Cross In The Light ✔️

Ch. 67

The day starts like any other day until everyone is ready to go to the beach.
Cogman is pleased to pack the grill in his subspace and what he needs to cook lunch and possibly dinner in a cooler modified by Cade and Hound to function as a fridge without electricity.
"I grabbed all the floats in the poolroom," Hot Rod informs everyone.

The one problem Drift is dealing with is Jamie not believing she gets sunburn easily.
"Will you hold still?!" Drift demands.
Crosshairs is enjoying seeing Jamie smile, and he doesn't want to intervene.
"That's it!" Hound comments and grabs Jamie's arms, "try to get out of this," Jamie goes along with this and lets Drift put sunblock on her before throwing Hound across the beach, "owe."
The others laugh as Optimus helps Hound up.
"Did anyone pack water balloons?" Hound asks. No one thought about that, "fine, water balloon fight later."
"There's a bucket for sandcastle building," Crosshairs whispers and takes the bucket out of his subspace.
Hound fills the bucket with water — and much to Drift's displeasure — dumps the water on Jamie, resulting in a scream. The others laugh, waiting for Jamie to use her powers to dump water on Hound, but they didn't think she'd cause a wave that almost ruins their spot on the beach.
"Seriously?!" Cogman rages though nothing is destroyed or swept out to the ocean.
"Hey, I should be complaining. Now I have to argue with her to put sunblock on again," Drift sighs, really not wanting to let Jamie get burned even if part of the treatment is giving her a massage.
"Something tells me this is what we'll be dealing with every day," Rangeblade whispers to Lightning.
No one notices the two girls laughing.

When Drift finally reapplied sunblock on Jamie, he takes her into the ocean. Crosshairs sits on the beach, watching with a smile on his face. He didn't know Lightning and Rangeblade are sitting on either side of him until Lightning spoke.
"How can she not say they're together?"
Crosshairs sighs, not wanting to talk about it, "isn't it obvious from the day we suggested you two and Hot Rod need to know about her mental health struggles and condition?" He asks, "there's more to it; things she deals with in her dimension, but it's left her afraid to love or — while it doesn't seem like it — afraid to even make friends. That half is mostly in her dimension..."
"Damn, fear of abandonment," Lightning finishes.
The two femmes drop the subject. They hug Crosshairs, feeling guilty they ruined his happy mood. They'll have opportunities to find out more about Jamie in the future.

Once Drift and Jamie are back on the beach, Lightning and Rangeblade get Jamie to make a sandcastle with them. Bumblebee and Hot Rod join in, while most of the others watch what the five of them will make. Everyone except for Cogman, who is cooking lunch, and Drift, who noticed Crosshairs is not happy and has him go back to the house with him.
"I have a surprise for Jamie," he claims.
As much as he'd love to see it, Crosshairs knows Drift isn't planning a beach proposal.

"What killed your mood?" Drift asks.
"Hearing my sister figure out Jamie has abandonment issues," Crosshairs says, "I said it's complicated, but is it really? I don't feel like things are as they should be."
By now, tears roll down Crosshairs' face. Something Drift rarely sees. Drift knows both Crosshairs and Lightning are right, but this is supposed to be a happy trip. There's plenty of time to explain the rest of Jamie's history to Hot Rod, Lightning, Rangeblade, and Vivian. Soon they'll have to talk to Izzy and Tessa. Both mechs hope this doesn't turn into Jamie refusing to make friends — Autobot or human — knowing what they'll have to know.
Drift hugs Crosshairs, hoping to get him to calm down.

"When did you have time to go to Jamie's dimension to go to Panera Bread?" Crosshairs asks after Drift shows him two boxes of cookies, "and why didn't you just pack them in your subspace?"
"The other day during her nap, and it's a good thing I had to come back to the house to get these. Also, warming up the cookies on the grill sounds like it'll be a disaster."
Drift has Crosshairs sit at the kitchen island and try to calm down while he heats one box of cookies.

The fun continues until mid-afternoon before returning to the house. By then, Jamie is asleep. The others talk about how much they enjoyed seeing Jamie happy, hoping for this routine for the rest of the trip. After Jamie's nap is dinner and swimming in the pool, which still tires her out even with a nap. By now, everyone is joking about her being a fighter. 

The routine is the same for most of the trip, but Drift plans to take Jamie out one night. He calls it a date even if Jamie doesn't want to.
Cogman insists the two stay at the house. Arguing they'd save money and have a better view. He's not pleased Crosshairs takes Lightning out though he said for time together and not tag along with Drift and Jamie. .

Crosshairs and Lightning walk around the tiny town that's considered a village.
"It's nice even if we'll have to go to Devon to have any fun," Lightning comments, "aside from a walk. Though the views are amazing, no matter where we are."
The two can't resist talking about getting at least Drift and Jamie to join them. They know they'll have plenty of time to do things together without others, but also want to do things with their family.
"Though that's everyone. Geez, trying to explain this to a human we just met would confuse them," Lightning laughs, "then add Drift and Jamie's relationship."
"First, how we're a mix of aliens and humans. Jamie has powers and is s cross-dimensional traveler. Then add we're a family," Crosshairs comments.
"Everything is as it should be. We're together again and have great friends."

The two end up meeting up with Drift and Jamie to catch the sunset. Lightning holds Jamie as the two mechs stand on either side of her.
This is how it's supposed to be. Lightning thinks. Not only did I find my brother, but friends. I made new friends and built a better relationship with Jamie, to the point I consider her my sister.
She knows there's still work to be done with their relationship, but this is better than nine months ago.

The vacation is full of happiness and flies by, but Jamie is called for another mission before Optimus can tell everyone the surprise. As much as Optimus wants to tell Jamie, he also wants to show her and the others. He decides he'll  wait until she returns. Lightning isn't ready to say goodbye, even if Jamie will be back soon. Even though she's left twice before during this period, now that Lightning cares about Jamie and anger isn't blinding her, she's not happy Jamie has to leave.
Until we meet again, sister. She smiles as everyone watches the portal close.