CHAPTER 36
A Little R&R Part 2

"Careful of the sparks kid, you'll burn yourself if you aren't."

Tyler grinned, holding the stick carefully as his marshmallow roasted over the fire. Fowler carefully guided his hand, and Tyler chuckled, enjoying the moment. When he'd been camping with his biological father, he'd been too young to really do any of these things. But that day, he felt like a true camper, experiencing the whole thing. "My dad... My other one, he roasted mine." Tyler chuckled "I guess I don't remember how to very well."

"Heh, it's fine kid." Fowler shook his head "It's really not that tough. But you were three, it was just before he died right?" Tyler nodded "Well no wonder you don't remember. I don't think you'd remember a lot from eleven years ago." He sighed quietly, leaning back a little "Sorry if the camping trip was a little ill-planned. If I had known that it was one of the last places you went with them, I'd..."

"It's fine." Tyler smiled reassuringly "I'm happy." He explained "It's cool, dad. I want to do stuff like this with you." He rested his head against Fowler's shoulder silently "I never got to do stuff like this with... Well, you know..." He explained "I like it, I really like it." He added "We should do this more often, get out and go on vacations. I mean, if you want..."

Fowler nodded his head, and leaned his own head against Tyler's. "Nah, I think more trips like these can definitely be a thing." He turned his head as Breakdown's holoform finally returned to the site "Perimeter clear?" Breakdown nodded his head in response "Good, now can you relax for more than a few seconds? This is supposed to be a stress-free weekend."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it." Breakdown waved his hand and sat down "But I'm also not about to let anyone attack you out of nowhere." He explained "I'd be a pretty slagging bad guardian to allow that, now wouldn't I?" Tyler smirked, and nodded his head "Now, here's my question for the two of you." He pointed out calmly "What brought on the idea of a camping trip anyway?"

Fowler looked at Breakdown, and shrugged his shoulders a little. "My family used to take me, my brothers, and sister camping up here." Fowler explained "I thought it could be fun to take my son up here. Plus, it's a great place to think." He leaned back, and sighed quietly, a smile spreading over his face.

Tyler nodded his head slowly. It certainly did take the edge off in a new, welcoming way. He hadn't even thought at length about Brody, or his impending adoption, or the Decepticons. Right now, he felt like it was just him and his family, and nothing else in the world mattered but that. "Good thinking, dad." Tyler patted Fowler's leg gently in response "What do you think, Breakdown?"

"Heh, yeah, I guess it was pretty good thinking." Breakdown replied "I am at least a little less tense if nothing else." He leaned forward, taking a deep inward breath "Even if I am getting a bit antsy around here. I'm not used to foliage, it's... Strange." He explained "How can you humans stand to be away from technology for such long periods?"

"Asks the talking super computer."

Breakdown flicked his youngest charge gently, giving a mocking frown in his direction. After all, the boy's sass and sometimes own gentle mockery could get on his nerves. He rolled his optics a bit. "Just for that, you can charge your cell phone somewhere else." Tyler stuck his tongue out at Breakdown in response "Now, tell me, how does roasting marshmallows work?"

"You can't eat human food..." Fowler noted.

"It just looks like fun." Breakdown shrugged his shoulders "Tyler can have mine."

Fowler stared at Breakdown a moment, and carefully picked up a stick. Being careful not to grab a dirty one, he carefully took a marshmallow from the bag beside him, and poked it into the stick. As Breakdown took the stick in his holoform's hand, he carefully held it over the glowing fire. "Y'know, back on Cybertron, we used to do something similar." Breakdown explained "It was part of our basic training though. Usually we were left to the elements."

Tyler stared at Breakdown, lifting his head from Fowler's shoulder calmly. "So you mean... It was like those wilderness survival shows?" Breakdown nodded in response, and chuckled "That's so cool!"

Breakdown smirked at Tyler's innocence, if only he knew some days. He shook his head, and continued to turn the stick around as the marshmallow began to burn over. "Not exactly, Ty." Breakdown replied "In our version of a "wilderness" you were liable to run into more dangers than you would know what to do with." He leaned over towards Tyler "And given this was the Decepticons we are talking about, no one really gave a slag."

"How old were you?" Fowler questioned.

"A little under eighteen in your terms." Breakdown shook his head "The Decepticons recruited young."

Fowler nodded his head slowly, understanding in his eyes. "I was young when I entered the army too. I was seventeen. Basic was hell." Fowler explained, Tyler listened intently "Dad thought I was crazy as all heck, but by God I got through it." Tyler grinned widely "What? Did you expect anything less out of your old man?" Fowler patted the back of Tyler's head as the boy shrugged "Ye of so little fate."

"I've hung around your brothers." Tyler teased.

"I need to stop letting you spend extended time with them."

Tyler giggled at that, taking the marshmallow as Breakdown handed it over. He stared up at the sky, taking in the stars as Breakdown and Fowler continued their small talk about their experiences in basic training. "You know... I wish this never had to end." Tyler spoke up after a moment "It feels good to just... Do this." He commented "Reminds me of when I had a family."

