Chapter Thirty-Seven –Traitor
Bumblebee's Quarters
45 Minutes Later
"They're right in here," said Ratchet in a whisper, leading the rest of the Autobot crew into Bumblebee's room. "Stay quiet. The sparklings are sleeping, as is everyone else."
Optimus was the first one to step inside, his deep blue optics scanning around before they fell over the robot couple, each holding one of their precious baby bots in their arms. Arcee had her head tucked in Bumblebee's neck, a small bundle of cloths in her arms, lying against the part of her breastplate where her spark rested. The thrums it gave her baby bot calmed the sparkling, keeping it in a relaxed state of recharge.
He grinned as he saw his soldier, Bumblebee, with his uncovered baby mech against his shoulder, his yellow hands gently supporting the tiny robot's frame; one palm seated against the little back, and the other cupped around the sparkling's bottom. Bumblebee's optics were closed, his head against the baby's body ever so gently at a slight angle.
Darren rested in a crook of Bumblebee's chest armor, his back against the cool yellow metal, his arms held loosely across his chest. He had his eyes closed, his head tilted to one side, his breathing slow and rhythmic.
It was completely silent, except for the few, occasional squeaks and chirps from the sparklings. Every time they uttered a sound, their creators would calm them with gentle fingers across their backs. And, each time Zaidian whimpered, Bumblebee's purring made him relax instantly like magic.
Jazz ambled slowly to the commander's side, smiling slowly with a sigh.
"Is that them?" he whispered, leaning forward as he sat his hands on his hips.
Ratchet nodded, seating himself quietly at the edge of the berth.
"M'hm, those are them," he said softly, shifting his optics to the babies. "Fraternal twins."
Ironhide stood behind him Jazz, his towering frame giving him the clearance to see clearly above the shorter mech. Crossing his arms across his burly chest, he asked gruffly, "Fraternal…"
"Meaning, they don't look exactly alike," Optimus said quietly, looking down at his weapons specialist with a small smile.
"I knew that…" grumbled Ironhide.
Optimus looked to Ratchet. "Their coloring, it is different, isn't it?"
Ratchet nodded at his commander. "It is. That's correct," he told him. "The baby femme is white and black, Arcee and Bumblebee's secondary colors, where as the mechling looks just like his father."
"Exactly like him?" asked Jazz.
Ratchet nodded again, smiling. "Exactly. Like a miniature version of Bumblebee."
Hearing his name, his antennae twitching, Bumblebee whirred, lifting his optic lids dazedly. His sky blue optics shifted from one mech to the other and he lifted a corner of his mouth is a drowsy smile, his fingers dancing along his son's spine. He shifted, nodding once at them all.
"Hello, Sirs," he grinned sleepily, lifting his head.
"Tired, already, huh?" joked Ratchet, giving the mech's foot a small tap.
Bumblebee yawned and nodded, fluttering his wings as he stretched. "Mmm, yeah," he said, breathing out as he ended his yawn.
Optimus chuckled, moving over to the younger mech's berthside. His warm blue optics fell upon the sparkling in Bumblebee's hands and he smiled widely.
"Bumblebee," the commander said softly, reaching out a hand to stroke the sparkling oh-so-delicately. "Is Zaidian feeling better?"
He nodded, slowly lifting the baby bot away from his shoulder.
"M-Mmm," Zaidian murmured in his sleep, stirring. "Dada…"
Bumblebee chuckled. "Would you like to hold him again, Sir?"
"Only if it's right with you."
Bumblebee scoffed lightly. "Fine with me, Sir."
Optimus grinned. "Then, I sure would," he cooed, taking the sparkling in both of his massive hands. Zaidian wriggled as the mighty commander settled his tiny body in his arms, cradling him very tenderly.
"There you are," cooed the commander slowly in a low voice, patting the baby's side lightly. "Good, good…That's it, Zaidian."
The sparkling fluttered open his big blue optics and squealed, startled, flailing out his limbs in fear and longing for his father. Optimus only smiled wider, shaking his head.
"Do not be afraid, little one," he said warmly. "Shhh, shhh…I won't hurt you."
Darren shook awake at the high-pitched cries, wincing as he poked his head from the crook in Bumblebee's chest armor. He looked up at Zaidian, glaring.
"What's wrong with 'im, Bee?" he said, tired still. "M'tryin' to sleep…"
Bumblebee laughed."He's just frightened to be out of my arms," he said, giving Darren a small pat on his hair with a single fingertip. "Aren't human sparklings the same?"
