TF-Moon Shadows Ch1-Nothing

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Transformers, or any of the song/movie quotes used in this story.  However, the idea for this story does, indeed, belong to me.

HERE'S YOUR TRADITIONAL, FRIENDLY NEIGHBOORHOOD REMINDER THIS IS NOT A SLASH FIC.

NOTE: DO NOT READ THIS FIC UNLESS YOU HAVE SEEN DARK OF THE MOON!!! MAJOR SPOILERS ABOUND!
Moon Shadows 1/7
Title: Nothing
Rating: T (Just to be safe)
Words: 413
Characters: Sam, Sentinel, Bumblebee, Ironhide, Mirage, Sideswipe
Pairings: None
Takes Place: During Dark of the Moon
Spoiler Warnings: Reading the novels/comics/seeing the movies helps.
Other Warnings: ANGST, and Character Death.
Teaser: There was nothing he could do.  Nothing at all, and he hated himself for it.

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THE WORLD IS CRUMBLING AROUND BUMBLEBEE.

They were safe.  They had made it back to the NEST base; they had done their job.  For a brief moment, everything had been fine.

And then…

"You have to understand.  We were never going to win the war."

He didn't understand.  How could he?

"For the sake of peace, a deal with Megatron had to be made."

He can do nothing.  Nothing as Sentinel, the one they trusted, the one they had protected, the one they had taken here, the one who was supposed to help them, turns around and shoots Ironhide at point-blank range with his Cosmic Rust blaster.

Nothing as Sentinel fires again.

"What have you done?!"

"I hereby discharge you from duty."

Nothing as yet another devastating blast tears through the fallen Ironhide, completely destroying any hope they had of treating his injuries.

And Slag it all, he can do nothing as Sentinel turns to him, ready to do the same as was done to Ironhide.

He can only watch helplessly as the closest thing he had to a father lies rusting into nothing.  Ironhide is still alive, but barely, and Bumblebee is about to join him.

And then, that nothing turns to something as a few shouted words reach him through his daze.

"No, NO!  BUMBLEBEE, LOOK OUT!"

Sam.

Bumblebee dodges the blast that is meant for him, and fires back.  It is useless, he knows, even before he sees Sentinel dodge.  Yet he fires again, and again, until a very weak communication rings through his processor.

Run, kid…get away from here…

Ironhide?

Go!

Bumblebee fires once more, again uselessly, then heeds Ironhide's last order as he folds down into vehicular mode, zooming away from the base to join the already fleeing Sideswipe and Mirage.  He feels like a coward for running.  For leaving Ironhide, for leaving Sam.  He hates himself for it.

But there is nothing he can do.

And as he drives away, a broken mechanical sob escapes his vocal capacitor.

He will not see Ironhide again, he knows.  His adoptive father is gone.  Gone, forever.

He can only hope that he will see Sam again, soon, and that when he does, the boy will be unharmed, alive.  Safe.

He lost his father.  He would not be able to stand losing his brother.

Bumblebee drives, but he will return for Sam.  

And when he returns, he will not let the treacherous nothing prevent him from protecting his family.

Never again.