Before I start the chapter, I of course, have some guest reviews to address. :)

MIYU: Thank you! XD It took me a while to get this chapter right, so I'm glad you found it perfect.

GUEST: Well of course they are "machines" and were built. But in my opinion there are plenty of things to contradict, even in that movie, that they were ALL merely built. And on that note, Age of Extinction is actually not being taken into account here either. One of the reasons why it's an AU is that things go differently after DOTM when I get to that. So yeah, you can kind of consider everything in that null and void in this fic anyway. Glad you like the concept though.

A/N: Now, back to the fic. Just a heads up, Michael will not be reappearing anytime soon. But don't worry, there's plenty of tension and drama coming to fill the void.

...

CHAPTER 29
Overdue Chats

:Is Trevor doing okay?:

Bumblebee stared down at Trevor as he slept in the guest bedroom, running his hand through his son's hair. Optimus had called him when he got back that night, right when he had gone to check on the boy. Trevor had gone to sleep, given it was already one in the morning for them, and thus he could only stroke his hair like this in hopes he would feel comforted. :He's in recharge right now. Which I'm glad to see as I was afraid he wasn't going to get any sleep,: Bumblebee paused a bit. :I'm so glad he wasn't there for that second encounter.:

:Why, what else happened?:

:He...: Bumblebee paused, his holoform bristling with anger. :He called Trevor "defective". Like his lack of a left leg and disabilities made him broken,: He sagged his shoulders slightly. :You have no idea how badly I wanted to beat him to a bloody pulp, Prime. This was his creation, and he talked about him like he was a piece of garbage!:

There was silence on the other end, and then a low growl. It was clear that Optimus was just as angry as Bumblebee was. But then again, who wouldn't be? It was disgusting to say about a child, let alone your own one. :What did you do in return?: Optimus questioned.

:Made him terrified of me, and threw him onto my alt mode. And then punched him hard enough that he was out of there, fast,: Bumblebee replied, frowning a little. :I could have done more, but he wasn't worth it,: Bumblebee huffed slightly. :You should have seen him, Prime. Drunk and vomiting all over himself, it was... Pathetic,: Bumblebee shuddered. :Beating him wouldn't give me the satisfaction.:

:You showed more restraint than I might have. And for that I am proud of you, Bumblebee,: Bumblebee smiled at the words of Optimus. :Indeed, people like him are NOT worth it. Only trouble could come of it,: Bumblebee was thankful that Optimus came to that conclusion. :But if he puts his hands around Trevor's throat again, I would not blame you for your actions...:

:He's not coming back, Prime,: Bumblebee shook his head. :You didn't see the way he looked at me. He looked like he was about to lubricate himself,: He explained rather bluntly. :Even drunk, he got the message that if he sees us to turn the other way,: He then added. :And if he goes after Trevor, this time. I won't care. I'll be calling in about him breaking the restraining order,: He paused a moment before adding. :Is Elita okay?:

:Once we calmed her down after the news, yes,: Optimus replied. :She may not know Trevor well, but she was very ready to give the man a piece of her. Not that I am surprised, given her natural carrier instincts,: Another long moment of silence. :I want you to tell me if the man does come around again. If he will not be intimidated away by you. Then it will be me who he has to deal with.: He added very firmly.

Bumblebee smirked at the thought, Michael would definitely get the message then. He'd seen Optimus angry, and what he did with Galloway before? Didn't even begin to compare to when he was truly enraged. :You're definitely not as calm as you sound, then:

There was a long moment of silence, and an engine revved on the other end. :Ironhide and I had to be calmed by Major Lennox and Sargent Epps,: He admitted in an almost embarrassed manner. :I will admit that the moment I heard he tried to strangle Trevor... My grandsire instinct went on overload. I haven't felt such a way since you were very young, and Megatron...:

:That was a scary day,: Bumblebee reflected.

:And so was today,: Optimus replied. :The soldiers are still clearing up the wall I fired at upon hearing this.: After a moment, he spoke up. :I am being called to my meeting, Bumblebee. So I must cut this conversation short. Please alert me if the situation worsens.:

:You got it, Prime.:

:And Bumblebee?: Optimus began calmly. :I love you both.:

:Love you too.:

Bumblebee couldn't help but smile at the exchange there. It had been some time since Optimus had said this in words, rather than actions. An indication of just how much Optimus had been shaken to his core, but also a gesture which warmed his spark. "Nnnnn, dad?" Bumblebee peered down as Trevor stirred, and turned over to look at him. "You're back."

