Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers. Just the plot and OCs.
Hee-hee.
Poor mechs, sometimes I swear I'm just downright cruel, but this chapter was so much fun.
Enjoy.
Chapter 20
Peaking his little self up over the edge of the chair arm he was currently clinging too Bumblebee watched with utter fascination as Prowl scrolled and typed away at the huge screens all around him as the party of six mechs stood in the main hub of the control center in the middle of the ship with him. There was so much chatter with big words and phrases he didn't understand that the little yellow youngling had sort of given up trying.
Messing with Hammerdown while he was trying to focus was way more entertaining. Which was why the little mech was currently draped over the arm of the chair the big blue mech had plopped him down in when he'd wiggled out of Ironhide's arm and refused to stop bouncing on Hammer's feet until he was picked up.
But the big mech wasn't supposed to drop him in the empty chair when he was picked up. This was not what Bee wanted.
Bee wanted the over grown mech to play with him.
He didn't care what it was that had Hot Rod, Ultra Magnus, Optimus, Ironhide, Prowl, and Hammer all in the control center of Eternity looking at scrolling glyphs that Bee didn't know what meant.
He could read—a bit—but just simple words and letters. The glyphs that the grown bots used were still kinda out of his league.
So Bumblebee opted for ignoring them in favor of wiggling his little self onto the arm of the chair and leaning over the empty air between him and big blue and black mech before he proceeded to poking him repeatedly in the hip.
A deep growl rumbled—as forced as was physically possible—through the big mech as he tried to focus on the things scrolling down the screen and not the tiny fingers poking wires in his hip, but Bee knew the other mech well enough to know he wasn't really upset with him. So he scrambled even more as he kept on poking. Aware of the gaze of his guardian straying to him every few nanos making sure he didn't topple out of the chair while leaned. It wasn't like Hammer would let him fall though. He could growl all he wanted but Bumblebee knew what the warrior really thought of him.
Those secret smirks that he thought Bee didn't catch were proof enough of what was in his spark, not like Bee needed them. He could feel the warrior. Over the bond that was steadily growing between them he could feel him. That powerful orb of light, slightly hesitant and reserved in its reaching out. Hammer had been hurt many, many times over the vorns by things that Bee knew he would probably never be told—his family tended to try and pretend he couldn't understand pain when he felt it and what was the cause of it—and the warrior wasn't very big anymore on handing out affection or trust. Of letting anything into his spark.
However, that was what Bee was for.
At least as far as he was concerned that was what he was for.
He was supposed to reach into that wall off spark and offer it something to trust again. To hold on too.
To love.
Which was why the youngling had started his pestering for the massive mech's attention. He was not one to be ignored, especially when he knew he could help.
And he could help.
He knew he could.
So the poking continued no matter the answering rev of annoyed engines. Because the youngling was going to have his way. Meeting between commanders be damned.
"Youngin'," Hammer's voice was a warning as he finally cast his optics down to the tiny yellow thing pulling at some wires in his hip through a gap in his armor. His warning was ignored though—even by the Prime and the weapons specialist that glanced toward him for it then went back to listening to Prowl—as Bee titled his head up, his big baby blue optics shinning extra bright with mischief while he grinned to the large two tone mech.
"Hammer, up." Was the only response he offered before he starting poking at the exposed protoform again.
"No, and stop that." Hammer huffed, lightly swatting him away. Not enough to knock him off his precarious little perch, but enough to force his hand away.
Bee was having none to that though. A deeply hurt pout set in on his lips as he looked up at the big warrior with optics that pulled at spark strings better then a kick turbo-pup. All he had to do was rock back on the arm of the chair where he was balanced and stare up at the frontliner like some great wrong had been done against him before Hammerdown let out a frustrated snort, reached down, snatched him up by his scruff bar, and hauled him up to the crock on his arm. With another annoyed snort the blue mech let him settle down there, little fingers finding places in grooves of thick armor as he giggled happily at getting what he wanted as he snuggled down into the warm metal that suddenly surrounded him leaning his tiny audios against the thick chest to that he could hear the steady pounding over the powerful orb of light that was locked away safely inside.
And since the little mechling seemed content again Hammerdown glared at his commander who was smirking at the image of him with the little yellow thing curled up against his armor before he cycles a whirl through his blasters letting the sound remind his commander that he was not at all afraid to punch him in his stupidly smug faceplate before he turned his attention back to the black and white doorwinged mech that finally finished his speech about the data Air Raid had gathered with the new information that Cosmos had managed to get before the whole mission went to pit on the team costing the Autobots much more than just lost intel.
Ultra Magnus had still not come to terms with it, none of them had.
Especially Hammerdown.
That old tri toned mech had saved his life when he hadn't wanted it saved. If it hadn't of been for him he wouldn't be here now and now he was gone.
It was a hard thing to come to accept.
Even for a mech he had watched pretty much everybot he cared about die.
Maybe that was why his grip on the little youngling tightened just a bit more as he snuggled in his arms. Hammer had promised Ironhide not long ago that he'd help him protect the innocent little thing, that this time wouldn't be like the last time Hammer had ever seen something so small and defenseless held so close to the sparks around him.
And he had meant every word.
He would protect the tiny mechling.
He just wasn't all that sure how to behave with him.
The notion of letting somebot back in after all that he lost was hard for the young warrior. He'd lost Rider, Smokey, Cyber and so many others. Letting Hide back in—which was proving to be a slow process as well—was different. Ironhide was one of the best warrior the Autobots had, he was built and bred for battle. He was more than capable of taking care of himself.
Bumblebee . . . was not.
He was a tiny flicker of light in a world drowning in inky darkness. Lurking in ever shadow around them was something that would snap his neck as soon as look at him. How was Hammer supposed to let something that could disappear in a flash of plasma into his spark?
How as he supposed to willing allow himself to be hurt like that again?
But at the same time how was anybot in the universe supposed to keep that brilliant spark out once it started pushing, prodding, and poking to be let in. For some reason he had no idea what was the youngling wanted to be around his brutal and closed off self.
And it was pit damn hard to keep finding reasons to keep him held at arm's length.
