Haven ✔️

Ch. 36 This is Dangerous

Sunstreaker's P.O.V.
It's been four hours since I left the beach. By now, the others are back. I didn't think I'd find Jamie in the hallway by the weapons room. What Ratchet told me replays in my mind.
"What are you doing here?" I ask while walking towards her slowly. I should be rushing, but that'll add to the problem.
"What else am I supposed to do?" She asks, her voice shaky, "let you k-kill my guardians? Then Lightning? I'm ending this now t-to protect them."
She ends up crying by the end of her sentence. She lets me pick her up and hug her close to my chest. I feel her trembling, but I doubt it's fear. I didn't think she'd put her arms around my neck in a hug.
Sideswipe, get Crosshairs and Drift, and head towards the weapons room. I got to her in time, but I caused her to cry. I don't think I can calm her down.
I'm waiting a few minutes. Sideswipe tells me.
I don't know, Sideswipe...
You've watched Drift once, right?

I sit on the floor with Jamie on my lap, hating how much she's crying.
"Shh, it's ok. I'm not going to hurt you or your guardians. I know you don't believe me, but I want to be your friend."

Sideswipe did wait a few minutes before getting Crosshairs and Drift. The three rush towards us until they see what's going in and walk the rest of the way. Crosshairs and Drift sit on either side of me while Sideswipe sits before me.
"Take her; I don't think she's calming down," I insist, looking at Drift. 
Perhaps Jamie isn't reaching for him is a good sign, but I don't like her not calming down.
Is this also what you meant, Ratchet? I also feel like she had this planned for a while, and I unintentionally convinced her to end this.

A few minutes pass before Jamie calms down. 
"You're ok," Drift assures her.
I doubt it, but maybe this is an unusual step towards Jamie trusting me. At the very least, I kept her from killing herself.
Drift waits a few minutes before taking Jamie from me and walking away.
"That was good," Sideswipe chirps.
"No, it wasn't," I tell him, "she came this way because...I drove her to try to end her life."
Crosshairs and Sideswipe look at each other before Crosshairs tells me Jamie's suicidal thoughts was an unexpected development as he and Drift were talking to Prime, Lennox, and Ratchet about having Jamie stay here. Crosshairs is right; where is a better place for Jamie? Though now she'll need to be watched closely.
"It's not going to be that hard," Crosshairs assures me, "she'll stay with us," Crosshairs walks away.
"You knew and still wanted me to go near her?!" I rage, "I pushed her this far, and if I didn't stop her from hurting herself!"
"Prime, Prowl, and Ratchet know. You've seen Jamie is mostly with Crosshairs and Drift by choice—."
"I can't believe how chill you are about what happened! You're happy we were close to finding her — our sister — dead?!"
I hate I scared Sideswipe, but he's failing to see how serious this is.
"This idea of yours is now dangerous; I'm sorry."
I walk down the hall, dreading what I'm about to do.

I find Crosshairs talking to Prime and Ratchet; both look concerned. I sit on the floor by the wall, waiting to be told the plan changed. I can't believe it; I am giving up and accepting being sent away from my brother. A few minutes pass before I feel sadness through the bond.
"Sunstreaker?" Prime asks, "why are you sitting on the floor?"
I stand up, having a hard time getting myself to speak.
"Sunstreaker, don't!" Sideswipe yells as he runs down the hall.
"It's dangerous for me to be here with Jamie's mental state, and since I am going to be locked up if I don't get Jamie to stop being afraid of me, I might as well go now."
"What she tried today is a serious concern," Prime starts, "and while most humans would argue Jamie needs to go home — even if things back home aren't great — I believe
here is the better place for her. From what Crosshairs told me, there is progress being made —."
"But she's going to think she showed how weak and pathetic she is. She already thinks that's what I think of her," I argue.
"It's going to be a slow and complicated process," Prime says.
How can he not see how dangerous this is?

Three hours pass before I see Jamie again. She looks at me, worried I will yell at her, before running off, resulting in Drift running after her. 
This is why we need to give up on this idea. I just made things harder for them.
"Come," Crosshairs insists.
We run in the direction Jamie and Drift ran.