Darren chuckled. "Yeah, they are. I guess it doesn't matter what universe you come from…They're always the same."
Bumblebee grinned, then grimaced as Zaidian's cries worsened, wondering if he should take his son back into his arms. He swallowed, watching Optimus struggle to calm the baby bot.
"Zaidian, don't worry," he called to his son. "Optimus won't hurt you, baby."
The mechling only wailed, throwing his tiny fists in the air. He kicked and squirmed, shutting his optics as tears spilled from under their lids. The bot turned onto his stomach and reached for his father, making the yellow mech grin.
"He's not going to hurt you, Zaidian," Bumblebee said again, patting his son's head.
"Dadaaa!" wailed Zaidian.
"I…don't think he cares," said Darren, sulking as to shield away the cries.
Optimus shook his head, brushing his fingers along the bot's young frame, making Zaidian shudder. The sparkling wailed again, trying to kick his little feet at the older mech's hands, squealing for his father.
"Dada!" he cried, screaming louder. "Dadaaa!"
Bumblebee shook his head at his son, waving a finger. "No, Zaidian," he said. "Be nice, okay? Be nice to Optimus."
Optimus blinked, pulling the sparkling gently against his warm spark, hoping its mighty thrums would quiet the baby's cries. Zaidian silenced only a little, his tiny receptor pressing against Optimus, listening to the beats the spark gave off.
Optimus nodded. "Right, little one. No need to be so frightened."
Zaidian cried harder at Optimus' voice, his tear filled optics staring into Bumblebee's. A little yellow hand reached out and he hiccupped in a sob, whimpering as Optimus held him a bit firmer.
"D-Dada!"
"Zaidian," droned Bumblebee. "I'm right here. I won't let him hurt you."
Ironhide blinked, watching with an arched optic ridge. "The little guy talks already, huh?"
Jazz shrugged. "Apparently," he muttered. "…One word."
"The bot learns fast," Ratchet told them. "Though, he's not quite comfortable around Optimus, for some reason."
"Well, obviously," sighed Darren, wishing the cries would stop as he covered his ears.
Zaidian cried shrilly, sobbing. He kicked and squirmed wildly, screaming at the top of his little vents, staring at his father with his hands before him. He hiccupped in his sobs, trying to move away from Optimus by kicking his legs.
"DADA!!"
Bumblebee nodded at Optimus as he took the sparkling back into his hands, lifting the crying baby to his chest. The sparkling whirred, hiccupping frequently, his tiny frame shuddering. Bumblebee swayed him gently and patted his stomach, nodding slower.
"Okay, okay. Shhh…That's enough, Zaidian," he cooed in the baby's receptor. He let a finger prod at one of the antennae on the bot's head, and they twitched, their circuitry highly sensitive. "Don't cry anymore." Zaidian whirred as he was lifted to his father's shoulder, his little body leaning forward with a sigh as Bumblebee cupped a hand over his back, digging his fingers into his metal skin.
Optimus grinned. "Zaidian," he said. "A nice name for a mechling."
Bumblebee smiled. "Thank you, Sir." He paused to kiss his son's head. "I'm sorry about that…I guess he's just afraid."
Optimus shrugged. "It's only understandable from such a young bot like him. He'll grow more comfortable in time."
"He's just not used to such a mech like you, Prime," chuckled Ratchet.
Optimus shrugged. "I suppose you're right, Ratchet," he laughed.
Bumblebee nodded with a smile, patting Zaidian quicker as his cries started up again.
"Shhh, shhh," he quieted. "Daddy's here, Daddy's here, Zaidian."
"Mmm…Dada," muttered Zaidian. "M-Mmm…"
Arcee looked up at her sparkmate and little Zaidian, giggling as Bumblebee was quick to plant a soft kiss against her cheekplate. She snuggled her head up against his shoulder, feeling his head nuzzle against the top of hers.
"Well, the other one's awfully quiet," commented Jazz with a wave of his hand, shifting his weight as he turned his dark optics to the baby femmebot. "Hasn't said a word."
Arcee gave him a playful look. "Her name is Xylastar, Jazz," she shot at him lightly. "And, yes, she's a very calm femme." Her fingers stroked over the sparkling's pale white faceplate. "…She doesn't need to be outspoken."
The second-in-command laughed. "What? Like Zaidian?"
Bumblebee's optics flared. "…He's only a newborn."
Jazz shrugged. "Hey, m'just sayin'," he said, smiling. "I thought they were twins."
"What's that supposed to mean?" grumbled Ironhide, shooting the Jazz a skeptical look.
