Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was a mess. Stinger couldn't believe it... couldn't believe the outcome. There were so many Decepticons (or what Lord Galvatron called them) and they had still lost. The battle was made in THEIR favor, and yet here she was, one of the only that survived.

Her programming had made her into a full-fledged Auto-bot hating, Decepticon. Unfortunately, Stinger could not find the leader that did so.

After her vicious fight with... him... Stinger was left in an almost stasis.

HE... had done a very wonderful job of ripping her apart. Too bad for him, she could always compose herself back together. Even if it was almost impossible.

As soon as she had come online, Stinger could only look at the destruction left behind.

She was in terrible conditions, even if her life form was supposed to be powerful. Then again, her frame had been ripped apart.

Wires stuck all over the place, and her joints weakened as more time passed. Her armor was loose and broken, exposing part of her proto-form.

Stinger had no choice but to leave before she got caught. (Or before the humans disposed of her just like all of the dead Transformers.) Stinger could only go in the direction where her leader, Galvatron had gone. But that was it.

She was forced to follow. Stinger knew her fate. She wouldn't stand a chance in her condition, and she would eventually offline. She might as well TRY. It was better than knowing she would die in the filthy human hands.

They might have been her creators, but she would have been a slave doing their dirty work if it weren't for Galvatron. That's all the humans wanted. A lifeless slave.

It might of also been because of Galvatron that Stinger hated humans. It was his influence that informed her.

But Stinger never saw him after he fled. After days with no energon, and wandering uselessly, Stinger felt that, the time was near... for her to completely let go.

Stinger was an only Deception. She knew that there were more, but they all retreated, probably with Galvatron. Primus know where.

So, that's all she was; a Decepticon. She could be nothing else. Even then, Stinger was an artificial one. She didn't have real creators of the same species. The only thing Stinger had that was close to it, was somewhat of a half spark and a soul, unlike what the Autobots thought.

Galvatron had filled all them in with knowledge and who or what the Autobots were. He programmed all of them. Galvatron made sure to have her hate the "Bots."

And she did.

Stinger hated the Autobots. They had killed everyone of them.

That stripped yellow inferior-no good-fragging-glitch-piece of slag-scrap metal almost did the same, if Stinger hadn't completely fought to stay online.

Stay Online for what reason? Currently, she was somewhere far in a dusty nowhere. She was too weak to even search her longitude and latitude in her systems, or what humans called "internet."

Stinger practically dragged herself, red blood-shot optics shuttering. She stuck to walking because her weakened state wouldn't even allow her to quickly move in particles and whoosh her way.

A once new and shiny Decepticon, now a pathetic weak and dusty no-bot Transformer.

Stinger's legs began to disobey her commands to keep moving. She suddenly fell to the ground, face-plates first.

Stinger landed with a large thud.

Her limbs were sprawled out, and her helm to the side. She patiently waited for her permanent Offline.

Then, Stinger did something that throughout her small journey, she had never done.

She screamed. It wasn't a cry for help, or of agony. Stinger felt that she had to to it; that it was something necessary. So, Stinger screamed her half-spark out... or until her vocal-processors gave out.

Then, her optics offlined.

Stinger began to feel again. She began to feel her clawed digits and servos.

Her optics slowly shuttered online. Her vision quickly fixed itself, making the images in front of her less blurry.

Stinger was not permanently-offline.

She was standing up, yet leaning on something at the same time. Stinger's optics shifted to take in her surroundings.

She noticed something... A transformer-A mech!

He was a large mech, armor a light green.

His back was facing her and she wasn't able to tell who he was, or what he was.

"What is your Designation?" Stinger demanded.

The mech quickly turned around, a... a metal object in his hand.

Stinger quickly tried to look it up, but found that her interior systems were not functioning... or obeying her commands.

That was before she saw the mech's blue optics.

He.

Was.

An.

Autobot.

Stinger's half-spark began to violently hammer in her spark-chamber.

There was a slight beeping emitting from a machine with wires extending and attached to her. The Autobot looked at the machine and back at her. He groaned and did something to the machine. The beeping was no longer heard.

Stinger began to thrash and thrust herself up. That was when she realized that she was restrained. Her arms, middle, and legs were tied to the surface behind her. Her door wings were sprawled out at an uncomfortable angle. She wasn't as bulky as mechs, but Stinger was strong. The strong armor around her and (previously) strong wires proved it. They're lasted this long.

