Yes, I know. Another chapter. x3 I just CAN'T END IT. But, oh well. It will end eventually. Anywhoo, enjoy. Expect another tonight maybe!

Chapter Forty-Seven – Jonathan Gabriel

Tranquility

A Year and a Half Later…

Bumblebee's human protoform raked his fingers nervously through his locks of golden hair that had recently been streaked jet black, letting some of it fall lazily over his blue eyes. His hands were shaking, he didn't understand why he was so nervous. He really didn't understand why his spark refused to stop thudding. Maybe it was because he hadn't seen Darren consistently over the long year and a half period that passed by them oh too quickly, the younger man being busy with his working and now…Tending to his newborn.

His baby.

Stepping up the front steps of the Lomeli residence, Bumblebee heaved a great sigh, smoothing out the wrinkles of his shirt. He could barely believe Darren was a father already, and he shook his head at the thought, letting a faint smile sparkle in his blue eyes. Again, it felt like Bumblebee had just met the human teenager – man, he corrected himself – just a day ago. Memories of Darren flowed through his mind, making him grin as he rapped his fist against the smooth, white door.

"Darren, I wouldn't trade you for the world…"

"Same here, Bee."

He found it funny how he remembered their conversations. He'd stored each one in his memory banks, cherished them in his spark.

Bumblebee sighed. Regardless, it was true. He wouldn't trade Darren for the world, for the universe, in fact. The human just meant too much to him. He hated to admit that he loved Darren way too much.

"Bumblebee?"

The questioning of his name broke into his thoughts, and his eyes immediately lifted to the pale blue pair of him, Darren, standing before the opened front door with a smile curving his faint pink lips. The man stepped forward and drew Bumblebee into an unhesitating embrace, shutting his eyes as Bumblebee willingly returned it. Darren shook his head.

"Man, it's been too long," he said, words muffled into a side of Bumblebee's head. "Thank you so much for dropping by…"

Bumblebee's hand moved up and down Darren's back, fingers clawing for only a moment. He nodded. "Darren, I wouldn't miss an opportunity like this," he sighed, pulling away. "And besides, you know…'Anything for you, Darren.'"

Darren laughed, giving Bumblebee a pat on his shoulder. "Yeah, I knew you'd say that."

Bumblebee grinned. "Yes, but it's only true."

The younger man threw him a wider smile, then turned, waving a hand toward the house. "Well, c'mon in," he insisted, stepping his white socked feet inside. "Don't want you standin' out here right in the sun."

Bumblebee nodded and stepped inside, eyes scoping around the first room they entered, the kitchen merging off into the family room. The home was wonderfully furnished with a certain flare Bumblebee hadn't seen in any human unit before. Potted plants sat in the window sills, lights turned on just enough to give the rooms that homey feeling. Each room was wonderfully decorated.

These homes were much more welcoming than their bases.

Yet, Bumblebee did feel a shiver crawl up his spine at the sense of vulnerability that was all around him. These homes didn't have anything to protect them, no walls made of metal or bunkers…Just wood, bricks, cement.

He shook it off.

As Darren turned around, Bumblebee met his eyes.

"I'm sure you wanna see my kid, huh?" the younger man said, smiling.

Bumblebee nodded, then followed Darren as he started to walk again. "Of course I do, Darren," he said at the man's back. "I can't wait to."

"Oh, he'll love you, Bee," Darren laughed. "…He'll love you."

The two men ascended up a flight of stairs, Bumblebee curving his lips up into a smile the entire short moment.

"I'm sure you wanna see my kid, huh…?"

Those words echoed. He just couldn't bring his mind to believe, "kid."

Time flied by so quickly.

Darren led him into a bedroom, the room lit up in the golden rays of a single lamp, another form found seated at the edge of the bed, cradling another tiny human in their arms. As Bumblebee neared, his blue eyes dropped, recognizing the little form hidden in soft white blankets as the baby. Darren stood at its side, leaning down to brush his fingers against the infant-smooth skin. The form gurgled softly.

Bumblebee felt a smile grow, his spark swelling at the sight of Darren grinning at his newborn. He recognized the form seated at the edge of the bed, Darren's wife, Nicolette. The woman had her brown hair tied back, her deep green eyes upturning at Darren's as she leaned up to kiss him, giggling softly. The newborn, again, gurgled.

"He's just sleeping, baby," Nicolette whispered. Her green eyes fell over Bumblebee once Darren sat at her side. She smiled. "Hello."

Bumblebee blinked, then grinned, nodding at her once. "Hello," he said quietly, not wanting to disturb their sleeping baby. He looked down at the infant, eyes warming to a deeper blue. "C-Could I…see them?"

Nicolette's smile disappeared, her widened eyes turning to Darren's. The man slipped an arm around his wife's waistline, nodding. "Honey, he's friendly, really," he murmured. "You can trust him."

Nicolette nodded slowly, then lifted the baby away from her chest, moving it to Bumblebee's direction. Oh so carefully, Bumblebee reached out, taking the baby in his arms so tenderly. Droopy blue eyes gazed down to the ones of the infant, his fingers brushing over its soft cheeks lightly. The newborn whimpered and fluttered open its eyes, wide, green, innocent.

Adorable.