"So what does this all add up to, Prowl?" Magnus' voice snapped Hammer's attention back to the matter at hand while the massive mech crossed his arms and regarded the data.
The Prime's SIC's doorwings twitched behind him, but it was Hot Rod that spoke.
"It adds up to Mega-idiot is a glitch."
Magnus rolled his deeply blue optics. "Yes, Roddy. Thank you for that bit of useful information."
"Well it's true." The brightly painted commander shrugged.
"We're all aware that my brother is a glitch, Hot Rod." Optimus said. "The question is what is he up to this time. Two patrols discovered, three mechs dead, and those damn spies in the air vents. What is he planning?"
"He's psychotic does he ever really plan anything?" Hammerdown rumbled.
"You'd be surprised, Hammer." Ironhide answered. "Megatron would have lost by now if he wasn't smart. As much as I hate to admit it."
"He's still a glitch." The blue and black mech mumbled, shifting the little mechling against his chest when he went to poking again, but when he was moved the poking didn't come to an end. If anything it got worse.
Because Bee suddenly desperately wanted attention.
"Hammer," He whispered poking at the mech a little harder. "Hammer. Hammer. Hammer. Hammer. Hammer. Hammer. Hammer. Hammer!"
"What!?" The warrior finally snapped, snatching the youngling up from where he was wiggling and pulled him up to dangle in front of his faceplate. The movement and the yell drawing every pair of optics in the room to him, but he didn't care. He just glared into those big baby blue optics with his dark ones. "What do you want!? I picked you up you little annoyance what more do you want?"
For a moment Bee just blinked at him before he rolled his optics to the big mech and wiggled around trying to get it to where he could see Optimus from where was being dangled. "Gotta tell Optimus somthin'."
To that the massive red and blue commander chuckled while the big mech huffed out an annoyed breath before taking a step forward and dumped the youngling in his outstretched hand. Bee gave a chirp of graduate before scrambling around so he could climb and cling to the massive mech that he was now in the grip of.
"Optimus," He said in a matter fact tone that was strange coming out of the little thing, but Bee didn't really seem to notice. He was far too busy with the feeling that had suddenly returned to his spark when he was cuddled up with Hammerdown.
"Yes, little one?" Optimus answered.
Bee pointed a finger in the general direction of left. "Me feel him 'gain."
The Prime's right optic ridge rose. "Feel who, Bumblebee?"
"Jazzy." A smile lit the little mech's faceplate. "Me feel Jazzy again. Him almost back."
"Oh, Jazz." Optimus chuckled. "Yes I figured he'd be back soon."
And just about that time the open comm channel between the close nit band of might as well be brothers came to life with Jazz's voice.
"Heeeeeeeeeey, mechs!" He was practically giggling, and that was never a good thing for Prowl's nerves. Which was probably why the two tone mech let out a heavy sigh as he lifted a hand to rub a finger between his optics.
"Well you're far too chipper for anybots good." He mumbled. "What have you done now, Jazz?"
"Who me?" Jazz snickered.
"No, Jazz, not you he's talking about the other Jazz." Ironhide snorted.
"You mean there's two of me!? Well you mechs gotta be the luckiest glitches in the history of ever."
"Quite." Prowl mumbled.
"Ya know it Prowler."
"Jazz," Optimus said. "Did you catch those two?"
The silver saboteur's response was a few klicks coming. "Nah, Boss Bot they're long gone. Hate to admit it you know I do, but they're long gone."
"Damn." Ironhide hissed.
"Buuuuuuuuut, I did find a few things I think you're all gonna find kinda interesting."
"Oh," Prowl murmured. "And what is that?"
"Well I think I pretty much put myself on the top of Starscream's 'to kill with death' list when he figures out what I just did, but you know, really . . . that's just gonna be entertaining. 'Cuz old Screamer couldn't hit Grimlock's aft if he was wiggling it in his faceplate."
There was a moment of silence again while the four mechs listen to Jazz cackle at the end of his own joke before Ironhide rolled his optics to hide his chuckle and Optimus just stroked the wiggling youngling in his grip to keep his at bay as well. Though that was a little hard to do when Prowl slapped himself in the forehead at the words.
That was really pretty hard not to laugh at.
Especially when Hot Rod and Hammerdown broke out into hysteria at it. They might not be able to hear the comm link conversation, it was on a private channel, but any time Prowl did something like that no explanation was required.
The Prime only kept his giggling in check because Ultra Magnus lifted an optic ridge to the room before settling a look on him with one of those 'really' kind of stares that reminded the Prime of the fact that he was supposed to be in charge here and the slightly older mech that wore the same colors as him and shouldered almost as much responsibility was far from in the mood for laughter right about now.
Optimus didn't blame him.
For now though he had to figure out what Jazz had done this time.
"I doubt Grimlock would do such a thing, Jazz." Optimus rumbled.
"I think I should bring up in conversation. See how he feels about it."
"I think he'd crush you like a bug if you so much as uttered anything like that." Hide chuckled. "And Ratchet would never be able to put you back together again."
"Well better him then Screamer." Jazz snorted.
"Now that one I have to agree with."
"'Cuz gettin' killed by that glitch is just sad. Like really. I think I'd deserve to go to pit if that happened. Wrap me up and send me express. I'll go without complaint. 'Cuz I'm downright fraggin' pathetic the orn that happens."
"Are we really discussing this?" Prowl sighed.
"Seems so." Optimus' voice held a smile.
Prowl shot him a very intimidating glare.
The Prime just grinned.
"I think it's a ligament topic." Jazz defended.
"I think you're stalling for something, and that as well is never good."
"Stalling? Who? Me? Prowler, I'm insulted. I never stall. I artfully delay the inevitable."
"And what are the reasons for your artfully delaying this time, Jazz?" Prowl huffed.
The smirked was very clear in the saboteur's voice. "Who's got Lil' Bee?"
Optimus blinked. "He's with us, currently poking and prodding saying that he can feel you again. You're almost here I assume."
"Oh I'm hear Boss Bot, can't you tell by how suddenly the world seems like a brighter place?"
"Damn, Jazz." Ironhide laughed. "You're in a slaggin' good mood. Who did you kill while you were out there?"
