Sparksong

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers

Chapter 1-Hello

Alarms all around the academy grounds whined their desperate alert. Medical bots ran to the practice sparring grounds where a femme had collapsed. Her sparring partner stood over her panting, praying, and shaking his head slowly.

Overhead, a static storm rolled in bringing precipitation. The air grew thick with moisture; the outside temperature dropped two degrees. The medics told everyone to clear out, but still he remained, his eyes fixed on his stasis-locked sparring partner lying on the ground.

She did not move. Her optics were dim, her body frozen like ice. The medics feared the worse, but could not explain why.

"Move, kid!" A red and white medic pushed past the yellow mech standing still in the middle of the sparring yard. He watched as the medical team carried the femme out on a stretcher. Her glossy blue exoskeleton seemed so dull as the rain poured suddenly down onto his head.

Whether it was the rain, or his own coolant, drops slid silently down his face. Thunder rumbled overhead, drowning out the prayer he murmured into the darkening day that had only moments ago seemed so much brighter.

He looked down at the ground, and saw his face reflected back at him in a puddle forming at his feet. He hardly recognized himself. His trademark smirk was gone; his eyes had dimmed to a less than bright shade of blue. His grey face only added to his gloom. Not even the bright yellow exterior of his body could bring the sun back to the day.

He slowly looked up to the door leading into the academy dorms. The practice baton was still clutched in his right hand. He dropped it suddenly like a viral worm, and backed away from it gasping.

"Bumblebee! Git yer keaster in here before you rust!" His instructor, and dark red veteran munitions specialist named Ironhide shouted out the side door.

Bumblebee didn't answer, but obeyed, slowly walking toward the door.

Ironhide grabbed Bumblebee's arm as the youngbot stepped by the larger red bot. "Hey kid," He started slowly. "Your friend is in infirmary one."

Bumblebee gave Ironhide a sideways glance.

"Just in case ya wanted to know." Ironhide shrugged.

Bumblebee walked to the infirmary, his hands swaying almost dead at his sides. His eyes fixed to the floor, all he could think about was that terrifying moment. Her systems had just...stopped. He hadn't touched her, so what had happened? His feet stopped moving as if sensing instinctually he had arrived. He gently pushed on the door, but it seemed so heavy for some reason, Bumblebee had to put his shoulder into it as convincing both the door and himself that he wanted it to open. The door caught his left foot for a moment, but Bumblebee jerked his foot loose then took two steps into the room, and stopped. He looked up, and saw three mechs standing around a station; Chief medical officer Ratchet, Specialist Jazz, and Ultra Magnus himself.

Bumblebee could see her feet, the femme that had gotten him through training thus far. If it hadn't been for her, he surely would have dropped out, and gone back to clearing spacebridge gates long ago. She had to be asleep because her feet weren't moving. His optics rose slowly still until he saw three pairs of optics staring with concern, and skepticism at the yellow mech.

"Bumblebee, is it?" Ultra Magnus asked.

Bumblebee nodded slowly once.

Ultra Magnus turned to Ratchet, and nodded.

Ratchet walked over to Bumblebee, and placed a hand on each of Bumblebee's shoulders. "I got bad news kid."

Bumblebee didn't need to hear it. Deep down he knew what the medic was about to say, but his processor couldn't handle it. The yellow mech broke out into nervous, hysterical laughter.

Denial hurt, but it subsided the spark-deep pain Bumblebee refused to deal with. He clutched his middle, and continued to laugh while the three high-ranking officers stared solemnly.

"Ratchet, perhaps a sedative for Bumblebee will be appropriate." Ultra Magnus suggested.

"No." Ratchet shook his head slowly. "He'll just have to wake up later, and do this; better just let the kid get it outta his system."

Bumblebee leaned over the station next to his fallen friend, and his laughter turned to sobs. He pounded his fist into the station surface.

Bumblebee looked up, coolant falling like rain from his eyes. He could see her faceplate, so serene. Her optics were closed, but she looked so fake in the blinding white light of the infirmary.

