Ratchet's P.O.V.
I believe Jamie is ready for the next step three days later, but this is a challenging step. Breathing while the trach is capped and trying to get Jamie to talk to ensure her oxygen level stays up as she talks. I also want to get Jamie to eat more than a few bites while she still has the trach. I've already been using a small piece called an artificial node in case Jamie's stomach can't tolerate the small amount of juice or small bites she's been getting.
Crosshairs and Drift are concerned as I tell them about the next step in Jamie's recovery. I know they're worried about Jamie choking and throwing up, and it's hard to know how long to do each step. Starting with increasing the food Jamie gets but sticking to food that's easy to swallow without chewing. There's no way I can avoid Jamie choking or throwing up.
This has to be an unusual lunch; tuna is prepared as if someone is making a sandwich, but no bread and applesauce. Jamie doesn't seem bothered that she's eating tuna with a fork. The other problem is Jamie doesn't want the others to see her. Jamie will let Crosshairs and Drift take her for walks, so she might be becoming less afraid and feels she's safe here. For now, Jamie is still in the medbay most of the time. I see Jamie's tight hold on Drift when they leave the medbay, even if she agrees to go for walks. This is going to be a challenge.
Jamie is full after the tuna. I'll see what she eats for dinner before tube feeding her.
I take care of the trach before Crosshairs and Drift take Jamie for a walk. It sucks that they need a few other bots to go with them if they're going for a walk to the park, but we're not sure if Jamie is still Megatron's target. Mirage and Sunstreaker go with them. I know they'll try to interact with her, and I warned them to be careful.
Crosshairs' P.O.V.
Sunstreaker asked Drift and me if he could try to do a sketch with Jamie. Sunstreaker knows we don't know how Jamie will be, but we let him do a sketch with him if she wants.
Jamie sits between Sunstreaker's legs as the two sketches the ducks. It's amazing how well the two work on one sketch together. We told him our goal was to get Jamie talking again, and the way Jamie says 'yes' and 'no' for now. Sunstreaker is trying to get her to talk. It's hard to know if she needs to learn to talk with the trach, but she doesn't want to talk. It's not good if she's simply refusing to talk. This is a way to know how bad her mental state is.
Drift sits next to Sunstreaker to monitor Jamie's oxygen level. Mirage is on guard while sitting with me on a bench.
Drift's P.O.V.
I'm watching Jamie closely. Her oxygen level is fine while the speaking valve is on the trach. It's hard to believe this is Sunstreaker, sitting with Jamie while she's not talking. He'd normally hate when people gesture to answer him. He's trying to get her to talk, but not mad she's still using other ways to answer him. Ratchet checked if there was damage he missed. I don't know if I should be happy there's nothing or not since this means Jamie is refusing to talk. I think we'd rather she make noises than stay completely silent.
What the frag did they do to you, Jamie?
It's a hot summer day. With Ratchet's approval, we take an ice cream break. Unfortunately, Ratchet told us Jamie can't have her favorite; cookie dough.
I hope she'll be able to before the ice cream shop closes.
"I can't believe this, as if she wasn't struggling. What if this is permeant?" Sunstreaker frets.
"It's hard to know," I tell him.
Jamie still gets tired by mid-afternoon, and Sunstreaker carries her back to the medbay and puts her to bed.
I take the valve off, inflate the cuff, and put Jamie on oxygen.
"She needs to eat more, Ratchet," Sunstreaker insists.
"I know she's way too skinny, but her stomach can't take much either. I need to do this slowly," Ratchet explains.
"You know the canned tuna she likes to make sandwiches with? We gave her the tuna without bread, and she was full after eating just that," Crosshairs explains.
Sunstreaker's P.O.V.
I hate what they've done to Jamie and the possible permanent damage. Jamie wasn't anxious she couldn't talk to me, which might be good or bad.
Jamie lets me take her for a walk when she wakes up. I know she won't go without Crosshairs and Drift.
I try to get her to talk while being careful not to force her to talk.
Jamie's mind
Replaying the horrible things the so-called doctors have done and thoughts they'd tell her if she was still there.
Drift's P.O.V.
