Chapter Forty-Three – Close to You Again

Tranquility Lake at Sundown

Ten Years Later…

Ten years already gone, Bumblebee could hardly believe the fact whenever it buzzed in his mind. Xylastar and Zaidian were already the equivalent of a human child, walking, talking, communicating…learning. It felt like he was just holding little Zaidian in his arms, watching wide blue optics stare back into his, so innocent and precious. It felt like he was there again…at Arcee's side, guiding her though he time of labor.

He reminisced.

"Honey, it's okay. I'm right here, baby. Right here…"

"You can do it…"

How he wished he could go back to those times, not to revisit the pain, but the joy that swelled his spark that always came to him whenever he was near her. Ten years ago, the last time he'd ever spoken to her…

A whole decade.

"Wait for me, Arcee," were his last words to her.

He hoped her patience was still with him, hoped she wouldn't see him as a stranger or forget his face. Ten years, indeed a long time.

Everything had changed.

Bumblebee's human form shifted his eyes to the man at his side, one who stood just over six feet, a lean body under a simple outfit of blue jeans and a tee shirt. A handsomely structured face sat over broad shoulders and a strong chest, eyes as blue as oceans. He was unmistakable, especially to Bumblebee, with that particular mane of golden blonde hair he could never misplace or forget.

Darren…A man now.

Bumblebee sighed, giving the man's shoulder a few quick pats. "Darren, I still can't believe it's you…" he murmured, giving him a warm smile. "I haven't seen you in too long."

Darren grinned. It was true. He worked now, hoping to become a successful automotive engineer. Bumblebee always thought he chose to work with cars, because he spent a significant amount of his teenage years around them, the Autobots. Darren never admitted to it, but it was probably true.

"Bee, I know what you mean," Darren sighed, returning Bumblebee's friendly gesture. "I need to break and visit more don't I, huh?"

Bumblebee gave him a slight shrug. "I understand you're busy."

"But, hey, I'll try anyways," came the reply in a laugh. "A break every now and then never killed anyone."

Bumblebee chuckled, then scrambled to a side, letting Xylastar and Zaidian sweep between them, one chasing the other. Bumblebee smiled, stepping at Darren's side again.

"Zaidian, don't chase your sister!" he called after the boy.

The two kids fell, rolling in the grass, pretending to fight each other. Xylastar squealed, giggling wildly as she managed to break loose from her brother's grasp, running toward the lake. Zaidian followed.

"Don't worry, Dad!" he replied. "We're only kidding!"

"Could you 'kid' a little easier?" He chuckled.

Zaidian laughed, ignoring his father's statement as he tackled Xylastar again. Their laughter made Bumblebee's spark flutter, his smile grow even wider. His eyes drooped as he watched them play, Darren's elbow nudging into his side.

"I only hope my kids'll be like yours some day, Bee."

Bumblebee nodded. Darren was happily married to the sweetheart of his dreams, Nicolette, but they had no children…yet. The thought of Darren parenting…it was a hard sight for Bumblebee to imagine. Images of the human's life ten years ago flashed through his processor.

Meeting Darren, the rescue, saving him, bringing him here…

It seemed like so long ago.

Bumblebee shook his head to clear his thoughts. "You'll be an excellent father some day, Darren," he told him. "I have high hopes for you."

Darren grinned. "Well thanks, Bee." He gave the other man's back a quick pat. "Thanks."

"Anytime," came the soft reply. Blue eyes turned to the setting sun, and Bumblebee's mouth set itself to a frown. "The sun's setting…"

Darren nodded, frowning as well as he, too, looked to the sun. "Yeah…"

Bumblebee shifted his eyes. "You have to return home?"

The man dropped his gaze. "I-I do." His now drooped blue eyes lifted their gaze. "I wish I didn't have to yet, b-but…I'll see you, alright? Nicolette's probably waiting."

Bumblebee nodded, slowly drawing Darren into his arms for a hug. The man willingly returned it, patting Bumblebee's back many times. He pulled away.

"You take care, alright?" he said, blue eyes glimmering as he smiled.

Bumblebee smiled back. "Yeah, I will…a-and same with you." He nodded. "My regards to your wife, Son."

"Yeah." Darren looked to the kids. "And, tell them the same." He threw them a wave, starting to walk off. His eyes returned to Bumblebee's. "I'll see you, Bee."

"See you…" Bumblebee watched as Darren walked off, soon disappearing from his view. It almost ached his spark to see the boy so grown up, to see the boy already as a man. He felt as if he were just holding him, telling his each and every one of his promises.

And so, he reminisced again…

"J-Just…don't leave me, Dad," Darren had whispered. "Be my guardian forever."

"I will be your guardian angel until the end of it all. And no one can stop me…"

Those words, "I will be your guardian angel," they meant more than what that seemed. Bumblebee had sworn to protect Darren until the end, protect him from any harm that would send him into Decepticon claws. Bumblebee shivered at the recollection, the memory of him fighting Barricade and Starscream. How he went until his spark's end to protect the human boy he loved.

"D-Darren, I-I d-don't…d-don't want y-you to see th-this…"

"S-See what?! Y-You're not…"

"…Y-You pursue y-your dreams, Darren…D-Don't let anyone t-tell you th-that they're better th-than you, u-understand…D-Don't…"

Bumblebee dropped his gaze.

"N-No, Bee…!!"

"…N-No one's gonna hurt you ev-ever again."

