CHAPTER 43
Sickness and Processor Aches

When Prowl had signed up for the good and bad days, he had not expected this. He'd been up twelve hours and hardly recharged a wink between Jeff up all night, vomiting and complaining of a "raw throat" and his own work. Prowl knew little to nothing about how human illness work, but he was definitely getting a crash course in it right now. Ratchet had written Jeff's condition to a stomach virus as well as a mild case of a strep throat, but there was little he could do for him, it was a matter of Jeff fighting it off himself.

Carefully making his way into his apartment for the third time since he'd started work, Prowl poked his head into his son's room. The boy was on his stomach, looking nearly just as miserable as he had the last time. To say the least, Prowl hated seeing the young human as vulnerable as the sickness made him. It didn't help much to think that this probably wasn't the first time he got this way and didn't have a parent looking after him. "Jeff." Jeff poked his head up to see the mech in his doorway "Do you need a wastebasket? Water? Anything?" He questioned.

Jeff shook his head silently, resting his head against the pillow. "You can do something else though." Jeff grunted "Tell Ratchet to stop sending in drones with chicken noodle soup." He groaned "Seriously, I think I could overdose from that stuff." He muttered.

Prowl rolled his optics a bit at that, knowing that he couldn't do that. Ratchet had already proven two weeks ago that he cared about Jeff like he would his own youngling, he'd probably end up with a dent for just suggesting he stop. "Ratchet will probably tan your hide if you don't finish each and every bowl." Prowl teased, shaking his head "You're forgetting how much each and every person on this base happens to care about you." He noted.

Jeff peered over his shoulder, and shrugged his shoulders a bit. "Ratchet could care a little less. I kinda miss the days when Ratchet hated my guts." He chuckled gently "You should get back to work, Dad. Don't you have that meeting with the senator this morning?" He questioned, his guardian shrugged in response "That's a teenager thing, adults are required to answer." He muttered.

"As a fellow parent, the Senator was more than understanding about cutting our meeting short." Prowl replied firmly "First and foremost, you are my number one priority." He then added "You are still recovering from trauma, and have come down with an illness." He explained "What kind of parent would I be if I simply ignored you in your hour of need?" He questioned.

"I'm not on my deathbed, dad."

Prowl snorted a bit, shaking his head silently at Jeff's concern. The boy had much to learn about living within the care of people who loved and wanted to see him happy and healthy. "Jeffrey Michael Devlin, look at me." Jeff looked up at the mech quietly as he stared him down "You are my son, I love you with every ounce of my spark. This is my job just as much as my real one is." He leaned forward "Now lay down so I might take your temperature to se if your fever has gone down." He added.

Jeff looked as though he was ready to argue again, but Prowl's narrow optics compelled him to lay down. He had learned by now that when the second-in-command had a look like that on his face, he was very serious. Carefully scanning the young human, Prowl sighed quietly, the fever had gone down, but not by much. This was exactly what Prowl didn't need, between his work, preparing his mother's body for burial, and working to officially adopt Jeff. "Your fever has gone down a little." Prowl sighed "You need to lay down and sleep though, son. I'll be back in a little while to check on you again." He then added "Eat the soup."

Jeff only grunted again, laying his head against the pillow. He wasn't sure whether to be thankful, or annoyed at the fact he was being baby'd right now. Jeff had taken care of himself through worse, yet they were taking so much time on him over what seemed like nothing. He groaned, his stomach lurching quietly, as if to remind him that he did feel like crap, and that he did need the attention they were giving him. Yet he also felt like a wounded puppy at the same time, something getting unwanted sympathy from people.

He hated that feeling, He'd hated it on the streets when he'd gotten looks of pity and handouts daily, and he hated it now. But at the same time, he didn't have much time to think about it, not when his body was begging for sleep. And he was more than happy to oblige.

...

Of course, the same day gave Prowl the biggest processor ache of his life. If adoption had been an easy task, Jeff would have been his son officially for years. That being said, the mech knew that it wasn't easy, nothing was ever easy. He quietly hated the fact that he'd have to go through the same process as everyone else. Despite the fact that Jeff had been in their care for close to a year now and had happily adjusted to life, it still stood up to the courts and social services to decide whether he should stay. And getting an adoption day hearing was going to take quite a substantial amount of time to say the least.

On one hand, he wasn't sure that talking to Charolette Mearing to help him converse with social services may not have been the best choice either. Though she was the person who had the best chance of talking them into it, she was also not known for being a "people" person. In fact, Prowl was certain it was a miracle that the usual hard woman had agreed to help him out at all. "Listen, the fact of the matter is, you're a giant robot." The woman explained, peering up at Prowl "No matter how much I pitch, your species isn't going to change, Chicago isn't going to change." She added.

Prowl stroked his chin quietly, nodding his head in agreement and even a bit in understanding. It did make sense that in a way, his species would have less of a chance to adopt a human child. What they had done to the human's was unforgivable and in many ways, irreversible. "There is much truth in your words. And I thank you for your help regardless." Prowl nodded his head a little bit "How long are they saying it will be before I can have my day in front of the adoption court?" He questioned.

Mearing seemed to frown at the mech's question. Without a doubt, Prowl figured, it was likely very early to even get news on that. And Prowl even worried it would be that way seven months from now, or longer. "They're telling me it could be a while. They still need to see his living conditions." Mearing explained "As well as to make sure that no one here is a danger to Jeff." She added.

Prowl caught himself grimacing at the thought of anyone on base even attempting to hurt him. The mech was more than certain that by now, everyone, with the exception of Optimus, who had no alone time with the boy as of yet, would die to protect the boy. He was as much a part of the base as any other member by now, a day-to-day occurrence. "You can assure them that the latter will not be a problem." Prowl replied "I'm not the only one on this base who loves that boy. I'm fairly certain we all do. And though he hardly knows him, Prime would never hurt an innocent." He added.

"You're saying that like I don't know it already." Mearing replied "They won't listen, they need to see for themselves."

Prowl sighed quietly, his optics peering down at the floor. He knew he was just impatient, after all, he had had this child for so long that he almost forgot some day's that Jeff wasn't his own. Though he knew that Mearing was trying to explain their system to him as best she could, he found it unfair, not to himself, but to Jeff, that he couldn't just sign off on a few papers and say Jeff was his. "Your system is flawed in this case." Prowl explained "But it does make my spark happy to know they take these measures." He noted.

"It's in the kid's best interest." Mearing agreed "But don't worry, it's only a few more months. And frankly if you can get me to agree to this? You can probably convince anyone that you're perfectly capable." She then added "Just be careful about what you do and say from here on out. And if there is any other trouble, I'll do my best to help." She added.

Prowl only nodded in response as she made her way down the hallway and towards Optimus's office. His hands rested on his hips, Prowl had to take a deep intake of air as he vented out more of it. In a way, he could only wish, silently that things would just go as smoothly as fate would allow. Yet at the same time, he knew that he had to have patience, he had to work on this and make certain he proved his worthiness as a father. After all, the smallest sign of anything being off and Jeff would be on his way to a new foster home.

Deep inside, he knew this would be a challenge. But he also knew that it was a challenge he was more than prepared to take on.