Strongarm sat against the wall on her berth as she let out a sigh. She missed him already. A knock came at the door, "Strongarm, I know you're awake. Can I come in?" Inquires Bumblebee standing at the door.

"Yes, sir."

Bumblebee walks in, "How are you holding up?"

"I'm okay, I guess."

"Can't sleep because you're thinking about him, huh?"

"Yeah, even though I know he's across the scrapyard, I just feel like I'm alone," she replied quietly as she wrapped her arms around her.

"I know, but I believe you two will make it through this."

"Strongarm?" Strongarm looks up to see Ultra Magnus walking in.

"Hey," she greets him.

"Can you please leave us, Bumblebee?"

"Yes, sir," Bumblebee replied before leaving.

"Strongarm, I know this is gonna be hard for you but I need to be sure of his intention."

"I know, I just hope he can make it through the week. You don't know him as I do."

"Then tell me what you know about him."

"He lost his parents when he was a sparkling," she sighed, "Maybe you should be asking him this."

"How did he lose his parents?"

"It was during an Autobot attack, the building they were in got caught in an explosion."

"Really? That explains why he became a Decepticon."

"Yeah. I can't imagine the thought of losing both parents, but I know what it's like to lose someone you love and look up to," she said quietly.

Magnus looks at her sympathetically, "Your mother loved you very much, she saw great things in you."

"I wish I could remember her though."

"You were just a sparkling when she passed, she was so beautiful and graceful and a fierce fighter."

"You never did tell me how she died, I know I was too young to understand and that you wanted to protect me. You don't have to carry this on your own, Dad."

Ultra Magnus looks at his daughter debating if he should tell her the truth about her mother's death.

Magnus has to compose himself as he thinks back to when he lost his sparkmate, "She was captured by a Decepticon team called the D.J.D and was tortured to death, by the time I was able to rescue her it was too late."

"The D.J.D? Do you mean the Decepticon Justice Division? I thought they only hunted down Decepticon traitors."

"Yes, but they also went after Autobots, we were in a war after all."

"Now I see why you stayed, you wanted to make sure that I was safe. But how did you end up leading the Wreckers?"

"Optimus put me in charge of them because I could get them under control."

"Did you ever run into the D.J.D?"

"A few times. Why do you think they took your mother?"

Strongarm's optics widened, "Because they were trying to get to you."

He nods, "I had a couple of battles with the leader of the group. One time I beat him and he did not like that. He's been plotting to get me back ever since."

"Who was the leader?"

"A mech named Tarn."

Even though she didn't know the mech just hearing the name sent a shiver through her body, "Was he the one who...?"

"Yes. Anyways, let's get back to Steeljaw. What else can you tell me about him?"

Strongarm shook her helm trying to keep her mind off the dangerous mech, "Right, Shockwave took him in and pretty much raised him."

"Shockwave? Really? Huh, never saw him as the type to take one in and raise them."

"I know, it's surprising. When I told him you were my sire he nearly freaked out."

"Did he?"

"He had a small freak out, but I told him that he didn't have to worry."

"And he still stayed with you even after you told him? That's a surprise."

"It shows how much he wants to be with me, even if you're the second-in-command and leader to the Wreckers."

"Yes, it does. But what really surprises me is that he fell in love with you and wanted you as his mate, you being an Autobot, and him hating Autobots. I can understand now why he would hate the Autobots, but to hate the Autobots and try to get rid of them then end up falling in love with an Autobot..."

"I know it's odd but maybe he didn't see me as an Autobot. What if this is also his way of trying to overcome his hate for the Autobots? I mean he's had plenty of chances to attack us but he hasn't."

"When did he start expressing these feelings for you?"

"About a day after he released the members of his old pack. He was wounded and we put him in a stasis pod, we found out that he was supposed to be meeting with a mech named Scorponok so I went with Bumblebee and Grimlock to look into it. Bumblebee told me to head back to the scrapyard and I arrived to find him out of the stasis pod and holding Fixit, Denny, and Russell captive. We fought and I managed to beat him, and just before he left he said, "I'm starting to like you, Cadet"," she explained mimicking her mate's voice as best as she could.

"And how did you know he meant it?"

"I didn't trust him at first but when I got called to the battle when Bumblebee and Grimlock were fighting Thunderhoof, Metalsound, and this Decepticon called Springload he tried to make sure I was okay when I got hurt. And he hasn't hurt me whenever we were alone."

