Haven ✔️

Ch. 28 Human Femme

Jamie's P.O.V.
The past two nights have been rough, so Drift wants to use a sleep aid. I know I keep at least him up all night. I should just leave, and they can return to how things were before I came here. I don't know how Prime dealt with my shit for eighteen years. Advanced alien robots in a war, yet not only do they befriend me, but in their ranks fighting alongside them. Why does anyone I've met in my cross-dimensional travel befriend me? Why am I keeping this adventure alive at this point?
"Hey," I hear a female's voice. She sits at the table across from me, "my name is Victoria. I have heard about you since N.E.S.T. relaunched. My dad has been part of N.E.S.T. since the beginning, and I've been interested in the military. Didn't think I'd be able to be a part of this when I decided to join the military."

Victoria's P.O.V.
I have spoken to Prime about Jamie, though I didn't think he'd tell me as much as he did. I doubt I know everything about her, but I know she's been here more for her safety than because her guardians miss her. I know that the psychopath has been trying to befriend her, and the reason his brother thinks it's a good idea. I know Sunstreaker didn't hurt her the first time. I've watched the security footage, but I've been told not to talk about it. Jamie is quiet and doesn't know what to say.  

Ironhide asks Jamie to look at some new weapons with him after breakfast. I head to the training room until Crosshairs and Drift approach me. They ask how much I know about Jamie and are amazed at how much Prime told me. 
"... I know she has social anxiety, and it's going to be a challenge to be friends with her," I finish.

Ironhide's P.O.V.
Taking someone mentally unstable and suicidal to the weapons room to show them new guns is foolish, but I know how to deal with Jamie. Though it's strange, she sits on the stool by the counter. 
Inspecting the new guns takes longer since I stop to ensure Jamie is still sitting on the stool. She's not even paying attention which is unlike her. Though she doesn't use guns like most of us, she is interested in the weapon and knows how to use one.
"What's wrong? And don't say 'nothing'; I've known you long enough to know it's a lie."
She doesn't say anything or even look at me.
It would be great if all I had to do was get Crosshairs or Drift here then she'll talk, but that's not how things work. She's used to keeping to herself even if it's hurting her mentally. All I can do is hug her as she sits on my lap as I sit on the stool. 
"You know how much everyone cares about you," I remind her hoping this will get her to talk to me.

"This is very concerning," Prime frets after I tell him what happened, "she's slowly losing interest in what she likes."
"Is there even anything we can do?" I ask.
"This has been a complicated issue since I met Jamie, but it's been much more challenging the past three years. It's hard to know what we can do to help her."
"Damn humans!" I rage.
I know Jamie's history and the bullshit way humans call helping. She mostly does better being here with us, except for the past month.

Prime and I find Jamie in the training room with a soldier named Victoria. Prime tells me this femme is interested in being Jamie's friend and asked him about her. This should be a good thing, but if someone other than Jadin is trying to kill Jamie, then maybe it's wise not to let her befriend humans. Though Jamie doesn't trust humans well, she can sense if someone is lying. It's still hard not to worry about her.

Jamie's P.O.V.
I hate how shy I am, and I have no idea what to talk about with Victoria, and I feel so bad about this. How long before she gets pissed at how shitty our time together is and gives up trying to be my friend? I should tell her not to bother. For now, she wants to work out together.

An hour passes before my anxiety is hard to ignore.
"Come on, let's shower and watch T.V.," Victoria suggests.
Sunstreaker walks into the training room as we enter the girls' shower room. Great, just keep adding to my anxiety.

Sunstreaker's P.O.V.
So she'll be friends with a fleshie but not me? This pisses me off so much.
Don't do it, Sunstreaker. You know she'll sense what you did.
Damn, Sideswipe knows I'm going to kill fleshies even though he doesn't know why I'm furious. 

Sideswipe rushes into the room, out of breath.
"Why are you furious?" He asks.
"She will make friends with the fleshies and every other Autobot but me!!"
"You know how hard it is for her to make friends. I doubt she's friends with a human just yet. Doesn't help that she's terrified you'll kill her guardians."
Sideswipe insists I leave the room.

I go to the cafeteria an hour later. The fleshie is across the cafeteria from where Jamie sits with Crosshairs and Drift. 
"You're actually mad the femme isn't with Jamie?" Sideswipe asks.
"I worry she gave up on trying to befriend Jamie," I whisper, "after how long? Three hours? I'm more pissed at that than how Jamie won't even try to be friends with me."

Sideswipe's P.O.V.
This is interesting seeing how much Sunstreaker cares about Jamie. He worries Victoria will hurt Jamie like Paul and his friends did. I know Sunstreaker wants to be closer to Jamie than protecting her, but we're still trying to figure out what to do. Drift either threw away Sunstreaker's note or read it and is still pisser at him. I know Crosshairs read it before giving it to Drift. Do they both feel that Jamie should stay away from Sunstreaker?

I can get Crosshairs to stay behind while Drift and Jamie leave the cafeteria. Sunstreaker stands beside me; I feel he's expecting Crosshairs to scold him.
"Did he read the note?" I nervously ask.
"I think he did. I left it on the nightstand, but it was gone when I woke up and wasn't in the trash. He's clearly troubled by something. I know he worries about Jamie getting hurt physically again, and she's already unstable mentally. We're not sure how to help her," Crosshairs explains.
"What happened?" I ask.
"It's complicated."

We go to a conference room to talk in private.
Sunstreaker and I both hate hearing the shit Jamie has been dealing with back in her dimension. This is far from what we've dealt with as sparklings, but I hate what she's dealing with. Sunstreaker tells me, through the bond, that we can't help her.
"I told you, Sideswipe, you have to believe this will work out the way we want, how Lighting and Jamie's relationship was rough, and now look at the two," Crosshairs reminds me, "though this is proving to be more challenging. I'll talk to Drift tonight."
Crosshairs goes to find Drift and Jamie. Sunstreaker sits at the table and sighs, "you're definitely right; I can help her, and maybe she can help me, but it's too late. I'm not going to bother trying anymore, but I'm going to protect her."