A/N: So originally the aftermath was going to be one chapter, but I feel like a few are needed. So you'll get a few more chapters than I expected, though not many.

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CHAPTER 60
At Last

Things had moved slowly in Dallas after the battle had ended. For the most part, many stayed behind to help treat the wounded, and rescue those who may have been trapped. Though Hound and the Autobots had wanted to leave soon, they realized quickly that Mark and Alexis also needed to be tended to, and thus stayed to help a little longer. Hound kept a close eye as doctors looked over Mark, given First Aid, who had survived the NEST Base attack, was tending to the severely wounded. First Aid finally saw him after some time, however, and managed to carefully remove (through non-surgical means) the tracker that Knockout had put in him, using Cybertronian technology. And so, within a good three hours, both kids were okayed, and the Autobots moved out from the city in hopes no anger would be directed at them.

Since they had nowhere to go but Washington DC to sort things out with the government, they'd dropped Alexis off at her home before leaving to a pair of very worried parents. As she'd suspected, her father had already promised to ground her for two months. When she'd asked if she would be able to see Mark still, her father looked quite unamused. Not the best way to start out their relationship, but at least Mark had already figured out their relationship would always be anything but typical. Even so, Mark did not have the guts to kiss his newfound girlfriend goodbye before he left.

Instead, he'd settled for a verbal one, and a promise that he'd return. Before he'd gone with the Autobots and what remained of NEST to the assigned aerial transport to the nation's capital. Mark and Hound didn't leave each others side by that time, with Hound letting him sleep against his chestplate as he held him. To say the least, Mark welcomed the embrace of sleep after the long and nightmarish past few days he'd experienced. Around midnight, after most were in recharge or asleep, Hound and Optimus were left awake, watching the forms. "How's the boy holding up?" Optimus noted. "I can see that he was looked at and attended to."

Hound nodded, indeed, he had been cleaned up and given fresh clothing. How they'd done it so quickly before they'd left Texas was beyond him, but it made Mark more comfortable, all the same. "He's holding up. He was a brave as slag little soldier out there though," Hound chuckled. "So needless to say I think his muscles gave out," Optimus smirked, and gave an amused chuckle. "Ye think they'll let me keep him after all of this, right? I stand by my decision before all this went down," He explained. "I don't want him to be taken from me, Prime."

"If he is, we'll fight to get him back," Optimus placed a hand on Hound's shoulder comfortingly. "We have all fought hard to protect and rescue him today. If the government cannot see that we are a good family for him, than they are most definitely blind," He explained. "You make a wonderful sire, Hound, do not let anyone convince you otherwise."

Hound smiled as his foster son snuggled deep into his armor, snoring quietly. Gently he lowered his lips, and gave the boy the gentlest of kisses on his forehead, careful to be careful not to crush him. "I like to believe that," Hound rumbled. "I love him more than life itself, Prime. It's like Primus gave me a second chance, and I'll be slagged if I blow it."

"You won't."

Hound nodded his head, and allowed Optimus to now sit beside him. He felt stronger when his old friend encouraged him, and now was no exception. As a part of him very clearly felt that he could and would keep Mark, and raise him. He wanted that, he wanted to have Mark forever, and with any luck, the government would let it happen. "I know, sometimes I just worry," Hound noted. "He counts on me, and puts his faith in me. I can't help but worry."

"I felt the same way about Bumblebee," Optimus stared over at Bumblebee, who was recharging in a corner. "And people fought us, probably for the same reason. Yet I never gave up, and now I have a creation who I am truly proud of," He noted. "I'm more worried about the human's reaction to this. If it is quite terrible we may be forced to go "on the lamb" again."

Hound cringed at the thought, he hated that idea. But he also knew it was a very real possibility, if not one that they could do nothing to avoid if it happened. He shifted a little, resting his head against the wall of the transport behind him. "I'm getting too old for that crap," Hound joked. "If that slag happens, just promise to remember me fondly and have my spare parts be given to help rebuild Dallas."

Optimus didn't laugh, but knew all the same that he felt the same way. Hound simply shook his head, and crossed his free arm, exhaustion filling him. He hated the fact that he could not stay awake and alert the whole flight, but also knew he needed his rest. "Get some recharge, my old friend, we have all had a very long day," Optimus noted. "I think you need as much rest as your son does."

"And you do too," Hound muttered.

"Soon," Optimus replied.

"Don't lie to me, Prime, we grew up together," Hound chuckled. "I know you're going to stay awake for a while longer. So just promise me you'll get SOME recharge," He added flatly. "You've earned it too."

"Very well."

That was the most confirmation Hound needed as he began to shut down his systems. He cradled Mark closer to his chest, and smiled as recharge slowly began to overtake him. It was very welcome indeed.

...

