Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers only the plot and OCs are mine.

Hello everybody. Welcome to the forth chapter of All Roads Lead Home. I hope you enjoy!

Thank you once again those of you who reviewed. You are wonderful and I love you. You seriously help with writers' block . . . which won't go away. Oh Muse! Where did you go!?

Anyway, please read and review! I love to hear what you think!

Chapter 4

Bee snuggled into his piles of blankets on the couch in the rec room as he lay before the massive TV screen not far away his little fingers reaching out to push the buttons on the remote to flip the channel.

To put it simply he was bored out of his processor.

He hated meetings. Absolutely hated them.

Especially the ones they wouldn't let him in.

Sometimes being a youngling was really annoying. No bot thought he was old enough to be in the meetings.

He disagreed.

When the door to the rec room swung open and interrupted his meaningless programs though that didn't matter anymore. Because Jolt found him.

The bright blue mech strolled in with his normal static like presence that was just . . . him. He was energy, pure energy, bottled up in a clever kinda funny fuelled by mischief frame. He was not the normal picture for a medic in training under Ratchet the Hatchet's guidance, but the mech who Hot Rod found in an abandon living pit wasn't all that normal to begin with.

He was brilliant.

In that mysterious, mischievous kind of way.

Ratchet saw promise in him and robbed Hot Rod of his new solider tossing him into the medical bay so Red Alert could finally get back to doing what he was best at. Glitching over security cameras.

Now that the CMO had another apprentice—which Quickfire and First Aid hadn't yet stopped laughing about—the process he went through was starting all over again. Something he secretly enjoyed because so far the tall blue mech with those vicious electric whips of his and his skills at fighting which had kept him alive on his own for so long was hiding something. There was a story behind the apprentice, one which Hot Rod had started digging into and had now turned over to Prime and Ratchet. Because just like the medic Optimus was interested in the loner who had made it on his own so long.

He was a welcomed asset to the crew and since he and Sides had already declared a sort of prank war it seemed every mech was getting along swimmingly.

There was also the fact that Bumblebee had loved him the nano-klick after he laid optics on him and the trainee medic seemed to be kind of fond of the little mechling as well so he fell right into place among all of Eternity.

At the moment though, Bee wasn't really too happy to see him. He'd snuck off again, but it seemed Jolt was even better at finding him then Jazz was. He never got away long when Jolt was searching for him. No matter where he ran off too.

"Medical reports bore you too, Bumblebee?" Jolt questioned in that quiet voice of his that never spoke up too much and when he did never really rose too high above a whisper.

Jolt was quiet.

He just was.

For reasons he doubted he'd ever tell these mechs. Not along as he guarded his secret.

Bee clicked a positive as the mech came to sit beside him. "Meetings stupid too."

Jolt chuckled. "They are the most boring thing in the universe. Don't know why you want in them."

Bee just went back to flicking channels.

Jolt sat with him in silence both just watching the meaningless programs roll by until Bee started ignoring the TV and started curiously watching the bright blue mech.

He like him.

He was funny, quiet, and kind. However, he hide behind more walls than Bumblebee had seen in a long time for reasons he didn't know. He was making friends here, becoming part of the family, but he didn't let anybot in. Not even Bumblebee.

Not truly.

There was a warmth Bee could feel from his spark. A kindness that honestly told how much the mech liked him, but his spark wouldn't let Bee latch on and form a link. Which was something the youngling wanted in all those he liked. He needed to be connected. To feel the life around him.

And yet he hadn't pushed this one.

Something told him not too. There was something the mech was hiding that was his right to hide and something inside him knew that not too long in the future it was going to come out.

Bumblebee intended to be there to see it.

Which was why he was sticking closer to the new mech then most of his other caretakers, secretly liking the fact that Jolt could find him so easily. They were alike somehow that he hadn't yet figured out, but he was going too.

As the little youngling scrutinized his caretakers whole being, Jolt's head tilted for a moment and Bee realized he was talking on a comm.

"Ratchet to Jolt." The medic's voice rang out over the open comm echoing in the trainee's processor.

"Boss?" Was Jolt's short quiet reply.

"Please tell me you know where Bumblebee is this time."

"With me."

