J.R. was thinking of finding Drift but decided he needed to be left alone. She flew around for an hour.
Any longer and Jayce might find out. J.R. thought.
She returns to the junkyard, thinking no one was around.
"Well, look who came back," Crosshairs fumed as he walked up to her, "how stupid can you be?"
"Me? I'm not the one giving up on Jamie. Everyone else has. You have since Jadin attacked!" She yelled, neither knew Jayce was watching. Crosshairs didn't know what to say. J.R. walked away past Jayce and sat on the ground. Jayce walked over and sat next to her.
"What!" J.R. yelled. Jayce said nothing. She'd wait until J.R. was calm. Hopefully, Drift would return by then. Sure it pissed her off that J.R. left, but They've been friends for years. Jayce was used to J.R's temper. Neither of them heard Crosshairs drive off. Jayce waited ten minutes before saying anything.
"So, what did you find?" She asked.
"Useless crap," J.R replied, still angry.
"Show me."
J.R. got the laptop and showed Jayce.
"Maybe...let me look at the daily records for that flare-up." Jayce knew why J.R. was looking at the records.
"You save the detailed daily records?"
"Yeah. Do you think I just write a summary after Jamie recovers? Though it's not a good idea to compare, to a point, having detailed records is good. "
"To a point?"
"Here, we'll look together. I'll show you what I mean," Jayce showed J.R. the detailed records of the flare-up J.R. was looking at to the current flare-up. There were similarities between the two but also differences.
"You... damn, you might be right..." Jayce had a hard time saying.
"I know, Jayce," J.R. put a hand on Jayce's shoulder. They sat in silence.
Crosshairs couldn't find Drift's location, but he knew where he was, knowing Drift wouldn't go far. He activated his holoform, knowing humans would be around. Sure enough, Drift was at the lakeāhis holoform sitting on the hood of his vehicle mode. Drift didn't hear Crosshairs park next to him. Crosshairs' holoform stepped out and sat next to Drift on the hood of his vehicle mode. Drift was deep in thought to notice.
"Are you all right?" Crosshairs asked after waiting two minutes for Drift to say something.
"I see why you keep your distance from Jamie. The longer I stayed with her, the more terrified I became. I had to get away."
Crosshairs didn't know what to say. The two sat in silence, watching ducks swim in the lake. Instead of thinking they had to bring Jamie here like they were two days ago, they now thought they might not get the chance.
"So, are we going to find them and tell them?" J.R. asked.
"No need to find them. Easy to guess where they are. We'll wait until they come back. You know why Drift left," Jayce got up and walked out of the building.
They're hurting, and so are you. J.R. thought as she watched Jayce walk away. I hate there's nothing I can do.
Jayce sat on the roof of a carport, looking at the photos on her phone.
I can't believe all this is coming undone. Jayce was distracted, looking at the photos, she didn't hear two Autobots walking up to her until she felt a metal hand on her shoulder. Though she didn't think Decepticon, she was still startled and almost dropped her phone.
"Dang it, Crosshairs, stop doing that," Jayce yelled but was smiling. He took his hand off her shoulder.
"If you don't like it, then why are you smiling?" He smirked, Jayce laughed. The two mechs smiled until Drift noticed what she was looking at on her phone.
"Why are you looking at those?" He asked, concerned, "I think that's part of what's causing the nightmares."
"I know I shouldn't."
She jumped off the building and walked back to where J.R and Jamie were. The two mechs followed. J.R. was also looking at the photos on her phone.
"They're back," Jayce sat next to her. J.R. put her phone away. The two mechs knelt in front of them.
"You going to tell them?" J.R. asked. Jayce looked at her with uncertainty.
"I..I can't. "
"But you...," J.R. started, but Drift motioned for her not to push Jayce. He wanted to know what they wanted to tell them and why Jayce changed her mind, but J.R. was trying to force Jayce to talk. Drift wanted to encourage her to talk.
"What did you want to tell us?" He asked in a calm tone. J.R. realized Jayce wanted to talk about something else along with what the two wanted to tell Crosshairs and Drift. She got up, walked to the table, grabbed the laptop, walked back, and sat next to Jayce.
"Did you change your mind about telling them about this?" She asked as she opened the laptop.
"Something is bothering you," Crosshairs observed. J.R. was surprised Crosshairs was the one who noticed something else was bothering Jayce and not Drift. Jayce looked at Jamie. She knew what they'd say, but it wouldn't help.
"You want me to?" J.R. asked. Jayce shook her head no. They waited two minutes before Jayce was ready to talk.
"I..I'm sorry I told you about what happened yesterday," Jayce apologized, "I hurt both of you more than Jadin did."
She started tearing up. The two mechs looked at each other, shocked at what she said. J.R. knew she was feeling bad about telling Crosshairs and Drift about Jamie but couldn't believe Jayce thinks she hurt them more than Jadin did. J.R. knew it upset Jayce seeing how Crosshairs and Drift reacted to what she told them, but Jayce should know that's also how humans react to such news.
