Ironhide jumped off the cliff after Bumblebee. The portal closed before he made it though. The black mech ended up crashing into the sand below.

He spat out some sand and then shouted, "No!" He hit one of his rusty black fists to the ground. He got to his feet and looked back up. He saw the other two mechs, Ratchet and Optimus, looking down at him. Sam stood with them. Ironhide climbed the cliff back up to them.

He started pacing around, cannons showing and ready to fire at Quintessa if she came back.

*X*

Ratchet watched Ironhide for a few minutes as the black mech paced. Then the medic sat down and put his hands to his head. Optimus started sharpening his sword.

To Ratchet, it seemed as if those two thought Quintessa was coming back. Ratchet knew she wasn't. She had gotten what she came for, Bumblebee.

Ratchet sighed as his thoughts were drawn back to memories of Bumblebee when they were back on Cybertron. Back when the mech didn't know anything about the war. Before he ever killed a mech.

*X*

When Optimus finished sharpening his sword, he put it away and transformed into truck mode. He locked his doors and just sat there, doing nothing, except for dwelling over his thoughts.

Will Bumblebee be alright? This is my fault. I could have stopped him from falling. What if she used her powers to pull him? What is happening to him now? Will he die?

*X*

Sam looked at Optimus. The Prime was most likely blaming himself for what had happened. He shifted his gaze back to the pacing weapons specialist, who wouldn't stop cursing. Every now and then he would cough or grunt. He looked at the unmoving form of Ratchet, who had his hands to his head.

Sam was just as upset as they were. Bumblebee hadn't just been his guardian. Bumblebee was a friend, an ally. Bumblebee was family and now Quintessa had him in her grasp. Sam felt tears sliding down his cheeks. He curled up into a ball on the desert ground and hoped Bumblebee would be alright.

*X*

Bumblebee was looking up at the now alien form of Quintessa. Bee was scared. Not just for himself, but for his friends. He remembered what she had done to Optimus. She could do it again. Bee stared at Quintessa.

"You shall be punished for shooting me!" She shouted.

"I did what I had to do." He spat back.

"What's your name?" She snarled.

He didn't answer her.

"I know you heard me!" She roared. "What is your name?"

"I'm not giving anything away." Bee put as much menace into his voice as he could. "I'm only loyal to Optimus and the Autobots!"

"Then I'll make you tell me, but it looks like we have to do this the hard way." She sneered.

"The hard-" Bumblebee was interrupted with a whack in the back of his head. "Ouch!" He turned around and got up to see Quintessa's new guardian. "Oh no."

"Spit it out!" Quintessa shouted. "All of it!"

"Never." Bee countered. He transformed his hand into a cannon. He kept moving from Quintessa to the guardian. "Want me to shoot you again?"

The guardian charged at Bee, who barely jumped out of the way. The scrambled to his feet and fired at the guardian. It took almost no damage. It came back towards him, swinging a battle axe. The axe connected with the yellow mech's chest and he flew across the room.

Bee made his face shield close over his face. He got up and this time he charged at the guardian. He kicked it in the side of the head, which did nothing, but make it angrier.

"Ready to give up yet?" Quintessa asked darkly.

"Nope. Never happening." Bee spat.

The guardian stopped fighting and stood up to his full height. Bee was confused. "What the-"

Bang!

Quintessa had hit him on the left side of his face. He fell to his hands and knees. He tried to get back up, but he could no longer control his movements. He felt the paint on the side of his face change. Probably to red and his optics now purple. He tried to say something. He couldn't.

Quintessa was controlling him!

*X*

Ironhide stopped pacing. His legs hurt as bad as his head. He sat down and coughed. He stayed silent, just like Sam and the other two bots. There wasn't anything to talk about anyway.

About an hour later, Optimus finally said something. "Should we get a move on?"

"No." Ironhide simply said, his voice hoarse from his sickness.

Ratchet got up and walked over to him. "You alright?"

He just nodded in reply.

"You sure?" Ratchet asked.

"Nope." He chuckled slightly. "I'm never sure about anything."

