More Than I Love You

Chapter 24

Taneya walks out of Tsahìk's pod.

She sees Neteyam and Ayrà.
Ayrà notices her and tells Neteyam to look.
So he looks back to see her.

She turns away and walks off.
Neteyam then sees Tsahìk walk out.
He realises something is not right. So he goes to inform Jake and Neytiri.
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Taneya walks into her pod, finding Aonung sitting in down in his own thoughts.
She sits next to him.
"You saw everything didn't you?" She asks.
He nods, "I'm sorry. My peace was not enough for you."

"I'm glad you gave it to me and it lasted whilst it did. You saved me for many years. But there is only so much you can do" Taneya replies.
"I don't want to lose you Taneya" Aonung looks to her, "seeing the way you were. These past days after Tsekey had passed. It scared me and made me realise how easy it could be to lose you. And I don't want that."

"I know. Which is why I need to find myself again" Taneya says, "I need to relive my life."
"What do you mean?" Aonung says.
"I have to go back to the forest" Taneya says, "on my own."
"This is your home. Your family" Aonung says.

"I cannot take care of Ninat when I am like this. I cannot love you, when I am like this. I have to go back and do this on my own. Find my own peace. I don't want to leave you. But I have no other choice" Taneya says.

"This is not your fault Aonung. Please. Do not burden yourself with this, I do not want that" Taneya says.
He looks down, fiddling with his fingers.
She holds onto his hands.

"I want you to take care of Ninat. Show her the beauty of the sea. The animals. Teach her how to swim. How to ride an Ilu. You will be the perfect father to her Aonung" Taneya says.

"I don't know if I'll be able to live without you" Aonung says and looks up.
"Don't say that" Taneya whispers as she tries not to cry, "I am always going to be here."

She places her hand on his heart, "here. In your heart."
Aonung pulls her in for a hug and she hugs him back.

Jake and Neytiri walk in.
"Neteyam said you had gone to Tsahìk" Neytiri says.
"What's going on?" Jake asks.
"I am going back to the forest" Taneya says.

"What? Why?" Jake asks.
"I've lost my peace" Taneya says.
"What?" Jake was confused.

"I held onto the deaths for too long that it burdened my peace. Including the peace that Aonung had gave me. The peace I had to begin with was not mine. It was my mothers. And then Aonung gave me his too. And it's been destroyed because I held onto the saddest part of my life for too long. So I must go back, and relive my life, and find my peace once again. Without it, I'll fall apart. And I can't do that. Not when I have a daughter" Taneya says.

"But this is your home now Taneya. The forest is not" Neytiri says.
"The forest was my first home. Therefore I have to go back. It is the only way. I have to do this by myself and I have to go back to my old home. When I am ready and I have the strength I will come back. That way I will come back with my own peace. I owe it to my mother. To Aonung" Taneya says.

"You owe me nothing Taneya" Aonung stands up and walks to her.
She turns to face him, "you gave me this peace and it was my fault that it was destroyed.  So yes, I owe you it back. And I promise to give you it back."

"Taneya don't" Aonung says.
"Too late. I already promised" Taneya then looks to Jake and Neytiri, "I will be leaving tomorrow morning. Whether you guys stay or leave another day is your decision. But I am telling you I must do this on my own."

Jake and Neytiri nod.
"We understand and respect your decision" Jake says.
She smiles at them.
-
It's late. Everyone's asleep.
Taneya is laying down next to Aonung, as he plays with her hair.

"You love to touch my hair" Taneya says, with her eyes closed.
"I love it. I love your hair" Aonung says, but then moves his hand to her waist, "I love your waist to" he then moves her, to face him, and she opens her eyes.
"I love your eyes. Your nose. Your lips" He says, as his eyes point down to her lips.

"I love everything about you too" Taneya whispers to him.
"I don't know how long you're going for" Aonung says.
"Neither do I" Taneya replies.

He moves his eyes from her lips to her eyes, "maybe we should, give each other a special goodbye."
Taneya smiles, "maybe we should."

They both move in closely for a kiss. Aonung then places his other arm under her, using his hand to then touch her back and bring her closer to him.
She uses her hands to touch his chest, moving it down to his abdomen.

He whimpers and moves back, "Taneya. I love the way you touch me."
She smirks at him, "I know."
They move back in for a kiss, pulling each other closer to the point where both Taneya and Aonung's chest were tightly pushing together.

It was a special night for the two.
-
It's the next day. And sunrise. Everyone is asleep whilst Taneya is getting her stuff onto Tsekey's Ikran, getting ready to leave her home.
Aonung is helping her.

Once they're done, they both stand facing each other.
Aonung sighs and pulls Taneya in for a hug, "take good care of yourself Taneya. Please."
"I will. You take care of yourself too" she then pulls away from the hug, "that means eating. Spending time with your friends, Tsireya, my siblings too if you'd like. And also, taking care of our daughter.
I will be back before you know it."

"And I will be watching out for you until you do" Aonung says.
"Don't think about me too much" Taneya says.
"How can I not. My whole world exists around you" Aonung says.
"Hey. Your whole world should exist around what makes you happy. Apart from me" Taneya says.

"You just knew what I was going to answer weren't you?" Aonung says.
Taneya nods and smiles.
They give each other one last hug, and as she moves her head back to look at him, they give each other one last kiss.

Taneya then gives Aonung a necklace. The necklace of Mo'at's.
"Give this to Ninat. As a memory of me" Taneya says.
"I will" Aonung replies.

"Oh and" Taneya takes a hair clip out of her hair, "this is a memory of me for you."
He laughs, "because I love your hair?"
"Exactly" Taneya replies and hands him the hair clip in his hand.

She then walks to the Ikran and jumps on.
They both look at each other one last time and smile at each other, before Taneya rides off on the Ikran.

"Goodbye my love. I'll see you again soon" Aonung says, as he watches her ride away. 
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