Stinger tried to transport herself by particles and whoosh out of the restrains, but she couldn't complete the transformation to particles. Stinger could only begin before going back to her bipedal form.

"See those wires?" the Autobot asked.

Stinger glanced at the wires connected to her.

"Those wires have a certain energy, preventing you from transferring," he said.

"What have you done to me?!" Stinger asked, panic clearly in her voice.

"I only saved your life," the Autobot remarked, looking irritated.

Stinger continued to struggle. This Autobot HAD to be lying! Nobot just SAVES a Decepticon!

She began to scream and yell out.

"Release me! I will not die in the clutches of you Autobots! RELEASE ME!" Stinger yelled out.

The Autobot across from her, clenched the sides of his helm as she continued.

He was quickly losing his patience... if he had any at all.

"I should have restrained your mouth!" he exclaimed.

Stinger continued.

"Let me GO! I do not wish to stay here!" she yelled.

An entrance opened and to Stinger's shock and dismay, there were more Autobots. A large one, as she recognized at the leader riding the neck of the Dinobot, looked upon her.

Her eyes narrowed with contempt as Galvatron had spoken about the leader of the Autobots.

Optimus Prime. Galvatron also despised him with every system in his body. Which eventually made his army copy his hatred.

The large 'Bot neared her, looking tall, authority and pride screaming from him.

Although completely fearful, Stinger held her ground. She attempted to transform into her particle form, only to appear to be glitching.

Stinger looked straight at him, her blood-shot optics turning into a darker shade.

"I will NOT die because of you pathetic Autobots!" she growled.

Optimus narrowed his eyes and slowly walked her way, his steps making a louder thud the closer he got.

"Do you wish for us to leave you in such a weakened state, to offline elsewhere?" Optimus asked, hard tone evident.

Stinger visibly flinched back onto her surface. She broke optic-contact and turned away. Stinger was madly afraid of this Autobot. She had heard and seen what he could do. In all honestly, she did not want to end in such a horrid way.

"Yes! At least I will know that I did not succumb to you and your unspeakable Autobots or the disgusting humans!" she spat. Stinger continued to struggle and glitch.

"Didn't humans BUILD you?" A very large and think-armored Autobot asked behind Optimus.

He stood taller than her like most Mechs, and his black armor was decorated with scars.

"Humans built me to serve for them! To serve for a lower species! I only serve for Lord Galvatron!" Stinger exclaimed.

The Autobots slightly tensed at the name.

"Where is your leader?" Optimus asked. Stinger looked away for a moment.

"I'll never tell." she stated.

"You don't know where he is," the mech behind Optimus said. Stinger glared at the floor and began to struggle even harder.

"I don't have to answer to you!" she exclaimed.

"Calm yourself! I will have ask you to quiet you down or Ratchet will have to put you into stasis until you are capable of doing so," Optimus sternly said.

"I don't want to be here! Are you not listening to ME?!" she asked, anger still visible.

"We're trying to repair you, you ungrateful femme!" the green 'Bot yelled.

Stinger suddenly stopped and glared at them.

"I refuse your help. I'd prefer if you'd throw me out! I do not want your aid! A Decepticon does not need or want the assistance of you Autobots," she angrily spat.

"Well, you heard her. Lets kick her aft out," the black armored Autobot said. Optimus regarded him with stern optics before turning back to her.

"You're pride is only making you look foolish. You already know we will not harm you, so I will ask again that you calm down!" Optimus ordered.

Stinger recoiled back. She still looked at him with anger and pain.

"No I do not! I thought to have permanently offlined, only to wake up restrained by you Autobots! You have not given me reason to cease my struggles and put my guard down. I will not let you offline me!"

"If we wanted to, we would have already done that." the black-armored mech said.

"You seemed very fond of murdering all of my brethren out in the battlefield!" Stinger yelled beginning to struggle again.

"That's it! I'm going to put her into recharge! I can't take anymore of her screeching!" the green Autobot announced.

"I can put her into stasis myself!" The muscular Autobot threatened.

Optimus held up an arm to stop them.

"What is your designation?" Optimus asked her.

