Strongarm jolts awake at the feeling of their sparks connecting and bonding together, "Steeljaw!"

Steeljaw's optics snapped open when his mate called him, but he didn't break the bond, "Strongarm I can explain."

Strongarm doesn't say anything and just looks at him. Then after a moment of awkward silence, "Well, I'm waiting."

"Strongarm, words alone can't express how sorry I am."

"Who told you to merge our sparks?"

"Um, your sire?"

She looks at him in surprise, "Really? What about the deal?"

"He said that he found what he was looking for. He saw how much I loved you and how I would do anything to keep you safe," he looked at her with happy yet sad optics, "Strongarm I know I hurt you but it was against my own will. When that femme told me to end your life, I was fighting to regain control over my body. Just as I was about to strike you, I attacked my own body to keep you safe from further harm."

She puts a servo on his face, "I know. You were under her control and she made you do things, I'm not mad at you."

He closed his optics as he melted into her touch, "You have every right to be. But I'm happy you're not. I'll prove to you that you are the only femme for me."

Turning on his radio a piano accompanied by a guitar started playing,

"So, baby, I will wait for you

'Cause I don't know what else I can do

Don't tell me I ran out of time

If it takes the rest of my life

Baby, I will wait for you"

"I was afraid she might have forced you to take her as your new mate and push me aside," she says with sadness in her optics.

"Strongarm, the first time she had me under her spell I broke free because I kept thinking of you. I thought of the hurt you would have felt if you would have seen what they had planned for us. I will never take another as my mate and I would never push you off to the side, you are the light in my dark world. You are my reason to keep living. If you aren't there, I don't think my life would be worth living."

Her face tinted blue as her spark fluttered a bit, giving Steeljaw a weird sensation, "Did you really feel sick when she kissed you?"

"Yes, even though my body gave in, I couldn't stand the thought of her lips on mine. Especially since she had done the same with others before me," he could feel his stomach turning in disgust at the thought of this.

"I saw she was trying to seduce you. Did you get turned on by her when she was bare?"

"No, you are the only one that can get a reaction from me. She is nothing compared to you when you are bare."

"I can see that you fought hard, even when the witch was scratching you behind your ears you didn't give in like you did when I did it."

"As I told her, I only melt to your touches. Besides, you are the only one that can scratch me behind my ears, if I could have been able to move my body I would have bitten her servo off."

She smiles as she leans in and kisses him. Steeljaw kissed her back with as much passion as he could send through their bond as he wrapped his arms around her. They felt the bond complete and they pulled their sparks apart from each other, "Now we're completely bonded," Strongarm said with a smile.

I love you so much Strongarm. He sent all of the love he could to her through the bond as he caressed her cheek.

I love you too, so very much.

Thunderhoof lays beside Metalsound on the berth, watching her sleep, when Soundwave walks in, "How is she?"

Thunderhoof looked up for a moment before he glanced down at his mate, "She's still sleeping. I'm sure she will be for the next few days."

"Most likely will."

"I should have done something to protect her," he clenched his servo as he remembered the battle from the previous night.

"You were under a spell, you couldn't control your body."

"What was she even doing there in her condition?"

"She saw through Laserbeak the femme trying to seduce you and she got outraged and charged off before anyone could stop her."

"I don't know if I should be touched that she would be willing to risk her life for mine or upset that she did something that careless. Why were you following me when I went after Metalsound this morning anyway?"

"I was concerned for her and wanted to be sure she was alright, we are old acquaintances after all."

Now I see why Metalsound kept bringing up Glowstrike, she was jealous. Thunderhoof thought to himself as he felt jealousy building up inside, "Just remember, she's my mate, I don't care if you are acquaintances."

"Of course," Soundwave says as he walks out of the room.

"Don't worry, I'll keep you safe this time. I promise," Thunderhoof vowed as he held one of her front paws, "And we'll figure out why your paws caught fire."

Steeljaw and Strongarm were still lying in each other's arms when a knock came at the door, "Just a minute!" Steeljaw calls out while helping Strongarm get her plating on then puts on his.

He goes to open the door and sees Magnus and Fixit there, they both see Strongarm awake, "You're a brake, acack, AWAKE! Thank Primus!"

"So glad to see you awake sweetie."

Strongarm slowly sat up, "I'm glad to be awake," she smiled as she remembered her other comrades, "Are the others alright? What's Metalsound's condition?"

"They're all fine, Metalsound is recovering nicely she's resting right now. Everyone's concern was on you because you were so close to offlining."

"Yes, you crashed at one point," Fixit added.

"I did?"

"Yes, we were afraid you were gonna join the AllSpark," Fixit replied with a sad tone.

"I'm sorry for worrying everyone."

"Now let's have a look at your wounds."

"Since you're awake maybe you can get your mate to catch up on his Energon, get some sleep and get his arm fixed up," Magnus says looking at Steeljaw.

Strongarm looked to her mate in confusion as she noticed his arm, "Steeljaw, why didn't you let Fixit fix your arm?"

"I was too worried about you and wanted to be sure you were alright."

She gently held his arm, carefully massaging it, "I know but still you should have had this looked at."

"I know."

"I'll take a look when I'm done with Strongarm," Fixit says as he looks over her wounds.

"Alright, I better go see how Bumblebee and the others are doing," Ultra Magnus replied as he left.

"Alright," they all replied.

"Your wound is starting to heal up quite nicely," Fixit says as he re-bandages the wound.

"That's good, I hope the lieutenant and Drift aren't blaming themselves," Strongarm replied thinking about the two who had attacked her against their will.

"They're both taking it pretty hard, they feel so bad about it."

"Maybe I should talk to them later when I have enough energy to stay awake," her optics were already feeling heavy.

"You better go back to sleep," Steeljaw says noticing that she was trying to keep her optics open.

"I think I'll do that," she replied as she closed her optics, "But make sure you get some yourself," she adds before going into recharge.

Fixit finished bandaging up her wound and looked at Steeljaw, "Now your turn."

Growling inwardly he looked to his sleeping mate before letting out a sigh, "Fine," he held out his arm to the Mini-Con.

Fixit started fixing it up and was done within a couple of minutes, "There, all done."

Steeljaw looked at the Mini-Con's handy work for a moment. In the past, all he ever relied on was himself, only a few times did he have to rely on Shockwave; now he had Strongarm, and even Ultra Magnus and Metalsound, "Thank you."

"No problem," the Mini-Con says as he rolls out of the room. Once Fixit was out, Steeljaw closed the door and went to lay down next to Strongarm, holding her tightly he slipped into recharge himself.