shhh, don't cry, mechling," he said, easing the little body against his warm spark.

"Yes, Zaidian. It's alright."

The mechling cried louder, throwing out his fists, kicking his legs.

"Dada!"

I sighed, reaching my hands out to take my son in my arms again. He continued choking out little sobs in his fit of fright, snuggling against my spark as I eased him to it. He let his receptor listen to its beating and he gradually calmed.

"Good, good, that's right. Shhh," I cooed at him. "No more…"

My optics fell to his stomach plating as a small sound emitted from them, telling me that his tiny tanks were empty. His chin started trembling again, his optics watering.

"Dadaaaa," he whined, rubbing his stomach.

I chuckled, hoisting him onto my shoulder as I shifted my optics to Optimus.

"Sir, I need to tend to him," I said, stroking Zaidian's back.

Optimus nodded politely, smiling as he rose to his towering thirty feet, his hydraulics hissing. "It was a pleasure to meet your son," he told me, setting a hand on the handle of my door. "Perhaps next time I'll meet your sparkling femmebot."

I nodded at him. "That would be wonderful, Sir."

Smiling wider, Optimus twisted down the handle, exiting from my quarters.

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

Once Bumblebee was sure he was gone, the mech lovingly glowered down at his femme with warm blue optics, turning on his side to face her.

"Just us, now," he murmured smoothly, easing closer.

Arcee smiled, her optics looking around for a moment. "But, where's your human friend? I thought he was here with us."

Bumblebee chuckled. "He went with them to go get a bite to eat, baby," he grinned, sliding his fingers up one of her arms. "Only you, Zaidian, Xylastar and me, now."

Arcee's optics flared softly into Bumblebee's and she smiled wider, pulling herself against him. She felt him shift as he pulled an arm around her shoulders, turning her and himself onto their backs. Bumblebee held Zaidian in his free arm, and Xylastar lay on her side against the cool metal berth, giggling.

Arcee grinned. "What is it, you silly femmebot," she joked, watching her baby snuggle her cheekplate into the berth. "Hmm?"

Xylastar only whirred back, closing her optics dazedly as her recharging systems hummed to life. Bumblebee nudged her little white head with a toe, laughing with the sparkling as she turned onto her other side.

"We should feed them," Bumblebee said, lifting his chin temporarily as Arcee tucked her head against the crook of his neck. "…Their first meal of energon."

Arcee nodded. "Let them recharge first."

Bumblebee whirred, agreeing as his sleeping Zaidian stirred against his shoulder, mumbling something under a breath. The mech purred and stroked his son's back with light fingers, letting his optic lids droop.

"You tired, baby?" he asked his femme in a yawn.

Arcee hummed groggily. "I'm worn from the energy I lost…"

Bumblebee shifted his optics down at her, eyeing her spark chamber. "You're spark's not bothering you at all, is it?"

She shook her head. "No, it's holding…" She rubbed his spark chamber gingerly, feeling it beat mightily inside him. "With yours around, of course mine's okay," she cooed, smiling.

Bumblebee grinned, kissing her head before he set his against it, turning his optics to a nearby window set high on the wall. "And it'll always be there for - "

He froze, words choked.

Outside the window, was a faceplate, red and gold, its optics as blue as the ocean. They stared into the quarters at them, watching unblinkingly, staring, taking every detail in. Bumblebee's own optics widened instantly and he swiftly sat his head up, making Arcee look up at him worriedly.

"Baby, what's wrong?"

He watched as the faceplate suddenly disappeared from the window in a flash.

"Arcee, someone was watching us," he droned lowly, moving his arm tighter around her.

She shivered. "Wh-Who?!"

Bumblebee turned his optics ahead of him, sighing before he said the name.

"Hot Rod…"

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

Outside the Adonis III

A Few Minutes Later…

Bumblebee stepped around the base, ambling into the wooded area that surrounded it, curving around the metal headquarters. His blue optics scanned the area, then fell upon that oh-so-familiar red and yellow frame, and those optics staring at him now a heated fire in them.

Hot Rod stood a good few feet away from the yellow mech, his faceplate hard.

"What do you want…?" he growled slowly.

