CHAPTER 22
A Day to Remember

The rest of the day was filled with excitement around the Autobot side of the base. While most of them went back to their work (mostly Prowl), others decided to enjoy a little high grade and enjoy themselves. Although, even though Mark all but begged them to have a beer, Hound had refused to let him drink with the rest of them. He supposed it was just as well, his father had never let him drink either, insisting he wait until he was twenty-one, even though most teenagers did drink (albeit illegally). Although it frustrated him, Mark had to remind himself that he wasn't going to be on Earth as long as they were, and Hound wanted him to live a long life. So he knew very well why Hound cared about his health enough to go out of his way to make him avoid smoking or drinking.

Watching Crosshairs, Sideswipe, and Mirage drunk however, more than made up for his disappointment. Currently, Crosshairs was slumped over Hound (who looked somewhat annoyed), talking about some old war story the two were involved with. While Sideswipe was babbling at Mirage, who only seemed interested in talking about himself, about battle strategies. Though Mirage's talk about himself was so incoherent Mark could barely tell what he was saying. But he was not alone in his amusement, as the smallest of the Autobots, who he had only talked to a few times, Brains, had joined him on the couch in the Autobots relaxation room.

"Are they always this bad when they're... Is it drunk?" Mark asked.

"Oh yeah, it's truly a sight kid." The former Decepticon drone chuckled "You should see your new old mech when he's hammered, it's even better." Mark laughed a little, a part of him wishing he could see that, and another part not wanting to "Me, this is why I don't do high grade, it just makes a mech do stupid slag."

As if on cue, Crosshairs looked up with an unamused glance. "'Ey! I'm not drunk, just tipsy."

Hound patted his good friend on the shoulder with a deep chuckle as he stood. Mark almost wished he had a camera at the moment, as Crosshairs crashed onto the Transformer-sized couch they were sitting on. "Yep, totally sober." Hound laughed lightly "Primus, yer all a bunch of lightweights, I had plenty to drink and I don't even have a buzz yet."

Mark shook his head, and laughed lightly. He wasn't sure if he was impressed by Hound's statement, or a little worried. Yet the mech merely gave a hardy laugh that made his loose plating jiggle a little. "Don't worry younglin', I don't drink often." Mark nodded his head, chuckling a little "And you fragging well better believe if I get drunk it won't be around ye. I'm afraid of the blackmail you'd have on me."

Brains nudged Mark for a moment. "All the more reason to get him to drink more, eh kid?"

"Don't encourage him." Hound frowned "Primus knows that Sideswipe encourages his mischievous side more than enough." He chuckled lightly.

As if on cue, Sideswipe slapped his knee in response, trying to look serious. But Mark noticed quite quickly that he was failing at that, especially when he began to talk. "I will have you know Hound that I am an excellent role model!" He said loudly and proudly, though very slurred "I was even thinking I should be his caretaker instead of you!"

Even in his intoxicated state, Mirage gave an amused snort and laughed. "Sideswipe, mon ami, the world is certainly not ready for the sparkling you would raise." He said with more laughter.

Sideswipe gave a pout in his friend's direction, though Mark couldn't help but laugh himself. There was no way that Sideswipe was father material, right now at least. As he understood, he wasn't too much older than Bumblebee, who was in his early twenties, and that was far from the right time for someone like them to have sparklings. "Sorry, Sideswipe, but whether you're a good one or not, this little piston is all mine." Mark found an arm around his shoulder, staring up to find Hound's holoform beside him "What do ye say, kiddo? You had enough of this little exercise in drinking?"

"You two are gonna bail already?" Brains questioned as Mark got off the couch and approached Hound's real form "What a buzzkill, I was five seconds away from convincin' him kid, you know that, dontcha?" Mark laughed off the small mech a little as the two left "Well shucks, didn't even invite me with 'em. I see how it is." He added.

Mark chuckled a little as he and Hound exited the room and made their way into the hallway. He crossed his arms, and gave a shake of his head. "You guys are crazy when you start drinking." Mark finally spoke up "I was almost sure that Crosshairs was hitting on you in there." Hound snorted a little at that "So where are we going?" He asked.

Hound shook his head, starting towards the staircase and up towards the roof again. Mark grinned, if there was one thing he'd never complain about doing, it was definitely doing some star gazing. Once they had made their way onto the roof, Mark took his usual perch on top of a large (closed) vent opening. "Just think..." Hound began quietly "In just a few weeks we'll be out here, awaiting Optimus's return." He shook his head, a grin on his face "It's about time too, I've missed the mech way too much."

"The way you talk about him, you must have been close." Mark replied.

Hound nodded in confirmation as he took out one of his "cigars" and placed it in his mouth. He grinned widely and placed his hands on his hips before turning his gaze to his charge. "My caretaker worked very closely with his, so we grew up together." Hound explained "We were thick as thieves, him, Ironhide, and I." He added with a wry grin.

"Who's Ironhide?"

