CHAPTER 4
Family

"Did you sleep well?"

Jeff didn't know if he wanted to give the honest answer there yet. Even if it was "yes", given he had slept better than he'd ever slept in many years. His new bed was so soft that he'd almost had a hard time getting to sleep. Having slept mostly in juvie the past few years it had been rock hard. But Prowl had seemingly gone out of his way to get a mattress that was comfortable and softer than most.

He told himself again not to let his guard down. This mech had only been his guardian for a night, who knew what colors he'd show later on. Even if he had treated him kindly before as well... He shook his head, and finally settled for. "Yeah, I slept well," he cringed at the way it sounded but regaine"d his composure. "So, when do we leave for work?"

Prowl shook his head. "I don't need to be in for another hour and a half. So you're welcome to get comfortable. You go in when I do as you already know," Jeff wasn't too beaten up about that, liking the sound of having some time that day. "I wanted to go over a few things as well... Such as "schooling". Today is Sunday, so tomorrow, I will be bringing you to classes with the other humans on base."

Jeff groaned, his eyes rolling practically to the back of his head. "Do I really have to go to school?"

"You're fifteen, of course you do. Education is important, and anyone living with me will get one," Prowl told him as bluntly as possible. "I do hope you won't cause too much trouble however. The "school" we have set up in the city is home to more than just those in your program. You'll be attending it with many sparklings and younglings, and many children of NEST individuals."

"NEST?" Jeff asked.

The SIC nodded his head, realizing the boy may not have ever heard of that. After all, it WAS a secret military operation up until Chicago, when they'd gone more public. "Our allies in the military, and somewhat in the government," Prowl explained to him. "You're about the age of Robert Epps' oldest child, so he's agreed to show you the school."

Jeff grimaced, not liking the sound of this. He didn't know that kid - and he didn't know this school. Who knew how all these kids would treat him. They were probably children of higher ups, sure there would be others like him, but who knew how well that would go. "I don't even have school supplies. No backpack or anything," Jeff replied.

"Yes, I am aware of that," Prowl explained. "We will go out tonight to procure what you need."

The teen now frowned, having run of out of ways to get out of this already. Why the heck did this mech even care this much? A light sight escaped his lips as he finally muttered. "You're never gonna give up are you?" he asked with a snort. "This sucks, man. I hate being the new kid in school. I went through three years of that before I entered juvie."

Prowl's optic ridge furrowed with understanding. Of course that would make this hard, he figured. This would be his first "school" experience in a real school since then. Placing his hands on his hips, he did his best to think of what to do. "Well - I understand where you are coming from. I can imagine it is difficult moving around in such a manner," Prowl told him, thinking through what else to say. "Is there anything I can do to make the transition easier?"

Jeff looked at him slack jawed, dumbfounded that was the reaction. From experienced, he expected to be told to suck it up, and shut up. Instead, Prowl watched him with patient optics as he waited for a response. Jeff stumbled over his attempted words, having never been asked that before. What would make him more comfortable? He really didn't know.

The answer he had was simple enough once he thought it up.

"I've been here less than a week. I still... I'm still getting used to this," Jeff explained, his voice shaky. "Can't you just maybe give me one more week?"

Prowl was silent, stroking his chin quietly. The boy made an honest to goodness point. He'd only just spent his first night in his home, no doubt this was all very new and somewhat frightening for him. The tactician wanted Jeff in school soon - that much he knew, but Jeff was right to asses that one more week would not hurt things. "Point taken. I will need to call the school and make them aware of the change. As well as your social worker," he explained. "But I will give you the week you require. After which, I request you begin schooling so you do not fall behind."

The teen stared him down for a long time - perhaps even considering his own suggestion. Would that be enough? After a long moment, he finally replied with a nod. "Ok, deal," Jeff replied, then after a moment moved subjects. "So do I get to eat breakfast?"

Prowl was silent, dumbfounded at the implication that he had been in homes where he wasn't fed when he was hungry. What kind of a life had this boy had? What dark things had the child seen? And not for the first time, he questioned the most dark question of all: what really caused him to shoot his foster father that faithful day five years ago?

