Transformers: A Matter of Fate

BOLD MOVES AND REMINDERS

CHAPTER 25

Bold Moves and Reminders

"He's going to be okay..."

Mark nearly fell to his knees in relief as the medic, First Aid, stepped outside of the med bay a few hours later . He could feel Sideswipe's hand on his back, rubbing it gently. First Aid stared down at Mark for a moment, his optics twisting in recognition. "You must be the Mark I was told of, then?" Mark nodded his head "Nice to meetcha kid, you probably already figured out I'm First Aid." Another timid nod "Your old mech is going to be A-Okay, though he'll be in stasis lock for the next two days." He added.

"Is that normal?" Mark asked in confusion.

"After losing one of his energon lines like that? He's lucky he's pulling through at all." First Aid shook his head a bit "He's tough as pit though, I kept thinking I was going to lose him."

"And you almost did." Mark turned his head towards Coulton as he approached them slowly "And you, my good Autobot friends." He ignored the scowl that most of the group, with the exception of First Aid, had on their face at the word "friend" "Because that would leave young Mr. Savoy without a guardian for two days. And I'm no expert on the foster care system, but I don't think that's going to fly well with them."

The first reaction that got out of the Autobots was Sideswipe who rolled in front of Mark protectively. Coulton had to take a few steps back as Sideswipe brought out one of his blades, a dark growl emitting from his systems. "He's got seven temporary guardians right here." Sidseswipe told him bluntly "You wanna call Dana up and try and get him taken away from us? Go ahead and try. I'll..."

Prowl held up a hand, carefully trying to calm Sideswipe down. "As I understand it..." Prowl began quietly "Markus's affairs are handled by Hound, and by his social worker, Dana Walsh." He then added "You have no right to kick Markus off this base. And I will need a solid reason to hand over someone who is under direct guardianship of one of my mechs."

"Luckily, I called her."

Mark watched as Dana entered, looking around the side of Sideswipe's leg. "I'm sorry, guys. You know I support this, I have ever since I knew Hound was serious." She explained, shaking her head "But I'm afraid that Mr. Coulton is right. Without a legally registered foster parent on-base who is... Not in a catatonic state. We can't keep him here."

"And he told you there wasn't one?"

Dana turned around, noticing Lennox was standing behind her. She frowned slightly, and nodded her head. "Well, that's funny." Lennox chuckled "Because I told Coulton that Hound and I had worked this out. My wife and I just renewed our foster parenting licenses over this past summer." He watched Coulton's face visibly fall "William and Sarah Lennox, you can look up the file and everything. I'll help the 'Bots take care of him until Hound is back online."

"Give me one moment."

As Dana left, Mark felt relief fill every pour of his body. "Colonel Lennox, you cannot be serious!" Coulton demanded "I can't be the only one who thinks that his reaction today proves the boy should have never come here in the first place." He added coldly "We're in a war, we can't have a child breaking down every time his friends get a booboo on base."

"What that proved is that he has a heart." Lennox snapped back "Mark and Hound have a deeper bond than you'd ever understand. I should know because I lived with an Autobot under my roof for a good five years." He cringed, thinking back on Ironhide "And his and Hound's is even deeper than mine and Ironhide's, because whether you like it or not, Hound is his dad now."

Coulton didn't waver in his harsh glare at Lennox, but lucky for the others, Lennox didn't waver either. "Colonel Lennox?" Lennox turned his head as Dana walked back "You check out. I'll let my superiors know that Markus is in your temporary custody until Hound is out of his comatose state." Lennox nodded his head "Can you come and sign some paperwork for me, please?"