YOU HAVE ME ~ JAKE SULLY

34

Jake

"Jake, Jake, wake up. Baby..."

Her voice faded in and out and I suddenly don't know the difference between my night terror and reality.

All I know is that I'm gasping for air and standing in the middle of dead bodies. Bodies that belong to the people I love.

My mom.

My dad.

My brother.

Tsu'Tey.

Neytiri.

All bloody. All dead.

And I can't save them. I can't move. I can barley even breath. My hand comes up to clutch my chest, my knees giving out as I fall to the floor and catch myself with my free hand. It feels real, even as a part of my mind knows I'm laying in bed. The terror is real.

"It's okay, Jake. It's okay..." Her voice is weaving in and out of my ear drums. My eyes flicking around the dead bodies that surround me as if she might be one of them.

But she's not here, I know she's not here.

I feel her touch ghosting over my forehead, smoothing over my braids, as I continue gasping for air. Clutching my chest harder and harder, willing myself to get enough air in.

I feel her lips against my forehead, "Shh, it's okay," her hand smoothing over my forehead and braids again, "Come back to me, Jake."

The bodies are blurring, going in and out of focus. Suddenly, everything disappears, and my eyes are flying open to be met with the real world.

I barley have time to register Nessa's face above mine as my body instinctively throws itself upwards into a seated position, my hand coming to clutch my chest just as I did in my dream as I gasp for air.

"Sh-shit," the words weave their way through my throat, coming out strained, as I struggle to catch my breath.

I feel small hands on my back, and the dip of the bed behind me, before feeling lips pressing a soft kiss to my shoulder.

"Jake..." Her voice is like honey in my ear, my saving grace, and the only thing anchoring me to sanity at the moment.

I squeezed my jaw shut, heavy breathing still coming in and out of my nose, in an attempt to calm myself.

Another soft kiss to my shoulder, her hand slipping under my arm to rest on my chest, right above my heart. I wanna laugh at the parallels between this moment and the day I did the same thing to calm her from a panic attack, but my body couldn't conjure up the energy for a laugh even if I tried.

Instead, I let my head fall back onto her shoulder, shutting my eyes and focusing on my breathing as I draw my attention to her hand pressing against my heart. The feeling actually being quite soothing.

My breathing finally slows, just as I feel her lips press another kiss to my temple. I let my eyes peel open, immediately catching her gaze.

The feeling of shame and embarrassment creeps up quickly, following the realization of how vulnerable I am in this moment. My body shoots up from her before I can stop it, but my hand instinctively stays behind my to grab hold of hers.

I can hear her disappointed sigh pass her lips, then the shift of her moving slightly closer to my back. She shifts to her knees behind me, then starts pressing soft and gentle kisses to the span of my back.

"Jake," another small kiss, this one on my shoulder, "Please talk to me."

I shut my eyes, drawing in a shaky breath. My jaw ticking as I feel my brain actively fighting against the urge to cold shoulder this moment and run for my fucking life before having to share the reason for my night terrors.