Late Night P1 | Rough Draft | fin

Finale | 2

"Baby, please, come back to me."

"Baby."

"Please."

You can barely make out the voice.

It's so warm here, so comforting. Nothing else matters as much as this feeling does. No sense of purpose, no sense of worry, no sense of loss. No sadness, no death. No hurt, and no pain.

The forest lights up around you, mimicking the first time you went on a hike with your friends.

It's so beautiful, so inviting.

You don't want to leave.

Another voice, a woman this time, calls out your name. Standing right behind you now.

And as you turn, it's her striking red hair that you notice first.

"Hi beautiful." She compliments with the most cheerful of smiles.

Your face is quite the opposite, frowning and soaked in tears as you close the distance with a tight hug.

"Grace." You can't help but wail out her name, your body shaking with emotion.
"I thought I'd never see you again."

"You will. One day. It's not your time."
She's aware she's dead, and that's something rare to say as most don't.
Her fingers are so delicate and warm against your skin.
"Please take care of her for me."

Trudy walks up behind her out of seemingly nowhere, and strokes the side of your face so gently as the fuzzy feeling in your chest starts to fade.
"Make us proud, kid. We'll be watching."

They're gone before you can even protest: screaming a long, drawn out 'no' as you're ripped so harshly from the scene, like a newborn birthed into the world.

There's a comforting feel on the side of your face as you come to, your eyes barely opening.

Two blurry forms are bent over you, while one is holding your mask down.

"Baby."
You hear it again.

Jake.
It's Jake.
Oh, Jake.

Suddenly you're being pulled to sit up, finding it's Neytiri who holds you and keeps the mask in place.

She noticed the first sign of distress as Jake was already losing his connection prior — and was the one who gave him a mask before spotting you out of the broken window, collapsing in the field.

You can feel her passing your body to Jake now.

Your arms are getting their strength back — but not quite yet as you struggle to reach out to him.

You want him to stop crying, to focus on your form. Your consciousness, your open eyes, and beating heart.

I'm here.
And I'm not going anywhere.

A few minutes with the mask, and you can finally stand with the fresh air supporting you.

Jake helps, of course, crouching down and keeping his hands at your side while making sure you're steady.

He's safe in his link with the mask for now, but yours is beyond repair.

You'll have to recalibrate Norm's when you can.

"Is he dead?" Is all you can manage, your throat in so much pain now as you can barely talk.

Jake simply pulls you up, closer to him. Giving you a warm smile of relief as both an answer, and a sign of being thankful that you weren't gone.

"We have to go." Neytiri suddenly brings up, the small victory ending too soon.
"It's Tsu'tey. They found him.
He's not far."

After a last check to make sure you're alright, Jake grabs you as carefully as he can.