Don't Save Me Ch. 4
Summary: Bumblebee is lonely, the Decepticon femme keeps travelling, and Ratchet tells Optimus his concerns
Rating: PG for this chapter
The Decepticon was lost in thought as she drove down the road. Her hip was still causing her pain, but she was well enough to move. The first thing she did after leaving Jersey was find a new vehicle mode. It took her awhile to find one that would let her armor sit comfortably over her protoform, but she eventually settled on a Celica GT-S.
Her chassis was now all white except the hood which was all black. It was unusual for someone with her profession to have such a non-dark color, but her white paintjob is what made all the Decepticons aware of her ability and skill because she stood out. Working directly under Barricade had also helped her reputation. She still remembered the day her commander/creator questioned her choice on body color.
"White," Barricade asked. The youngling moved her doorwings in a shrug.
"You already said that my skills are exceptional for one my age. Now I need to make sure everyone else knows too. What better way than to have armor that no one else has," she answered.
"Hmm… very well then. I'm sure you'll leave an impression on Decepticons and Autobots alike."
She also thought about how Barricade would scold her for not having any real idea where she was or where she was going. Tired of her own thoughts she turned on the radio to see if any of the squishies had anything that could entertain her.
It's just like a cigarette, it's something that I do
Once in awhile but between me and you
It's just like a cigarette Nobody's really fooled
I don't want the truth, I wanna feel fucking cool
Let me tell you something that I realized tonight
My hip hop radio is like marlboro lights
They're both selling stories and they sound about the same
Cigarettes say their safe, wrappers claim they really bang
We don't care if it's true when we lay the money down
We don't believe the words, we just love the way they sound
They're acting like we're idiots, They're lying to our face
Maybe we are idiots, we buy it anyway
I'm runnin out to get the next rapper's CD
Just suckin up the guns, drugs, and misogyny
The same way that I suck up all the stories
When I breathe that little bit of death supposedly cancer-free and
Everything they say's got the truth twisted up
But twisted up's what I want man, I can't get enough Cuz even though we know it's all just a big bluff We just light another up, what
We don't give a fuck
It's just like a cigarette, it's something that I do
Once in awhile but between me and you
It's just like a cigarette Nobody's really fooled
I don't want the truth, I wanna feel fucking cool
It's just like a cigarette, It's something that I do
Over and over but between me and you
It's just like a cigarette Nobody's really fooled
I don't want the truth, I wanna feel fucking cool
This was much better than those love songs she heard the last time she tried using the radio. She shuddered as she recalled struggling with the damn thing for half an hour before she turned the radio off. Her HUD flashed red as her sensors started picking up a signal. She ran another sensor sweep and did not like the results.
"Slag."
Optimus was making his way to the Autobots rec. room, after spending all morning in a meeting with government officials and the head members of NEST. He needed to refuel and someplace to relax.
When Optimus entered the room he wasn't surprised to see Skids and Mudflap wrestling, while Sideswipe egged them on. He was amused to see Jolt holding on the Sideswipe's waist. Optimus' gaze finally landed on Jazz. Jazz was sitting in a corner staring at an energon cube. Concerned for his lieutenant, Optimus went to him.
"Hey Prime."
Optimus frowned. Out of all the Autobots Jazz was the least formal. He always addressed him by Optimus. "Something seems to be troubling you, Jazz," Optimus stated. "Is there anything I can do to help?"
Jazz snorted. "Not unless you can read Prowl's mind."
"Did something happen between you and Prowl?"
Jazz shook his head. "No. I'm just thinkin' about somethin' Prowl said last night."
"I take he's had another nightmare then?"
Jazz nodded. "Yeah, except last night while he was crying he mumbled somethin' about a she and I can't figure out why." Jazz looked away from Prime. "It hurts to see him like this Optimus."
Optimus hummed in agreement. It did hurt to see Prowl so vulnerable. All the Autobots had felt it, but it was remarkable how Prowl seemed to be healing. However, Optimus couldn't shake the feeling that this she Jazz had mentioned had something to do with Barricade/Prowl's creation. Optimus stopped his musings as he received a com from Ratchet telling him to get his gigantic aft to the medbay now, because Prowl is about to be reformatted into a toaster oven if you don't. Optimus sighed already dreading the processor ache he got whenever Ratchet and Prowl wouldn't back down from their disagreement.
"Jazz," Optimus said hoping to regain Jazz's attention. When Jazz focused on him again he continued, "Ratchet has just commed me to come to med bay to discuss Prowl's recovery. Would you like to come?" To his relief, Jazz agreed and they both left the rec room to go face the horror that was Ratchet.
When they arrived at the medbay, Ratchet took one look at Jazz and said, "Get out."
"But."
"Out. I'll talk with you later right now I need to discuss something with Prime."
Jazz was irritated about being forced into the hall. This was Prowl they were talking about. It didn't matter what Ratchet needed to tell Prime he should be in there too. Not about to be left out of loop, Jazz pressed his sensitive audios to the door to listen.
"Prime we have a problem with Prowl," Ratchet began. "He needs to accept the fact he was Barricade or he may never recover."
"Ratchet how does that affect Prowl's recovery," Optimus asked, looking around the med bay. "Speaking of which, where is Prowl?"
"Prowl returned to his quarters Prime. I checked," Ratchet answered. "This affects Prowl's recovery because he admits the things Barricade has done and can talk about, but he refuses to acknowledge the fact that he was reprogrammed into Barricade. He might not have been fully conscious of his actions, but it was still his body, his spark. He did do it. He needs to admit that he was Barricade.
Optimus nodded at this. "That does make sense Ratchet, but won't that cause Prowl unnecessary pain and what about the sparkling?"
"It most likely will hurt Prowl, but he needs to work through the pain, not hide away from it and pretend it doesn't exist. And don't even get me started on his offspring….."
Ratchet was interrupted by the hiss of the doors. Both mechs turned to see Jazz standing stiffly in the doorway, a mixture of shock and anger written all over his face. "Did I hear ya right, Doc? Are you seriously saying that Prowl has a child?"
Bumblebee sighed as he drove along an empty road. His reason for being out here was pretty pathetic now that he thought about it. The reason Bumblebee was out driving when he was supposed to be on monitor duty was simple: he was lonely. It seemed everyone on base had someone. Skids and Mudflap had each other and they annoyed him with their constant bickering. Sideswipe and Jolt were hooking up whenever and wherever they wouldn't get caught by Ratchet and Ironhide. He liked Sideswipe and Jolt just fine, but only when the other wasn't around. If they were together, but Bee never knew if they would start interfacing right in front of him. Ratchet and Ironhide would take care of their 'needs'. Besides, they raised him they couldn't give him the comfort he desired. The same went with Optimus Prime, he couldn't relieve Bee of the longing in his spark. And then there was Jazz and Prowl, although Bee was sure there wasn't too much concern for romance in their relationship right now.
Bee supposed he could always go to see his human companions, but they were a completely different species. They would sympathize with him, but Sam and Mikaela had each other and wouldn't completely understand.
Bee was shaken out of his self pity fest when his sensors began to send him enemy incoming warnings. Bee looked ahead and saw a Con. A Con that was heading straight for him. -Slag-
"Bumblebee to base."