Iâm lowkey obsessed with your Quaritch x reader story and Iâm excited to see the next coming parts!!!! And happy birthday for a couple days ago I hope you had a good one!!!
thank you, that is so sweet!! both for the birthday wishes and liking my work :) it really means a lot đŤś
iâm so sorry for the wait on the new chapter of ffacc, iâve been slammed lately and havenât had much time to write :( but i promise im chipping away at it every free chance i get
in the meantime, if any of you would like to request drabbles, mini fics with other characters, ask me questions, etc., iâd be happy to oblige!
asks and dms are always open. thank you so much for your patience, i love yall!! đЎ
Description: Ronal and her sister do not see eye to eye on the matter of Jake Sully and his demon-blooded children. Based off of this request.
Content Warnings:Â Arguing, Widow!Jake Sully
Author's note: I hope this is aligned with what was requested! Enjoy the drama!
Playlist:
You Can't Run from Yourself by Aurora
âI am not a child, my love, do not treat me as if you have to ask for my parents blessing. My sister will come to accept it eventually,â you fussed, cutting the mid-day meal up to be cooked over the Maruiâs fire.Â
âYou're not listening to me. Iâm just sayinâ, you can understand why they would be worried. I was previously mated, I have the whole RDA coming down on me, four kids I can't keep in line⌠Iâm not exactly a first-draft pick here,â he acknowledged, eyes locked on the fish he was preparing as he spoke.
âI do not know what you say. What is furdraft?,â you shook your head slowly, ears raising slightly in confusion.
âYeah exactly, thatâs another thing, I'm human. That's probably her main concern in the first place. She calls me a demon,â he continued.
âMaâJake, you speak as if any of that matters. It is too late, I already love you,â you smiled, pausing your slicing to catch his eyes.
He glanced up, âI love you too, Angel. Thatâs why I don't want to drag you down with me if I don't have to. We can't rush anything,â he insisted, sitting back as the conversational tone shifted.
âYou do not drag me down, I will cut down any one who tries to take you away from me, Skyperson or Naâvi. I fight by your side, Jake,â you corrected. âWhatever comes, I will fight for this family.â
His eyes softened as his jaw hardened. âAnd I love you for that, but I canât ask it of you.â
âMaybe so, but you do not have to. I fight.â Your tone was final, and Jake sighed as he realized your seriousness.Â
âDad!â Tukâs voice carried over the sand and to your ears, you and Jake both stood up as his youngest daughter ran over to you. âDad!â she screamed, skidding to a halt in front of him.
âTuk, whatâs the matter?â Jake demanded, crouching down to be at eye level with her. He placed both of his hands on her shoulders. You stood next to him, waiting anxiously to find out what had happened.
âItâs Loâak and Neteyam! They got into a fight!â she explained, panting as she talked. âThey beat up Aonung and his friends at the beach.â
Jake hung his head in exhaustion at his son's trouble making. âLet me guess, Loâak started it?â he sighed.
Tukâs ears perked up, âHow did you know?â Tuk asked innocently, tilting her head in confusion. You nearly laughed at her cuteness.
Jake ignored her question, brushing past her to jog out to Ronal and Tonowariâs family Marui. You followed, taking Tuk by the hand as you came upon an unpleasant scene.
âYour son attacked my son!â you heard Ronal roar.Â
She and Jake stood toe to toe as the boys all kneeled around Tonowari who was looking at each of them with apprehension. Kiri stood behind them, her back to the wall, with her arms wound around herself. Tsireya stood beside her, one arm around Kiriâs shoulders as she watched the room like a hawk.
âIâm sure this is all just a misunderstanding,â Jake started, hands held up like he was calming a wild Ikran.Â
âDad, they deserved it,â his youngest son said, looking straight ahead at the wall as he spoke to his father behind him.
Jake flinched, âQuiet Loâak,â he advised. He was trying so hard to keep the relative peace here. He knew your courtship already stirred the pot enough, on top of his human origins. He needed his children to be beyond scrutiny, but no one ever was.
âNo, Loâak,â you said, stepping forward, all eyes flew to you. âWhat happened? I haven't known you to hit another without reason,â you urged him to speak.
Loâakâs head glanced over his shoulder at you, his eyes cold, but curious. He was the least accepting of you out of all of Jakeâs children. You tried not to take it personally. You knew that their mother had only died a little over a year ago when the RDA had arrived the second time. They were still grieving in many ways, but you would never try to replace the mother they so loved. Loâak was taking the longest to figure that out.
Loâak did not hang his head in shame like his brother beside him. He stood up, his head high and shoulders squared as your entire family cast judgement upon him.
âAonung was picking on Kiri. He called her a freak, he said our whole family was freaks,â he explained. âHe grabbed Kiri, and was making fun of our four fingers. He said we were not even real Naâvi.â Â
Aonung pursed his lips, his eyes narrowing as he simmered in anger.
Your frustration at your nephew was evident. âIs this true nephew?â you asked, turning to him.
His eyes slid up to meet yours, âThey are not Naâvi! They are not like us.â
âAonung!â Tonowari growled, silencing his son in one word.
âWe will handle this sister. You are not Oloâeyktan!â Ronal hissed, stepping forward and holding out her hand to her son and mate.
You recoiled, Tukâs hand tightening around yours. âLet the boys speak. We do not know the full story! It sounds like Aonung is also in the wrong here,â you pointed out.
âYou would choose demon blooded children over your own kin? I do not recognize you anymore!â she cried, her hand reached up to cradle her pregnant belly as if to emphasize that her children were fully Naâvi.
You hissed at her words, âI choose no side, we are all on one side, sister. Loâak and Neteyam will not be falsely accused just because they had to run from their home,â you demanded, turning to look at the two boys. âThey are every bit as Na'vi as you, they are one of the people! You are the one who does not show the Naâvi way. Your hatred blinds you!â
Ronal hissed in fury, âI protect the Naâvi way. All the demons do is destroy,â she screamed. âAll they will do,â she pointed at Loâak and Neteyam, âis destroy. Maybe not today, but soon.â
You let go of Tuk and lunged forward towards your sister, but your eyes flared as you came to a sudden halt. Jake had stepped forward and blocked you from attacking Ronal. She surged forward as well, ears pinned to her scalp and tail twitching high in the air.
âRonal!â Tonowariâs voice made her pause, but she didn't look to her husband. Her eyes stayed on you, Jakeâs body being the only thing that kept the two of you from violence.
âBaby, let me handle this. My kids messed up,â Jake murmured.
âBut they are not the only ones. They should not feel outcasted here, in their home,â you insisted.
âThis is not their home,â Ronal hissed and your ears flattened to your head. âThey belong in the forest!â
âThen this is not my home either,â you hissed back, tail flicking wildly behind you.
âBaby,â Jake warned lowly. You were entering a threshold you could not retreat from.
Ronalâs eyes flared, her ears twitching as she seized you up. âToruk Makto endangers the Metkayina just by standing before us now. You will die if you take this path,â she threatened, her hands balled into fists tightly at her side.
Growing up, Ronal had been the glowing, stubborn, older sister. She was Tsakarem, the Tsahik in training, and fated to marry the future Oloâeyktan since birth. She was used to getting her way.
On the other hand, you were used to her tantrums, even coddled her too if it was easier, but this was something you would not back down from. You would not fail Jakeâs kids.Â
Jake backed away, pivoting to stand somewhat behind you when he realized you weren't about to claw Ronalâs throat out. His presence was grounding you, and you were glad he was not out of reach.
âYet it is the path I must take. I see no other,â you nearly pleaded with her to understand you. This was not something you would back down on, you could only hope she would meet you halfway.
âI cannot even look at you,â Ronal hissed. âYou are Metkayina!â she reminded you as if being with Jake had anything to do with what clan you belonged to.Â
âYes I am, and Metkayina are strong. We do what is right. We are one with the sea, we share its adaptability, its persistence. My heart beats in my chest like the tide on the shore. I AM Metkayina, sister.â you insisted.
âThen why do you choose the forest?â she growled, gesturing to Jake.
âI choose JakeSuli, wherever that path may take me,â you relented, stepping back into Jake as she hissed at the words. His hand clasped your shoulder as if it was second nature.
Tonowari sighed, âGo, handle your son.â he instructed, gesturing to Jake who nodded grimly. He squeezed your shoulder once, leaning forward to press a kiss to your temple. âI choose you, too,â he whispered into your ear. Your eyes softened at his words, but you did not leave being in limbo with Ronal.Â
Jake gathered his kids, gripping the back of Neteyam and Loâak necks as he walked out of the Marui with all four in tow.Â
âGo! Tend to the Ilu!â Tonowari instructed his own kids. Aonung and Tsireya scattered quickly with a huff from the son and a reverent head bowed from the daughter. It was just you, your sister and Tonowari left standing there now.
âOur clan has many fine men, warriors, hunters. Why do you choose Toruk Makto?â Tonowari asked slowly as if he was hesitant to break the tenuous silence.
âHe is the reason my heart beats like the tide. He is kind, he is strong. I do not know life without him now. My heart will follow him,â you said breathlessly.
Ronal slid a calculating gaze to you. âYou could have chosen anyone, sister. I am afraid for you. I will not be the witness to your demise,â she bit out.
âI understand your fears, but it is the path I must take,â you said with finality.
âThen you will walk it alone. I cannot support you in this.â Ronal cautioned, lips curled in disgust.
You fought back the tears that threatened to spill over your cheeks, âI love you sister, even if I do not see you,â you mumbled through emotion clogging your voice. "Even if you do not see me."
Ronalâs eyes flared wide, âGo! I cannot bear your betrayal any longer.â she turned away from you as you searched Tonowariâs face, your brother for many years. His gaze met yours, but his eyes were only clouded with pity.
You nodded, before you turned from your sister, your family, your old life, and walked away.
I just wanted to say that i love so much the Quaritch series it has everything, and i can't wait to see how Reader and Spider interact with the recoms, specially with Lyle since they were close when they were human
Also I can imagine Reader saying something like "now you want to learn about Pandora and Eywa" when they are in the woods
thank you, youâre so sweet đ𫶠i am so so excited to write them all interacting!! i have so many ideas that itâs hard to figure out the ones i wanna use lol
and youâre 100% right, y/n is going to have some very choice words for quaritch and the others. oh how the tables have turnedâŚ
No rush!! But whenâs the next chapter? Itâs just so good
i am going on a road trip this weekend and my birthday is next week (the 17th) so my next few days are gonna be very busy đ but iâm hoping i can have time to work on the next chapter and get it to yall within the next 10ish days!!
ill try to get it out as soon as possible, but i dont want to rush it and risk coming out with something im not happy with! thank you for the support, as always 𩷠it keeps me motivated to work on this series :)
I am LOVING the fic, the update was âchef kissâ Iâm dying to know if you have a playlist that follows the fic or you listen to while writing?
thank you!! that is so sweet đЎ
i do have a playlist for this fic, you can find it here :) itâs a very strange assortment of songs lol but they all pertain to different parts of the story that have and will happen! itâs a work in progress for sure but iâm happy to share it with you all đŤś
iâd love to hear anyoneâs thoughts, and my asks/dms are always open for suggestions, questions, or requests! love yall!!
fickle fate & cruel coincidence â miles quaritch x f!reader [8]
archive of our own
< previous chapter
act 2, chapter 1
summary: fifteen years have passed. the sky people have returned, bringing bad memories with them. you're desperate to cling to those you love and keep them safe. but a pain from your past has come back, ready to change everything.
pairings: miles quaritch x reader, jake sully x neytiri te tskaha moâatâite
tags: angst, canon divergence, female reader, relationship, canon typical violence, teenage spider, avatar 2 timeline, nightmares, war pt 2, recom miles is here, norm is the MVP
word count: 6.8k
A/N #1: alexa play I Want You by Mitski
A/N #2: i'm sorry yall i love Spider but the dreads and loincloth HAD to go. that's motherless behavior. y/n wouldn't stand for that
Seventeen Years, Six Months
You
Images flashed through your mind, horrifying and all too familiar. Graceâs blood on your hands, Quaritchâs dead eyes, a bullet in your stomach, one in Normâs shoulder. Dead animals, dead Naâvi, dead humans. Carnage and destruction everywhere you turned. Once again, you were thrown back into the worst day of your life.
And then somewhere off in the distance, your sonâs voice. Panicked, scared. Calling for you. Calling for help.
Your heart hammered in your chest. Fear and adrenaline battled in your veins. You whirled around, ran through the trees, tripped over branches and rocks. His voice just got farther away. You couldnât find him. He was in trouble and you couldnât find him!
âSpider!â You shouted, lurching up in bed. Sweat sheened across your forehead, blood rushing in your ears. It took you nearly ten seconds to comprehend where you were.
In your bed, in the lab, up in the Hallelujah Mountains. Safe and sound and out of danger.Â
âFuck.â You slumped into yourself and dug the heels of your hands into your eyes. Exhaustion dragged you down like an anchor.
You really thought the nightmares had been gone for good. And then the Sky People returnedâbranding bigger, badder weapons and a thirst for revenge. Now, a year later, your fear had clutched you once again.
Sighing, you dragged yourself out of bed and padded down the hallâpast Normâs door on the right, to the last one on the left. Spiderâs door was cracked, and it opened silently with one gentle push. You peeked in just enough to get a glance at him, or rather, his chestnut curls poking out from under the blankets. He had a habit of cocooning himself from his head to his toes. You worried heâd suffocate, but the teenager was still alive and kicking, so you let it slide.
You watched him for several minutes. Listening to his breathing, watching the blanket rise and fall. Ensuring yourself that he was perfectly fine. If asked, you would say that this was a rare occurrence. But if you were telling the truth, the answer would be different.
He was your family. Youâd lost so much, and you were terrified that heâd be added to the list. Itâs not as if you were a helicopter mom by any means. Sometimes you just needed to see that he was okay. After everything, you felt like you were entitled to that.
Once your pulse had come back into its normal confines, you cracked the door once again and returned to your empty bed. Maybe if you were lucky, you could fall back asleep.
A few fitful hours later, you decided to call it quits and start the day. The sun shone through the window as you pulled on your nicest cargo pants and least ratty t-shirt, stifling a yawn. You would seriously need to go to bed early tonight. Hopefully, the nightmares wouldnât follow you.
Norm and Spider were already in the kitchen when you entered. Your son sat hunched over a bowl of oatmeal, a thin rubber band the only thing keeping his hair from taking a dip. Norm, parked in front of the coffee machine, was the only one to acknowledge your arrival. To be fair, the teenager was busy stuffing his face.
He wore his usual cargo shorts and a woven chestpiece that Kiri had made for him. The beads glinted against his skin, a pop of color to contrast his features. Norm wore cargo as well. There was always so much fucking cargo.
âMorning, y/n,â the scientist greeted, holding up your designated mug. âGot some fresh coffee for you.â
âOh, thank God,â you groaned, reaching for the steaming drink. âDid you-â
âCream and two sugars with a dash of cinnamon, yes. Just how you like it.â
âUgh, youâre an angel. Thank you.â You took the coffee, kissed his cheek, and sat in the chair next to Spider. âAnd good morning to you, too.â
Norm just chuckled and shook his head, returning to making his own drink. The first gulp of warm liquid slid down your throat like a taste of ambrosia. You felt some of the tension in your shoulders ebb away. What a wonderful invention caffeine was.
