Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers. Only the plot and OCs.

So hi everybody.

This is the only place I can think to put this and it be seen by everybody. So this is where I will put it and I would appreciate if you would all take a moment to read it before you go on.

I have not given permission to ANYONE to take my stories and post them ANYWHERE.

Taking something without permission is theft, in a way plagiarism, and very much illegal. I am truly honored that you enjoy my hard work, but to the person who left the review about Right Where You Belong. You did not have my permission to post my work anywhere, you didn't even ask for it, and you took my work and posted it on another site. If you didn't mean any harm by this please contact me (another review or a PM, there are plenty of ways if you really want too) and we can discuses it. If you did mean harm then I will deal with it the only way I know how.

Sorry that I had to put this here, but its the best chance I have of it being seen and I guess I haven't made it clear enough before so I'll do it now.

Once again, my work should not be showing up ANYWHERE BUT HERE. I work hard on these stories, I enjoy them and I want to keep them updated, but theft is not something I will tolerate.

Okay, now that that is done.

Go enjoy Bee's adorableness. I did.

Chapter 17

His tiny fingers were dirty.

And he absolutely loved it.

Sprawled out on his little belly Bumblebee had both of his small hands wrapped around brightly colored sticks of calcium carbonate—Wheeljack called it chalk, Bumblebee called it his knew favorite toys—one was blue and one was purple and he was currently sprawling them together like the space clouds that he'd watched now and again when his battleship home was airborne. More than once in his short little life he'd gone scrambling out of whatever arms were holding him to launch himself toward a window to get a look at the strange ribbons of rainbow granite that danced across the blackness of space.

They utterly fascinated him.

Always so pretty; dancing streams of dead stars, planets, and organisms that lived far before Bee ever even was a thought. The notion was strange to the mechling.

Though right now he was not really that worried about it.

For now he was more than content to swirl chalk all over the floor as it stained his little fingers. Just as Jazz seemed content to lay in the middle of the rec room floor beside him on his side with his head propped up on a fist watching Bee as he swirled the different colors together giggling quietly to himself.

Jazz had been sticking closer ever since they'd landed in Tyger Pax and Bee found his family complete once again. Well, actually, if the youngling was being honest Jazz had been sticking closer for orns. After the whole being stuck in the scan machines thing—that still no bot had bothered to explain to Bee—and it wasn't just Jazz. Sideswipe and Sunstreaker had been hanging around more than usual too.

Not that Bumblebee was complaining.

He didn't mind getting drug along on shifts as long as it meant he got to play with his might-as-well-be brothers. Ironhide didn't seem to care either. Now that they were safe under the tunnels of Tyger Pax and the entire Autobot forces were in one place again. The massive ebony mech was maybe just the slightest bit more clingy than normal. For the last decacycle and a half Bee had hardly ever found his tiny feet touching the ground. Because if Hide wasn't holding him, Optimus was holding him, and if they didn't have him Jazz or the twins, or Jazz and the twins had him. He even spent a few orns playing with puzzles in Prowl's lap and then building little towers out of Ratchet's tools while the medic worked around him.

Such things were not too far from normal. He was never alone.

Never.

Somebot was always with him for as long as he could remember—minus that time when he felt ignored and went out and found the Dinobots—and he had no problem with that. He didn't like to be alone. It wasn't something he did very well.

That didn't mean he hadn't noticed the extra attention though. He wasn't going to question . . . but he wondered, what had them all so nervous all of a sudden?

However, he didn't have time to ask for now.

He was too busy swirling the floor.

"Looks good, Lil' Bee." Jazz purred beside him reaching out to pet him lovingly over his flicking antennas. Bee purred out an echo as he leaned into the touch of the long silver claws of the sneaky silver mech before he shot him a smile and went back to mixing colors.

"Think look like clouds?" He asked as he reached for his pink chalk. Maneuvering the fat piece of mineral in his short fingers so that he could hold the purple and the pink in one hand which proved to be harder then he thought it was going to be. It took a few klicks of tilting his little held, sticking out his tongue, and wiggling his short little fingers until he finally figured it out and went to swirling the pieces together even if his head was still tilted to the side and his tongue was still stuck out.

Jazz thought he looked sorta adorable. "Space clouds?"

Bee nodded not looking up from his doodling.

"Yeah it does." Jazz tilted his head against his knuckles. "Why ya drawing space clouds?"

"They pretty."

"Are." Jazz said softly.

Bee glanced his way sucking his little tongue back in with a soft pop that Jazz had to make himself not laugh at. "Huh?"

"They are pretty." Jazz explained, stressing the word in the middle for the youngling's audios.

"A-are pretty?" Bee repeated, testing out the word on his tongue.

"They are pretty." Jazz nodded. "That's how it's said."

"They are pretty." Bee said again before looking up into Jazz's bright blue visor. "Right?"

"Yeah," He grinned.

"Why gotta be there?" Bee turned back to his coloring as he wondered.

