A/N: Sorry for the repost, noticed some typos I had to fix.

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CHAPTER 58
Reckless Memories

"Do you know anything about Prowl's reckless academy days, Jeff?"

Jeff looked up from his burger, careful to keep his balance, as currently he was perched on Prowl's knee. They had gone out and brought burgers back to the rec room, which allowed them to relax and spend some time together. He stared between both Autobots, chuckling a bit. "You did not just use the words "Prowl" and "Reckless" together." Jeff peered up at the mech silently "My dad has a conniption when Sideswipe so much as thinks of being reckless." He noted.

Prowl chuckled a bit, leaning his hand against his head. He knew it was true, he had very much so had his reckless years, his very reckless years, before Cybertronian philosophy drew him towards the mech he was today. "Oh, your old man was as bad as he made you sound like." Gears shook his head slowly "Prowl was worse than the twins he now chastises. I can't believe you never even told him about our wild night at Tiger Pax."

Jeff had a feeling if Prowl could blush, he would by the look on his face alone. For a moment, Prowl muttered under his breath in Cybertronian. "We agreed never to speak of that night again. Especially not in front of my child." Prowl stated warningly "I'd rather you didn't give my son ideas that would more than likely end in jail time." He noted.

"What did you do?" Jeff smirked.

Prowl smirked back in a "you're never gonna find out" way before rubbing the boy's hair with a finger. Jeff leaned his body into the rub, enjoying the physical contact with the mech as he normally did. "We tried to trash the dean's house. Prowl ended up blowing it up." Jeff nearly broke out into giggles as Prowl glared at Gears "Oh the old fart is dead, and you were never caught before he passed on what four vorns later?" Prowl grunted slightly "Don't be so ashamed, I'm sure Jeff here has had his own run-ins with bad situations like that."

Jeff opened his mouth to respond, but quickly stopped at the look in Prowl's optics. Jeff sunk back a bit, but Prowl only smirked, poking his son playfully. "That wasn't even my best moment either." Prowl stated "When Gears and I were in our first year. I managed to use a shrinking device on all the tools in the head medic's medical bay." He noted "To about the size of a human wrench." He noted.

The mental image nearly made Jeff spit out his food, though he caught himself first. "Jeez, dad, no wonder you have so much patience, you made me look like a saint." Jeff laughed quietly as he finished his burger "Worst I ever did was steal my foster dad's Ferari and high tail it to Vegas." He patted his knee "Though that was kinda... For different reasons." He admitted.

The glint of sadness in Jeff's eye told Prowl it was best not to pry as to why. He didn't know the story, but he could only guess it was regarding one of the three abusive homes Jeff had mentioned to him before. Four, if you counted his time with his uncle. "Yes, well, there's no reason to dwell on your past." Prowl noted, placing a finger on his shoulder "I do not dwell on mine, you should not dwell on your poor choices." He noted "Or your good ones with bad execution." He corrected himself.

Jeff touched Prowl's finger, smiling a little bit and nodding. Taking a deep breath, he looked at Gears, then up at Prowl. "Then there was the time when I was on the streets and took a car on an unexpected joy ride again." Jeff shook his head "Not that it probably effects you, but never hot-wire a car for the warmth, then bump the gear shift." Prowl stared at him with wide eyes "What? I barely got a couple of scratches when I crashed." He added.

"I could have gone my whole life cycle without knowing that." Prowl groaned.

Jeff laughed as he grinned from ear-to-ear, and Prowl gently lifted him onto his shoulder. Prowl sighed quietly, standing to his feet as he looked Gears in the optics. "It's past Jeff's bedtime, and with school in the morning I should get him to bed. Then we can go out and do whatever." Prowl shrugged his open shoulder.

"Can't I come hang out?"

"Not with your Chemistry final in the morning."

"Don't worry kid, I can tell ye more tomorrow." Gears grinned "It was nice to meetcha." He added.

"You too!"

Prowl dreaded what more about his reckless years that Gears could possibly plan to tell Jeff about.

