Losing Game ~ Lo'ak Sully

.+Chapter Sixteen+.

"Lo'ak!" I yell as I swim towards the rock he once laid on. "Lo'ak!" When I reach the rock, I climb onto it and see his body still laying there. I rush over to him and kneel down next to him, grabbing his hand. When I look down at his stomach there is no bullet wound.
"Please come back to me," I whisper as I place a hand on his cheek. Suddenly, he jolts up gasping for breath and grasping his stomach, trying to feel for the wound. But, when he feels nothing he is relieved. He looks over to me when he notices I'm there and looks to me with a confused expression.
"Reya?" He asks. I nod with a smile and he smiles back. He pulls me into a kiss before quickly pulling away. "How? I... I saw you die."
"And I saw you die..." I tell him. "Lo'ak we aren't a losing game. We will always be together even in death." I smile at him as I hold his face. He smiles back and gives me another kiss.
"Where is everyone?" He asks and I look back towards the blazing water with the already sunken ship.
"Somewhere in there," I tell him. "We have to go." He calls for his ilu and it arrives. He hops on and holds out a hand to me. I jump onto the back and we take off towards the fire. When we get close we see Neteyam, Kiri, and Spider on the surface. I yip announcing our arrive and their heads spin towards us.
"Lo'ak? Leyreya?" Neteyam asks. "How?"
"Yeah, yeah," I say. "We both died. Now we're back. Enough small talk. Where is everyone else."
"Mom and Dad are down there. In the ship," Kiri tells us.
"Grab on," Lo'ak tells them. Neteyam and Spider grab the handle bar and I take Kiri's hand as we descend down towards the ship.
"Bro, we're good. Go!" Spider yells. When we gets a ways down, Kiri and I spot gill mantles swim towards them. We connect our braids and our breathing relaxes. We use our connection with the ocean to summon the underwater fireflies. I swirl my hands around trying to get a feel for them. They circle all around us, understanding what we need.
We motion our hands towards the ship and they take off as we follow. I swim with them throughout the ship doing my best to keep up. As we make our way I see dead bodies and I know that I'm partially to blame for that. I look over to Kiri and I know that we are almost there.
Just up ahead I see feet in the water and see Tuk poke her little head below the water with a smile on her face. I smile back at her and she reaches her hand out to us. Kiri takes her hand while I grab onto Kiri. She pulls us above the water.
"Hi," Kiri says.
"Kiri!" Tuk cries out with joy.
"Oh Reya!" Neytiri smiles and places a hand on my face. "How?"
"The Great Mother is on our side," I tell her.
"Everything's going to be all right, little sister," Kiri reassures. "Tuk, I'm gonna give this to you." She gives Tuk her gill mantle.
"And this is for you Neytiri," I give her mine. "It'll help you. Trust us."
"Calm your heart," Kiri says. "Big breaths. Follow us." We go under water making sure Neytiri and Tuk are following before we continue throughout the ship. I see Tuk falling behind so I grab onto her and wrap my hand around her stomach so she swims with me. When I see the exit, I push Tuk through and she swims out and begins to swim up. When we finally make it to the surface we all gasp for air and we look over to see Jake, Neteyam, and Lo'ak with Payakan.
"Ma Jake," Neytiri yells as we swim towards them.
"Dad!" Tuk cries.
"Lo'ak," I reach out for him and he takes my hand pulling me in between him and Jake.
"Oh, Leyreya," Jake says, pulling me into a hug. "I thought we lost you."
"You couldn't get rid of me if you tried," I smile.
"Lo'ak," Neytiri cries as she reaches for her youngest son.
"Mom," Lo'ak reaches out to hug her. When she lets go Lo'ak pulls me into a hug and we both realize how scared we were to lose one another.

Sully's stick together.

It was our greatest weakness

and our great strength.

    "Thank you, Great Mother," Kiri whispers as she holds onto Tuk. "Thank you." As the sun rises, we all make our way back to the rock where Lo'ak once was. We were all grateful to be alive. As we rest there I hear splashing coming from the water and I look over to see Spider climbing onto the rock.
    "Monkey Boy!" Kiri smiles as she sees him.
    "Spider," Lo'ak greets and Kiri places a hand on his chest.
    "You all right?" Jake asks him, placing his hands on his shoulders and looking him over for injuries.
    "Yeah," Spider responds and Jake pulls him into a hug.
    "Come here," Jake's says as he pulls Lo'ak into him as well. "Spider you are my son." Jake lets go of the boys and pulls me into a hug. "And Leyreya you are my daughter." I pull away from the hug.
    "Can I ask you a question?" I ask.
    "Always," He tells me.
    "Did you used to know someone named Trudy?" I ask and he looks at me with confusion while Neytiri's head snaps up.
    "How did you...?" He asks confused but realization dawns on him when he looks closely at me. He pulls me into a hug. "You're her's. I didn't know she was... Oh god..." I just nod into his chest and he pulls away from the hug to look me in the eyes. "No matter what... you will always be a Sully. And now you officially are one." He glances over to Lo'ak and I do the same, smiling at him.

~

Every songcord must have a last bead.

A family is built on loyalty, love, and trust.

It's what gives it meaning.

The People say that all energy is only borrowed.

And one day you have to give it back.

But today isn't that day for any of us.

Eywa holds all her children in her heart,

living or dead.

Nothing is ever lost.

I see now.

Loving someone isn't always a losing game.

This family is my home.

It is my fortress.

This is where I make my stand.

Until my greater purpose.