"It's just the 'proper' way to talk." Jazz air quoted the word before leaning on his hand again.

"Proper." Bee mulled that over too before he shrugged. "Big bot talk."

"Yep."

He swirled the colors onto the floor. "Eh, Dinobots don't talk that way."

"No," Jazz agreed. "But the way they talk ain't right."

"You talk different too, Jazzy." Bee pointed out still swirling his colors, though he traded the blue one for his red one. "Hide too, sometimes."

Well, the mechling had a point there. It was something that Jazz hadn't even thought Bee would have noticed though. Sure Jazz and Ironhide had accents, and Jazz's came out far more often than Hide's did, but it never accrued to either of them that Bumblebee would ever question it.

"Well yeah, we do." He agreed hesitantly.

"Why talk different?" He questioned without looking up.

Jazz's smile fell away just a fraction, but he wouldn't lie to Bumblebee. He didn't know how. "We're from a different place then most the other Autobots."

That perked Bee's interest. He glanced Jazz's way again shuffling around on the floor until he'd gotten himself back on his little skid plate—most of him was now covered in brightly colored chalk, Hide was gonna love that later—as he looked at the silver mech stretched out beside him in the middle of the floor.

"Really?"

"Yeah," Jazz twisted to lay on his front thinking his words over carefully before he told the little yellow mech. There were still many things Bumblebee didn't know. For many reasons. Most of them being he was just too young. "We weren't sparked in Iacon and cities just like it like Optimus, Ratchet, and Prowl. We're from the . . . Sea of Rust."

Tiny yellow antennas twitched up to their full height standing tall over the little mech's head. "Like those things in the painting. In the tunnels."

Jazz inclined his audio horn topped head. "Yep."

"Cool!" Dropping his chalk the little mech scrambled over to Jazz not at all caring when he streaked the silver mech's armor with purple chalk dust as he was scooped up while the saboteur rolled over with him placing his color dusty self right over his beating spark.

"You think so?" Jazz chuckled. Nobot had ever said it was cool where he came from before. Then again; Bee didn't know anything about the Tribes and how they had lived. That didn't make his innocent fascination any less cute though.

"What like?" Bee hopped over the powerful spark he was sitting over.

Jazz tilted his head regarding the question a bit. "It was a long time ago, Lil' Bee."

"Aww," He whined, wiggling closer until he was almost hovering over Jazz's faceplate. "I wanna know."

"Red." Jazz smiled, arching up off the floor to knock his head against Bee's lightly.

"Red?" The little mech giggled, snuggling his noseplate against the saboteur's.

"Very red." He confirmed. "And hot. And empty. And everything wanted to eat ya or kill ya. Or both."

Bee's big blue optics sparkled with interest.

"It's a wild place, Bee."

"Me wanna see it some orn."

Jazz chuckled with just a hint of sadness in his optics, he was glad they were hidden behind his visor. "It's just a big empty wasteland now. Nothing there but static-hounds and rust storms."

Bee just wiggled against his big brother. "Still sound cool."

Jazz snorted. "Ya'd think that."

With another giggle Bee launched forward to press a quick kiss on the silver mech's noseplate before he rolled off his chest and toddled back to his swirling mess of colors that covered most of the rec room floor by now. Plopping back down next to the ever increasing edge of his picture. He already had the yellow and the black colored chalk in his hands and was swirling again when the door to the to the rec room swished open to Ironhide. The big ebony mech had come in search of his son for his lunch but he didn't get half a step of his massive feet before Bumblebee came undone.

"NO!" He squeaked loudly throwing his arms up and chunking his chalk at his guardian. Ironhide froze up at the sound, more then use to by now having to stop his massive weight in a moment's notice as to not crush a tiny yellow thing running about his feet. So he froze out of instinct even if the mechling was halfway across the room.

Jazz popped up out of sheer instinct as well trying to figure out what was wrong with the mechling as Ironhide swiveled his weight backward until both his feet slammed back down outside the rec room door and he zeroed in on Bumblebee as the little mechling went scrambling up to his feet and rushing—tripping once or twice—to his guardian still holding chalk as he chirped out.

"Don't! Don't. Don't. Don't."

"Don't what?" Hide rumbled, watching his son prance around the swirl covered floor toward him.

"Picture! Don't step on it!" The yellow youngling pleaded as he hopped the last bit of red and orange swirl before he latched onto Hide's thick black ankle staring up into those dark blue optics far above him.

Hide's left optic ridge lifted and he suppressed a tired chuckle as he observed the chalk covered color and the chalk covered youngling. "Picture huh?"

"Yeah, clouds." Bee nodded against the warm metal of Hide's ankle.

Space clouds.

Ironhide shorted.

The youngling was drawing space clouds all over the floor. Yeah. That sounded like Bumblebee. He was covered in one of his games all over again too. The big guardian secretly didn't mind though.

"Clouds." Hide repeated. "You drew clouds all over the floor."