...

"You have got a great kid there Prowl."

Prowl smiled over at Gears as they sat at the energon bar later that night. He promised himself not to drink that night, but Gears wouldn't do the same, so he was simply along for the ride. Prowl smiled a bit, and nodded. "Told you so." Prowl replied with a snort "He reminds me so much of myself sometimes, it scares me. Smart as all pit, but a nack for trouble." He added.

"That why you took him?"

Prowl was quiet at that question, it was one he had to think about for a moment. It was why he had been initially drawn to Jeff, his abilities, and similar attitude that is. But he wasn't quite sure anything but the fondness he felt for the boy had been his reason for reaching out and taking him under his wing. "I took him... Because he is someone who has great potential." He shook his head "He needed a permanency that fostered such potential." He added "Plus, after I'd mentored him for a few months... I'd come to love him."

"And because you wish your parents had been more patient with you back then."

Prowl couldn't deny that, his parents had been very impatient with him. He had promised himself to not act that way with Jeff, to show him only patience and love. "I suppose our similarities did play a part in it. But they play more of a part in how I handle it." He noted "There is no pity in the relationship." He noted "It's simply filled the gap I felt since I found out sparklings were not in my future." He explained.

Gears put a hand on his friends shoulder, and shared a smile with him. To say the least, he could feel the intensity in Prowl's circuits. It was obvious that his friend was nervous, and who wouldn't be? He was a first time father, and in a few short weeks, he'd be one for life. "Yet you're scared." Gears chuckled "Never thought I'd see you scared." He then added "Especially not about a kid." He added.

"Can I help it?" Prowl questioned "They can still say no. He can still say no."

"Yes, but he won't. I mean slag, do you see the love in his eyes whenever he looks at you?" Prowl stared over at Gears "If only I could get the kids in my charges family to look at me like that. To them I'm little more than the nasty old grump in the driveway." He complained "You've got a sixteen year old that thinks the world of you and wants this. Treasure it, enjoy it, love it." He noted, sipping his high grade "And if nothing else, remember the old coot that deals with a sixteen year old I can barely get to talk to me most days." He added.

Prowl stifled a laugh at the sentiment, knowing it was true from what he'd seen. He simply nodded, and patted his wasted friend on the back a bit. "So, how are things at NEST anyway?" He questioned "I was at Diego Garcia recently, but haven't had a need to go to your side of the operations lately." He then asked "I hear you all got Waspinator after I put him away." He noted.

Gears nodded. "Things are going well, though the bug is infuriating." Gears snorted "We have been dealing with some Decepticon activity over in Africa. Some remnants of Megatron's base there we think." He sighed "And besides that, it seems like every day is just day in and day out the same. I'm bored with the war at such a stand-still." He shook his head "Have you enjoyed it at all?" He asked.

"It never ends at the main base." Prowl muttered "That is the one problem."

As he set his credits down, Prowl quietly took a slow, shallow breath. "Listen, I need to get you back now. You still have that work to do and I'm sure Prime has not forgotten it." He noted, then stared out the window "And besides, I don't like leaving for more than a few hours myself." He then added "Let's do this again tomorrow night however, I miss nights like these." He admitted.

"Sounds like a plan, Prowler."

Prowl put an arm around Gears a bit, and looked over at the mech. He really had missed this, being around a close friend of his with whom he could pour out how he was really feeling. "Gears?" The shorter mech turned to look at him calmly "I just want to make one more thing clear before we head back." He noted, calmly "If you tell one more story to my son about my rowdy days tomorrow, I'll rip your cog piece out." He noted.

Gears only chuckled, shaking his head a little bit, he took a deep breath. "Yeah, yeah, I promise not to." Gears lied between his feet with a flashy grin "Just give me a few hours with him alone tomorrow to "get to know him" better." He teased.

"Not on your life."

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A/N: I thought a more light-hearted chapter was needed for the seriousness the past few. Hope you enjoyed it! Reviews make my day!