âMorning, Mom,â the boy beside you spoke, swallowing his last bite of food.
You smiled at him, tucking a stray curl behind his ear. âMorning, little bug.â
He pretended to shy away from the touch, huffing sheepishly. âCome on, Iâm too old for that nickname.â
âOh, please. Your name is Spider,â you teased him. âAnd Iâve been calling you little bug since long before you chose that name.â
âYeah, but âSpiderâ sounds cool. âLittle bugâ makes me sound like a baby.â
âYou are a baby. My baby.â
âMoooom,â he complained, groaning into his hands. It just made you laugh.
âYou should enjoy it while you can,â Norm told him as he sat at the table. âOne day, youâll find yourself wishing to be called âlittle bugâ one more time.â
Spider rolled his eyes. âWhatever. You guys are just old and nostalgic.â
You gasped in mock offense. âExcuse me? Did you hear that, Norm? He just called us old.â
âOh, I heard it,â your friend tutted, sipping his coffee. âYou'd better watch yourself, kid. Your mom and I could run circles around you.â
âEven in our 80âs,â you added with a nod.
âOkay,â he snorted. âYou guys have fun with your make-believe. Iâm gonna go see Kiri and Loâak.âÂ
âBe safe and smart. And take an extra mask,â you told him. He got to his feet and dumped his dishes in the sink.
âIâll be fine, Mom.âÂ
âI know. But do it anyway, please.â
âFine,â he sighed and stopped to give you a one-armed hug. âIâll see you later.â
You smiled, patting his back. âSee you later, kiddo.â
Then he was off, leaving you and Norm alone in the kitchen. You sighed and finished off your coffee in one big gulp.
âWhereâs Max?â You asked, wiping your mouth with your hand. Norm offered you a muffin, which you took and immediately began to pick apart.
âIn the lab, I think. Heâs been starting early the last little while,â he explained.
âDamn. Doesnât he ever sleep?â You shook your head, speaking around a mouthful of food. âHeâs gonna run himself into the ground.â
âMm. Sounds like someone else I know.â
You raised an eyebrow. âWhat, me?â
He snorted. âYes, you.â
âWhat do you mean? I sleep! I sleep just fine!â
âOh, so those little midnight field trips to Spiderâs room are just, what, sleepwalking?â
You deflated like a balloon, shoulders hunched. âYou know about that?â
Normâs eyes turned soft, kind. He gave you a half-smile. âLetâs just say youâre not the only one whoâs had trouble sleeping lately.â
âThatâs really embarrassing,â you sighed. âI promise Iâm not a weirdo, I just-â
âI know, y/n. I get it, believe me,â he assured you. âItâs all just rushing back, right? Every terrible thing.â
All you could do was nod. You felt like youâd fall apart if you tried anything else.
âWeâre gonna get through this. We have before.â
You laughed humorlessly. âNorm, I barely survived getting through it last time.â
âBut you did. And you raised an amazing kid at the same time. You survived, and youâve made a great life for yourself. Nobodyâs going to take that away.â
The assurance loosened the tension in your chest. You smiled, resting your hand on his forearm. âYouâre my second favorite person in the whole world, you know that, right?â
Norm chuckled. âI know, me too. Now hurry and eat. Weâve got a war party to ride out on today.â
âUgh, whatever.â You grabbed the forgotten muffin and shoved it in your mouth.
Miles
His ears rang loud enough to rattle his skull. Someone was speaking, muffled and indiscernible. Blinking open his eyes, he immediately flinched away from the bright light above him. Then a big, blue head came into view. Smiling down at himâleering.
He was swinging before he had time to think about it.
Hands grabbed at him, people shouted, and he snarled and snapped his teeth. Fear and confusion clutched at him. What was happening? Where was he? Where were you and Miles?
âColonel, stand down! Itâs me!â That same blue head spoke, grabbing Milesâ shoulders. âCorporal Wainfleet!â
He paused, just a moment, trying to catch his breath. Took the chance to inspect the man in front of him. There were some similaritiesâthe voice, that bald head, the shit-eating grin. Recognition chilled the fire in his blood.
Miles lowered his head, questioning. âLyle? That you?â
âYes, sir,â his smile got impossibly wider, showing off sharp canines. He gestured to the people holding the Colonel back. âAnd Z-dog, Fike.â
Turning his neck, he flinched a little at the sight of two more of his shoulders clad in blue skin. They smiled at him, nodding, assuring him everything was alright. His pounding heart told him it was anything but.
Still, he took a breath and raised his hands in surrender. That same cerulean shade painted him as well.
âIâm all right. Let me go,â he said softly. âIâm all right.â
They did as told, their hands sliding away to leave him on wobbly legs. He moved towards the window overlooking Pandora and caught sight of his reflection. The body was foreign, but it was him. Yellow eyes, pointed ears, fangs that threatened to break the skin of his thumb. The skin of his enemy.
âWell,â Miles grunted. âAinât this a bitch.â
Heâd watched the video half a dozen times now, waiting for something to get through his thick skull. It still felt like he was a stranger to his own body, staring at a dead manâs face, surrounded by unfamiliar surroundings. His heart had been spliced, torn apart, and strewn across the stars. Yet, it continued to impossibly beat in his chest. His blue, alien chest.
His faceâhis human faceâstared at him, frozen on the holopad.
Miles Quaritch was dead. Had been dead for fifteen years. Fifteen goddamn years.
Miles would be coming up on 16 in the next few months. You, youâd just turned 48. If either of you had even survived. If you were alive, if you were on Pandora, if, if, if.
Bile stung the back of his throat. His pulse thrummed in his ears, his fingertips, his throat. His body was buzzing. His body; he didnât even know if he could call it that. It was foreign to him.
He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to make everything stop. Just for a moment. The panic churning his insides was on the verge of turning him catatonic. Thatâs not what he needed right now. That wasnât his prerogative.
He was a soldier, and he had a mission.
Taking a deep, deep breath, he focused on the facts. Nothing but the facts.
Fact 1: Colonel Miles Quaritch, human, had been killed in action. Another life lost in the battle against the Naâvi.
Fact 2: Heâd been brought back in an Avatar body, implanted with memories heâd uploaded a few months before his death. If he tries hard enough, he can remember up to the uploading process. Itâs blurry, sure, but itâs there. Everything after that is a mystery.
Fact 3: Heâs been brought back to Pandora to continue his mission. To make Pandora the home for humans.
Fact 4: Jake Sully is his target. The leader of the Omatikaya, the head of the offense against the RDA, and the biggest traitor to humanity there ever was.
Revenge. That was something Miles could get behind.
He needed to focus on that. He couldnât think about you, or Miles, or whatever happened between his memories being uploaded and his death. He couldnât wonder where you were now or if you were even alive. He couldnât do any of it. It would destroy him.
So he slipped back into his old skin. The skin of a soldier, a Colonel. He took his soldiers in new bodies and began his assignment. To find and kill Jake Sully.
You
The war party went mostly according to plan, other than Jakeâs boys joining the brigade and getting caught in an explosion. They were okay, other than some bruises, but it was enough to ruffle Jakeâs feathers. You couldnât say you blamed him. If it had been Spider⌠you could only imagine.
You returned to base on your ikran, Telisi, side by side with Norm. The two of you landed and began unhooking your gear just as Spider, Kiri, and Tuk ran up. The girls ran to their family, only a few feet away, while your son hurried over to you. Though you knew heâd been safe and sound, it soothed your soul to see it with your own eyes. Neteyam and Loâakâs close call had hit too close to home, it seemed.
âMom!â Spider called, grappling you into a hug before you could do the same to him. He only reached your stomach in this body, reminding you of the little boy heâd once been. âIâm so glad youâre okay.â
âIâm just fine,â you assured him, smoothing his hair with a large blue hand. âYou know Iâll always come back to you.â
âI know, I justâŚâ he pulled away, shrugging sheepishly. âI worry sometimes.â
âWell, you donât have to,â you began, pausing when you caught sight of the blue stripes painted across his body. âWhatâs all this?â
Spiderâs face lit up, and he flexed his arms to give you a better look. âYou like them? Kiri helped me with it. Itâs the same pattern as yours.â
Your heart clenched. You crouched down so he didnât have to look up at you and wrapped your hands around his wrists. âTheyâre beautiful, but⌠you know you donât need those, right? Youâre perfect as you are. Youâre Pandoran, no matter what color your skin is.â
His cheeks pinked, just a little. He lowered his eyes. âI know that. It just- it makes me feel better. Like I belong more.â
You had to try very hard not to cry. You nodded, pressing your lips into a thin line. Pulling him into a hug, you pressed your cheek into the cool glass of his mask. âWell, then, I love it. Iâm honored to have matching stripes with you.â
Spider sounded small when he responded, like a little boy. âThanks, Mom.â
Arguing from the Sullys caught both of your attention, and you simultaneously went into eavesdropping mode. Like mother, like son.
It was Jake, scolding his sons in that way heâd only picked up since the return of the Sky People. The strictness of a commander, the coldness of a marine. The fear of a man who was fighting not to lose everything he loved. You empathized with him, and you pitied him.
The tighter he tried to cling to his family, the harsher he became, the quicker heâd lose them. And not to death at the hands of humans.
He only snapped out of it when Neytiri spoke up, reminding him that Neteyam was injured. He took a breath and nodded, grunting a quiet, âDismissed.â
The family dispersed, and you were left staring at your friend. The Oloâeyktan of the Omatikaya. You werenât as close as you used to beâhadnât been in a while. Something deep in your gut told you to change that. You were sure he could use someone to talk to.
Norm, who had kindly taken to stashing your ikranâs gear after Spider took your attention, placed a hand on your shoulder. You looked up at him, still squatted at your sonâs level.
âIâm gonna put my Avatar up and unlink,â he told you. âYou coming?â
âYeah, Iâll tag along.â Standing up, you looked down at Spider. âWanna come hang with us at the lab, little bug?â
âMaybe in a bit. Iâm gonna go catch up with Kiri and them first.â
âOkay, donât stay out too late.â
âI wonât,â he called, turning on his heel and hurrying to where the Sully children had gone. You couldnât help but smile. Heâd been chasing after those kids since they were born.
Next to you, Norm winced, raising a hand to press it against his opposite shoulder. Right above the scarred bullet wound from the first war against the humans.Â
âIs yours bothering you, too?â You asked, lifting the hem of your shirt just enough to show your own scar on your stomach.
âYeah. It always gets sore when weâre out fighting. Itâs like my body remembers, itâs so weird.â
âMine does the same thing,â you laughed. âMaybe itâs a sign weâre getting too old for this shit.â
He sighed, and you wrapped your arms around each other as you walked in tandem towards the lab. âIf only.â
Spider did eventually come to the lab, tailing Loâak and Kiri, who wanted to see her motherâs Avatar. She stopped by regularly, watching Graceâs old logs or asking you for stories. She was the Sully child you were closest to, if you had to be honest. You were each otherâs sole connection to the woman.Â
Kiri looked more and more like her every day. Sometimes, when you saw her out of the corner of your eye, you thought it was Grace. It always took your breath awayâbrought you right back to weeping over her body under the Tree of Souls.
It was easier after all these years, but you still missed her every waking moment.
You chatted with the kids for a bit, worked in the lab for a few hours, and went to have dinner with Norm and Spider like you did every night. But your son was quiet, subdued, and wouldnât make eye contact. Something was bothering him. It emanated from the tense shoulders and one-word answers. So unlike his usual cheery self.
âWhatâs going on, bud?â You finally asked, worry outweighing your fear of being overbearing. âYou seem upset.â
He shook his head before youâd even finished speaking, poking at his food. âNothing, itâs nothing. Iâm fine.â
âYou know you can talk to us, right? Weâre here for you.â
âI know that, I just-â he sighed, setting his fork down. âIâm just tired. I think Iâm gonna go to bed early.â
Spider got to his feet, taking your gaze with him. Concern fluttered beneath your ribs. âOkay. Just⌠Iâm here if you need anything. I love you, Spider.â
âI love you, too. Good night.â He disappeared from the room, leaving his dinner uneaten and his mother anxious.
You pushed all the air out of your lungs and buried your face in your hands. Tears stung your eyes, threatening to fall. Normâs hand came to rest between your shoulderblades and rubbed comforting circles into your back. It was soothing, but not enough to dissuade your turmoil.
âGod, Iâm so worried about him,â you sniffled, turning to look at him. It was far from the first time heâd seen you cry. In the last fifteen years, Norm had become your best friend and confidante. He helped you through your grief, supported you in raising Spider, and stood by your side through everything.
Norm was the closest thing Spider had to a father. And he was the person you trusted most in the world, other than your son.
âHeâs gonna be alright, y/n. He is a teenage boy. They get grumpy sometimes.â
You scoffed, the sound wet and pathetic. âPlease. You know heâs not just a normal teenage boy. His life is anything but normal.â
âYes, which makes him special, but also still a teenager,â Norm assured you. When you looked away, he moved his head to catch your gaze again. âHeâs okay. And Iâm sure heâll talk to you eventually. He always does.â
âI just want him to be happy, and safe, and to feel like he belongs.â
âHe is happy, he is safe, and he does belong. This is his home. Weâre his family.â
You shook your head and wiped at your eyes. He was right, you knew that. But the stress remained. You wanted Spider to have the world. It killed you to see him upset.
The man rested his hand over yours, squeezing lightly. âEverythingâs okay. Heâs going to be okay. Just⌠give him a minute right now. Heâll talk to you when heâs ready.â
God, it annoyed you how good he was at talking you down. For a scientist, heâd sure make a killing in mental health. Not that Pandora really had therapists. The Naâvi mostly had things figured out for themselves already.
âYeah, youâre right. Youâre right,â you nodded, taking a breath. âI just worry.â
âI know. Itâs what makes you such a great mom,â he teased, offering you a sweet smile. âYou should finish your dinner. I worked hard on it.â
That made you laugh, and you picked your fork back up. âIâm sure you did.â Then, after a pause, âThank you. For⌠everything.â
âDonât thank me. Iâve got you. Always.â
You knew he meant it. And it made you feel equal parts lucky and undeserving.
Fresh from a nice, hot shower and clad in your favorite pajamas, you stopped short in the hallway when a thud came from your sonâs room. Your pulse skyrocketed in an instant. Hurrying over to his door, you just barely stopped yourself from bursting in. As worried as you were, he deserved privacy. So you settled for knocking.
âSpider?â You called through the door. âAre you okay, sweetie?â
There was no response. But a few beats later, the door opened to reveal the boy. He looked down at you with sad brown eyes. It shattered your heart.
You gave him a sad smile. âAre you ready to talk about it now?â
He nodded, chin trembling, before collapsing into your offered hug. He was taller than you now, but he still fit perfectly in your arms. He always would. You stroked his curls, somehow keeping yourself from falling apart.
âOh, my sweet boy,â you murmured. The two of you moved to his bed, sitting down next to each other. Once you were settled, you took his hand in yours. âTell me whatâs wrong.â
Spider paused. He tried to find the words, eyes angry and shimmering. You waited patiently until he eventually voiced a response.