The mech could feel the relief in the static from more than just the medic as he realized there must have been a few that came to the medical bay to find that the youngling and the trainee were gone. Jolt rolled his optics. They were on a ship. The youngling couldn't go too far, and normally he really wasn't all that hard to find. The blue mech had yet to understand why it worried the caretakers so much. The little thing was clever.

Cleverer than they were giving him credit for.

Jolt had ever faith he was able to take care of himself for a little while. Sure he still needed to be looked after—Jolt understood that—he just didn't understand why they wanted him on such a short leash.

Jolt knew short leashes. He knew that sooner or later the one on the other end got fed up and rebelled from it, did something stupid, and then they would all pay for it. It was time they lengthened the youngling's range before he decided it would be fun to head off ship the next time he snuck from under his caretaker's optics.

"What him back, Boss?" Jolt asked.

"Yeah bring him down here he needs a check up."

Oh joy. Rolling his optics the trainee stood from the couch and snatched up the youngling in the same movement heading for the door. Bee didn't protest. He knew the mech had been on a comm and that meant the meeting was probably over. Maybe now he would get his promised lunch with Optimus and Ironhide.

The pair walked down the long black halls of the mighty battleship and like always with Jolt he had a way of silently floating along like electricity in the air never seeming to meet another mech on his way anywhere unless he wanted too. The fact fascinated Bumblebee.

And it frustrated Jazz.

The mech around the age of the twins—maybe a bit younger, close to Bluestreak—showed promise in Jazz's department of expertise, but the blue mech had fell right into step beside Ratchet and the medical field something that confused every officer on the ship. Just like Jolt did a lot.

There was something about the new solider that was different yet familiar all in the same breath but none of them had figured out what it was. Not that they weren't trying.

He was a new puzzle to solve. A new piece to the well oiled machine.

It was a well known fact in war that every being had secrets—it was a sort of right—but in a family there was always at least one that could be confided in to trust, and though Jolt was nice he wasn't the most social. He fell in great with Sideswipe when the red twin pranked him on his second orn on the ship by gluing all his transfer data pads from Roddy's ship to the medical bay door only to find himself revenge pranked hanging from the ceiling by his toes.

Those two got off a wonderful start and the little war they had started was very entertaining, but other than the pranks the bright blue mech was kind of standoffish. Only speaking when spoken too besides with it came to Bumblebee. He adored Bumblebee—as all did—but every other bot he seemed to kind of dance around as if he was trudging through land mines afraid that one wrong step was going to blow up in his faceplate.

Ratchet didn't like it. So he intended to find out what it was his new appreciate was trying to keep to himself. He already had the twins feeling safer and he intended to keep his new record of no mechs on the ship afraid to face who or what they were. At least for the most part. The past could never be erased or forgotten but it was getting easier to handle.

For everybot.

The CMO was not fond of the idea of having to do to this kind, quiet mech what he did to the twins though. Something told him Jolt wouldn't respond well to getting smacked over the audios and told to spill his spark. The mech had been alone for a long time. Ratchet and the other officers were trying to give him a little space to fall into place here—he had been doing alright with Hot Rod, but Roddy already had three medics he didn't need another one—so the newcomer ended up on Eternity where he was once again trying to figure out a place for himself. He seemed to enjoy being around Bee, and Bee seemed to enjoy him so that was what they were working with at the moment, but there was something. Something Ratchet, Prowl, Ironhide, Optimus, and Jazz just couldn't put their finger on. Something even Hot Rod had told them about. Something that was so very, very, familiar that it was almost taunting them.

There was more to Jolt than what lay on the surface, and they intended to find out what it was.

"Hide!" Bee squealed happily flinging himself from Jolt's arms and leaping into Hide's who caught him with a snort and a roll of his optics.

"Why do you always have to do that?" Ironhide scolded him flicking him lightly on an antenna. "The floor is a long ways down, Bee."

Bee giggled. "You catch me. Always catch me."

Ironhide smiled. "Yeah little one, I'll always catch you."