"Actually nobot died." Jazz admitted. "I was a bit surprised honestly, but I'll tell you all about that after you three mechs bring Bee and meet me down in Ratchet's bay. Politely ask Magnus to spare you for a bit."
"Jazz we're in the middle of a meeting." Prowl snapped.
"Okay fine, I'll just take Bee and give him the surprise without you mechs."
"Surprise?" Optimus questioned. "What surprise?"
"Come and find out, Boss Bot."
And with a click, he hung up with a grin they couldn't see as he mumbled to himself while he peaked at the tiny black things recharging soundly in his spark vault before sliding the panel closed again.
"Because one of you is gonna try and murder me when you see what I've gone and done now, that's a given."
"Is this it?"
A shiny silver bolt was lifted up to gleam in the glow of florescent lights.
"No."
"Damn." He tossed it over his shoulder. Digging around through piles of nuts, bolts, and more odds and ends that the crimson mech really didn't know what were Sideswipe pulled up another little silver something. "What about this one?"
A glance.
"No."
"Damn. Again."
"That isn't going to help you find the mechanism, Sides."
"Well I don't know what it slaggin' looks like!" Sideswipe snapped. "I'm not a medic. I don't know what this stuff is."
"How in pit did we get roped in to do this in the first place?" Sunstreaker mumbled as he shifted around through a jar of wires and parts.
"You got roped into it because First Aid and Quickfire need the part to put Cosmos back together and you two have nothing better to do." Ratchet grumbled without looking back to the twins as he sat around one of his spare tables and shifting through the parts.
"Mini parts are so damn frustrating." Sides huffed, picking through all that was spread out before him.
"You should try putting them back together."
"Once again, I was never meant to be a medic. I take things apart not put them together."
"Seconded." Sunstreaker sighed as he dug his large hand into another jar.
"Just mute it and help me look, then you two can go let Grimlock squish you again." The CMO sighed as he pulled open another spare drawer and began going through it. Who would have thought he was going to be having so much trouble finding a simple transformation relay? It was frustrated and had him about ready to start yanking his own wires lose, but more than anything it was just a reminder how empty his medical bay was again.
Jolt had—ever since they'd all joined back up under the historical tunnels—found a place on his Sire's ship. It was where he belonged really; Ratchet couldn't fault him for finally seeking out this new found creator he'd stumbled upon. He'd always known sooner or later his new apprentice was going to jump ships. It wasn't really that Quickfire or First Aid needed the help, but Ultra Magnus did. Especially now, so the yellow and red mech had just nodded his head to the smaller bright blue one when he'd come and asked if he could leave.
But as much as Ratchet was okay with the young mech leaving right about now he was wishing he'd made him stay just a few orns longer. At least so he could reorganize everything he'd organized when Ratchet wasn't looking.
The medic hadn't been able to find his own damn scanners for half a breem before he finally broke down and called the little glitch on the comm and demanded to know if he had fried a processing chip before he decided to move every stupid thing in the whole damn bay!
And if the bright blue glitch wasn't currently trying to help Fire and Aid he'd make the idiot come down here and put everything back the way it was supposed to be. Which he still might do. After all this trouble with the returned mech was done.
For now Cosmos was what was important.
Ratchet's temper could wait.
"Is this it?" Sideswipe's voice drew the medic's attention again and he glanced up to see the red warrior holding up a grey washer. Ratchet resisted the urge to roll his optics as he shook his head slightly and went back to digging.
Well that is he would have went back to digging had the door to the medical bay not hissed open and in strutted Jazz with one of those grins that usually meant Ratchet was going to be pissed and putting somebot back together later.
He sighed at the mischievous gleam behind that visor as the silver bot pranced on into the bay.
"Afternoon mechs," Jazz was all but purring as he danced in.
"Well this should be fun." Sides grinned to his brother. "Jazz is up to something."
"Why is it everybot already knows that?" Jazz snorted.
"It's you." Sunstreaker deadpanned.
The silver mech tilted his head. "Fair point."
"You think?" Ratchet pushed back from his searching to cross his arms over his chest as the silver mech closed the distance until he hopped up onto one of the surgery berths and plopped himself down. His grin was still shining brightly as he leaned back on his palms his legs kicking playfully out in front of him as he tried to ignore the shifting around in his spark vault. His surprises were getting a bit antsy. They were not gonna put up with being stuffed in there much longer.
And . . . it probably wasn't the smartest thing he'd ever done to put too very sharp fanged and clawed static-pups in the vault next to his very spark, but Lil' Bee was worth it. The smile that was going to light up his tiny faceplate was going to be worth it.
How bad Prowl was going to crash when he saw the silver mech pull two static-pups out of his chest was gonna be worth it too.
That and Optimus' faceplate.
He couldn't wait to see what that mech did when Jazz plopped the two thing down in front of the tiny little mech.
That was gonna be funny.
He just hopped he could do it all quick enough that Hide wouldn't shot them as soon as he plopped them down on the floor. Because then Bee was gonna cry and they were all going to have to deal with that.
Which wouldn't be funny.
A sharp claw sliced through a bit of the squishy protoform metal that made up the inside of his spark vault and Jazz didn't really hide the winch it caused all that well when he should have.
And Ratchet's optics never missed anything.
"Oh pit, now what's wrong with you?" The two tone medic barked as he pushed himself from where he was resting and stomped forward while Jazz hid his panic. If the mech scanned him he would most certainly find the two pulsing orbs of life near his own that weren't supposed to be there.
And after the few nanos of staring the medic was going to do as he tried to figure that one out he was going to come completely unglued on the saboteur trying to figure out what he'd gone and done now.
Which was why when the door to the medical bay swung open to the forms of the Prime, the WS, and the SIC with a toddling little youngling bouncing around in circles as he pranced before them Jazz took his escape.
Flinging himself off the berth he had the little mechling up in his grip and was spinning him around the room before the first giggles even made it out of his vocal processor.
"Jazzy!" Bee squealed happily as the world spun around him in circles.
"Miss me, Lil' Bee?" Jazz purred.
"Uh huh, uh huh! Where go?"
