Haven ✔️

Ch. 32 The Plan

Jamie's P.O.V.
I've never felt pain like last night unless watching friends die counts; then I have a few times. Now I watch another friend die. I'm still recovering from being poisoned to heal her. She's trying to fight but won't be with us much longer. The others don't understand why I want to be with her, but they let me sit in her room.
I can't eat without throwing up. Ratchet starts anti-nausea medication, hoping I'll be able to eat soon. I'm waiting for my opportunity to fight Sunstreaker. I don't care if it's in the brig.

An hour passes before we watch Victoria begin to decline. I dread her father, Steve, has to be called in to decide to let his daughter die.
"There's nothing we can do but keep trying to bring her back when she flatlines," Ratchet explains.
I worry Steve is mad at me as he looks at me, then his dying daughter.
Believe me, Steve, I'd take her place if I could.
"I'm sorry, I think this is the better opinion," he tells me.
This hurts watching a father make this decision, and he's talking to me like I'm Victoria's sister than a friend. I cry as I sit on Drift's lap in his hug. 
"She's not going to let us leave, but I don't think she should watch," Crosshairs tells Drift.
"Does it matter? She can sense fading energy."
Crosshairs sits on his knees and takes my hand.

Sideswipe's P.O.V.
Damn, Sunstreaker, forget being Jamie's friend now. The opportunity is long gone, and I suspect you'll be sent away from me. The way Sunstreaker tells me he's sorry through the bond, and when I visited him this morning, I know he means it. His possessiveness got the better of him. Now he'll be facing a murder charge. 

We watch Victoria try so hard for an hour before dying. Steve breaks down and cries. I thought Jamie would do the same, but she fights to break free from Drift's hug, even shoving him to the floor before ripping her IV out and using her instant transmission.
Sunny, she's coming to fight you. I warn though I don't think there's anything Sunstreaker can do.
"Come on!" Crosshairs yells as he helps Drift up.
We rush to the brig but know we're already too late, and the two are fighting.

"YOU FRAGGING AFT!!" We hear Jamie yell, "YOU MAY HAVE HAD EVERYONE ELSE FOOLED, BUT I KNOW YOU'RE A LYING AFT!!"
Sunstreaker defends himself the best he can as Jamie punches him.
"Please, let me talk," he pleads.
Damn, one minute, and he looks like scrap.
I thought he would fight back, but he catches Jamie as she passes out.
"I didn't do anything to her, I swear," Sunstreaker panics.
"I know; we watched the last few seconds before she passed out," I assure him as Drift takes Jamie to the medbay.
"Let's go; I need to take care of what she did to you," Ratchet tells Sunstreaker.

Sunstreaker's P.O.V.
I've learned the hard way; Jamie is short and not buff like us, but she is just as strong as us, maybe even stronger when using her powers. 
"Is she going to be ok?" I ask as Ratchet deals with my bruises and a few lacerations.
"She pushed herself too hard too soon. Though it's definitely not normal to pass out. I think it's how her body responds to not cause the chemical to rise and trigger a flare-up. I'm doing a blood test."

Prime and Prowl walk in as Ratchet finishes. Didn't think they'd decide my punishment this fast. We go to the room Jamie is in. No surprise Drift is holding her. Crosshairs is not pleased I'm here — or at least I'm not cuffed.

".... like with Lily, you screw up, we will send your aft to Cybertron," Prowl finishes.
No one is entirely on board with this idea, not even Sideswipe.
"I still believe Sideswipe is right, but befriending a human is still challenging for you. So, in a way, while you want to be Jamie's friend, this is like a punishment for you," Prime explains.
"Only problem is there are no requirements to keep his aft from getting the punishment he deserves," Drift says, disliking this plan.
"There is," Sideswipe jumps in, "Jamie is terrified Sunstreaker will hurt the ones she's come to call family, though I think she's worried he'll hurt any of us. Being friends with her will be impossible if she's terrified. That can be at least the first goal."
We know how challenging that goal will be. 
"How much more do you want her to go through?" Drift asks, "she's supposed to be here to help her mental state, but being here is having a negative effect."
If Jamie didn't need treatment, he'd take her home. I sigh and go sit in Ratchet's office. I know he and Crosshairs hate how Prime is letting me get probation again. The fact that he feels me trying to befriend a human is like punishment. Even after Lily, who I don't know, will ever come back. Yet I met the requirements of that probation. I hope Prime knows something good that I don't, and I'll find out eventually.

Optimus Prime's P.O.V.
It's true, Sunstreaker dug himself a deep hole, but Sideswipe is still right. Sunstreaker is now on thin ice with everyone, and it'll be difficult to explain how Sunstreaker isn't being punished for murder.

Looking at Jamie, unconscious, her broken wrist, her other wrist is now bandaged from ripping her iV out. Ratchet had to put an IV in her forearm. It's hard to know what is right. Drift wants to leave the dimension, which means the others don't see Jamie, but if they stay, Jamie will be dealing with anxiety.
"Sunstreaker said the first step is to get Jamie to feel it's ok I'm with her. Though he said more as an alternative plan," Sideswipe informs me. 
Jamie trusts me but will still have difficulty believing I'm not sending Sunstreaker somewhere for punishment. I go talk to Sunstreaker. Walking by Lightning before walking into Ratchet's office.

Lightning's P.O.V.
I hate what Jamie has been through the past seventeen hours, the past forty days, and what Prime is proposing. I don't blame Crosshairs and Drift for being uncertain about this. 
Ratchet insists Crosshairs and Drift go eat while I'm here. I don't care if Sideswipe is staying here.

Twenty minutes pass before Jamie wakes up. I assure her Crosshairs and Drift are ok before she panics. She is still tired and weak.
Ratchet assures Sideswipe and me that Jamie going back to sleep is normal.
"I'm sorry, I knew this would be hard for Sunstreaker, but I—."
"Stop, I know. I-I don't agree with Prime's plan. I'm tired of seeing her here, Crosshairs and Drift unhappy."
We sit in silence, watching Jamie sleep.

Crosshairs' P.O.V.
It's hard to weigh the pros and cons of Prime and Sunstreaker's ideas. Drift may seem to be thinking screw both plans; he even wants to take Jamie to another friend's dimension, but he considers the pros and cons. 
"I just don't know," he sighs, "I am so tired of watching her struggle, and the past five weeks have been more challenging. I know the other Autobots can be good support for her...."
"I know our little lady is a challenge, but you know how much everyone cares about her. They will not like it if we take her away from here. Prime is aware of what we've been dealing with. You know he thinks carefully about this before making a decision."

Drift's P.O.V.
Either way, Jamie is going to struggle. I don't think nightmares will subside if we leave the dimension. It's a matter of how much I want to watch her struggle. I know Prime knows she'll struggle for a while. I hope she won't struggle for too long.