Ch. 42

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Crosshairs POV
I refuse to go to sleep. I believe Drift's pain will be like mine when Hot Rod stabbed me, and it's not great. He's already dealing with mental pain. Add his nightmares which I fear Lightning will also have.  I sit in the hallway after replacing the IV bag of pain medication; both bedrooms doors are open. 
"Do you want me to stay with him?" Rangeblade asks. It's more than his pain — which should stay at bay until seven in the morning — that I worry about, "or we take turns?"
"Stay with Lightning; you should be able to calm her down," I tell her.
"Ok, but seriously go to sleep."
Rangeblade goes to Lightning's room but leaves the door open.

Two hours later

Drift POV
I lay in bed, terrified after dreaming about Jamie being killed. Moving is hard; there's a little pain, plus I need to have the IV pole with me. I don't make it to the door before Crosshairs stops me.
"How far did you think you'd get?"
He helps me back to bed. By now, the pain has increased but not excruciating.
"You need to stay in bed. See? Look what you've done," he notices the increased pain as I lay down, "I didn't think you'd be one to be embarrassed others are taking care of you."
The pain begins to fade, laying on my back. Crosshairs lays on the other side of the bed; it's then I realize he got one of the extra blankets.
"Well, I wasn't sure if you'd be embarrassed if we're in bed together."
I smile at his reason. 

Crosshairs POV
Drift refuses to go to sleep. I fear every night he has the same nightmare, and it drives him to harm himself. Was that what he was hoping to do when I stopped him?  What are we going to do? 
Between the pain medication and depression, Drift isn't able to fight sleep for long. 

Rangeblade tells me Lightning slept all night, but Lightning was restless.
"How long before this turns into nightmares?" She asks.
"Not long, and Drift has been dealing with them.'
I go into Lightning's room and lay on the bed beside her. 

I don't have to wait long for her to wake up, but I didn't think she'd be upset right away; this isn't good.  I don't know how to help her even though she knows she did wrong.

Lightning POV
Every time I see Crosshairs, I feel so much guilt. He's too worried about me for me to avoid him.  
"Come on, let's go get breakfast," he says.
"No, take care of Drift. I'll get something later. I should stay away from him and everyone else."
Crosshairs sighs and walks out of the room.
Being dead won't bring her back, but I don't know how much longer I can deal with this guilt, seeing how depressed Drift is. Then I'd be making Crosshairs depressed, and likely the others.
"Are you watching me from the afterlife? Pleased I feel this way?"
I lay in bed and cry.

Ten minutes pass before I catch Drift in the hallway. I rush out of bed to stop him, but he's trying to get to my room. He disconnected the IV tube and is already in pain.  He tells me the infusion finished ten minutes ago but moving still hurts.
"I don't know why you want to come here? I killed her."
Drift doesn't know what to say.

Crosshairs comes back ten minutes later with food. 
"So I have one of you who won't stay in bed when he should and the other choosing to avoid everyone," he sighs.
He makes Drift lay on the bed. I see the wound he gave himself. I don't know if Hound had to make it bigger during surgery, but it's a good three inches long.  Drift is right about being in minor pain even though he just finished an infusion. There's clear discomfort as Crosshairs takes care of the wound. 
We eat breakfast in silence when he's finished with Drift's wound.  Drift stares at the picture I've yet to give back. He finishes breakfast quickly and leaves the room — though it's at a slow pace. 
"So...what do we do with his depression?" I ask.
"Both of you, but I don't know. I've never seen him this bad, even when he first joined the Autobots."
"Well, what do you expect? I killed the one he loves."
I walk out of the room and downstairs.

Optimus Prime's POV
It's hard to watch everyone struggle. We know it's too soon for any good news. I fear Jadin's psychological attack affected Lightning. Add what Drift did to himself while we rescued Cogman. 

I stop Lightning as she heads to the back door.
"Leave me alone! I shouldn't be here!"  She yells, but I hear sadness.
I hug her as she lets herself cry. What can I even say? As a leader or a friend?

Crosshairs comes down twenty minutes later and takes Lightning up to Drift's room. I don't know what either mech is thinking, but Drift must want to talk to her.
"Still nothing," Cade informs me, frustrated.
"Then her injuries are severe, and there's still the chance she'll die, or...."
"She's gone."

Hot Rod POV
Damn, we go from feeling so much tension to sadness. It's hard to say we're over the distrust with Rangeblade, but even if we are, Drift and Lightning's depression fill its place. I worry Rangeblade is full of guilt, but if Jamie will be ok, then she set Lightning on the right path.
I stop by Drift's room, seeing he's in pain from his injury, but I don't think it's enough for years to roll down his face — that is sadness. Another day not knowing if Jamie's is alive or not; in critical condition or not.  Then if she survived her injuries, will she refuses to come here or fight Lightning?  All this from Crosshairs wanting the two girls to be friends, even consider each other sisters.
"Should I have not shown her?" Rangeblade asks as we stand in the hallway.
"No, you should have sooner. We have to believe Jamie continues to be a fighter, and she'll survive her injuries."

















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