"Chasing cat tails." He shrugged as he spun one last time and came to a sliding halt on the other side of the medical bay as far as he could discretely get himself away from Ratchet and his scanners as possible.
Bee tilted his tiny head. He guessed Jazz was talking about the fact that he'd left after they all chased his once upon a time new friend—that turned out to be a Decepticon which turns out he can't have as a friends—off the ship. He still wasn't all that happy about that, but at least now Jazz was back and they could play.
Because playing with Hammer was proving to be a lot of work.
He was gonna have to rethink his approach on the big mech because the poking him thing just made him pretend to be mad.
For now though Bee was more than content to cling to Jazzy.
"Catch cat tails?"
Jazz's smile faltered a bit at the mechling's question and he let his optics drift over to Optimus while he answered the question. "Uh . . . no."
The Prime's optics hardened and he looked away so that if Bee followed Jazz's gaze he wouldn't see the scowl that came to life on the powerful commander's faceplate. He knew the saboteur hadn't caught the damn spies, but then . . . if Jazz didn't catch them what was he so cheery about?
Jazz only acted like this after he gutted somebot or one of his best laid plans caused something to blow up rather violently.
So if he didn't catch up with Ravage and Laserbeak what had him in such a good mood? Last time Prowl or Optimus had checked the mech was severely pissed off.
Now Jazz bounced back fast, but not that fast when it came to the spies he had such a hard time pinning down that had spent who knew how long sneaking around their ship with access to Bumblebee.
What where they missing?
Ratchet glared at the silver mech as he plopped himself down on a table in the back of the room still bouncing Bumblebee up and down.
"Jazz," The CMO's tone held a bit of warning. "What are you up too now?"
"Who me?" The silver mech tilted his head ever so innocently to the side as he let Bee settle against his chest were the youngling went to poking at him while he giggled.
"Yes you." Ratchet lifted an optic ridge. "What have you done now?"
"Yeah spill Jazz." Sides leaned forward with a silly smirk while Sunstreaker just tilted his head with a slight smile. They knew Jazz was up to something just like everybot else, but unlike Prowl and Ratchet they weren't dreading to find out what it would be. Normally with Jazz it was always something pretty entertaining.
"I don't have the slightest idea what the lot of ya are talking about." Pleading innocent the saboteur just went about tickling Bumblebee along his tiny sides sending the tiny mechling into another exuberant fit of laughter until Ironhide's deep voice rumbled.
"So you drug the three of us down here for a fake surprise for the youngling?"
And Bee perked up quicker than a flash.
"Surprise!? Me gets surprise!?"
Jazz's optics drifted down to that beaming little faceplate and he gave back a smile of his own. "Well duh."
"YAY!" Clapping, and squealing, and bouncing up in down in the saboteur's grip Bee went to wiggling all around in Jazz's arms making the mech have to seriously work to keep the little trouble maker from flipping himself around and ending up on the floor. "What it!? What it!? What it!?"
Jazz rolled his optics fighting off his own laughter. "If I told you it wouldn't be a surprise now would it?"
Bumblebee's happy dance came to an abrupt halt.
His little lips formed a pout. "Uh . . . no . . . no not be surprise then."
Sides snorted out a laugh at the contemplation on the tiny mech's faceplate.
Sunny smacked him over the back of the head.
"Oww!" He snapped at his twin rubbing his audio horn.
Sunstreaker just rolled his optics. "Idiot."
"I didn't even do anything!"
"Stop snorting at the youngling."
"He looks hilarious."
Bee turned to face them still with his little faceplate twisted up in confusion.
Sideswipe fell into another fit of laughter only to get knocked in the head again.
"OWW! AGAIN!"
"Then stop it."
"Knock it off the pair of you!" Ratchet groaned. "I swear you're a couple of over grown sparklings."
"Are not!" They bit in unison.
Bee giggled at them. "Ha-ha, Sides and Sunny sparklings."
They snapped around to glare at the tiny mess of yellow protoform.
"Are not." They repeated together.
Bee went back to giggling; he always had loved it when they started talking at the same time. It was absolutely fascinating to him when they started to do that. Especially when it never failed they started fighting about it later. Though the glare was forced enough to make the tiny mechling hunker down in the safety of Jazz's arms pressed tightly against his chest.
Where he heard something that made everything else in his happy go lucky world come to a rather sudden stop.
The twins had started their normal arguing in the background, Ratchet was trying to get them to stop before they hurt each other, Prowl was telling Optimus they had meetings to finish and Jazz had intel to hand over about what he'd done while he was gone, Ironhide was rolling his optics at the lot of them, and Jazz was just leaned back on the table top he was perched on laughing at them all over something or another.
But really, Bumblebee wasn't paying any of that any mind.
He was too busy pressing his little head as hard as he could against Jazz's chest trying to make his audios strain for the weird shifting sounds he could hear on the other side of Jazz's armor.
Shifting?
But . . . what was shifting? The only thing that should be on the other side of Jazz's thick armor was his spark. And sparks didn't shift around like something tumbling around each other.
Confused like all get out Bee focused in on his bond with Jazz and went to probing it trying to find out if there was something wrong with the source of life he was so familiar with, but nothing felt wrong. Jazz's spark was as bright and open as it always was. Pulsing there at the other end of the link that bonded them together just as it had always been as long as Bumblebee had known it.
It felt just like normal.
So then what was this—
Bumblebee's little head shot up and he stared with overly wide optics at the bright silver armor, but really what he was trying to do was stare right through it to the two sparks he could feel on the other side.
Not with Jazz's spark per say, but beside it, like they were in his spark vault.
Yeah.
Yeah that was it.
Jazz had something, two something's, in his spark vault.
What besides Bee was small enough to be crammed double into a spark vault?
Still ignoring what was being said all around him and still being looked over by the bickering mechs Bee pressed his tiny head back against Jazz's chest and flared his spark out again, only this time it was for a different purpose. It was to see if whatever was wiggling around on the other side of his big brother's spark vault would answer him if he called.
And so, he called.
Quite loudly in all honesty and it sure did get a response.
Suddenly he was full force pushed against two very strong sparks that suddenly stopped their confused movements of their owners and both attentions turned toward him in consciousness. For a moment the three of them stared at each other in a weird kinda way over the cosmic planes of sparks. It was a difficult thing to explain, but it was one of those things that Bumblebee just did.
