Two bodies, one soul || Neteyam

9. I see you, Neteyam

Neteyam was laid to rest on a rock surrounded by his family. He was gasping for air, he didn't want to die. The bullet went through him, it was impossible to save.

"I want to go home." He cried as he looked at Reneera. She knelt next to him and put two fingers on his head. Neteyam calmed down, the pain passed. Reneera absorbed his pain, his fear of death. Everything he felt was transmitted to her. Reneera struggled with the feelings, tears ran down her cheeks. She could not save him, but at least she made his last moments memorable. Neteyam smiled, one last time.

After only silence was. Reneera didn't feel anything anymore, he was gone.

"Neteyam!" That was all Neytiri could say. She cried out in pain, she lost all her humanity. Her eyes reflected the mental torture she was going through. "My son!"

Reneera looked into Neteyam's lifeless eyes. She remembered all the moments she spent with him starting from the first day they met, continuing with the moment when she spent a whole day with him just to learn to swim with an Ilu, the moments when he defended her, when he didn't wanted to take his lip from her lips and the last moment their eyes met. She won't see his eyes full of life again, nor his smile. She won't feel his touch and there won't be anyone to sit with under the starlight.

"Can you hear me, Corporal?" Quaritch was speaking. "Yeah. I think you can." Jake didn't answer him, he just stared blankly. "I got your daughters. Same deal as before. You for them."

"Where are your sisters?" he asked Lo'ak. Lo'ak just looked at him with an expression of regret.

"I don't know." said Lo'ak in a barely audible tone.

"On the ship. They are tied up on the ship." Tsireya intervened. Her voice trembled. Spider knew where Kiri and Tuk were and was ready to take Jake there.

Neytiri just sat next to Neteyam's body and cried.

"They have our daughters. I need you with me and I need you to be strong." Jake grabbed Neytiri by the shoulders and pulled her towards him. He looked deep into her eyes, put his hand on her heart. "Strong heart." Neytiri turned off her feelings, only revenge kept her in reality. She took the bow from the floor, called her banshee and started towards the ship.

Reneera and Tsireya stayed with Neteyam.

"I'm taking him to Eywa, only she can help him." Reneera tried to lift Neteyam's body and put him on Skimwing.

"Reneera... No one can help him anymore." Tsireya's heart broke seeing Reneera like this.

"Help me!" Reneera called out to Tsireya in desperation. Tsireya helped her put Neteyam's body on the Skimwing. Reneera left Tsireya on the rock. She went to the only place where she can communicate directly with Eywa, the Spirit Tree.

She put Neteyam's body in a leaf, to which she connected her queue.

Reneera felt all the connections in her body and closed her eyes. When she opened it again, she found herself on the shore of her village. Neteyam waved to her from the water.

"This is the reality?" she asked herself.

"No honey. This is just a memory." Reneera sat next to her.

"Are you me from the past?" she asked in shock.

"Wrong again." Reneera smiled at her. "I know why you're here, but I can't help you." Reneera got up and was about to leave, but she stopped her.

"A life for a life." Reneera looked back at her. "Dad was right, I'm not a good leader. If I hadn't hesitated at that moment Neteyam would have lived." Reneera walked back to her. "I give my life for him. A leader defends her members even if it means her life." Reneera gratefully nodded.