HEEEEEEEEY EVERYBODY! So it's been like 2 years since I was on Fanfic and then I rediscovered it…Must've been a sign from God to keep writing! ^_^ Enjoy the next chapter and the future ones to come! I'll be updating my other stories soon too so be chill! Luv, XxBlackDawnxX 3

Chapter 10

Ash's POV

Mo'at and I walked quietly through the Pandoran jungle. She had been speaking of Eywa and nature and spirits and other things, but my mind was elsewhere. I could only think of Jake. I still couldn't fully grasp the fact that he was ALIVE, nonetheless here on Pandora and with ME. Well, not with ME. I was quite relieved that I had yet to run into Neytiri today, and I feared what it would bring when I DID see her. I was brought back into reality when I felt Mo'at's hand on my shoulder.

"…'eveng?" Mo'at asked quietly, the Na'vi word for "young one." My face burned with embarrassment. How could I not have been paying attention to the Tsahik?

"Forgive me, Tsahik," I said quickly. "My mind isn't where it should be…"

"Something troubles you, 'eveng?"

I couldn't tell Mo'at what was really bothering me. NO ONE in the tribe could know…at least not yet. For now it was between me, Jake, and Norm. Thankfully, Norm was good at keeping secrets. I anxiously pushed aside the thought of what would happen when the tribe discovered my past with Jake. The shit would definitely hit the fan then. I gulped as an image of Neytiri holding a knife to my throat and hissing popped into my head.

"I…I just don't understand…" I had to come up with a lie quick.

"Understand what? I speak for Eywa, may she reveal to you all you need know."

I decided not to lie entirely. "I've studied Eywa for more than three years, but I don't fully understand everything there is to know about her. We are taught to fear the God of my religion, but for what? My God is not physically present to us. How can Eywa be the goddess of the Na'vi people, but also physically present all around us? A god or goddess is meant to be much greater than ourselves—we who were created by his or her hand. How can they be present physically on what they have created when they are meant to be more than anything we can understand?" This wasn't exactly a lie. True, everything I'd said to Mo'at was my actual confusion of Eywa's presence on Pandora, but it wasn't what was really on my mind.

Mo'at showed a small smile and shook her head a bit. She walked slightly ahead of me, running her fingertips over the beautiful Pandoran plants that dimly glowed in the shadows of larger plants and trees. "You think too much of the ways of the Sky People, 'eveng," she said firmly. "The God of your people prefers to stay silent in His realm. Eywa is not our goddess. She is our Mother. She did not solely create the Na'vi people and all that surrounds us. She gave it life. She gave birth to it."

I could hear the passion in Mo'at's voice as she spoke of Eywa. She spoke lovingly, as if Eywa were her true Mother. Mo'at smiled warmly at the awe that overtook my face. "Come, 'eveng, there is something I must show you. It is a sacred place of Eywa." She took me by the hand and led me along an unseen path only she and the true Omaticaya knew by heart. "I believe it will aid you in your understanding of our Mother."

Meanwhile…

Norm's POV

"Jake wait up!" I cried after the blue crazy man who sped ahead of me. We were sprinting high above the ground of the jungle floor, along the branches of the monstrous trees that interconnected to form a system of paths for the Na'vi. Jake was much more familiar with these ways than I, and I could he knew them like the back of his hand as he raced several paces before me. I, on the other hand, was more focused on keeping my balance than keeping u. I would've rathered that I fall behind then fall to my death from the canopy of streets hundreds of feet into the air.

From the front, Jake only laughed. "Keep up slowpoke! You'll never be Omaticaya at that pace!"

I sighed. Jake hadn't changed a bit. Same old cocky Jake.

As I ran I could only think of Ash… and Jake. I still couldn't comprehend the fact that they had even known each other, let alone been lovers and engaged. Jake and I had been friends before he'd become Olo'eyktan of the Omaticaya. Why didn't he ever mention Ash? They had been enagaged.

Then I remembered how Ash had said she'd been told Jake was dead. She refused to say anything more last night after she told me the story of her past with Jake. But it made sense. Jake had lost use of his legs in a war accident. Maybe there had been a mistake and the War Department had told Ash that Jake died. But if he lived, why wouldn't they have told her the truth later on? And if not, why hadn't Jake gone out to find her? So many unanswered questions…I had to say something to Jake.

"Jake!" I yelled. This time, Jake stopped and turned around. "We need to talk."

Jake's ears dropped a bit. "About what?" I took a deep breath.

"Ash."

Jake hesitated for minute before turning his back on me. "I don't want to talk about it," and he began running again.

I ran after him. "Jake! Jake wait! Goddammit Jake!" Jake stopped abruptly and turned back to me, getting into my face, lips curled back in a snarl and his ears flat against his skull.

"Why do you care so goddamn much, huh?" he hissed. I could hear the growling in his throat.

"Why are you so goddamn defensive? I thought we were friends, Jake. Brothers, even, in Eywa. Why wouldn't you have said something about her?"

"Because I didn't think it mattered!" Jake snapped. He breathed heavily as he glared at me. His breathing slowed and his gaze softened. He sighed and turned away, shaking his head. "When I came here, my life with Ash was over. It was one of the reasons I even took the job offer in Tommy's place…I was looking for a death sentence. Without Ash…nothing mattered anymore. Without her my life was over. And on top of that I would be stuck in a wheelchair for the rest of my life. I lost everything because of that damn war. And I was too much of a coward to put a bullet through my head." Jake readjusted his bow on his back and started to walk again. "Sure thought about it though."

I chased after him once again, jumping in front of him to stop him. "You weren't a coward Jake. But why didn't you ever say anything about her? I mean…we talked about this stuff before you became Olo'eyktan. Those three months we spent together, with Grace? We told our life stories to each other. I told you about…" I stopped. The memories were already pouring back in.

Those green eyes… That flowing blonde hair… How she always smelled like the ocean and sweet, fresh cotton… Lips pink as seashells…That laugh like music…

My ears filled with tears. Jake touched my shoulder. "I know,"

I sniffed, forcing the tears back. "Why didn't you ever say anything about Ash?"

Jake sighed again. "I'm sorry, Norm, I honestly am. I just…when I came to Pandora…I wanted to start over. As bad as it sounds, I wanted to forget about Ash. It was just too hard trying to live remembering being with her. My thinking was, I wasn't with her…she didn't exist."

"But what happened? Look, Ash told me everything."

"She told you everything?"

"Well not everything…she told me how you knew each other."

Jake pulled his famous half smile. "That's just like her; she always had more guts than I did. Did she…did it sound like she cared?"

"Jake, she was sobbing the whole time."

Jake breathed in sharply. "…You think she still cares?"

"She never stopped, Jake. You don't even know how much she loved you." I said, remembering what it was like to lose someone I loved…what it was like to lose her.

We walked on along the network of branches, Jake retelling me the story of how he and Ash met. How he felt, and everything he remembered, but nothing more. He promised me that before he would tell me the rest and what broke them apart, he would first talk to Ash.

Only I knew how much of a broken heart she had.

Well there it is! Chapter 10 with more to come soon! Check out my updated profile for pics of Ash and Norm's mystery girl, along with the OCs from my other fanfics and music! See you all soon! –XxBDxX 3