The first thing Bumblebee heard as his mind finally started to return to his body was a steady hum, somewhere very close. But the deep toned sound only made the Autobot wish to return back to recharge rather than try to continue the seemingly arduous process of onlining. The noise was comforting to him, even providing a sense of safety in some subconscious fashion.

It might have stirred memories that were now too long faded for him to clearly recall. The spy couldn't know what having another body there was supposed to feel like anymore. It'd been so many stellar cycles since those times where he'd never been forced to wake alone. As a sparkling, there had always been someone there beside him. It wasn't anything like his life was now.

The Camaro too easily forgot where it was that he should be this time either. The driveway, the yard, or the garage…of course he also should have been on four wheels instead of stretched out on his side. But he failed to notice that difference yet, systems only continuing to warm steadily. His antennas shifted, perking briefly, but not yet activating as he only drug his face out groggily across one arm. His battle mask was still locked down into place, just existing as one more thing that wasn't normally there.

The blue optics flickered, only dimly lit as his engine turned. Pressure began to build throughout his lines, bringing his still low amount of fuel into faster circulation. With one side of his face still lying against his arm, the yellow mech finally tried to glance dazedly out, watching as a reddish blur slowly began to come into focus through the darkness. As his optics grew brighter, more and more detail formed before him until he could distinguish the horizon from the sky. The colors in the atmosphere were splitting into several warm hues as the first hints of light began to filter through the stretched mass of clouds.

Sunrise.

Bumblebee stared in a detached sense of disbelief for several quiet moments, watching that distant image and feeling his strangely languid spark seeming to not care about it at all. His chronometer insisted that it was already a few kliks past 6:00am. He had been useless for hours, with nothing to disrupt him.

This strange peace couldn't last indefinitely though. Eventually memories of the night before began to trickle back one after another, until Bumblebee could gradually start putting the pieces all together. The disturbing picture they formed easily put an end to his carefree warmth. As quickly as it had come, the good feeling left again, collapsing into a turmoil of freshly budding humiliation and panic. So very abruptly, even the gentle rumble he'd awoken to was anything but soothing at his side.

It was a striking, but obvious realization now that Barricade had never left him at all. For whatever reason the other mech must have lingered to see everything. And if Barricade had managed to creep back unnoticed, it was also clear that he could have easily departed in the same way. To be here now, only showed how much he wanted Bumblebee to know he'd had an audience.

There was a subtle movement then, pieces of dirt shifting under tires. The realization that Barricade wasn't yet transformed was just as surprising as anything else though. Both their alt modes were only adept for escape or disguise, not fighting. But Bumblebee didn't have the time to care. It didn't matter what the other could be thinking. It was an act of aggression simply by returning to mock him like this.

Gathering the will, the yellow mech finally acted, twisting his frame to abruptly prop himself up. It had to have stopped raining some time ago, but the dirt was still moist as he dug into it, awkwardly positioning himself in a defensive position half between standing and sitting while he first caught sight of the other.

The lingering vehicle was parked only a few precious yards from where Bumblebee had lain oblivious all this time. Barricade looked entirely misplaced with only empty desert behind him, exposed and unmoving. Yet he still had that same air of intensity he always would, now facing Bumblebee in the darkness of first dawn, headlights off and engine growling softly.

The Autobot was silent, waiting for words or for violence. But when several kliks passed with neither, he couldn't mimic the other's stillness for much longer. He wasn't sure what he was prepared to do, either to run or to fight. But something had to give. And it did.

How did it feel?

The transmission swept through Bumblebee suddenly, freezing him into place all over again. Even if he couldn't see the other's face, the image of the cruel smile that would have accompanied those patronizing words was impossible to erase from his mind.

Bumblebee felt his vocalizer tighten, but no sound ever emerged. The silence only erected itself again, save for the dark rumble of the Mustang's engine and the rapid cycling of his own. There was no training, no precedent that could let him fall back on his identity as a soldier in this situation. He couldn't deal with the Decepticon's threats when he couldn't even fully grasp why he'd even done the disgraceful thing that the other was referring to.

You were loud enough…

That next insult pushed Bumblebee far enough. A harsh laugh broke across their private channel as the Autobot lunged forward, trying to goad the Mustang into transforming and facing him in a way that the young spy would have actually understood.

But Barricade eluded him all too easily in his alt mode, engine roaring energetically into the early morning air. The Mustang's tires spun as his body slid in one wide circle, keeping just out of Bumblebee's reach.

When they both came to a stop again, the same taunting distance as before was between them. The Autobot now standing in the center of the circle that the other's tires had made.

Bumblebee had no idea what to say. He could have yelled several pointless things he was sure. Something about Barricade being a Pit spawned lunatic with a deathwish, or a sick glitch that just needed to be offlined to do the universe a favor. Did the bastard really believe that Bumblebee wouldn't send Ironhide and Optimus after him at a moment's notice? Of course Barricade could outrun any of the others. But Bumblebee could catch him if all else failed. He was sure that he could. Barricade could never hide forever. Why was he being such a fool to keep asking for it like this?