Ratchet rolled his optics. "You've gotten worse since I last saw you."

"I know." The weapons specialist grumbled. "Don't expect me to live forever."

*X*

Sam just watched the bots. A few minutes later they settled back into silence.

It was sunset now. The Autobots had transformed into vehicle mode to rest or recharge. Whatever they called it. Sam closed his eyes and sleep immediately came.

The next morning he woke up to the heat of the desert returning. He got up and walked around. The Autobots soon transformed into robot mode again. They all sat down, doing nothing at all, but hoping. Hoping and waiting.

*X*

Quintessa opened up a portal. She made him go through it and she followed. Her guardian stayed behind in the ruins of Cybertron. The other end of the portal wasn't far from the Autobots and Sam.

He and Quintessa stepped through the portal, facing them. They looked in the direction of Bee and their creator. Sam obviously noticed that Bee was being controlled.

"Kill them!" Quintessa screeched.

Bumblebee charged.

*X*

"Guys, he's being controlled!" Sam shouted.

"I know!" Optimus shouted. I hope this doesn't end up with anyone dying, The Prime thought. He opened his swords out of his wrists.

Bumblebee reached the Prime first. Optimus used his swords to block shots from the yellow mech's cannon. He deflected one back into Bee's chest. Then, Optimus noticed something. Bumblebee had a sword in his other hand!

Bee turned his cannon back into a hand and griped the sword with both. He swung it, barely missing Optimus' head.

The Prime started fighting back. They were now locked in a sword duel.

*X*

Ratchet charged at Bumblebee with Ironhide right behind him. Ratchet had a gun in his hand, and Ironhide's cannons were ready to fire if he had to.

Ratchet reached Bee first, smacking him in the shoulder with his gun. The yellow mech countered by kicking Ratchet in the face and sending him flying.

*X*

Quintessa's eyes gleamed with pleasure as she watched the battle. Sam was staring right at her. He wanted to kill her. She takes Bee and controls him! Not fair! He looked at the metal bracelet on his wrist. He scratched him head. He wished it could turn into a sword so he could kill her and free Bee.

*X*

Ironhide elbowed Bumblebee in the face. The yellow mech punched him in the chest, knocking the weaker mech to the ground, who started coughing.

Stupid illness! Ironhide thought. He forced himself to his feet, to keep fighting. He tried to kick Bee, but he missed. He suddenly saw a sharp point sticking through his chest and spark chamber. It was a sword. Bumblebee had stabbed him.

Ironhide fell to his hands and knees, energon pouring from his wound and spilling out of his mouth. He felt the sword get pulled out. He tried to crawl away from Bumblebee, but he collapsed instead.

The sword went through his chest again and Ironhide spat out more energon. He felt his optics start shutting down. "No, no, I have to keep fighting!" He roared.

He felt Bumblebee punch him in the head.

"Ironhide!" Sam screamed.

Ironhide mustered all of his remaining energy and turned, punching Bumblebee in the face, hard. He saw the yellow mech go flying. It was the last thing he saw as he was plunged into blackness forever.

*X*

Ratchet saw Ironhide stop moving. He raced over to the mech's side. His optics had offlined. Ironhide was dead again.

Ratchet felt rage flow through him. He charged at Bumblebee. He punched him to the ground. He climbed on top of him and started rapidly punching him. "You killed Ironhide!" He yelled angrily. "You killed him! Snap out of it, Bumblebee, before you kill someone else!"

Bee kicked him in the chest and he flew off of the yellow mech.

*X*

Optimus got back up and aimed his swords at Bumblebee. "Please, Bumblebee, please. Don't make me do this." He pleaded.

Bumblebee charged at him. He felt himself get knocked to the ground. Before he could get up, Optimus felt Bee's sword cut off his leg halfway down the calf. He let out a cry of pain.

"Ready to die, Prime?" The voice came out of Bumblebee's mouth harshly.

Panting, he looked right into his eyes. "I will if it'll make you stop killing Ratchet and Sam."

Bumblebee aimed the sword at the Prime's chest. He charged.