Once he purred lightly at his guardian Bumblebee turned his attention to the mechs in the room. Ratchet was at his desk flinging data pads at Prowl looking kind of annoyed while the white and black mech just caught them with ease and an impassive faceplate. Jazz was reclining on a medical berth swinging his legs back and forth with that look of his that said he was planning something. Optimus stood not far from Ironhide near the CMO's desk the commander reaching out to pet Bee on the head with a small smile as the youngling giggled and latched onto his fingers refusing to let go until he was carried into Optimus' arms and deposited next to his spark as he watched Jolt cross the room and start to organize some scattered tools near some cabinets.

It looked like any other orn on Eternity with his amazing family though there was something bubbling in the air that Bee knew didn't belong there. And it surrounded Jolt.

This air of curiosity filtering from all that were around him and this stiff wall that Bumblebee had faced already. He liked the new mech, but he did not like the fact that he was keeping secrets. The youngling was done with secrets and he intended to find out just was going on . . . though he had no worldly idea how he was suppose to do that.

So for now he sat quietly snuggled up to Optimus' spark watching the mechs before he tilted his gaze up to the Prime blinking those big baby blue optics that could melt right through the toughest armor straight to the soul.

He was gifted a smile in return when he lightly poked at the commander's armor.

"What is it, young one?" Optimus chuckled.

"What did at meeting?" Bee asked wiggling his little toes back and forth as he rocked in the safety of the mech's arms.

A snort from across the room drew his attention though.

"Absolutely nothing of use." Ratchet grumbled making Ironhide and Jazz laugh slightly while Prowl rolled his optics.

Bee just tilted his head in confusion while he watched the bright blue mech in the corner listening with interest. Why was Jolt so concerned with the meeting he said was boring?

"Well Lil' Bee, we have a sort of surprise for ya." Jazz hopped from his place skipping over to the Prime and the youngling who in an nano-klick was a grinning little bundle of bouncing at the prospect of a surprise.

"What is?"

Jazz grinned wickedly his visor flashing bright blue before he snatched up the little yellow mech and spun him around the room bouncing him up and down in the air until he was giggling up a storm flipping around with every toss. Well that is until Ironhide snatched him from mid-air before Jazz could catch him again. Bee let out a startled chirp when he changed possession and found himself held protectively against the warm metal of Hide's chest while the big black mech glared at the smaller silver one who rolled his optics behind his visor glaring with his arms crossed.

"How many fraggin' times do I have to tell you to stop doing that!?" Ironhide hissed. "You're gonna drop him."

"Am not!" Jazz snapped back.

"You could!"

"But I'm not!"

"Ironhide," Optimus tried to cut the argument off before they went at each other again, but what Bumblebee did next stopped it quicker than he ever could.

"Fraggin'."

Every mech in the room startled into silence all gazes settling down on the little yellow form sitting against his guardian's chest.

For a moment they all blinked, even Jolt, until Ratchet's low snarl rose up across the room.

"Ironhide!"

The black mech audibly gulped.

He knew that tone all too well. That was the tone of the Medic of Doom.

Shoving the youngling into Jazz's arms he barely had time to duck before a wrench nailed him on his left audio.

"YOU SLAGGIN' GLTICH!" Ratchet was already chasing the massive ebony mech around room wielding a buzz saw as Ironhide pleaded that it wasn't his fault. "HE LISTENS TO YOU MORE THAN ANYBOT ELSE!"

A screwdriver nailed him in the soft cables at the back of his right knee and sent him crashing to the floor while the full on Medic of Doom descended upon him. He was pretty sure in the that moment he knew how the twins felt after they did something stupid as he just raised his arms to shield his faceplate.

"Damn it!" He yelped. "Knock it off, Ratchet! Like I'm the only mech that curses around him!"

"Damn." Bee giggled liking how the whole room went still again and Jazz groaned audibly when Ratchet went back to snarling and whacking Hide over the head.

"HE'S TO YOUNG TO FRAGGIN' HEAR THIS SLAG!"

"Says the mech still cursing." Jolt silently slid in next to Jazz with a sneaky smirk. Jazz laughed lightly impressed that the bright mech had been able to move to him and he not notice. He truly was wasted in Ratchet's bay.

Optimus and Prowl had gone to trying to stop Ratchet from deactivating Ironhide who knew better than even try and defend himself against the Hatchet at this point while Jazz and Jolt merely watched with amused optics until Bee poked the saboteur in the chest.

Glancing down he lifted an optic ridge.