âIt- itâs about Dad.â
Thorny vines tangled around your lungs and choked all the air out of them. Even after all this time, you could barely say his name. Miles. Heâd left you broken, alone, hopeless. Youâd pulled yourself out of the darkness, but he was the hurt you would never heal from.
Your dead fiancĂŠ was a permanent thorn under your skin. Painful, unbelonging, and impossible to ignore.
But he was also Spiderâs father. And if he needed to talk about him, you had to allow that. You loved him more than Quaritch scarred you.
âWhat about him, kiddo?â You asked, tucking a curl behind his ear. He jerked away from the motion. Your hand retracted like itâd been burned.
âWhy would you be with him?â He exclaimed, pain amplifying his voice. He got to his feet, pacing back and forth. âWhy- why have me with him? Why curse me with his DNA, with being his son?â
Spider wasnât blaming you, not really. He was just hurting and lashing out. Still, it felt like youâd been slapped across the face. Far from the first time, and most likely not the last, your heart broke for your child.
âSpiderâŚâ you breathed, desperate not to cry in front of him. But when he whirled towards you, tears sparkled on his cheeks. It crumbled the last of your reserve.
âWhy, Mom?!â The boy cried. âHe killed Aunt Grace, he almost killed you, and Norm, and Jake, and Neytiri! He was terrible! And youâre- you loved him. You were with him. You had a baby with him. Why?â
As he spoke, the words turned from angry to sorrowful. Spider buried his face in his hands. Pitiful, hiccuppy sobs squeaked out of him as his shoulders shook. Your own face was wet now, barbed wire wrapped around your throat. It was impossible to draw air into your lungs.
âOh, baby,â you wept, getting to your feet. You took the boy into your arms, and the two of you collapsed into a tearful mess on the floor.
His face buried into the crook of your neck, tears dropping onto the collar of your shirt. You stroked his hair, held him tight, soothed him as he trembled. Did everything in your power to make it all better.
âAm I⌠am I bad?â He whimpered against your throat. âBecause Iâm his, does that make me like him?â
âAbsolutely not,â you replied instantly. Pulling away, you took his face in your hands so he could meet your eyes. âYou listen to me, Spider y/l/n. You are anything but bad. You are a wonderfully kind, compassionate, good person. The best person I know. And you did that all on your own.â
He sniffled, the tears beginning to slow. You took it as a sign to continue.
âWho you came from does not dictate who you are. Thatâs a choice you get to make,â you told him. âYou are not your father. Youâre not me. You are your own person, and I couldnât love you more. Youâre perfect. Donât ever doubt that.â
Spider nodded, fell into your arms again, and you clung to each other for a long time. Until the tears dried, your breaths evened out, and your pulses were back in normal range. The worst of it had passed. The wound, torn back open, could begin to heal again.
âMom?â The teenager asked, sounding tired but much more like his usual self.
âYeah, kiddo?â
âI would like to know why you were with him. If you have an answer.â
âYeah, of course.â
You took a breath, and the two of you parted again to be face-to-face.
âYour father-â you started, then stopped when a lump instantly formed in your throat. You hated talking about him. It brought everything upâall the terrible, convoluted emotions. Swallowing, you tried again. âHe was a bad man. He made terrible, horrible choices. But in the quiet moments, when it was just us, I could see it. The good man he couldâve been. And the life we couldâve had.â
Spiderâs eyebrows furrowed, his lips pursed sympathetically.
âI desperately wanted him to make the right choice. To choose me, choose us. But he didnât,â you shook your head. âSo I didnât stay. I took you, and I fought with the Naâvi, and he died. And now here we are.â
He nodded solemnly. âDo you ever wish youâd never met him? Or never loved him?â
âNot even for a moment. Because he gave me you.â
A smile tugged at his lips. âThanks, Mom. Iâm sorry I blew up at you.â
âItâs okay, little bug. This is a talk we shouldâve had a long time ago. I just⌠I have a hard time talking about him. Iâm sorry,â you shot back. âIâm gonna be more open with you from now on. And I hope you know you can always talk to me.â
âI know,â he said, and then, âI love you.â
You smiled and pulled him into a spine-crushing hug. âI love you more.â
The two of you finished your reconciliation, bid each other good night, and parted ways. You left the room, slightly cracking the door, and allowed yourself to feel the exhaustion weighing on your bones. It dragged you down, a vortex of fatigue and sorrow. You felt vulnerableâan exposed nerve buzzing anxiously.
Norm was standing in the doorway of his room, leaning against the frame. He gestured his head back towards Spiderâs room. âI told you heâd talk to you.â
âWell, you were right,â you sighed, walking over to him. âYou always are.â
He wrapped his arms around you out of instinct, giving you an embrace you desperately needed. You pressed your cheek against his chest and let your eyes close. It took some of the weight away.
âYou know youâre allowed to miss him, right? Even with everything he did.â
âI know.â You didnât have anything else to say. You couldnât say anything else. It was too much effort.
âDo you miss him?â Norm asked, quiet and soft. Walking on eggshells.
The lie rolled off your tongue easily, even as it burned. âNo.â
Miles
His first plan of action was to take the recoms to Quaritchâs (the dead one) last known coordinates. Maybe it wasnât the right call, but his gut told him the best place to start was where heâd last encountered Jake Sully. Maybe thereâd be cluesâintel they could use to track the Naâvi insurgency down. And maybe he just wanted some closure for his death. Some hints about the missing pieces of his life.
The site of his murder didnât feel familiar like he thought it would. It was just another patch of Pandoran forest. Humid, dense, and so goddamn green. At least he didnât need a mask anymore. That thing always made him a tad claustrophobic, if he was being honest.
The destroyed mobile lab sat before him like an omen. And a few dozen feet away, his old AMP suit. The glass panel had been shattered, and even from a distance, he could see the Naâvi arrows sticking out of it. His dead, decayed body would be in there, too.Â
Miles didnât make his way over there. He couldnât work up the nerve just yet. Instead, he scanned the surrounding area and sent Lyle to do the dirty work.
âLyle, see if you can pull some data off that dash cam,â he ordered, gesturing to the rusted suit.
âThat thingâs deader than shit, Colonel.â
âSo were we,â he shot back. The Corporal sighed, but crouched down next to the AMP.
The rest of the team scoured the terrain, the lab, anything they thought might provide intel. The forest around them was quietâunnervingly so. No chitters from creatures or rustling of bushes. It made his hair stand on end, his tail twitching anxiously. He had the distinct feeling he was being watched.
But there was nothing. No ambush, no sudden arrows whizzing through the air or bullets racing toward him. Just the quiet of the forest. He sucked on his teeth and continued searching.
Then, a handful of minutes later, shouts came from the forest. Both from his soldiers and⌠others. Miles wasted no time in taking off towards the commotion.
His subordinates had detained a handful of Naâvi. Young ones, based on their sizes. Teenagersâone of them was smaller, probably not even 10. And there was a human boy, wearing one of those damn masks he hated so much. They shouted, shocked and fearful. Calling to one another in their native language.
âWhat have we here?â He mused, watching them attempt to wriggle out of the grips of the recoms.
âHey, Colonel. Check it out,â Lyle, whoâd come running right after him, spoke. He held up the hand of the teenage girl. âFour fingers. We got ourselves a half-breed.â
The warm, gratifying feeling of being right flooded through his veins. If he had to guess, there probably werenât many Avatars going around popping out kids with a Native. Heâd just found a direct connection to his target.
Miles turned to the non-human boy, gesturing to him. âShow me your fingers.â
The boy lifted his hands and showed off two blue middle fingers. He had fire, that was for sure. It made the man chuckle. âYouâre his, arenât you?â
His response was to bear his fangs and hiss, ears flat against his head. It reminded him so much of Jake that it nearly made his stomach turn.
âYouâre his, alright.â
Attempting to question the boy about his fatherâs location proved difficult. He just responded with sass. Even threatening didnât work. A knife to his throat, and he didnât budge. He was a brave kid.
So he moved on. Took the knife and held it against the teenage girl. Boy, did that get a reaction.
The little girl and the boy shouted in Naâvi, pulling against their captors.
âHey! Hey, donât touch her!â The human boy shouted, voice raw with anger and panic. Something about it made Miles pause. He turned towards him, tilting his head. When the boy spoke again, it was softer. Pleading. âDonât hurt her. Please.â
The Colonel moved in front of the human, brown eyes meeting yellow. âWhatâs your name, kid?â
The boyâs brows furrowed, but he answered. âSpiderâŚâ and then, after a pause, ây/l/n.â
His body went ice cold. The air left his lungs, his ears ringing. His son. His Little Miles, standing in front of him. All grown up.
He could see it, now that they were face-to-face. The little bits of him in the boyâs features. But mostly you. God, he looked so much like you. Down to the way he was glaring up at the man.
Miles took a knee to be eye-level with him. âMiles?â
The teenâs face darkened, his lips pursed. âNobody calls me that.â
Right. Of course. He was the bad guy. You wouldnât curse him to live with the name of his horrible father. If you were still around, that is.
âWell, Iâll be damnedâŚâ he breathed. âWhereâs your mom?â
The question came out of its own accord. A subconscious slip he couldnât take back. He didnât think he wanted to. He needed to know where you were. If you were alive, if you were hereâŚ
That could change everything.
But Spider didnât answer. His expression was like stone, expressionless and closed off. His eyes burned with hatred. Maybe some recognition. Had he been able to parse out who Miles was to him?
It didnât matter. He wasnât going to answer. He was stubborn, just like you. And the Colonel couldnât stay there twiddling his thumbs.
He got back to his feet and tried to remember how to breathe. A rock had lodged itself in his ribcage, sharp against his pounding heart. He had Sullyâs kids, and he had his dead selfâs son. High-value prisoners. There was no way he could let them go.
He radioed General Ardmore and requested extraction.
They shuttled the kids back to the clearing where the lab was. Itâd be easier to be found there, and Lyle had managed to pull the footage from his AMP suit.
The video of his death was short, sweet, and to the point. Fighting Jake, incapacitating him, and receiving two poison arrows from his woman. The camera focused on her snarling face, and then it was a blur as he fell back and succumbed to his death. His final choked breaths rang out from the device.
A shiver ran down his spine. He felt cold all over.
âThatâs the end, butâŚâ Lyle spoke from over his shoulder. He pressed a button on the screen, and the video sped forward to an hour or so later, âI thought you should probably see this, too.â
The footage started up again, just a capture of the sky above. But a moment later, there were footsteps. Then you appeared on screen. Just how he remembered youâbeautiful, angelic. Your face was streaked with tears. He could see it even behind the mask, through the staticky video.
His chest squeezed painfully. A longing heâd never felt in his life fell over him. Though his memories told him heâd only seen you days ago, his heart knew the truth. Itâd been years, decades. But here you were, standing over his freshly deceased body.
âYou son of a bitch⌠Was it worth it? Seeing your mission through, throwing everything away to see it to the end. Did you get what you wanted?â
There was that ringing in his ears again. The hollowness in his chest. As if his insides had been torn out and replaced with sand. He felt heavy and weightless all at once.
âYou ruined my life. I hate you. I hate you for- for making me love you, for making me plan my life with you and then fucking- tossing it aside like it was nothing! And I hate you for leaving me. I hate that I have to mourn you now.â
Miles watched you weep over his body. Watched you press your hands against your mask, covering your face as your shoulders shook. The grief came off of you in devastating waves. Anger and misery molding together into something even more terrible. It made him feel sick. It made him want to burn the whole world down to get to you.
âYou took everything from me. Over and over again. And I still always loved you. Maybe I always will.â
The footage crackled as you went silent. The burden of your final words pressed down on the man. He couldnât breathe. He couldnât think. He was sure this must have been how it felt to die.
You stepped away from the AMP suit, but then paused. You turned back towards him. There was a quiet tinkling as you reached down and ripped the dog tags from his neck. They hid in your closed fist, pressed right against your sternum. A memento to keep him with you.
Maybe that meant⌠there was a chance. Maybe this wasnât the end of your story.
âGoodbye, Miles.â
You disappeared, leaving him behind. Closing the door. But maybe not for good.
âYeah, thereâs nothing after that,â Lyle murmured. He took the holopad from Milesâ hand and tucked it away.
The Colonel looked down at his past self. A skeleton in a metal suit. A man whoâd failed and died for it. A man he could learn from. A man he no longer was.
The skull was small in his handâpitiful. All it took was a small squeeze, and it crumbled beneath his fingers. Bone turned to ash. He felt nothing but resentment as it fell to the forest floor. His own farewell to the deceased human.
Above him, the sky rumbled angrily, and it began to rain.
Things descended into chaos faster than he could comprehend. The eclipse had made its daily appearance, casting the world into darkness. The soldiers held the children in place as they waited patiently for their extraction. The soft patter of raindrops on leaves kept them from complete, overwhelming silence. Miles paced, antsy and impatient.
Ardmore was sure taking her sweet time.
And then, out of nowhere, an arrow sank into Fikeâs skull. The kids immediately sprang into action. Sinking sharp fangs into forearms, setting off a smoke grenade, and running into the forest. They were under attack.
It was a blur. Soldiers died, children were chased, and Jake and his wife prowled the forest. Miles battled the fear that clutched him. The knowledge that his murderer was only feet away, capable of doing it again. Part of him wanted to just hide until it was all over.
But he was a soldier. He had a mission, and he had a son he needed to get back.
He raced through the forest until he found Spider. Unconscious on the forest floor, covered in mud. Heâd fallen from the tree above, most likely. But more important than that, he wasnât alone. A woman, an Avatar, crouched over the boy and held his shoulders.
She looked up as Miles approached, instantly hissing and baring her fangs. Her body was a shield for the boyâââkeeping him protected and out of reach. The man reached for the gun hanging across his chest, but stopped. Realization oozed through him like poison. It was you.
Older, angrier, but you nonetheless. He knew your Avatar too well to doubt it. His entire being went numb. He couldnât move.
Horrified realization filled your face at the same time. You recognized him even in this body. Even after so many years. It made him feel so many things at once that he got dizzy.
The two of you stared at each other, unmoving. Clueless about what to do. Too in shock to think.
Lyle came from behind you then, the butt of his gun raised. Miles shouted âNo!â a moment too late. The rifle hit the back of your head and knocked you out. You went limp, collapsing on top of your son. The man raced over instantly, the spell broken.
Finally, the light of the ship shone on them from above. Their transport had arrived.
âGrab her,â he commanded. âGently. Weâre taking âem with us.â
Lyle scooped your Avatar into his arms, and Miles took Spider himself. They got out of there fast. There was no time to hesitate or second-guess. Not that there was much to think about if he was honest. His family had been dropped into his lap.
He was taking you with him, and he would find a way to fix things.
Itâs honestly one of the best fic series Iâve ever read, the accuracy of your character description is fantastic. Iâm so happy that Iâve finally found a human!quaritch series.
I cannot wait to see what Act 2 brings to the characters and how/if the overcome everything that happened in Act 1đŤśđ˝đŤśđ˝đŤśđ˝
this is so nice i have tears in my eyes đ thank you so much!! i have so much passion for this fic and it means so much to know im not the only one.
the next chapter is in the works right now! i hope to get it out in the next few days, but until then please enjoy this little sneak peek :)
Revenge. That was something Miles could get behind.
