Tsaheylu

Epilogue

A beautiful song to wrap up our story...

Our lips connect together in a burst of passion. He was here, breathing, in front of me. The deep, heartache of loneliness was no longer probing through my body. No, not anymore. Not while his lips were moving against my own so contently, speaking a thousand unspoken words that we had wanted to tell one another.

We break apart, the relief overwhelming me as I refuse to let go of him. Does he remember what happened? Does he know he's been dead for 4 days? I don't know. But it doesn't matter now. He is alive again, and here with me.

He looks down into his enclosed hands, noticing the water lily I had placed in his grips no more than 10 minutes ago. A smile seems to play on his lips, tugging at the corners that had been so lifeless before. He opens his hand and lifts the lily into the water, tucking it into my hair with a gentle brush of my cheek.

His body seemed so warm now, taking my warmth as his own as he studies me. No doubt, he could see the redness on my cheeks, and I knew for sure he could feel the tug on my heartstrings. The sobs choke me once more, the slow loss of oxygen making it difficult for me to stay calm.

He rests his palm on my face, staring down at me as I clasped it closer to me, not wanting to be out of his embrace. I would never let him go again, never. Everything about him seemed so calm once more, giving me the assurance that this was really him. He had no fear anymore, no pain, and all that was left between us was my own fear of losing him again.

A finger points to the surface above us, gesturing for us to return to the others which I accept, linking our fingers tightly together as we make the journey back to the surface.

How would I ever explain this? It was a miracle of unspeakable lengths. But something else was nagging me.

How could I tell Neteyam that our little baby was no longer. With a quick hand to my stomach I could feel that there was no longer any bump, confirming that I had sacrificed one to save the other. He had been so excited for this, had wanted this so badly. The guilt was immense, weighing down on my mind heavier than Neteyam's grip on my hand.

Our lungs gasp for air when we break the surface, a chorus of exlaims and shouts following as they saw Neteyam take his first breath of life once more. Neytiri let out a shrill wail, and Tuk's cries fill my ears. I know, he's alive! I think, but there were no words that could fall into the air to help them take in the gravity of his life.

Neteyam's arms pull me into his chest as I too start to cry, just thankful that he was here. I was able to touch him, feel his warmth behind my fingertips. With our queues still together, I was able to feel the steady heartbeat that pulsed in his chest and that too gave me more reassurance that this was real.

Bodies collide with ours in a large heap. Neytiri's first, then Tuk, Lo'ak, Kiri and finally Jake. But Neteyam didn't remove his arms from me, they stayed strong as they protected me from the nightmare that I had lived. Sobs and wails, screams and laughs fall from everyone's lips, Neteyam's warm, life filled body giving them a hold on reality once more.

He's alive, he's alive. I keep telling myself, listening and feeling his heart beating in my own, echoing around the cavity that once sat there like a butterfly would flutter its wings.

"Eywa! Thankyou! How did this even happen?" Neytiri blubbers, casting everyone out of the hug as she swims up beside me, holding Neteyam's face in her nimble fingers. She searches for any faults, any flicker that this was a lie, but of course it wasn't. This was her son, my husband!