The Autobot knew exactly how childish he might sound if he spoke out now with his emotions in such an upheaval like this, but he just couldn't stop himself the more he thought of how idiotic it all was. How goddamned stupid Barricade was being. Everything his enemy was making him feel spun so quickly into anger as the 'con just kept pressuring him too far.

The words finally erupted out over their channel, tumbling one over the other. I don't CARE what you saw, Barricade! You're in no position to do ANYTHING on this planet without dying for it! If you hurt them, we will find you! You know that! Nothing else will matter, we will kill you!

He could have felt foolish for standing here glowering down at a silent police cruiser, but Bumblebee was honest when he said that he didn't care. He was too angry to think of anything else. But he still wasn't going to be left standing there alone with his fans running in loud frustration for long.

The panels that made up the outer shell of the Mustang slid back within moments after the Camaro's outburst, components whirring and shifting deftly around before Barricade was on both legs again. The Decepticon only had to take a couple steps after that to have them almost standing chest to chest.

Bumblebee tensed as the other neared far too close again, engine noise rising warningly at the confrontation. We will find you. He reiterated more quietly, refusing to bow out to the slightly taller mech.

But whether Barricade really believed that or not wasn't made clear as he only responded yet again with something his rival didn't fully expect. "I told you I don't give a shit about them…" the 'con sneered, though getting a slight glint of anticipation in his optics as Bumblebee's right arm shifted quietly into its cannon mode.

"You've got nothing better to do, brat." He added with a low growl after a moment, somewhat more disappointed when Bumblebee never raised the gun to him or said anything more.

It was so difficult not to give in, and fight just like Barricade wanted him to. Every part of Bumblebee knew that no one would deserve a beating more. He could call the other Autobots here and now, and it would be over within a short time. Barricade would be gone and this planet would finally be free of all Megatron's inner circle. Bumblebee was sure that the hunter had done away with a countless number of Autobots and even neutrals without mercy. He deserved no pity.

Yes, destroying him now that he'd been foolish enough to reveal himself was what they should do, but that still didn't make it the right decision. Barricade was now stranded here as much as the rest of them. He had no allies, he had no resources. He couldn't even supply his own energy to feed himself. He wasn't helpless by any means, but he was alone and more vulnerable than he'd likely ever been. It wasn't Bumblebee's place to play executioner by calling the others. But Primus help him, if Barricade made any move to harm anyone else, Bumblebee would do whatever it took to stop him. Autobots like himself killed only in self-defense of themselves or others.

If Barricade didn't force him to that, there was nothing he should do until the wars started again. Though Bumblebee hoped that they never would. Starscream was still alive, but there should be nothing of value to him on Earth now. He could gather the other surviving Decepticons and have his long awaited rule at last, somewhere far far away from this part of the universe.

If only.

The sun was still rising steadily, reminding Bumblebee of the time as the desert got ever lighter. Despite the battle in Mission city, the American government had still done a surprisingly good job of concealing their race's existence and whereabouts from the general public. Part of the agreement of letting the Autobots remain living where they wished to, was the promise on Optimus' behalf that the Autobots would keep themselves as unobtrusive as possible when not needed.

Bumblebee had no wish to be spotted by any low flying aircraft as he stood so exposed in this flat expanse of terrain. And it likely wouldn't be long before Sam would be calling from his cell phone, staring out at the empty garage and rapidly explaining in that sometimes frantic way of his that he couldn't get another tardy without having some dramatic punishment befall him at both school and home.

Some part of Bumblebee was very glad to have those excuses to cut this off here and now. Even if there was no way that it was going to end only because he walked away. If the Autobots or the human army find out about you, it's going to be your own problem. The yellow mech stated so plainly at last, that it almost didn't seem like he was making any life risking decision. If this agreement went wrong, it would do so terribly, with broad reaching consequences far beyond himself. But he didn't know what else to do. For his own sake, Bumblebee was steadily trying to just focus on the fact that he needed to return home. Everything else could be dealt with at a later time.

The Mustang gave a noncommittal sound that was somewhere between impatience and resentful acceptance at this remark.

He doubted he'd ever been in Barricade's presence for this long without them both trying to run each other into a wreck at several hundred miles an hour, or being slung around with claws and plasma shots exchanging to tear down into each other's plating. Every moment of just standing together, silently staring at one another was another step into some unknown territory that Bumblebee had no further desire to explore.

Without another word, the Camaro fell back down onto all four tires, shifting and pulling away quickly before the other could think to retaliate after all. But unfortunately transmissions could carry for miles, and Bumblebee couldn't outrun the next before it struck him just as he was pulling back onto the highway.

It was your first time…wasn't it?

The tone was a genuine purr, as frightening as it was inviting. Something even Bumblebee had never heard from Barricade. But they both knew that he wasn't going to answer him. Not right now. The Camaro only accelerated harder, but never could it be fast enough to escape that.

Get out more often, Stripes. You'll learn a hell of a lot more.

to be continued?