CHAPTER 28
A Kodak Moment

Prowl returned home to Jeff coming out of the bathroom sluggishly dragging himself along like the living dead. Frowning a bit, Prowl felt his optic ridge furrow as he made his way towards him. "Still feeling quite sick, are you youngling?" Jeff turned holding his stomach and nodding slowly "Easy there, I'm here now." He cooed gently, picking Jeff up "C'mon, let me get you to bed, and we'll get some medicine in you." He noted.

Jeff only nodded slightly, allowing Prowl to carry him. It was a good think to feel the warm tug of their bond so close again, it only ever helped. Though Prowl knew Jeff may have argued against the attention if he was not burning up and miserable, he didn't mind. "Dad?" Jeff belched slightly as Prowl set him into his bed "I'm sorry." He muttered.

"What for?"

"That you have to take care of me like this."

Prowl frowned, carefully moving some hair away from Jeff's face. "Oh yes, because Primus knows I didn't sign up to take care of you through everything." Prowl shook his head "Nor did I know what I was getting myself into I simply signed on the dotted line." At Jeff's bug eyes, Prowl chuckled "I was kidding Jeff. This is my job, one that I am happy to do even if some aspects of it are not quite pleasant." He explained.

"But-"

"Shhhhhh little one." Prowl cooed "You're my son, I will help you get better."

Jeff grunted, falling back into the soft mattress. It still felt odd, laying in a soft bed enveloped in warmth while he was sick. Most of the time, he would feel nothing but dirt and grime around him when he felt this bad. Instead, this time, he was surrounded by the four walls of a bedroom that was his, and he wasn't sure he'd ever get used to that. He took the medicine he was handed slowly, and looked up at Prowl. "Dad?" Prowl peered at him as well "Why do you act so different around me?" He asked "You're so hard at work, but here you just... I don't get it." He muttered.

Prowl chuckled a little, shaking his head at the comment. As he carefully tucked the boy in, he looked him over a bit. "I'm tough that much is true. I can be tough with you sometimes too, as you know." Jeff was silent, but nodded "But in my job, I'm required to be tough as a second-in-command. Here I can show my softer side without it being seen as a "weakness" should I encounter a Decepticon." He explained.

"So I'm your weakness?" Jeff questioned.

"Yes, I must admit that."

Prowl allowed his holoform to appear beside Jeff, silently sighing to himself. Jeff wanted to tell Prowl not to stay up all night to watch and comfort him, but he also knew that he would never listen anyway. "Dad?" Jeff questioned, Prowl peered over at him "Just promise me you'll get SOME recharge." Jeff groaned, belching again "This isn't good for your health, at all." He explained.

"I'll recharge when you're asleep." Prowl explained quietly "Tell me when you need the waste bucket or bathroom." He explained.

When Jeff finally fell asleep in his arms, Prowl was convinced he could leave for the night and recharge. it was an assumption that ended no more than ten minutes later when he heard vomiting coming from Jeff's room. He found Jeff spewing it into the waste basket he had left him, tears running down his cheeks as his holoform appeared again, rubbing his back. "That's it son, purge it all out of your systems." Prowl shook his head "This is a good thing, believe it or not." He stated quietly.

"It burns." Jeff whined quietly.

As he set the waste basket down, Prowl moved to dispose of the contents. He could tell that Jeff was miserable, but the most painful thing was that he could do nothing to help other than make him comfortable. Though he reminded himself it could have been worse, he could have been dealing with a human "terminal illness". "I know it's miserable, youngling." Prowl noted "But this is why I'm here. To make it easier." He noted "Lay down, try and sleep some more." He noted.

"You too." Jeff muttered.

"No." Prowl noted "I am staying."

Jeff couldn't believe it when Prowl had stayed there all night with him a second time. Comforting him as he got sick, and keeping him calm as Jeff tried to sleep, with success, however minimal. Even when he finally did get to sleep, he knew Prowl hadn't gone to recharge as he felt gentle hands caress his head. It was such an odd feeling, but the more he did it, the deeper he snuggled into Prowl's chest. It was an odd feeling, but one that he liked. He meant it too, he did like the feeling of having a parent who stayed up with him rather than blew him off.

