Trapped (Tsu'tey X OMC)

Time With Grace

When I awoke, I was panicked and sweaty. My breathing was heavy and my eyes darted around to survey the immediate area.

I had assumed, in my split second of consciousness, that I was still passed out on the forest floor. Though I was pleasantly surprised, and extremely relieved, to see that I was instead in my room at Hometree.

I sighed in relief and attempted to sit up, which was a bit of a pain; my back was practically screaming at me to lay back down and forget about standing ever again. It really didn't sound that bad of an idea actually, but unfortunately for my back; I wanted to get up. I 'needed' to get up.

Swinging my legs over the side of the root hammock, I shook my head a bit. I pulled on my arms to stretch them and yawned. My whole body was aching, like I was hit by a bus.

Though to be honest, the bus sounded like a more pleasant experience than yesterday...

Oh right... yesterday.

For a moment, I kinda just sat there. Wondering if everything that happened yesterday was just a dream. Afterall, if it was the real thing, I probably wouldn't have woken up right? Unless maybe this is heaven?

I looked around the room.

'Damn, heaven is boring' I thought humorously.

I heard a knock at the entrance to my room and looked over, and my face drained of color.

It was Grace.

"Unfortunately for 'you', heaven is still a long ways off." She paused. "Why the hell did you think leaving your group would be a good idea?"

I must have looked as scared as I did running from that Thanator a while back. The only reason why I say that is because I'd rather take the Thanator right about now.

"Jake comes out of his pod, tells me 'he' couldn't find you, I go to Neytiri, she tells me 'she' hasn't seen you. Tsu'tey rallies a search party for you! Only to find you being hauled back here on a god damn Slinger! Passed out and injured! Do you have any idea just how dangerous those things can be, but taking on one alone..." She flopped her arms down to her side, to emphasize her disappointment.

I looked down, my own disappointment etching on my face.

"Allen you could have died!"

"I know!" I yelled.

She stopped her ranting for a moment and looked down at me, awaiting an explanation. I wondered where to begin, my thoughts were so crazy and all over the place. A part of me worried about my future, another, about the present.

"Look I..." I sighed loudly.

"I don't know okay. I-I just needed some time to think. Everything that's led to now, it just seems so, convenient. I mean, me getting trapped inside my Avatar. Landing with the tribe. Tsu'tey..." I trailed off for a moment when I mentioned Tsu'tey.

He must have been worried sick.

"What am I gonna do Grace? I'm not human anymore." I said with a small sob.

Grace sighed sadly and moved to sit on the hammock as well. She put a hand on my back and rubbed in soothing circles, but it didn't help. It all came flooding out.

"I love this place, but what am I supposed to do now? I-Im stuck, and I want to think the best of my position but... you aren't going to be here forever. Eventually the ore's gonna run out and you guys are all gonna have to leave. Or Selfridge is gonna start a war..." I started to sob more, crying into my hands.

"Grace, 'you' and 'Jake'. You guys are all I have left of home! When you guy's leave, I'll be all alone. I'm trying to convince myself that I'll be alright but..."