He knew he couldn't just outright ask the boy these questions. Most children that were abused or neglected came forward only when they wanted to. "You will never want for food, Jeffrey. If you get hungry, just tell me," Prowl explained. "There are cabinets in my "kitchen" at human height. There you will find "bagels", "cereal", and other breakfast food. Milk and other ingredients are in the human sized fridge. Help yourself to whatever you require."

After a long moment, Jeff set out to make himself breakfast. Leaving Prowl standing there, continuing to think over all that he was already learning from Jeff after only living with him about a day. And not for the first time since he'd met Jeff, he quietly wondered if he could do this. If he could look at this boy each day and not want to shake him. Not because of the sass, but because he knew that this boy was afraid of so many things...

He worried that it stemmed from things that he was too scared to talk about. And that, in itself, was a dangerous prospect.

Jeff felt his stomach twist in knots.

That evening, after their day at work, Prowl still insisted on taking him into the city. And while Jeff hated to think of himself as scared - he sure was. This was his first time out in public (or at least in major public) with his guardian, and he could not help but feel that someone, at some point would judge him. Take a look at him, and laugh.

'Who is that scrawny little thing with Prowl?' they'd say he figured. 'What is Prowl really that desperate for some sort of friend?' So, whether he found it weird or not, Jeff stuck close behind one of Prowl's massive legs. No one could stare at him, laugh, or judge him if they never saw him.

Autobot City, he found, was even bigger than he'd initially thought. It was giant and mostly made of metal, and had more skyscrappers than New York. There were human sized homes, and Cybertronian-sized ones all around, while the stores and restaurants seemed to accommodate both. They passed many people on the streets, some who tried to meet his gaze and failed. But other than a small and friendly "Hello" to a few of them, Prowl seemed to keep his attention on Jeff.

Which reminded him of something...

"Where are we going?" Jeff asked. "And why can't we just drive there?"

Prowl's answer was one he should have expected. "Exercise is good for you. And this is not far from where we work," he explained, though Jeff felt like they'd been walking forever. "As for where we are going, that would be to see one of my brothers. I had made plans to see him tonight."

Jeff suddenly felt himself growing nervous. Prowl had brothers? As in, more than one. "You have brothers?" He asked out loud after that had gotten through his head.

Prowl turned to Jeff and gave a small smile. "Yes, I have two brothers. A younger one, and an older one. The older one is currently stationed at the NEST Base in Diego Garcia. His name is Smokescreen," he explained, to which Jeff nodded, and tried to commit that to memory. "The one you are about to meet is my younger one, Bluestreak. He's a bit of a talker, I warn you now. But he is very friendly, and you don't have much to worry about."

The teen gave a silent shrug, passive at this notion. Though he had to admit he was bothered by something... "I could have stayed home, you know. You didn't need to bring me to meet your brother," he put his hands in his coat as he said this. "I'm just your at-home problem after all."

"You're not a problem. You're my foster son," Prowl explained, not betraying any emotion, but sounding stern enough. "And you are welcome to join us for our evening energon, furthermore."

"Hey, Prowler! I was beginning to think you weren't coming!"

So much for arguing he supposed, because the youthful voice sounded out no less than ten seconds later. Jeff tensed up as he peered around Prowl's leg to get a look at the source. Outside a small restaurant which catered to both species was a mech that somewhat resembled Prowl. Unlike him, however, Jeff made note that he had a slick, silver paint job, other than the blue chest. And by the look of things, he appeared to transform into some sort of sports car by the way he was built.

To be fair, the mech looked friendly at the very least. With big, soft blue optics and an even bigger smile. But Jeff couldn't help but continue to feel a bit nervous when they finally reached him. "Work took over for a while. I hope you don't mind," Prowl explained. "Jeffrey, come on out. I'd like you to meet my brother, Bluestreak."

"Don't mention it," Bluestreak noted, peering over Prowl's shoulder in an attempt to spot "Jeffrey". "What's the matter? Is the kid a little shy? Hey kiddo! I come in peace! I promise, I even brought you a little something."

