Chapter Text
It has been one month since the battle with the RDA and the Mangkwan. Jake woke up to the sounds of waves crashing in the distance and his youngest, and now only, son's whimpers. Jake gets out of his and Neytiri’s snonivi. He approaches Lo’ak’s snonivi and shakes him gently.
“Lo’ak,” Jake murmurs silently. His voice is rough with sleep. Lo’ak jerks up with a gasp and looks at his dad with fear and confusion in his large yellow eyes, his eyebrows scrunched. Lo’ak quickly wraps his arms around his dad and cries. Jake is quick to wrap his arms around him and soothe him. “It’s okay baby boy. I’m here.”
“Sempu,” Lo’ak cries quietly. After a few minutes Lo’ak calms down until he’s just sniffling. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you dad.” He says softly.
“It’s okay. I’d rather you wake me up with a nightmare over you not waking me up at all,” Jake chuckles softly. “C’mon, let’s go sit outside.” Jake leads him outside their Mauri and they sit down with their feet in the water. They start swaying their feet and sigh at the same time. They look at each other and laugh softly. “Y’know, you really are just like me and that really scares me sometimes.” Jake says, smiling softly, and Lo’ak smiles back. “What was your nightmare about baby boy? Talk to me.”
Lo’ak hesitates. He looks at his dad in the eyes and sighs. “You... You died. It was from when you got captured by the RDA while I was looking for Payakan. I came back shortly after you and Spider got taken and Norm was in our Mauri with a big screen showing your arrival at the RDA. I know mom went to save you but in the dream she didn’t go and save you. A couple hours later they had you standing in front of your cage in handcuffs and chains and they shot you. They killed you like they killed Neteyam. They didn’t shoot you in the head or heart so you had a fast death, they shot you in the same spot as Neteyam. In the lung. And suddenly we were back on the rock and I had to hold pressure on your wound and Neteyams wound. Then you woke me up,” Lo’ak says sniffiling. Jake wraps his arms around Lo’ak and places his sons head on his chest so he can hear his heartbeat.
“I’m right here. I’m not gonna go anywhere. Not if I can help it,” Jake says soothingly. After a few minutes Jake starts to pull away. “Speaking of that time, I wanted to apologize for what I said the night of Payakan’s banishment. I should not have told you it’s your fault Neteyam’s dead. And it shouldn’t have taken me this long to apologize. But look at me, Lo’ak. I do not blame you for his death. I do not wish that you took his place. Yes I wish he was alive but I would never wish you were dead also. I’m sorry I’ve been so hard on you. I thought I was doing the right thing and protecting you because you were becoming too much like me but it was a useless attempt because you are really turning into me. You’re even doing things I've done.”
“How have I done things you’ve done before?” Lo’ak asks softly, his brows furrowed. Jake chuckles and cups the back of Lo’aks neck.
“Well, you don’t like to be told what to do and neither do I. You act first think later. You’re fight with Ao’nung for example. We’ve both moved to a new place where we were taught their ways by the Olo’ektan’s daughter and then procceded to fall in love with said daughter,” Jake says with a laugh. Lo’ak blushes and deep purple. “We’ve both been seen as outcasts with demon blood and alien features. We've also bonded with outcasts. You are with Payakan and me with Toruk. You have always fought for the right thing even if others think it’s the wrong thing, much like I have done. We are cut from the same cloth, Lo’ak. I know the way your mind works because mine works in a similar way. I wasn’t able to see how much you were hurting because my need to protect you has always been greater. You always have been and always will be my baby boy and I love you, so fucking much. And I’m so damn proud of you and the man you’re slowly becoming even if you’re going to be acting like me.”
Lo’ak nods. He looks up at Jake with hesitation. “I need to tell you something. The fight we had after the tulkun council where Payakan got banished when you said it’s my fault Neteyam died, I was going to grab my stuff to either go for a ride on my ikran or on a ride on my ilu and I looked around and I seen something of yours. I grabbed it and I brought it with me to that island over there,” Lo’ak points to the sand bank to the north of them. “I seen your gun and I brought it with me and when I got there I collapsed onto my knees. I already made sure it was loaded and that the safety was off before I got there. After sitting there for a couple seconds, I... I put the muzzle underneath my chin,” Jake gasps softly. He puts one of his hands gently on Lo’ak’s shoulder and the other under his chin. Jake makes Lo’ak look at him. They both have tears in their eyes. Lo’ak is trying not to cry, but Jake has tears rolling down his cheeks. “I had my thumb on the trigger. I pressed down and I was about to fire, but I didn’t. I know this sounds crazy, but I heard Neteyam’s voice. I heard him say that you do care and that you need me. And mom and Tuk and Kiri need me, and I can’t take my life. I threw the gun just as Kiri and Tsireya came running up the sand bank.”