Bumblebee's heart swelled even more. "Hello there, little one," he cooed, moving back folds of fabric that fell over its little head. Soft locks of blonde hair fell over the baby's forehead, making it hum quietly. He had Darren's golden blonde hair, his mother's deep green eyes, and a horribly cute face that made Bumblebee want to pinch his cheeks.

The baby was precious.

Bumblebee smiled, then looked up to the proud parents watching him.

"Male, is he?" he asked, lifting the baby to his chest.

Nicolette nodded, tucking her head in the crook of Darren's neck. "Yes, he is."

He looked down at the tot, giving him a wider smile. "What's his name?"

Darren smiled, stroking Nicolette's side. "Jonathan," he said.

"Jonathan Gabriel Lomeli," added the woman, giving Darren a playful grin.

Bumblebee smiled, revealing his white teeth. "Jonathan Gabriel…" he sighed. "That's a wonderful human name."

Nicolette blinked, forgetting that Bumblebee was the one Darren had told him about, the robot who had participated in the battle of Mission City. Her eyes widened as she remembered how violent the Cybertronians had been that day, destroying so much of the city, battling until the very end, until death. She shivered, then turned her head toward Darren, green eyes remaining on Bumblebee.

"D-Darren…" she whispered.

He looked down at her. "Hmm?"

"I-Isn't that…Isn't he the robot you were talking to me about?"

Bumblebee's antennae perked from his hair and he looked up at Nicolette, eyes flashing electric blue. He felt his spark drop just at the tone of her voice, the way she said it. He blinked, not saying a word as they only stared.

Nicolette eyed his antenna as if he were a freak. "…Uh-Uhmm…"

Darren bit his lip. "Bumblebee, no…"

Bumblebee looked back down at the baby quickly, his fingers brushing against its young face absentmindedly. He knew Nicolette didn't understand him or his people, but the last thing he wanted was a human to be afraid of him. Like he had told Darren when he had first met him, "Don't be afraid. I'm not going to hurt you." Bumblebee would never harm a human, especially not an innocent human sparkling.

Never.

"Mrs. Lomeli, I'd never hurt your son," he said, meeting her green eyes. "Please don't worry."

She didn't answer for many silent seconds. Without a word, she only nodded.

Darren held her tighter. "Honey, please…"

She kept her eyes fixed on Bumblebee, looking for anything fishy so, at the instant, she would take the baby in her arms.

But, Bumblebee was tender.

Jonathan squirmed in Bumblebee's arms, whimpering, raising his little fists into the air. Bumblebee smiled at him, watching a tiny hand clamp around one of his larger fingers, holding it tightly. The man chuckled.

"Reminds me of my own," he sighed.

Darren grinned. "Zaidian?"

"Yeah."

"How's he doin'?"

"They're great, both of 'em," he answered. "Eleven Earth years old now."

"Mmm," replied Darren lazily.

Jonathan's wide eyes stared into Bumblebee's unblinkingly, the newborn watching curiously as the man spoke, his own little mouth trying to form words. Bumblebee laughed at him, rubbing a few circles into his tummy. Jonathan giggled.

"Curious little guy…"

Jonathan smiled, mouth open, his little head nuzzling itself against Bumblebee's chest. The baby's eyes closed and his head turned, a tiny ear against the man. His eyes opened again as he heard Bumblebee's spark beating, his green eyes turning up again. He stared.

Darren chuckled, reaching over to give Jonathan a pat on his back. "Whatcha listenin' to, huh?" he said playfully. "What is that, Jonathan?"

The baby only nuzzled his head deeper, shutting his eyes again. Bumblebee eased a hand against one side of the baby's head, pushing his head against his chest, his thumb moving across Jonathan's cheek.

He grinned. "He doesn't cry at all," he said in a light laugh. "Unlike Zaidian as a sparkling completely."

Darren nodded. "Yeah, he doesn't cry much," he said. "Only when he's hungry 'n stuff."

As if he truly understood his father, Jonathan's brow furrowed, his tiny body squirming. Sobs hiccupped from his throat, his head turning whilst big green eyes glistened with tears. Jonathan whimpered, reaching his hands for his parents.

"M-Mommy," he sputtered, crying out as Bumblebee drew him back against his chest.

Nicolette shook his head. "N-No, let me have him," she said, eyes drooped in worry.

Bumblebee looked at her. "I-I could comfort him for you."

She shook her head again. "N-No…"

Bumblebee saw her mistrust towards him highlighting the features of her face, and in her eyes as she took the baby boy from his arms, cradling the infant in her own as he was drawn against her chest. Bumblebee frowned, knowing that Jonathan wasn't his, but still, he wanted to comfort the baby to show Nicolette that he wasn't indeed going to hurt him.

Darren gave Bumblebee an apologetic stare with droopy blue eyes.

Bumblebee shrugged. "It's alright," he mouthed, lips curving into a faint smile.

Darren smiled in return.

Watching Jonathan quiet in his mother's arms brought a flutter to his spark as he remember Arcee, cradling Xylastar against her breastplate in such a loving manner. He wished he could relive those times, go back to when Zaidian uttered his first word, shed his first tear, looked at his father for the first time.

Cherishable moments, they were.

He wanted to go back when Bumblebee was holding Darren in the palm of his hand, telling him how everything would be okay. How he'd never hurt him or let pain ever come his way. And now, hear was Darren with his own family, going through the same wonderful experiences and times just as he had. Soon, the experiences would be memories just as quickly as they occurred to him.

How time flies by when love is so boundless.