Title: On Your Own Two Feet
Rating: PG
Summary: Jake reveals something of human life to Neytiri.
Author's Notes: Another short piece that wouldn't leave me alone. This has nothing to do with my other piece called 'Scars' This is just a scene I feel is missing from the film. Not beta'd, so please forgive any mistakes or typos.
Disclaimer: These are not my characters, I just play with them. No copyright infringement intended.
On Your Own Two Feet
The rain had started, again. Neytiri crouched beneath an enormous fern leaf. Jake sprawled on the ground next to her. He lay flat on his back, spent. He closed his eyes for just a second and received a slap on the shin.
"Sit up, Jake," snapped Neytiri.
He obeyed with every muscle complaining.
"Keep your menari, eyes, open," she said. "You need to be ready at all times."
"Yes, sir," mumbled Jake.
He received another smack. He was so tired. They had been running, climbing, swimming, everything but base-jumping, through the forest for two days. Neytiri had led him deep into the trees and they were making their way back to Hometree. He was wet and hungry. He had hardly rested, and he certainly hadn't slept.
Jake listened to the drumming of the rain on the leaves above. He knew Neytiri was watching him. Her could feel her golden stare. He turned his head and made eye contact. She looked away in a hurry.
There was another pause, and then she relaxed. She sat back. She placed her bow beside her. She wrapped her arms round her knees. She rolled her eyes, "Go ahead."
"Thank God," said Jake, lying back down.
The rain and the insects filled the air. Jake was learning to love this forest. It had been two months since he arrived on Pandora. He was learning to love more than just the forest. He watched Neytiri from beneath half closed eyelids. She was still alert; she was standing guard. Her ear twitched at the sound of a falling branch. He lingered over the curve of her neck, her powerful shoulders and the way her hair felt across them. Jake shook himself. He was here to gather information. He sat up again.
"You are getting stronger," she said out of nowhere.
"I'm learning a lot. You're a good teacher," he said.
"Well, I have never had a worse student, but you are improving. Slowly."
He snorted, but he appreciated her saying it. From Neytiri that was high praise. And he hadn't died yet. Both were good signs. A small toad-like creature hoped out from the brush. It had six legs and six huge eyes, and it moved like a toad. They watched it hop away.
Jake was stealing himself, "Neytiri, there is something I haven't told you yet."
She finally turned to look him full in the face. The way she studied him made him hesitate, but he pressed on. He didn't really know why he had kept it hidden for so long.
"Yes?" she asked, skeptically.
"You know I have another body, a human body?"
"Of course."
"I was injured during a battle on Earth. That body can't walk."
She just stared at him, clearly confused. Broken bones were rare in her world and not being able to walk would mean death.
He continued, "My spine was damaged. I'm paralyzed from the waist down. I use a chair with wheels on it to get around."
She voiced her confusion, "How is that possible? Your legs are as powerful as an Na'vi."
"In this body I can walk, but when I wake back in my human body I can't move my legs. Don't ask me to explain the science."
"But you are a warrior."
"I was a warrior. I didn't fight anymore."
"Why do you tell me this? Why does it matter?" she said roughly. The idea was making her uncomfortable.
"It doesn't, I just wanted you to know. It just means I'm grateful that you are teaching me. I'm running for the first time in three years."
She continued to stare at him with her brow furrowed, "How were you injured?"
"Oh, shit. That's a messy story," Jake said.
He crossed his legs beneath him and leaned back on his palms. Hardly anyone knew the full story. Tommy had known it. His girlfriend at the time knew it. The doctors and his old shrink knew it. And that was it. Neytiri deserved to know; he wanted her to know.
"It happened in the desert," he began.
"The desert?"
"It's an expanse of sand and this desert is hot. It's hotter than here, and there are no trees to protect you from the sun and there is certainly no rain."
Neytiri was appeased with that definition and let him proceed.
"My team was escorting a supply transport. The street, the path, hadn't been cleared properly. There were too many people. The vehicle in front was hit with an explosive. Do you know what that is?"
"I have learned," she said with a slight chill in her voice. Jake knew it wasn't really directed at him.
"After an explosion like that it's complete chaos, all hell breaks loose. I was hurt. My men, my friends, were hurt. Everyone is shouting, crying." Jake was reliving every second. "The buildings were burning, and the vehicle was completely destroyed. The enemy was shooting at us. And there was a little girl standing in the middle of it all. Like an idiot, I tried to save her. I ordered one of my men to come with me. She was bait. There was another explosive. He stepped on it. There was almost nothing left of my friend or the girl and I had a back full of shrapnel. It was a miracle I survived. I really shouldn't have."
The old feelings had returned. The old guilt was back. He look down and realized Neytiri had placed her hand on his arm. It was so natural a gesture he hadn't even noticed.
"I am sorry, Jake," she said, softly. "I know the pain of loss."
He smiled at her with his grim soldier's face that showed through his Avatar body. She removed her touch. She hadn't done it quickly like she had avoided eye contract before. Jake did notice that. The silence between them was not longer as awkward as before. There was an ease to it, like there was among friends.
The rain finally slowed, if not stopped altogether. Neytiri peered from beneath their natural umbrella, "Are you ready?" She was actually asking.
"Hoorah," answered Jake.
He got to feet, still hunched, and balanced on pointed toes. She did the same. He copied the way she slung her bow across her torso. Jake rolled his shoulders. He stretched his neck form side to side. He pushed old thoughts away. He was ready. He nodded to Neytiri and she leaped forward. And Jake followed in her footsteps.