Prowl gave Bluestreak a look, surprised and not at the same time. Bluestreak had greatly looked forward to the day that Prowl finally took in a foster kid. It had been a plan he'd had for some time before the program, after all. For deeply personal reasons he hardly wanted to talk about, but reasons none-the-less. But he also had not anticipated what the boy would be like. Neither had Prowl, really... He hadn't planned his first ward to be someone from juvenile hall, and yet here they were...

Jeff, on the other hand, felt a bit suspicious at that. Walking out slowly from behind Prowl's leg as Bluestreak dug into his subspace slowly. "He looks a lot like you." Jeff noted.

He watched as Bluestreak carefully dug out a small package. The young mech grinned from receptor-to-receptor, and crouched down. "Hey there buddy, I'm Bluestreak, like Prowl said. I know you're probably a litle freaked out. I mean, who wouldn't be. New city, out of juvie, and all," oh man, this guy knew how to babble, Jeff noted. "But, uh... I thought I'd get you a little something. You know, a little "welcome to the family" type of deal."

Jeff frowned "Welcome to the family"? Was this mech trying to play with him in a mean way? He wasn't a part of this mech's family. His brother was simply his glorified babysitter and parole officer, after all. But none the less, Bluestreak carefully placed the neatly wrapped package in his hands. "I'm... Not part of your family though," Jeff noted. "You didn't have to get me anything..."

Bluestreak looked a bit surprised by the response. But a part of him, however small, had already planned for this from what Prowl had said in conversation. "Hey, not true, kid. If you're living with Prowl, you're family," he explained, patting his chest lightly. "Pit, you can even call me "Uncle Blue" if you want to. I mean, you don't have to. But I just mean if you want to..."

If there was one thing that Jeff was touched by. That is, truly touched by, it was those words. No one within the extended family of one of his foster parents had ever said such a thing. He'd always been just sort of "there" at family gatherings. And none of them had ever said he was part of the family while there; none of them had ever said he could call them his "uncle".

In fact, it was so jarring, Jeff had no idea how to respond.

He opened, and closed his mouth several times. But finally, after some thought, managed a smile. "Thanks, I uh... That's really nice of you to say. And I uh, thanks for the gift," Jeff noted, finally managing to say at least something. "Can I open it?"

That last part was directed at Prowl. Who was thoroughly surprised that he thought he needed permission to open his OWN gift. So after a moment, Prowl just gave a nod. Jeff was careful in unwrapping the paper, as if worried this may have been some sort of trick. But when he'd finally torn the wrapping paper and opened the box, his face lit up.

It was a cell phone. The latest model of iPhone, as far as Prowl could tell. And though it was an action that greatly surprised Prowl to the point he wanted to chastise Bluestreak for spending so much money... Of course, that changed as he saw Jeff's face. His face said it all: the boy had never held something like this in his hands... Had never received a gift like this.

"A... A phone?" Jeff asked, his voice shaky. "You... Thank you..."

"Don't mention it! Prowl mentioned he was probably going to get you one. But I thought I'd help out," of course Prowl had, at fifteen it was inevitable, but buying one so expensive was beyond what he had planned. "Here, when we get inside, we can get it all set up for you. I don't know if you've ever seen one of these..."

"Not really... We didn't have much money. Dad used to have a flip phone or something..."

"Oh man! You're going to have so much fun! There are so many games you can download. And apps, you're gonna love apps, every teen does," Bluestreak noted, and Prowl took notice at how, as he did, Jeff grew a little more excited. "Come on Prowl, let's get a seat and I'll show him what I mean!"

"It sounds really cool," Jeff lit up more. "What kind of games can I play?"

"Everything! Seriously, the human at the store was showing me. Man, you're gonna go bonkers."

Prowl gave the smallest of smiles. Sure, it had not been the thing he had planned to get Jeff. But as the two continued to chat, already stepping into the restaurant, he was glad that someone had at least found some way to get through to him. Because if Bluestreak had found a way to get him to act so... Happy. It gave him hope that at some point, maybe, Prowl would find a way to too.

And even better, perhaps Bluestreak could be one of the keys to opening him up.

A/N: Of course, leave it to Blue to break through to the kid, right? LOL Hope you all enjoyed the chapter!