Being a Family Chapter 10

Jack groaned today wasn't a good day. He ha just learned that they were moving Rafael to a latex free room as it was now confirmed he was allergic to latex. Then to top it off he couldn't get Arcee, who was once again in human form, to be merciful enough to scratch his back. She knew that they shouldn't scratch at the psoriasis plaques, not because it was contagious but because it could do damage. She finally decided to get out her cell phone and call June to see if there was anything she could do for Jack.

"How bad is it, Sadie?" June asked as she put a clip board on the counter at the nurse's station

"He was begging, June. There has to be something I can do" Arcee said obviously distressed by her partner's discomfort.

"There is some cream in the bathroom, that should help. I just got out of a meeting with a dermatologist, he said he would give Jack a discount for an office visit to take a look at it. Jack knows what the cream looks like so have him get it and don't be afraid to be generous when applying it."

"Okay, June"

Arcee got off the phone and asked Jack about the cream his mother told her about he then got it and they dealt with the issues at hand. She memorized what the container looked like so she could get it next time.

~*~

The next day Jack went to see Dr. James Mitchel

"So Jack, what have you used in the past to deal with the psoriasis?" Dr. Mitchel asked

"Over the counter treatments, I've gone back and forth between treatments for it, and I've managed to live with it, but I've never had a time when I didn't have a problem with it. Now... now it's worse than ever." Jake explained

"Have you ever used prescription medications for it"

"No, but so far the over the counter stuff has worked"

James sighed he knew June and knew that she and Jack had been stressed out a lot by Rafael and stress was bad for Jack's psoriasis.

"And no one has suggested a prescription?" he probed

"Not that I recall, there was talk of photo-therapy, don't know whatever went of that"

"Looking at your skin now I'd say it's time we throw out the over the counter treatments and get serious about this" James said

Jack sighed as his mother came in and was briefed

"I'm honestly concerned about anything that would suppress his immune system, I mean I already have one son with a compromised immune system" June said

"I understand, but to be truthful this may be Jack's best option for something he hasn't had in a long time, clear skin"

Soon Jack had a prescription for a pill to take for his psoriasis and new worries about the treatment plan.

He was turning it in at the pharmacy when he noticed Sierra. He just sighed and looked the other way. She seemed to get that he wasn't interested and left it at that. She had made her bed she would now have to lay in it.

Jack turned in the prescription and found out he could get it later that evening. He then went outside to see Sadie standing there with a sympathetic look on her face.

"Sadie I..."

"Look, Jack, she didn't realize what she could have had" she said seriously, referring to Sierra "She saw a guy with a motorcycle, she didn't see Jack Darby, which is a shame really since she managed to miss out on learning how incredible you are"

"Sadie, thanks for the attempt at a pep talk but I'm really not in the mood"

Arcee sighed Sierra had really hurt Jack, but he wasn't really ken on confessing to that fact.

"Jack I know what she did to you hurt, but now is the time you let it make you stronger, you know Sierra's true colors now"

He sighed then turned to the humanoid Autobot.

"Sadie, Sierra isn't the only one who has shown her true colors recently" he said making eye contact with her

"What do you mean?"

"You, I mean... from the moment we met I knew you were special, and not in the obvious ways, but now I see so much more" he sighed "You were there for me when I was stressed out about Raf, even with all the issues you were facing. You were there for me and for my family as much as you could, and... and I can't even begin to thank you for that"

Arcee had no idea where Jack was going with this speech but he didn't seem to be finished.

Jack sighed, it was impossible to pin down exactly when he went from just caring about Arcee to loving her, but he had and now he was so close to telling her.

He looked at Arcee in her human form and took a deep breath before laying it all on the line. He leaned in to whisper in her ear.

"I love you, Arcee" he said then claimed her lips in a quick kiss.

To Be Continued...