Cade

"Nope, can't do this," Cade Yeager stood from his place on the chair and paced back and forth on the porch. "Can't. Can't do this." He muttered over and over again.

Why? Why had Bumblebee made him promise not to tell anyone about where he was going? What was so special about him? Why did he have to house a robot alien's secret? And on top of that, why was it such a secret? It's a stupid secret, Cade couldn't help but think.

Questions. So many questions that Cade wished he had asked Bumblebee. But he hadn't. He had only listened to the Autobot's request, and that was the end of it.

"Ridiculous, that is," Cade muttered to himself. He didn't like to keep secrets from his little girl - if eighteen was still 'little'. Still, he couldn't keep hiding this from Tessa, the part of him that he loved unconditionally. Tessa could keep a secret, right? She wouldn't tell anyone, if he asked, about Bumblebee's return, his secret that Cade protected.

That was another thing.

He didn't even know where Bumblebee had gone. All he knew is that it was somewhere in California. Somewhere, that was where Bumblebee was headed. Maybe I should follow him. The ridiculous thought popped into Cade's head before he actually registered where he was getting to.

"No," he told him, his hands gripping the porch railing. "Absolutely not."

He would never follow someone to figure out a secret that his friend had trusted him with. Cade couldn't imagine how Bumblebee would feel if Cade showed up, creeping around like a stalker. And what about the person Bumblebee needed to see?

There's someone I need to see.

That was probably the hundredth time that Cade had thought about those six words. Six words, and Cade was puzzled, unable to give up thinking about it. The person Bumblebee needed to see was important. It was very obvious when Bumblebee had spoken. Strange that an alien robot could feel things about humans. What Bumblebee felt, though, was a puzzle that Cade couldn't solve. Was it absurd that Cade was clinging to Bumblebee's words like this? He was almost addicted to finding out. But really, Cade just wanted to know who Bumblebee needed to see, and why it was such a secret. Cade came to a conclusion. . . That he was going crazy, unhinged, or something. Maybe it was all a dream. Maybe Bumblebee hadn't visited the Yeager's house, and requested that Cade keep a secret. And like that, another question popped into Cade's mind.

Why had the Autobots left in the first place?

Nothing made sense! About the Autobots, about Bumblebee, or about anything in general. Questions, conflicts, and such stupid problems about a secret that didn't need to be a secret in the first place. Cade couldn't hold it in anymore. He had to tell Tessa. He didn't care if Bumblebee had trusted him enough to tell him a secret, Cade wanted to tell his daughter the truth. He didn't want to hide anything from his little girl. She wouldn't tell anyone, not a soul. So why did it matter if he promised not to tell her? He had to, and he would as soon as Tessa came back from. . . wait, where had she gone?

Cade concentrated to the conversation with Tessa early that morning. His mind was tired, but he managed to pull up the recent memory.

"I'm, um, going out for a few hours."

Had Cade really been too deep in his own thoughts to find out where Tessa was going? Or with whom she was going with? Had his own internal conflictions made him, for even one second, distracted from his daughter?

"Go ahead. Be back before dinner."

It was true, Cade thought, thinking to what he had said. He should have asked her where, when, with who. But he was too distracted to made sure that she would be safe. Cade mentally slapped himself, all the thoughts of Bumblebee and his trust in Cade to keep his secret momentraliy disappear. What would happen if Tessa had done something dangerous, or went somewhere bad? Could she have been injured? Hurt? Or dare he say. . . in a cold alley, disposed of and dead? Cade shook his head. Those were ridiculous thoughts, and a little overboard. Tessa could take care of herself, and she made the right decisions when it came to her own safety. She could protect herself, but it still bothered Cade that he hadn't asked.

It bothered him immensely, never leaving his mind as he stared out over the long stretch of farmlands. Rolling fields and crops that were nearing harvest time. The chilly air having disappeared over the night, bringing a fresh day of cloudless blue skies and warm winds that felt good against Cade's exposed skin. Cade relaxed, more than he had in days. His daughter could take care of herself. He trusted her, and it would do him no good to worry and freak out when he knew she was safe and sound, protected. So, since the day that Bumblebee had visited him, Cade let himself relax a little more every minute, his tense muscles relaxing, his breathing become calm, no longer rushed.

Tessa would be fine. And when she returned home, Cade would sit her down and have a long talk about everything that had happened the past few days. Bumblebee trusted Cade, he knew that. But the Autobot also trusted Tessa. There was no doubt. Bumblebee wouldn't be upset over Cade telling his secret. It would be fine. Everything would be fine. Everything. And with that, some of the worry disappeared, and Cade let himself enjoy the hot afternoon.

"I wish you were here," Cade whispered, thinking about his late wife.

He looked up at the sky, knowing that she was somewhere, watching over him and Tessa. He knew that she would agree with his decision to tell Tessa about Bumblebee's visit. He would tell Tessa anything to keep her safe. Cade was sure that him and his wife would agree on anything to keep their little girl safe.

After all, she deserved to know the truth. No more secrets, not anymore.

Never again.