CHAPTER 25
Unknown Facts

"You were chosen you know."

Jeff stared at Prowl a couple of days after his visit with Cable. Jeff had known Cable had talked to Prowl about his insecurities, and though he felt a little bad, he sighed a bit. "I know, I know... You chose to adopt me." Jeff shook his head "You do know "choosing" means something different though, right?" He asked, Prowl tilted his head "I mean you chose me, yeah. But usually when people say that, they mean that..." He leaned back in his seat "Well, parents get these files, right? And they-"

"I know, how do you think you were chosen?" Jeff's eyes lifted up slowly, confusion filling his features "Son, my plan to adopt a human orphan did not simply start when you came into my life." Prowl explained politely "How do you think I received my foster parenting license?" Jeff stared at him, chewing his lip a bit "When you came into the picture, I simply added your file to my pile of possibilities." He explained.

Jeff stared up at Prowl, noting the seriousness in his optics. Jeff felt a little surprised, as far as he had known, he had only ever been his only choice. Jeff stared at Prowl quietly as the mech sat behind his desk. "So the other kids, were they my age?" Jeff asked, Prowl shook his head "Younger?" A nod that time, Jeff stared at him "They were infants, weren't they?" He asked.

Prowl nodded his head a bit. He could not sugar coat the fact that at one time, all he wanted to be to Jeff was a mentor. It had been sheer curiosity that drew him to read Jeff's actual file kept by social services. "I will not lie, when we first met, I only saw in you a new apprentice. But in an attempt to get to know you better, I read over your file." Prowl shook his head a bit "The highest I had gone was two years old. But when I read that file... It amazed me how well we fit together, though your social worker remained "on the fence"." He explained.

Jeff put his hands in his pockets, staring up at Prowl with surprise. "But, I don't get it. A younger kid would have been better for you. You wanted to be a parent. I won't always need one and I'm almost an adult." Jeff shook his head "Why chose me out of all of those files? I wouldn't have." He explained.

A chuckle escaped Prowl's lips at that, shaking his head. It was clear that Jeff had completely forgotten the first time he had taken him to meet his family, and therefore, not making the connection. "I was uncertain either. I knew I felt connected to you, but I was unsure of if this was right." Prowl noted "I had eight candidates lined up, my brother's knew of this. You were one of the eight." He then added "But you were the only one I asked the permission of the social worker to take to meet my family." He noted.

"You mean that weekend...?" Jeff paused "That was to see how I fit into your family?" Prowl nodded his head a little bit "Did you meet any of the others? Invite them over when I wasn't looking?" He asked.

"I met all seven of the others. Which was why I would leave sporadically at times. That day we got back in fact, I met one of them" Prowl explained "They were all very sweet children and infants." He shook his head a little bit "But I could never get you or that weekend off of my mind." He admitted "Your list of issues was the longest. You had disabilities that none of the other children had. And obviously, you had a very rough past." He then added "But I never brought the others to meet my family for a very simple reason." He stared Jeff down "Every time I looked back on your file, all I could think was simply put "this is my son"." He explained.

Jeff didn't know how to respond to what he'd just been told. Jeff had been in the "consideration" pile of many families in his foster care days, he'd remembered being told that most people considering adoption wanted the potential kids files. He felt tears move from his eyes, as he attempted to blink them back. "I just... I can't believe..." He shook his head "I always thought I just fell into your life and you decided I was the easy way to fatherhood or whatever." He shook his head "My social worker never even told me..."

"I asked him not to." Prowl admitted "You didn't know I was even considering adoption. And I did not want to break your heart if I chose another of my considerations." He shook his head a bit "I'm sorry if it upsets you that I didn't just... Pick you out." He paused a moment "But I thought it was only right, and about time I told you the truth behind your adoption." He then noted "Because I would never push you away after finding out about the abuse. Just like I never pushed you away then." He explained.

