One Day At a Time ✔️

Ch. 44 Uncertain What To Do

Drift's P.O.V.
Jamie's nap didn't last long before crying from a nightmare. Even if I'm watching tears roll down her face, I hate it. Crosshairs argues Dr. Taylor was sent by Megatron, but forgets she's one of the doctors who tried to help us before. This is the result of the conversation we had yesterday.
Jamie curls up on me as I sit on the recliner, making sure she's covered with her red blanket. We took her off oxygen, but we don't think we'll get a word from her now. She takes a cookie from Crosshairs. The room is quiet aside from Jamie eating the cookie. Crosshairs is right; Jamie does fine drinking and doesn't rush to finish the drink.
"Go for a walk?" I ask once she's finished with the snack.
We still don't get a word, but Jamie wants to go for a walk. We have to bring the oxygen concentrator even though she's doing well keeping her oxygen level up. I'm glad her red jacket is enough to keep her warm. People are going to question that, but if we add her red blanket; it'll look strange. Ratchet will let us halt antibiotics for a few hours to go for a walk. Though the wheelchair has a pole for IV bags.

"I think they're stalking us," Crosshairs jokes as we see the terror twins walking towards us.
They try to get Jamie to talk but still have no luck. They get permission to come with us on our walk.

"Maybe try to get her to talk like we do young sparklings and I think it's the same for young human sparklings," Sunstreaker suggests.
"She doesn't need to be retaught how to talk, she's refusing to talk," I remind him, "even while it's just Crosshairs and me. Ratchet thinks she's embarrassed, which does make sense, but how to fix that?"
"Is it safe to take the trach out for even twenty minutes?"
"I don't know, and I don't know if I want to do that."
Sunstreaker dreads hearing how Jamie panicked during the trach change. We know we can't rush her recovery, but it's hard to know if this is a problem that we need to deal with rather than waiting for Jamie to start talking when she wants to.
"I don't know if waiting is a good idea, but there's a lot more to work on," Sunstreaker points out.

He gets Jamie to work on some art with him. Being careful while hoping Jamie will talk.
It's hard hearing Sunstreaker trying to ask Jamie what color they should use and she only points.
Drift: Ratchet, you don't think Jamie is mute unless frightened?
Ratchet: it's hard to say while she's been sick most of the time since the coma.
I forgot Crosshairs was sitting next to me until he hugs me.
"She'll be ok," he whispers so Jamie doesn't hear him, "she's been through a lot. Maybe we can do a little speech therapy while we're with her. I think part of what human doctors do is try to get the patient to engage in conversation. I'll ask Ratchet when we get back."

Crosshairs' P.O.V.
It's hard not to worry this is how our little lady will be. That'll be hard to accept even if it's not due to brain damage. Problem is she didn't talk much, to begin with, but she wouldn't refuse to talk at s time like this while working on art with Sunstreaker or when anybot talks to her. She'd rarely start a conversation or join in a conversation.

We return in time for dinner. Jamie is ready for bed, but she doesn't mind going to the cafeteria. We know she'll fall asleep while in the wheelchair. She's not even bothering looking to steal our dinner rather than being tube fed.
"Her oxygen level stayed up the past two hours," Drift comments as he puts Jamie on oxygen once she's asleep.
It's possible she's no longer going to struggle to keep her oxygen level up. There's something good, finally, but I fear it's replaced by Jamie's dislike of using the diapers.

We resume the antibiotics once Jamie is back in the medbay. Ratchet believes we can take Jamie back to our room, but we'll stay in the medbay tonight.
I wait in the hallway as Drift takes care of Jamie.

Drift's P.O.V.
It's still hard looking at Jamie's boney body and everything she needs. How her clothes are too big for her. I worry about what's going through her mind. Especially while in diapers. I don't know if the leg braces bother her. These devices are helping her legs not deteriorate and I don't have to worry about her walking while on oxygen, and considering how often Jamie has been sick; she hasn't been walking often.
Crosshairs hugs me as I walk out of the room. After the other day, I see the hurt in his eyes.
"She's asleep, I'll stay here for a while," Ratchet tells us.
I know both Crosshairs and Ratchet will do all they can to get me to leave the medbay. It's hard to think she'll be ok after all she's been through. Add that nightmares have been rough the past few days.

I didn't know I fell asleep for four hours until I find myself lying on the couch covered with Crosshairs' trench coat. He also fell asleep on the couch. Rather than wake him up, I quietly leave and go to the medbay.
It's funny seeing Ratchet left a note to say Jamie has been asleep this entire time. Noting he left ten minutes ago. The lights are on but dim in Jamie's room.
The infusion will be going for another three hours. Ratchet notes its fine not to change the medicine bag out and he disabled the completion alarm on the pump. I lie on the other bed, hoping Jamie won't have nightmares as I fall asleep.

Crosshairs' P.O.V.
Waking up and not seeing Drift where I laid him is terrifying. Did he leave again?
I grab my trench coat and rush to the medbay, hoping he's there.

I sigh in relief seeing Drift asleep on the other bed in Jamie's room. I take care of the empty infusion bag and remove the tube from the catheter. I'm not sure if I should be happy about how Jamie peed or not.
Is it normal to pee while asleep and not know?
I'm not waking Drift up, but I can't leave the wet diaper on.
Sorry Jamie, but Drift needs to sleep.
Unable to wait to talk to Ratchet tomorrow, I do a little research after I finish taking care of Jamie. Though now I'm thinking I should have waited. I hope this infection isn't causing damage.