"What surprise?" Bee mumbled.

Jazz smiled leaning closer his mouth hovering over the little mech's audio receptor making him giggle snuggling in closer to his caretaker as he whispered. "You want to know do ya?"

He giggled even louder bouncing up and down in the mech's arms.

"Well," Jazz paused for dramatic affect making Jolt roll his optics in humor as Bee held his breath in anticipation. "How about ya save ol' Hide before Ratch fully scraps him and then we'll tell ya what we got planned?"

Nodding vigorously the little mech scampered out of the silver mech's hold making Jazz have to bend to help him to the ground before he busted it on the hard metal floor watching with amused optics while the little mech toddled on unbalanced feet over to where Prowl was trying to hold back the raging medic while Optimus did the same to the now severally pissed off Ironhide as he glared at the dent in his right cannon. Bumblebee knew they would never truly hurt each other and though while he still didn't like it when they argued it did kind of amuse him to see how simple words he didn't even understand what meant could make Ratchet go so fully off his rocker.

There were times when Ratchet could be downright scary when he was pissed, but since that anger was never pointed at Bumblebee he had a tendency he must have picked up from the twins and Jazz to push his luck a little bit in the issues of Ratchet's sanity . . . or lack thereof.

But that was why there was not the slightest bit of fear in the little youngling as he hurried on unsteady feet until he sprang up and latched himself, full on arms and legs clinging tightly, to Ratchet's leg.

It got him just what he wanted.

The medic went still along with Ironhide who would never risk hurting his youngling. Tension hissed out of Ratchet's frame as he glanced down at the little yellow bundle who was clutching tightly to his armor smiling up at him as bright as a super nova.

The medic sighed. "Bumblebee,"

"Please stop." Bee pulled his best innocent, adorable, undeniable look blinking his big optics up at the mech until he sighed with a shake of his head reaching down to pluck the little thing off of him and pull him up to rest against the armor over his spark. Bee clicked happily snuggling against the metal as Ratchet pet him between the antennas earning quiet purrs.

"Alright you annoying little twerp, I'll stop."

Bee giggled.

Jazz barked a deep laugh looking to Jolt. "Awe! See Ratchet really does have a soft side!"

WHACK

"Oww!" Jazz suddenly found himself on his aft rubbing the sizeable dent between his optics over his visor where the wrench now laying in his lap smacked him. Ratchet stood with the youngling in his free hand the other hand holding another wrench waving it lightly back and forth his optics narrow. Jazz figured it was a pretty good idea to mute it then especially when Optimus and Prowl shot him a look. "Imma be quiet now."

"Good idea." Prowl answered. Ratchet wasn't in the best mood to begin with so it was better to just let him calm down on his own and not push him. With Bumblebee in his grip he'd calm down a lot faster which was why he snorted in frustration marching back across the medical bay heading for his unfinished searching of data pads with the youngling still in his hand. Bumblebee didn't mind. He never really got to spend all that much time with the medic, he was always so busy, so he took the opportunity any chance he got. He also figured that Ratchet would tell him the surprise if he behaved.

Though when he got sat on the table covered with data pads only to be snatched up by Prowl and handed to Optimus his plan was kinda a bust.

"Young one," The Prime's voice held a little amusement for the situation, but overall it was strong and commanding. Bee shrank down. He knew that tone. That was he was about to get lectured tone.

Well slag.

"You know better that to use that kind of language."

"Sorry, Optimus." His little antennas folded down to make him look as pathetic as they possibly could. He was less likely to get grounded that way.

"You don't seem very sorry." Prowl commented from where he was sorting data pads with the CMO. Ironhide was helping along with Jazz who was trying to think of some bonus points to get the medic to fix the dent over his visor. While Jolt was sorting through some files across the bay. They were looking for something. What Bee didn't know and he wondered how it was that Jolt knew to be looking for it too. Maybe it was the comm link.

The youngling pouted.

He wanted one of those, but Ratchet said he was too little to have it installed.

He pouted even more.

He was so tired of being told he was too little, too young, too fragile, too anything just to keep him from doing big bot stuff.

"Am sorry." He countered hating how his vocal processor still couldn't form the words like his processor wanted too. He knew he spoke like a youngling—a very young youngling—which didn't help him in the department of proving he wasn't to little even if he didn't even come up to Jazz's upper knee plating yet.

