Chapter Forty – Forbidden

Inside the Adonis III

Darren ambled at Bumblebee's side, droopy blue eyes lowered as they watched his feet shuffle across the gray metal ground. He looked up to his father's face, in complete sorrow, his eyes not their usual blue, but almost gray, still shimmering with tears. It was understandable; Arcee was his all, and losing her all of a sudden, after the birth of their fraternal twins, was the worst thing that could happen.

What was he now…A single parent of two? Three including Darren?

That had to be hard on a broken soul.

Darren wanted to say something, do anything to help Bumblebee feel better, but he just didn't know what to do. He'd never seen him so down and, honestly, he didn't think he'd ever be the same again. In their unexplainable connection, he felt Bumblebee's spark basically a dead weight, not even thrumming in the usual way it used to.

It was just…there.

Gulping down a lump in his throat, Darren eased his hand into Bumblebee's, making the man turn his eyes to him. The human flashed a lopsided smile, trying to cheer him up some.

"Everything'll be alright, Dad," he whispered. "Okay?"

Bumblebee only looked away. He held Darren's hand barely. The boy frowned.

He had a feeling Bumblebee's pain would never heal.

"…I highly doubt everything will, Darren," droned the man's voice lowly. "I've never felt this way before."

"It's depression," Darren told him, taking his hand tighter. "You feel it when - "

"When the biggest aft in the universe steals the love of your life?" Bumblebee glared.

Darren's mouth stood agape, and he hesitated. "…W-Well, yeah…That's an example."

Bumblebee scoffed. His sorrow was coming out as anger, making Darren a little nervous. He didn't bother to say anything more in fear of upsetting the man even further. But, he did slip an arm around his middle, squeezing him.

"Bee, it'll go away," he whispered. "You'll find a new femme, won't you?"

Bumblebee winced. "Darren, do you have the slightest clue as to how much she meant to me?" Droopy blue optics shifted to the human, glazed in tears. "Finding a new one…How could you even think to say that?"

Darren froze, feeling Bumblebee ease his arm from around him.

"Bee, I-I didn't mean - "

"Arcee's one in a billion," Bumblebee cut him off. "There's no femme like her."

Darren watched with a furrowed brow. "She meant that much to you, huh?"

"More than you think," replied Bumblebee. "More than words can describe, Darren."

Darren could tell that he was fighting back the tears that made his eyes glimmer like stars, his face still completely drenched in absolute distress, almost coming across as grief. Sorrowfully, slowly, Darren was drawn into his secure arms, against a hard chest. Fingers tussled his hair in a way he hadn't felt in too long of a time, and he looked up into Bumblebee's eyes, watching tears fall from them.

"I still have you though, don't I?" he cooed, tickling his cheek.

Darren smiled. "You always will."

Bumblebee chuckled, kissing the human's cheek softly as his eyes fell shut. Darren hugged Bumblebee tight, nuzzling into his warm chest.

"You know I love you, Bee," he chuckled. "After everything you've done for me, how couldn't I?"

Bumblebee's spark fluttered. "And you already know my response," he whispered.

Darren laughed. "I love you, too?"

Bumblebee grinned, tussling Darren's hair wildly with a palm until it fell over his eyes. "You've got it."

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

Meanwhile, Outside

Optimus' ice blue optics glared a heated blue, the coldest they could manage as they glowered down into Hot Rod's, then the femme at his side. His hands latched to his hips, his mighty form shifting its weight to one side.

"Do I even want to hear your explanation for such ridiculous behavior?" the commander droned in a voice that reverberated deeply in his chest. "…Such behavior toward a fellow Autobot?!"

Hot Rod crossed his arms. "Bumblebee stole my femme," he said as-a-matter-of-factly. "He deserved that."

Optimus released a low growl. "Bumblebee is an underling to you," he said firmly. "A youngling. You will not hurt him."

"Yet, his human protoform is a human man."

"And though he may make a mistake here and there," Optimus continued, ignoring the statement. "Violence towards another comrade is completely unnecessary."

"He attacked me first," snapped Hot Rod. "I was only defending myself."

Optimus leaned forward, electric eyes flaring. "I don't care who attacked who first," he droned. "Bumblebee is a subordinate to you and all of us, and you will not hurt him again."

Hot Rod rolled his eyes.

Optimus' slitted. "Do you understand?"

The other man nodded, refusing to meet Optimus' eyes.

"Answer me, Soldier," growled the commander.

Hot Rod shifted his eyes. "Yes, Sir."

Optimus leaned back, nodding once. He looked to Arcee, who took a nervous step backwards, gulping. The mighty commander frowned at her.

"Have you anything to say?" he said in a gentler tone, yet still firm.

She shook her head.

Optimus looked at the both of them. "…You two are not to return to these grounds," he ordered them, shaking his head slowly.

Hot Rod's eyes widened. "Wh-What? You can't do that…!"

"Being an Autobot commander, I have every right, authorization, and privilege to," he shot back, giving the man a heated glare. "You both are prohibited from these grounds."

Arcee shook her head. "Wh-What about Bumblebee? Won't he - "

"Bumblebee isn't our business anymore," snapped Hot Rod, eyes flaring.

Optimus nodded. "If I catch you anywhere near the base," he started, voice trailing off. "…Your consequences will be even more severe." He looked them both individually in the eyes. "Do I make myself clear to both of you?"

They nodded. Optimus turned, waving a hand at them. "Return to your base," he demanded. "Now."

Hot Rod took Arcee's hand in his, not hesitating to disappear from the commander's sight. They ran off past the mighty form, their images soon fading off into the night. Optimus shook his head at them.

He only hoped that was the last time they'd be seen on Adonis III territory.

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

Inside the Adonis III

Later that Night in Bumblebee's Quarters

Zaidian curled himself against his father's warm chest in his sleep, easing his little frame against Xylastar's. She whimpered and fluttered her wide blue optics open, scoping around the dark room. The form beneath her drew its strong arms around her tiny body, and that of her brothers, a massive hand stroking the back of her head gently. She looked up to the closed optics of her father and whirred as she looked to his side, seeing no one.

Seeing no mother, no Arcee...

Mom, the words of love.
She gave me peace and love.
She gave me thoughts of love.
Yeah, Yeah, Yeah.
Mom, pains and joy.
I love her more and more…

She whimpered, tiny fingers prodding her father's chest. Bumblebee's optics opened and looked down at her.

"What is it, Xyla?" he murmured, stroking her little head.

She whimpered again. "Dada, where's Mommy?"

Bumblebee grimaced and turned away. He shook his head, optic lids falling.

"Go to sleep, Xyla," he whispered, tickling the back of her head. "Just recharge."

Xylastar blinked. "B-But - "

"Xylastar," Bumblebee droned firmly, shifting his optics to her. "No more…"

And in my life, I've always dug her.
And in my life, I've always needed her.
The mom I know, I love so well.
Mom, her face is still the same.
She never seems to change.
Her love still remains…

The strict tone in Bumblebee's voice sent slow-rising tears to the sparkling's wide blue optics, making the femmebot burry her little head into the warm chest, looking to her sleeping brother before shutting her optics. Her spark wrenched inside her, not used to being separated from her mother's.

Tears fell onto her cheekplates and she shivered. Bumblebee held her tighter.

"Xyla, shhh," he cooed. "D-Don't cry, little one."

She shut her optics tighter.

"M-Mommy," she hummed.

"Mommy…" he trailed off. "…Don't worry about her."

The heartbreak in his voice couldn't be more evident.

Mom, the love she gave, I love.
She taught me right from wrong.
She shared and kept me strong.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Mom...mom...mom.