Cross In The Light ✔️

Ch. 43

Lightning POV
It's been three weeks since I killed her since Rangeblade showed me Crosshairs' Photoshop work. It's hard seeing Crosshairs or Drift, knowing what they both had in mind if I ever returned. Sure, even Bee, Hound, and Prime likely had the same idea, but it hurts I ruined my brother's idea of a perfect reunion and life together. I haven't seen Drift much; I assume he now lives in his room. Depression is eating at him. I took one photo from his room to remind myself what I've done.

"I'm sorry I ruined your dream of a family, Crosshairs," I sob. Unaware Crosshairs walked in until I feel his arms around me. I drop the picture and hug him.
"She's not gone," he whispers as he rubs my back. I can't stop crying even with this news, "I can take you to see her if you want," Crosshairs tells me as I cry.
"No," I sob.
With the injuries I caused, I don't want to add stress as she's recovering. I ask Crosshairs if he took pictures. From his expression, I can tell watching Jamie recover has been rough.
He shows me pictures anyway. It has been hell. I don't know if I want to ask him about the machines Jamie was on. Crosshairs doesn't explain what's going on in most of the pictures, only the last one. Jamie needs a little oxygen support and is heavily sedated. Something tells me it's not normal for a human to be sedated like that at this point in recovery. Something else I'm not going to bother asking about or what's going to happen next: I doubt Jamie will come back now. I still ruined your dream, Crosshairs.

Drift is dealing with a little pain from his self-inflicted injury. I don't see him often. Considering the photos Crosshairs has, I suspect Drift didn't go with Crosshairs until maybe a week ago. No doubt he's been struggling more mentally seeing his girl.

A few hours later

Walking down the hall, I see Cade, Crosshairs, Drift, Hound Hot Rod, and Prime.
"...you sure this is a good idea?" Hot Rod asks.
"I thought you wanted her back even though she may still be furious at you?" Crosshairs asks.
"I do, but if she's having nightmares already to the point, she needs to be sedated. I-I know I was angry we were ignoring problems by letting Jamie not come back until Crosshairs and Lightning left for their trip, but aren't we just going to cause more intense Nightmares?"
That's why she's been sedated? Frag.
"It's going to take time for those to end no matter where she is," Prime points out, "I'd rather take care of the problem here."
I wonder if I've been wrong about Drift being in his room most of the time, and he's been with Jamie? He knows how bad her nightmares are, and yet he's not arguing this is a bad idea. Crosshairs and Drift leave to get Jamie.

Crosshairs POV
Jamie is still sedated, but not as much as she has been. Though in turn, she's on strong pain medication. I worry the medication won't help as we take her back to our dimension.
"Come on, I'm taking you home," Drift tells her. For Jamie, home can mean our dimension or hers.
Drift wraps her in her red blanket and picks her up, causing Jamie to whimper. Of course, the pain medication is wearing off.

As I worried, the pain is causing discomfort by the time we get to Drift's room. Tears roll down Jamie's face as he lays her in his bed. I comfort her as Drift prepares an IV bag of pain medication. I can tell she's starting to worry we brought her back to our dimension.
"You're safe," I assure her.
I don't know if now is the right time to tell her Lightning has been worried about her.
I wait until she's asleep to talk to Lightning. I'm amazed Lightning didn't watch us from the doorway. Jamie wouldn't have been able to see her.

"It's a bad idea to have her stay here," Lightning says as I sit on the bed next to her, "I can't believe how much I hurt her."
Did you eavesdrop on our conversation earlier? Scrap, I didn't want you to know about the nightmares.

I take her to Drift's room to see Jamie though she's sleeping. Drift is already laying on the bed.
"She's doing better," Drift explains, "I think she'll only deal with pain, but I have oxygen support ready just in case."
Lightning doesn't stay long, but enough that I see a tear roll down her face.
"Go," Drift insists, "I should be able to deal with her if she has a nightmare."

"This is not going to go well," Lightning comments as I sit next to her.
"It's going to be rough, but we can't ignore this. It's going to cause more stress. I'm not going to continue to secretly see one of my girls."
"How bad is the rest of her recovery going to be? That is if the nightmares can cease."
Now Lightning is crying; I hug her close to me, hating I'll hear a lot more crying from both my girls. I should have shown Lightning my work sooner; then, this scrap wouldn't have happened.

Lightning had a hard time not worrying about Jamie. I waited an hour after she went to bed to go to her room. I doubt she'll be pissed I'm sleeping with her.

Three in the morning, I awake to Lightning tossing and turning in her sleep. I can't tell what her nightmare is about, but I need to wake her up. It takes a few minutes before she wakes up. I hug her as we're lying in bed.
"Shh, it's ok," I assure her.
She hugs me and cries.
It's a long twenty minutes before she calms down and falls asleep.

The next day

Lightning POV
I didn't think I'd be able to sleep last night. I know Crosshairs was in here, but he's left by now. It's eight in the morning; I want to see how Jamie is doing.
I open the door to Drift's room a little, immediately hearing Jamie crying. I take my chance and open the door to see Drift working with a bag and bottles.
"I know it hurts; Drift is getting the pain medication," Crosshairs tells Jamie.
That's what Drift is working on.
I watch Jamie, uncertain how she wants to lay in bed to deal with the pain. I close the door and wait in the hallway. I think the others are already downstairs eating breakfast.
Crosshairs and Drift walk out ten minutes later. Drift sits next to me and side hugs me.
"I'm sorry," I try to say without crying but fail.
Crosshairs sits on the other side of me and hugs me. This doesn't help; I just think of Crosshairs' Photoshop work.
"Come on, let's go get breakfast," Crosshairs suggests.
The three of us go downstairs to the kitchen, but I can't stop thinking about what Crosshairs and likely Drift wanted. I know Jamie won't die, but is she afraid to stay here? Furious at me? Afraid of me? I just added to our list of never-ending problems to deal with.