One Day At a Time ✔️

Ch. 26 Critical

Ratchet's P.O.V.
It's odd Megatron's plan is to give Jamie the flu, but it's bad. Add she has three broken ribs. Jamie has been crying for the past twenty minutes, and it's hard to think Jamie letting me hold her is good progress.
"This isn't good; 103°," Jolt informs me before trying to cool Jamie down. Her temperature is going up. I don't know if I should let Crosshairs and Drift come here, but we know she's looking for them. 
A few minutes pass before Jamie is asleep. I put her in bed and check her vitals.
"She now knows Megatron has been behind this and trusts us," Jolt observes.
"But is it too late?"
"All the scrap she's been through, and you think this is what will kill her?"
"She's very weak before Megatron injected a fragging large amount of the virus!"
I go to my office.

Jolt's P.O.V.
I know it's frustrating, but it's hard to believe Ratchet has no hope. I've read Jamie's records, and she's been through worse. I continue to try to bring Jamie's temperature down. A bath will help, but I'll have Drift do that.

Crosshairs and Drift come by twenty minutes later. It's hard to think we're not starting from the day Jamie was rescued from the asylum with how awful Jamie is. The two hate hearing the truth that Jamie's temperature is going up. I know Drift is terrified, and Crosshairs is also likely terrified but trying to be strong for Drift. The two mechs go get breakfast, and I tell them they can come back here.  

I suggest Drift give Jamie a bath when the two mechs return, and Drift goes ahead with a sponge bath to cool Jamie down.
"We're giving her medication, but you know there are dosage limits," I explain to the two and tell them we found three broken ribs before leaving the room, closing the door behind me.

Drift's P.O.V.
I can't believe this. My sweetspark is sick again, and I failed to protect her again. Now she's dealing with broken ribs.
Crosshairs wipes Jamie with a cloth soaked in lukewarm water as I change the diaper. 
Jamie is still very skinny; there are bruises everywhere, but her chest is horrible.

I have to leave the room when we're done. I'm tired of our little lady suffering. I sit on the floor by the wall and let myself cry. Fear my little lady won't be able to recover fills me.

"Come on, she'll be asleep for a while, and a walk will be good for you," Crosshairs insists as he Closes the door.
"No, I'm not leaving her alone."
Crosshairs doesn't argue; he sighs and leaves the medbay.

Ratchet's P.O.V.
Drift's behavior is concerning, and I worry he will end up in a depressed state, and that's not good for Jamie. I know he feels all this is his fault, failing to protect Jamie.

Jamie's temperature jumped to 105° in three hours. I have to increase how much oxygen she's getting and put her on the ventilator for extra support. Her heart rate is now 100 BPM.
Crosshairs finally got Drift to go for a walk, but I'll have to tell them this when they get back.
"You see what I mean?" I ask Jolt as he attempts to bring down her temperature.
"She's a fighter," he argues.
Jamie wakes up and looks at me; this time, I see a plea for help in her eyes. I know she wants to cry but can't without the speaking valve.

Jolt's P.O.V.
I am worried that Ratchet is right, but Jamie has been through worse. Being careful, I wrap Jamie in a blanket and hold her. I feel how weak she is. Even though she can't make a sound, tears roll down her face. I worry even if she believes she's dying. 

Drift's P.O.V.
I had to ditch Crosshairs to be able to go to the abandoned cabin. I should be going somewhere else, but I also feel like I can't go any further than this place, even if I feel I can't see Jamie anymore.

Crosshairs POV
I don't understand Drift's mindset; he goes to where I can easily find him. I already scolded him for ditching Jamie once.
There's no reaction as I walk to the couch and sit next to him.
"I can't go back," he starts, "I can't watch her die."
I wasn't prepared for him to hug me, break down and cry. I try to be his rock, but I don't know what to say. 

Ten minutes pass when Ratchet and Prime walk in. Ratchet has Jamie's record as if we don't know everything. Drift doesn't want to hear it, though it's obvious they're here to tell us something good. At this point, Drift would disobey an order because he can't see Jamie so sick. He tries to leave, but I keep him seated.
"I know it's looking bad," Prime starts, "but you know Jamie has been through worse; she's a fighter, but she needs both of you."
"You understand enough about human bodies to know it looks bad for a few days before the body gets rid of what's making it sick," Ratchet explains, "but like pneumonia; it's harder for Jamie to fight this."
"So it's another long month, e-even if you don't have to put her in a medically induced coma. I can't do this."
Drift runs to the bedroom and slams the door behind him.
"Crosshairs?" Ratchet asks.
"It's been hard to be his rock. I know she's been through worse, but I worry she's not strong enough this time."
"Try to get him to come back," Prime requests before he and Ratchet leave. 

I knew Drift would be crying when I opened the door. I sit next to him and hug him.
He needs a little time before I try to get him to go back to the base.

Sunstreaker's P.O.V.
It hurts knowing how sick Jamie is, that the cons beat her, and Drift has no hope. It's bad when a bot like him has no hope, but he's been watching his girl struggle for fifty-four days.
"She's getting worse," Jolt sighs, "104°. I don't think we need to consider a medically induced coma; all she wants to do is sleep."
Jamie whimpers as Jolt draws blood. 
No way she's going to let me hold her. Her vitals are high and getting close to dangerous.

Everyone wants to do a revenge mission. The feeling of no hope fills the atmosphere more than anger that Megatron did this.
"Are we going to find them?" Sideswipe asks.
"Can we even convince them to come back? She needs them, but I also don't think they can comfort her in their current mental state."
"We need a damn miracle."