He needed to focus on that. He couldnât think about you, or Miles, or whatever happened between his memories being uploaded and his death. He couldnât wonder where you were now or if you were even alive. He couldnât do any of it. It would destroy him.
So he slipped back into his old skin. The skin of a soldier, a Colonel. He took his soldiers in new bodies and began his assignment. To find and kill Jake Sully.
omg PLEASE don't ever stop posting fickle fate & cruel coincidence, I love it smmmm your such a good writerrr
AHHHH stop this is so sweet tysm đ i honestly am so excited about all the love my writing is getting :) iâve been working on this project on and off for three years and it honestly never leaves my thoughts 𫶠i am so pumped to write more and share it with you all! thank you to everyone whoâs shown me support in my unhealthy obsession over the evil blue man đ
fickle fate & cruel coincidence â miles quaritch x f!reader [7]
archive of our own
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act 1, chapter 7
summary: the battle against the sky people takes place, and you fight with all the fury and grief you have. itâs all been leading to this. you just hope you make it out alive.
pairings: miles quaritch x reader, jake sully x neytiri te tskaha moâatâite
tags: angst, canon divergence, female reader, relationship, canon typical violence, baby spider (aka miles), avatar 1 timeline, fighting, breakups, war, betrayal, major character death
word count: 6.3k
A/N: HI GUYS sorry iâm getting this out so late my life was so busy for the last little while đ but here we are. the end of avatar 1 and the finale for act 1. i hope yall are ready!! next, weâll be moving to the way of water :)
Two Years, Six Months
You
Shit had officially hit the fan. The war began with a brutal RDA attack on the Tree of Voices. You and Grace had only just entered Hometree when the panic started. Your chance to warn them, to prepare, vanished before your eyes. Miles hadnât wasted any time in showing his true colors.
The Oloâeyktan and Tsahik were rallying their Warriorsâled by Tsuâteyâto return fire on the humans. You could only stand and watch everything unfold. Grace, however, pushed through the crowd and attempted to tame the need for revenge.Â
âStop, please!â She called, speaking in their Mother tongue. âThis will only make it worse.âÂ
âYou do not speak here!â Tsuâtey responded in English, anger painting his features. He switched to Naâvi, addressing the waiting Warriors. âWe will strike them in the heart!âÂ
Grace turned towards you, a look of fear on her face. She caught sight of something behind you, eyes widening, and you turned. Jake and Neytiri were approaching the crowd, hand in hand. Your stomach tightened as you watched them. Whatever was about to happen was not going to be good.Â
âTsuâtey!â Jake called over the war cries, earning the leaderâs attention. âDonât do this!âÂ
Tsuâtey stomped towards the two, somehow looking even angrier than before. âYou!â
âListen, Brother,â Jake began, stepping towards the Naâvi with open hands.Â
Tsuâtey shouted before your friend could get any closer, shoving him back. Neytiri was quick to step in, yelling a warning at Tsuâtey as she moved between him and Jake. She held her hands up, keeping him from moving any closer. The Warrior barely spared her a glance, all of his anger and attention on Jake.Â
âYou mated with this woman?â Tsuâtey accused, gesturing to Neytiri. Shocked murmurs rippled through the crowd.Â
You felt yourself jolt. Jake and Neytiri, mated? What fantastic news in such terrible timing.Â
âOh, shit,â Grace breathed next to you, just as surprised as everyone else. Apparently, she hadnât been privy to Jakeâs internal turmoil.Â
Moâat stepped into the tense circle, giving her daughter a stern look. Her words came out slow and strong, the intensity of the situation mirrored in her voice. âIs this true?âÂ
Part of you wanted to step in, but you knew it wasnât your place. This was between Jake, Neytiri, Tsuâtey, and the clan leaders. The best thing you could do now was to keep your mouth shut and watch. You had to put your faith in your friend. That he would do the right thingâchoose the right path.Â
With your heart still aching from Milesâ wrong choice, you were desperate for someone to do the opposite.Â
Neytiri responded quickly, firm in her decision. She met both her parentsâ eyes as she spoke. âWe are mated before Eywa. It is done.âÂ
You couldnât help but smile. Just as youâd thought, the affection didnât go one way. Neytiri was just as charmed by Jake as he was by her. It made you unbelievably happy.Â
Tsuâtey turned his head and backed away. You felt your heart ache for him, even as you were happy for your friend.Â
âBrother, please,â Jake tried again, attempting to reason with Tsuâtey. âDo not attack the Sky People. Many Omatikaya will die if you do.âÂ
âYou are not my brother!â Tsuâtey shouted. He unsheathed his blade and lunged.Â
Many of the People shouted at them, Neytiri the loudest of all. Her Father grabbed her and pulled her aside, next to where you and Grace stood. Jake dodged Tsu'teyâs attack and reached for his own blade, only to throw it to the ground. He would not fight.Â
âI am not your enemy!â He called to the Warrior, holding his hands up in surrender. âThe enemy is out there, and they are very powerful!âÂ
Jakeâs face was etched with desperation. He begged Tsuâtey to hear him out. âI can talk to them.âÂ
Tsuâteyâs mind was made up. He didnât hesitate to lunge again, yelling an angry: âNo more talking!â
This time, Jake didnât dodge. He threw a fist at Tsuâtey, disarming him and shoving him away. Tsuâtey stumbled, just barely catching himself before he fell. He turned back towards the Avatar pilot, wiping blood off his lip.Â
âI am Omatikaya. I am one of you,â Jake addressed the whole clan now, his eyes scanning the crowd. âAnd I have the right to speak.âÂ
Tsuâtey gave him a sharp look, but didnât voice another complaint. Everyone fell silent.Â
âI have something to say,â he continued in Naâvi, letting out a heavy sigh. âTo all of you.â Then, in English, âThe words are like stones in my heart.âÂ
Terrible realization washed over you. Jake was going to come cleanâexplain his original purpose here. He was going to lay it all bare, even with the risks. He could lose everything. He could lose his life. And still, you could see it. He would tell the truth.Â
Before he could continue, Grace fell limp next to you. You gasped, dropping to your knees to catch her. You called her name, but saw no sign of movement. Cold dread clutched your heart.
No. The link had been severed. It had to be Miles. Any second now, you and Jake would be pulled out. Everything would be lost.Â
You looked up, meeting your friendâs eyes. He shared the same panic you could feel in your chest. He mouthed something, but you couldnât tell what it was. You didnât have the chance to ask, either, before everything went black.Â
When you opened your eyes again, you were back in your link pod. Luckily, youâd decided to go back out to the lab today. After your fight with Miles, you wanted to get some distance. Now he was here, pulling the plug on your teamâs links. You pushed the pod open, catching sight of Norm being held back by soldiers.Â
To your right, Miles was standing by Jakeâs pod as he, too, was yanked out of his Avatar. He slammed the lid open, looking at your fiancĂŠ with wild eyes.Â
âAre you out of your Goddamn mind?!â He exclaimed, breathless.Â
âYou crossed the line,â Milesâ calm voice responded before he threw a swift punch, knocking Jake back.Â
âMiles!â You shouted, getting to your feet. He turned to you, raising an eyebrow.Â
âJake! What the hell is going on?â Grace called from behind you, but you hardly heard it.Â
You were angry. So angry that your hands were shaking. You knew a good chunk of the anger was probably stemming from the pain you were in right now, but it was there nonetheless. You marched over to Miles, shoving your hands into his chest.Â
âWhat the fuck is your problem?â You yelled, fiery eyes looking up at him. âWhat do you think youâre doing?âÂ
For a moment, you saw what mightâve been guilt flash through his eyes. It was gone in a flash, leaving only apathy. That was right. Heâd made his choiceâthe mission over you.Â
âGet this bunch handcuffed. Weâre going back to base,â he called to his soldiers, looking past you. He moved over to Lyle, whispered something in his ear, and then he was gone.Â
***
Nobody told you what was going on until you were back on base. Your team was taken to the central hub the RDA worked out of, where Parker Selfridge himself was waiting. Only then were you given any explanation about what was happening, as Miles pulled up the footage of Jake smashing the cameras on a piece of their equipment. As you watched the video, you couldnât help but feel proud. Jake had made the right choice, and heâd caused Miles trouble.Â
Maybe it was immature, but you really enjoyed that Miles was dealing with kinks in his plan.Â
âYou let me down, son,â Miles spoke to Jake, that sickening condescension on his face. âWhat, you got some local tail and forgot which team youâre playing for?âÂ
âMiles,â you warned. Your blood was boiling under your skin. Neytiri was a friendâJake was a friend. You wouldnât let him talk about them that way.Â
Grace turned her attention to Selfridge, taking on the role of mediator as she attempted to talk him down from the assault. âParker, listen. There may still be time to-â
âShut your pie hole!â Miles interrupted her, stepping towards your friend. Instinctively, you moved between them. Though your relationship with your ex-fiance was going up in flames, you had the sneaking suspicion he wouldnât hurt a hair on your head. However, you couldnât say the same for Grace.Â
The Colonel looked down at you, disbelief on his face. He wasnât used to being so openly disobeyed or, in his eyes, betrayed. His jaw clenched as he glared down at you, but he didnât make a move to get you out of the way. Just as youâd thought.Â
âOr what, Ranger Rick?â Grace challenged, voice thick with anger. She wasnât scared of him, and she wouldnât bend to his attempts at subduing her. âYou gonna shoot me?âÂ
His lips ticked up as he tilted his head. âI could do that.âÂ
The redhead just scoffed, rolling her eyes as she looked back at Parker. âYou need to muzzle your dog.âÂ
Parker was rubbing his temples, looking like this whole situation was just too much for him. âOkay, can we just take this down a couple of notches, please?â
âYou want to keep your people alive?â Jake asked, looking between Parker and Miles. âStart by listening to her,â he gestured to Grace, urging her to continue.Â
âThis is bad, Parker,â she explained. âThose trees were sacred to the Omatikaya in a way you canât imagine.â
Selfridge chuckled, a sound of irritation and disbelief. âYou know that? You throw a stick in the air around here, and it lands on some sacred fern!âÂ
âSheâs not talking about some pagan voodoo here,â you butted in. âThis is something real. Measurable in the biology of the forest.âÂ
He let out a deep sigh, a vein in his forehead bulging. âWhich is what exactly?âÂ
You looked to Grace, giving her a nod to go on. Sheâd be able to put it into words better than you ever could. She took a breath and then spoke. âWhat we think we know is that there's some kind of⌠electrochemical communication between the roots of the trees. Like the synapses between neurons. Each tree has ten to the fourth connections to the trees around it, and there are ten to the twelfth trees on Pandora-â
âWhich is a lot, Iâm guessing,â Parker deadpanned. He didnât seem very interested in all the science talk.Â
âThat's more connections than the human brain. You get it?â Grace explained, her eyes taking on that familiar sparkle they had when she was inspired. Just like you, sheâd fallen deeply in love with this planet. âIt's a network, a global network. And the Na'vi can access it. They can upload and download dataâmemoriesâat sites like the one you destroyed.â
Parker let out a laugh, an almost nervous thing. âWhat the hell have you people been smoking out there? Theyâre just Goddamn trees!âÂ
You stepped back into the conversation, your anger growing stronger by the second. âYouâre not listening to her! You need to realize what youâve just done. You need to understand whatâs at risk, and understand these people.âÂ
âOh, I think we understand them just fine, thanks to Jake here,â Miles spoke, gesturing once again to the holoscreen youâd watched Jakeâs attack on.Â
The footage was now replaced with a freeze frame of one of Jakeâs video logs. A moment later, the video began to play.Â
âTheyâre not gonna give up their home. Theyâre not gonna make a deal. For what?â The Jake in the video chuckled humorlessly, shaking his head. âLite beer and blue jeans? No. We have nothing that they want.â You and Grace shared a look of dread, one that you saw mirrored on the real Jakeâs face. His recording continued once more, the final nail in the coffin. âTheyâre never gonna leave Hometree.âÂ
The video stopped, leaving your group in a tense silence. The truth was out there nowâthere was nothing more you could say. Any arguments were pointless. You were quickly figuring out that they always had been, though. Youâd just convinced yourself otherwise because you were in love.Â
âSince a deal canât be made, it gets real simple,â Miles spoke, his voice turning icy as he looked at Jake. âSo thanks. Iâm getting all emotional. Might just give you a big kiss.âÂ
âWe can talk this out. Weâre all rational,â you all-but begged, holding back the âmost of usâ you wanted to add. Being this close to Miles, this angry at him, it burned. You couldnât believe how quickly everything had turned upside down.Â
Unfortunately for you, the rationality had left the building. They werenât listening anymore. Theyâd made up their minds. Parker was putting a stop to the Avatar program, and the RDA was moving forward with their plans. Miles was getting everything he wanted.
You and your team were escorted out of the room. You could feel his eyes on you as you left, but you didnât give him the courtesy of meeting his gaze. Heâd ruined everything. You wouldnât do anything to make him feel better about it. Even something as simple as looking at him.
***
Parker was going to let Miles attack Hometree. But, miracle of all miracles, Jake managed to get another chance to talk them into leaving. He and Grace were going back in, and you had every intention of going with them. As soon as you found someone you could leave Little Miles with.
You scooped the baby into your arms, cooing in response to his baby babbles. He curled up against you, ready for whatever adventure the two of you were going on. His hand grabbed a fistful of your shirt and held tight.
âAlright,â you breathed, kissing the top of his head. âLetâs see who wants to spend some time with you today while Mama tries to stop a war.â
His response was more nonsensical talk. You decided it meant that he supported your plan. You raised his little arm and high-fived him with your free hand. The baby squealed in delight, and you couldnât help but smile. What a good little buddy he was.
You left your room after thatâcorrection: tried to leave your room. The moment the door slid open, you were met with the broad chest of one Lyle Wainfleet. He stood squarely in the doorway, blocking your exit. You looked up at him, incredulous.
âLyle? What the fuck are you doing?â
At least he had the good sense to look apologetic. âSorry, y/n. Itâs nothing personal, just⌠Colonelâs orders.â
Your stomach twisted into knots. You narrowed your eyes, dread freezing your veins. âWhatâs Colonelâs orders?â
He sighed, long and deep. âYou know I canât let you leave. The Colonel canât have you out there when things go south.â
âWhen things go south? What happened to giving Jake another shot?â You exclaimed. Little Miles started to squirm in your arms, hiccupping unhappily. Heâd always been very in tune with your emotions. You took a steadying breath, soothing the boy with a back rub. âLyle, get the hell out of my way and let me leave.â
âNo can do. We both know how this is gonna end, and Iâm not allowed to let you be a part of it,â he explained. The regret had vanished from his face, replaced with cool determination. You wanted to hit him as hard as you possibly could. âStep back into the room, please. I donât want to have to use force.â
Your blood boiled under your skin. You grit your teeth so hard you worried they might crack. It barely registered with you. âIâm not fucking staying in this room.â
Lyleâs gaze flitted to your son, and the anger snapped into fear in an instant. As dedicated as you were to this, there was one thing in this world that would always come first. Lyleâand Milesâknew he was your only weakness. And at this point, you couldnât be sure they wouldnât stoop so low. It was a sickening revelation.