"We are your family." Fowler noted, placing a hand on his shoulder "And honestly, I agree."

Tyler nodded his head, leaning against Fowler again. It was clear that their first day was drawing to a close, but Tyler didn't want it to. He wanted to just spend the rest of the life out there, away from the stress of the real world. Even if it was near-impossible, it was a wonderful thought. "I know..." Tyler replied "Sometimes I just forget what I'm saying." He laughed.

Breakdown watched the sight of the two humans with a small smile of his own. Fowler's arm around Tyler's shoulders, a hand running up and down his back. The former Decepticon would never have expected anything like this a few months ago. But now he could not get enough of seeing the two humans in front of him happy. "You should get some sleep, bud." Fowler nodded "Go climb in your sleeping bag."

"That obvious I'm wiped?"

"Very."

Tyler simply stood to his feet, and nodded his head in response. "Love you guys." He muttered "Goodnight."

"Goodnight kiddo, love you too."

"Goodnight runt."

And with that Tyler was through the opening of the tent, leaving Breakdown and Fowler alone. "I must admit, I do enjoy this camping..." Breakdown explained "Your relaxation methods are actually successful." He snorted "I'm shocked given how uptight you are all the time." Fowler slugged his holoform "You know I can't feel that, right?"

"It's the thought that counts."

Breakdown shook his head a bit, he leaned back against the trunk of a tree. There was a long silence, and he stared over at Fowler. "I appreciate your concern for me." He added quietly "I never really had a father to speak of... But it's nice to... Have someone that cares in such a way." He admitted quietly "Even if I am stellar cycles older than yourself."

"Hey, just like Ty, someone's gotta keep you in line too."

Breakdown snorted, standing to his feet, and crossing his arms. He knew that it was true, but the idea of ANYONE keeping him in line was a riot and a half. He titled his head towards Fowler. "Better than you have tried, William." Breakdown replied "I would do yourself a favor and just work on keeping your son in line." He teased.

"Did you just call me William?" Fowler raised an eyebrow.

"I suppose the informality is a little weird." Breakdown muttered "Thought I'd try it on for size."

Fowler chuckled. "Yeah, I agree. That's like me calling you "Break" like Ty does." Breakdown's optic twitched as he noted the awkwardness in that thought "So I have a question while I've got you alone. Without the kid around." He turned his eyes, and Breakdown nodded "What do you really think about me adopting Tyler?" Breakdown was silent "I know you wanted to, but can't... I was just wondering if that'd ever-."

Breakdown held a hand up, clarifying that he knew what Fowler was asking him. "I wasn't supposed to be his father. You were." Breakdown explained "Your relationship makes that clear. And I would never... EVER step over boundaries." He then added "If I did... With treating him a bit like a sparkling." He paused a moment "I can take a few steps back."

"Nah, it's not like that." Fowler stated "I was just making sure things wouldn't get awkward between us."

Breakdown inclined his head in a nod, knowing what the man meant. After all, Fowler was going to soon be Tyler's father, he needed to know if anything might get in the way of that. But as he often told himself, that ship had sailed long ago, and it was never docking again. "Nothing's awkward. You're probably a more responsible guardian anyway." He paused "Now, I have a question for you too."

"Shoot."

"Do I threaten you?"

Fowler was silent, and shook his head a little. "Nah, you're fine too. I'm just a kinda paranoid type of person." Fowler explained "You're not a threat to me. You're a friend, a good one at that." He then added "Besides, if you were a threat to me, it's an easy fix. I'd just have Tyler choose. Because that's what it's all about." He then added "What he wants."

Breakdown nodded his head a bit. "So, what else is on the agenda anyway?" Breakdown asked "All we did was lounge around today. But I suppose there must be more." He explained.

Fowler nodded his head. "Tomorrow, we'll go down to the lake and have some real fun." He explained "You two will like it. But you'll have to go in your holoform. There's liable to be one or two more families down there." Breakdown nodded his head slowly in understanding "But right now, I think I'm ready to join the kid in dreamland."

"Then go ahead." Breakdown noted "I'll be up a little longer."

Fowler nodded his head slowly, and started towards the tent. "Goodnight, big guy."

Fowler crept into the tent quietly, finding Tyler laying against the ground. He let a smile cross over his face as he climbed into his own sleeping bag, laying on his side and staring down at Tyler. He gently pulled the sleeping bag further over his son, and watched as he shivered slightly. The whimpers told him that even with the escape time, he was having a nightmare. "Easy bud." Fowler muttered "I'm here."

He wrapped an arm around Tyler's body, and pulled him gently closer until he was against his chest. Slowly, he felt the boy calm in his arms, and smiled, kissing the top of his head tenderly. Leaning his head against Tyler's, he let his own eyes closed. Knowing that at least for one night, Tyler could sleep calm and safe in his arms. And for one weekend, things could very well run smoothly. It was something that he more than looked forward to.

...

A/N: I know, fluffy chapter. :P More camping fun next chapter though! :D