He could look with his spark.
Into that of others, search around and figure them out.
He'd been able to do it as long as he could remember, and never really bothered with the whole question of how. It was just what he did.
So when the curious confusion was spilled back at him Bee just opened up as much as he could pouring forth his curiosity and his questions while the two—very similar—balls of light hesitated for just a moment before they pushed forward on him as well trying to feel him out and figure it out as much as he was.
He fought back a giggle as they wormed around with a feeling much like curious sniffing while he got a feel for them as well. They didn't feel like normal bots. They felt young like him, real young actually, and far more feral.
In all actuality they kinda felt like . . . Risk.
"Uh . . . just out of curiosity . . . why is Bumblebee trying to stare through your chest, Jazz?" Sideswipe's words didn't really register with Bee; he was too busy pushing playfully at these two sparks trying to get them to let him know everything about them while they wiggled around him. So he didn't notice Jazz stop mid argument with Prowl to stare down at the tiny yellow youngling that was propped up against the middle of his chest with his antennas standing tall, his big baby blue optics stretched wide, and his entire focus resting fully on what seemed to be the process of making Jazz see-through.
The saboteur just smirked.
He didn't figure he was gonna be able to keep them hidden from Bee very long. That spark of his was going to feel them out sooner or later, and it seemed that he did.
So with a snort Jazz flicked him very lightly at the tip of his right antenna.
The action jarred Bee back into the real world so fast he actually jumped a bit turning his big optics up to Jazz with curiosity and a bit of excitement bubbling around under the surface of those bright orbs.
"Whatcha doin'?" Jazz slurred.
Bee tilted his little head before looking back to the area to the side of Jazz's chest. Right where his spark vault should be. Lifting up a hand he poked a tiny finger against the shiny armor in front of him, tipped his head back, and questioned.
"What that?"
"What's what?" Ironhide asked, confusion coming to life in his optics as he stared at his youngling poking Jazz above the spark. "It his spark you know that, Bumblebee."
And Jazz decided right then he was just gonna go with it for a little while—because this was gonna be fraggin' hilarious. See just how much Bee could figure out on his own, and how bad it got before Prowl and Ratchet glitched out.
Bee twisted—keeping his little finger poking—to stare back at his guardian. "Me know that. Me mean what else."
"What else what?" Sides glanced around. "There's nothing else there."
Bee shot him a look that screamed 'you have got to be an idiot'. It actually was kind of impressive. "Yes is."
"No there isn't."
Bee crossed his arms over his chest. "Is too, me can feel it. Both it." And with that he looked back at Jazz. "So what is both it?"
Jazz grinned. "I'm sorry, Lil' Bee, I haven't the slightest idea what it is ya talking about."
Well that was a lie.
The two strange sparks didn't get in Jazz's spark vault on their own. The mech had to put them there.
Right?
Huh.
Maybe he should ask them.
Looking back to the shiny armor again Bee pulsed a questioning sence of energy, his wondering flowing over the energy waves in a weird sort of way that he really had no idea how worked, and for a moment the two life sources shifted in questioning and Bee could have sworn he felt Jazz winch slightly as if something sharp had poked him in the protoform. Which made Bee all the more sure that he was right. Because spark vaults were made out of very soft protoform, Jazz had put them there.
And the answering double pulses he got were all the proof he needed.
He looked back up. "Yes you does."
The grin got wider. This was a lot of fun.
Bee knew he was right, he just didn't understand what was going on, and Jazz was more then content to keep up the game just so he could see how big that grin was going to be when he pulled back his armor and pried open his spark vault to let to very wiggly static-pups come tumbling out. That and the look that was going to be on every mechs face.
Damn.
He was an evil genius.
"Can't say that I do. What are you talking about?"
By that point every other mech in the room was staring at the two of them completely lost. Prowl's left optic might have been twitching just the slightest bit as well and Ratchet might have been lifting an optic ridge as he tilted his head at the saboteur.
What was going on?
Bee pouted.
What did Jazzy think he was stupid?
Jamming a finger rather hard into the mech's chest he pouted up at him.
"In here! What is both these things in here? Not you, so what is? Don't say not is. Me can feels them. Know they there."
"Uh . . . ." Sideswipe was glancing between Jazz, Ratchet, and everybot else. "What is he talking about?"
Optimus blinked. "He seems to be convinced there is something else besides Jazz's spark in Jazz's chest at the moment."
"Two something's." Bee turned to grin up at the Prime while he kept his finger jammed against Jazz's chest.
The Prime's mouth opened, but no words came out for a long few nanos before he finally mumbled out. "Two something's . . . apparently."
Every mech looked back at Jazz who was just sitting there grinning innocently.
He really was having way too much fun with this.
Bee poked him again. "What is they?"
Jazz just kept on smiling. "I said I had a surprise didn't I?"
"Jazz what are you talking about?" Ratchet snapped.
Jazz ignored them all in favor of leaning in real close to the mechling until he could whisper to just where he was going to hear.
"You want to know, huh?"
A quick bobbing sort of nod.
"Really, really bad?"
A faster nod.
"Okay well . . . ." He trailed off into silence only to be smacked by a giggling youngling.
"Jazzy! Tell!"
"Okay, alright, I'll talk." He let out a giggle of his own. "I found something."
Bee's little faceplate lit up in wonder. "Found something?"
"Uh huh."
"Found what?" Bee bounced.
"Yeah found what!?" Ratchet snarled, well past annoyed by not knowing what was going on.
With that Jazz reached around Bee and pried at the armor over his spark vault sending the command to let it peal back while the youngling just blinked at him in utter confusion as to what was going on before the soft hissing pressurized click of the locked tight mechanism interlaced with the weaker protoform beneath his armor and the cover of the spark vault slide back just enough for Bee to get a glimpse of two sets of glittering black optics before with a pounce the creatures sprang from their rather soft cage making Jazz hiss a deep breath to keep from crying out when their claws ripped a bit on the way out while the two pups flung themselves down his arms knocking into Bumblebee and sending all three of them clattering down into Jazz's lap.