âGet in the room, y/n,â he said again, a double-meaning laced in his voice. Hatred curdled your stomach. You hoped it showed in your eyes as you glared at him.
You took a step backâyou had no other choice. But you didnât break eye contact until the door had completely separated the two of you. He didnât react, not until the very end, when he thought heâd be out of sight. It told you enough. Lyle knew heâd gone too far.
A sickening crunch sounded from the other side of the door. Your heart shattered with it. He was breaking the access panel outsideâhe was locking you in. Trapping you like an animal in a cage.
âNo!â You cried, slamming a fist against the door. Miles immediately began to wail in your arms. Youâd scared him, or maybe he just hated seeing you upset. âNo, no, no, no.â
Your eyes stung as you sank to your knees. You had never felt this devastated in your life. Everything you thought you knew, everything you cared about, was burning up right before you. You couldnât do anything but sit here and watch.
All because youâd fallen in love.
âShh, itâs okay,â you murmured to the crying baby, sounding just as upset as he was. You stroked a hand through his curls. âItâs okay, baby. Youâre okay. Mamaâs here. Weâre gonna- weâll be alright.â
He slowly started to quiet, the sobs turning into hiccups as you rocked him. You wished your tears showed the same signs of stopping. But it seemed the pain weighing you down only had one outlet. At least there was no one there to see it.
âWeâre gonna be okay,â you spoke again, more to yourself than your son. You didnât know how, but you would be. Youâd come this farâyou werenât going to give up now.
There was at least one thing to fight for, to keep safe. Youâd do whatever it took. You were done being afraid.
Time stopped having meaning three hours into your captivity. At this point, you werenât sure if it was still day anymore. Little Miles had fallen asleep not long ago and snoozed peacefully in the other room. You, on the other hand, were wide awake. Fighting to find a way out.
The door wouldnât open from the inside due to Lyleâs damage. Youâd tried breaking it, prying it open, and even considered arson at one point. Still, no dice. Whatever heâd done was foolproof.
You thought about squeezing through the air vent, but there was no way you could take your baby up there. And since you couldnât leave him in here alone⌠you were back to square one. Good thing it wasnât infuriating. Itâs not like there was a war going on or anything.
The only option you had left was trying to hack into the door. But you were not a fucking hacker. You were a scientist! Sure, you knew how to use the holopads for your research, but that was pretty much it. This was way out of your wheelhouse.Â
You could only hope that somehow you were blessed with the skills to escape. You couldnât sit here and twiddle your thumbs.
The third hairpin in a row snapped in half as you pressed it into the control panel. Crying out in frustration, you threw it across the room and buried your face in your hands. Your body shook with fury. Fury, hopelessness, anguish. How many times were you going to stand by and watch your life crumble beneath your feet?
You hated Miles. You hated him so much that it was burning you alive.
But then you heard it. Small, muffled, fleeting, but there. Voices on the other side of the door. Coming closer with each passing second. It was a chance.
âHey!â You called, getting to your feet. Your hands pounded on the door, flesh against metal. âHey, Iâm in here! Help! I canât get out!â
âY/n?â One of the voices called, too far for you to discern its owner. You were breathless, desperate to be released from this damn room.
âY/n? Is that you in there?â Grace asked, now right on the other side of the door. You nearly collapsed in relief as tears welled in your eyes. Thank God.
âYes. Yeah, Iâm- the doorâs broken. Iâm locked in,â you rasped. âThat asshole trapped me in here.â
Jakeâs voice came next, like music to your ears. âCan you open it?âÂ
âIâll try,â Max responded, followed by the sounds of tinkering. You pressed your palms flat against the door.
âWeâre gonna get you out, y/n, just hold on!â Norm called. Heâd always been so sweet. They were just words, but somehow you believed them. The ball of anguish began to untangle in your chest.
âLetâs hurry it up, guys. Weâre out in the open here.â
That was Trudy. Surely the leader of this rescue missionâand the most capable. All of your friends were here. Fighting to get you out, fighting for what was right. And most importantly, not leaving you behind.
You hadnât realized how abandoned youâd felt until they reminded you that you werenât. A hiccup-sob left your throat.
Your son began to cry in the other room, bringing you back to Earth with a hard smack. You gasped, pulled away from the door, and ran into his room. He was squirming in his crib, the right side of his hair flat against his face. Adorable as always. You gathered him in your arms and rushed back to your chance of escape.
âGood morning, sweetheart. Youâve got great timing,â you murmured to him, pressing a kiss to one of his tiny little hands. âWeâre getting out of here.â
As if the universe were listening, and finally cutting you a break, the door slid open. You came face-to-face with your friends and couldnât help but smile. Even if everything was terrible, at least you werenât going through it alone anymore.
âCome on, we gotta go. Someoneâs gonna realize youâre gone at some point,â Trudy ordered, gesturing down the hall with her head.Â
âWait, whatâs going on?â You asked. âWhat happened to you guys talking them into leaving Hometree?â
Jake and Grace shared matching expressions of devastation. Your heart shriveled in your chest. No.
âHometree was destroyed. The Naâvi fled, and Selfridge pulled the plug,â Grace told you. âThey had us locked up until Trudy and Max got us out.â
âIâm so sorry,â you said, because you were. Grief and anger flooded your nervous system. Anger at what Miles had done. Anger that you hadnât been there. Grief over the lives, the homes, the culture that was lost now.
It filled you with so much sorrow that you could hardly breathe.
âItâs okay,â Jake responded with the hardened voice of an army man. âWeâre gonna fix it.â
You smiled. That was more like it. âLetâs go, then.â
Your group made your way to the hangar, going as stealthily as possible. Miles was the most well-behaved little boy in the world; he didnât even make a peep. You couldnât have asked for a better partner in crime. But as you approached the door to your escape, you paused. There was no way you could take him with you.
Lucky for you, you werenât the only one to hesitate.
Jake stopped and grabbed Maxâs shoulder as the others hurried to the ship. When the scientist looked down at him, he spoke. âStay here. I need somebody on the inside I can trust.â
Max nodded, taking on his new task with grace. Then he glanced at you and Miles. âIâll take him. Iâll keep him safe.â
You couldâve cried. You passed your son over to your friend and kissed the top of his little head. He looked at you, eyes big and brown, and gave you a gummy smile. You knew he didnât understand what was happening, but you felt like he was cheering you on. Giving you permission to go and fight.
âI love you, Miles,â you whispered, cupping his cheeks. âIâll be back soon.â
He babbled in response. You smiled, stepped back, and turned to your friend in the wheelchair. Gesturing to the gun in his lapâwho knows where he got it fromâyou immediately held it out to Max after Jake handed it over.
âTake this,â you told him. âIf Quaritch comes for Miles, or sends anyone for him, you use it. You donât hesitate. Understand?â
He paled just a little, but he nodded. He tucked the gun away and held tighter to Miles. âI wonât let you down.â
âThank you.â
âYou ready to go?â Jake asked.
âYeah,â you breathed. âLetâs go.â
The escape occurred with little disruption. Quaritch caught wind of your plan and attempted to stop it in his usual way: with a spray of bullets. It made you feel sickâhe was shooting at your friends with the intention of killing them. You had no idea whether he knew if you were in there, and you werenât sure which option was worse. It only reinforced what youâd already come to realize.
The man you loved didnât exist anymore.
Excited whoops filled the ship as you flew off into the night. You even found yourself giving a little smile. Just an hour ago, youâd felt completely hopeless. But youâd gotten out, youâd found your friends, and you were going to help make things right. A mountain of pressure had lifted from your chest.
âShitâŚâ Grace hissed next to you, drawing your attention. Her hand, currently pressed to her stomach, pulled away to reveal dark red blood seeping through her shirt. It stained her hand, taunting, punishing. âThis is gonna ruin my whole day.â
Your insides turned icy. Bile rose in your throat. Quaritch had shot your best friend.
âGrace is hit!â Jake shouted to Norm and Trudy, who immediately responded in panicked shouts. He placed a hand on her knee as you took her bloody fingers and intertwined them with your own. âHang on, Grace. Weâll get you help.â
âItâs gonna be okay,â you promised, though you very well knew you couldnât guarantee that. Her face told you that she knew it too. But she didnât respond, instead letting you sit in your denial.
The next several events happened in a blur. You and Jake entered your Avatars while Norm stayed with Grace and Trudy. You woke up at the Tree of Souls, a beautiful place youâd never had the chance to see, filled to the brim with grieving Naâvi. It warmed your heart to know that theyâd taken your unconscious body with them, even as they felt betrayed by you and your colleagues.Â
Jake arrived not long after, riding the beast they called Toruk. The People cried out in fear and awe as he approached.
He had proven himself with this feat. He had won back the trust of the Naâvi, as well as his mate. With this, you were able to ask for their help in saving Grace.
It was a simple procedure, but you could barely wrap your head around it. They were going to enlist the help of Eywa and attempt to transfer Graceâs consciousness into her Avatar body. Permanently.
It was going to work. It had to work.
Jake carried Grace to the base of the tree, murmuring to her as he went. He laid her down opposite her Avatar and stepped back. Then it was Moâatâs turn to take over.
You knelt next to Grace and took her hand into your large blue ones. She looked up at you, pale and tired, and managed a smile. âSticking with me until the end?â
âThis isnât the end,â you spoke immediately, tears streaking down your cheeks. You sniffled and tried again. âBut yes. Youâre never getting rid of me.â
Her smile grew, somehow. âI love you, y/n.â
You squeezed her hands softly. âIâll see you on the other side.â
Graceâs eyes slipped closed, never to be opened again. You kept your hold on her, steadfast and constant. Until the end.
It felt like an eternity had passed when Moâatâs chanting finally slowed. As she quieted, so did the rest of the clan. Neytiri, sat next to you with a hand on your shoulder, leaned forward. You followed suit. The silence was crushing.
Then Graceâhuman Graceâgasped, her eyes flitting open. She looked up at you, at Jake, your names falling from her lips. He crouches next to you and takes her other hand.
âIâm with her,â she whispered, awe thrumming in her words. âSheâs real.â
You opened your mouth to respond, to ask whatâs happening, when Grace went limp. Her eyes closed again as the vines entangling her body dimmed. Immediately, you looked to her Avatar. Waiting for movement. Waiting for your friend.
The Avatar lay still. The vines around that body began to dim as well.
âWha-â you looked up at Moâat, wordlessly asking for answers.Â
The Tsahikâs expression bore sorrow, regret. Cold, dark tar filled your lungs. No. No, please, no. Not Grace. Donât take her.
âHer wounds were too great. There was not enough time,â she explained. The words felt like a death sentence. âShe is with Eywa now.â
Wails attempted to surge from your chest, crushing your lungs, but you stayed silent. You curled in on yourself, pressing your forehead to Graceâs cold, lifeless hand. Your breaths were shuddering, the tears coming faster than you could comprehend them. Neytiriâs hand, which had been rubbing your back, slipped away. You were left alone.
Quaritch had killed your best friend.
You didnât move. Not when Jake asked Tsuâtey for the chance to speak, not when he called for the clanâs support. Not when he declared war on the Sky People. You stayed put and cried over Graceâs body.
A hand curled over your shoulder, finally forcing you to look up. Moâat looked down at you, sympathy in her bright eyes. When she spoke, the words rang into your very soul. You could feel the power of Eywa behind every syllable.
âShe is at peace, child,â she told you. âTake comfort in that knowledge and fight. Fight for her.â
It lit a fire inside of you. The pain, the sadness, the fear, all melded into one. Anger. Determination. Action.
You needed to do something, and you needed to do it now.
Meeting Moâatâs gaze once again, you wiped the tears from your face. âThank you.â
The call to battle came, and you did not shy from it. You had someone to avenge, after all. Jake and Neytiri flew their ikrans, and you took a direhorse with Norm. The gun felt foreign in your hands, too cold and jagged and unforgiving. Though you supposed it fit.
You felt quite cold and jagged and unforgiving yourself.
It was terrifying and exhilarating. The feeling of the beast under you, her breath matching your own, carrying you through the forest. You killed soldiersâtook lives with your own hands. And every time it started to get to you, every time you nearly collapsed with remorse, you remembered. You remembered Grace, Neytiriâs father, the countless others whoâd been killed.
You remembered your son, waiting for you to come home to him.
Then it suddenly became easy again.
Fury was driving you. Pain. All you could see was red, and you had no intention of changing that.
When a bullet whizzed through Normâs left shoulder, knocking him off his direhorse and into the dirt, you barely flinched. When another pierced your stomach, it only made you angry. You fell to the ground a few feet from your friend, and everything went dark.
It was only when you woke up in your pod, still feeling the ache in your gut, that you came back to yourself. And the sorrow returned.
You climbed out of your pod to find Norm on the ground in front of his, hyperventilating. His hand shook above the spot heâd been shot in. He didnât even glance in your direction, as if he had no idea you were there.
âNorm?â You asked. Moving to crouch in front of him, you took his hands. âNorm, hey, look at me. Itâs okay. Youâre okay. Look at me.â
His eyes managed to reach yours, frantic and wide. You brushed your thumbs over the backs of his hands. âYouâre okay, youâre alright. Come on, breathe. Breathe with me.â
You began to take deep, even breaths and encouraged him to follow. He did, shakily at first, then slower and slowerâuntil you were breathing in sync. Smiling warmly, you gave him a nod. âThere we go.â
Norm was stable now. Past the fear that had clutched him so tightly. He looked at you again, and his brows furrowed. âYouâre crying,â he murmured, one of his thumbs coming up to swipe across your cheek. It came away wet.
It sent a jolt through you. You hadnât even realized. Quickly wiping the tears away, you shook your head. âIâm okay,â you told him, and then, âweâre okay.â
He smiled. Weakly, but a smile nonetheless. After a beat, he spoke again. âWe have to keep fighting.â
âYou donât have to,â you assured him. âYou can stay here. Youâve done your part.â
âNo,â he shook his head. âI havenât done enough. And I canât abandon them. Not until itâs over.â
That made you smile. Heâd grown so much from the timid scientist youâd once met. You got to your feet and offered him your hand. âAlright, then. Letâs go.â
The two of you geared up with guns and masks and all the ammo you could carry. You stepped out into the Pandoran forests not as your Avatarsâsomething that could die while you livedâbut in your very mortal, very killable human bodies. You went out, and you continued to fight.
***
The battle ended. Eywa heard Jakeâs plea for help, and she listened. The Sky People had been overpowered. The Naâvi had won. The violence was finally, blissfully over.
Now you could try to put your life back together.
You and Norm returned to the base, high on adrenaline, only to find carnage. A dead Thanator, Jakeâs Avatar lying limp and lifeless, the lab smashed open, glass and metal littering the ground, andâ
And Colonel Miles Quaritch, dead inside his mechanical suit. Two of Neytiriâs arrows were buried in his chest.
Your feet stumbled to a halt under you, completely of their own volition. Every bit of air left your lungs. The mask- was your mask working? Could you breathe? Was there a leak, and toxic air was filling your chest?