We couldn't believe how quickly Jamie went from being calm to having an anxiety attack.
Sunstreaker watches in horror as Crosshairs and I try to get her to calm down quickly. This is not good if she cannot keep her oxygen level up when talking.
"You're safe with us," I assure her while Crosshairs and I hold each of her hands.
"Guys..." Sunstreaker frets.
Fuck, I don't know if I can put her on oxygen, even if it's not with a mask.
I move Jamie closer to me.
"You're safe," I repeat, "you know we will protect you."
Jamie calms down, breathing normally but crying. Her oxygen level increases to a normal level as Crosshairs suctions the trach. This is a good sign, even if I hate hearing Jamie cry.
"Look, ducks," Crosshairs says while pointing to the pond.
Jamie stops crying as soon as she hears the ducks quack. Crosshairs suctions the trach again as Jamie watches the ducks. We stay for twenty minutes before going back to base for dinner.
I know Sunstreaker wanted to ask Jamie to join him in the cafeteria, but it's best not to stress her out after what happened.
Ratchet allows me to give Jamie one of her favorite soups; clam chowder. What's in the soup is often cut into small pieces that Ratchet believes she shouldn't have a problem.
While I'd rather make the soup myself, there's no time.
Glad Jamie likes crushed crackers in her soup. I still worry she will chock or throw up, even if I only gave her half a can of soup. One can fills a bowl.
Everything is fine for five minutes before Jamie chokes. The situation is dealt with quickly, but as I thought, Jamie is crying; frustrated, she struggles to eat.
Ratchet's P.O.V.
When I told Crosshairs and Drift Jamie may choke, I meant that she'll eat too fast. Getting Jamie to cooperate without being restrained will be impossible, so I can ensure everything is fine with her throat.
"No!" Jamie cries while pushing me away. She'd normally be able to push me that I'd be taking steps back to regain my balance, or I'd be sitting on my aft on the floor, but this was weak and had no effect on me.
Not the first word with the speaking valve we want to hear; this concerns us.
"I'm not going to hurt you," I assure her.
What happened that you're suddenly scared?
"Never mind," I tell the two mechs before going to my office. I watch Crosshairs and Drift struggle to calm Jamie down.
Crosshairs' P.O.V.
I watch Drift struggle to get Jamie to calm down, and he tells me she's now trembling. I think being here is causing her to panic, but we can't let her stay in our room yet, even with mine and Drift's medical training.
I've decided to talk to Ratchet about letting Jamie stay with us.
"Take her to your room," Ratchet says before I can say anything.
"You sure?" I ask.
I didn't think he'd agree with me, but now he's making the decision.
"She's going to be frightened staying here, and you and Drift are doing well taking care of her. I'd like to know what they did for her to be frightened over me trying to look at her throat."
We watch Drift continue to struggle to get Jamie to stop crying. Ratchet insists they take her to our room. I get a cart to bring what we'll need to our room. Ratchet gives me a small syringe if we can't get Jamie to calm down before her oxygen level gets too low.
Drift lies in bed with Jamie, and I put the oximeter on Jamie's finger.
"90%," I inform Drift.
"You're safe in our room," he tells her.
I take her hand and stroke her hair.
This is helping her calm down, but not her oxygen level.
Damn, this means she needs more time with the trach in.
I suction the trach and connect the oxygen tube once Jamie stops crying. She's asleep twenty minutes later.
After telling Ratchet that Jamie is asleep and her oxygen level is normal, he tells us to tube feed her.
I can tell Drift is devastated even though we know setbacks like this are possible.
"Come with me," I insist as Drift covers Jamie with a blanket, "she'll be fine for twenty minutes."
He kisses Jamie before we leave the room.
Sunstreaker is passing by, and while I think Jamie will be ok, I ask him to sit in our room for twenty minutes.
"Take all the time you need," he says before entering the room.
Sunstreaker's P.O.V.
I know what happened in the past hour.
"What did they do to you?" I whisper as I watch Jamie sleep.
To go from being ok around Jolt and Ratchet the past two weeks to panicking. We saw the scar that Ratchet has been able to heal. We know the so-called doctors removed the monitor chip. What else did they do?