"My foster brother..." Hound explained "He passed into the Well just before the Battle of Chicago. I try not to talk about it too much." He looked at the boy "It's a shame you never got to meet him. He would've gotten a kick outta you."

"You know, I still don't get it."

"Don't get what?"

"You guys are robots, right?" Mark began "Can't you just be rebuilt? How can you even die?"

Hound looked calmly at his charge, and after a moment, lifted him up before softly opening his spark chamber. Mark had heard about sparks before, particularly when he talked about the bond, but it could not prepare him for the beautiful sight of the blue energy inside Hound's chest. "That's why, Mark. Our sparks are much like a human heart... And soul." Hound explained politely "If you destroy it, there is no coming back, there is no being rebuilt, you can rebuild the shell easily, but your spark is you. Without it, yer nothing more than a drone." He noted, his optics filling with sadness.

"So his spark was... Extinguished?"

"As I understand it, he was shot with a cannon that ate every inch of him away." Hound's voice seemed to become distant as he finished the sentence "I'm thankful I was never around to witness his execution himself." He shook his head, seating Mark on one of his kneecaps "Yer uncle meant a lot to me, especially after our caretaker died."

Mark nodded, though it took him a moment to register the use of the words "yer uncle". "Well then, just be careful not to let anyone hit you in the spark. I'm not sure I could handle something like that."

"There are few reasons I would ever allow that to happen."

Though he didn't say it out loud, Mark was given the distinct feeling that one of the reasons would be protecting him. If the way he said it hadn't given it away, the way Hound had looked at him when he said it did. "Do you think they go out there somewhere?" Mark asked, looking out to the stars "My dad... Your family..." He trailed off a little.

"They're all out there. In the Well of Allsparks, and your Heaven. That much I am certain." Hound then added "And in other ways they remain with us. Watching over us, looking after us." He paused "Or so I like to believe. Sometimes I'll swear that I hear my bonded's laugh, or Coldsteel's giggle." He commented, his voice now trailing off a little as well.

"Sometimes if I really concentrate... I'd swear I still hear my dad gently scolding me when I do something stupid."

"Are you sure that isn't Prowl?"

An amused snort escaped the fourteen year old as he smacked the mech's knee gently. Hound carefully trailed his fingers along Mark's head of hair, looking thoughtfully out to the stars. "I don't think I've said this before..." Mark spoke thoughtfully "But I'm glad you found me that day, in town." Hound stared down at him with a cocked optic ridge "I don't even know where I'd be right now if I was still out there." He then added "Instead I get this awesome life." He added.

Hound smiled a little at that, leaning back against the vent. He rested his hand on the floor of the roof, he rested his eyes on the boy. "I'm glad I found ye too. I was lonely for a long time before ye came around." He explained "As Crosshairs would put it in his own smart-aft way, I needed something to take care of that wasn't my extensive gun collection."

"You still do that, though. You polish those things like five times a day."

Hound gave Mark a gentle jab to the ribs in response to that, with a faux-stern look in his optics. "They gotta look good. I mean, I could polish you if you'd like, but I can't imagine you'd like it much." Mark chuckled a little at that as well "I'm also almost certain that it would be considered some form of child abuse." That one earned an eye roll.

"I think I'm good, big guy."

As Mark got away from the conversation to look at the stars in wonderment, Hound sighed. He wished they could just have more nights like this, of fun with the others, and time alone on the roof. Oh how he wished, and prayed for peace time during which he didn't have to worry about Decepticons, or the war. But even with all the excitement of the day, he knew that tomorrow he'd be back in the fight again. But he would none-the-less still long to keep things like this, so peaceful and tranquil.

Caught up in the moment, Hound closed his optics, and finally spoke the words that had previously escaped him. "I love you, Mark."

It took Mark a long time to register what Hound had said to him. He'd longed for it for some time, that much he couldn't deny. But to actually hear it almost seemed like a pipe dream up until that exact moment. Meanwhile, Hound had opened his optics, and seemed to patiently wait for his answer. It took Mark quite a while to finally reply, but he finally patted the side of the mech's arm and smiled. "I love you too, Hound."

It was only after he had said the words that he really realized how far he'd come from when they'd first met. Back when he couldn't imagine trusting anyone again, let alone loving anyone like a father again. Yet as he looked up at the mech he sat with, he saw the look in his optics, and recognized it. The softness, the fondness, and the love that radiated from them and their bond was all the assurance he needed that he made the right choice. "We should probably go back inside." Mark said as he noticed the time on his watch "Isn't it bedtime, or whatever?"

Hound looked thoughtful, but only smiled a little. "I think that we can forgo your bedtime for a day of celebration like this." Hound explained politely "Now, where did I leave off with my last batch of stories? Had we hit the Battle of Tyger Pax yet?"

"I think you'd just started."

And they both settled there under the stars for yet another story, for the first time in a while, without a care in the world.

...

A/N: I thought since there has been a very serious group of chapters lately, it was time for a purely fluff and humor chapter. :) Hope you guys enjoyed!