Transformers Book of One-Shots Book 2 ✔

TFP | Arcee: The Pain Never Goes Away

Request by: @Butterflymed

A day to remember fallen friends hurts Arcee and confuses the others.

Four years since Tailgate was killed and one since Cliffjumper was killed. Both were my partner at the time of their deaths. Arcee watched most of the other Autobots, knowing Bulkhead was getting the Autobots four human friends. Fowler wasn't exactly a friend to the team. She couldn't believe no one else remembered at least how one year ago today, Cliffjumper was killed.

She finds a tree in the military base grounds. Bumblebee watches her gather wood and start to build what he assumed is a treehouse, but the kids never brought up wanting one.

"Why are you building a treehouse?" Bumblebee asks in beeps and other sounds.
"BECAUSE I WANT TO!" Arcee snaps.
"Or is this about Cliffjumper?"
Arcee appeared to have spaced out as she remembered the days her two partners were killed.
"Frag off Bumblebutt!"

Ratchet is troubled seeing Bee in tears.
"Bumblebee, what's wrong?"
"Arcee is in a mood," Bumblebee beeped.
Ratchet then realized all his tools were missing. Bumblebee watches the angered medic walk outside.

"Arcee! You know not to touch my tools!" Ratchet scolds as he gathers his tools, causing the beginning of the treehouse to fall to the ground.
"Bumblebee!" Arcee rages and begins firing at the two mechs, who transform. Arcee chases them around while in her alt mode.

Bulkhead unsuspectingly drives into the building that serves as a temporary base. Unaware of what's going on until the four humans and Bulkhead hear Bumblebee and Ratchet screaming as they drive by Bulkhead along with Arcee, who's still shooting.
"Uh, what did we miss?" Bulkhead asks as if the four humans know.

Bulkhead gets the four kids to a safe place before transforming. Arcee stops firing at Bumblebee and Ratchet, transforming in front of Bulkhead.
"Miko, how much do you want for Bulkhead?" Arcee asks.
Everyone looks at Arcee, shocked and confused.
"Arcee, I'm not for sale. We're a team—," Bulkhead tries to explain, but Arcee interrupts by kissing him.
Smokescreen sees this as a serious problem, and Bulkhead needs to be out of Arcee's reach. He uses the phase shifter to get Bulkhead outside.
"What do you think you're doing, soldier?!" Ultra Magnus scolds.
"My dude isn't for sale!" Wheeljack scolds.
"Your actions are unacceptable!" Optimus scolds, "what troubles you?"
"I'm fine!" Arcee argues, "why is everyone assuming I'm upset?!"
Suddenly Arcee cries, saying she misses Cliffjumper and Tailgate before running to her berthroom. Jack tries to go after her, but Optimus picks him up. As Jack sits on Optimus' servo. Optimus tells everyone to leave Arcee alone.
"Don't have to tell me twice," Ratchet comments.

Arcee sits on her berth, looking at pictures of herself and Tailgate and pictures of herself, Cliffjumper, and the team before Cliffjumper's death on her datapad. 
"I should have died instead of Tailgate and Cliffjumper," she sobs.
Optimus walks into the room and sits on the berth beside her. Arcee bawled while throwing her arms around Optimus, wailing that Tailgate and cliffjumper died and how Jack was nearly killed when the Autobots were forced to exchange the omega keys for their human companions back on Cybertron. Optimus hugged Arcee, comforting her.
"Every Autobot misses Tailgate and Cliffjumper. I know it's hard, but we need to move on with our lives, and everyone at the base is here to support you."
Arcee smiles and wipes her tears away.
"Thank you, Optimus, for not only your leadership to the team but also for showing love and support to everyone like family."
The two walk out of the room to see Smokescreen juggling the four humans as they laugh. Ratchet and Ultra Magnus look like they're about to grab the four humans while the others watch, amazed.