"Twins…aren't they supposed ta' have, like, the same personalities? Be the same?"
Optimus looked at them. "They're fraternal twins," he sighed.
"…Oh, right."
Arcee smiled. "Jazz, you wanna hold her?" She offered, holding out Xylastar. The baby femmebot squirmed and whimpered, reaching her little hands out for her mother.
"M-Mmm," she hummed. "N-Nnn'…"
Jazz made a face. "Oh, Arcee, I 'unno," he chuckled. "She might be like him." He looked at Zaidian.
Bumblebee gave him another look.
"And, she might not like him, either," grinned Ironhide.
"Hey, I wouldn't talk," the second-in-command snapped back.
Xylastar whirred, turning her blue optics to Jazz. She giggled and clapped her tiny hands, wiggling her legs as she smiled at him, the folds of fabric falling from her head. Jazz blinked, then slowly grinned, moving over to the sparkling slowly. He waved at her, laughing.
"How you doin'?" He greeted in a chuckle, lifting his hands before him to take the small bot. Xylastar only whirred again, snuggling herself against his warm spark, letting out many happy gurgles. Bumblebee grinned, hoisting Zaidian higher against his shoulder.
"I think she likes you, Jazz," he said, optics upturning.
"Yeah, what're you doing?" giggled Arcee. "She's so calm with a stranger."
Jazz shrugged, grinning wider as the femmebot looked up at him.
"I 'unno really," he chuckled, patting Xylastar's back softly. "I'm just a natural, I guess."
"Jazz'll make a fine father to a sparkling one day," chuckled Ratchet.
Jazz felt his coolant surge. "…Y-Yeah, that'll be the day."
"Never say never," said Optimus, smiling as Xylastar pressed her cheekplate against Jazz's chest.
"I didn't," grumbled the second-in-command in reply, taking Xylastar in his arms. She squealed, wriggling happily. "M'just sayin', I don't see it happenin'."
"And, he's just saying," Bumblebee came in. "You could be a father one day."
"A fine one," added Ratchet.
Jazz grunted, looking into the precious femmebot's wide blue optics, feeling his spark warm inside him. He couldn't resist, but let his slender fingers play across her foreplate, and he grinned, feeling Xylastar move her little head in time with his gesture, giggling. He chuckled, his dark optics smiling into hers.
"Oh, slag it, I bet she'll like me just a much," butt in Ironhide, waddling his massive form over the Jazz. Gently, yet somewhat forcibly, he took the femmebot in his hands, making her whirr out in surprise, her hands reaching for Jazz. She whimpered as the towering mech brought her to his optics and shivered, staring into their cold blue hue.
"Mmm…" she uttered out, quaking again.
"Ironhide!" Arcee and Bumblebee cried out, watching as their baby femme wriggled quickly in her fright.
Xylastar's chin trembled. "M-Mmmm…."
"Easy," droned Optimus. "Don't hurt her."
"I'm not," snapped Ironhide. "You just watch."
Xylastar's optics stared, wide, unblinking, into Ironhide's, and the weapons specialist coldly stared back, making her little shoulders drop and her frame sulk.
Ironhide blinked at her, brushing fingers along her spine.
She shivered. "M-Mmm," she hummed again nervously.
Ironhide lowered her, staring. She stopped shivering.
They did nothing for many seconds. Xylastar was obviously scared, but she didn't cry.
Jazz exchanged skeptical looks with Optimus, then Ratchet, and finally Bumblebee and Arcee. They all shrugged, shifting their optics back to Ironhide and the baby femme.
Lifting one of her tiny white hands, Xylastar waved black-accented fingers at the weapons specialist. She twittered her version of a hello, kicking her legs happily. Her little mouth opened, but nothing came out. She only giggled.
Ironhide raised an eyebrow at her, making a face. "What'd I do?"
Bumblebee chuckled. "…She just likes you, is all."
"Why on Earth would she…?" mumbled Jazz.
"Beyond me," sighed Darren, smiling inwardly to himself.
Xylastar reached out her hands toward Ironhide's faceplate, squealing happily as she brushed the cool, steel metal. She kicked her legs, gripping at him lightly.
"Dada!" she repeated from her brother, her fingers wiggling. "Dada!"
The room fell silent.
"Uh-oh," laughed Darren.
Bumblebee's optics widened and blinked. "N-No, Xylastar. He's not your, 'Dada.'"
"Dada!" Xylastar called again, ignoring, reaching forward with a tiny sound. "Dadaaa!"
Arcee laughed. "Silly femme," she smiled.
