Dancing In The Moonlight

11. Love

They rode out to the Four Winds, where the pa'li riders were. They went to the ikran people of the Eastern Sea. They gathered fifteen clans together. Who knew Toruk Macto had so much fucking influence?

Well. She did. It both pained her and made her proud that Jake was him. That he'd be written into the legends just how Neytiri's ancestor had been. She still loved him. She just didn't trust him.

They didn't speak until he'd gently asked her if she would interpret for him. And when they'd flown back Neytiri had jabbed at both of them to have their hair rebraided while they waited for the Na'vi on foot to arrive at the Tree of Souls.

Neytiri had been gentle with her. Not so much with Jake. He had gone first, and Mairi had tried and failed not to laugh at his obvious pain from Neytiri's hair pulling. But the woman's hands were soft as she focused on Trudy.

Jake had asked her to fly in with the chopper so that the Na'vi could get a feel for where to strike, where to bring the machinery down, and was translating her words in broken Na'vi. Tsu'tey piped up every now and again when he struggled with a word, but he was doing well.

"How are you feeling?" Neytiri asked, her voice barely a whisper over Jake's stupidness and Trudy's drawl.

"Tired."

Tired of every fucking thing.

She was scared of what state her human body would be in when she woke up. Numb because she'd blocked out Grace's death. Angry because Jake was a dickhead. Elated that so many Na'vi had joined the fight. Nervous of what tomorrow would bring. Worried that they'd brought all these people here to their deaths.

She just needed sleep. Proper sleep.

Neytiri placed her hand on her head, then twirled one of her braids. "You are done. Get some sleep."

Mairi rolled her eyes. "Yes Mam."

Oh Jesus.

She was going to be a mother.

The thought had her hurtling to her feet and into the forest before she'd even registered what she'd done. She couldn't stop the projectile vomit leaving her as she bent over, and couldn't stop gagging as she crouched down.

She was going to be a mother.

How the fuck was she going to raise a baby? With someone she wanted nothing to do with? On a planet where people mated for life?

She couldn't do this. She couldn't do it.

A hand rubbed her shoulder as she dry heaved, tears running down her cheeks. God, her face was dry as fuck. Another hand gathered her hair out of the way and held it gently on her back.

She rubbed her eyes with the palms of her hands and placed her elbows on her knees, spitting out a trail of saliva that refused to fuck off. The person knelt down next to her, their knee hitting the side of her thigh, and she knew immediately that it wasn't Neytiri like she'd initially thought.

"Fuck off, Jake," she mumbled, dropping her head down a little more to spit as nausea rolled in her stomach.

"Nope," he replied bluntly. She took in a deep breath before shifting so she was on her knees, gripping part of the tree in front of her so she didn't start fucking swinging at him.

"Trudy needs you for translating."

"Tsu'tey is translating," he dismissed, letting go of her as he sat down on his arse beside her. "Besides, I need to talk to you."

"We've said everything that needs to be said, have we not?" she snapped. Nausea reached her throat and she scrambled forward, some bile leaving her before she just dry heaved.