CHAPTER 9
Growing Up
Prowl was certain he had gone crazy for the first five minutes. But after that, Prowl was fairly certain of the sight at the pub. Jeff, with a girl, at a booth, laughing, drinking a soda. Normally, Prowl would be fine with Jeff being there, even if he had just run into him and Bren there that night it would have been fine. But a girl? Prowl could already feel his processor glitching, Jeff had never gone on a date yet. And frankly, he had hoped he wouldn't until he was, well, married. And yet here was his son, an arm around a young blonde girl, and flirting? Yes, he believed that was the term.
The rest of his family was taking it fine, very well in fact. They had taken up residence at the end of the bar to allow Jeff privacy, and ensure he didn't think they were spying. Prowl on the other hand? He was spying, as far as he was concerned he had more than enough reason to spy. This was his little boy that they were talking about, his son, by far the most important person in his life. He didn't even know this girl, she could have been a pretender attempting to do him harm for all he knew.
A hand on his shoulder nearly made him jump out of his armor. Turning his head towards Bluestreak, who gave him a firm look on his face. "Prowl, you really need to stop spying. Jeff's a good kid, he knows to be careful." Prowl's engines revved in response "I know you don't want to see your son hurt. But seriously, you can't shield him from the world. He's with the femme, the damage is done." He rubbed his shoulder "Relax and have a cube, will you?" He noted.
Prowl took the cube in front of him slowly, but his optics were not taken off of the scene. He sipped it gently, each passing moment fighting the urge to go over there and butt into Jeff's little moment. Cable took notice of his son's actions, he shook his head a little bit. "Don't, and trust me on this one. If there's one thing I've learned from you three it's NEVER to butt in." Cable shook his head "Unless he introduces you, he's best left alone."
Prowl merely nodded at that, not truly paying attention to what his father was saying. Yet, he knew that what he said was true anyway. If he went over there and ruined Jeff's good time, if he interrogated this girl here, Jeff would hate him. He didn't have much time to think it over, as a minute later, Jeff stood, as did Brent, and they left the pub. To an extent, it comforted Prowl to know that Jeff had not done anything with the girl, even if it would have most likely been a kiss or something along those lines.
But at the same time, the thought of Jeff even beginning dating was a scary thought in itself. He realized that Jeff was seventeen, and someday, he would be fully grown and out of the house. But Prowl wasn't ready for that, and Jeff dating was the first step to such independence. Next came marriage, children, grandchildren, his processor nearly glitched as he attempted to take all of this in. "Prowl." He heard Smokescreen, and quickly turned his head "Do I need to reboot your processor, you broken up there?" He asked, knocking on his helm.
Prowl swatted the hand away, but slowly brought himself out of his thoughts, none the less. He carefully lifted the cube of energon to his lips again, and sighed. "So, father." Prowl finally spoke up "I wanted to ask you a question." Cable simply nodded his head slowly "What happened to carrier? After you disappeared, and the fact we never saw her again either..." He paused "I wish to know if you know what happened."
Cable was silent for a moment, knowing that this question would come up sooner or later. He bowed his head a little bit, setting his own Energon on the counter, and staring between his sons. "The same assault in which I was taken hostage took the life of your carrier." Cable said quietly "I wish I could have said this when it happened. I had no chance." He shook his head "Yet, may she rest peacefully in The Well." He added.
Prowl nodded his head a bit, sighing quietly. This night had not quite been the best that it could have been. But then again, it had started as a talk they needed to have and ended at being at the wrong pub at the wrong time. In its own way, it was destined to be an awkward start to their visit, which was supposed to last a week. "It's too bad, though I suspected as much." Prowl explained, he stood from the bar "Well I don't know about the rest of you, but I think that I've had about as much of tonight as I can take." He noted.
"Aw, Prowl, it's not even midnight yet." Bluestreak noted "Sit back down, it hasn't been all bad." He explained.
Prowl smiled uncertainly, he'd failed to sway his father and found out his son was quickly growing up. It wasn't a successful or easy night, not when he still felt that need to keep both of those factors as safe as possible. A job, it was becoming more and more certain, would be easier said than done. Yet, forcing a slightly wider smile, he sat himself at the bar. "I'll need a high grade this time though." Prowl grunted "I'm gonna need it." He added.
And to tell the truth, he very well might have. Chugging the rest of his Energon, Prowl simply thought over everything he had once again. He didn't know if he was ready for Jeff to grow up, this much was true. But he had a feeling that pretty soon, he would have to figure that out.
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A/N: Blergh, short chapter, I know. But I felt this was one of those scenes that deserved its own chapter and is better to stand-alone. Hopefully you'll agree. :) Reviews make my day!