Jamie's P.O.V.
He loves seeing humans terrified of him. Now I showed him how pathetic I am, how weak mentally and emotionally I am. I'm glad the newcomers or the Autobots, who I didn't spend much time with before N.E.S.T. was terminated, haven't seen my pathetic side.

I ran into something, falling to the ground, but there's nothing there. That means I ran into Mirage while he's invisible. Before I can get up and resume running, Mirage's holoform reveals himself, and he crouches down.
"Why are you running?" He asks.
Drift catches up to me before I can say anything. This puzzles Mirage, and he's confused seeing Crosshairs and Sunstreaker running down the hall. I don't know why he stood up and picked me up. I'm having a hard time not panicking.
"Calmati," Mirage says as he hugs me close, "you need to calm down."

Mirage's P.O.V.
The others don't know I've been watching Jamie closely. Unfortunately, I also failed to keep her in sight as she walked down the hall leading to the weapons room earlier. I did hear Crosshairs, Ratchet, and Prime's conversation about what happened.
I pass her to Drift and tell Crosshairs I want to talk to them — including Sunstreaker — Lennox, and Prime later before walking down the hall.

While sitting at my desk in my office, reviewing a case file, I think about how Jamie can help me. She has the skills a spy has, and her ability to tell who's lying will be a big help. It'll be a good few days away from here and Sunstreaker. A few days for him, Crosshairs, and Drift to improve their relationship. The plan will only work if the three of them trust each other.

I figured Jamie would be asleep within an hour. I hate how Drift worries about leaving her alone, but this should be quick.
"I'd like to take Jamie with me on my mission," I tell them, "she needs a break from here, and these three need to fix their friendship for this plan to work," I explain, pointing to Crosshairs, Drift, and Sunstreaker, " I think she can tell Drift....hates Sunstreaker and Crosshairs distrusts him."
"That is a good idea," Prime agrees.
Lennox agrees. Crosshairs and Drift are uncertain but agree once I tell them I can handle her nightmares — and if needed, I can call them. Sunstreaker says nothing; I can tell he's uncertain about this idea.

Sunstreaker's P.O.V.
Mirage is right, but I worry they'll encounter Jadin or the Decepticons. Who knows what Jadin has planned; she knows all of us too well. Why didn't Prime warn Mirage? Oh, scrap, Jamie's broken wrist. They'll really be fragged if they encounter Jadin or the cons.

Later, I discover Sideswipe is watching Jamie.
"I worry she knows Crosshairs and Drift take turns staying up. I'm hoping we tricked her into thinking she's alone," he explains.
"And when she wakes up? I get what you're trying to do, but until these nightmares stop, she needs her guardians," I try to leave, but Sideswipe stops me, "no, Sideswipe, I can't help her right now. She won't calm down if I'm trying to help her."
Sideswipe insists I stay. This is going to turn into a big mistake.

We watch Jamie sleep peacefully for four hours, hoping she'll sleep all night, but that won't happen. 
"This is not what they told me would happen," Sideswipe whispers as we watch Jamie cry in her sleep.
Unless she isn't asleep, she sees me and is trying to act like she's asleep.
Sideswipe moves Jamie onto his lap and insists I sit next to him.
"It's ok," he assures her.
Should I try to figure out what she's dreaming? Sideswipe asks me.
No, that'll upset her more.
I text Crosshairs and Drift. I swear they don't even leave the base, considering how quickly they get here. Drift takes Jamie as Sideswipe assures her Drift has her.
We leave the room, not expecting Crosshairs to the here.
"Now it makes sense!" He rages, "she can sense your energy, remember?"
"No, Crosshairs, I don't—." I try to explain.
"Goodbye!" He yells before going into the room and closing the door.
"I think she was resuming the dream she had six weeks ago. Though I have no idea if that's possible, I think she was dreaming she survived whatever I did and was at Crosshairs' and Drift's funeral. How the hell do you and Prime think your idea can still happen? More like I'm driving her to suicide or to end this adventure."
I walk down the hall before Sideswipe can say anything.