This is based on a silly thought my friend Phoenix Hida thought up, and I decided to write a fic about it.

All rights belong to the makers of Transformers and the idea for the fic goes to my friend. So basically I own nothing even though I do the hard work sitting here typing. *Sniff*

All I know is based on quick glances at the first movie only and rants on Transformers from my dear friend mentioned above. So please, please don't flame unless something is very very off track.

Can't you see

By Primus, can't you insolent beings see that our little Bee is harmless? Okay, not that harmless, but he won't hurt you! Jazz was screaming inside. On the outside, he was playing the responsible lieutenant to Optimus, but on the inside he was dying to just go out and bomb those fragging steel cables tying Bumblebee to the helicopters.

Another heart wrenching scream tore out from Bumblebee's tortured voice processors, and Jazz did his best to block it out. He can't take any more of it, but orders were orders, and with Optimus Prime watching them like a hawk…

Bumblebee was sprayed with ice foam, whatever it is, but it clearly was causing his lil' Bee a lot of pain. Jazz narrowed his optics as Sam dashed to Bumblebee's help, but then was restrained and pushed into a police car by other humans.

The slagging pieces of shit just can't get a message through, can't they? Bee didn't even try to hurt you, for Primus' sake!

The helicopters dragged Bumblebee away, sensors half shut down, whimpering and moaning. But Jazz couldn't do anything to help, just watch. Which made it more painful.

The sound of Bee's agonizing whimpers faded into the distance, and Jazz swung down to face Optimus Prime, the one who ordered them not to help Bee, not caring anymore about cover or any other damned thing. He lost his little Bee just because of cover!

'Why didn't you save him?' Jazz demanded.

'There's no way to save him without hurting the humans.' Was the reply. Jazz felt like he would explode, but Ironhide placed a hand on his shoulder, placating him. After all, he knew Ironhide loved Bumblebee like one of his own.

'Let's go,' he rumbled. 'And not let Scout Bumblebee die in vain.'

Scout Bumblebee, Jazz thought bitterly. So formal, like their little Bee wasn't close to him. And he said die in vain! Bumblebee will not die. He won't. He can't. Not with his big brother Jazz waiting for him.

Can't you see that Bumblebee was just trying to help? Would you rather see the two humans fall to death? Can't you just open your stupid optics-I mean eyes and see?

Ironhide was inclined to train his cannons on those stupid humans and blast them all away from Bumblebee. How dare they mess with him?

Bumblebee hit the ground with a thud, and Ironhide started forward, only to be stopped by Optimus whispering, 'Not now.'

A pain filled shriek tore out from Bumblebee's damaged voice processors, and Ironhide started forward again, dimly aware of Jazz's furious and fixed gaze on the humans above him only to be stopped by Optimus again.

'Not now.' He repeated, voice full of warning. And Ironhide could only listen to the desperate clicks and screams that tore his heart into tiny little pieces and watch Bumblebee get dragged away. Primus knows what those slagging humans will do to him.

Jazz swung down, not even making sure that the humans were out of range yet, and asked the same question Ironhide had in his mind. 'Why didn't you save him?'

Ironhide looked expectantly at Optimus, wanting him to tell them what was worth their little Bee being taken away by those humans with not much hope of coming out again.

'There's no way to save him without hurting the humans.'

Ironhide was stunned. How could Optimus even think that they were worth the spark of Bumblebee? Jazz looked like he was about to explode, which would have been funny except for the situation.

But there was no going back now. Bumblebee was taken, and they had already come this far. Ironhide placed a hand on Jazz's shoulder, hoping to convey all of that, telling Jazz to just let go for once.

Jazz looked furious for a moment, then the fury in his optics dimmed.

Ironhide sagged, with relief or tiredness he cannot say.

Optimus spoke. 'Let's go. And not let Scout Bumblebee die in vain.'

Scout Bumblebee. Optimus' right, he realized. Bumblebee was grown, and a soldier. He knew the possibility of facing this fate when he joined. His little Bee had accepted it. Ironhide swelled with pride.

Bumblebee won't die. The pride and joy of Ironhide's life will not die.

Optimus was an Autobot leader. Optimus never showed fear. Optimus placed duty above everything else. Optimus was scared.

Can't you see that if you just give us a chance to explain, there would be no need for this? For sweet little Bee to get abducted and tortured by you?

Bumblebee shrieked, hitting the ground. Optimus wanted to shrink away, wanted to cover his eyes, wanted to help his little bot, but Optimus couldn't. Optimus could only watch and do his best to look calm and brave in front of his comrades.

The humans sprayed freezing gas on Bumblebee, making him struggle all the more. Optimus could practically feel Jazz's optics burning a hole into the ground. Ironhide started forward, but Optimus can't allow it.