He sighed.

Was he ever going to get any bigger?

Thinking it over, he scratched at the wiring between the metal plating on his arm. It was itching pretty badly as of lately, but he was scared to tell any of his caretakers. Saying stuff like that only got him hooked up to a machine with a fretting Ratchet holding some type of needle.

He hated needles.

He avoided them at all costs. Just dealing with the itching, was at all costs.

"You just don't wanna get grounded." Ironhide shot his charge a dark knowing look still more than a little upset about the dents he was going to have to hammer out of his cannon.

Maybe . . . . Bee thought twitting his thumbs as he sat in Optimus' palm.

"Bumblebee," The Prime's warning tone told the youngling that he was very capable of reading his bright optics so Bee lowered his head and whispered.

"Won't do it again. Promise."

The commander seemed to weigh this over in his processor for a few klicks before nodding. "Alright, my young one. Just no more."

He was gifted a purr when he let the little mech snuggle against his spark and for a few moments all was silent except for the whispered curses of the CMO who couldn't for the life of him find that damn file. Not a mech in the room pointed out that Ratchet was still cursing around the youngling. They valued their lives a little too much to do that.

Besides.

They were on a battleship. Cursing was a part of life, and while they tried to keep it away from the youngling's audios they knew he would hear it. The only thing they could do was try and make him understand those were not words for a youngling to say. Which they knew he understood, he just sometimes was as mischievous as some as his caretakers.

A fact that kept Ironhide and Optimus up at night sometimes as either mech watched the little mech recharge. It was something they spoke often of in the privacy of either's quarters. The fear that lived in both mechs' spark. The fear of just how curious and adventurous the little youngling was. It terrified them, because one orn they knew all too well that it was going to get him in a world of trouble.

"Oh!" Bee snapped upright in the Prime's hand blinking up at him with those bright optics. "What surprise?"

The leader chuckled. "Ultra Magnus and Hot Rod are coming to visit."

And just as predicted Bumblebee lit up like the brightest star in the galaxy. "Really!?"

"Really, really." Jazz laughed lightly at the joy in those bright orbs.

"YAY!" Bee giggled madly as he scrambled down Optimus' frame having to be helped once again so he didn't become a smear on the floor and then went to running circles around the commander's, Hide's, Ratchet's, Jazz's, and even Prowl's feet as he bounced and cheered and giggled for all he was worth.

His whole family was getting back together. He would get to see Hammerdown and Quickfire!

He was so happy!

Curled up in a mound of blankets to the side of Optimus' desk the little youngling itched at his plating from the secrecy of his covers. The Prime and his guardian weren't really paying him that much attention, too busy going through stuff on the commander's many work screens to notice that little mech had finished his light puzzle and was now just absently staring into space itching at his sore arms.

It had been two orns since he was told that Ultra Magnus and Hot Rod along with their crews were coming. That all three ships were going to be together again for a short time while the commanders searched for an answer that Bee had yet to been told. He hadn't asked what they were all looking for though so he really wasn't all that concerned. Besides his itching was far more distracting.

It was getting worse, and he was scared to tell.

He had had enough of being hurt after that virus-viper tried to offline him. He didn't want to be hooked up to wires and tubes ever again. So he wasn't going to tell.

Nope.

Not gonna do it.

The wires beneath his abdomen plates started burning.

His antennas folded down. Not gonna!

Ironhide had been focused on searching the files on the screen with Optimus but when from the corner of his optics he saw his adopted son's antennas fold down and a pained little look cross his faceplate the black mech quickly snapped to attention drawing Optimus along with him.

"What is it?" The leader asked over their long ago formed connection between him and one of his best friends.

"I don't know." Ironhide answered honestly discreetly watching Bumblebee stare off into space with that look in his optics that was worrying his guardian. Like something was hurting him. "Look at him."

Optimus inspected the little yellow bundle of trouble wrapped up in the safety of his warm blanket wearing a faraway looking in his optics that troubled the Prime. He really did look like something was wrong with him, but he had been fine a few klicks ago. Where the mechs aboard Eternity so wrapped up in figuring out that second coded message that they were missing that something was wrong with the thing they swore with their last breaths to protect?

