A/N: So happy to see so many people re-add this story! :D

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CHAPTER 42
Home

Jeff was alright enough for Peter to come over within a week. Though the boy hadn't said much about that day, Prowl could tell that deep inside, Jeff was in a lot of pain. But despite his best efforts to convince Ratchet that they should wait a little longer, Ratchet had insisted. Jeff was seated on the berth of the med bay where Peter had agreed to meet him, watching Prowl and Ratchet as they talked in a half-mutter in the Cybertonian tongue, clearly both were nervous but would rather not voice why in front of Jeff.

A moment passed, and Prowl finally made his way towards his charge. The large mech crouched, gently setting his finger on his son's shoulder as the young human peered up at him. "Remember Jeff, we're just getting a taped confession from him as your wounds have healed." Prowl told him gently "If we can get him to admit to hitting you, that's it, he's done." He explained.

"What if he hits me again?"

Ratchet scoffed from some distance, his optics traveling towards Jeff. The mech was fairly certain that if Peter's hands came anywhere near Jeff's face he'd have half the base ready to land a punch of their own on his own face. "If that man so much as raises a hand to you, we're both right here." Ratchet replied, pounding his chest lightly "No harm will come to you, Jeffrey. But you do need to do this. With Bumblebee still out of commission he cannot confirm what he saw." He noted.

The sound of the door opening cut them off, Peter quietly entering the room. By instinct, Prowl found himself protectively standing in front of Jeff as he scowled at the man. All he could think was the damage he had done to the child, and the hatred he had for him on account of it. Peter put on a fake smile, as Prowl quickly chimed in. "Don't even think for a moment you're taking him home today." Prowl scowled "We know that you hit him, Mr. Felton." He slowly made a fist in his hand "You're lucky I'm not grinding you into dust right now." He noted.

Peter could already feel his resolve shoved to the side as the giant robot stared him down with optics filled with rage. He hadn't expected any of this to happen, the kid getting out, the fact that he'd actually lose it at the kid that bad. Or most of all, that by the end of the three months he'd had him he'd be standing in front of two hulking giants likely ready to literally grind him into dust. "Is that what he told you? Jeez, kids these days, am I right?" Peter laughed "I didn't do anything to the kid, he must have fallen out of bed if he came here hurt." He noted.

"Then what was DNA residue from your body doing on his face?" Ratchet questioned "You're forgetting, Mr. Felton, that we are far more advanced than your race. I know that you hit that boy. And you'd be smart not to try and talk yourself out of this one." He then added "The chaos you caused not only endangered Jeff, but at the following events left one of our other close allies badly damaged." He then added "As well as nearly got your nephew killed." He explained.

"And got your sister killed as well."

Peter felt his body tense, as he slowly backed up. From behind Prowl, Jeff stood to his feet, and moved so that he could see Peter himself. The man looked at Jeff with a half-grimace at the sight of his slightly beaten state. "You little shit." Peter grabbed one of the smaller, human-sized wrenches from Ratchet's table "I warned you what would happen, I warned you." He shook his head "I am not going to jail because of a snot-nosed little shit!" He added.

As he flung the wrench for Jeff, the next thing he knew the wrench had been caught by Ratchet. The medic looked over the wrench a moment, and then towards Peter, who looked more than a little terrified now. "I'll have you know, Mr. Felton. I'm the only wrench thrower allowed in this med bay."

Peter had no time to react as the wrench rammed him hard in the face. Not just one, but three teeth scattered along the floor, his jaw clearly knocked out of whack as he shrieked in pain. "My jaw!" Peter managed to speak despite the clearly messed up state of his jaw "You're going to fix this!" He also managed "You haven't got the right." He noted.

At this point, Jeff saw Ratchet do something he would have never expected when they first met. He stepped over towards Peter, crouched low, and forced him on his feet. "I'm going to make one thing perfectly clear, Felton. That will be the least of your worries if you so much as look Jeffrey's way again." Ratchet growled quietly "I've recorded every ounce of this conversation. So you have one of two choices, hand yourself over to the authorities like a smart human." He got as close to his face as he could "Or let the two of us have our way with you, and trust me..." He snarled "It'll be far more painful."

Peter backed up, and turned to run for his life by this point, clearly smart enough not to pick a fight with a giant robot. Prowl smirked a bit, satisfied that the man would never be bothering Jeff again. "He'll find the authorities waiting for him at home. And now we have three witnesses to the abuse." He shook his head "He's going away for a long time." He added.

Jeff turned towards Ratchet, his eyes still filled with shock. "You-why-I didn't even..." Jeff began.

"You're one of us now, kid." Ratchet stated firmly, peering towards Jeff "We take care of our own."

Jeff could only bring himself to smile at that as he leaned against Prowl. He knew that he was safe now, he wasn't going anywhere, and Peter would no longer have any control or say in his life. Taking a deep breath, he looked between the two of them with a small, tentative smile. "Hey Dad?" Prowl peered down at Jeff in response "Can we go home now? I'm kinda looking forward to sleeping in my bed tonight." He admitted.

Prowl smiled as Jeff called his apartment his "home". Carefully, he scooped the young human into the palm of his hand, and nodded his head a little bit. He hadn't felt this happy in so long, the thought of Jeff being in his home, where he could hold him and be his father again was a good one. "I think that sounds like a plan." Prowl nodded to Ratchet "You'll call me if the creep decides to try something else?" He questioned.

"You get next whack at him." Ratchet snorted.

Jake smirked a bit, allowing Prowl to carry him back to their apartment. To say the least, Jeff was happier than anyone could probably imagine to be back in the loving home he knew he had found. Prowl set him down, and Jeff sighed a bit, looking around, and crossing his arms. It only now hit him that everything he had was here now. He had never expected it, to have come back to live with the Autobots for good. There was a time where he'd probably have taken Peter over living in what he once viewed as a "prison".

Right now, however, Jeff felt at home, and he never wanted to leave it's safety again. "Jeff, your eyes are leaking." Prowl commented, his optics turning to him "Why are you crying, son?" He questioned.

"I never thought I'd see this place again." Jeff admitted "I'm just so happy."

Prowl's holoform appeared beside him, gently reaching an arm around his shoulders. He didn't tell Jeff that he'd been afraid that he'd never see it again either, there was no reason to dwell on those thoughts. Not when he was safe and sound there now. "Well you're here now and that's what matters." Prowl commented as he gently laid a kiss on Jeff's head "We'll get your things as soon as the authorities have handled Peter throughly." He paused a moment "Why don't you go take a nap? You could still use the rest." He patted his back "And I still have work." He noted.

"Yeah, go kick some 'con aft for me." Jeff grinned.

As Jeff began to walk towards his bedroom, Prowl stood there a moment. It took him a few moments to follow Jeff into the bedroom, where he watched him from the doorway. The boy looked happier than he had seen him since he'd been in the med bay, as if a light was brought back to his eyes. Though behind that, he knew there was pain, he could also see a lot of that. It would be a long journey to recovery from what had gone through, as hard as it would be. But he'd help him every step of the way, he had made a promise to Jeff, he had made a promise to his mother too, that Jeff would grow up from here on out loved and nurtured.

"Jeff?" The boy poked his head up at Prowl "Welcome home, son."

Jeff only smiled back at Prowl, happier than he could ever express in words. He slowly rested his head against the pillows, allowing himself to fall asleep. For the first time in months, his sleep was in a bed that he knew was his, in the place he called home. And for the first time, he allowed himself to smile and be happy again.