"So basically he just saw you as another Autobot he had to get rid of at first until the fight, then suddenly he changed his views on you. Did he say why?"

"He said that I really impressed him with my fighting skills and for outsmarting him like that. He never thought that he could be outsmarted or outdone in a fight but I did both."

"You really impressed him, huh?"

"Yeah," she chuckled when she felt her cheeks get warm.

"When did you fall in love with him?"

"After I had gotten to know him, but I think it was when I found myself unable to get him off my mind when Springload attacked me. I kept wondering if he was okay and when I was going to see him again."

"How were you so sure it wasn't all a trick?"

"Because of all of the times we were alone, he never attacked me. He's had a lot of chances to do so but he didn't."

"What did he do with you after he kidnapped you?"

"He had me stay in his room. He would lock the door whenever he came in or when he had to leave. I felt betrayed by what he did."

"He had you on the ship with the other Decepticons around?"

"Yes, luckily no one found out about me except for Thunderhoof and Metalsound."

"How did he get you to his room without the other Decepticons seeing you?"

Strongarm had to think for a moment and she realized that she never did find out how Steeljaw got her onto the ship without being noticed. "I'm not sure, he never told me."

"When did you come around to forgiving him and deciding to stay with him?"

"It took a few days, but eventually I started to see that he really loves me and just couldn't stand the thought of being separated from me. So I decided to give him another chance and it went from there."

"Did Metalsound visit you?"

"Yes, as often as she could."

"What would you two talk about?"

"She just gave me comfort and tried to keep me company when he was out."

"Did he rape you?"

"Primus, no he didn't. He was very respectable."

"So, you had sex willingly? I read up on Wolf-Cons a bit and saw how they mate, I know it's through sex and you said he made you his mate without your consent so I thought you meant he raped you."

"Primus no. He never told me. Metalsound told me to read about Wolf-Cons and with Fixit's help I found out. I was so furious with him because he didn't tell me."

"Oh, I see now. What did you do?"

"At the time we were making plans to get onto Decepticon Island and get rid of all the Decepticon criminals and free the Mini-Cons who were being treated like slaves. I found Thunderhoof, Metalsound, and Steeljaw in stasis pods, they were trying to take over the army but they failed. When I saw him I punched him."

Magnus raised a brow, "He tried to take over the army? Let me guess, he was trying to take over Earth."

"I believe he planned to at first but then changed his mind later."

"What was his whole plan from the beginning?"

"He was going to build a Decepticon empire, but he changed his mind when he started falling in love with me."

"I am hearing a lot of stuff to make me think good about him and I am hearing some stuff to make me think bad about him."

"He's trying, Dad, he really is. And I know you can see it, he's already in pain."

"I have seen it, but I don't know if it's an act or not."

"Last time he said that he would have died if he thought he would never see me again."

"He did? Was he telling the truth or saying a lie to get you to stay with him?"

"I could see it in his optics that he was telling the truth and it scared me. It was part of the reason why I wanted to give him a second chance."

"Do you think he'll die from being away from you for a week?"

"He'll still see me, that has to count for some comfort. Right?"

"Yes, but he'll probably be suffering at the thought of not being able to hold or kiss you when he is around you."

"Yeah," she sighed.

"Get some sleep, I'll see you in the morning."

"Alright," she replies as she lies down, "Dad?"

"Yes?"

"I'm glad you're back."

He just smiles then walks out and heads to his ship. He walked towards Steeljaw's room, stopping just near the doorway. He peeked around the door, looking in. Steeljaw is sitting up on his berth looking like he had just lost his best friend. "Can I help you, sir?" Steeljaw asked.

"Just thought I'd check on you."

"Did you see Strongarm yet?"

"Yes."

"What did she say?"

"She told me about you, about your past, when you kidnapped her."

"She did? She told you a lot."

"Yes, I need to know all I can about the mech that took my daughter as his mate."

"Of course, I understand."

"Strongarm told me that you were raised by Shockwave, that must have made things interesting."

"Very interesting. But he taught me a lot."

"Like what?" He asked as he entered the room.

"Like how to fend for myself. Everything I know how to do I learned from him and not to rely on or trust any bot," he said the last part a bit sheepishly.

"And here you are, relying on the Autobots."

"I'm not relying on the Autobots, but I do rely on and trust Strongarm."

"And I hope that someday you will learn to trust us," the commander replied as he turned to take his leave. "Try to get some sleep."

"Alright," Steeljaw says as he lays down and tries to go to sleep.