When he woke up, Jeff felt better than he had the previous two nights. By the way he felt, he knew that his fever had gone down, and though the queasiness was still there, he no longer felt the urge to vomit as soon as he was conscious. "Dad?" Jeff stared over to where Prowl had been.

He found Prowl in the corner of his bedroom, recharging against the wall. Jeff knew he must have been wiped, having gone without recharge two nights in a row, and had more than earned the rest. He slowly climbed out of bed, stepping over to Prowl. It took him only a moment to climb up into the crook of his arm, but once he had he laid across it. He had to admit, he liked it, he liked the feeling being by him when he was sick felt. As he slowly fell back into a slumber, Prowl onlined one optic, a faint smile crossing his lips as he held his son close.

"Dad?" Prowl peered down at Jeff quietly, the boy slowly lifting his eyes to look at him "Didn't mean to wake you up, I'm sorry." He muttered, barely conscious at the moment "Go back to-"

"Go back to sleep, Jeff, you're fine."

As Jeff shifted, Prowl made quiet sounds in Cybertronian. Though it was often used with sparklings, Jeff found the sound of the metallic language soothing. The sounds almost sounded like a lullaby, and if they were translated, he had no doubt it would be just that. "If you insist..." Jeff muttered, he felt his eyelids slowly droop over his eyes "But you need to get back to recharge."

Prowl only smiled at that, nodding his head, and leaning back. Recharge was claiming him too quickly to move, but as it was early, he had no doubt that he would wake in time to get to work. He remembered when his father had done the same thing, though he had been much younger. And though Jeff was a teenager, he had no doubt that the comfort he was showing was helping. Allowing his optics to slowly offline, he sank into recharge, convinced that the worst of Jeff's illness was finally over.

...

Prowl awoke to being tapped on the shoulder gently. Onlining his optics, he stared up to see Bumblebee's form hovering over him. The young scout merely grinned down at him, as still held the sleeping Jeff in his arms. Jeff almost looked like a newborn sparkling, clutching onto Prowl's chest plates with tiny, human hands. "I took a picture of that, hope you don't mind. I'll send you a copy." Bumblebee grinned "It was too adorable not to snap." He paused a moment "Need me to take him for the afternoon again?"

Prowl stood a bit, shifting Jeff as easily as he could. He looked thoughtful for a long moment, wondering if it was the best thing to do. He hadn't recharged at all the last two nights, and Jeff seemed most comfortable with him when he was suffering. "No, Bee. I think I'll take care of him today." Prowl shook his head "I have no appointments, I have completed my last few reports, and-" He began.

"And you just want to be with him while he's sick."

Prowl gave a small smile a bit, and nodded. "It's all good, Prowl. I'll inform Prime about this." Bumblebee patted the mech on his back a bit "You work constantly anyway, one day won't hurt. Trailbreaker can take over for you and all." He looked down at Jeff as he slept "I never thought anyone would have the guts to do something like that." He noted.

Prowl chuckled as he gently rubbed Jeff's back with a single finger. "Yes, well. I waited a long time for this feeling." Prowl admitted quietly, looking Bumblebee in the optics "Listen Bee, he and I really need the recharge. So you need to get out for a bit, alright? You can visit him once he's gotten at least a little better." He noted "Thank you for taking care of things for me." He added.

Bumblebee only nodded and left as Prowl carried Jeff to his berth room. Normally, Prowl wouldn't do such a thing, but that morning was different. He carefully laid himself on the berth, making sure that Jeff was in a comfortable position. He definitely didn't like Jeff being sick, but getting to hold him like this for the first time was priceless. Jeff didn't move at all, continuing his quiet snoring as he buried himself deeper into Prowl's arm. "I love you, Jeff." Prowl whispered quietly.

As if to respond, Jeff gently hugged a side of his arm plating. As Prowl found himself slowly falling into recharge again, he felt content he had made the right decision.

...

A/N: I know this chapter was very fluffy. But it was time for some more fluff and all. :P As always, reviews make my day!