"No, Jayce, you did nothing wrong," Drift assured her. He wasn't sure what else to say. What can he say or do to help her?
"What was it you wanted to tell us, J.R.?" Crosshairs asked though he wasn't sure if he should. J.R. looked at Jayce. Jayce nodded in agreement in between wiping tears. Though J.R. wasn't sure if it was a good idea or even help, she wanted to tell them anyway.
"What happened yesterday, it wasn't the first time," J.R. got the response she tried to avoid; Crosshairs and Drift had worried expressions.
"As much of a terrible idea it is, J.R. looked at the record of the last time this happened eight years ago. There are minor differences, but J.R. might be right."
"And?" Drift asked, knowing there was more.
"It was a long eight weeks," J.R. replied in a sad tone.
"I can't take this for seven more weeks," Jayce said as she got up and ran out of the building.
"Jayce!" J.R. yelled as she got up, but Crosshairs stopped her.
"Leave her alone."
J.R. walks away. Crosshairs watched to make sure she will not bother Jayce.
"What are we going to do?" Crosshairs asked.
"I have no idea," Drift sighed. Crosshairs left the building, he knew Drift wouldn't follow, but it surprised him Drift wasn't telling him to stay.
Crosshairs stayed close to the building, waiting for Drift.
Four hours pass before Drift joins him.
"I think we should tell the others what Jayce and J.R. told us," he suggested; Crosshairs nodded. He knew Drift didn't take four hours to make this decision. They found the others and told them everything.
"...then she ran out," Drift finished.
"Damn, I can't believe she feels that way," Hound said in a sad tone.
"Where is she now?" Cade asked.
"I don't know. It's strange Jayce hasn't come back yet," Crosshairs replied. Bee pointed to J.R. walking towards them.
"Have you seen Jayce?" Cade asked.
"Yeah, over there," she pointed to another storage building. Bee pointed to the storage building Jamie is in.
"No, she hasn't, Bee. I did it this morning," J.R. knew what he was asking.
"What?" Crosshairs, Drift, and Cade asked simultaneously.
"She...she gave up last night," J.R. says in a sad tone.
Crosshairs and Drift looked at each other, concerned and not sure what to do.
"I thought of telling her to go back to her dimension. I know everything she knows when it comes to Jamie's care, but she'd say no."
"Wasn't she the one that-?" Cade started.
"Yeah, she showed me her detailed records and thought I might be right, but that means this may last seven more weeks. She's not thinking straight, forgetting that everything is uncertain right now. I just wanted to show her, and you guys, that Jamie has survived what happened last night several times," J.R. had guilt on her voice.
"I get what you were trying to do," Cade assured her.
"I feel better knowing that Jamie went through this before and can fight it. I wish she didn't have to go through this crap, though."
"Don't we all, Hound," Cade said.
"You gave us hope," Drift smiled. J.R. noticed Crosshairs smiling.
"But not Jayce," J.R. frowned. She was happy to see the Autobots have hope that Jamie will be ok, but Jayce lost hope.
"I don't think there's anything we can do," Cade stated. They all felt they had to plan if Jayce would neglect Jamie. They were also concerned, this wasn't like Jayce at all. J.R. would take over though Crosshairs and Drift would also talk to Jayce but didn't feel confident that it would help. Everyone went their separate ways except for Crosshairs and Drift.
"So?" Crosshairs asked.
"I'm not sure. This is very difficult," Drift answered. Crosshairs sighed in frustration. Drift frowned, noticing Jayce moved.
"Where'd she go?"
"You stay with J.R. I'll find her," Drift insisted. This was becoming a delicate situation, and Drift felt each of them should stay with each of the girls, plus Crosshairs wasn't that great with human emotions. By now, it was easy to guess where Jayce would be. Drift was right, Jayce was in a carport. Standing twenty feet from the carport, he realized this was worse than he thought. He activated his holoform and rushed to her.
"Hey, it's ok," he sat on his knees and hugged her. She buried her head on his chest. He was unaware of the items she dropped. Drift knew there was no way Jayce has been crying for the past four and a half hours, but why was she now?
J.R. sat in a chair by Jamie, trying not to think about how much damage Jadin did. She knew she'd just want to fly off, and she can't now. Crosshairs snuck up on her. It was fun, and Jayce always smiled even if she yelled at him. Sure enough, J.R. was startled.
"Stop doing that!" She yelled, but as Crosshairs expected, she smiled as she was yelling. Crosshairs laughed. J.R. was happy to see him happy and laughing, but it didn't last long. J.R. watched Crosshairs' optics look at Jamie. Crosshairs frowned and walked away. He sat at the entrance of the building against the wall.
