So a combination of headcanoning Wheeljack as Strongarm's dad, liking her and Sideswipe as a couple and hating Windblade's guts is what brought this fic about. And since it did well on AO3, I thought I'd put it up here as well.
xx
Even with the tedious breaks in between rounding up Decepticons, Strongarm was starting to get real tired of all these unannounced arrivals. Drift and even Jazz she could tolerate to an extent, but ever since Windblade stuck her face in where she wasn't welcome and expected everyone to worship the ground her peds touched (Sideswipe practically did, which lead to a very long case of the silent treatment for him), Strongarm was always on the lookout for the wink of a Bridge swirling into existence.
At least this time she had Bumblebee with her on the scout patrol with Sideswipe lagging behind them. Either he felt the effects of Strongarm pointedly ignoring him or had sunk back into his 'lone wolf' mindset- either way, Strongarm was grateful he wasn't trying to get reactions out of her for once.
Bumblebee was the first to notice the ripple in the air, coming from their left in the wake of a green vortex starting to spread out. His blasters shifted out of his servos and aimed at the Bridge as it formed, and the other two mirrored his stance with Sideswipe guarding the other side.
A figure emerged from the waves just as authority entered Bee's voice. "Freeze!"
The silhouette stayed still and silent, hidden by the force of the vortex. Strongarm slowly moved closer, steadying her aim with a grip on her cannon.
"Put your servos in the air and don't move," she ordered, watching closely for any shift of plating or drawing of a weapon. The figure came into full view as the green and blue faded from the air, and a chuckle replaced its presence.
"Now is that any way to treat your sire, baby girl?"
Strongarm's blaster was gone before her servo slapped down at her side. She blinked dumbly, taking in the scuffed white armour and hidden samurai blades behind his raised servos. The fact that he obeyed her was a miracle in itself, let alone him standing there in the first place.
"Dad?" Her voice was a whisper foreign even to her own audios. She couldn't see Bumblebee's expression behind her, but Sideswipe's in front of her was a look of pure confusion.
With a knowing grin, Wheeljack lowered his servos and spread them out wide. "Well, don't just stand there, sweetspark." He gestured towards her with his hands, and even with witnesses Strongarm could stop from launching herself into his embrace. Her joy spilled over his shoulder in a laugh that refused to stop. Feeling him around her; inhaling the scent of plasma bullet residue, cyberette ash and high-grade, brought her plummeting into a wealth of childhood memories. He was the home she'd been longing for.
"I would'a brought the Jackhammer if it could fit through the Bridge," he lamented, prompting a muffled laugh from Strongarm.
"It's okay, Dad. I'm just happy you're here."
Wheeljack released her with a gentle nuzzle against her helm, still holding her shoulders as he looked past her to Bumblebee.
"Just couldn't stay away from here, huh, Bee?"
The yellow mech couldn't hide a grin as his blasters slid away from view. "Long time no see, Wheeljack."
Strongarm fought the urge to hug her sire again, knowing she'd never be pried off him if she did. "How's the uncles?"
Wheeljack smirked at her own name for the Wreckers. "Kup's livin' in the past and Magnus is tryin' to drive everyone down to Bullslag State, so business as usual." She didn't miss the sombre edge to his laugh. "But they all miss ya'. Your mother, especially."
Strongarm's spark tugged with sadness she only had a few nanoklicks to appreciate before it was swiftly replaced by annoyance at seeing red armour tapping on Wheeljack's shoulder.
"Um, excuse me, sir-" Wheeljack turned so fast that Sides' almost yelped in surprise. "Uh... Hi there, I'm Sideswipe!" he stuttered with a small wave. "You don't know me, but I've heard so much about you, I am a huge fan-"
Wheeljack turned him helm to Strongarm with a raised eyeridge. "You know him, baby?"
Strongarm looked from one mech to the other, eventually settling on a dismissive shrug. "He's... a friend of mine."
Sideswipe got that confused look she tried to not think was cute again. "Um, actually, I'm her-" He started before being immediately cut off by a glare from Strongarm. She'd been giving him a watered-down version of the look for the past decacycle, so the full fury of it managed to shut his vocaliser long enough for him to change tactic.
"...good friend!" Sideswipe said with a fake smile that wouldn't have fooled a newspark. Wheeljack's scars creased in a skeptical frown, but he seemed to have a mental shrug.
"Alright then..." He stepped aside Strongarm and towards Bumblebee. "Now, where's your base set up? All this sentimental stuff is makin' me thirsty."