Summer of Sorrow ✅

Ch. 29 Another Meeting

Drift’s P.O.V.
Hearing that Optimus wants a meeting while this is supposed to be a vacation is concerning. Not hard to figure out that this meeting is about Jamie. After Cogman and Lightning argue about who’s staying with Jamie, Cogman gives up, and Crosshairs and I go to Optimus’ room.

Lily being allowed to be part of this meeting is unexpected. No one is asking why she is here. As I thought we are talking about Jamie and how to help her. Though everyone knows it’ll be a while before they can do anything with Jamie. They know it’s likely that first, the terror twins and Lily will spend time with Jamie, but even they will have to be careful. Optimus hopes to have Jamie stay with us. I don’t want to tell them what Jamie has been going through. Optimus knows he’ll have to explain this to the Autobots and soldiers at the base.
Everyone but Crosshairs and I are dismissed.
“You two aren’t agreeing with the others, are you?” He asks.
“I don’t think it matters where she is. She’ll continue to struggle,” I tell him, “I hate how hurt she is, and I can’t make her happy.”
I realize I’m talking about my relationship with Jamie being my girlfriend even though she says we’re not together; the reasons are the same as why she’s struggling. Crosshairs thinks the same way, minus having a baby with Jamie. I know he’d love it if Jamie and I had a baby.
“It’s hard to get her to do anything,” Crosshairs adds, “she’s been crying a lot.”
Optimus asks what else Jamie has been dealing with, and we hate telling him.
“This is worse than I thought,” he sighs, “what the frag happened?”
I know he’s not asking us a question. We’re dismissed for now while Optimus thinks. He likely thought he should have asked Crosshairs and me about this before the meeting.
Before Crosshairs and I go back to our room, Sunstreaker asks to talk to us about Lily’s birthday.

Lightning’s P.O.V.
It’s been twenty minutes. I didn’t think the meeting would take this long. What can we even do? How much planning is even possible? Did I miss that much in six years?
I feel like I missed a lot in the six months that Crosshairs, Drift, and Jamie were in Jamie’s dimension. I hope Optimus isn’t thinking he failed to think those three not coming back even once within those six months was strange.
I don’t know everything, but I know this will be a challenge.
Jamie is quiet when she wakes up. I text Crosshairs and Drift that Jamie is awake. Hoping she doesn’t panic. I’m told to bring Jamie downstairs.

Only Crosshairs, Cogman and Drift are in the kitchen. It’s hard seeing the way Jamie is as she sits on Drift’s lap at the island. Not interested in the cup of tea, Cogman puts it on the island in front of her.
“I think she’s hiding pain that requires her to see the medics,” I whisper.
“She saw Ratchet before we left, remember? Drift, and I have been watching her. I know Jamie enjoys being with us, but I hate saying we’re watching her. No way she’s ok being left alone for the day. An hour is already a risk.”
What the frag are you not telling me, Crosshairs?

Optimus Prime’s P.O.V.
I knew this would be a challenge, but what Drift told me added to the challenge. We didn’t want to force Jamie to stay with us, but perhaps we should have. She was doing better when we considered it, and now she doesn’t feel ok here.
“How likely do you think Mirage will resume his security duty?” Prowl asks, “even with Crosshairs and Drift with her, Jamie is looking to be dead and could think sneaking out at night is her opportunity.”
“How likely are you ok with the two mechs not working? I don’t think switching who’s with her is a good idea.”
“Depends on if the mechs and soldiers they work with are ok with it.”
“That’s unusual for you.”
“I doubt it’ll be a problem considering the mechs those two work with. Are you ok?”
“No,” I sigh, “I know it’s pointless to think; what if we had Jamie stay here sooner? I know how Ratchet feels wondering if we could have helped if he figured out the holoforms sooner?”
“Now look at what we’re dealing with,” Prowl sighs, “and wondering if we can even help her....”
Prowl isn’t liking the reaction I got from Jamie when I told her I want her to stay with us. Getting her to feel ok here is going to be a challenge.
With things planned, we need to try to change our moods for Lily’s birthday party in four days. Even if it’s not exactly what one would call a party, I don’t want this to be our mood for the day. 

Downstairs in the kitchen, I find Drift struggling to get Jamie to eat. Her eating nothing until dinner is another problem.
I question if talking to her about what she wants and these problems will help, but Drift and Jamie don’t want to tell anyone. I’d have to tell Rung to get my answer. 
All I can do is hope that we can help Jamie. Even a little in the next five months will be great.

“Damn, what the frag happened?” Ratchet asks after hearing the situation on the phone.
“I hope nothing more than what she deals with.”
“I fear it is. No way the same scrap would suddenly cause this much mental damage. I still think Crosshairs and Drift are hiding something.”
“They wouldn’t hide anything serious affecting Jamie’s health,” I lie.
It’s not serious that Ratchet needs to treat Jamie, but this affects her mental health and what Jamie is dealing with at home.
“The way her mental health is affected is serious.”
“You must trust they’ll come to you or Rung if necessary.”
Ratchet sighs but agrees with me before ending the call.
After talking to Ratchet, I feel I underestimated how much of a challenge this will be.
Please, Primus, help our human friend.