"Uh huh." Bee laughed lightly burrowing into Hide's armor. "Like it?"

Hide rumbled out a purr that vibrated down his whole frame into his little mechling. "Of course I like it, Bee. But it can't stay."

Bee threw himself back and glared up at his adopted sire. "What mean can't stay!?"

"You've taken over the whole rec room floor, mechling." Ironhide said. "Mechs gotta come in here."

"But it my picture!"

"Yes, your picture." Hide bent down plucking up his little charge. "That is all over the floor."

"But me worked hard!" Bee allowed himself to be plucked up, once he was in Hide's thick fingers and brought up to rest against the big mech's chest, but that did not stop his heavy pout as he glared into Hide's weathered faceplate.

"I know," Hide tried to reason with him. "But you also drew it all over the floor."

"Don't want no bot step on it!" Bee huffed more than a little bit put out.

"So nobot can come into the rec room ever again?" Ironhide pressed him, tilting his head to show the swirling colors that stretched from the door to the middle of the rec room where Jazz was leaning on one foot watching them with a mirth filled visor.

"Yep." Bee concluded. Because it made perfect sense to him. He had created a masterpiece and nobot was going to step on it. Even if that meant nobot was ever going into the rec room ever again.

"But what Jazz?" Ironhide asked him, and at that the mechling paused, glancing back to the silver mech who stood on the other side of his well done art.

Oh.

Well.

That could be a problem.

"Is he trapped in the rec room for the rest of his life?" Hide was well aware that the acrobatic saboteur could most likely clear the several yards of chalk without disturbing a inch of it if he really put his processor too it. Jazz was quite skilled. However, he knew when it came down to it Bumblebee would rather have the flashy silver mech then his chalk drawing that he could draw again if he simply asked Sunny for something to draw on.

"Oh," The little mechling bit his bottom lip looking over his silver caretaker who stood there on the other side of his chalk work smiling lazily at him and all his utter cuteness.

"He has no other way out then over your picture." Hide went on.

Bumblebee pouted. "But me worked hard."

"Yes, I know." Ironhide purred lightly, pulling Bee closer to nuzzle his noseplate into the soft malleable protoform metal that made up the tiny creature hiding the powerful spark that beat steadily away in his core. A sound and a feeling the powerful weapons specialist not so secretly relished in. "But I'm sure Sunstreaker would be more than happy to help you come up with something other than the floor to draw it on. You'd just have to ask him."

There was a long moment of silence in which Bee was seriously considering the option of saying that Jazz would just have to stay because he worked hard on that picture and it was fun and pretty and . . . fun. However, in the end the mechling nuzzled his guardian back with a little purr of his own before he wiggled to twist and throw a smile back at Jazz.

"Mkay," He shrugged. "Me draw it 'gain. Jazzy come out."

The silver mech chuckled at the bubbly words and tone before he strolled to the door—taking care to step on as few swirls as possible—before he reached Ironhide's side and knuckled the bright yellow ball of happiness between his antennas.

"So I mean more than a picture huh?" He teased the chalk covered little thing.

"Uh huh." Bee giggled, trying to wiggle his way out from under Jazz's knuckles taking refuge in Hide's powerful arms.

"You're filthy, Bee." Ironhide commented lightly finally taking in the fact that his youngling was several colors that he should not be. When all he got in return to the comment was more giggling and wiggling he rolled his optics shaking his head. "Guess it's bathtime before lunch."

"Yay! Bubbles!" The mechling cried happily bouncing in this guardian's hold.

"I'll give him one if ya need, Hide." Jazz offered. "I let him get that dirty."

But the big black mech just shook his head. "Nah, go get some energon and check in with Optimus. He seems to think Prowl's been locked in his office going over battle tactics for long enough. See if you can help 'em with that."

"Sounds doable." Jazz agreed before he winked at the mechling that was peaking at him from over Hide's armored arm. "See ya later, Lil' Bee."

With that he strolled out in search of something to eat, his Prime, and probably eventually his over worked best friend leaving Hide to carry the giggling mess of mechling to their quarters for a good scrubbing before he got fed.

There was just something about Bubbles that always put Bumblebee in the best mood possible. If the little mechling could spend his whole life sitting in a warm tub of cleaning fluid full of bubbles he would be beyond happy. Though the mechling knew quite well Hide would not allow him to stay in his bath too long. Something about he'd rust or something along those lines. Bee wasn't big on that idea so he didn't fight Hide too much on the prospect of ending his bath time fun, but that didn't mean he was ready to be done just yet.

SPLASH

A soft giggle followed the wave of pink bubbles and blue liquid that splashed over the rim of the tub and all over Ironhide's thick chest. It got the little mechling a snort and an optic roll as the big mech shook off the bubbles that looked strange against his ebony armor before he dug a hand into the mass of bubbles that hid his little mechling.

Another giggle drifted from the billions of bubbles before he waved enough away to find the tiny thing smiling up at him.