Mark was surprised to find the opposite to what he'd expected when they made land. The news was blowing up with news about Dallas, but rather than paint the Autobots in a bad light, it showed the opposite. He wondered if the battle at the charity event had raised awareness of what good they did, but many stations on the radio focused on the thousands of lives saved with their help. Many interviews (including with the man he and Sideswipe had helped) cited that they had done anything and everything to help them. And the casualty numbers, to Mark's surprise, were also far lower than Chicago's as well.

They could all breathe a sigh of relief that their public image remained unchanged. But even so, he could only hope that the government would, for once, see things the same way. So far, meeting with the government officials involved a lot of waiting, as he came to learn. After they had landed in Washington DC at around midnight the President had welcomed them as guests, and allowed Mark a room to properly sleep off his ordeal, a fact which he was thankful for. And then treated him to what he wanted from the kitchen when he woke up.

After that, he and the rest of the Autobots simply waited their turn. Mark had taken the chance to explore the White House a bit, given tours were no longer allowed. He was careful to avoid anywhere he wasn't supposed to be, but all the same, he got a good look around. He'd been heading back to where the holoforms were waiting when he walked into a man coming out a door. He backed up slightly as the man brushed his suit off a little, and locked his brown eyes with his. Mark took note of the fact the man looked a little out of place, with messy brown hair, and a youthful, scrawny appearance. But didn't make a comment on that. "Sorry," Mark commented. "I should really pay more attention sometimes."

The man straightened a bit. "No, that's okay, no harm, no foul," The man put his hands into his suit's pockets and looked him over. "Hey, you're that kid, aren't you? The one with the Autobots?" Mark stiffened a bit, gulping. "Hey, don't worry about it, I'm not gonna do anything, I was just curious."

Mark swallowed, still unsure. "Yeah, that's me."

The man gave a smile, and nodded his head, taking in his appearance carefully. Why was this man seemingly so interested in him? Was he against the Autobots? For them? Mark tensed a bit as he took a step forward, putting his hand on his shoulder. "The 'Bots actually already headed into the meeting. But they're looking for you," He explained. "The leaders usually want the other side of the stories with this kinda stuff. Soldiers, Autobots, civilians if they can get them," He then nodded. "Come on, we'll walk together."

Mark's eyes widened, they wanted him to give his viewpoint? He wasn't sure how well this would go, especially given how tense it had been. He'd even taken a life, albeit a Decepticon one, in the process. "I'm not going to be in trouble, am I?" Mark asked quietly. "I mean, I probably kind of contributed to some of the damage, but-."

"Trouble?" The man asked as he began to lead him down a hallway. "You took down a Decepticon single-handidly from what I heard. You're probably going to get a medal of some sort if nothing else. I mean you're only fourteen," Mark shifted uncomfortably, surprised at the thought. "They've done that before, y'know, given medals. Especially for stuff like this."

Mark nodded his head slowly, noting how the man seemed to know a lot about the subject. Who was this man anyway? He would swear he'd see him before, but he couldn't place his face as much as he wanted to. "I guess, I was just doing what I had to though," He explained. "The Autobots are my family, and I was going to do what I could to help them," He smiled a little. "A medal would be cool and all, but I wasn't in it for that. I stood with them because I would never do anything else."

The man smiled, and not a regular smile either, but a knowing one. "They have that effect on people, kid," The man stated. "Half the reason I took the job with NEST, even after the crap with Attinger is because I wanted to stand beside them," He grinned. "They are an amazing group of mechs, but since they're your family I don't think I have to tell you that."

"You work with NEST?" Mark questioned as the man stopped at a door, and knocked.

"Who is it?"

"It's me," The man spoke. "I've got Mark with me."

"Come in!"

As they entered the circular room, which seemed to be a meeting area, Mark looked around. Everyone seemed to be there, as well as several government officials, and the President. Immediately, Mark was surprised as Bumblebee put an arm around the man. "Bee, you just saw me five minutes ago," The man chuckled. "Seriously, man. I just left for ten minutes to get my papers."

Bumblebee smiled, chuckling a little bit, and spoke the words that surprised Mark. "I don't get to see you enough anymore, Sam," He explained, with a raised eyebrow. "Only when the time calls for it, or we need our closest allies," He added with a flurry of random sound clips.

Mark's eyes widened as he finally realized who the man he had been talking to was. Samuel James Witwicky, the original teenage ally to the Autobots, the one that had joined NEST, but that he had never met due to his being stationed elsewhere. For a moment, he felt a little strastruck, but was pulled out of it as Hound's holoform motioned him over, and he quickly made his way over, allowing the mech to put his hands on his shoulders. To the side, Sam smiled, and simply winked a little at the boy before the president cleared his throat.

"Well then, now that we're all here," The president spoke. "Where should we begin?"

Mark had a feeling this was going to be a long meeting.

...

A/N: That's right, new and old age main teenage allies finally meet! We'll get more interaction with them next chapter, but consider that a teaser. ;)