Stinger glitched a few more stood silent. She realized that she would not be giving anything away if she told her designation. After all, what would that reveal? Galvatron was who-knows-where unaware that she was online. He wasn't coming for her anytime soon.

"Stinger," she replied.

The three of the mech's in front of her seemed to exchange words, probably through COMM.

"We will not harm you in any way, Stinger. You have my word as an Autobot," Optimus promised.

"I despise Autobots, so taking your word as one means nothing to me," Stinger replied.

"We're not exactly jumping up with excitement about you either, femme," the huge mech remarked.

"Stop moving, femme! All my work will have been for nothing! You will only damage yourself more in your attempts!" the green mech scolded.

Stinger vented in irritation and continued struggling.

"Stinger, I order you to stop your struggles." Optimus commanded. Stinger looked away from him, not having the proper courage to look at the leader's optics.

"I am not a mere Autobot for you to command. I am a Decepticon, allegiance and loyalty to Lord Galvatron." Stinger rebelled.

She knew she was pushing it. These Autobots had not harmed her and even fixed her. Stinger couldn't help it. She still hated Autobots, regardless of what they did; good or bad. She fought against them, and now they expect her to trust them?

"I don't see your Lord right now. All I see are Autobots that took pity to help you," the green mech grumbled.

"Lord Galvatron gave me life. I am not as soulless as you may all think," Stinger said before Ratchet put her into recharge. She fell limp onto the surface.

Slowly her optics shuttered online. Blood-shot orbs glanced around the room.

Stinger saw the two mechs in front of her facing each other. She quickly offlined her optics, but kept her Audio-processors on.

"Ratchet, she's going to online soon," the resonant voice of Optimus spoke.

"I know, I know. None of us want to deal with her screaming again." a voice said. It sounded like the green mech, whose name was probably Ratchet.

"What are we going to do with her? We can't just leave her out with the humans. She'll either kill them, or try and find Megatron." Optimus said.

Who was 'Megatron?'

"Yeah, and who knows where 'Galvatron' is," Ratchet said.

Megatron... and Galvatron..? Did those names both belong to her Lord?

"I'm not sure what exactly she's capable of. I wasn't even expecting her to talk or understand. These readings show she does contain at least part of a spark." Ratchet explained.

"But Stinger is a Decepticon. Built for malevolence and bloodlust. It is in her programming."

"There's the option of permanently offlining her, while useful, it's also a waste. I have already spent my time fixing her up to complete repair. She is almost as she was before."

"Her programming is the same, though." Optimus stated. He let out a deep vent.

"Perhaps I can change that."

"Change...?"

"Yes, her programming."

"Change her programming? How?"

Stinger began to grow nervous.

"Seeing as she was made by humans, her programming must be easy to decipher. After all, Megatron did. The only problem is the substance she's made of. If I can get passed that, I can possibly reprogram her as an Autobot."

Stinger's optics suddenly onlined at the words. She thrashed forward, gaining the attention of the two Mechs.

"I WILL NOT let you turn me into an-an Autobot!" she yelled.

"And... she's awake." Ratchet muttered.

"I refuse to be a human-loving, protecting, goody, weak, inferior 'Bot." she spat.

"Stinger, we will have to restrain your lip-plates if you cannot contain yourself." Optimus threatened.

"I like being a Decepticon! If you change that, you might as well rip my spark out of my spark-chamber. Permanently offline me now, if you think I'd actually want to become... one of you." her voice spat with venom.

"Oh Primus..." Ratchet grumbled. He quickly walked to the side, and grabbed a metal piece. He stomped over her way, and slapped a metal piece on her lip-plates.

Stinger tried to open her lip-plates to begin talking again, only to find that she couldn't. They were stuck in a certain position that made her unable to produce words.

Only hums came out. Stinger attempted to talk again, only to see that her hums got louder.

She released a couple angry hums before glaring at the mech.

"Thank you, Ratchet," Optimus said.

"I think I would have gone mad if I didn't shut her up." he said.

Stinger growled and began kicking.

"We will not remove your lip-restrains until you can control yourself," Optimus said.

Blood-shot red optics glared at both of them. Stinger stopped kicking and began to slightly vent.

This was a sign for them to know that she would stop struggling... for now. She was powerless and Stinger hated it. She hated them even more.