Bumblebee lay his head on his femme's, grinning receptor-to-receptor with his optics fixed on Xylastar. He laughed as Ironhide made faces to the femmebot's movements, looking at her without the slightest bit of warmth.
"Ironhide, she wants you told hold her closer," Bumblebee said.
"Yeah, not two feet away from ya," Jazz butt in.
Ironhide scoffed, bringing the sparkling down to his spark. He rotated her slowly onto her back, cradling her gently in his burly arms. Xylastar gurgled happily, snuggling into his warm chest. She closed her optics and made happy humming noises, hugging the old mech's spark tightly.
"Mmmm," she hummed, her recharge systems coming online. "Dada…"
Ironhide growled softly, making a slight look of disgust at the femmebot.
Darren laughed. "Well, would ya look at that," he sighed.
"She actually didn't scream herself to death," chuckled Ratchet.
Ironhide mumbled under his breath.
"Yeah, ya actually pulled it off," Jazz said, sounding quite surprised. "I didn't think you could make a sparkling happy…She's not terrified."
"You surprised us all, Ironhide," commented Optimus. "…Positively."
"Us, included," said Bumblebee and Arcee in unison, watching Xylastar somewhat surprisedly.
Ironhide grunted, no warmth shining from his edged faceplate or coming from his war-hardened spark. Regardless, the femmebot snuggled herself deeper into his warm chest, her tiny black fingers brushing over his chamber slowly. She giggled in her partial recharge and Ironhide looked down at her, making a face as her tiny fingers dug in a little into his armor.
Playfully, she turned onto her back and smiled at him, her wonderfully blue optics staring up at him. Ironhide leaned back a little and couldn't help, but let out a smile in return, making the sparkling clap her hands happily, her little mouth wide open in a grin.
Ironhide chuckled as he stroked her tiny head and, for once, a loving warmth pulsed through his ice-cold spark to her newborn heart. Xylastar felt this and clapped her hands, squealing happily.
"Yay, Dada!" she said through giggles.
Ironhide grinned at her, stroking her tiny frame. He chuckled, "Yeah. Yay, Dada."
//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\
That Night…
Bumblebee took Zaidian in between both of his hands, lowering the sparkling into the warm tub of water. The mechling whirred as his little body came in contact with the water, his wide blue optics staring into his father's as if seeking reassurance, his throat making a tiny whirr of question. Bumblebee smiled, easing his son ever so slowly into the water, his yellow metal disappearing in the bubbles.
"It's alright, Zaidian," he cooed, cupping water into his palm. He let it run down the mechling's side before patting his head twice, making the baby whirr again. "Shhh…"
Zaidian blinked at his father. "D-Dada?"
Bumblebee didn't look at his son, continuing to move his palm along the contours of Zaidian's yellow armor. He raised an optic ridge, leaning forward to clean the bot thoroughly.
"Hmm?"
Zaidian watched his father's hand as it moved along his body, sliding to his stomach to clean in tiny circles that felt good against him. He giggled, his little tummy bouncing under Bumblebee's hand. Zaidian splashed, making water hit Bumblebee's faceplate.
Bumblebee smiled, wiping away the water. "Zaidian, you playful little bot."
The sparkling leaned back, letting the hand slide up his stomach and chest. He whirred and his smile faded, his optics turning off behind Bumblebee.
"Dada…?"
Bumblebee blinked. "What is it, Zaidian?" His optics shifted to his son.
Zaidian whirred, still looking past Bumblebee. His optics looked around before falling to his father's, the mechling's optics wide, his faceplate innocent. His chin trembled for a second.
Bumblebee paused, furrowing his brow. He stared into Zaidian's optics, trying to find out what the little mechling was trying to say. His processor scanned and his spark felt that Zaidian's was downer than usual, its little pulsations not as strong within their bond. Bumblebee took one of his son's tiny hands, his larger one concealing his completely in his mighty palm.
"Something wrong?"
Zaidian whirred and nodded. "D-Dada…"
"…Yes? What're you trying to say, Zaidian?"
The mechling swallowed, tears of frustration welling in his optics. "M-M…"
Bumblebee blinked. "What - " He suddenly realized.
Arcee wasn't with them. She usually was.
"Ohh, Zaidian, Zaidian," he cooed, taking the mechling in his arms. "Mommy? Is it her?"
The mechling nodded into his father's chest, tears shimmering in his optics. "M-M'hm…"
"Xylastar and her already had their bathtime," he said softly, stroking the back of the bot's head. "They're in the room, baby."
