Ratchet's P.O.V.
Jamie does well with the deflated cuff. I continue to make sure Jamie can swallow. I know Jamie likes it. I have been switching between water and apple juice, even in small amounts. This is also helping Jamie's stomach adjust to getting different fluids. The tricky part is deciding when to try to get Jamie back to eating food after I remove the trach. I don't know if she'll want to try while she still has the trach in. There will likely be throwing up for at least the first few days.

Today, I have Drift give Jamie a small amount of what we give Jamie via the feeding tube by syringe before finishing with the feeding tube.
I know Crosshairs and Drift like the little progress Jamie is making, but I also know what Jamie will still deal with.

I wait an hour before deflating the cuff again. One more full day, and we can move on to the next step. I try to convince Jamie that it is ok to go to Crosshairs and Drift's room. Not even Prime has luck convincing her. I am concerned she doesn't feel safe anywhere else, even if Crosshairs and Drift will be with her. More than embarrassed, the others will see her. This isn't good, and I am unsure how to remedy this.

Drift tries his best to get Jamie to go with him and Crosshairs but again fails. They will not like hearing what I'm thinking, and this is a bad sign if she's not trusting her best friends. I think they might have figured it out, judging by their expressions.
Jamie's bladder and kidneys function properly, and she can use the bathroom. Jamie is not using the bathroom as much as a human should because she lacks food and drinks during the day. I'm changing how frequently Jamie gets a drink but still using the syringe. More for better control, as I believe Jamie would drink too fast.

Drift's P.O.V.
It's heartbreaking to see how much Jamie has been through and the long road ahead, but she's scared and doesn't feel safe. This is my fault.
Sitting on the bed, holding Jamie, I try to think of a way to show Jamie that she's safe. I don't think she knows Megatron is behind this, and I know she'd be angry and want to fight him. I don't want to force her to come to our room, but what else can I do?

Mirage P.O.V.
I have an idea that might help Jamie heal. I believe she's embarrassed the others will see her, though we all have before she awoke from the medically induced coma. I can enter the room in the medbay and sit by Jamie. Drift is laying on the bed, holding her. I can see Jamie is scared and embarrassed that I'm seeing her. I see the trach and IV; I can also tell how skinny Jamie is.
"You're safe; we all miss you and want you to recover."
I move my hand slowly towards hers, unsure if Jamie will get scared. Drift is watching but says nothing. I'm not an expert in human psychology, but I think Jamie is more embarrassed than scared. She stays calm as I hold her hand. I stay a few minutes before talking to Ratchet in his office.

"I'm not sure what to do to help Jamie. It'll be hard to know if your idea will work, and there's no period to know if it's working. Talk to Crosshairs and Drift. They'll be dealing with her," Ratchet explains.
I know Ratchet worries about ruining the progress made with trach weaning, but we need to help Jamie mentally.

Crosshairs, Drift, and I get lunch an hour later. A perfect opportunity to tell the two mechs my plan. I can tell Jamie doesn't want them to leave. Not sure if Jamie would say something if she could talk.
"I don't know," Drift frets, "I worry we will lose the progress made with the trach."
"We have to do something about this problem. The sooner, the better, and you know Mirage would have talked to Ratchet first," Crosshairs points out.
"I did, Ratchet is not sure what's the right way to deal with this problem, but he didn't say we couldn't try."

Crosshairs' P.O.V.
I know why Drift is worried; every Autobot and a few soldiers worry Jamie could have setbacks, but this problem will take a while to fix.
Jamie is hesitant about the plan but agrees. Ratchet already took the catheter out and put an adult diaper on. Oh boy, another thing we'll have to worry about.
Mirage carries Jamie to our room while invisible.

Drift takes her once we're in the room, and Mirage isn't invisible.
"You're ok; you're safe here," he assures her as he sits on the couch. At least we can keep her more entertained in here. I hope she'll want to play her favorite computer game in a few days if we can keep bringing her here.
I agree with Sunstreaker, Megatron must pay, but I need to stay here. Mirage stays for ten minutes before getting back to work, but he'll come back when we want him to take Jamie back to the medbay.
I sit next to Drift and rub Jamie's back. We might just sit here for the afternoon, but it's a start. I put the T.V. on, hoping Jamie will relax and watch T.V.
With Drift unable to move, I check Jamie's oxygen level every half-hour as Ratchet instructed. Jamie relaxes and watches T.V. Ratchet texts me asking for an update, relieved she's doing ok.