"He-he," He laughed. "I hide."

"Yes," Ironhide smiled down to him, taking a soft rag and trying to get the last chalk stains off of him. "But now you need to be clean."

"Nope!" And with that Bee wiggled away from the rag, diving under the warm water. The warm bubbly world that surrounded him when he submerged was a fascinating thing. Weird in its distorted blurriness as he opened his big baby blue optics and paddled around just a bit before he was gently plucked from beneath the cleanser and pulled back into the air.

A deep breath of air rushed into him as he snorted out a laugh to clear his vents and intakes as Ironhide brought him back to the surface shaking his head at his antics as he gently rubbed at the soft yellow metal that covered him.

"Yes," He countered.

"Me like chalk." Bee wormed around in the safety of Hide's grip as he was scrubbed.

"I noticed." Hide chuckled. "But how about we ask Jack that the next thing he invents be a little bit cleaner. You've got organic filth in every joint possible."

This was followed by another—slightly harder—round of scrubbing while Bee kicked at his mounds and mounds of bubbles.

"Dirty fun!"

Ironhide rolled his optics to hide his soft smile. "Fun for you, work for me."

He wiggled even more with a bright smile.

"Be still you little pest." Hide purred to him dunking him back down in the cleaner to wash off the suds before pulling him back up and letting him giggle all over again.

"'gain! 'gain!"

The big black mech indulged the chipper request and dunked Bumblebee one more time unaware that when he was pushed under the warm liquid he took a big gulp of the bubble filled warmness so that when Ironhide pulled him back up his little cheeks were stuffed full of liquid. Then when he was optic level with his guardian again he grinned through his chubby, stuffed cheeks and spit the cleanser out right into Ironhide's faceplate.

In shock Hide reeled back when the liquid nailed him between the optics. For a klick he just stood there with cleaner dripping down his noseplate while Bumblebee threw his little head back laughingly like a lunatic while he wiggled.

That was when it sank in for the massive ebony mech.

The little pest just spit at him.

Well now, two could play at that game.

Smirking dangerously Ironhide leaned closer to the giggling squirming yellow protoform until they were noseplate to noseplate.

"Did you just spit at me?" He growled playfully. The sound sobered up the youngling's giggling and he found himself smiling guiltily up into Hide's dark blue optics.

"Nope," Bee snickered.

Lifting the hand that didn't have the dripping youngling in it Hide wiped at the cleaner running down his noseplate. "So what's this then?"

"Bubbles." He replied.

Shaking his head slightly Ironhide let the mechling plop back down into the bubbles with a giggle before he took to finishing up the scrubbing then pulled the squirming little thing back from the tub.

"Alright," Hide murmured. "Let's get you dried off and then find some energon."

"Yay! Hungry!" Bee squealed happily as he was wrapped up in a fluffy red towel and scrubbed dry by his loving sire.

"I'm sure you are, little one." Hide rumbled.

"Hammer gonna be there?" Bee questioned, stalling Ironhide's drying for just a moment before he pulled the towel off the mechling's head looking down into his bright optics.

"Why would you ask if Hammerdown would be there?"

Well . . . Bee thought that was pretty obvious. "All back together. Hammer here. Or least him with Roddy."

"Yes, he is with Hot Rod, but he's on shift for the next few joors. He won't be at lunch."

Bee stuck out his bottom lip.

Ironhide could only shrug though. "Sorry, Bee, but we are an army. That requires working."

Crossing his short arms under the fluffy towel Bumblebee huffed. "Hasn't even said hi yet. Been here five whole orns! And Hammer not said hi yet." At that Bumblebee paused, a thought occurring to him. "Me not do something wrong . . . did me?"

To that Hide pulled the little youngling up to nuzzle him with a reassuring purr. "No, Bee. You didn't do anything wrong."

"Him not mad at me?" Bee wondered.

"Why on Cybertron would he be mad at you?"

Bee shrugged. "Me no know."

Hide sighed. "No my little Bumblebee, Hammer isn't mad at you. How about I comm him tomorrow and see if he will come see you on his off shift?"

"Think he would?" Baby blue optics sparkled.

"I have a bit of sway." The guardian chuckled before taking his towel wrapped youngling and heading off to the mess hall to find the little one something to eat.

Optimus only had about a three nano warning of tiny pitter patters before a tiny weight slammed into his ankles—not hard enough to hurt, but hard enough to get his attention—with a soft plop and a familiar giggle.

He paused with his cube of energon halfway to his lips, glancing down under the table to find a yellow youngling wearing a red cape made out of a towel wrapped around his foot.

"Bumblebee," He smiled brightly to the little giggling thing that was working to scale his leg.

"Hi Opt!" He laughed trying to shimmy his way up the smooth thick armor that covered the Prime's thick calves.