And there was absolute silence.
Only broken for a long, long few klicks by Jazz's vault snapping back closed and the armor falling back into place above it.
And then, not another sound was made.
The other Autobots just stared with wide optics and an emotion they hadn't quite figured out yet as Jazz just smiled that self-satisfied little grin of his and Bumblebee just found himself blinking back up at the two black pairs of optics that were blinking back at him.
And they went on blinking at each other for a while longer. The two black static-hound pups—one smaller and lighter than the other—stared back at the owner of the spark that had been pulsing at them as Bee did the same to the two things that had been answering him. The things Jazz had stuffed in his spark vault for reasons Bee would probably never rationally understand. The things that were tilting their heads at him, large audio receptors that were perked up and pointed like ears twitching back and forth and large olfactory sensors on their noseplates flaring and cycling drinking in the smell of he guessed him while those huge black glittering optics twinkling at him in wonder much like his bright blue ones were doing in return to the—compared to him big—mini versions of the things that had been down there in those tunnels that had tried to take him away.
A part of Bee wondered if he should be afraid because of that.
Sure they were tiny—youngling—versions of the creatures but they were still the creatures. However, then the mechling realized that Jazz had brought them here. Jazz would never bring something home that would hurt him. That would be the absolute last thing that Jazz would do.
So they couldn't possibly be a danger to him.
And they were actually kind of cool looking as they leaned forward sniffing of him, seemingly just as interested in him as he was of them.
Which made the little youngling lean forward with a bright smile and bop them both on the noseplate. The larger of the two jolted back with a snort and a quick shake of his head while the smaller one just blinked for a moment and then sneezed before she let her silver tongue roll out of her mouth and she sprang forward pinning Bee against Jazz's thigh where she began licking him all over while her long tail wagged over her back. This seemed to make the mech one interested so he too hopped forward and went to licking and sniffing all over Bumblebee as he burst out into a hit of laughter.
"Puppies!" He squealed latching hold of an audio on both of them and trying to wiggling away from the tickling licks and sniffing as the pups clicked and beeped happily wiggling right along with him. To their young processors he was just another pup like them, from what they felt of him when he was searching with his spark they found a young little thing by comparison age was younger than they were and to the two pup's processor that made him—the one with the brightly open spark and the giggling as he pushed at him—something not so different than them. To the younger femme pup it was fascinating to see something younger then herself and she was all for eating it up. While to her older brother to him it was just another younger something he was supposed to be responsible for. That and his younger sibling already seemed to like the tiny yellow young thing that had been pulsing at them.
So, he guessed he might as well like him too.
However, it was Bumblebee's happy squeal as he wiggled with the pups that seemed to snap every other mech in the room—besides Jazz who was just grinning and laughing that his idea already proved to be brilliant—seemed to snap out of that dumbstruck haze.
And . . . everything kinda went to pit.
"STATIC-HOUNDS!?"
In all reality, Bee wasn't really sure who yelled it. It kind of seemed like they all yelled it. Which was never a good thing. When all his caretakers were yelling about the same thing it usually meant he'd done something wrong on a major scale, but since he was pretty sure all he'd done to push his boundaries this orn was pester Hammerdown he really could figure out the reason he was suddenly being yanked up by his scruff bar, his new found licking monsters shoved to the floor in an echo of yelps and hissing before they bolted between legs and snatching hands fleeing until they had slid under the gaps between the floor and one of Ratchet's tables and Sides' grasping missed them before they were out of reach, Jazz was suddenly yanked up off the table himself and pinned to the wall by his throat pinned there by a rather fuming CMO.
Bee had said it before and he would say it again.
There were few things he'd come across so far in this universe that were scarier then Ratchet when he was mad.
Now, well now was one of those times he was reminded of that fact.
"HAVE YOU LOST YOUR EVER LOVING DAMN FRAGGED UP GLITCHED PROCESSOR!?" The last word was punctuated with a rather loud smack as the taller two tone mech yanked the other off the wall only to slam him back into it hard enough to actually make Jazz's head spin for a few klicks before he shook off the first moments of shock where he processed that by some sick twist of fate Ratchet had managed to pin him—not that he thought the CMO not strong enough to hold his own, Ratchet could give Prime a run for his credits if he was pissed off enough, it just wasn't often the bigger mech was fast enough to latch a hold of Jazz—before a flare of anger pulsed through him at the treatment from an old friend and he kicked out hard with a clawed foot catching the medic in the hip and shoving him backward. Though all the fighting stopped right there.
Not because Jazz and Ratchet were anywhere close to done, but because Sideswipe floundered backward on the floor with a yelp of pain as he clutched one of his fingers to his chest as if it had been yanked off before he whined as he looked it over and his twin looked him over before he stuck the leaking digit in his mouth and went to glaring down at the space under the shelves where the rather loud and angry hissing was coming from.
"The fraggin' thing bit me!" The angry words sounded weird coming out of the mech's mouth with his finger stuck in it, but it was enough to make Sunstreaker hiss and reach down under the shelves again trying to latch hold of the pups only to yank his own hand back shaking it back and forth as energon started bubbling on the back of his golden hand.
"Damn fraggers got sharp teeth!" That was when he pulled a blaster and was fully intending on shooting the damn things. However, before Jazz could leap over and stop him an audio shattering scream brought every movement besides yanking hands up to cover suddenly offended audios to an abrupt halt. Well besides Ironhide who could only cover one audio while the other one was holding a youngling that was suddenly quite possibly shattering a few sound barriers with the pitch that little vocal processor of his was making.
"Bumblebee!" Ironhide snarled, the sound making his processor spin in ways that didn't in any way help his thinking abilities. "Stop it!"
Bee wasn't done yet though, because the sight of that blaster and the fighting between his family had twisted something the wrong way in the mechling's spark and he was so completely and thoroughly done with this nonsense.
"STOP IT!" He squealed again, twisting and kicking and flailing for all he was worth trying to make Ironhide put him down. "STOP IT! STOP IT! STOP IT! STOP, STOP, STOP, STOP RIGHT FRAGGIN' NOW!"