Were you moments from a death of your own?
âY/n, Iâm so sorryâŚâ Norm said, muffled and faraway. His hand rested on your shoulder, squeezing lightly.
âGo check on Jake. Make sure heâs okay.â Was that your voice?Â
âAre you-â he began, stopped, and tried again, âdo you need any-â
âPlease go check on Jake, Norm,â you sobbed, the words ripped from your throat. âI need- I need you to go.â
He stepped back, understanding on his face that you probably didnât deserve. âOkay. Iâll just be in the lab if you need me.â
You didnât respond. You didnât watch him go to the destroyed facility. You didnât take your eyes off the corpse of your fiancĂŠ. His glassy eyes pointed towards the sky, face frozen in pain. Your body felt hot and cold at the same time.
One wobbly step at a time, you walked up to him. Leaned over the side of the suit. Looked at his face for a long, long time. Waited for your body to remember how to function.
You thought you might throw up. But you felt far too empty for anything to actually come out.
Minutes or hours later, you finally found the strength to speak.
âYou son of a bitch,â you wept, rage and agony and loss coursing through you so viscerally that you were shaking. âWas it worth it? Seeing your mission through, throwing everything away to see it to the end. Did you get what you wanted?â
He didnât answer, of course. The only response was the sounds of the forest. It just served to make you angrier.
âYou ruined my life. I hate you. I hate you for- for making me love you, for making me plan my life with you and then fucking- tossing it aside like it was nothing!â Your mask was fogging up from the hot tears pooling on your cheeks. You squeezed your eyes shut. âAnd I hate you for leaving me. I hate that I have to mourn you now.â
You buried your face in your hands. The glass was shockingly cold against your skin. âYou took everything from me. Over and over again. And I still always loved you. Maybe I always will.â
That was it. There was nothing else to say, nothing to do. You could sit here all day and cry, and nothing would change. You had to move on. You had to. You wouldnât survive otherwise.
Getting to your feet, you took a big breath to steady yourself. You took the mask from his face and closed his eyes. He wouldnât get a funeral, he wouldnât be mourned by anyone but you, but you would let him rest. You would at least do that. For the man youâd fallen in love with.
The sun glinted off the dog tags around his neck, and you paused. Argued internally with yourself. Finally, you sighed, pulled them from his chest, and slid them into your pocket. Youâd always been too sentimental for your own good.
âGoodbye, Miles.â
You turned your back on him and walked away. It was time to let this chapter of your life close. There was still so much to do, so much pain to process, but the worst of it was over. It was time to rebuild now.
fickle fate & cruel coincidence â miles quaritch x f!reader [6]
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act 1, chapter 6
summary: things begin taking a turn for the worse, both in your own home and with the omatikaya. tensions rise and fear comes with it. you try to cling to the things that matter most to you.
pairings: miles quaritch x reader, jake sully x neytiri te tskaha moâatâite
In the month following the 'fix-it dinner' he'd made, things had never been better between you and Miles. After quite a long time of issues, fights, and avoidance, the two of you were happy. It was finally just back to being head-over-heels in love, with the addition of little Miles. The perfect little boy who brought a sort of happiness that the man didn't know was possible. He loved you, he loved his son, and it felt like everything was finally starting to go smoothly.
He arrived late to his meeting with Jake, a cooing baby strapped to his chest. Grace had you tied up with some bullshit project, so caretaking fell on him today. Just six months ago, he would've been caught dead before he showed up to work in Papa Bear mode. But things had changed, he had changed, and his son's company was not something he endured resentfully. The curly-haired tyke sucked on his fist as Miles grabbed a chair and set it down next to the Marine, slumping down into it.
"Hope you don't mind an extra guest for this," he greeted, gesturing to the little boy.
Jake smiled, giving a half-shake of his head. "Nah, not at all. He's cuter every time I see him."
"Don't I know it," Miles agreed. "Your last report was more than two weeks ago. You're not getting lost in the woods, are you, son?"
When he was met with silence and averted eye contact, he continued. "Way I see it, it's time to terminate the mission."
That got the man's attention; his alarmed eyes finally met the Colonel's. "No. I can do this."
Little Miles babbled nonsensically, reaching for his father's hand. Miles gave it up without hesitation, feeling little fingers grab at his skin. It quickly comforted the man, despite the growing turmoil directed at the Corporal. The baby must get that from you: the ability to soothe him so quickly.
Jake was unfocused. His mind was foggyâconflicted. Miles could see in the man's eyes that he'd been compromised. The Colonel wasn't sure to what extent, but his hackles were raised. This mission was his purpose, and he'd complete it to the bitter end. No one could get in the way of that.
"You've given me good, usable intel," he explained, voice firm. "Like this 'Tree of Souls' place. I've got 'em by the balls with that, if this turns into a shit-fight. Which it will." The younger man's eyes didn't change from the numb daze, so Miles continued. "It's time to come in. You'll get your legs back, like I promised."
That last part gave Jake pause, and he worked his jaw as the wheels in his mind turned. Little Miles giggled and gnawed on one of his father's fingers, drenching it in drool. Miles ran his free hand over the boy's head of curls.
"I've gotta finish this," the Corporal finally spoke, meeting his superior's eyes. "There's one more test. The final stage of becoming a man. Then I'm one of them, and they'll trust me." The following words don't come out easily, coated with guilt and dragged up unwillingly from his chest. "And I can negotiate the terms of their surrender."
Jake was a good man with a big heart. It wasn't surprising that he'd feel troubled over this. But he seemed set on seeing it through, and that's what mattered. Any hesitation could be pushed away as long as the mission was finished. Miles nodded, deciding to leave it at that. He wasn't a damn therapist, and Jake's emotions sure as hell weren't his problem.
He got to his feet, leaving the man with one final command. "Then you need to get it done, Corporal."
You
"Guess who came to visit," you called in a sing-song voice, raising your baby as he kicked his legs and shrieked in delight. Grace looked up from her desk, eyes lighting up as she saw the child.
She got to her feet, smiling. "Oh, give me that little boy right now."
You laughed lightly and handed him to your friend. Little Miles giggled up at Grace as she cooed at him. She'd been quick to take on the role of Aunt, caring for and spoiling him like he was her own. What a long way she'd come from being the distant Scientist you used to know. You couldn't be any prouder of your best friend.
"Is that a little baby I hear?" Norm asked, poking his head into the room. His eyes fell onto the child in your Superior's arms, and he lit up. "Oh, I missed this guy! It's about time you bring him to the lab."
"Well, the journey to the Hallelujah Mountains isn't exactly baby-proofed. You're lucky I decided to risk it now," you explained, watching as the man came over to admire the baby with Grace.
"He lives on Pandora. He's gonna have to get used to danger," your superior pointed out. She didn't even look at you, too enamored with Miles' big brown eyes staring up at her.
"Yeah, yeah," you rolled your eyes. "Where's Jake? He too busy for baby time?"
"Ah, Jake barely shows his face around here anymore. Too busy being the Omatikaya's favorite pet," Norm explained, letting his finger be closed in a tiny fist.
"Careful, Norm. You sound a little jealous," you teased, heading towards the door Norm had just come from. "You guys good to watch him for a minute?"
"Like you even have to ask. I don't know why you're still here," Grace responded. You just laughed, shaking your head as you went to find the other member of your team.
Jake sat at one of the log tables, clearly lost in thought as he slowly rolled his wheelchair back and forth. His body jolted in shock when you placed a hand on his shoulder, and you offered an apologetic smile. You took a seat next to him, letting out a breath.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."
"No, no, I was lost in thought. That's on me," he responded, lips quirked in a weak smile. He'd lost weight, and the bags under his eyes were heavy. You could tell he was troubled by something. "Been a while since I saw your face here. Well, your real face, anyway."
You chuckled. "Yeah, I don't come out here myself much. It's easier to stay with the baby and just link to my Avatar form when needed. But I'm glad I made time to visit."
"Any special reason?" He asked, resting his hands on his lap. You smiled.
"Do I need one to visit my friends?" Leaning forward, your voice took on a gentler, lower tone. "Maybe I had a feeling that you needed someone to talk to."
The sigh that left him was heavy, burdened, but you thought there might've been a hint of relief there, too. "Is it that obvious?"
Your eyes twinged sympathetically. "You don't look great, Jake. It's clear somethingâs weighing on you."
He ran a hand over his face, brows furrowed. "God, it's- I don't even know what to say. I don't know if I should say anything."
"It's not going to help you to keep it in. We're all in this together. You have people you can rely on," you told him, resting a hand on his arm. "You don't have to go through this alone."
His eyes met yours, and you could see the unrest there. Whatever he was going through was tearing him apart. Your heart broke for your friend. The two of you had become so close in the last few months, and to know he was so troubled felt terrible. You wished you could've been there for him sooner.
It took him a long time to think about his choices and to decide which way to go. You tried to make your face show just how trustworthy you could be. Finally, he swallowed hard and opened his mouth to speak. "It's the Colonel."
You blinked at him, taken aback. "The Colonel? My Colonel? What about him?"
"When I first came here, I⌠God, y/n, I was out of my mind with grief. I had nothing to lose, and I thought that if I had a mission, it would give me something to live for. I needed- that tether was what kept me going at first. But that changed. I-I met you and Grace and Norm. I learned the ways of the people, and I got to know Neytiri. I just⌠things are different now," Jake explained, looking more troubled by the second. Your blood was beginning to run cold.
Whatever he was carrying wasn't good, and it involved your fiancĂŠ. You tried not to be terrified as you listened to him talk.
"JakeâŚ" You spoke slowly, attempting to hide your unsettled emotions. "What does this have to do with Miles?"
He looked at you sorrowfully, lips pressed into a thin line. "When I first came here, Quaritch tasked me with doing recon for him. Learning the Natives' weaknesses from within and giving him all the info I learned. And I did it. And now he⌠he has everything he needs. To launch an attack on them."
Your stomach dropped. You felt sick. Completely sick. Miles had been gathering information this entire time, and he hadn't said a word to you about it. He'd been using Jake for his own needs all alongâbehind your back. He was planning an assault on the Na'vi.
You hadn't known a thing about it, and you knew it was on purpose. Your fiancĂŠ had been lying to you for months.
Anger boiled in your blood, but you couldn't do anything about it right now. You needed to talk to Miles face-to-face, which wouldn't be possible until you returned to base. And you had a friend in front of you, still very upset. You'd help him first, and then deal with your own shit later. You had plenty of time to watch your life crumble before your eyes.
"You didn't know any better, Jake. Not at first," you comforted him. "But it's not too late to try and fix things."
"How? I- I can't-" he shook his head. "This all⌠I don't know how to do this without losing her."
You opened your mouth to ask who 'her' was, but closed it just as quickly. You knew exactly who he was talking about. You'd seen this coming long before he realized it was happening himself. Jake had fallen in love with Neytiri.
"Neytiri," you spoke aloud, confirming your suspicion when he nodded at you. A small smile flitted on your lips. "It all comes down to her, then?"
"I just- I don't want to ruin things with her,â He explained, soft and dejected. "If I tell Quartich the truth, he yanks me out. And I never see her again. But if I tell her the truth, then the clan throws me out. That's if they don't cut my heart out and show it to me first."
You gave him a knowing look, your face tender. "A good friend of mine once told me that love tends to be complicated."
Jake chuckled. The callback to the first mission you had together was a nice respite from the tense situation. He'd said that to you months ago. How nice it was to get to turn it around on him.
"Sounds like a smart guy," he joked, looking the slightest bit relieved.
You nodded, going along with the bit. "He is. You should meet him."
He chuckled weakly. You allowed the calm moment to linger a moment longer before returning to the matter at hand. "The truth of it, Jake, is that the only person who can help you is yourself. You need to decide where you stand. When all of this is over, where do you want to be? And you need to work towards that ending."
He let your words wash over him, giving a hesitant nod. "Okay. Yeah, you're right. You're right." Meeting your eyes, you were glad to see his were light again. "Thank you, y/n. That really helps. And I'm sorry I had to put all this on you."
Waving away his apology, you shook your head. "Don't apologize. I'm your friend. You can always talk to me about anything."
"That's sweet, thanks," Jake sighed, leaning back. "What will you do?"
You pursed your lips. "Well, I think I need to go have some words with my fiancĂŠ."
Miles
Miles paced the living room of the home he shared with you, anxiety pulsing in his veins. He'd been told about an hour agoâright after he had to finish that damn video for his future Avatar self if he diedâthat you'd gone out to the lab in the floating mountains. You'd taken little Miles with you. Without saying a word to him beforehand, you took your son into a hostile environment with no protection. He was waiting for you to get home now. Both to make sure you two were okay and then to tear you a new one.
If anything happened to either of you⌠God, he didn't know what he'd do. He'd burn this whole planet to the ground.
As if on cue, the door slid open, and you walked in. Your face was a sightâa mixture of rage and despair contorting your features. Your arms were bare of little Miles. The Colonel felt his heart squeeze with terror.
"Where's Miles?" He asked.
"We need to talk," you responded, walking closer.
He felt like his throat was closing up. What had happened? Where was his son? He repeated the question, louder and more demanding. "Where is Miles?!"
"I dropped him off with Lyle. He's fine. I just needed some time with the two of us alone," you grit out, sounding frustrated. It didn't even phase your fiancĂŠ, who just felt relief that both of you were unharmed.
Now that that was out of the way, he could tear into you.
"What the fuck were you thinking? Taking him out into the forest? Do you have any idea how dangerous that was?" He exclaimed. You didn't react; you just watched him with a cold disconnect. What the hell was up with you? His lips pressed into a thin line. "And without saying a word to me. Do you think that was okay to keep to yourself, y/n?"
Finally, you showed a semblance of a reaction. Disbelief flashed in your eyes, a furious smile on your lips. "Oh, you wanna talk about keeping things to ourselves? Boy, have I got a tale to tell."
Miles frowned. "What are you talking about?"
"I know what you've been doing," You began, moving into his personal space. "I know about the recon work you tasked Jake with. The shit you kept secret from me. And the attack you're planning for the Na'vi."
A twinge of anxiety tugged at his gut. That was not what he'd been expecting, which caused a kink in his plans. You weren't supposed to know about what he was doing. He knew how stubborn you were, how partial you felt towards those savages and their way of life. You would never see his side of things, so it was better to keep it secret.
It was easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.
"How'd you find out about that?" He raised his eyebrows.
"Does it matter? It matters that you lied to me. That you've been lying to me for months!"
"Because I was trying to avoid this," Miles explained, throwing his hands up in surrender. "Do you know how hard you make this shit, y/n? My only option to keep this mission on track is to keep it from you."
"I don't think you know what our mission is, Miles. We're not here to eradicate the Na'vi! We're here for resources, that's all!" You shouted at him, turning red in the face. You were furious. Angrier than he'd ever seen you. "This path of death and destruction you keep trying to go down isn't necessary!"
"It's the only path that will work. Can't you see that? Now, after all this time. You have to know. This is the only way."
"No," you shook your head, turning your back on him. Your arms wrapped around your torso. "No, Miles. It's the only way you know. Because this is who you are. Brutal, uncaring, and manipulative."