"What are you doing, little one?" Optimus chuckled lowly at the red cape flapping behind the youngling while he tried to wiggle up. After a few moments of not really getting anywhere Bee let out a huff, sliding back down Optimus' leg to the floor and went to running circles around the table legs as Ironhide finally reached the table slowly shaking his head.

"Optimus," He greeted, sitting down heavily in the chair across from the leader.

"Ironhide," Optimus tore his optics from the yellow and red blur that had now started exploring a bit further then the Prime's feet. The mess hall wasn't all that full. It was still early mid-orn and most bots were still on shift or yet to switch over. So they were either working or getting some last klick recharge before they had to get up. It was only the Prime, the weapons specialist, the giggling youngling, Blaster, Air Raid, and Hound spread out around the huge open room. Hound and Blaster were at the same table having got off a late patrol together having a drink before they headed to find themselves some recharge. Air Raid had just gotten in from a three orn long air scout patrol in which he was tracking a group of Con seekers and was now slumped in one of the back corners of the mess hall nursing a rather potent looking batch of highgrade.

The patrol had not gone well.

He came out relatively unharmed but it hadn't been an enjoyable experience for the rowdiest member of the aerialbots.

All he wanted now was to drink away his headache and hit his berth so that he could fall back in with his brothers tomorrow.

Indulging the giggling youngling hadn't really been in his plan.

"He's a bit hyper." Optimus concluded as Bee scampered over to Blaster's and Hound's table, his fuzzy red cape that was tied loosely by the ends around his neck—Hide hadn't been thrilled with the idea as they walked down the halls to the mess hall, but Bee was nothing if not persistent in his games—fluttering behind him.

"Yeah . . . ." Ironhide snorted. "Bubbles tend to have that affect on him."

However, Bumblebee was oblivious to his Hide's and his Optimus' conversation as they watch him toddle his way over to Hound's green feet with his magnificent cape fluttering behind him. He reached the big mech within a few more steps and was quickly plucked off the ground and plopped down in the big green mech's lap.

"Hound!" Bee cried happily.

"What's up little mech?" The warrior asked as he knuckled the tiny creature between his upright antennas that folded to the sides at the affection trying to get the delicate sensors out of the way.

"Me have a cape!" Bumblebee informed his proudly before taking a handful of the towel on both sides and whirling himself around to show off his newest plaything that he'd come up with all by his little self.

It was a pretty cool idea, if Bee did say some himself.

Downright awesome.

"I see that." Hound nodded, reaching out to keep Bumblebee from tumbling out of his lap in his twirling and placed him on the table top to have a bit more room to move around on. Once he was there though the yellow youngling just giggled at the sight of Blaster and went sprinting over to the bright orange mech. He tripped over his toes halfway there though, and if it hadn't of been for the sound master's quick hands he would have busted his tiny noseplate.

And that certainly would have put a damper on his bubbly mood.

"Blaster!" Bee greeted loudly as the orange mech snatched him from his fall and brought him over to rest in the crook of his arm.

"Hey, Youngling." He rumbled out a soft purr of his engine leaning in to nuzzle his noseplate against the adorable little thing as Bee snickered and wiggled in his arms nuzzling back as his bright optics shown. "How you been?"

"Me good." Bee told him lightly, grasping hold of his cape again and flaring it out like a pair of wings for the bright mech to see. "Look! Me has a cape!"

"Yeah," Blaster made a show of scrutinizing the youngling's newest game, tugging at the fabric and flapping it a few times. The entire time of which Bee sat perfectly—well sorta perfectly—still chewing on his bottom lip and tugging gently at his fingers before Blaster gave him an approving nod. "I like it."

"Really?" Bee lit up by a tenfold.

"Oh yeah," Blaster laughed. "It's kinda awesome. I'm going to have to talk Wheeljack into making me one."

Bee giggled. "Jacky didn't make it. I made it!"

The use of the 'I' was not lost on the present caretakers, audios perking to the correct word when it left the youngling's lips, though no attention was drawn to it. He got shy when it was. He listened when he was corrected, but when they tired to praise him on getting it right he'd clam up tighter then a turbofox on a glitchmouse. It had always bothered the little one that he couldn't figure out the words those around him used any faster than he did, and the bots had learned that he'd take the corrections to help him learn, but otherwise he got shy when it was pointed out.

And since none of them liked it when the bright thing sank into himself they left it alone. Just making notes to themselves of when and how often he was getting it right.

Especially Ironhide and Optimus who were listening closely from a few tables away. After the conclusion about his spark and Trickster appearing and then disappearing all over again the powerful mechs were on edge. Orns had pasted and everything had fallen back into normal. Safe under the tunnels of Tyger Pax with the entirety of their army around them it was easy to snuggle into that since of security.

But their sparks were still more than a bit edgy.

Bee was never let out of the close circles sight. One of them was with him at all times. Even if that meant they were taking him on shift with him. As long as they were staying on the ship or just outside still in the tunnels Bee was with them. Prowl had worked the shifts so this was possible, and that had not been an easy task—particularly with a youngling playing virtual C-ball in his lap—but it had been accomplished.

