CHAPTER 36
Young Love

"Just be sure she's not crazy this time."

Jeff laughed at Cable's sentiments regarding his and Connie's upcoming date. "Grandpa, you're worse than dad sometimes!" Jeff replied, calming himself to small giggles "Connie is awesome, like I told him, she'll put me down easy if it doesn't work out." He played with the collar of his button up shirt slightly "Come on, nothing bad is going to happen." He explained.

Putting his hands on his grandson's shoulders, Cable nodded his head. "Can't blame us, you knew you were being adopted into a protective family." He patted the boy on the arm slightly, seating himself on the nearby chair "I must say though, the femme is lucky. I don't think I've ever seen you dressed so "sharply" as you humans put it." He explained "You really like her, don't you?" He asked.

"Ever since we were kids." Jeff nodded "You really think I look okay?" He questioned nervously.

Cable chuckled a little at the boy's nervousness. He'd only known Jeff for a few months, but this was a side he had never quite seen before. It wasn't quite the fear he sometimes showed in more dire situations, but it was enough nervousness to be a new characteristic of him. "When your grandmother and I first met." Jeff turned his head to Cable "I got myself a flashy new paint scheme to impress her." He added.

"Was she impressed?" Jeff asked.

Cable chuckled slightly, his holoform leaning back a bit. "Your grandmother was feisty. She told me that it wasn't "me"." Cable shook his head slowly "But she gave me the second date anyway. Her words were "No mech had gone through such lengths to court her"." Jeff grinned a bit "So take my advice, young one. Be yourself, do not put on an illusion." He then added "Femmes love that." He explained.

Jeff nodded his head a bit, unbuttoning the top button for a more "lax" look. Jeff couldn't help but like this feeling, having someone to go to for dating advice. Not just his grandfather, or father, but his uncles as well. They'd each given him the advice that was near the same, as had Prowl. "Thanks Grandpa, I'll keep that in mind." Jeff grinned widely "Even though I can't promise we'll get as far as you and Grandma though." He explained.

"Don't worry, Jeff." Cable stated "You are a wonderful human being, and if this femme is not your "one". There must be someone better suited out there for you." He shook his head "A human such as you is not destined to be single forever." He added.

"You're my grandfather, you're obligated to say that."

Cable stepped up to him again, putting his hands on Jeff's shoulders. It might have been a true statement, but he did mean what he said. "Don't doubt yourself, Jeff. You're my grandson, even if it is through adoption." Cable then stated proudly "Our family is known for its courage and strength. Just as you have shown many times before." He then added "Now go on, she is very likely waiting for you."

Jeff nodded his head a bit, knowing that Cable was right. He came from a family of Praxians, and though he wasn't one himself, Prowl had told him they were known for their courage. A trait that Jeff liked to believe he at least somewhat shared with his adoptive family. He found Connie waiting at the bottom of the staircase, dressed in a nice, long dress and her hair pulled into a ponytail. "Whoa." Jeff muttered.

"What? Too much?" Connie asked.

"No it's just..." Jeff felt the blood as it rushed to his face "You're beautiful."

Connie giggled quietly, allowing Jeff to come down the stairs. She sized him up, Jeff feeling the sweat pour down his face. "You're not so bad yourself." Connie gave a wink "Now come on, Jeff. We really don't want to miss that movie or skip out on lunch." She chewed a piece of her hair nervously "Bumblebee won't like... Go crazy on me, or anything, will he?" She asked.

"Nah, nah, he's cool."

From a safe distance the hulking form of Prowl watched as Jeff opened up Bumblebee's passengers side door for Connie. He couldn't help but at least spy on them as they drove away. He wouldn't follow them, but he could at the very least watch them as they left, just in case. "Prowl." Cable stepped forward as Prowl turned his head "I have spoken to him, and trust me. You need to let this one go." He tilted his head "I know the look on his face. It's the same one I had upon thinking so often of your carrier." He explained.

"That's impossible father. Humans cannot love so early on as we can." Prowl muttered.