"BUMBLEBEE!?" Optimus and Ironhide along with Ratchet, and Jazz, and Prowl, and even the twins balked at the curse coming out of their innocent little youngling's mouth—not that they should honestly be surprised, it wasn't like they reframed from it around him, sure they tried but this was a battleship in the middle of a war. The youngling had heard it all by now, it just hadn't accrued to them, as sad as it was to admit, that he'd start repeating those kind of words yet—and that apparently he was far from done.
"DOWN! PUT DOWN! PUT DOWN FRAGGIN' NOW!" The truth of the matter was Bumblebee didn't really know what the word that he was saying actually meant. Really, how could he? All he knew was it was a word the big mechs used when they were angry and they wanted to be heard.
And right now Bee was really angry and he really wanted to be heard so he was just gonna use those words too.
"Bumblebee stop this!" Ironhide hissed at him trying to get a grip on the squirming, kicking, cursing youngling that refused to do a damn thing he said as he spun so much in his flailing that Ironhide couldn't hope to get a better grip on him beside his scruff bar without fear of hurting him. In fact if the youngling didn't stop twisting like that he was going to bend the flimsy protoform bar at the back of his neck that the massive mech's fingers were holding trying to be gentle but seriously running out of options at this point.
Because Bumblebee wouldn't quit.
He refused!
"NO!" He squealed again, not as loud as before but enough to make it another point of winching before he took up the yelling again. "NO, NO, NO, NO! DOWN FRAGGIN' DOWN! NOW! WANT FRAGGIN' DOWN!"
Because he wasn't allowing this to happen!
He would not!
They were not fighting because of this!
Fighting was so stupid!
They were family they shouldn't fight! He hated it when they fought! But more so he hated it when they fought because of him. He wasn't sure yet how this one was his fault but somehow he was pretty sure it was.
More so then that though, that blaster was still gleaming in Sunstreaker's hand and that was what really had him screaming, because he was not going to let the golden mech shot those two pups.
He would not let it happen!
Already he liked them, and they liked him. They had licked and sniffed and opened their sparks. Bee had been halfway into carving out the beginnings of a bond between him and them when Ironhide had stanched him up and he was not happy about it!
And when the twisting and flailing reach a whole new level of urgency as pain started to flare into Bee's sensor net coming from the sensors in his scruff bar, that was when Ratchet yelped.
"Do it! Put him down! Put him down! Before you tear his scruff bar loose! Put him down!"
Ironhide had already knelt halfway through the medic's panic rambling fully intending to get a better—safer—grip on the youngling when he dropped him, however he hadn't be expecting the little yellow thing to bolt out of his reach the nano his feet touched the floor.
Faster than any of the mechs present thought Bee could move—he only tripped once too, when he zigged around Prowl's feet and caught himself of the mech's ankle the movement and not knowing where Bee would go next keeping the SIC from reaction fast enough to snatch him—Bumblebee was suddenly sliding past the twins, down under the shelves and into the space under where the two cowering pups were crouched together.
And once he was there he had no plans on coming back out.
"Half Pint!" Suddenly Sideswipe and Sunstreaker were peaking into the darkness, fear glittering in their optics that he was down there with the hounds even if they were just pups, but what they found was the little yellow mechling glaring back at them though narrow optics with a scowl that looked of so very wrong on his lips pointed at them from where he had placed himself between and sort of in front of the two black forms that were shivering under there. The smaller femme pup pushed all the way to the back by the larger mech pup who was now seemingly trying to shove Bumblebee back behind him as well as he hissed low and long at the mechs that had been trying to grab him, but Bee just clung around the pup that was a good bit bigger than him his arms tight around its neck while he leaned back into the femme pup.
And then the little youngling hissed at the twins who recoiled at the sound like they'd been struck.
In a way they kind of had.
Bumblebee had never done that to them before.
It left them there on the floor pushing themselves to their knees looking between each other in hurt confusion before twisting a look to Ratchet who was suddenly there with them along with the rest of the mechs in the room reach taking a look under the shelves—even Optimus who had quite a time getting there—to see the tiny mechling curled up with the two bristled hissing pups most obviously trying to protect them as much as it seemed they were trying to protect him.
And it was made crystal clear what Bee was doing when the glared into his Optimus' and his Hide's optics when the knelt down there together and he hissed.
"Not gonna let you hurt them."
Ironhide's spark chilled at the sound of the hiss and the look on his son's faceplate as he glared through the darkness at him. Scowl set where a smile should be, optics narrow when they should be brilliantly open, and normally flicking antennas pinned so deep that they looked like they might actually be hurting.
None of that was the way his youngling was supposed to look at him.
Not at all.
Not ever.
Him or Optimus, because the Prime had flinched even more then the twins had at the sound before he quietly tried to reason with the tiny mech.
"Bumblebee—"
"They didn't do nothing!" Bee snapped, not at all ready to listen to the reasons he should crawl out and go back to the hands that loved and took care of him. He was still mad. Sunny was going to shot them.
That was not happening!
"Bumblebee please—"
"Just little pups!" His voice was yelling again, to the point where it was starting to hurt the sound cords that made up his vocalizer, but he ignored it.
"I know that—"
"NOT GONNA HAPPEN!" He screamed the last syllable coming out in a pitch of painful static and before he could suck in a breath to try and right the sound he went into a fit of coughing caused by the cords in his throat becoming too hot with how much they had been used. Bee never yelled so much or so loud in his entire little life and now his vocal processor decided that it would be a good time to remind him that some things were not meant to be over stressed too quickly.
Because once he started coughing he couldn't stop.
Painful little hacks vibrating through him as the irritated cords festered there not knowing how to sooth themselves in any way then making him rapidity suck in air only to force it back out over the hurt areas.
"Pit," Ratchet cursed under his breath latching hold of both the suddenly panicking might as well be Sire's on the floor and hauled them backward with a fling before he took their place. What he found was a tiny mechling curled over himself coughing repeatedly while the two static-hound pups around him suddenly turned their attention to the youngling. The little femme pressed at the hacking mechling before starting to lick him with soft little whimpers and cooing while the mech pup twisted around to lap Bee between his antennas as well before he shifted around in front of him and hissed at Ratchet.
