CHAPTER 36
Without You

Jeff was about giving up hope by the time one month turned into three. The good news? Peter had cleaned up his place to show he had a good home, if you could even say that it was a good one. The bad news? Peter was easily the biggest creepy alcoholic scumbag that Jeff had ever met in his life. Most of his days Jeff was at home, he woke up every morning at 4: 30, since Peter would be passed out on the couch, wasted, and unable to drive himself anywhere let alone him to school. At which point, he walked five miles to school, at which point he'd be picked up by an Autobot, as they were still stationed outside his school until the situation with the Decepticons was over.

Jeff could have easily told them four times over about the way he was being treated. Between the fact that he was expected to know how to cook food, despite not having the first clue how to, and the rest, Jeff had lost notable weight and much of the self-confidence that he'd gained with Prowl along with it. The door slammed open that night at the same time it did every night: ten at night. Which meant that Peter was back and probably in a fowl mood, or with some hooker he had picked up from the local brothel down the street.

"You'd better be in bed, kid!" Came Peter's rough voice from the other room "I have Sharon coming over in an hour, and you know how she hates kids!" The door to his bedroom slammed open as the stench of booze wafting up to Jeff's nostrils "Remember for the next four hours, you don't exist. I'm locking up your door right now." There was a pause "You understand me?"

"Yes, sir."

The door slammed shut, and the sound of his door being locked was the last thing he heard before Peter walked off. The before mentioned fact that he could have told the Autobots was true, but in truth, he was terrified of what this man might do to him if he did. Peter had never tried to hurt him, not physically, at least, but he had a feeling that given enough reason, he'd beat him until he was black and blue. His eyes retreated towards the window near his bed, and towards the center of town.

During the day, you could barely see it among the other skyscrapers of New Chicago. But at night, the Autoobot base was lit just enough that it stood out well enough, something Jeff took comfort in. He hadn't seen Prowl since the day he left the base, but often, as he stared out at the base, he'd imagine being back there with him. He imagined the warm food of the mess hall, the soft sheets of his bed, and the loving touch of the Autobot second-in-command he had come to love more than anything.

Now, all that he had was a rock hard bed, in a low rent apartment, with a sleaze bag who used the money he got on booze and hookers. Jeff laid his head against the pillow and felt tears sting his eyes, not for the first time in the last three months. He quietly wondered if Prowl had forgotten him and he'd be stuck within his own personal hell forever. The thought caused his whole body to quiver in disgust, the thought of spending the rest of his life with this man was worse than hell. He brushed his eyes with the back of his hand, and turned onto his side.

In the silent night, Waspinator watched the young human with a look of outright glee. It would be time to strike soon, he knew it, the others knew it. Now that Prowl was not in the equation any longer, they had him.

...

Prowl wasn't just tired, he was downright exhausted, but the work causing these feelings was, at the same time, the only thing keeping him sane. He had far from forgotten Jeff, in fact, he didn't even dare go into his room for fear he himself might break down in grief. Social Services, despite his and Optimus's best efforts, was giving him a hell of a time as he tried to convince them Jeff was better off in his care. He took a deep breath and stood from his desk, unable to take the stress any longer, he needed a break, from all of it.

"Prowl." Ratchet called from down the hall as the SIC's optics stared up "Wait up."

"I'm busy, Ratchet."

Ratchet frowned, not believing his words for a second, he quickly caught up to Prowl and laid a hand on his shoulder. Though in the med bay, this may have been an odd sight, outside of it, Prowl knew Ratchet's concern for his friends did sky-rocket. "I heard about how things are going." Ratchet commented quietly "Perhaps burying yourself in your work is not-"

"I know it's not healthy for me, but what else am I supposed to do?" Prowl grunted "I've been fighting with them for three months, and none of them will listen to me on the fact that this man is bad news." He shook his head a bit "You didn't see the way he looked at me, you did not smell the stench that he gave off..." He shook his head "I genuinely fear what Jeff might be going through right now." He noted.

Ratchet grimaced a bit, knowing full well about what Jeff's uncle had been like. Optimus had told him the same thing, but without definitive proof that the man had cruel intentions none of them could do anything. "I think we're all worried about his safety at this time. But according to Bumblebee the boy refuses to say a word." Ratchet shook his head a bit "Perhaps if Sideswipe and Arcee got him alone, or one of us did..." He began.

Prowl shook his head a bit. "Why would he talk to me after I let him down?" Prowl questioned.

Ratchet was silent at that, uncertain of how to answer that himself. It took all of five seconds for Prowl to feel himself backhanded hard and without mercy. Prowl rubbed the back of his helm, and glared daggers at Ratchet. "Don't give me that, you love that boy more than anything. If there's any one he'd talk to, it's YOU." Ratchet spoke flatly "I'm tired of you putting yourself down lately. "Man up" as the humans would say, and find out how this man is treating him." He noted.

"You just assaulted a superior officer." Prowl grimaced.

"SOMEONE needed to knock the sense back into you." Ratchet snapped loudly "This is NOT the Prowl I know, or have worked with since I was a fragging rookie! That Prowl would not go into a little hole of depression because of this! He'd be out there looking for what he thought was wrong!" Prowl backed up a bit as Ratchet trapped him against a wall "If you truly want to help that boy you'll stop moping around and get on that! Otherwise all you'll ever have is that regret." He backed up slowly.

Prowl stood there silently slumped against the wall silently, his optics tracing the floor. "You're right." Prowl shrugged Ratchet off "My apologies for bringing you to this point, Ratchet. I have never dealt with such a depressive state before." He explained "I am not quite certain how to take it, the pain in my spark. It's so different... And even new." He noted.

Ratchet stared as Prowl literally held his spark, silently staring up at him. "You formed the artificial bond of an adoptive creator with him?" Prowl nodded his head slowly "Primus, now that is a miracle in it's own right. Never before have I imagined we could tether our sparks to the heart of a human." He admitted "Can you talk to him through the bond?" He questioned.

"I... Am uncertain." Prowl admitted "I have tried, but I do not believe he has discovered the bond yet. He has never responded. Though I can feel much fear and sadness through it..." He paused "Such a feeling can mean many things." He explained.

"Indeed."

Prowl was silent for a moment again, uncertain of what to say to Ratchet. He didn't feel as though talking about his current feelings was helping, as much as he hoped it would. Prowl could feel his berth calling to him by this point, sleep was most definitely what he needed. Just enough to give his processor a break from the stress he was under. "Ratchet, I need recharge." Prowl patted his friend's shoulder gently "And you need to go to the brig."

Ratchet stared at him in surprise. "What for?"

"You assaulted a superior officer on-duty." Prowl smirked a bit "Tell the guard drones you get three hours for that."

Ratchet could already tell that Prowl was feeling better after their talk, at least if he was acting this way. Grunting, he made his way down the hallway, biting back a retort for now. It was better to leave this on a good note of Prowl at least waking up from his depressed state after all. Prowl, on the other hand, only felt a little bit better, still worried for the one thing that prevailed through his bond with Jeff: fear. More often than not, a bond between parent and child in their kind was one of the strongest. Even when it was a bond through adoption you knew when something was wrong one hundred percent of the time.

The fact that Jeff was feeling such fear, therefore, made him worry. Had this man hurt him? He could only feel rage at that thought, knowing that if he had, he'd make good on his threat. But at the same time, there was no reason to dwell upon it, nothing could be done, not yet anyway. He swore to himself he would get Jeff to talk, one way or another...

Because Primus be damned if he let this boy down again.