They were breathing a little easier too.

They just weren't completely relaxed.

They weren't sure when they would be again.

"You made it?" Blaster pulled off quite the believable look of disbelief.

It was quite comical really.

It got Bee laughing.

"Yep! It my idea."

"So you're the bot I'm gonna have to talk to about getting one for myself?" Blaster plopped him back down on the table, leaning in on his elbows to talk serious business with the tiny creature.

"Want a cape?" Bee started clicking the notion made him laugh so hard.

"Well if you can have one why can't I?" Blaster questioned.

To that the youngling tilted his helm. "Gonna need really big towel."

That certainly got him another round of laughter, but as the mechs around him chuckled Bee's attention turned to the flier hunkered down alone in the corner.

The flier that wasn't laughing along with the rest of them.

Now that was just wrong.

Air Raid always laughed. Now sure Bee really didn't see much of the aerialbots—they didn't get along that well with Ironhide it seemed, or lots of bots for that matter—but Silverbolt and Air Raid had always been nice to him the few times he'd actually talked with them.

And Raid had always seemed like a nice mech. Curious of Bee but not really sure how to go about interacting with him. He was like the rest of Bee's family. They would all die for him, they all cared about each other, but like any family they didn't all get along that well. The Aerialbots were a gestalt team. Brothers bounded together in a way like the Dinobots were, but at the same time not. The fliers were a combiner.

Powerful mechs when they all worked together.

Bumblebee had never seen them transform into their combined form, but Prowl had told him about it once or twice. It sounded really cool.

In fact, he'd always though the aerialbots sounded really cool. He knew they cared about him, just like he cared about them. They were a family, they just didn't know each other that well.

Bee could fix that though.

Turning from the bright orange mech he scrambled back over—cape flapping behind him—to Hound's lap holding out his arms and wiggling his fingers until he was plucked up and then wiggling again until Hound figured out he didn't want up he wanted down. Once that was established Hound placed him carefully back on the floor, sure he was going to scamper his way over to Ironhide and his waiting lunch, but that really wasn't what happened.

Instead of left Bee went right and toddling along as fast as his little legs could on the grey tiles of the mess hall floor with his bright red cape clutched in each hand to form sort of little wings he 'flew' over to the flier in the back corner.

Optimus, Ironhide, and the other mechs were well aware of how poorly the aerialbots mission had gone. They knew he was tired, worn out, defeated, and had spent too long away from his brothers for his spark to be clam or even remotely friendly at this point. With the other fliers out on a patrol Air Raid had come home more than ready to sink back into the closeness of his gestalt bond.

And his brothers weren't there.

They wouldn't be back for another half an orn.

So the flier had taken up residence—after Jolt fixed him up—in that corner of the mess hall nursing highgrade fully content to be left alone, and the rest of the Bots knew that when a gestalt member was edgy with no brothers to calm him—especially when it was an aerialbot—it was best to leave him alone.

Optimus had spoken with him and Air Raid had said he was fine, just needed his brothers to be back again after he watched his mission go up in smoke.

The Prime had understood, knowing that the warrior knew he had friends to lean on—even if at times his brothers and him made that hard sometimes with their tower sparked attitudes—and that if he needed help all he had to do was ask for it.

Air Raid was a proud mech though.

His breeding and former class made him that way. He was the most open, most fun loving, easiest to get along with of all the aerialbots, but in the end there was still the class he was sparked into hardwired into his line of thinking.

He was proud because in all rights he came from a proud breed.

Even if class, nobility rank, and family breeding no longer mattered in the world Cybertron had become it was a hard thing for lots of bots to forget.

Optimus had never cared for it—even in his Sire's palace and through all of the lessons he had been taught that he was better than those around him—he had refused to live that way. Take a look at his best friends and anybot could see that. They ranged from a noble born son of the great city of Praxus to a once upon a time tribal brat that strayed too far from home.

He defied every principle and ideal that had been laid out for him, and if one was to ask him he thought he had made himself all the more better because of it. He didn't regret a single choice . . . well . . . that wasn't entirely true.

He did regret one . . . but that had been more about his turning a blind optic to all he was disrupting. It wasn't truly about who he had come to call his brothers . . . it was about the one he lost along the way.

None of that was even accruing him right now though, he simply sat up a bit straighter in his seat watching as Bumblebee slid the last few inches to Air Raid and came to a stop at the big red and white mech who leaned back in his own chair to look down at the giggling thing now tapping on his toes.

He wasn't all that sure what to make of him. Sure he'd seen the mechling time and time again, even showed off once or twice trying to impress him, but he'd never really had any one on one time with the tiny thing. None of the aerialbots had.

They—he—were a bit to reckless, wild, high strung, and a bit uppity—even he knew that—for Bumblebee to have any youngling sitting time with them.

