Cross In The Light ✔️

Ch. 66

Optimus Prime POV
Finally, everything is set for the next step. This one shouldn't take more than a month or two. I know I'm taking the chance Jamie will need to leave, but I want everything set. I will tell everyone on the last day of our beach vacation. Cade and Vivian are excited and can't wait to tell everyone. This next month is going to be hard to keep this secret. I got heat for waiting two weeks after Jamie's anniversary and the simple fact that the longer we wait, the more upset Jamie becomes and believes every Autobot was killed.

Cade, Vivian, and I realize we've been missing fun nights, but this appears to be the routine until our trip. I'm glad not knowing if Jazz is alive didn't stop Jamie from listening to music, but Hound tells us it's been a struggle even while they've been having fun every night. Everyone knows it's to be expected of someone dealing with depression, but it's hard to watch.
"She went from terrified to depressed," Hound sighs, "I don't know what's worse; watching her be terrified or depressed."
All we can do is hope something like our trip will get Jamie to feel happy for a while. She'll love the surprise I have for everyone.
"She's not forcing herself to do anything, is she?" Vivian asks.
"No, we've dealt with this enough to know she doesn't force herself to do anything."

Rangeblade POV
"Something tells me this is still dealing with the fact we know," Hot Rod comments.
"It's going to take time for her to get used to us knowing. Bad enough, she's terrified to show the two mechs she loves her appearance back in her dimension."
"I don't think that's the only reason she's depressed," Lightning comments, "It's been six years since most of the Autobots separated. We don't even have proof if anyone aside from Leadfoot was killed. She did her best to save everyone."
We know there's a chance Jamie and the others saw more Autobots go down, and we're not being told who they are. We agree not to ask the others even if we may never know.
We can only continue to spend time with Jamie and the others. We don't think she's unhappy, but not pleased more of is know about her mental health and condition.

Third-person POV
Everyone continues the routine of having game night every night. Unfortunately, as the nights go on, Jamie struggles to sleep. Crosshairs and Drift think it's insomnia caused by depression. Unknown to them, the problem is nightmares Jamie has had the past three days, causing so much guilt and feeling she failed so many Autobots.
Optimus walks in and takes Jamie from Drift. Like her guardians, Optimus doesn't know the problem is nightmares, but he knows Jamie is thinking about the Autobots she hid. He dreads he can't say anything yet.
"You did the best you could," he says, about ready to change his mind and tell Jamie everything. She'd keep it a secret and be happy. 
The three mechs dread this is likely the new problem they'll deal with for a while, and it'll be hard to deal with aside from using sleep aid.

One month full of struggles pass, and the beach vacation can begin. First, the dreaded day of driving eight hours to East Prawle starting at ten in the morning. Though the plan is to stop for dinner, so the drive might turn into ten hours. Everyone enjoys hearing the music Jamie has been listening to. 

The gang drives for seven hours before deciding to stop for dinner. They are pleased to find a seafood restaurant. Rangeblade tries a lot of seafood as everyone has different favorite dishes. It's a fun hour before they hit the road for the rest of the drive to the beach house.

"Wow," Lightning comments as everyone walks into the house, "this is beautiful."
Even Vivian likes the style — but not enough to think her house needs redecorating.
"Three large bedrooms and two rooms with two bunk beds each," Cade starts, "who's going where?"
Optimus is not liking the rooms with king-sized beds aren't big enough for another bed or even an air mattress. He was hoping not to assign rooms, but everyone would understand.
Cade and Vivian are in a room, Drift, and Jamie in another room, Lightning and Rangeblade in the last room with the large beds. The rest of us will decide who's in the two rooms with the bunk beds," Optimus instructs.
Everyone agrees and figures out the bedroom situation. The fun at the beach starts tomorrow, but Jamie wants to go for a swim in the pool.
"A pool when the beach is a short walk away?" Cogman questions.
"Oh wow, look at the view," Vivian comments.
Cogman drops the subject and goes back into the house.
Crosshairs and Drift hope they can tire Jamie out so she'll sleep all night. This turns into a late-night pool party that everyone joins, and the fun doesn't end until ten at night.

"She's exhausted; hopefully, she'll sleep all night," Crosshairs comments as he and Drift look at their sleeping charge. Both worry they're wrong, and Jamie will be up all night, "you think she'll be mad if we both sleep with her?"
"I don't know," Drift sighs, frustrated.
Crosshairs leaves the room, hoping he won't regret not staying with Drift and Jamie.
Both mechs end up waking up every two hours and watching Jamie sleep for a few minutes. Aware this is not a good way to deal with their concern. Optimus walks in at two in the morning, ordering both to stop checking on Jamie and go to sleep. Drift keeps Jamie close to him, hoping he'll be able to keep her asleep.