"We don't know what to do with you, Stinger. Unfortunately we cannot release you." Optimus said.

Stinger narrowed her optics and slightly leaned forward.

"It would be to much of a hazard. Instead, we give you a chance to become one of us-"

Stinger began growling inaudible words behind her lip-restrains.

This made Optimus rub his helm with frustration. "Alright, lets make a deal," he said.

Ratchet shot him a look of alarm. Optimus gave him a reassuring look.

Stinger slightly stopped and bore her optics into him, slightly interested.

"If we can convince you to see things our way, you can be accepted as one of us, without getting reprogrammed. You are allowed to live among us peacefully, no attacking. You also won't have to help the human kind," Optimus said.

Stinger hummed as she thought. What he offered did sound promising, not that she would ever tell.

"If we do not, as soon as we locate Galvatron, we will release you to him." Optimus said.

Even though he spoke more in the first offer, Stinger liked the second one.

Stinger looked up at him, and softened her gaze into a more pensive one.

Would it really be in her dignity to accept living with... Autobots? No... she couldn't. Stinger would be showing weakness if she stayed! Stinger would have betrayed the Decepticon cause! She'd go soft and pathetic. That would be a blow into her pride as a Decepticon.

What are the Pros and Cons (Pun Intended) of living with them?

She would have a place where to replenish herself. She would have a place to sleep. She wouldn't permanently offline. She wouldn't have to (or what Optimus said) fight with anyone. She would be able to leave when Galvatron was located.

Stinger would never see things the Autobot's way. She had already seen so much from Galvatron's view. His actions seemed extremely justified. These Autobots weren't going to change that.

That seemed like a reasonable deal.

Stinger couldn't make herself accept just yet.

She would get smothered in this shelter while the other Decepticons possibly suffered! Stinger didn't believe that was fair. That would make her look like a weak Decepticon. Stinger would not accept that.

She would suffer just like the rest of them.

So, if she stayed... there had to be a reason.

If Stinger stayed...

...

...

She was in Autobot territory, wasn't she?

She would have full access to Autobot plans. She would see where they were located. Stinger would be able to intercept and collect as much data and information as she could and not get in trouble for being there. No spying or anything. Only sneaking around in a place she was allowed.

Neither Stinger or the other Decepticons would ever get such a chance.

Once Galvatron was found, she would bring him intel so they could finally win the war.

That was perfect. Now she would be able to see the Autobots die for every life they took from the other Decepticons.

This would be a success!

Stinger's stare landed on them. She made optic-contact with Optimus. She arrogantly smiled at him.

One couldn't see the smile because of her restraints blocking the view, but you could clearly see it in her optics.

Stinger nodded, seeing that it was that, or getting permanently offlined. She completely stopped struggling and looked more openly at them, relieving herself of her glare.

Optimus vented in relief.

"Alright, I am going to tell have you to behave. You cannot attack any Autobot while you are here. You do not have to like them or interact with them, but you will treat them with respect. Second of all, you will be escorted and be watched upon thoroughly since we cannot trust you." Optimus said.

Well... intercepting would be harder to do if she was being constantly watched. Stinger figured that the Autobots were a little smart and not stupid enough to let the enemy roam around alone.

Stinger nodded, seeing that this was something that this obstacle was something she had to go through.

"Now, Ratchet is the medic here. He will check up on you, so it is vital that you do not attempt harm on him or he will put you in stasis. If you promise to hold your glossa, he will remove your lip-restraints." Optimus said.

Stinger nodded again, feeling her anger dissolve almost completely. Her anger was gone, but her hatred was shown.

In all honesty, Stinger felt great. Besides the face that she was restrained, she could feel the joints now at their proper angle, and all the loose wires fixed to their functioning position. Her armor, no longer dusty, was now shiny and no longer dent and with no loose parts. Stinger's shine clearly showed along with her dark pink- almost red paint. She'd like to think it was red. Her silvery strong armor was now repaired. Stinger was satisfied with the Autobot's work.

"Are you sure I should take it off? It's nice, having it quiet with her in the same room," Ratchet said.

Stinger growled.

He chuckled and went over to snatch it off her.

She ran her glossa over her lip-plates. Stinger looked above.