Jeff was silent, and for a moment, Prowl did not know if he had done damage in telling him this. It was his belief, from research, that it was usually a positive reaction garnered from adopted children who understood they were "chosen" by their parents. "No, no I'm not upset, I just... I can't believe you chose me." Jeff shook his head a little bit and laughed "So that's what Uncle Blue and Smokey meant when they expected me to be a little younger." He explained "Man I was blind." He realized.

Prowl nodded, he crouched down, and rubbed Jeff's back gently. He could already tell, and feel, that Jeff was much happier now that he understood this. "No, you're not, I never gave any indication I was looking into adoption." Prowl chuckled "You would not have known until the day you came into my care as a foster child. And even then you didn't realize." He then added "It was I who should have been up-front with you. And let you know you'd been chosen." He noted.

"You know it's funny. I wouldn't have been if I never came here." Jeff pointed out "If you had never met me, you'd be with a baby right now."

Prowl smirked a bit, knowing that was very true. He often thought about what might have happened had he done that, gone through with his initial plans, that, in truth, he, Optimus, and his family had been aware of. It was likely that Prowl might have been as happy with any of those children, but with Jeff, he had already been happy. "This is true, but I would not trade meeting you, nor reading your file for anything." Prowl noted as he scooped Jeff up into his palm "Remember Jeff, I chose you. And you also chose me." He shook his heads "No regrets, not even now that your secret is out." He noted.

Jeff leaned against Prowl's thumb at that. He now knew just how much truth there was to what Prowl said, they had chosen each other. It hadn't been an easy decision for Jeff, and certainly not one for Prowl, who had the hardest decision of all. "No regrets here, either dad." Jeff paused a moment "I'm glad you gave me a chance... Most people would see my full file and never give it a second look." He explained "The fact you gave me a chance just means... Everything." He explained.

Prowl shook his head, feeling his spark surge with a bit of anger. It was his opinion that those with the most trouble in life were the ones most in need of a parent's love. This was something that Prowl had often asserted that this was the truth. "It's like your grandfather said, Jeff." He then explained "Your file proved to me out of every one of the children I met. You were the one most in need of my love." He then added "And you now have that forever. The other idiots don't know what they missed out on." He noted.

The sound of his com link going off got Prowl's attention. The Autobot sighed, wishing sometimes that his job allowed him to ignore them as some others did. But to say the least, even if there was much more to say, he had no choice. "Prowl, here." Prowl paused a moment, then looked down at Jeff "Yes, I can be there in twenty minutes. Do not engage the suspect until I have arrived." He then turned to Jeff "Rogue Decepticons on the edge of town. They believe some of them may be working for Lockdown." He then added "But-"

"Go." Jeff smiled "You've said all you needed to say."

Prowl smiled a bit, thankful that Jeff felt that way. He'd known it had taken him a long time to realize that Jeff needed to know the truth. But at the very least, now he could tell that Jeff felt happier and more content with the fact that nothing would change in their relationship. "Stay on-base, just in case this is a distraction by Lockdown." Prowl noted "I'll be back as soon as I can be." He noted.

"Go get 'em dad."

Prowl wasn't sure he would ever get the wide, heartfelt smile Jeff had on his face out of his mind. He sighed quietly, thinking over that time in his life. It had been hard to keep his intentions a secret, especially given not many considered him the "fathering" type. It was largely the reason why Prowl had been so hesitant to meet the kids until he realized how good he was with Jeff. Of course, when he got that chance, he had realized that his son had been staring him right in the face for a long while by that time. Yet, as he had told Jeff, he had no regrets, all of it had happened for a reason, and he would never trade the life he had now.

As he passed Sideswipe, whom he knew was likely headed out himself, the mech raised an optic ridge. "That's an odd look to see on your faceplates." Prowl turned to him in confusion "What's with the big smile, Prowl?" He questioned.

"A long story." Prowl smirked "Now come on, we have an incursion to handle."

He didn't care if he looked at all odd in that moment, as he did, without a doubt, feel content.