The Holiday Killer ✔️

Ch. 15 Don't Leave

Drift’s P.O.V.
I try to distract Jamie as Jolt deals with her bleeding wounds. Between the pain and Jolt rinsing the soap off, she’s uncomfortable, but I can’t hold her like I would. 
Ratchet walks in carrying Jamie’s tablet. He tells me to leave, which I don’t think is a good idea, but I can’t argue while Jamie is bleeding.

Crosshairs and Lightning are waiting in the small waiting room. Crosshairs is looking like he screwed up.
“I can’t believe this,” he sighs as I sit on the chair next to him, “If I knew, I would have emptied the barrel.”
After what Jamie did last month, I realize this should have been a priority to clean up the glass. I don’t think we can say this was an accident, and this was being careless.
The three of us sit quietly, hoping Jamie isn’t putting up a fight. I would have liked to put clothes on Jamie, but the bleeding looked bad.

Thirty minutes pass before Jolt walks out of the room and tells me I can go in. Lightning hands me clothes she grabbed. I know Jolt has to tell Prime and Prowl. I hope things will not change after this. 
Ratchet finishes putting in an IV line as I walk in. I can tell he’s even worried about what Prime and Prowl will think about this as he leaves the room.
Jamie is quiet as she puts underwear and pants on. I know Ratchet would have waited to give Jamie medicine if she wasn’t in much pain. Unless this is also to keep her relaxed.
The blanket isn’t wet. I wrap Jamie in it after she’s dressed and hold her close. I sit on the bed. She won’t say anything, but I can tell she’s scared. It’s complicated; I know she’s hurting to where she thinks death is the answer, but hates I found out. I don’t think she knows that Crosshairs and Lightning know. I don’t know if I should say anything. This could have made Prime and Prowl change their minds. I rub her back, hoping to get her to fall asleep.

Crosshairs’ P.O.V.
I know Drift is worried, but I can’t get him to relax while I’m stressed as we sit at the table in the conference room with Jolt, Prime, Prowl, Ratchet, Red Alert, and Rung. I’m not sure why Lennox isn’t part of the meeting.
“I know I screwed up,” I start before anyone says anything.
“Where’d she get the glass from?” Prime asks.
“I dropped a glass, and I cleaned it up but didn’t take the trash bag out of the room,” I explain.
It’s quiet in the room for a few minutes before Drift and I are told to wait in the hallway. That’s not a good sign. 

Prowl’s P.O.V.
I thought Jamie was asleep with her guardians watching her, but I caught her sneaking around in the hallway. She freezes the second she sees me. I don’t think they know she’s up and didn’t tell her about the meeting. One would think that one of them would stay with her, but they know she’s safe and argues she feels guilty to try again on the same day. Interestingly, she’s roaming around in pajamas. 
“Come here,” she lets me pick her up, but I feel her tense up, “you’re not in trouble.”
I feel my gun move from my holster, but I see both of Jamie’s hands. Mirage must be invisible and took it in case Jamie fights me to get free. It’s been four hours since Jamie hurt herself, and we’ve had the meeting we planned on having before we got back from our vacation, but the holiday killer has kept me, the medics, and Prime busy.
“They’re waiting in the conference room,” I hear Mirage whisper.
That’s just creepy, Mirage.

I know Jamie is afraid to face Prime and myself after what she did, but there’s no escaping what she did; therefore pointless to try to get away from me.
“Come here,” Prime says as he takes Jamie from me.
I can see Jamie is afraid but still hugs Prime. I can tell there’s so much going on in her mind. Maybe humans would say it makes little sense that she tried to end her life, and four hours later, she’s feeling guilt. No matter what is going on in her mind, we’re aware of the argument that a military base is not the safest place for her, but humans don’t know her history. It’s a complicated situation.
We tell Jamie that we’re not changing anything. We are hoping there’s always an Autobot with her, but not so much to watch her. With the time, everyone has been in hiding or in space, plus a couple of situations that kept her away from this dimension or kept us busy. The others didn’t spend time with her. Everyone Ratchet, Prime, and I talked to are worried about Jamie’s safety but agree with what the five of us talked about last month. Jamie needs to be shown love, and hopefully, she’ll understand that everyone wants to spend time with her and not that she’s being watched, though we’re doing both. 
“No,” Jamie says in a sad tone and breaks free from Prime. She tries to leave the room but is blocked. We knew it was Mirage but didn’t expect to see the red Autobot but his holoform. He sits on the floor, positioned to keep Jamie from running off.
“No!” Jamie yells, “I’m a waste of time! They are warriors, not human babysitters!” She argues while pointing to Crosshairs and Drift. Tears rolling down her face. I think we found out part of the trigger for December’s suicide attempt. Drift picks her up and hugs her close. I know Optimus has felt like he’s failed Jamie, and this moment has to be troubling him. Mirage activates his holoform, enters the room, and closes the door. The six of us wait for her to calm down, hoping she doesn’t fall asleep just yet.

Optimus Prime’s P.O.V.
This hurts knowing how much Jamie loves Drift and the bond she has with her guardians, but she no longer feels like being here is better than being in her dimension. 
Once she’s calm, I take her from Drift, and she won’t relax as I hold her.
“Don’t leave; we love you. I’d do anything to take the pain away.”
Now’s not the time to list how hurt everybot and her few human friends in this dimension would miss her, or how we all agree we’re like a family. It’s hard knowing this will be a challenge for a while.

“This is not what I had in mind for a break from the case,” Prowl comments as we watch Crosshairs and Drift leave with Jamie.
“Sir, I know we’re planning on letting anybot spend time with Jamie, but I request I watch her,” Mirage insists.
“Gave up on finding what Austin is planning?” Prowl asks.
“I’d like to find him, but I think keeping her safe is more important,” Mirage argues.
“Talk to Crosshairs and Drift. You might be able to continue with the case and protect her.”