Guest #1: Haha yes, I love that movie so I wanted to have it in there. And wow! That's a huge compliment that you can picture it in Optimus's voice! Thank you very much!

Guest #2: That's not a bad idea ta all! Definitely something to be brought up at least. I'll try and fit in a little bit of that in there.

A/N: Holy crap, has this really hit 280 reviews!? You guys have no idea how happy the amazing response to this story makes me. It's been quite the journey so far, and I'm so glad you guys seem to be enjoying taking it with me!

DISCLAIMER: The OC in this chapter, Moonrider, belongs to Mimzy94. I don't own own Transformers, it is owned by Hasbro/Takara, I only own Mark and any OCs OTHER than Moonrider.

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CHAPTER 33
Stubbornness and Guardians

How many people does it take to take care of a sick kid on a military base? Mark had inevitably lost count after some time, but he did know that he wished he hadn't been hovered over. Though he was slowly getting over the stomach flu he had had, most of the base seemed to either ask him if he was feeling alright, or avoid him for fear of being sick. He guessed that it didn't entirely help that most of the NEST personnel were parents, or had been parents at some point in their lives, and he was a kid too. Yet there was still one mech who mostly treated him the same. "Primus, kid, you call this feeling better?" Sideswipe teased as Mark dragged himself into the main hangar "You look like you just got done being on Shockwave's "examination" berth."

"Shockwave?" Mark asked sheepishly.

"A Decepticon scientist, a very nasty mech." Drift brought up from the side with a sigh as he walked along carrying a data pad "My friend Moonrider got captured once, now she turns into animals and an organic form." He shuddered slightly "And the way it happened didn't seem very... Kind either." He shuddered "He also committed some experiments that a young grasshopper such as yourself should not hear about." He then added "I thank Primus he has met the Pit every day." He stated as he continued to walk off "Glad to see you up and about, youngling."

Mark shuddered, though he was thankful to hear that if this Decepticon was sick, he was at least gone now. He sneezed slightly, and groaned a bit. "Don't let Hound know I'm still a little off." Mark muttered "I don't want to be sent back to bed with soup again. I think I've literally seen every imaginable episode of Family Guy twice now."

Sideswipe shook his head, putting his hands on his hips slightly. "You know I'm not going to say anything." Sideswipe told him honestly "Hound may be older, but he isn't blind, he'll figure that out himself." Mark stuck his tongue out at him "Come on, kid. You really SHOULD be back in bed, you know that, right? You were puking up half your food yesterday."

Mark merely scowled, and crossed his arms. He'd always been stubborn when it came to being sick, since he naturally hated laying in bed for long periods of time in the day. Sideswipe rolled his optics, and nudged his human friend slightly with one of his wheel feet. "Sides, you, Drift, and Mirage are the ones who are not hovering over me and waiting for me to puke my guts out." Mark groaned "Please don't pick now to be like the rest of the base."

Sideswipe chuckled lightly, he enjoyed teasing the kid too much. But it was okay, because he knew deep down, Mark knew he was right, and would be over it before too long. He grinned, and patted the boy on the back this time. "Kid, you're like a little brother to me, I gotta give you a hard time sometimes." Mark frowned as Sideswipe looked up "Oh, what's up Hound?"

Mark jumped, and perked up quickly, only to find no one there. "You suck." Mark grunted.

"And you're too easy to fool." Sideswipe hummed teasingly.

Mark groaned as his stomach gurgled a bit, this time, Sideswipe quickly wheeled to the side. He shook his head slightly, and pointed at him. "If you vomit all over me, I swear to Primus... I'll haul your aft off to bed myself." He told him bluntly as he rubbed the back of his neck "Love ye kid, but seriously, this is a fresh paint job, and I don't want to be cleaning it off all day."

"You'd deserve it after that." Mark joked "I'm fine though, seriously. It's just a little left over, seriously, scan me. Do I have any sign of a fever?"

Sideswipe shrugged, running a scan over him. "Nah, I guess not." He replied "I just thought I should give you fair warning."

At that point, Mark looked ready to argue before Hound casually approached both of them. Oh man, now he was doomed, because there was no way that Hound was letting him stay out of bed right now. Sure enough, Hound had a frown on his face as he took the "cigar" he had out of his mouth. "Son, what in Primus's good name are you doing out of bed?" Hound asked bluntly "You had a fever of one hundred and three yesterday! You should be back in bed before you get even worse." He added.

"Hound, I feel fine." Mark insisted with a quiet groan "Come on, don't be a stiff, I can handle a little stomach ache."

Hound didn't look like he was willing to take that advice, not in the least. Rather, he picked Mark up as carefully as he could and made sure he saw the stern look in his optics. "You're going back to bed, my little mech wrecker." Hound told him without blinking "You're fourteen, and I expect you to act like it. You can handle a day or so more in your bed. I promise, no more Decepticon activity than what you've missed on other occasions will happen."

"But-."

"Bed." Hound told him "Do I really need to take you there myself? I'll do it in front of the entire base if I have to."

Mark didn't look happy as he crossed his arms in response. He looked ready to declare that Hound sucked, but sucked in a breath, realizing that getting angry would get him nowhere. "Fineeeeeee." Mark replied as Hound set him on the ground "But let it be noted, I am actually going of my own free will, not because I have to." He explained.