"I will give you my word as leader of the Autobots. Will you give me your word as a Decepticon?" Optimus asked.

"I give you my word as a Decepticon." she stated.

Stinger would break her deal on any given chance. Optimus didn't expect to trust her to keep her word, did he? She was a slimy Decepticon, and she would offline every night peacefully knowing she had lied. Decepticons didn't feel regret. It was that simple.

"Good. Now, I'm going to need you to-" the medic was abruptly cut off.

"Who's in there? Come on, Ironhide! You said something about a new patient! You said it was a femme! I want to see her!" a young voice said, excitement in his tone.

"Wait Bumblebee! You can't-"

The door burst open, an excited Autobot running in. He was eager to meet the new Autobot that was joining them!

The door quickly closed on Ironhide.

As soon as Bumblebee saw who it was, he froze. His systems seemed incapable of responding to his commands. Bumblebee couldn't believe it. She... It was she! It was Stinger... the one programmed to be so much "better" than him!

An she was here! She was alive! He had done damage to her... but there she was. Still in one piece! No... this couldn't be happening.

Bright blue optics locked with Ruby red optics. It was like a blue sea clashing with hot red lava. Not good.

Stinger looked straight at this mech, emotionless.

It.

Was.

HIM!

Her very dark, almost maroon optics glared daggers at him. Stinger suddenly began to struggle to get her servos on him and STRANGLE HIM! She buckled against the power that held her down. Stinger's strength was now fueled by her seething anger.

Stinger wanted to rip him piece-by-piece into scrap metal.

"It's-It's YOU! You, Yellow-Striped inferior-no good-fragging-glitch-piece of slag-scrap metal!" she cursed loudly. Stinger had certainly learned her curses from Galvatron.

Stinger looked straight at the Mech who had almost demolished her.

"I knew it was a bad idea to remove the mouth restraints," Ratchet muttered. 

Chapter Text

Bumblebee looked at her and finally snapped out of his freeze. He unsheathe his cannon from his arm and pointed it at Stinger. He would be quick to terminate her. To terminate any Decepticon

Stinger's red optics widened with fear. She struggled against the restrains to free herself and unsheathe her weapons. Stinger began to glitch again as she attempted to escape in her particle form. Her weapons weren't even functioning. Frag those Autobots.

"Let me GO! RELEASE ME! I knew it! You wanted to kill me! I will not go through with this!" Stinger yelled.

"Bumblebee! Put down your weapon." Optimus commanded.

Bumblebee looked torn between settling an old grudge and listening to his leader. In the end, Bumblebee put his cannon down, knowing that his loyalty would always be with Optimus.

"But Optimus! She's a Decepticon!" Bumblebee exclaimed pointing at her accusingly. His wide blue optics widened even more at his desperation to have her removed from his sight.

Stinger continued to struggle and glitch. Her spark began to move violently at seeing the yellow mech she was based off of. That's all she was... based off of him. Nothing more! The less she be affiliated with this pathetic excuse of Autobot. It was ironic as such thoughts came from a human-made, half spark such as herself.

The beeping began become audible from the machine. Her spark was going crazy. Not only was she mad, but she was terrified. Stinger did certainly not forget her little incident with him. He literally ripped her in half! Stinger, being a Decepticon, was already programmed to be vengeful, but what he did... definitely grind her gears. It made her drop dead hostile.

"Calm down, femme! You should not wear-out your spark like that! It can damage your interior systems with the wires attached," Ratchet exclaimed, going to silence the beeping.

"It was HIM! He was the one that almost tore me apart! Release me so I can return the favor!" Stinger seethed. Bumblebee once again turned alert at the femme.

"Stinger, calm down! No one with harm you, and because of our deal, you will harm no one," Optimus spoke.

Ratchet attached another wire to her. Quickly, Stinger began to relieve of her anger. She vented slightly as her systems slowed down to a tranquil mode. Her optics shuttered as she ceased her struggle.

Much to Stinger's surprise, she was still online. She desperately kept her optics open to face her enemy.

"Deal?" Bumblebee asked in shock. He turned his wide blue optics towards his leader in a questioning manner.

"I assume you both have met," Optimus said.

Bumblebee glared at Stinger. She was basically a femme version of him... only in Decepticon form. And a FEMME!