"Bumblebee," Optimus said softly making the mechling twist back to face his guardian and his Optimus. A small—very forced—smile rose up on his lips and it made both the mechs cringe slightly.

Something was definitely wrong.

"Huh?" Bee answered.

Ironhide reached over carefully plucking his charge from the desk top and settled him in his lap as he sat in the spare chair beside Optimus both of them no longer at all concerned with what was rolling up the screen of his monitors.

"You alright, Bee?" Ironhide asked him quietly wrapping the blanket a little tighter around his youngling as the little mech leaned into his mid-section resting his head on the formidable armor as he looking upward to the caring faceplate with worry itched in around those vivid deep blue optics.

Bumblebee suddenly felt guilty.

Hide was worried about him. That meant he wasn't hiding it very well.

Well, scrap.

They were busy and he was distracting them. That wasn't supposed to happen.

Quickly forcing his optics to twinkle with as much happiness as he thought he could pull off he smiled at his Ironhide. "Yep."

Those optics that held a very Sire like protectiveness at the moment narrowed suspiciously. Without even reaching out to feel the bright bubbly little spark he knew his youngling was lying. He was just really awful at it.

Not that Ironhide or any of the rest of his family minded that too much.

"Don't lie to me, youngling." Ironhide's voice grew stern as he plucked the little mech from his lap and brought him to rest beside his spark. "You are not good at it."

Bee pouted.

Stupid lack of ability to lie. That was gonna bite him in the skidplate one orn, he just knew it.

"Now tell me what's wrong."

Thinking quickly the little mech grasped at the first notion that popped in his processor. "Tired. Didn't recharge good."

Yeah, that would work and it wasn't technically a lie. He hadn't recharged well so this would work out just fine.

Ironhide's optics darkened with worry.

Or . . . maybe it wouldn't.

"Nightmares?" It was Optimus that asked the question and Bumblebee suddenly found himself glancing between the two strongest, most awesome, most overly all wonderful mechs in the whole wide universe with a slightly frightened look flashing deep in their optics where he guessed they thought he wouldn't notice. However, to the little mech so tightly bonded to them and so many others—the little mech that thrived and existed on the links that connected him to others—could feel the tightening in their bonds to him. How their sheer open willingness to have him be a part of them clouded slightly and tried to keep some of their feelings held back yet not close him off to the now never blocked pulses that ran between them. He could always feel their sparks when they were close enough because they were never closed to him in a way to keep both him and his caretakers at ease, but the down side of this open bond was that to a spark as powerful as Bumblebee's when something clouded over the normal feelings he was use too he took notice.

Now he could tell that he had worried his favorite mechs.

And he felt awful.

His antennas folded down in unease while he began pulling at his fingers. A nervous habit he was very quickly developing that the two mechs around him thought he was far too young to have. Reaching a finger around him Ironhide took hold of his fidgeting hands and stilled them making the little mech turn his full attention up to his guardian.

"Wanna tell us about them?" He whispered.

"Busy." Bee shook his head quickly looking to the monitors on the Prime's desk.

"We're never too busy for you, Bumblebee." Optimus told him in a voice that left no room to argue and the youngling didn't miss the fact that wasn't the first time he'd been told that, yet he still felt like there were more important things on this ship than him. Like whatever it was they were all looking for that they wouldn't tell him. If no mech wanted to tell him than it must be something secretly important so he was positive that should be their focus.

"Not 'portant." He answered.

"It was important when you told the twins, wasn't it?" Ironhide lifted an optic ridge.

Bee blinked at him before nodding nervously. He really didn't want to talk about this. "Yeah."

"Than it's important to us too. You know that. If something upsets you Bumblebee you have to tell me about it."

"But not wanna bother you." Bee played with the soft metal of his guardian's finger since it wouldn't let him ring his hands.

The warm rumbling almost purr that answered him both through his spark and his audios made the little mech wiggle up closer to his guardian while he spoke. "You could never bother me, my little Bee."

Bee sent back a warm pulse in return as his answer.

"You know that goes for me as well." Optimus reached forward to stroke the little mech along his cheek sending his own wrapped up warmth to snuggle in around Bee's spark combined with Ironhide's to leave Bee in an almost poofy little cloud of protection and love that he felt like slipping down into and never coming back out.