All of that pain before the death, some may think it was unnecessary for a robot to suffer as much for a human, only one human. But, Bumblebee thought otherwise. His spark was deeply attached to Darren, and would be 'till all were one.

And that in itself, was a promise he'd remember.

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

That Night at the Adonis III

Bumblebee's Quarters

Bumblebee fluttered open his eyes, blinking at stray locks of hair that fell over them, soon pushing them away with a flick of his head. He looked through the shadows at Zaidian and Xylastar, sleeping in their human berths, tucked snug away under their covers. Bumblebee stirred in his own, shifting his blue eyes to Darren, snoring softly in his bed.

Why did he feel so alone?

Bumblebee turned onto his side, eyes dropping to the floor. He knew the answer, but just acknowledging it sent tears to his eyes.

He sighed. "Arcee…"

Bumblebee shifted out of bed, rising to his feet. The moment he stepped out into the hall, he transformed himself to his robot form, taking only a matter of seconds. Footsteps quiet thuds down the hall, he moved away from his quarters, blue optics drooped.

His spark felt like a dead weight.

He thought he might as well try and clear his processor, though his spark refused to cooperate. Sighing, Bumblebee's frame sulked, shoulders sagging. He didn't let the pale energon tears flood onto his cheekplates. It would do no good.

Arcee, Arcee, Arcee…Her name echoed through his head. How he missed her so, more than words could describe. He hadn't seen her in an entire Earth decade, where that would usually be nothing to a Transformer. Ten years normally equaled hundreds of years to Cybertronians, but these ten, dragged like eons.

His spark just couldn't spend another day without her.

Bumblebee entered the empty entrance hall, watching his own shadow grow against the wall, the Earth moon's rays spilling in through small windows. Footsteps behind him made him turn, and he met the deep blue optics of his commander. Bumblebee looked away.

"Youngling, you best return to recharge," Optimus said, setting a hand on his shoulder.

Bumblebee nodded. "I-I will, Sir. I just need to clear my processor for a bit."

The hand slid away. "Would you like to bring it to my attention?"

"…N-No. Thanks though."

Optimus nodded, turning away. "Return to your quarters soon please, Bumblebee."

"I will, Sir."

The footsteps faded off, leaving Bumblebee alone again. He had a feeling that Arcee would never get the opportunity to return to him again. That she'd be trapped in Hot Rod's clutches.

Hot Rod…

Bumblebee's hands clenched to fists. Just thinking of that mech sent his coolant warm. He shook his head.

"You're not keeping her from me," he murmured to himself, taking a step forward. "Arcee, you will return to me." He sighed, shifting blue optics to a window. "Don't worry, babe…"

"I've already returned, Bumblebee," came a smooth voice from behind.

Bumblebee spun, optics wide. He took a step back and to his surprise, the voice had not been a simulation, a mere thought…No. The voice came from that beautiful femme with the candy pink and white armor, optics as blue as the sky, and a form that fitted her armor amazingly. She stepped forward, Bumblebee stepped back.

He had to be dreaming.

"Primus Almighty," he breathed, spark thudding. "A-Arcee? H-How did you - "

"How did I sneak in?" she whispered, flashing him a smile that made him freeze. "Optimus just returned from outside. I snuck in right before the doors closed." She giggled. "Bumblebee, you see how much I'd go through just to come to you?" She leaned her front against his, moving her arms around his neck.

You're the one that I'm always gonna love.
And you're the one that I'm always thinking of.
It's so wonderful to know, beautiful to know.
You're the one…

Bumblebee smiled, slipping his arms around her middle. He leaned against a wall, in a corner, away from the hallway, deleting their chances of being spotted. "You could've been caught," he murmured playfully, optics flaring. "Don't scare me like that again…"

I remember the first time,
That I really looked you in your eyes.
I was thinking to myself,
There will never be nobody else.

"Maybe I just will," she teased softly. Her optics fell over his burly chest, to where his spark laid, her hand rubbing circles into the sturdy metal. Arcee grinned, looking up into his imploring optics.

"Such a strong spark," she said, almost in a groan.

Bumblebee chuckled. "Strong for you, love."

And from the moment that we touched,
You had me wide open with your love.
This simple way you grabbed my hand.
I'm so grateful that you are my man.

"You remember what you told me to do?" she whispered.

He smiled. "How could I forget?"

"Wait for me, Arcee..."

She giggled, leaning up to kiss him. He smiled inwardly, stroking her back. She pulled away, keeping her faceplate close to him.

"Arcee, are you sure?" he said quietly, faceplate concerned.

She nodded. "Of course I am, baby."

And when you hold me,
It's so real.
Remember when you told me,
How you feel.
Staring face to face.
It's such a blessing .
I'll do what it takes.

"What does this say?" he chuckled, tapping her chestplate, her spark chamber.

Arcee giggled. "It says, 'Bumblebee's the one.'" Her optics flared and his responded the same.

Bumblebee grinned. "And mine's said the same over a decade…"

Arcee smiled back. "I'm only ready if you are."

He leaned back and took her hand, tugging her along toward the exit. "C'mon."

Optics gleaming into the others, sparks thudding excitedly, the two hurried toward the outside, ready to establish the bond that would set them together again…

Forever.

I can't wait to be alone with you, close to you.
I just want to stay with you.
I feel ok, you make my life complete.
I'm telling you, I'm needing you.
I can't wait to be alone with you

Close to you.