He narrowed his eyes. Something in his chest ached. "What are you saying?"
When you turned back to him, there were tears in your eyes. You looked hurt and betrayed, like the entire world was crumbling around you. It was the one look Miles couldn't bear to see on you. He could see you angry, happy, dizzy with pleasure, but this? To see you so devastated?
Miles didn't have many weaknesses, but one was standing before him now, tearing at him.
"I'm sayingâŚ" You wiped at the tears that had begun to fall, not breaking eye contact. "I'm saying that if you do this- if you launch this attack on the Na'vi, then we're done. The next time you see me, it will be on the battlefield. And I won't be on your side."
Shock and anger flooded his veins. You couldn't be serious, right? You'd give up your relationship, your family, to help the fly-bitten savages? You'd betray your own raceâbetray him? All for what? Some aliens who talk to trees and don't know a lick of English?
Miles couldn't believe this. You were giving him an ultimatum. You or his mission. The love of his life, the mother of his child, or the very thing that gave him purpose and stability.
He loved you. He loved you so much that he couldn't breathe. But he had never, not once in his life, put anything above his mission. He couldn't afford to start that now.
You might have felt betrayed, but he did, too. You were turning your back on him. On humans. He might have been shutting the door on the two of you, but you were the one twisting the lock.
He felt himself slipping into his old skin, the one he'd shed when he fell in love with you. The cold, ruthless soldier who wouldn't let anything jeopardize the mission. He shoved all the feelings away, all the hurt and fury pulling at him. He had work to do, and he would focus on that. Everything else fell away.
"Well, then," he spoke, practically looking through you. "I guess I'll see you on the battlefield."
You
You could only watch in heartbroken silence as Miles walked past you and out the door. He'd made his choice. The man you loved was gone. Maybe he'd never existed. All that was left was an uncaring, bloodthirsty monster who cared for nothing. Not you, not his son, not for the life you'd made here.
He was willing to throw it all away for his jobâhis pathetic mission that he put on a pedestal.
You'd never felt hurt like this before. You were betrayed, heartbroken, angry, and alone, exactly where you'd been when you first landed on Pandora. The only difference? You had something to lose nowâa son you cared for more than anything. And a place in the war that was about to begin.
It all felt entirely hopeless.
But you'd known this would be how it ended all along, hadn't you? From the beginning, you'd known. You and Miles were opposites in every sense of the word. Youâd always known he wouldn't choose you when it came down to it. This loss was one you'd been preparing for since day one.
You weren't going to let it overtake you. You couldn't. Not now. You had people to protect and fight for. The man you loved had made his choice, and now it was time for you to make yours. After all, you had promised him: you'd see him on the battlefield.
And when this was all over, you could deal with the mess. You could let yourself hurt and mourn. You could fall apart.
fickle fate & cruel coincidence â miles quaritch x f!reader [5]
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act 1, chapter 5
summary: Having a son is everything and nothing like you thought it would be. The little boy has you wrapped around your finger, and you're falling back in love with your job at the same time. You just wish things were as smooth with your partner.
Miles felt like heâd gotten unbelievably lucky. He knew the whole Avatar program was bullshit, but having a Marine in one of those bodies? It opened up a whole world of possibilities. If he played his cards right, he could have this mission wrapped up in no time. All he needed was to get Jake on his side.Â
As if he could read minds, the man himself rolled into the gym room, stopping in front of the bench Miles was using.Â
âYou wanted to see me, Colonel?â He asked, looking almost amused.Â
Miles continued his workout, grunting as he responded. âThis low gravityâll⌠make you soft. You get softâŚâ He put the weight back on the rack and moved to a sitting position. âPandora will shit you out dead with no warning.âÂ
After a pause, he continued. âI pulled your record, Corporal. Venezuela, that was some mean bush. Nothing like this here, though.â He looked Jake up and down, tongue stuck in his cheek. âYou got some heart, kid, showing up in this neighborhood.âÂ
Shaking his head, the Marine replied almost nonchalantly. âI figured itâs just another hellhole.âÂ
The man sure had the heart of a soldierâtaking on any task he was given without hesitation. A hard worker, not afraid to get his hands dirty. Perfect for the plan Miles had brewing. He couldnât have planned it better if he tried.
He smirked, getting to his feet. âI was First Recon myself. A few years ahead of you. Well- maybe more than a few.â He left the gym room, not needing to instruct Jake to follow. âThree tours Nigeria, not a scratch. I come out here?â He turned back to Jake, continuing to walk, and gestured to the scars spanning over the right side of his skull. âDay one. Think I felt like a shavetail louie?âÂ
Jake let out a small laugh, rolling to a stop as Miles climbed up the side of his mechanical suit. âYou got a point to this little backstory youâre giving, sir?âÂ
âMy point-â he began, getting himself strapped in, âThe Avatar program is a bad joke. Bunch of limp-dick science majors.âÂ
A technician lifted Jake on a ramp, bringing him to the Colonelâs height. He spoke up, raising his eyebrows. âIsnât your fiancĂŠ one of those science majors?âÂ
The Colonel paused, sighing. âMy dear y/nâbless her heartâshe doesnât know about all the terrible things out there. She hasnât seen the things we have. She thinks peace, cooperation, all that shit is an option. And that hope in her, itâs pure. Itâs what drives her. She likes to look for the good in things, including me.
âThing is, that just isnât realistic. This ainât some fairytale thatâs gonna end with us all holding hands and singing kumbaya,â he explained. âThis is war. And should be treated as such. Which brings me to you.âÂ
âMe?â Jake asked.Â
âYou,â he responded. âYour setup, it presents a situation both timely and unique.â The mechanical suit began powering up, whirring to life. âA recon gyrene in an Avatar body. Thatâs a potent mix,â Miles quipped, smirking. âGives me the goosebumps.âÂ
Sully tilted his head, listening intently.Â
âSuch a Marine could provide the intel I need, right on the ground.â After checking he was all suited up, he tilted his head towards the man. âRight in the hostilesâ camp.â The Colonel flexed his hands, testing the suit's movement. âLook, Sully. I want you to learn these savages from the inside. I want you to gain their trust. I need to know how to force their cooperation, or hammer them hard if they wonât. The sooner we take care of this, the sooner I can focus on my family and make this place safe for them.âÂ
Jake hesitated for a moment, flexing his jaw. âAm I still with Augustine?âÂ
âOn paper,â he jeered. âYeah, you walk like one of her science pukes, you quack like one, but you report to me. Can you do that for me, son?âÂ
Seeming to mull over it for a moment, the Corporal lowered his head. Then he was looking up, a confident smile playing at his lips. âHell yeah, sir.âÂ
Miles nodded, pride bubbling up in his chest. He knew heâd lucked out with this one. âWell, alright, then.âÂ
He took a few steps after that, the suit moving with him. Turning back to his new comrade, he rested his hands on his hips. âSon, I take care of my own. You get me what I need, Iâll see to it you get your legs back when you rotate home. Your real legs.âÂ
For the first time since heâd met the man, Miles saw a glimmer of hope in his eyes. Something almost like joy. Heâd been given motivation, something to work for. Just like Miles had you and your son.Â
He half-smiled, nodding once again. âThat sounds real good, sir.âÂ
You
You were finally getting the chance to pilot your Avatar for the first time in what felt like years. Little Miles was left in the hands of your fiancĂŠ, with detailed instructions and a loving kiss goodbye. You knew the man you loved was capable of caring for his son, but this was the first time youâd been away from your baby for an extended period of time. You were nervous. Really fucking nervous.Â
You were going out with Grace and the new guys, Jake and Norm. Youâd learned from Grace during a briefing this morning that Jake had made quite the splash during the first connection to his Avatar body. Heâd broken out and gone for a run, testing out his new body immediately. Despite the trouble it caused, you were thrilled for him. If youâd been paralyzed for years and then could suddenly walk again, youâd do the same thing.Â
You werenât sure what it was, but you had a feeling you and Jake would get along well.Â
Trudy was flying you guys out, with Lyle and Jake manning guns. The entire ride was spent with Lyle making conversation with you, asking about little Miles or how you were doing. His excitement about having a kid around was not in the least hidden, and it warmed your heart. Lyle had always been good to you, and he adored your son. Youâd even go as far as to say the two of you were friends, careers set aside.Â
When you guys finally landed in the gorgeous Naâvi woods, you immediately hopped out of the chopper, eager to stretch your legs. You reminded Norm to grab his pack as Grace instructed Trudy to kill the engine, Jake coming up to you with a large rifle in his hands. Lyle was instructed to stay with Trudy and the ship, and the four of you in Avatars made your way off into the woods. The fresh air was amazing, the sun was warm on your skin, and you were thrilled to be back out here. It had been so, so long.Â
âLooks like youâre enjoying yourself,â Jake commented, breaking you from your thoughts. The two of you took up the rear as you strolled along. Norm and Grace were ahead, chattering about potential samples to take.Â
You looked over at him, smiling. His Avatar bore a strong resemblance to his human form, as intended, and you had to admit he was handsomeâin both bodies. His large yellow eyes, sharp fangs, pointed ears; all Naâvi features he wore well. The long dark hair and blue skin complemented him, and he seemed to glow with each step he took. Something he probably thought heâd never do again. How bittersweet to gain something so wonderful through such a tragedy.
âI am,â you responded, a slight breeze ruffling the hair that fell in waves down your back. âI havenât been out since before I found out I was pregnant.âÂ
âDamn, long while then.âÂ
You scoffed a laugh and nodded. âYeah. But not as long as you.â You tilted your head towards his legs, then met his eyes again.Â
He chuckled, shifting his grip on the gun. âYou got that right. Itâs real nice to have them back.âÂ
âI bet,â you hummed, pausing for a moment before speaking again. âHow did you get injured? If you donât mind me asking.âÂ
âNah, I donât mind,â he responded, eyes on the path ahead of you. âI was on a tourâalmost home. I got sloppy, I guess. Careless. Didnât look where I was walking, and I⌠got blown sky-high. Apparently, itâs a miracle I survived it.âÂ
You nodded as he spoke, face solemn. Your heart broke for everything he had to endure, but you were glad he was still here despite it all. He really seemed like a good person. âArmy?â
âMarine,â he corrected.Â
âAhh..â you laughed lightly, tail swishing. âExplains why Grace is so fond of you.âÂ
âShe got a bad history with soldiers?âÂ
âEhh-â you shrugged, wrinkling your nose, âScientists and soldiers⌠donât really mix.âÂ
Jake looked at you for a moment, face bewildered. When you returned the expression with a quirked eyebrow, he finally spoke. âYouâve got a kid with one.âÂ
You laughed almost nervously, waving away his words. âYeah, Miles and I? Weâre complicated. I canât really explain it.âÂ
âLove tends to be that way,â the ex-Marine nodded, pressing his lips together. âThe Colonel seems like a good guy.âÂ
âThe Colonel? No. Heâs terrible. A real piece of shit,â you grumbled, eyes dark. Your ears flattened against your head as you continued. âBut Miles? Absolutely. Heâs wonderful. A terrific man, and a great father.âÂ
Chuckling, the man gave you a humorous look. âHow does that work?âÂ
You opened your mouth to respond, heaving a sigh, but Grace cut you off as she called you over. You sent Jake an apologetic smile, hurrying over to where your superior and Norm were crouched. You bent over next to them, resting your hands on your knees.Â
âWhatâs up?â You asked.Â
âCheck out these readings,â she spoke, gesturing to the little holopad Norm held. You scanned the data, watching numbers and information flash across the screen. A sample taken from the roots below your feet, showing off the connection that everything on this planet shared.Â
âHoly shit,â you breathed, squatting down to get a better look.Â
âItâs amazing,â Norm spoke, sounding just as awestruck as you felt. It was his first time seeing this, and your first time in about a year. But the magic never wore off.
âIsnât it?â Grace laughed, smiling brightly. If anything got her out of her grumpy state, it was her work. As long as idiots with guns didnât overshadow said work.
Speaking of an idiot with a gunâŚÂ
You turned around just in time to see Jake face-to-face with a hammerhead titanothere, the creature stomping and roaring at him. You gasped and moved closer while still out of sight, Grace and Norm following suit. Just as the man raised his gun towards the animal, Grace called out to him over the comms.Â
âDonât shoot,â she demanded, eyes wide. âDonât shoot, youâll piss him off.âÂ
You and Norm watched the stand-off in stunned silence. Your heart thundered in your chest. Jake kept his eyes on the animal, ears pinned back, tilting his head ever so slightly back towards the three of you.Â
âItâs already pissed off!â He exclaimed, and you could sense the fear coming off of him.Â
You spoke next, trying to sound soothing yet firm. âJake, that armorâs too thick. Trust me.âÂ
The animal let out another cry, swinging its head to knock down the trees next to it. They fell to the ground with a thud that echoed through the forest. You felt like your heart was going to burst, and you werenât the one facing off with it. One wrong move, and Jake could be pummeled.Â
Not killed, but he would feel every bit of it, and his Avatar would be destroyed.
âItâs a territorial threat display,â Grace explained, voice thick with stress. âDo not run, or heâll charge.âÂ
Jake glanced over at you all, the gun held up to the sky rather than towards the creature. âSo, what do I do, dance with it?âÂ
Well, good to know his sense of humor was intact.Â
âJust⌠hold your ground,â you instructed.
The animal growled and pawed at the ground for a moment. Then he roared, running at the man in front of him. You felt your heart drop, and for a moment, you pictured the gruesome scene about to play out. Having to take his battered body back to base, mourning millions of dollars spent and wasted. Jake would have permanent trauma, no doubt about it. It all flashed in your mind right then and there.
Jake yelled back at the charging creature, surging forward and raising his arms to look larger. It caused the animal to halt, trumpeting in surprise. You heard Jake breathe out a laugh, probably just as surprised that it worked as you were. Slowly, the titanothere began backing away.Â
âYeah?â Jake taunted, high on adrenaline. âCome on! What you got?âÂ
You allowed yourself to breathe again, exhaling shakily. The dumbass had somehow survived that. You really, really thought he wouldnât. Based on the way Grace was taking slow breaths with closed eyes, she hadnât either. Norm looked like heâd had an accident in his trousers.Â
âOh, yeah. Whoâs bad? Thatâs right,â Jake continued, and you couldnât help but smile. Not cocky at all, it seemed. âYeah, thatâs what Iâm talking about, bitch.âÂ
But just when you thought you were out of the woods, things took a turn for the worse.Â
A thanator crept over a tree branch behind Jake, sharp eyes locked on him. One of Pandoraâs most dangerous predatorsâonly a few feet away from a man entirely out of his depth. Jake turned towards the animal at the sound of branches cracking under its paws, his eyes going wide and ears drooping down in fear. He stumbled back, just slightly. You heard Graceâs breath hitch the same way yours had.Â
âSo, what do I do with this one?â The ex-Marine asked, voice slightly wobbly. âRun, donât run? What?âÂ
âRun, definitely run!â Grace shouted, and Jake didnât hesitate to take off into the forest. The thanator was immediately on his tail, and all you could do was watch in horror as he disappeared into the trees, the sound of gunfire in his wake.Â
âGet back to the ship,â your boss demanded, and all you could do was numbly follow after her and Norm. Blood rushed in your ears, silencing everything else.