Damn it even after what I said, not even ten minutes ago. Was Crosshairs fake smiling then? And Drift? Did they all fake feeling more hopeful?
Crosshairs watched J.R. though her back was facing him, he knew what she was thinking.
I'm sorry, J.R. I know you and Drift want me to be with Jamie more, but I can't see her like that. It hurts too much. I'm amazed Drift can, but I know he's hurting just as much.
The two sat in silence.
Five minutes pass, and Jayce isn't calming down. There's not much Drift, or anyone can do. Drift noticed what Jayce dropped. Her phone and Jamie's Autobot necklace. The phone screen was off, but he figured Jayce was looking at the same picture she was looking at two nights ago or another of him, Crosshairs and Jamie. He couldn't see for himself at the moment.
"Jayce, you know Jamie has been through this before, even what happened yesterday. You know she's a fighter."
She needs to get away from here for a while. Drift thought. J.R. can take over for a wanted to see what the picture was that Jayce was looking at. He got the phone and unlocked it. Strange Jayce didn't have a password.
What? This is the picture she was looking at? It shocked him; Jayce still had a picture of her, J.R., Jamie, and Jadin. He swiped the photos, and sure enough, the next one was the photo she was looking at two nights ago. It was clear how bad Jayce was struggling with this.
Damn, I can't believe the emotional pain she's in and how she hid it for a week. Is J.R. hiding the pain she feels from Jadin's return?
Jayce is now coughing from all the crying, but she continued to cry.
"Come on; you need to get away from here for a while."
"No, I can't," Jayce sobbed.
"J.R. can handle it. Come on," he insisted. She didn't argue; maybe she wanted to get away. He picked up her phone and the necklace. They got up and walked to Drift's body. He deactivated his holoform and transformed. Jayce got in, and Drift drove off. Drift texted Crosshairs that he was taking Jayce to the lake. They agreed not to tell J.R. as she'd just worry. Crosshairs would ask about Jayce when they got back.
Crosshairs had left the storage building; J.R. checked Jamie.
It will be a few days before there are any improvements, but I need to make sure she's not getting worse.
Jayce sat in the driver's seat of Drift's vehicle mode. As Drift expected, there were humans, and he couldn't transform. Jayce didn't want to get out. She was calm, but Drift was unsure how to keep her calm. She sat quietly for a half-hour and watched the sunset before asking to go back. Drift did as she asked though he'd rather they stayed longer.
Jayce didn't go back to the building Jamie was in when they returned. Drift and Crosshairs watched. Crosshairs was about to say something, but Drift transformed and gestured for him not to.
"So?" Crosshairs asked when Jayce was out of their sight.
"It's worse than I thought," Drift sighed. He informed Crosshairs how he found Jayce crying and what most likely led to her crying. Crosshairs didn't know what to say.
Jayce didn't want to see Jamie. She knew J.R could handle it. The fear that Jamie might die was stronger than her hope that Jamie would recover. Drift watched Jayce from a distance for a while before wanting to be with Jamie. He wanted to get Crosshairs to join him. He wasn't surprised to find Crosshairs sitting on a car near the building.
"Come with me," Drift insisted, taking Crosshairs by the arm, Crosshairs frowned. He knew what Drift wanted. J.R. was nearby and noticed Crosshairs' expression. She was guessing why he wasn't pleased and decided it's time to talk to him.
"It's a good idea, Crosshairs," J.R. said as she walked up to them. Crosshairs said nothing, "I don't know if you guys will believe this, but I think it's possible that the bond you two have with Jamie could help her fight this."
"How? If you and Jayce being around her hasn't helped?" Crosshairs asked.
"It's a theory. Jayce isn't sure there's written evidence, but...," she trailed off, not sure how to explain, "never mind." She gave up trying to explain and walked away.
"She gives up too quick," Crosshairs observed.
"She's very stressed."
"I just hope she doesn't end up with nightmares like Jayce. What are we going to do about that anyway?"
"I'm not sure. Jayce won't leave this dimension even though J.R. can take over."
Drift released Crosshairs' arm and walked into the storage building. Crosshairs frowned but didn't want to follow. He sat on a car. By now, several cars were crushed but still made good seats. Crosshairs was bothered by how distracted Drift got.
Crosshairs wasn't surprised Drift stayed with Jamie for four hours. He found it strange that neither of the girls came by. He figured they went to bed even though it was only 10:15. This whole situation was exhausting, especially for Jayce. Crosshairs waited another hour. Strange Drift didn't come out yet, wanting to check on Jayce, and J.R. Crosshairs assumed Drift used his holoform and ended up falling asleep. Crosshairs wanted to make sure he was ok. Sure enough, Drift was using his holoform and fell asleep, holding Jamie's hand. Crosshairs left him alone. He had to find Jayce. He looked all over the junkyard. He found J.R. but not Jayce.