Rolling his optics the medic sighed and reached under the shelf only to get snapped at as the larger pup puffed up in front of Bumblebee tail lashing and lips drawn back over sharp fangs.
Protecting.
From him.
From them.
Just like Bee had been trying to do.
Ratchet's spark twisted as he shook the energon off his now leaking wrist before pulling back. He wasn't going to get the youngling out without a fight that was either going to hurt him or one of the pups and neither option was in the medic's arsenal at the moment. Both things were just going to make things worse.
However, it seemed that confusion and pain were enough to make Bee rethink how he wanted to work this. Because he didn't understand why his vocal processor was burning and he didn't understand why his family wanted to shoot his new friends, but he did understand that he hurt and he wanted it to stop just as much as he wanted the pups that were currently trying to figure out a way to stop his hacking to not be hurt as well.
So he whimpered out between hacks. "Hide,"
The big ebony mech was back down there in an instant his vivid blue optics wide and worried.
"Come here, Bee." He whispered softly only to winch when the mechling whet to hacking again rubbing at this throat trying to make it stop hurting. It was then that little femme pup that was liking at him shifted around to start licking at his neck seeming to understand that that was what was hurting him.
The mech pup snarled at Ironhide, crouched in front of his youngling, and the weapons master fought the urge to snarl back and just take what belonged to him, but he knew all that was going to do was upset the mechling more. Lucky for him though the soft tone of the deep voice drew up Bee's coolant tear filled optics cutting Ironhide right though the spark before Bumblebee whined pitifully coughing a few more times before he latched hold of the two pups as he stared at his Sire.
"Don't—" Another painful hack followed by a whimper to which he heard Ratchet mumble.
"He needs to stop talking."
"Well get him out and tell him that!" Prowl whisper hissed speaking up for the first time since this whole mess started.
Bee ignored them and just watched Ironhide. "Hurt them."
Having already figured out what was wrong with his coughing youngling Ironhide nodded quickly—anything to get him to stop talking before he damaged something permanently—as he looked Bee and his new little pets it seemed over.
"Alright, alright, nobot is going to hurt them." Ironhide promised. "Just come here, my little Bee."
There was a scrutinizing glare for a few klicks as Bee thought over just how much of that Ironhide meant and how much of it was just to get him out from under the shelves, but in the end it just took one more painful hack for him to figure that his time would be better left served out there where Ratchet could make his throat stop burning.
With a pulse to both the pups who pulsed back curiously in return at him Bee rocked forward and was about to crawl out when a whimper and a nip to his antenna stopped him. He looked up into the confused faceplate of the femme pup who whined at him then gave a quick lick over his cheek before nipping him on the antenna again and trying to pull him backward while the mech pup settled himself in front of them both and butted his thick head against Bee's front trying to push him backward.
It only took one quick sweep with his spark to figure out what it was they were doing. They were afraid that if he went out there he would be hurt—given what they'd seen so far Bee didn't really blame them there; if he was them he'd be scared—so they were trying to keep him under there with them. However, even if his family did have its moments like this when he wanted to punch every single one of the big glitches in the noseplate, they really were the best there ever was—in his totally bias opinion—and they wouldn't hurt him. With a reassuring poke though his spark as he tried to convey through the not-so-strong-yet bond that was coming to life between him and the siblings that the mech trying to get him out now was his Sire, or might as well be that. That got him two tilted heads and flicking audios of confusion before he just pulsed out a short feeling of 'it'll be okay' before he pushed past the larger mech pup who gave a snort and half a bark at him before he wiggled out from under the rather dusty hiding place and was quickly scooped up to his guardian's spark as Ironhide pushed himself to is feet.
He didn't stay in his guardian's grip for long though, as soon as the weird sense of vertigo was gone from going from the ground to really high so fast was gone he was being carefully plucked up by Ratchet and rested in the CMO's strong arms where the tingles of a scan ran over him and a thick finger was pressed lightly into his tiny, soft, throat pushing his head back slightly to let the medic rub at the aching cords that made up his vocal processor.
Bee wasn't paying attention to all that though.
He was staring off to the side where the two pups had slowly crawled out from under their hiding place looking around at the towering forms that glanced down at them each party obviously not so sure what to do with the other before the smaller femme one huffed out a breath and pushed herself upright, the mech following her, and they padded through the maze of thick legs until they had come to the CMO's feet. Ratchet looking down at them as they stared up at him and Bee who was staring down at them as well until the two pups gave a soft bark that was more a burst of static than anything else before they both curled up with their relatively long legs tucked under them between the massive medic's feet and proceeded to stare up at Bumblebee and ignore all the rest.
They were waiting.
Waiting to either follow him or for him to come back to them and waiting is where they would stay because that was how static-hounds were. They were a very pack based animal, never meant to be alone, they formed close bonds with the hounds that made up their pack and in the cases of those that had been 'tamed' the mech that was their master. They were still a feral beast that could be more wild then willing to curl at your feet, but the two that had found themselves in the Autobots' ship had already come to see the tiny yellow mech being held so high over their heads as one of their own.
A pack mate.
A brother.
So they would protect him, and follow him.
That was the way of the pack.
They looked after their own.
And Bumblebee was now one of their own.
Whether the mechs liked it or not, Bumblebee had just made himself two—quite strange—new friends.
Yep.
They're stuck with the two crazy pups now. Ha-ha! I love it!
Its fun getting to show the other side of Bumblebee's temper every now and again. I think the fit was justified. I don't know anyone that would let even their family hurt their dogs. Bee is no different. He could have stopped before he almost fried his vocal processor, but you guys know the mechling. For him its go big or go home.
Though . . . Jazz really could have gone about the whole thing a lot better probably.
Oh well, you live you learn. And the repercussions of this are going to be teaching Jazzy a thing or too for a while yet.
As always, thanks so much for the reviews you guys. You make my days so much better every time I check and find that there is a new one. So I hope you liked this chapter and I hope you like the next one. Its about time a bit of the past came back into play.
*slightly evil smile*
And Jazz can't get away free for this mess now can he?
Update schedule is the same. See you guys next chapter. Please leave me a tidbit of what you thought. :)
-Jaycee