Bumblebee decided it was best not to tell Trevor of his encounter with his father. The boy had had enough of this nightmare for one day, and perhaps for a lifetime. "Yeah, that drive really helped me clear my thoughts pretty well," Bumblebee leaned forward and wrapped his arm around Trevor's shoulders. "How are you doing, bud? Your grandpa was just asking."

"Better, Sam and I talked about a lot of stuff," Trevor nodded his head slowly. "It's just, I wished I never saw him," He breathed quietly, snuggling deep into Bumblebee's holoform's chest. "You saw him tonight, didn't you?" He questioned, noting the absent look in his father's eyes. "I know that look, I used to get it every time he'd come home drunk."

Bumblebee sometimes hated how perceptive his young one could be. "Enough about him," Bumblebee told him, running a hand along his face. "I don't want to talk about him. Yeah, I saw him tonight. And I can tell you this: I scared him so bad that even in his drunken state. I can tell if he ever sees me again, he'll just turn the other way," Trevor sighed in relief. "You're safe bud."

"I always am when you're with me," Trevor replied. "I owe you so much for what you did and said today," He admitted. "I would have said something along those lines, but..."

"It's scarier when it's your dad. Trust me, I understand completely," Trevor smiled a bit. "And you don't need to thank me. You're my son, I'll stand up for you any day of the week," He kissed the top of the boy's head, and smiled. "But you should get to sleep, so I'll-."

"Stay with me?" Trevor asked, fear in his eyes. "Just for tonight?"

Bumblebee knew that he said that fearing his father, and carefully moved closer to him. He rested his chin on top of his head, and felt Trevor relax. "I'll be right here if you need me," He whispered. "Always."

Before long, Trevor was snoring quietly, and Bumblebee was drifting off into recharge.

...

"So, how's the whole Nascar training thing going? I never asked."

Trevor looked at Sam as they sat in his room the next day, a bowl of popcorn between them and a racing video game on TV. He sighed a bit, and shrugged ever so slightly. "It's hard," Trevor admitted. "You know my NLD makes me confuse left and right at times and all that jazz. But I think being around cars so much with my dad helps me out," He then added. "Dad thinks I need to work on my anxiety behind the wheel a bit too. Because that's not exactly going to help in life or death situations on the track." He explained.

"Isn't that kind of hard for you?" Sam questioned. "I mean, doesn't the NLD cause anxiety?"

"Something to work on," Trevor shrugged. "I can't let my disabilities get the better of me. At least that's what Jazz and Ironhide drill in me," He grinned a bit. "By the way, speaking of racing, eyes on the game man. I'm kicking your butt and I haven't played Mario Kart Double Dash in months," He joked slightly as he nudged Sam. "I'm going to hit you with the turtle shell."

"Aw, come on man, that's not fair!"

"All's fair in love and Mario Kart," Trevor snorted.

"Let's pop in Mario Party 8," Sam grumbled. "You want to get cocky? Let's get those Wii remotes out."

Trevor chuckled a little, rolling his eyes at his friend. Then again, he didn't blame Sam, when it came to this game, he was unmatched most of the time. He fell back against the floor, and chewed his lip a bit. "You know, some days I really miss this," He commented, watching the screen carefully. "Just you and me, the Wii, and the witty banter," He then added. "I love the guys at NEST, but they hardly get downtime to throw down."

Sam took a handful of popcorn, and stared over at Trevor. "Doesn't Bee play games with you?" Sam asked. "He seems like an overgrown kid."

"He is," Trevor shrugged. "And he does. I just kinda miss having friends my own age I guess," He explained, peering back over at Sam. "I love my dad, and my new family. But sometimes it feels like he's a substitute for that, and I know he's got more important stuff on his plate." He explained.

"Dude," Sam shook his head. "I don't think he really minds."

Trevor knew that Sam was right about that, but it didn't make him feel any less bad at times. But what could he say? They couldn't just move back to Tranquility, and there was no base in the states. Making any alternative feel like he'd be being a whiny little kid, especially after everything they'd done for him. And besides, it didn't bother him that much. "Yeah, I guess you're right," Trevor shrugged. "And neither do I, really. Considering it's pretty awesome having a dad who will play video games with me and watch horror movies."

Sam snorted, probably wishing that he knew what that felt like. As much as Trevor loved Ron and Judy, they weren't exactly the laid back, and easy-going types like Bumblebee was. "By the way, Bee was talking about assigning a guardian to us," Sam commented, changing the subject. "Do you know anything about that?" He questioned.