“Oh Lo’ak,” Jake is quick to pull Lo’ak into his arms. As soon as Lo’ak’s face was in Jake’s chest, he started crying. Jake was also openly crying with his head in his baby boy’s hair. “Oh, my baby boy. I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry I ever said that baby boy. If I had the ability to go back in time to change what I said, I would. Look at me. Look at me, Lo’ak,” Jake says tearily. Lo’ak looks up at his dad and sees the tears running down his face. “I have never blamed you for his death. I said that in the heat of the moment and I have regretted it ever since. When I was in that cage in Bridgehead, it was all I could think about. All I could think about was that the last words I said to you were in anger. I could never blame you, baby boy. If anything, I blame myself for what happened to Neteyam. I’m his and your father. I should protect you, not endanger you. If you did succeed in your attempt, I would try to go along with you and your mother and sisters would not have survived that. When you saved me the night he died, yes, I thought you were him. I thought I died and thats why I said his name. I was relieved it was you. I see you, baby boy. And I stand by what I said last month and tonight. I am so unbelievably proud of you. I love you, Lo’ak. More than you will ever know,” Jake says. They’re both crying openly now.
“I love you too, dad,” Lo’ak says.
“Now, tell me about Tsireya. You really like her, huh?” Jake teases softly. Lo’ak blushes and nods. “You really are like me.”
Lo’ak smiles. “She’s so beautiful, dad. I get this feeling every time I’m around her. It feels like I’m floating and my heart starts to beat so fast. She’s also really smart and funny. She’s also really protective. And she loves Tuk so that’s a bonus,” He says. His grin is so big. Jake hasn’t seen Lo’ak this happy in so long that it heals his heart a little bit.
“I’m glad you have her looking out for you, Lo’ak,” Jake says softly. They sit in silence for a long while. Lo’ak leans his head of Jake’s shoulder. They sit there watching the waves when Jake sighs. Jake hears his tablet beep from inside letting him know that either Norm or Max is calling him from High Camp. He gets up to go and grab it. Neytiri sit’s up when she hears the noise.
“MaJake? What is that noise?” She asks tiredly. She sees Jake rummaging through his stuff and finds his tablet and he sees who is calling.
“It’s Max,” Jake says when he gets his tablet. Jake answers the call. “Max? What’s happening?”
“Hey Jake. It’s about Norm. He’s in a coma. We don’t know the cause, but the scans are saying his mind is somewhere else. Possibly in another timeline. He said that this might happen because when Mo’at went to the spirit tree to speak to Eytukan, he, Tsu’tey, and Grace weren’t there. She couldn’t even feel them in the spirit tree. She feels like the same thing could happen to you and Neytiri soon. Mo’at and I are on the way there so that if something does happen to you guys, we’re there for the kids and to keep watch over you,” Max says. Jake feels his blood go cold. He looks at Neytiri and she has the same look on her face.
"So, you think they went back in time?” Jake asks. Kiri, Tuk, and Spider are now awake. Lo’ak is standing at the entrance, his face pale. Neytiri goes over to Jake and stands next to him.
“Precisely. We should be leaving shortly and should be there in the morning. I’d suggest letting Tonowari know we are coming and to let him know the situation,” Max says. There is a rustling noise on the other line. “Mo’at is here and she needs to speak to you guys.”
“Mother?” Neytiri says.
“Hello daughter, hello JakeSully. I just wanted to let you know that if you were to feel faint before we arrive that you are to lay down. Is Kiri and Lo’ak Listening?” Jake and Neytiri nod. “Good. Kiri, Lo’ak, if your parents were to pass out or faint or not wake up in the morning, you are to call Max immediately. Do not jostle them too much. While one of you gets ahold of Max, the other is to get Tonowari before we arrive. Understand?” Mo’at says sternly.
“Yes Grandmother,” Lo’ak and Kiri says in unison. Jake’s head starts to spin and he feels dizzy. He hands the tablet to Neytiri and looks at Lo’ak.
“Get Tonowari. Now,” he says sternly as he lays down. As soon as his head hits the floor, the world goes black.