Zaidian shook his head quickly. Bumblebee pulled away.
"…They are, Zaidian."
The mechling only shook his head again, pointing to his spark. "M-Mommy's…n-no."
Bumblebee's optics widened, then narrowed, suddenly concerned. "N-No…She's in the base, son. You'll see her soon." He leaned down and fatherly kissed his son's foreplate. "Don't worry." When he pulled away, Zaidian's optics were still drooped in sorrow.
Zaidian whimpered and shook his head again. "Mommy's…g-gone."
//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\
A Few Minutes Later
Zaidian, wrapped in towels, pressed against his father's shoulder, his droopy blue optics looking every which way for his mother or sister. He whimpered by Bumblebee's processor, and his father shook his head, his own optics scanning helplessly through the empty halls. He grew frustrated and worried with every second that passed by – Every second without Arcee and his baby femme was excruciating to his spark.
"I-It's okay, Zaidian," his voice shook as he fought tears. "…W-We'll find them…"
Zaidian tucked his head into his father's neck, his optics watching the ground past by below him. Bumblebee's hand cupped against his back again, patting gently. Zaidian shut his optics, letting tears slide beneath his optic lids, spilling onto his little cheekplates. He buried into his father's warm neck, his cries muffled.
"Shhh, Z-Zaidian…"
The sound of his father upset on made his cries worse. His frame shivered.
"M-Mommy…"
"We'll find her, Zaidian," cooed the reply. "W-We'll find her and Xylastar."
Bumblebee carried his son further down the hall, his footsteps the only sound behind Zaidian's tiny cries and worried twitters. Zaidian heard his father's nervous breathing, and he felt through their bond the uneasy beats of his spark.
He shivered. "M-Mommy…" he uttered under a breath. "…X-Xyla…"
"Arcee!" called his father, holding Zaidian tighter against him. "Arcee!!"
His voice echoed lonely down the hall.
Zaidian's cry followed.
"Mommy!!...Xylaaaa!"
Echoing names, but no replies.
Bumblebee slumped against the wall as he shut his optics, suddenly hopeless as he, nor his spark could detect his sparkmate's presence. Zaidian looked to his father quickly, whirring sadly as he saw the tears in his blue optics, just at the very verge of spilling. Bumblebee wiped them away, wetting his cheekplates, then turned his optics to Zaidian, shaking his head.
Zaidian frowned. "Dada?"
Bumblebee sighed, letting a weak smile cover some of his sorrow. He nuzzled his cheekplate into Zaidian's back, closing his optics.
"Dada…okay?"
Bumblebee frowned, shifting his gaze to a single window, high on the wall. He noted the full moon that shone behind it, his spark heavy, a tear trickling onto his son's back.
He closed his optics again, making a silent prayer.
"Y-Yeah," he breathed. "Dada's okay."
//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\
Outside…
Hot Rod pressed Arcee's back against a tree as she let out a sharp breath, his optics a fiery blue that seemed to penetrate her very spark, each one glowing intensely in the evening darkness. In his hand, he clutched Darren, the human squirming, struggling to free himself. Hot Rod only tightened his grasp, making Darren cry out in pain. His fists hit the red ones of Hot Rod, a strangled cry leaving his throat.
"S-Stop!" Darren begged, his body still fragile from wounds that had not yet healed fully.
Hot Rod growled, moving his body against Arcee's, a devilish smirk fixed on his metal lips. His mouth was only a mere inch away from hers, his breath hitting her frequently, making her frame shudder. As his hand pressed down against the pink armor of her shoulder, she groaned at the pain, looking into his optics innocently, and angrily.
"Wh-What do you want, Hot Rod…?" she barely asked through a breath. "Leave us alone. We did nothing to you."
Hot Rod chuckled lowly, the sound reverberating in his throat. He pressed his mouth against hers, making her give in as he pressed against her shoulder, her reaction an instant buck upward, deepening their kiss. She tried to pull away, but only managed a choked cry. She kicked his ankle, but he didn't pull away.
Darren shuddered at the sight, his pale blue eyes looking through golden locks of his bangs. He frowned at the base that seemed too far away, wishing Bumblebee would locate their position, save them from the rebellious Autobot…let him face the consequences necessary.
But, it was only a wish.
He was here now.
Hot Rod finally let go, his mouth still hovering barely above Arcee's. She could feel him smile, snicker at her cries, tightening his grasp around Darren until breathing became a struggle.
Hot Rod didn't care.
Arcee was his.
And to make that evident, Bumblebee would have to pay…
Very, very well.