CHAPTER 44
At Peace

Jeff hated funerals, even if he had only ever been to one once in his life before today, he hated them. He had had dreams of seeing his parents together again, but back then, it had been a passing dream. Now they were together again, side-by-side in different graves, resting silently. The Autobots had paid for everything, and anyone that knew Jeff had come to pay respects to those who gave him life. There weren't any others in attendance, other than the man who conducted the funeral, after all, May Devlin had few friends left on this Earth if any.

From a distance, Prowl peered at his son silently, his mouth curved into a frown. The sheer pain he saw in the boy's eyes was something he hated. It made the mech feel as though he had failed him. "Am I late?" A soft voice asked from behind.

Prowl thought he had been hearing things until a young man stepped up beside him. He couldn't have been older than thirty, his brown hair slicked back, and a large smile on his face. It faded soon after he saw Jeff, his form shaking, crying by now. The man was silent, and brought himself to frown a bit at that. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to walk into a private matter." The man spoke "I knew May well, and I was just..."

"You're fine." Prowl replied.

There seemed to be something off about the man that Prowl couldn't put his finger on. Perhaps it was the fact that he had not seen the man before, or perhaps he was just a little on edge after everything that had happened. "That's May's son, Jeffrey, right?" The man pointed, Prowl nodded his head a bit "Man, look at him. He's grown up." He commented.

Prowl gave the man a sideways stare, watching him carefully. He watched the boy carefully too, as he was still not totally over his illness and could puke yet again at any point. "Yes, that would be her child." Prowl replied, he straightened a bit, trying to intimidate the man "I know that you're not here just to pay your respects, so out with it." He told him bluntly "What do you want?" He questioned.

The man wasn't intimidated in the least, in fact, Prowl noticed a smile on his face now. The man turned to Prowl, and shook his head. "To pay my respects..." The man replied "And find out what happens to him now. When I saw the obituary, I remembered they had a kid. Wondered if I could help out." He commented "But I'd say by the way you're acting, you're taking care of him." He pointed to Prowl.

Prowl was taken aback by the man's response, uncertain of how to respond. He went for not saying anything at all, allowing the man to get a little closer. "You've got a good kid on your hands if you are." He nudged Prowl a bit "If he's anything like he was as a little kid, well..." He turned looking off towards Jeff "That boy is going to be something special." He noted.

Prowl nodded his head, compelled to agree with the man. Though he still had a firm eye on him, he had shown no signs of being a threat. Yet Prowl could not help but wonder why Jeff seemed to mean so much to him. "He already is." Prowl spoke up, the man turned his head "I cannot have children of my own, as much as I'd love to. Jeff is the answer to that." He shook his head, holding his hand out "Prowl." He introduced himself.

"Martin"

As they shook hands, Prowl couldn't help but feel as though he had met the cold skinned stranger before. Or perhaps, it was the name, the name most certainly did strike a chord with him. "Well, Martin, you have no reason to worry about Jeff." Prowl peered off towards the boy "He is in safe and loving hands, mine. And those of my allies." He turned to him "He'll be just fine." He added.

"That's all I needed to hear."

Prowl turned back, watching Jeff a moment, he turned to reply. Yet no one was there. Nothing was around other than a gust of wind and the other Autobots in the far-off distance. But where was Martin, he had to wonder. He couldn't have gone that far in so little time. Confused, Prowl made his way towards Jeff, and set a hand on his shoulder. "Jeff?" The boy looked up "Ready to go?"

"Yeah, I'm ready."

As Prowl began to lead him away, a sight stopped him in his tracks.

"MARTIN L. DEVLIN"

The words were inscribed on a tombstone beside that of May's. And suddenly, he understood, he didn't know how it was possible, but he understood. Smiling to himself slightly as Jeff began to shiver, and lurch, he gently wrapped his arms around Jeff. "C'mon son." Prowl smiled "They're at peace now." He stated knowingly "Now let's get you home, get some medicine in you." He noted.

As he walked Jeff away from the site, a man stood, unseen, off in the distance. Martin Devlin smiled to himself, turning around, he slowly walked off until he disappeared with the winds. For what Prowl had said was more than true, now, he was at last, at peace.

...

A/N: Forgive me it's a short chapter. I wanted to write this chapter next and I am currently under the weather so I wasn't sure what should come next in this chapter. :( So I made this its own stand-alone chapter/scene. Hope it came out well enough. :)