Intertwined [Neteyam x OC]

Chapter 22

It's you, it's you, it's all for you
Everything I do
I tell you all the time
Heaven is a place on earth with you
Tell me all the things you wanna do
I heard that you like the bad girls
Honey, is that true?It's better than I ever even knew
They say that the world was built for two
Only worth living if somebody is loving you
And, baby, now you do
- 'Video Games' by Lana Del Rey

The soft sensation of grass tickled her skin, while a warm breeze made her eyelids flutter. The nostalgic scent of beautiful blooming flowers entered her nostrils, and the peaceful rustling of the leaves made her ears prick up. Aliyah slowly opened her eyes, holding up her hand in front of her face to shelter them from the bright sunlight peeking through each opening in the dense foliage. Slowly but surely, her environment became more and more clear, and Aliyah realized it felt strangely familiar. Her eyes widened as she got up on her feet, wiggling her toes in the grass and letting her eyes scan over her surroundings. She was in the forest. Aliyah let out a laugh as she twirled around with her arms spread out. She jumped from flower to tree, admiring the beauty of her home she had missed so much. 

Suddenly, a calm voice interrupted Aliyah's trance, making her jump, "Aliyah, you're here!"
Her ears stood straight as her breathing halted and her heart raced. She knew that voice, but it was impossible for the person it belonged to to be here. She turned around carefully, trying not to be too hopeful. 
As she saw the proud silhouettes of her parents, her voice came out as quiet as a whisper, "Mom? Dad? Is that really you or am I hallucinating?"
Her mother laughed, "We're real, sweetie." Aliyah stood frozen in disbelief. How was this possible? The last thing she remembered was Neteyam's face struck with desperation, before everything went dark and quiet.
Her father smiled as he placed a gentle hand on his wife's shoulder, "Well, aren't you going to give your parents a hug?" Tears formed in Aliyah's eyes as she ran over to them, hugging them both tightly. 
She laughed, her cheeks wet after crying from happiness, "I'm so happy you're here!"
Her father hummed, "We've missed you, darling."
Aliyah's mind was racing with questions, "Does ... does this mean I'm ... dead?"
Her mother stroked her hair gently, "Not really, you're more ... 'in between'."
Aliyah furrowed her brows, staring at her mother, "But, what about Neteyam? And the rest of my friends? Where are they?"
Her father placed a hand on her cheek, "Don't worry, they have survived the battle. They're safe."

Aliyah felt relieved knowing everyone was alive, but wondered about Neteyam.
She looked around at the forest, "So, I have to live here now? With you?"
Her mother smiled, "If you do want to stay with us, we'll be delighted to have you around again." She held up a long finger, "But, Eywa has given you a choice. You can come with us, or you can go back to living your life just like before." Aliyah stayed silent for a while, thinking about her options. She would love to stay with her parents, her heart swelled with joy just seeing them again, and it felt amazing being back in the forest. But she also felt an emptiness in her soul when she thought about never seeing her mate again. 
She sighed, "I just don't know if Neteyam will be okay."
Her mother interrupted her thinking, "I can show him to you, if that's what you'd like."
Aliyah's eyes widened as she nodded slowly, and as her mother pressed her forehead against hers, she followed her lead and closed her eyes.

She saw Neteyam sitting next to her own unconscious body, staring blankly at her almost undetectable breathing while he muttered small prayers. He seemed lonely, and closed off from the world. The boy who was once such a proud warrior was now only a shadow of himself, eyes dried out from crying helplessly. The spark that was once glittering in his eyes, the one that Aliyah loved so much, had disappeared. 
Neteyam suddenly straightened his back, carefully pulling Aliyah's knife out of its holster around her body. He twirled the knife around in his hands for a moment, anger lingering on his face. It was the same knife that Carter had used to stab Aliyah, the same knife that made her bleed out and end up in this coma. With a determined look on his face, he placed the tip of the blade against his chest, his hands firmly gripped around the handle.
His voice was strong, but desperate, "Eywa, please hear me. Let me take her place, she deserves to live. I will sacrifice my life for hers, please bring her back. And if it doesn't work ..." He pressed his lips together, "At least I'll be with her again."
He took a last look at Aliyah's unmoving body, before closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, while his knuckles lost color from the pressure he put on the knife.
Just as he was about to pierce the blade through his own heart, Neytiri shouted as she entered the hut, "Neteyam, no!" She rushed over to her son, immediately ripping the knife out of his hands and throwing it away from him.
Neteyam started crying uncontrollably, while Neytiri gently wrapped her arms around him. He let himself fall back against his mother's chest, lost in his own sorrow.
She gently rocked him back and forth, humming a soft song to calm him down.
Neteyam's voice was strained while his body shuddered, "I don't want to live without her, mom. I can't stand this hole in my soul. I need her."
Neytiri's voice was soothing, like only a mother's voice could be, while she stroked his hair, "She's not completely gone yet, Neteyam. Her soul is still lingering. We need to have faith in Eywa."