"Of course you are." Sideswipe snorted "C'mon shorty, I'm on my way back to our side of the base, I'll walk you to your room."

Hound watched as the two started off towards the Autobot side of the base quietly. That boy was a stubborn one, a fact which would make him all the more curious to see how that would develop as he got older. He had a feeling that he was going to be a handful, as much as he was looking forward to it. "Hound!" The large mech nearly jumped out of his armor, turning to see Crosshairs headed his way "Prowl's lookin' for you."

"What now?" Hound asked curiously.

"Didn't ask, he sounded mighty concerned though, I'd go see what he wants."

Hound nodded as he headed off wordlessly, part of him wondering what on Earth Prowl could want.

...

"What can I do for ye, Prowl?"

Prowl turned around as Hound entered his office with a quick salute in his direction. Prowl made an "at ease" motion before looking Hound in the optics and crossing his arms. "Hound, I wanted to talk to you about Mark." Hound raised an optic ridge slightly "Nothing bad, I promise. I simply wanted to talk about his protection." He explained, Hound raised both optic ridges at that "With the Decepticon attacks, I think it's time we assigned him more than just a legal guardian. I believe we need to do the same thing we did with Samuel before he went into hiding, and now before he joined NEST when it was reformed... As well as what we have done for Cade and his family." Prowl explained "He needs a Bumblebee, a guardian."

Hound looked thoughtful at him, but slowly nodded in agreement. He knew that Prowl had made a good point, Mark needed someone who would be with him constantly. As a "driver" while Mark was young, and his "car" when Mark inevitably got his license. "I agree." Hound crossed his arms "Mark does indeed need that protection that I can't provide him with." He then added "Have you talked to anyone about it?" He asked.

"Sideswipe volunteered himself."

Hound nodded his head, that was no surprise at all. Sideswipe and Mark had a very Sam and Bumblebee-like relationship, between their joking and friendship. And most of all, Sideswipe's older brother nature over Mark that they had come to see. "Well that's an easy yes." Hound replied "Sideswipe would offline to protect Mark without even batting an optic. Just the same as I would." He then added "Their bond runs deep."

"Yet Sideswipe has never been a guardian before-."

"He's thirty-five vorns old now, Prowl." Hound replied "He may not be the most mature among us, but he is more than capable of this. Especially considering it's a job carried by Bumblebee, who is even younger." Prowl frowned at that, though he knew that the older mech was right "Mark would want someone protecting him that he knows and trust with his life." He then added "The only other mech that would probably be able to do it is Mirage, and he isn't too fond of Mark like that." He explained "Not to mention, I had him guard the Martin family while they had Mark, and he did just fine."

By the look on his face, Prowl didn't like the idea, even with that last bit of information. But then again, Hound noted that they really hadn't ever seen eye-to-eye on most instances. "We can always ask Prime for his opinion." Hound explained politely "But as Mark's appointed legal guardian and foster father, I believe I have jurisdiction on who protects him?" He questioned "At least simply in this situation."

Prowl grimaced a little, though he knew that Hound made a good point. Mark was first and foremost his responsibility, and he did have a good deal of say in who protected the boy. "Very well, I will inform Prime." Prowl explained "Though he may still refuse it, I see the logic in your reasoning all around. As much as I hate to admit it, you would know best who would be best equipped to handle your charge." He then explained "Including Sideswipe... Who I will admit is a much more mature mech than his brother at times."

"Sunstreaker is the most mature mentally." Hound corrected.

"But his actions rarely show it. At any rate, he's not on Earth and therefore not in the pool of options." Hound nodded, taking a deep breath "Either way, I will talk this over with Prime, and have Sideswipe join both myself and him soon." He explained, nodding a little "It will be your duty to explain to Markus what his new "bodyguard" entails." He explained.

Hound gave a quiet nod, having seen that one coming quite quickly. "Fair enough, I'll handle that as soon as he's awake. I got a comm earlier that he's passed out in bed. Still recovering from his virus that he contracted." He explained before saluting again silently "Am I dismissed? Because I do have other work to attend to." He explained politely.

"You're dismissed." Prowl replied "And I do hope that you know what you're doing with these two."

Hound snorted as he left the room, unlike Prowl, he knew this was the right idea. Sideswipe would protect Mark with his life, and they were already close friends. If there was one mech on base that he could trust to protect and care about his foster son, it was Sideswipe. "So, you trust me with his life, eh?" Hound turned as he saw Sideswipe leaning against the wall "Sorry, I was just driving by and heard, can't help that I'm a little nosy."

Hound smiled, and nodded his head as Sideswipe rolled up beside him following him down the hall. "You have been a good friend and confidant to Mark." He explained "And am I not correct in thinking I can trust you as his bodyguard?"

"Of course you can! I would offline for him." Sideswipe said with all the firmness that Hound wanted to hear "Ever since I guarded the Martin family, I've been fond of the little guy." He then added "He's like the little brother Sunny and I never actually had." With another grin, he narrowed his optics "And any Decepticon who would try to attack him on my watch? Would walk away missing a few necessary limbs." He added bluntly.

Hound put a hand on the young mech's shoulder, and smiled. "Then I know that he's in the right hands." He then poked him in the chest lightly "Just know that I'm counting on you."

"I know."

And Sideswipe wasn't about to let him down.

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A/N: I finally got a mention of Sam in there! So yes, he is now part of NEST. He may or may not appear a little later, we'll see.