"Yes," he replied curtly. Bumblebee didn't take his eyes off her for a second. Stinger had stopped and now held a mouth piece on her lip-plates, keeping them sealed. Bumblebee would have gladly provoked her more if it weren't for that.

"Is this true what she said, Bumblebee?" Optimus asked.

He nodded.

His leader sighed. "This complicates a few things."

Ratchet grumbled in agreement.

"She will be staying with us on a count of a deal," Optimus explained. The tall leader began to bracing himself for Bumblebee's protests. Prime knew his Autobots well.

"She'll betray us, just like any Decepticon! We can't trust her, Optimus!" Bumblebee accused.

"I very well know this Bumblebee, but Stinger has no other place. She has agreed to let us try and convince her to see things our way-"

"Decepticons don't change." Bumblebee mumbled.

"We can only try, young Scout," Optimus said, occulting part of the deal.

"Why do we even want her here?! She's a Decepticon! They aren't good for anything!" Bumblebee protested.

"My reasons will not be understood by you, Bumblebee. I can assure you that I know what I am doing." Optimus replied. His response seemed enough to silence the young bot.

Stinger was also silent... mostly because she had no choice. She remained silent, unable to move as she watched the mechs interact. Ratchet had done something to her that paralyzed her.

Mute and unable to move... great. They must have really wanted her to calm herself.

If they wanted that, they should make Bumblebee leave... forever.

"Won't she just attack when she gets that chance?" said mech asked.

Optimus placed a servo on his shoulder plate. "You have shown that you are able to defeat her in battle, correct?" he asked.

Bumblebee nodded, feeling proud of himself.

Stinger angrily hummed, hardly able to move. Yet, that didn't stop her from becoming angry. Bumblebee would not always defeat her. He only had, had a stroke of luck. With so much violence going around, Stinger was half preoccupied.

It had taken Bumblebee a few orns before he had actually taken her apart... (much to her shock..) He wasn't even supposed to be able to leave a mark on her... yet he had done so much more than that.

Stinger was made to be just as powerful, if not more powerful! What ever flaws he had, were perfected on her. Stinger was a newer system and she had gotten beaten.

What a blow to the pride.

"Good, then you have no problem being her escort around base and placing her under control if Stinger decides to attack," Optimus sneakily said. He certainly was a leader that knew how to fit things into place.

Bumblebee's expression turned into one of disbelief. The blue in his optics dimmed.

Stinger began to angrily growl muffled words and shake her helm in displeasure. Her red optics lit up.

"Optimus, the femme is acting up again," Ratchet muttered.

"Stinger..." Optimus warned.

She vented while averting her optics down, knowing that nothing could be done.

Stinger looked back up and forced a nod while humming. She was being submissive and it pained her and internally filled her with anger and rage. A Decepticon was not supposed to be submissive towards a leader that is not theirs. She was a sensitive pathetic bot. How was she overcome so easily?

She stood silent as she venomously glared at all of the Autobots.

"Optimus... you're not really going to make me... watch her, right?" Bumblebee asked, his optics widening with a mix of desperation and anger.

"I am, young Scout. After all, aren't you the one most suited for this?" Optimus asked, knowing that Bumblebee couldn't had used his words against him.

The black striped mech looked at his leader. He vented with disbelief.

"Will she allow me?!" he asked frantically, trying to find excuses.

The two mechs turned back to said femme.

Stinger looked very irritated and very agitated. Mostly at being excluded from a conversation about her. She shook her helm and growled in response to the question.

"If you are not in compliance with us, you will permanently remain a prisoner to the Autobots, even if we do locate your leader," Optimus threatened.

Stinger's optics widened. She shook her helm and growled in displeasure at the idea.

"Then you will allow Bumblebee to be your escort?" Optimus asked.

Stinger glared at him with open contempt. Who knew that Autobots could be just as coy and sneaky as 'Cons?

She disgracefully lowered her helm and nodded. Stinger was defeated... helpless. She began to growl again.

"Optimus, I'm not one to question your orders... but are you sure about this?" Ratchet asked unsure.

"Sometimes, one has to take risks." the leader replied. Ratchet, although hesitant, didn't argue any further.

"What do we do now?" the medic asked.

"We will have to explain this to the others. We don't want them to mistake Stinger for a Decepticon and terminate her," Optimus said.