Once Trudy and Lyle had been briefed, you all piled into the helicopter to search for Jake. You spent hours flying above Pandoraâs lush forests in search of the bright blue Avatar. Much to everyoneâs dismay, he was nowhere to be seen. The sun was already beginning to set on the horizon, the atmosphere getting cooler by the second. You felt your hope of finding him slowly start to dwindle.Â
âI'm going to have to call it, guys. We're not allowed to run night ops,â Trudy spoke over the comms, breaking the solemn silence. âColonelâs orders.âÂ
âShit,â you muttered, more to yourself than anyone else.
âSorry, Doc. Heâs just gonna have to hang on âtil morning.âÂ
It was Grace who spoke next, her words like weights dragging you down. âHe wonât make it âtil morning.âÂ
No one said anything as the ship was turned around, taking all of you back to base. You prayedâto God, to Eywa, to anyone who was listeningâthat Jake could get out of this in one piece.Â
Miles was waiting for you when you returned. Just inside past the docking bay, your sleeping son in his arms. You knelt in front of him to be more at his height, still in your Avatar body, and gave him a weak smile. You gently brushed long blue fingers over little Milesâ head, causing him to stir.Â
âMy favorite boys,â you spoke, looking back at your fiancĂŠ. âWas he good while I was gone?âÂ
âWell, he bawled for an hour when you first left. Missing his mama, no doubt,â Miles chuckled. âBut I fed him a bottle, and he was fine after that.âÂ
âGood, thatâs good,â you breathed, a little too heavily. Milesâ brows immediately knitted together in concern.Â
âWhatâs up, baby?â He asked.Â
âUm-â You paused, rubbing a hand over your forehead. âJake had a run-in with a thanator. Ended up taking off into the woods, and we couldnât find him. We had to leave him out there. I just- Iâm worried about him. And it was⌠kinda terrifying.âÂ
âOh, shit. Is he okay?â He reached over and rested a hand on your arm, rubbing up and down slightly. âAre you okay?âÂ
âI donât know. I need to get back to the lab and see if heâs out of the link,â your ears were pointed down, tail twitching behind you. âAnd Iâm- itâs fine. Nothing that I havenât dealt with before. I justâŚâ You glanced down at your son, at his perfect little face, content in slumber. âIt made me realize how much I have to lose now.âÂ
âAre you not wanting to do your job anymore?â Miles questioned, still touching your bicep.Â
âNo! God, no,â you shook your head, swallowing. âI love my job. That hasnât changed. I just think- thereâs so much danger here already. And youâre only making it worse with the hostility towards the Natives. This is our sonâs home. We need to make it safe for him.âÂ
Your partnerâs expression darkened, clearly unhappy with what you were saying. Out of the corner of your eye, you caught sight of Grace and Norm heading to the building where the unpiloted Avatars were kept. You sighed. Getting back to your feet, you looked down at him.Â
âI have to go put my Avatar up and see whatâs going on with Jake. Iâll see you in our room,â you told him. âWe can talk about this later.âÂ
Miles nodded, leaving without another word. You were grateful it hadnât turned into a domestic scene. Youâd argue with him laterâin private. Shaking your head, you pushed the thoughts away and hurried after your co-workers.Â
Jake was still in the link, which meant he was conscious in his Avatar body. After requesting that Grace let you know when he was back, you went to your room, where Miles waited. The two of you argued for a while, keeping your voices down due to the sleeping baby. You begged him to consider a path for this mission that didnât resort to violence, and he scolded you for thinking there was any other option. You called him a heartless, brutal machine, and he called you a naive, selfish viper.Â
You told him to get out. He listened. He stomped out of the room, slamming the door shut behind him. Your son immediately burst into tears, startled by the noise, and you went to soothe him.Â
Little Miles was quick to quiet, comforted by his motherâs touch, but then it was your turn to cry. Lying on your too-big bed alone, sobbing silently next to your once-again sleeping child. Everything felt like too much right now. You felt like there was nothing to do but fall apart. You cried until the tears wouldnât come anymore, and then stared at the wall with a pointer finger held in your babyâs little fist. Though it was late into the night, you didnât sleep. You couldnât.Â
Norm came to your room not long after, informing you that Jake had finally come out of his link. He was kind enough not to ask about the bloodshot eyes or tear-stained face. It instantly strengthened your relationship with him.Â
Taking a moment to collect yourself, you wrapped your baby to your chest and followed him to the lab.Â
Somehow, by some miracle or fluke or whatever, Jake had been allowed into the Omatikaya clan. He would be trained to become one of the People by none other than Neytiri, daughter of the Oloâeyktan and the Tsahik. You had a history with Neytiri; so did Grace. When humans first arrived, and communication with the Naâvi was much more peaceful, the two of you ran a school to teach the Naâvi children English.Â
Neytiri had been a student there, along with her sister, Sylwanin.Â
But then the attack happened. Sylwanin was killed in front of her sister, the school was abandoned, and the Omatikaya cut all contact with humans. You and Grace mourned that loss and carried that burden every single day. Relations got worse with the indigenous as violence was used more and more, and with no way back to negotiate, all you could do was watch. It was devastating.Â
But now, through the grace of Eywa, there was hope.Â
That hope rode on the shoulders of a cocky newcomer who knew absolutely nothing about the Naâvi, but it was there nonetheless.
You sat in complete silence the entire time Jake recalled the events of his night. From being saved from a pack of viperwolves by Neytiri to eating with the clan in the Hometree, every word was like fire in your veins. You longed so desperately to be there with the People. Youâd fallen so deeply in love with their culture from the moment you first learned about it. Even more so when you got to experience parts of it yourself.
Miles and his soldiers had taken that away from you, another thought that kept your anger towards him boiling. He had no clue what he was missing out on. What he was destroying. It made your heart ache so deeply.Â
You knew that everyone could sense how upset you were, but they were all gracious enough not to comment. After Jake finished his story, Grace ordered you all to get some sleep and be fresh-faced and ready for work tomorrow. She was saying it directly to you, even if she disguised it otherwise. It made you more grateful to have her in your life. At least you had one person who would never let you down.Â
Everyone filed out and headed back to their rooms after that, and you stood to do the same. You returned to your empty room, put your son back in his crib, and went to bed alone.
The following month went by in a blur. Jake spent almost all of his time in Avatar form, learning the way of the People from Neytiri. Grace moved her base of operations to the Hallelujah Mountains, while you stayed at the home base with your son. She did take your Avatar with her, so any linking you did automatically sent you to your team. As time went on and Jake slowly gained the Omatikayaâs trust, you and Grace were allowed back into the village.Â
It was bittersweet to see the little ones you used to teach, admiring how theyâd grown and wishing youâd been there to see it. Grace immediately took to seeing how well their English knowledge had been retained, having them name body parts or count. You watched her with soft eyes, so happy Eywa had allowed you to return. It was so healing for both you and your friend after carrying the burden of what had happened for so long. You hadnât seen her this happy for quite some time.Â
Your attention was pulled away from her and the children as Neytiri approached you, so much more grown than when youâd last seen her. She was a woman nowâa strong warrior and future Tsahik. No longer the little girl peeking around her sister that youâd been so fond of. The sight of her made your heart squeeze in more ways than you could count. You gave her a kind smile as she stopped in front of you.Â
âNeytiri, oel ngati kameie,â you spoke, slipping into the Naâvi language she was comfortable with. You formally greeted her, fingers to your forehead. âIt is good to see you again. You have grown well.âÂ
âThank you, y/n,â she responded, returning the gesture. âYou have grown as well. Jake tells me you have a child?âÂ
You nodded, a smile gracing your lips. Nothing brought you more joy than talking about your son. âYes. My son, Miles.â
You reached into your pocket and retrieved a picture of him. Youâd taken after your partner in the practice of carrying real picturesâat least ones of your son. Your and Milesâ relationship had been rocky lately. The two of you hardly spoke unless it was about your baby. Thus, no pictures of him.
In the picture you held, little Miles was lying on the floor, caught in the middle of an adorable laugh. His eyes sparkled, and he gave his cute, gummy smile, holding one of his feet in tiny hands. You missed him so desperately at this moment that it nearly killed you. Forcing yourself not to wallow in it, you handed the picture over to Neytiri.Â
She took it gently, sensing how precious it was, and scanned over the photo. Though her face remained mostly impassive, you swore you saw the corner of her lips twitch up. Just for a moment. Then she was handing the photo back, nodding as you slid it back into your pocket.Â
âHe looks like you,â she said, making you smile. Your little boy taking after you⌠what a sweet sentiment.Â
You decided it was best not to mention your childâs father, considering his relationship with the indigenous. His relationship with you wasnât faring that well, either. It was better not to bring him up at all right now. Besides, this was a happy moment; a nice reunion. No need to taint it with your own personal issues.Â
âHas Jake been a good student?â You asked, moving away from the topic of your family.Â
Neytiri tilted her head slightly, thinking. âHe is stubborn, but committed to learning.âÂ
You laughed lightly. âThat sounds like him.âÂ
Jake had very quickly become your friend. Seeing him grow so much in such a short amount of time was a privilege. He was truly becoming one of the Peopleâgaining a love for the forest and for Eywa. Not to mention the way he talked about Neytiri, or the look in her eyes as she spoke of him now. It wasnât your place to comment on it, but you werenât oblivious. You sensed he might be falling for more than this way of life.Â
Neytiri was called over by her mother, thenâMoâat. The girl bid you farewell, even giving a fond smile as she went. It lifted your spirits, considering how the two of you had left things. This entire situation felt like a breath of fresh air. It was so wonderful that it was almost enough to make you forget about your personal issues.
Almost.Â
You returned to Grace and spent the rest of the afternoon with her and the children. They played with your hair and clothes, took turns looking at the picture of little Miles, and practiced English with you. They all had such sweet, pure spirits. Untainted by the war that raged in their home.Â
They knew nothing of the danger the humans presentedâthe destruction theyâd already caused. The lives theyâd taken. All they knew was love, for everything and everyone around them.Â
You returned to base not long after, putting up your Avatar body and breaking the link. When you got back to your room, exhausted beyond belief, all you wanted to do was hold your baby and go to bed. But every single light was turned offânot how youâd left it. The entire place was completely silent. It instantly set you on edge.
âHello?â You called, pulse picking up. Though you didnât think there was any danger here in the base, your maternal instincts told you to explore every possibility. Youâd die before you let anything happen to your son.Â
âIâm in the kitchen!â Miles yelled back, and you felt a sigh of relief leave your lips. No danger. Just your slightly estranged fiancĂŠ.Â
âIs little Miles asleep? I wanted to see him for a minute before I went to bed,â you spoke, kicking off your shoes. The two of you had avoided having any sort of real conversation, and you assumed youâd just continue that pattern tonight. God, you were so tired.Â
âYeah, I put him down a bit ago,â he responded, making your heart sink. You began walking towards your bedroom as he spoke again. âCould you actually come here first? I got something for ya.âÂ
His words gave you pause, and you sent a questioning glance in the direction of the kitchen. This wasn't part of the âno talkingâ policy you two had going on. You were supposed to go to bed without another word, and once you were asleep, heâd follow suit. Then, when you woke up to your child crying for you, heâd already be gone. Lather, rinse, repeat.Â
You went to the kitchen, deciding it was too immature to pretend you didnât hear him and go to bed anyway. Even if that seemed like the easier option, you needed to be the bigger person.Â
Stepping through the doorway to the kitchen, you froze in your tracks.Â
The lights being off was intentional, allowing the lit candles on the table to bathe the room in a warm glow. Said table was decorated with a cheesy tablecloth neither of you would ever allow in the house, and two plates of steaming food and full glasses of wine were set on it. On the counter was a platter of cheesecake, topped with a native Pandoran fruit you liked. And the cherry on top of it all was Miles, standing next to the table in one of his nice shirts and dark pants. He watched you with nervous eyes.Â
You blinked several times, feeling entirely out of sorts. âWhat⌠is this?âÂ
âI thought-â he chuckled breathily, scratching at the back of his neck. Realization bloomed in your gut. Was he embarrassed? âShit. I thought it might be nice if we got a reminder that we love each other. Feels like weâve forgotten lately.âÂ
Swallowing, you fought the urge to break eye contact. âMilesâŚâÂ
âI know, I know,â he held his hands up before you could continue. âThis is cheesy and stupid. But- fuck, darlinâ. Weâve barely said three sentences to each other in the last week. And I canât keep going on like this. I wonât. I feel like youâre slipping away, and I wonât let that happen.âÂ
You were going to cry. You could feel it brewing inside you. All the pent-up emotion, the things youâd been struggling with, it was all rushing to the surface. You clenched and unclenched your fists. Took a moment to try to center yourself.Â
âSo, what? You make a romantic dinner, and suddenly everythingâs fixed? Itâs back to sunshine and rainbows and everything good?â You asked, hating how ragged your voice sounded.Â
âNo. No. I know this ainât a fix. Itâs not- itâs a peace offering. A start,â Miles responded, coming to stand in front of you. âI love you. Youâre the mother of my kid, and Iâm going to marry you. I know youâve been upset at me for a while, and weâve both been too prideful to sit down and work it out. But that stops now. No more running.âÂ
When you didnât respond, just kept your eyes on him, he spoke again. âI still see something here worth fighting for. Do you?âÂ
That was itâthe breaking point. You burst into tears, burying your face in his chest as sobs wracked your body. His arms were immediately around you, strong and comforting. One hand came up to stroke your hair. You wrapped your arms around him, taking fistfuls of his shirt.Â
âOh, baby,â he murmured, soft and sweet. âIâm so sorry, my girl. Iâm sorry.âÂ
Youâd missed him. God, youâd missed him so much. Talking to him, being held by him, having him near you. Your prideâyour angerâhad blinded you. Caused you to lose sight of what mattered most. Him, your son, the family you had together.Â
Pulling away to look up at him, you attempted to pull yourself together. Your face was soaked with tears, nose runny and chin trembling. A terrible sight, you were sure. But Miles looked at you with nothing but compassion; love and sorrow battled in his eyes. He cupped your cheek, wiping away some of the wetness with his thumb.Â
âYou still want me?â You asked, sniffing. âEven with how terrible Iâve been?âÂ
âI will never, ever, not want you,â he vowed, almost smiling. âAnd leave some of the blame for me, okay? We bothâve been shitty.âÂ
You let out a short laugh, shaking your head. âGod, youâre lucky I love you.âÂ
âI sure am,â Miles chuckled. âNow, do you want some apology dinner? We can talk this out while we eat. With alcohol, of course.âÂ
Already feeling a weight off your chest, you gave him a nod as you wiped your face. âI think that sounds wonderful.âÂ
âCome on, then, my love,â he teased, offering a hand. âItâs time to communicate like healthy, balanced adults.âÂ
The two of you moved to the table, making jokes as you dug into the meal heâd prepared. It was clear how much thought and care heâd put into it, and it made your heart soar. Not long ago, youâd been sure it was over for you two. You were convinced the final straw had been laid, and you were ready to run. But as you watched him eat the food heâd prepared, talking about how you could get your relationship back on track, youâd never been so happy to be wrong.Â