That was something they'd always been okay with. They could help protect the Prime's found miracle and not be responsible for him. That worked fine in their book. That didn't mean he wasn't the slightest bit curious of the tiny thing though. He just wasn't all that sure how he was supposed to go about having anything to do with him.

So he simply sat there holding his highgrade staring down at the cape wearing youngling.

Bee didn't mind his confusion.

If anything he thought it was kind of silly; that a full grown mech could look at him and there be the slightest bit of fear shining there in his optics. Like the big flier had anything to fear from him.

Tapping lightly on his foot the little mech grinned up at him still twisting his cape around in his other hand. "Hi Raid."

The aerialbot grunted. "Hello."

"What ya doin'?" Bee wiggled up closer until he was holding onto the flier's ankle.

Air Raid glanced at his highgrade then back to the mechling. "Just taking a break, short stuff."

"Oh," Bee nodded to the answer before scampering up the jet's foot to cling to his leg. "Like my cape?"

Raid leaned down slightly to see the red towel that was still being twisted around behind him. The sight kind of amused the big mech. The little mech really did looked like they was trying to find a way to have wings. As a flier, the jet could respect that wish to be airborne.

"Trying to fly are we?" Air Raid lifted an optic ridge.

Bee giggled.

He hadn't thought of that.

Letting go of the warrior with the hand he'd been holding on with he pulled at his cape flaring it around him he realized it did kind of resemble the wings tucked down to the sides of the jet. Only the flier's were soft blue.

"Yeah!"

Optimus and Hide shared a soft chuckle. Leave it to Bumblebee to want wings.

"You might need a bit more than a towel." Air Raid smirked at him taking a quick sip of his 'grade before twitching the foot the youngling was perched on making him wobble a bit and latch back on with another round of laughter.

Glaring playfully up at the jet Bee smacked him lightly on the armor of his leg before he flung himself off the flier's foot and went 'flying' back to Ironhide across the room. The big ebony mech snatched him up within nanos of being grabbing distance and put his little skid plate down with a plop before his now room temperature energon.

"It's time for you eat something," Bee's guardian told him in that gruff baritone of his as he pushed the small cube of purple liquid toward the cape wearing little thing.

Said cape wearing little thing really didn't need any more coaxing then that. Picking up his small cube he went to sipping down the dull charged energon savoring each mouthful he took with a rather loud smack of his lips. Hide didn't even bother to try and get Bee to have a bit of manners; he was a mechling it would be like talking to a stone wall. He just made sure the tiny yellow thing didn't drink to fast, rubbing small circles into his thin backstrut with his free thumb as he drank his own energon.

They relaxed in easy silence, the Prime, the WS, the youngling, and the other bots just soaking in the rare quiet of the battleship safe underground with no 'Cons shooting at them. It was a rarity for the mechs and not one they took for granted. They knew how short times like these usually lasted for them.

They knew it was a fine line they danced between stability and chaos.

And it was getting finer.

Optimus could sense it.

A storm was brewing; whether it be about his brother or the Guild he was not yet sure.

It had been a rather eventful orn if you asked Bumblebee.

After playing with the chalk, having a bubble bath, spending lunch with Ironhide and Optimus, and then spending the rest of the evening being carried around on Sideswipe's shoulders wearing his cape—he was now refusing to take the thing off—pretending to fly while he and Sunny did rounds helping Preceptor move some scientific looking stuff with Wheeljack over to Ultra Magnus' ship.

He'd be lying if he said he wasn't tired, but that didn't mean he was all that big on coming out from where he was curled—cape and all—on the couch between the twins watching TV. No matter how long Ironhide had been standing at the end of the couch tapping his foot.

He was burrowed down behind Sideswipe and he had no plans what so ever of ever coming out again.

He might have been just the tiniest bit cranky.

Maybe.

He guessed it was possible.

Not that he was ever going to admit to it though.

"Bumblebee," Ironhide rumbled out a warning as he watched his charge wiggle even further behind Sideswipe's back as the idiotic red glitch did nothing to try and stop him. "It's past you're recharge time."

"No," He huffed.

Sideswipe twisted around where he sat looking down at the youngling wiggling as far as he could possible fit himself into the cushions of the couch. Sunstreaker was just lounged looking rather grumpy as the WS stood between him and his program, but made no move to hurry and get him out of the way since the only way that was going to happen was if he helped dig out the mechling he and his brother had snatched after lunch.

He wasn't any keener on the idea then Half Pint was so he merely leaned back on the brown cushions with his arms crossed over his chest and glared up at the big black mech who snorted in return.

"Fish him out, Sideswipe." Ironhide warned. "Or I'll do it for you."

"Scratch my paint, I scratch you." Sunstreaker bristled.

"You can try." Ironhide retorted.

"Awe come on now, Hide." Sides offered. "He could stay with us tonight. You know, bunk party!"