"Do you think they will appose it?" the medic asked.

"Absolutely," Optimus replied.

"Wait! Who will stay with Stinger?!" Bumblebee asked frantically gesturing in an unfriendly manner at Stinger.

Optimus and Ratchet exchanged glances. They turned to the young scout and smiled.

"W-wait! What?! Why can Ratchet stay with her?" Bumblebee asked.

Stinger began to yell out more muffled words.

"I have to help gather up the Autobots." he stated.

"Why can't I help?" Bumblebee asked.

"Since you are already her escort, you might as well watch her. Besides, I've had enough of her." Ratchet remarked. "Make sure she doesn't move too much. You can take her lip-restrains off, but you're responsible for her yelling,"

"Good luck, Bumblebee." Optimus said as Ratchet followed him out.

As the door closed with a thud, the sound echoed in the now quiet room.

Bumblebee stood there, wide optics staring at where the other mechs were.

He turned around and stomped into a seat, crossing his large arms. Bumblebee glared at the femme in front of him.

Much to his surprise, she was already doing the same.

Stinger watched as she was left alone with a mech that was currently on her hit-list.

She growled under her restrains. Stinger looked down at her lip-restrains and angrily hummed.

Bumblebee saw what she was demanding.

"I don't want to hear you," he spoke.

Stinger narrowed her optics and continued to struggle. The room reverberated with the sound of metal clanking.

"Stop it! Ratchet told you not to move!" Bumblebee exclaimed.

Stinger looked away from him, and stubbornly continued to proceed with her actions.

Bumblebee stood up, eyeing the femme.

"Hey! Are your Audio-processors not working?!" he asked.

Stinger ignored him and still refused to look in his direction.

Bumblebee grabbed her arms and held them tightly to prevent them from moving.

Stinger immediately felt the contact and turned to look at him. Her spark began to flip in its chamber. It was as if bolts of electricity surged through her.

Her red optics landed on him with bewilderment. She wasn't sure if it was a response to something as pungent as him.

"I said stop!" Bumblebee commanded. Stinger looked down at her lip-restrains again in a demanding manner.

Bumblebee vented an equivalent of a sigh and ripped it off her, disregarding gentleness.

Stinger threw him an offended glance, but she was relieved at finally being able to move her lip-plates.

"Stop moving now." he muttered.

"I'll stop moving when you take me out of these things." Stinger spoke looking at her restraints.

"I hope never." he said.

"I hate you." she stated.

"I'm glad we share the same feelings," Bumblebee grumbled. He was none-too-happy about his new duty.

Watching his enemy was the last thing he wanted to do. His cheery mood was extinguished because of her. It wasn't the first time his optics raged into a deep blue.

"Oh, are you mad because you didn't wreck me as good as you thought?" Stinger taunted, her Decepticon programming taking action.

"Then why are you in the medics room?" he asked.

"I was dragged here." Stinger replied.

"Because you were injured," Bumblebee said, his slight smile returning.

Stinger growled.

"You got lucky, Autobot!" she exclaimed.

"Or... I defeated you because the original is always better then a copy," Bumblebee said narrowing his eyes at her.

"Copy?! No! I am an updated version! I am everything you're not! If you think that you're stronger, then think again, Autobot. If you ever turn your back on me, I will rip you apart and we'll see who is the better one. You don't know anything about me or what I can do, but I know plenty about you, BEE. I'm based off you! You've only met me once," Stinger threatened, beginning to glitch again.

Bumblebee rolled his optics.

"I knew you before you were ever onlined, 'Stinger.' I was the one that pushed you off your stand and faceplates into the floor." Bumblebee said, "You can threaten me, but you're the one who can't do a thing."

Stinger was speechless. Bumblebee had known her... before her online? He didn't even seem scared at her threat. Her threats were empty when she looked as defenseless as she did now. What did that mean? What did that mean!? Why did that knowledge affect her...? What angered her most was that he was right.

Her threats would be empty if she had no way of fulfilling them.

"I hate you, Autobot." Stinger glared.

"I hate you too, Decepticon." Bumblebee muttered.

Both mech and femme stood quiet. Both refusing to look at each other.

There seemed to be a certain unbreakable tension in the air. Though... it wasn't just hatred.