Strongarm's belly was showing. Bumblebee was taking care of her, and Grimlock kept her entertained. Sideswipe couldn't get even five feet from her without Grimlock charging him.

Bumblebee kept Strongarm close, and far away from Sideswipe. "I don't want you near him. He'll only get you and the baby in trouble."

"But he did sire it," she pointed out. "Shouldn't he help carry it?"

Bumblebee sighed and rubbed her helm gently. "There's a story out there that Wheeljack sired a sparkling when he was younger and had a temper. One day, he got mad at his mate, and he hit her just a little too hard on her belly and her body aborted the sparkling. What if Sideswipe gets mad at you?" He held her shoulders in his servos. "Optimus would agree to this. He wouldn't want you or the sparkling hurt because the sparkling's sire has a temper."

She nodded slowly. "Okay, Bumblebee..."

"Don't get close to him either, okay? I know you love him, but he's probably furious at you." He kissed her helm gently. "Where is Sideswipe anyway?"

ooo

Sideswipe tore the bark of a tree, punching and clawing at it in frustration. "Primus!"

"Why do you harm the tree?"

Sideswipe recognized that voice. He turned and saw the same mech that had comforted him weeks earlier. "Because I can't harm anything else, that's why..."

Optimus smiled down at him. "You are very wise to vent here instead of on your mate."

"Why would I vent on Strongarm? It's not her fault she wound up carrying..."

"Bumblebee thinks that you blame her," Optimus said. He sat down on a fallen tree and stretched his legs out in front of him. Sideswipe settled on his left.

"Of course I don't. Bumblebee thinks that he knows everyone, but he doesn't."

"He is being protective."

"That doesn't mean that he can keep my family away from me!" He looked at the Prime. "Aren't you supposed to be smart or something?"

Optimus chuckled and he rubbed the mech's helm. "I ask myself the same question all the time, you know..." Then he got up and faded away as if he never really was there.

Sideswipe felt surprisingly encouraged and he ran back to the junkyard.

Strongarm was unattended. Bumblebee was probably taking Grimlock out for a walk. Sideswipe took his chance. He grabbed her servos, then touched her belly.

"Sideswipe, what are you-"

"Bumblebee's wrong. I do want this family, and I'll do anything to prove that. It's my fault you're carrying, and as punishment, I should help our sparkling grow up and learn what it's like to be a Cybertronian on Earth."

Strongarm looked up into his optics and then hugged his neck. When Bumblebee came back and saw them, he tried to pull them apart, but the femme snarled at him, baring her denta in a warning.

Bumblebee backed up and he frowned a bit, watching the two. "But...Sideswipe has a temper..."

"I would never take it out on Strongarm. I'm more of a verbal abuser. Physical abuse isn't my thing...I could ruin my paint," he said with a grin. Strongarm punched his shoulder lightly.

"Knock Out and Tracks had a baby and his name was Sideswipe," Bumblebee muttered. He sighed and looked up at the sky. "Well, I guess Optimus would have preferred to keep you all together and-"

"Bumblebee, I'm sorry to interrupt, but I have a Decepticon symbol...single...signal coming from a nearby cave." Fixit rolled up and looked up at the leader expectantly.

Bumblebee looked at Strongarm's small belly and nodded. "She can still be seen fit for duty. Let's go and take down this 'con before it causes any problems for the humans." He turned and transformed, quickly followed by Sideswipe and Grimlock, who preferred to run alongside his mate.

But Strongarm stayed. Sideswipe transformed back and looked at his mate. "What's wrong?"

"What if the sparkling...what if I lose it in the fight?"

"You won't. You know why?" Sideswipe hugged her close. "Because I'm never leaving your side. Ever."

He took her servo and started running, helping her on Grimlock's shoulders. The Dinobot shifted his shoulders slightly, making her more comfortable. Then he increased his speed while Sideswipe pulled up beside Bumblebee in alt mode.

"I'm impressed with you, Sideswipe."

The red mech smiled and flashed his headlights to show that he heard the leader. Then they pulled up to the cave. Bumblebee transformed.

"It's too big to search on our own, so we'll have to split up." He looked at them. "Just don't get lost."

Sideswipe hugged Strongarm close. "We'll stay close by. Comm me if you need anything."

She nodded, then slowly pulled out of his arms to walk into the cave. Grimlock nuzzled his mate before walking after the carrying femme. Then the other two walked in after them.

Deep inside the cave, there was movement, and then two helms lifted.

Nightstrike looked back at his prisoner. "Well, cousin, looks like you may have company..."

Nightshade growled lowly as she squirmed, then froze as her cousin shrieked in her face. Her optics shorted out and she went into stasis, falling smack in the lap of her worst nightmare.

Soon, Nightstrike thought, it would be the other's turns... He skittered through the cave tunnels.

If you haven't seen the episode with Nightstrike from RiD, either take off running or stick around x3 I just saw it and I'm so ready to type this out! Major OOPS ahead, guys! x3