Drift's P.O.V.
Jamie did fine for two hours until Crosshairs and I talk about when to leave. It's three in the afternoon, and though we're in no hurry to leave, we need to go back to the medbay to feed Jamie. I hate watching her cry without making a sound, but the bigger issue is her oxygen level is dropping. Mirage must have ran as fast as he could, considering how quickly he got to the room. Yet Crosshairs didn't even text him. The problem is now Jamie isn't letting go.
"Just go!" Crosshairs yells.
I rush down to the medbay, running past a few bots in their holoform and soldiers.

Ratchet is already waiting to connect Jamie to oxygen. Her level dropped to 90%.
Damn, that low because you don't want the others to see you?
Ratchet can check over Jamie while I hold her.
"It's ok if the others see you. You know they want you to recover," Ratchet tries to assure Jamie as tears roll down her face, "you're recovering well and are safe."
I doubt Ratchet would lie; hopefully, this didn't set Jamie back. Crosshairs and Mirage walk in two minutes later and sit on the chairs near the bed.

Jamie's oxygen level recovers within a half-hour, and I can feed her. Mirage can stay. Jamie isn't bothered that he's here. This is good, but I think she knows he found her and saved her from the so-called hospital, knowing he's a spy. I don't mind that I have to tell Jamie she's safe repeatedly. Her mental state before this was tricky, but this really hurt her.

Ratchet's P.O.V.
There are a few cases when dealing with something like this, but I'm holding back on moving to the next step of the weaning process after yesterday. Getting Jamie to feel relaxed out of the medbay will take longer, and I think this is the best way for Jamie instead of waiting until I can remove the trach to get Jamie to feel safe out of the medbay. I will not add trying to get her back to eating food yet, but she's doing well being given fluids by syringe, and I give her a little apple juice.
"You'll be ok; it will take time," I assure her as I give her the juice.
Jolt walks in, wheeling a child-sized wheelchair from the hospital.
"I wasn't sure if this would help," he explains.
"Maybe, but later in her recovery, she doesn't want the others to see her," I tell Jolt.

Crosshairs and Drift try to get Jamie to go for a walk. I have an idea to hide the trach enough, though it's only because of Jamie's low weight and inability to keep herself warm. Crosshairs gets Jamie's red jacket with the Autobot insignia. Jamie got a bigger size than she needed, but now the jacket is way too big.
"There, it's hidden but not blocked," I assure Jamie as we get her in the wheelchair. Maybe this is a good step towards Jamie not wanting to stay only in the medbay; it's hard to know what to do to help her not feel embarrassed and scared. I know the standard procedure for weaning wouldn't permit this action, but Crosshairs and Drift know what to do.
"It's probably a good thing you got the wheelchair with chest straps," I tell Jolt, "maybe not now, but I feel she'll become difficult as she's recovering."

Drift's P.O.V.
We walk around the park for a bit before sitting on a bench. I take Jamie from the wheelchair and hold her, and she still holds on to me, scared. Then I realize; we're screwed if Megatron is around.
Damn it, Jamie is relaxed enough that I don't want to leave yet. I see the terror twins walking toward us. Oh boy, this will not go well.

Sunstreaker's P.O.V.
I have been worried about Jamie, hating I haven't been able to see her. Sideswipe tried to tell me we shouldn't bother her, but he came with me. I try to approach carefully, knowing Jamie's delicate state, crouching in front of her and taking her hand slowly. I'm not sure how this helps or if it helps keep her from getting upset. The only thing I can think to say is the same thing I know Crosshairs, Drift, and Ratchet have been saying. I asked Ratchet if this was ok; I have a syringe with apple juice. This is odd, and I hate how we have to do this and show Jamie it's not a drug. I hate seeing her tense up.
"Look, it's your favorite; apple juice."
I get a little juice on my finger and lick my finger. There's a strong apple juice smell, but I don't know if she'd be ok with smelling my finger. I give the syringe to Drift to give to Jamie. This is good progress, but I know we need to be careful. Jamie has the juice while I hold her hand again. I hate how her jacket looks way too big.
Damn, she's lost a lot of weight.
I forgot Sideswipe was around until he sat on his knees beside me. We both stayed for five minutes but decided we should leave. This is good progress for Jamie.

I know the Autobots and soldiers say I'm a psychopath and I kill humans, but Jamie is the one human I care about, and how she was treated as a kid played a role in how she is now. I know many humans would think she's a child between her short stature and how she is, but she'll make you regret pissing her off. I love seeing her in battle. She is like me, having difficulty letting anyone get close to her. Crosshairs and Drift are the exceptions, but they've seen how much she worries they'll tire of how she is. No doubt she's thinking that way about us, but it's sad she still has that fear with her two best friends. She's not hiding that she loves Drift, but we know she won't say they're together.
I hope she can recover mentally from this.