"No, but this is not early on, they have known each other for years." Cable looked Prowl in the optics "Heed my words Prowl, the words of an elder 'Bot." He rumbled a bit "It was not simply coincidence that brought them together." He then added "An older mech knows these things."

As Cable turned and walked away, Prowl felt his door wings droop slightly. Cable had a way of knowing what went through a person's head, this much he had proven true time and time again. Perhaps he was misjudging a girl that he had yet to come to know, perhaps it was not coincidence that brought them together. Much like coincidence had not drawn them together. "Prove me wrong, Connie James." Prowl's optics flashed a little bit "Primus knows I want you to." He mused.

As he turned to speak with the other Autobots, who were speaking of Christmas Morning the next day, he sighed quietly. It was going to be a hard afternoon, waiting for Jeff to return. But he could only hope for the best.

...

"So, he just adopted you?" Connie shook her head in surprise "Even with all those other candidates?" Jeff nodded at this again "Geez, Prowl sounds like an amazing guy." She sighed a bit "I know that you don't hear about stories like that all the time, so it's pretty crazy." Another nod of his head came in response "I can't even imagine how scary it was, being in that court room. Having your fate hanging in the balance like that."

Jeff nodded again, he remembered the fear well. Getting to bang the gavel as he was declared Prowl's legal son was the most relieving feeling in his life. "Terrifying. I didn't really believe I was going to be Jeffrey Prowler until he declared me that." Jeff shook his head a bit "I know you probably find it weird. But the first time Prowl hugged me and told me that I was his forever..." He pulled back tears "It was the first time I felt like I really belonged anywhere since I had both of my parents."

Connie smiled a bit, reaching over the table in the cafe to take Jeff's hand. Jeff nearly twitched back, as he was not used to a girl doing so, but slowly found himself holding hers right back. "It's not weird, it's sweet." Connie smiled a bit "And it's proof that even after all these years you haven't changed a bit, Jeff." Jeff laughed a bit "You're still the sentimental, sweet-"

"Sarcastic." Jeff teased.

"Punk that I knew back then." Jeff grinned, Connie smiled "That I liked back then."

Jeff smiled at that, taking a slow, deep breath. He was doing well, that much made him happier than he had ever expected to be on this date. "I like you too." Jeff admitted quietly "So, how about you? How are your parents? Do they still own that hardware store in town?" He questioned "Your mom still make those amazing brownies?" He asked.

"Good memory." Connie laughed "They're doing great. Yes, they do. And ohhhhh yeah. Next time you're in town, they want to see you by the way. They miss you a lot." She explained "When they heard we were going on a date, they nearly flipped. Couldn't believe that you were back in town and all." She paused a moment "This is a date, right? I mean, I called it that because I figured, but..." She paused.

"Only if you want it to be." Jeff blurted out nervously.

"I do."

Jeff grinned a bit, they continued to hold each other's hands tightly. Jeff liked this feeling, the warmness and feelings that he got looking into Connie's eyes, the way his heart raced when he was around her. "It's funny. Even after all these years... I mean some stuff has changed, a lot has changed." Jeff paused a moment "But I still get the same feeling around you that I did back when we were kids." He explained.

"I know, me too." Connie replied.

The next thing Jeff knew, he took a step he had not been sure he was ready to. He'd waited all these years to kiss Connie James, and for the first time in his life, he found his lips pressed onto hers, and the rush of euphoria that soon followed. As he pulled away, Jeff could only give a one-in-a-lifetime goofy smile as his heart raced, threatening to beat out of his chest. "That was..." Jeff paused.

"Amazing." Connie replied.

Jeff didn't believe his ears, as it had, admittedly, been his first time kissing a girl. Yet, he didn't mind, he simply leaned in for another, which Connie obliged. From outside, Bumblebee, still settled in his alternate mode, watched them silently. The sound that came from his engine made it clear, he was happy to finally see Jeff with someone who truly appreciated him. Slowly, he played the soft tune of "I Wanna Know What Love Is" by Foreigner, shifting onto his tires to get as comfortable as he possibly could.

Something told him this was going to be a long, and fulfilling date.