He would be quite happy to spend the rest of his forcible future trapped in the safety of Hide's and Optimus' sparks where he knew nothing bad could ever get him and nothing wrong would ever be allowed. Apart Hide and Optimus would move the Well and Pit for him he had no doubt, but together he was very sure that they could best the universe if he needed them too.

So maybe he should just come clean . . . well about the dreams that is. He still didn't want to find himself back in the medical bay with stuff stuck in him. He wasn't really all that ready to discuss the itching.

It could wait.

"Don't happen all the time." Bee told them quietly. "Just sometimes."

"Why don't you wake me?" Ironhide asked.

"You tired."

Ironhide grumbled. "Get it through your thick processor, youngling. I'm here to take care of you. So when something is wrong you tell me. I don't care if I haven't recharged in a Decacycle you come first."

Without a real way to express the love that welled up in his spark at that the little mech just snuggled tighter into his guardian.

"Now are you going to tell us about these nightmares or not?" Optimus pressed.

"Just 'member stuff sometimes. But don't matter. Not goin' back. Got you and Hide and twins and Jazzy and Ratch now. Not let bad stuff happen."

For a moment Ironhide and Optimus considered this answer the two glancing between each other with a look that no words were needed to express the feelings in both their sparks. They both knew their youngling well enough to catch the undertone in his voice. He really didn't want to talk about this. Which was strange in itself so with a soft sigh each of the mechs relented for now with just one more question.

"Bumblebee, you tell me from now on. Alright?" Ironhide told him.

"'Kay, Hide." Bee nodded his antennas slowly starting to flicker back to alertness. His wires still itched very irritatingly and he knew he should tell Ironhide—he was very aware he was gonna be in big trouble when he got found out—but he was absolutely sure he wanted nothing to do with needles and tubes for a long time yet.

So he kept his mouth shut and just huddled up close to Hide's spark ignoring how bad he itches while the two mechs who he knew were far from please with his answer went back to their work. Work for what he wasn't sure.

He just watched as the codes rolled on the screen until he slowly drifted off into recharge lulled by the steady beat of Ironhide's spark and the never ending rhythm of the words.

Jolt sat quietly in a chair surrounded by the darkness of his berthroom just outside the medical bay his bright optics glowing in the dim light. The normally warm and welcoming yet quiet mech sat so utterly ridged and closed off he knew even down in his own spark it was wrong, and yet here he sat like the whole battleship around him was trying to force him to sell his soul.

And in all reality they were.

The Prime and his immediate circle might not have recognized him just yet, but there was one mech that when he got here was going to take one look and know just what he was looking at. And secretly that terrified the loner.

He'd spent so long running from the truth because that was the only way he could keep his sorry self alive. Now he was about to face up with a past because by some sick twist of fate he found himself at . . . home. A home he'd never before known because he was cheated out of it.

It was a strange feeling for the normally upbeat mech.

To be trapped in a place that should be home, but felt so utterly wrong somehow.

He knew why it did. Deep down he knew.

It was because he was keeping secrets, and because she was long gone.

Being here reminded him of her. His Carrier who had died for him all those vorns ago trying to save him. His Carrier; the mate to one of the most powerful mechs in the Autobot ranks.

Sighing Jolt lowered his head to his hands trying to remember why in Pit he let that scouting party find him, why he went to Hot Rod's ship.

Oh yeah . . . because he'd been dying.

Pain flashed through his aching chest reminding the bright blue loner of just how close that round came to hitting him in the spark. Jolt cursed to the Well and back about his own damn stupidity.

How could he have not heard that seeker in those catacombs?

What was he some newbie runaway? He'd been out of that Pit for vorns now and all of a sudden he doesn't pay close enough attention to notice a giant freaking seeker about to shot him in the fraggin' back!?

What the frag was wrong with him?!

Shaking his head to clear it the brightly painted mech slid down the wall of the crumbed building he was taking refuse in and banged his head back against the cold grey surface.

He had been distracted.

That was what was wrong with him.

Being here . . . in this place even if there was nothing other than ruins left. This was where she had been taken from the Sire he'd never met while she was still carrying. This was his home in a way even if he'd never known it.

