One Day At a Time ✔️

Ch. 35 Sunstreaker's Turn

Ratchet’s P.O.V.
It’s a rough two days before Jamie is over being sick. Jamie is still struggling to stay warm due to how skinny she is. Crosshairs and Drift take a break, knowing Jamie won’t panic about being with us. She’s quiet as I check over her. What worries me is what is Jamie thinking? I hope she’s thinking about the next time we cross paths with Megatron rather than being terrified of what he’s been trying to do. I still hate how skinny she is, and there’s not much I can do.
“If you can keep your oxygen level up, I’ll approve light workouts,” I tell her.
It’s good for her, even if she wasn’t a fighter. We’d be screwed if it wasn’t for Wheeljack’s inventions.

I take Jamie for a walk while the two mechs take a break. Jolt argues I need to leave the base more. I’ve been trying not to neglect myself, but I haven’t been out other than the night we had to search for Jamie. Ironhide and the twins still come with us for security. We take her to the park to watch the ducks. It’s the only way to get her to smile for now. 

We’ve been out for an hour, and Jamie can keep her oxygen level up. I have to make sure she’s warm. I let Sunstreaker take her out of the wheelchair and do some art.
“Uh, Ratchet?” Sunstreaker asks, “is this ok?”
What Sunstreaker means is Jamie is already getting tired, leaning on him.
“It’s normal for now, and there are other causes of Jamie’s exhaustion,” I explain.
I let Sunstreaker decide what to do. He carries Jamie to the bench and gets her comfortable in his arms.
“Better than falling asleep in the wheelchair,” Sunstreaker comments.
It’s still hard to believe she’s falling asleep while he’s holding her.

Sunstreaker carries her back to the medbay and lays her on the bed. I connect the oxygen tube as Crosshairs and Drift walk into the room.
“Damn, two hours, and I thought it was because she was sick?” Sunstreaker asks.
“It’s because she’s severely underweight, and she’s tiring easy and can’t stay warm,” I explain.
“So technically, she’s still sick,” Sunstreaker sighs.
“It’s hard to get her to gain weight. She’s not eating much food, and what she’s given doesn’t help with weight gain. It’s going to be rough until she eats more.”
I leave the three mechs alone. Not like they’d leave if I told them to.

Crosshairs’ P.O.V.
Sunstreaker tries to get Drift to take a nap as he tube-feeds Jamie. It’s still in a demanding tone, but it’s the best we’ll get. I tell Drift it’s a good idea. He’s still not getting a lot of sleep. He goes to the room next door. 
“He’s still not sleeping, is he?” Sunstreaker asks
“No, I don’t know how, but he knows she flatlined and is terrified even though she didn’t have a fever last night. Ratchet kept her on the monitor, and her heart rate was normal last night.”
I give Sunstreaker the stethoscope. He gives me a look but listens to Jamie’s heart and breathing.
“Is that normal?”
I nod and take the stethoscope to clean.
It’s hard to see Jamie still needing a few blankets as if it’s the middle of the winter.

Sunstreaker sits on the chair by the bed. He should know she’ll be asleep for at least three hours. I sit on the recliner and let myself fall asleep.

Sunstreaker’s P.O.V.
They’re both exhausted, even though there’s not much they’ve done to care for Jamie while she’s sick. I don’t blame them after the scare she had and then getting sick again with pneumonia. I don’t know if Jamie would be ok with them taking a day off, and that is if we could get them to take a day off.
Where are you? Sideswipe asks.
Watching Jamie. They’re exhausted, Sideswipe.
She’s awake?
No, but I’m hoping she’ll let me take her to watch T.V. and let them sleep when she wakes up.

I didn’t know Sideswipe would come down to the medbay, even though I told him I’ll be sitting here waiting for Jamie to wake up. Ratchet comes by questioning our choice to sit here but says nothing, even when I tell him we’re hoping to get Jamie to go to the lounge room with us to let her guardians sleep. He notices Crosshairs asleep on the recliner.
“I don’t know why Drift went to the other room,” I tell him.
Ratchet sighs and leaves the room.
Don’t tell me Drift hasn’t been asleep all this time?
“Leave him alone,” Sideswipe insists.

We wait two hours until Jamie wakes up. I thought Crosshairs would have woken up by now. Jamie sees him asleep but not Drift. 
“He’s sleeping,” I tell her. I watch tears roll down her face, “you think you can handle having the speaking valve on?” I ask as I take her hand. Jamie squeezes my hand. I was hoping she wouldn’t. Sideswipe is already by me, ready to help. We watch Jamie get off the bed and head towards the door. I point to the oxygen concentrator, hoping Sideswipe gets the message before following Jamie.

The door to the room Drift is sleeping in is closed. 
“Let him sleep. Come on, let’s watch T.V.,” I suggest and pick Jamie up, expecting her to refuse. Ratchet watches us walk by his office but doesn’t stop us. 

Sideswipe gets juice as I get Jamie settled on the couch. I failed to get a blanket, and she’s cold even while wearing her jacket, so I put my jacket on her. 
“I thought so,” Sideswipe comments as he walks in with a blanket and the juice.
“Hey, that’s my— ,” Ironhide scolds as he walks in.
“Uh, yeah, I took it from the dryer since it’s warm,” Sideswipe admits.
“Never mind,” Ironhide says as he sits on the couch and ensures Jamie is covered.
Jamie is relaxed for now, but I worry she’ll panic not seeing Crosshairs and Drift. Hopefully, they will get some good sleep.