Fake. That had to be it! She was fake! They did something to her! Bumblebee narrowed his optics, and looked around at Ultra Magnus and Jazz standing by the femme's station.

"Bumblebee." Ratchet murmured, holding up his hands in what he hoped to be a calming gesture.

"No!" Bumblebee shouted. "That's a fake! It can't be real! She was fine! She was smiling!" The sobs returned as he fell to his knees on the hard metal floor. "It has to be fake." He sobbed. "It has to be..."

Bumblebee jerked awake, and looked around the dark room. He could hear Bulkhead's snoring from across the hall, and rolled his optics.

"Heh." The yellow mech chuckled slightly. "Just a dream," He smirked, and sat up slowly. "A fake." His smile fell.

"Bumblebee." A voice said clearly next to the yellow mech.

Bumblebee turned his head to the right without a second thought.

"Bumblebee." She looked peaceful, but sad. Her once bright optics were empty casings.

"AAAAAAAA!" Bumblebee fell from his recharge station screaming in terror.

-x-x-x-x-x-

"Hold him down!" Optimus shouted over the yellow mech's fearful cries.

"NO! NOOO! IT'S FAKE!" Bumblebee shouted, still in recharge.

"Bulkhead, hold his feet before he hurts himself!" Prowl shouted, trying to hold Bumblebee's shoulders down, but the small yellow mech squirmed far too much, and the black and gold mech lost his grip.

"Wake up, little buddy!" Bulkhead pushed Bumblebee down onto his recharge station.

"That's it!" Ratchet powered up his electromagnets, and shocked the yellow mech in the aft.

"AAAA!" Bumblebee gasped, his optics flicking open. He looked around in a panic. "Where is she?! Bring her back!"

"Bring who back?" Optimus asked.

Bumblebee sensed Ratchet, and grabbed his chassis, pulling him violently forward. "Where is she?!" the yellow mech demanded, his mind still trapped in his nightmare. "Give her back! She was just fine! She was fine!"

Ratchet frowned, prying the youngbot's hands off of him, and slapped the yellow mech's head.

Bumblebee fell back onto his recharge station. For a moment he was quiet then he rubbed his head, and yawned. "Hey, wus ever'body doin' in my room?" He muttered sleepily.

"You were screamin' little buddy." Bulkhead said.

"Who're you callin' little??" Bumblebee growled then groaned. "Ugh, I'm too tired." He lie down, curling his arms under his head. "I'll gecha tomorrow."

Prowl, Bulkhead, and Optimus all looked at Ratchet.

The medic growled. "You should all follow the kid's lead, and get your keasters back to your rooms b'fore the night is over, and Bumblebee's the only one with a decent recharge to fuel helping humans tomorrow."

Optimus nodded. "Agreed. Let's all put this behind us, and get a good night's rest." He waved a hand, and walked toward the door.

Prowl followed Optimus silently, arms folded.

Bulkhead lingered a moment, watching Bumblebee sleep with a goofy grin on his face, drooling slightly.

Ratchet patted Bulkhead's shoulder. "Come on, Bulkhead, you too." He gently urged Bulkhead toward the door.

Bumblebee snorted then sighed. "Siren." He muttered, and turned over in his sleep.

Ratchet paused, and turned slowly to look at the yellow mech. He closed his optics a moment, and sighed. "So, you're dreamin' about her again." He shook his head slowly. "How many times am I gonna have to take her away from you?" He asked the empty hallway as the door closed behind him with a hermetic hiss. The old medic walked down the hall muttering nonsense as he usually did when he thought there was no one around.

Bulkhead peered out the door to his room as the medic trudged down the hall sleepily. "Take who away?" He wondered aloud.

-x-x-x-x-x-

Angsty, eh?

Didn't know I had it in me. This chapter alone is by far my favorite as far as conveying exactly the emotion I wanted to, and keeping the atmosphere right where it should be at the moment.

R&R, and I'll love you forever