"Oh yeah," Trevor piped up. "Last I heard Jazz is going to look after you guys. Just because they don't want anything happening to you. You know, since you're connected to all this crap too," He then added. "I'm jealous you're getting Jazz. I'm gonna miss him when he goes on that assignment. The Jazz-man is just like, a boss." He added.

"When is that starting?" Sam asked.

"Next month," Trevor replied. "Once the newbies are all settled into Diego Garcia. Since we're losing one of our men here," He explained. "He's cool though, don't worry. And if nothing happens in a few months, he'll be out of your hair anyway," He then added. "But with Barricade really active lately, the 'Bots aren't taking any chances. They knew they wouldn't be almost the second we moved to Diego Garcia."

Trevor knew that it would take getting used to for Sam, but was also relieved this would be the case. The last thing he wanted was for his best friend and his family to be in trouble. After all, their connection to him alone could land them in trouble all by itself. "Trevor, can I ask you a question?" Trevor nodded at Sam. "Do you ever resent me?"

"What?"

"I mean, you wouldn't have to go through all of this," Sam explained. "If I had just bought Bumblebee from the lot," Trevor frowned a little at that, pausing the game. "I guess that's been on my mind for a while. But it wasn't right to ask you that at the funeral, and..." He paused a little. "I guess I just wanted to know sooner rather than later."

"Dude, I'm here," Trevor put a hand on Sam's shoulder. "And wishing that on you... Could mean I'm wishing your parents were dead," Sam looked away slightly at that comment. "And man, I love your folks, so you know that isn't the case. And I love you like a brother, so I don't resent you either," He slugged his shoulder gently. "Come on, I'm the one who's supposed to have the anxiety issues here, not you. So stop that, like right now."

In response, Sam slugged him back, getting a shove in response. Pretty soon, the two were fake fighting, and laughing, clearly all their serious talks were now out of the way. For a moment, Trevor was reminded of when they were kids, and they'd wrestle around playing "Power Rangers" or whatever their flavor of the day TV Show was. He sighed a bit, he still missed those days, before things got complicated, and life got harder. But at least he had days like these to remind him that they didn't totally have to be gone.

"Boys!" Trevor looked towards the door at Judy's voice. "If you two are done fighting over video games, lunch is ready!"

Trevor rolled his eyes, and looked at Sam. "Your mom still doesn't have a clue about what our "fake fights" are about, does she?" He stood to his feet, and helped Sam to his. "She must think we're still ten or something sometimes," He added. "I swear."

"We act like it half the time."

Trevor grinned, and threw an arm around his best friend's shoulders. Knowing quite clearly that Sam was right, they did act like young kids. But at the moment, he really didn't care. All he cared about was that he had a chance to do this, and be with his best friend again, and it felt good.

...

"They're like a couple of hyperactive sparklings," Bumblebee joked later that night as he helped Judy with some dishes. "And here I thought Trevor only ever really got that way around Annabelle and I."

Judy smirked a bit, watching from the kitchen as Trevor and Sam sat watching a movie. By the looks of it, it had to be pretty scary as they had both already heard several shrieks from them. She took an apple from a basket at the counter, and took a bite out of it. "Oh trust me, when he cuts loose, Trevor's a ball of energy," She laughed. "But I guess you'd know that already. You must get a lot of that."

Bumblebee nodded, fumbling a bit with a kitchen plate. This custom was most definitely strange, and he wasn't sure what he was doing. But he felt he had to do something to return their hospitality. "I sometimes forget because he tries to act so mature in front of the military," Bumblebee commented. "Around the rest of the team and I, he's a total goofball," He then added. "But when the situation's serious, sometimes I forget he's just a kid."

Judy nodded slightly, looking him over. "It's always been like that, too," She added. "I guess I'd know better though, since you've only known him... What? A little under a year now?" Bumblebee nodded her head. "Hardly shows though, the way you treat him I'd think you'd raised him from day one."

If Bumblebee's holoform could blush, it would have been a bright tomato red. Even if sometimes it did feel like that too, like there was never a time he was on Earth without Trevor by his side. "He's my little buddy," Bumblebee replied with a smile. "I try to be the best dad I can be to him, at least. So I guess that's done a good enough job if we give off that vibe," He explained. "Though I'm far from the perfect creator."

