Chapter Forty-Nine – Beautiful

Outside the Adonis III

Sundown

Bumblebee was assigned to patrol the base for the few hours until the time came when nightfall would come over the Earth, alone to the company of the many thoughts that buzzed around in his processor. He ambled to the edge of the lookout cliff with his hands latched to his hip compartments, blue optics drooping as they watched the setting sun. The sun reminded him of that one day so many years ago, that one time at the sunset that started off like any other day, then turned to one he would never forget.

The yellow mech sat himself a good few feet away from the edge of the cliff, crossing his legs. Yes, he remembered it clearly, that late afternoon when he had found Darren. Bumblebee let a smile curve his mouth as he sat a side of his head in a palm, his optic lids sagging partially. He started daydreaming about that day, staring into the orange sun as his entire form completely relaxed, door wings moving in and out slowly, antennae drooping.

He closed his optics and whirred as he continued moving his wings, seeing every minute of that day in his processor again.

The day would be cherished in his processor forever, stored in the banks of his memory until his final day some thousand years in the future. He would hold it in his spark, then remember every memory that followed it. Darren's whole journey growing, growing out of that horrible shell that had him bound to fear and loneliness, becoming a man, starting and raising his own family. How one memory could strike so many more and make his spark swell so greatly sent a grin across his faceplate.

Bumblebee was taken from his daydream when a massive hand sat itself on his shoulder and he turned, meeting the blue optics of his commander and ever adored friend, Optimus. The youngling smiled, gladly scooting over some as the commander seated himself beside him. Optimus nodded, giving the younger mech a smile in return.

"Bumblebee, I wanted to talk to you for only a breem or so," he said softly.

Bumblebee blinked. "O-Of course…Is something wrong, Sir?"

Optimus shook his head, giving the younger mech a warm look. He adverted his optics to the orange sun, shaking his head again with a quiet sigh. "Bumblebee, I just can't believe how far you've come," he said. "How much you have grown in the time since you met Darren." He looked back at the mech. "It's hard to believe that you were once that little mechling, barely the height of my knee."

Bumblebee laughed quietly, optics turning away. "Y-Yeah, time does fly by doesn't it, Sir…"

Optimus nodded with a chuckle, running his hand from Bumblebee's shoulder, then across the length of the yellow mech's arm. Bumblebee giggled, and couldn't resist the urge to tuck his head in the crook of Optimus' neck, smiling as the mightier mech wrapped his arms around his frame. Bumblebee nestled himself in his commander's lap, conforming to the embrace that was kept around him.

He closed his optics and let Optimus' fingers stroke his side. Bumblebee certainly felt like a mechling again, those times so many centuries ago. He saw himself as a bot again in Optimus' arms, sleeping soundlessly like he always would whenever the mech was near him. He smiled and opened his optics, gazing off to the distance.

"I just can't believe how far Darren's come," he whispered. "Had this been ten years ago, Sir, I wouldn't believe anyone if they told me that Darren would raise a family."

"Why wouldn't you?" came the question quietly.

"I just couldn't see past his pain," Bumblebee sighed. "Now, all of the abuse and fear he has gone through seems like it never affected him…"

"Mmm," Optimus agreed lazily, setting his chin on top of Bumblebee's yellow head. "I do agree with you, Bumblebee." He smiled. "But, you do know what changed his life."

Bumblebee's wide optics lifted to Prime's.

"The one who guided him from that horror," Optimus said warmly, his optics turning downward to meet Bumblebee's. "You know who."

The youngling blinked, then slowly smiled. "I did," he said.

Optimus nodded. "You did, Bumblebee," he repeated. "To think where he would be without your aid." He shifted the younger mech in his lap. "Darren and I spoke of this a very long time ago. He took every ounce of your love for him to his heart, Bumblebee."

The younger mech whirred, smiling wider. "He did?"

Optimus nodded. "He knew he would be lost, had you not came into his life," he told him.

Bumblebee whirred happily, then looked back to the setting sun. He sighed. "It was hard to let him go…" he said quietly. "I remember wanting to keep him forever when we first met."

"Life's rules can be harsh at times, Bumblebee," Optimus said, giving the mech a gentle pat on his shoulder. "But, regardless, you have followed them well, and deserve the best from it for each giant leap you took for Darren."

Bumblebee's spark fluttered. "Thank you, Sir."

Optimus nodded. "No need to thank me, Bumblebee," he whispered. "You deserved it."

Bumblebee grinned. "Darren was definitely someone my spark couldn't just let go."

"So, the human was indeed worth the wait for change?"

Bumblebee nodded. "Absolutely."

Every day was glowing like a perfect day in summer.
You'd never know rain,
If it was always the same.
We need a bitter taste of fallin'.
How to feel it back to know when it's right.
To walk in the light.

Every day with Darren was like the most perfect day…One Bumblebee never wanted to end or see the night of. He smiled, remembering those distant days, wishing he could go back.

"And look at him now," came Optimus' voice quietly. "A family."

Bumblebee closed his optics slowly and leaned his head back against Optimus' chest. "Too good to be true," he sighed.

Sometimes you pull me back,
Back from the edge.
I rescue you.
Back from the dead.
We got lost along the way, but we got here in the end.
I know,
He was worth waiting for.
He was worth waiting for…

Optimus brushed his fingers along the door wings attached to Bumblebee's back, watching as they stiffened, then fluttered, Bumblebee's head nuzzling against Prime. The younger mech purred in a small fit of giggles, bucking backwards as the twitching in his wings' circuitry become too much to bear.

"O-Optimus," the youngling laughed. "You know that tickles."

The commander mustered a wide grin, sliding his hand from the wings. "It's but a joke, Bumblebee," he said playfully, moving his arms around the smaller mech and drawing him against his own frame.

Bumblebee laughed again. "Oh, of course, Sir," he said happily. "I'm only kidding."

Optimus laughed softly, turning his optics off into the sunset. "This time reminds me of when you found him," he whispered. "That one sunset…"

Bumblebee nodded. "Sir, every time I see an Earth sunset now," he said in a breath. "I'm going to think of him."

I rescue you…
We got lost along the way, but we got here in the end.
I know,
He was worth waiting for.
He was worth waiting for…

Optimus grinned. "Sunsets simply are astonishing aren't they, little one?"

Bumblebee nodded with a wide smile. "They are, Sir," he said. "They hold everything my spark does…"

The commander made a face. "And what do you mean by that?" He grinned.

"Well, when I look at them, I remember everything positive and everything that makes my spark happy," Bumblebee said in a giggle. "It's hard to explain."

Optimus laughed. "I understand you, Bumblebee. You think of him, his family…your own."

"Of course," the youngling said quickly.

"And if you could sum that up into one word, what would it be?"

Bumblebee twisted his mouth, still smiling as his blue optics flared softly. "I think the one word that could sum up everything these years have given," he said, turning his head back to look up at Optimus. He smiled wider. "…That word would be, 'beautiful', Sir."