The guardian just sneered. "So you can let him stay up all night eating energon goodies, watching stupid movies, and playing games he's not old enough to see? I don't think so. He's coming to recharge whether he likes it or not. Besides, last time I checked you two had a dawn patrol with Drift and Bluestreak in the morning. You really want to deal with him before the sun comes up?"

To that both brothers shot a look between them.

Everybot on Eternity knew what Bee was like when he was forced up before he deemed fit. Especially after he stayed up to late. Which Sides knew very well he'd let the youngling do.

How could he not?

He was just so fraggin' adorable!

How was he supposed to say no to that tiny faceplate!?

He didn't know how. He just always ended up caving in and giving him whatever he wanted when he wanted it, and Sunstreaker was no better. He talked a good game and pulled off indifference quite well when he wanted too, but when no bot—or at least anybot besides Ratchet and Prime—was looking he was as soft as his twin when it came to the youngling. He gave Bumblebee anything he wanted that was within his power of getting, and he'd let him do just as much as Sideswipe did.

There was a reason Ironhide didn't allow them to watch him at night.

Because they really would let him stay up all night eating junk and playing games. They knew they would just as well as Ironhide knew they would.

They couldn't be as strict with him as Hide could be.

They were his brothers not his Sire.

"Umm . . . ." Sides twisted a little more so that he could gently tug Bee from his hiding place. The yellow youngling kicked a bit and clicked unhappily proving just how tired he really was, but didn't really put up all that much of a fight to the red frontliner.

The pout he shot him was downright sparkbreaking though.

Sides' bright optics dimmed to the look as he held Bumblebee before him. "Hide's right, Half Pint. We do have to get up early. No sense in rolling you out before dawn with us just to have to drop you off with somebot else before we leave."

The little faceplate just twisted even more in a pout.

"Sorry, Half Pint." He sighed, leaning forward to knock their heads together lightly before handing him over to his guardian. Bumblebee didn't even bother to struggle against Ironhide once he was had either. He knew better. Besides, he really was tired. Recharge sounded pretty good to him right about now.

As long as he got to keep his cape.

And it turns out; Hide said he could keep it on. Once they navigated the long black halls back to their pale blue door Bumblebee was back to his overly happy self—more than a little tired after the orn but that wasn't stopping him—he giggled playfully as Ironhide tried to wrestle him into his berth where he belonged.

"Come on now my little Bee." Hide nuzzled him as he laid his tired frame into the big berth, over worked hydraulics hissing at the action of trying to do it slowly as to not jar the little thing wiggling all over his chest.

"Hide," He bounced once the big mech was settled back onto the squishy berth pulling his mounds of fuzzy blankets up around the little mech since he still could not regulate his own temperature. "What we," He paused to yawn. "Gonna do tomorrow?"

Ironhide rolled his optics. "Tomorrow will come tomorrow, for now it's time you were in recharge."

Bee swatted him lightly on his thick chest before wiggling around until he was situated against his guardian's tough armor. "But what me gonna do? Hammer gonna play?"

"He said he'd come see you, but only if you go to recharge." Hide told him.

Bee snickered. "Him not say that."

"No," Ironhide shrugged slightly. "But I did." And then he knuckled him between his antennas. "Now recharge."

It got him another round of giggles that he had to keep himself from rolling his optics at before the little one did as he was told and lay himself over the powerful spark hidden behind that armor. Wrapped in his red cape his yellow protoform was even brighter against Ironhide's dark chest, and the weapons specialist couldn't help but think he was even more adorable. Even if he did know he was gonna have a pit of a time convincing the little mech to ever take it off again.

He knew that already.

Not that he minded.

It was nice to have an orn where they all could relax and enjoy the brightness that was Bumblebee for a change. Hide's spark no longer felt like it was going to implode at any time with the threat that Bee could fade from him so in all reality maybe he was just breathing a little easier for the moment.

Listening to the slowing breaths of his son against his spark could do that quite easily though.

Maybe that was why Ironhide didn't hear the long claws click not to far over his and his youngling's head as narrow red optics gazed through the slits of an air vent before turning and softly padding away. A long silver, spiked, tail twitching out behind as the spy slinked away.

Dun, dun, dun!

Now I wonder who that could be?

Once again I want to say thank you to everyone who reviewed! You are so, so very amazing and I love you so much! I hope you liked the chapter of nothing other then adorableness it was fun to write, turned out a bit short, but the next chapter will make up for that.

And in my defense it's still Sunday here. So I'm not late.

Maybe you guys should just start looking for updates on Sunday again. This is working out better this way.

Anyway, as always please leave a review and tell me what you thought. Because I for one think Bumblebee with a towel cape is the cutest thing in the history of ever.

But I'm bias so who knows. :)

Next chapter is more cuteness . . . and a bit of trouble.

Because sadly, Bee is never, ever going to learn. But that's what makes this fun right?

Again, I'm sorry for the bit up top but it needed to be said. So yeah, I have another story chapter to edit and post so see you guys next weekend.

-Jaycee