"What parent IS perfect?" Judy laughed. "I dropped Sam on his head twice as a baby-."

"Ma!" Sam warned from the other room, hearing her.

"And he turned out just fine." Judy whispered. "Despite being way too sensitive."

Bumblebee couldn't help but laugh at that one, though he was thankful Sam had not sustained any real injuries. He watched as Ron entered moments later, whipping sweat from his face. "Judy, it's like a sauna in here," He stated, turning down the air conditioning. "Eighty? Really? Never go above seventy-two," He grumbled, then looked between them. "Sorry, did I interrupt?"

Bumblebee shook his head. "Nah, we were just discussing the imperfection of our parenting styles," Bumblebee shrugged his shoulders. "Apparently, your bonded dropped Sam twice on his head, and he ended up alright," Ron's eyes widened. "Oh no, not like that! I'm totally careful with Trevor. That was just an example. If I dropped Trevor I'm pretty sure he wouldn't be here right now."

"I was more worried you might end up stepping on him," Ron admitted.

"Yeah, me too," Bumblebee admitted.

Yet everything HAD been okay, at least as far as he could tell. He watched the two of them calmly, knowing this was probably part of the conversation they had wanted to have. "Trevor told me you saw Michael again last night," Bumblebee bristled slightly at his name. "How'd that go?" He questioned, to which Bumblebee went over the gist of it. "Man, you really let him have it," He whistled slightly. "Remind me never to piss you off, buddy."

Bumblebee leaned back against the nearby counter, and crossed his arms. "You touch my baby boy. Or," He lowered his voice to a level Trevor wouldn't hear. "Call him such a disgusting word? And it's like grabbing a bull by the horns," He explained very seriously. "I almost want him to show up again. I thought of a million more things to say to him overnight."

Ron smirked, patting Bumblebee on the shoulder. "You know, we haven't actually sat down for a real talk until now. But the more I hear about you, or out of your mouth the more I like you," Ron grinned a little. "At first I thought because you were young it was a bad idea. But you definitely have been proving me wrong every step of the way," He then added. "And I'm not wrong too often."

"That was the reason you though this was a bad idea?" Judy asked jokingly. "Not the fact he was a giant alien rob-?"

"Judy!" Ron attempted to stop his wife.

"It's fine," Bumblebee laughed. "I felt the same worries, and proved myself wrong about both of them. Don't you worry though, I have his grandparents around to help too," He stated proudly. "I'm glad I passed your test though. Frankly, I was worried," The Witwicky's stared at each other with surprise. "I know you two probably wanted to adopt him. And when I interfered..."

"We got it," Ron shook his head. "He needed to be protected."

Bumblebee nodded, glancing back in on the boys. And Primus knew that he WAS protected more than he probably would be here. Considering the fact that he would be the target of many Decepticons with his closeness to him. "I do want him to be able to visit like this more often though," Bumblebee admitted. "I know he doesn't say it, but he misses having friends his own age. And he definitely misses the three of you," He paused. "With Jazz coming to protect you though, I don't need to come if-."

"Don't be silly!" Judy stopped him. "I like you," She told him rather bluntly. "You two are welcome any time you want to come. As long as you give us warning," She then waved a finger. "And you can't just say that you will and never do it either," Bumblebee was surprised by that part. "Because I want a week with you without any of this silly drama where we can really have some fun from day one," She then added. "Speaking of, kids! Turn that crap off and get in here! I have Uno, and we're going to play rather than watch more junk on TV!"

Judy started off to get the game, to which Bumblebee simply raised an eyebrow at Ron. The man shrugged, and laughed a little. "She's a little eccentric, but you get used to it," He explained, patting his holoform on the back again. "Has Trevor showed you Uno yet?" Bumblebee shook his head. "Well then, you're in for a real treat! It's a lot of fun, but I warn you now, we get a little competitive."

As the boys stood from the couch, half happy, and half groaning, Bumblebee put his arm around Trevor. "You're going to have to teach your dad a thing or two," He told him rather calmly. "You know how bad I am at card games. You know how bad my attempt at "Poker" was."

Trevor grinned a little bit as they both took seats at the dinner table. And as he did, Bumblebee couldn't help but smile just a little more, taking a deep breath. Yes, he would definitely be visiting the Witwicky's again. Because despite what happened, he was beginning to enjoy this week.

...

A/N: Only one more chapter of these two in Tranquility, and then we'll be back at Diego Garcia. :D Hope you enjoyed this slightly fluffy chapter!