'Not now.' He whispered, praying that he himself could stay still and make the others stay still. Ratchet was devoted enough to him, but Jazz was always fiercely protective of Bumblebee, while Ironhide viewed Bumblebee as a son.

Jazz was doing well enough for the situation, optics blazing with fury, but he was calmer than Optimus was expecting him to be. Ironhide had his cannons loaded, which was a dangerous sign, but at least he hadn't aimed them at the humans yet.

Sam tore away from the humans, trying to stop the others from hurting Bumblebee, and Optimus couldn't help but wonder how his little Bee had gotten the humans to trust him like this after such a short time and without words. Then again, Optimus had subconsciously adopted Bumblebee as a son when he first laid optics on him.

A shriek tore out from Bumblebee's damaged voice processors, which was all they could manage right now, tearing Optimus' heart out with it. And somehow, by some miracle of Primus', Optimus managed to remain calm and did not move from his place.

Out of the corner of his optic, Optimus spotted Ironhide start again, and stopped him again. Jazz was practically yelling, 'How could you?' in his intense gaze on Optimus.

Finally, their torture was over as Bumblebee was dragged away, but then it came back in a new form: the thought of what the humans would do to Bumblebee.

Jazz swung down before Optimus could look it up on the World Wide Web, and demanded, 'Why didn't you save him?'

The question hit Optimus hard, but his cool, calm and collected answer was ready: 'There's no way to save him without hurting the humans.'

Jazz looked like he might explode, and Optimus braced himself for the hurting words that will come, the salt on the wound.

Then Ironhide put a massive hand on Jazz's shoulder, and the fury in Jazz's eyes was gone, replaced by sadness and grieving.

'Let's go.' It hurt Optimus to say every word, but he had to. 'And not let Scout Bumblebee die in vain.'

When did he become so cold? Even to the youngling he cherished and loved?

You can't die, Bee. Optimus transmitted through his commlink, hoping that Bumblebee would be alive to hear it. I love you.

Ratchet had lived for hundreds of vorns. He had repaired thousands of bots, seen dozens of battles, and yet none of them touched him like the last of the younglings.

And now here he was, watching Bumblebee getting pulled down by the helicopters, tripping over his own feet and Ratchet won't do anything to help him, just sitting there like he never knew Bumblebee!

Ratchet was surprised too, but orders were orders, and he remained silent, watching the internal struggle within the rest of his team. The same struggle was going on in him too, but duty won, and Ratchet watched as Bumblebee shrieked.

Ratchet felt numb. He had lost many comrades in arms throughout the years, and here was the most terrible one of all. Taken down by those they want to protect, and the teammates not doing anything to prevent it.

Ratchet was old. And he needed a break. Away from the war, the death and the destruction. He needed some young people to freshen him up. Someone like Bumblebee.

Robots can't cry. But at the moment, Ratchet wished that he could cry and mourn for Bumblebee.

'Don't!' Bumblebee giggled as Ironhide tickled him. 'I don't wanna bath!'

'Oh, but you have to.' Jazz caught Bumblebee unaware from behind and carried him over to the bathtub, kicking and squealing.

'Ratchet, help!' Jazz called to the medic as he struggled to dump Bumblebee in the water. 'Get your needles or something! Just. Get. Him. Off. My. Arm!'

Optimus' attention was attracted by the sound of splashing going on in the other room. Curious, he peeked inside-

-only to get a face full of water.

Spluttering like mad, he stomped into the room only to be greeted by an amusing sight.

Everyone was soaked to the wire, and Bumblebee, giggling madly, was throwing water at anyone that came into range. Jazz was getting the worst of it. Ironhide took refuge behind a table. Ratchet was using a shield that was made up of the spare parts Ratchet carried around for emergency purposes. Apparently this counted as one.

'Bumblebee, STOP IT!'

Bumblebee froze, hands in water. Then he started to wail.

'Hush, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell at you, but remember not to do that ever again, okay?' Optimus started to rub Bumblebee's back while he cried. Jazz, Ironhide and Ratchet plugged their audio processors.

It was after a few joors before Bumblebee finally calmed down and allowed them to give him a bath, still sniffling and hiccupping, Jazz murmuring soothing words to him all the while and Ratchet scrubbed Bumblebee squeaky clean.

Who knew a simple bath could take two whole joors?

Jazz missed those days, even if he had complained and grumbled loudly by then, wishing for Bumblebee to have a spurt in growth. Now he wished that Bumblebee was still little, so that he won't be able to volunteer for dangerous missions.

Ironhide would have given anything for Bumblebee to be here right now, even if that meant getting water splashed all over him again.

Optimus swore that he would never ever yell at Bumblebee again for little incidents like the bathing one if he made it out alive.

Ratchet simply hoped that Bumblebee would be back.

Racing through the desert, they hoped that they would get to tell Bumblebee.

I love you.