Bumblebee swallowed, wincing at the anger in Hot Rod's voice. "H-Hot Rod, what're you doin' out here? Watching us?"

Hot Rod didn't answer for a few moments. "You just had to take her from me, didn't you?"

Bumblebee raised an eyebrow. "Wh-Wha - "

"You just had to take her," he repeated, cutting him off without the slightest care. "You just had to get your hands all over her. The femme of my spark, the one'd I been with for hundreds and hundreds of years, Bumblebee…Do you know I feel?"

The mech just stared, his mouth open, but no words coming out.

"Don't play dumb with me," snapped Hot Rod. "Don't even try it."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," shook Bumblebee. "I did not steal Arcee. It was her spark's decision, and you know that."

"I doubt it," the mech snapped back.

Bumblebee only stared.

"I bet you begged for her to be yours, and I bet you made her be your sparkmate." He scoffed. "You would do something like that, wouldn't you?"

Bumblebee's optics flared. "I would do nothing of the sort," he snapped. "You know that. I would do nothing like that to Arcee. I would not steal her."

"Do I know that really?" Hot Rod snickered. "What I caught you doing to her could be stressed to something that high of a degree."

"What the hell are you saying…?" droned Bumblebee.

The other mech scoffed, smirking haughtily. "Maybe I should explain further…job that processor of yours…"

The way he said that, it made Bumblebee's optics narrow and flare.

"Day one," Hot Rod said, starting to pace back and forth. "I come outside, looking for her…" He stopped suddenly, glaring harshly at Bumblebee, making the mech stumble back a step. "And there, I see her with you…your hands all over her, your filthy mouth on hers."

Bumblebee grimaced. "That doesn't mean anything…"

Hot Rod scoffed, chuckling. "Doesn't mean anything? It's day one and you're already kissin' all over her? Does that not sound a bit weird to you?"

The yellow mech's hands clenched to fists at his sides.

"…A little desperate maybe?"

"I loved her…"

"But, you knew she had a mech, Bumblebee. You knew she was my sparkmate! You knew fraggin' well that I loved her before you!" Hot Rod was fuming, his optics electric blue. "You knew it all, Bumblebee. She was mine."

Bumblebee gulped. "It'd slipped my processor. I was so caught up - "

"'Cause you were so damn caught up in getting her."

Silence.

"Things like that just don't slip," Hot Rod said lowly.

Bumblebee's hands unclenched and he looked down to the grass, frowning. He didn't know what to say.

"I was her sparkmate for years, Bumblebee. Hundreds and hundreds of years we'd known each other. Then, all of a sudden, she's not mine anymore." His optics narrowed. "Do you know how much that hurt me?"

Bumblebee shook his head slowly. "…N-No, I didn't realize."

"Well, now, you know damn well," Hot Rod shot, his voice quivering some. "…I'm so used to waking up and seeing her in my arms. Finding those…Those beautiful blue optics looking at me, feeling her there, knowing she's my sparkmate forever." He shook his head. "Now, I wake up to nothing. Loneliness…" He sighed. "But, you wouldn't care, would you."

Bumblebee lifted his head, shifting his optics to Hot Rod.

"I didn't mean to cause you any of the pain you're going through," he said softly. "…None of it was intentional."

"Sure did seem that way."

"I'm not like that, Hot Rod," the mech said in a gentler voice. "And really, my spark does feel for you. I mentioned to Arcee that I sympathized for you, but she told me not to worry about someone who was her business."

Hot Rod's optics cooled and his expression changed to blankness. "…You said that?"

Bumblebee nodded. "I-I did," he told him. "I-If I could make things better for you…"

Scoffing, he cut him off, giving the mech a slightly apologizing stare before looking away, shaking his head. "Whatever…I don't wanna hear it."

Bumblebee watched Hot Rod, his optics now droopy. "I am sorry, Hot Rod."

The red mech looked over his shoulder, past Bumblebee, to the base window. Bumblebee winced when he saw tears glaze over the mech's optics and one fall down a cheekplate, into the grass.

"Yeah, whatever," he muttered, turning away with his head low. "Those sparklings should have been ours…"