Iacon.

He glanced around at the dark fallen metal and stone.

What a pretty picture.

Rolling his optics sarcastically at the thought of trying to imagine what it might have looked liked he sighed. He'd never know, so what was the point. All he'd ever known was darkness and pain and the life of a runaway.

Wouldn't she be proud of him?

Forcing himself to chuckle at his own rather dark mood brought out by pain the mech went to work. Enough lollygagging, he had to patch these lines before he leaked out.

Though not even Jolt's skilled claws were going to fix this on his own and with that dark notion he leaned back against the wall wondering if this was going to be the time he finally just drifted off into stasis and never woke back up.

His spark twisted in pain.

Not a single bot out there would miss him. No bot would even know he was gone.

But so was the life of a loner.

He had no connections, no family, no home because then there for nothing to lose . . . but that also meant that no bot had him to lose.

Before it had always sounded like a decent trade off. Now he wasn't so sure.

He missed her, and a small stupid part of him missed the Sire he would never know.

She had always spoken so highly of him. Praising his valor and honest spark. She had always promised that one orn he was going to come and save them from that living Pit. He never came though and she had been snuffed out before his optics one orn.

Another painful twist of his spark and at that point Jolt couldn't tell if it was out of memory or injury.

A part of him didn't care.

He was slowly sinking into blackness from which he would probably never wake up from, however a noise and movement forced him to hold himself awake just a few moments longer. He looked up through blurry optics to find a towering blue and black frame shouldering its way through the crumbled ruble.

A strange, strong, honest sort of voice drifted to his audio receptors and all he could do was sit there unable to muster the energy to call forth his defenses.

"Hey mech," the owner of the voice came closer warily. "You alright?"

After that the world faded into darkness and that was all Jolt had known of his saviors as he drifted into stasis with only one thing bouncing around in his processor.

A name.

His Sire's name.

Jolt hissed to himself shaking the memory off before the name could bubble up in his spark.

What was the point of worrying about it?

He'd be meeting the mech soon enough anyway and he doubted that his secret was going to stay secret very much longer.

Leaning back in his chair he thought of how this was going to go down though he couldn't come up with anything that screamed at him as what to prepare himself for.

So with a nervous spark in his chest and a heavy past on his shoulders he walked to his berth, curled up in a tight ball, and forced his optics closed to wait.

Tomorrow his truth was going to come out one way or another, and the universe would known that Ultra Magnus' long lost son had come home to a family he'd never known.

Dun, dun, duuuuuuuuuun!

Who guessed who's son he was before the end? Come on someone had too!

And yeah, yeah, I know Jolt isn't really Magnus' kid, but for this story he is. I needed to get under the quiet commander's metal somehow and this just came to me. So there you go. Magnus has a son he never knew about . . . well he knew, he just thought he died with his Carrier. Well you'll find all that out next chapter. What did you think about this little twist though?

And it finally happened. Some mech got beat because Bee's picked up curse words. For some reason I find that hilarious. I can't get the mental picture of Ratchet chasing Hide around with a buzz saw out of my head. I just can't get the stupid grin off my face. Besides it was gonna happen sooner or later. He's on a battleship in the middle of a war. The mechs curse. It just happens and mentally you might have noticed that Bee is already picking up on words. Most of the time he just knows better than to say them out loud. Cheeky little trouble maker when he wants to be though.

Also, what do you think about his itching? Any guesses what that is about?

Not a whole lot happens in this chapter I know, its mainly just bringing in Jolt and setting up for the next chapter along with all that I'm building up to. There is a plot here, I swear, its just gonna take me a while to get there. Have to get all my little ducks in a row first.

Hee-hee so many twist are coming your way. Just hang on for the ride I hope its an interesting one.

On another note,

Who saw the Transformers 4 trailer!? Oh I was so excited! It looks so cool. I have so many questions and so much anticipation its just not fair. I want it to be out on DVD already! My plot line goes along with the first three movies, this crazy mess has an outline in my head believe it or not, and the movies play into where all this is going. I can't wait to see what the fourth ones throws into what I've got planned.

Well anyway I hope you guys liked chapter 4.

Next week we have chapter 5!

Chat with ya later!

-Jay