Where's My Love? - Lo'ak

Chapter 3: The Confession

While Neytiri is comforting Jake, Tuk in his lap rambling, they hear a yell of help from their son Lo'ak, and the parents immediately rush over to the tent.

"Mom, dad! Help!" Lo'ak exclaims, trying to comfort the crying girl that keeps begging for her dad.

When Jake sees the scene before him, his eyes go towards his hands, still haven't cleaning them yet, for he was wanting to make sure his kids were bandaged and he could talk to Neytiri before going to the river to wash up.

"It hurts, my head and back and leg hurt! Where's dad? He always makes it better! He'll make this better! I want my dad!" Esmyrie cries out, clinging onto Lo'ak's hand like a lifeline, Neteyam holding the girls forehead in his lap protectively, trying to make sure no pressure is on her wound.

Neytiri looks at Jake, and sees the sadness radiating off of him, and it breaks her heart to know her husband feels like guilt of the girls father's death.

"Esmy, please. Be calm, be calm." Lo'ak tries to reassure, while Neteyam looks helplessly towards his parents, Kiri and Spider doing the same.

Jake carefully walks over to the crying girl, giving Neteyam a look, asking if she knows, and when Neteyam shakes his head, Jake feels his head drop.

She is already this sad, without knowing anything, he can't even begin to imagine how she is going to be once he tells her the news.

"Neytiri, can you please take the kids for dinner, I'll stay here with Esmyrie, check over her wounds again before she join us." Jake asks, and Neytiri gives her mate a nod, before urging the kids out of the room.

Lo'ak feels reluctant to let go, but when Neteyam taps his shoulder, he does, giving Esmyrie a kiss on the hand before leaving.

When the tent is empty, all besides Jake and Esmyrie there, the girls crying slows, if only just slightly. Now, the tent seems empty, too empty. It's silent, the quietness almost suffocating the girl, and the look Jake is giving her doesn't help in anyway.

"It was so scary Mr. Sully.... I just want my dad. He knows how to calm me down, to comfort me..." Esmyrie cries out, now sitting up instead of lying on the ground like she was.

Jake nods his head in understanding, before looking around the tent and finding a stool, quickly dragging it over so it sits in front of the girl, before sitting down on it.

"I'm sorry we went to the ground Mr. Sully, I know it probably had you and dad worried sick. He knows I am okay though, right? I mean, of course he knows I'm okay, you would let him know if I wasn't. Why isn't he here though? Is he at home, busy making the soup like he promised?" Esmyrie asks, staring intently at the adult in front of her, her worries starting to skyrocket when she notices Jake won't look her in the eyes.

Jake doesn't want to do this. He really doesn't want to do this. He can't begin to explain how much he hates having to do this.

"Esmyrie, what do you remember from the raid early today?" Jake asks, ignoring all her questions.

Esmyrie looks at Jake and huffs, not liking how he didn't answer her, but going along with him anyways, for he was basically her uncle, and also the leader.

"uh... I remember Lo'ak, Neteyam and I going down on the ground. They were handing out guns and supplies. We saw a chopper appear and ran, then a missile went off and Neteyam grabbed me, I think, and then waking up here... why?" Esmyrie asks, messing with her arm, scratching at it lightly, a habit she does when anxious.

Jake sighs out, but gives the girl a nod for her memory being correct. He finally looks into the girls eyes, knowing she needs to see his expression to believe what he says next to be true.