Still Breathing

Chapter 20. Uneven Odds

"No one expects you to understand." ~ Sleeping At Last

Payakan brought the Sully's to the rock where Neteyam laid lifeless on the ground. Tsireya was sitting beside him, tears streaming down her face as she held his ice cold hand in hers.

"Tsireya!" Lo'ak shouted, leaping onto the rock from Payakan's fin. She stood up from her spot on the ground as she held onto him for dear life, sobbing into his chest. Lo'ak was crying himself as he wrapped his arms around her. 

Erica swam to the rock, desperate to see what had become of Neteyam. As she made her way towards what remained of him, she collapsed to the ground, sobbing relentlessly. His body was so cold, his eyes were so dim. She couldn't believe that her brother who was once full of life, who's laughter was bright enough to bring tears to her eyes, was an empty shell of the person he once was.

"I'm sorry." She muttered as she cupped his cheeks. "I'm so sorry."

With quivering lips, she kissed her brother's forehead as a single tear fell onto her cheek and trickled onto bridge of her brothers nose. Not being able to stand the emptiness in his eyes, she brought two fingers over his eyelids and closed them for him. 

He finally looked at peace.

After Jake finished cutting the remaining cuff's off of Tuk, he called for Erica, trying his hardest not to react to the devastation on her face. Erica sat down on the rock's in front of him, staring off into nothingness as she processed everything she was going through.

Jake kept glancing up at her every time she sniffled as he wiped the dry blood off of her forehead, wanting to say something but not knowing what to say. He looked around at the rest of his family, the weight of everything starting to crash down on his shoulders as he noticed them all being unable to contain their emotions.

Lo'ak and Tsireya stood side by side, holding onto each others as tears streamed down their face. Neytiri was holding Neteyam in her arms, holding up her sons head as she caressed his cheek. Tuk was holding onto Neteyam's hand against her cheek, wanting to feel his calming touch one last time. 

The only other Sully that wasn't crying other than Jake was Kiri. She sat down beside Neteyam's lifeless body, staring down at it with no emotion in her face whatsoever. It was almost as if she was numb, perhaps even more numb than Jake was feeling.

Once he was done cutting the cuff's off of Erica's wrists the two of them stood up. "Hey," Jake spoke up, looking at his daughter with sympathetic eyes as she looked up at him with her tear streaked face. Feeling the need to take her pain away, he pulled her into a hug.

As soon as the two embraced, Erica started to sob as her father stroked her hair, holding her against his chest. "I miss him so much." She spoke between sobs.

"I know, baby girl. I know." He comforted, speaking softly as he kissed the top of his daughter's head.  "It'll be okay."

Erica pulled away, looking up at her father as she wiped the tears off of her face. The father daughter duo sharing the same pained look for a moment before Jake called of Kiri to cut her cuff's off next.

Erica sat down behind Tuk, wrapping her arms around her sister as she still held onto Neteyam's hand. Quiet sobs escaped from the young Na'vi's mouth as she muttered words that Erica couldn't quite understand.

The sounds of heavy breathing captured Erica's attention as she noticed Spider now sitting on the rock, catching his breath. 

"Monkey boy!" Kiri called out, placing a gentle hand on his stomach. She was smiling, feeling a wave of relief wash over her. It was almost as if she was purposely shutting down her sad emotions. Like she wasn't ready to accept Neteyam was gone and Erica didn't blame her.