In Between Love and Hate
Author's Note: Hey Guys. I'm back. It took a while again, I know. But here is it! I'm sorry to say we'll be having none of the Avatar scenes yet. Just you wait guys! But there'll be some Avatar touch in the next chapter. (And I hope that would really not take too long). Depends if I'm not that busy. I'm actually in the mood to write right now. I BADLY WANT TO FINISH THIS!
Hmm. I personally love this chapter. I'm actually into family things.
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar. The brilliant James Cameron does.
Chapter Nine:
The soft humming of the early birds was the only audible sound in that peaceful morning.
Grace's eyes fluttered open. She felt the warm breath on her head and when she looked up, she found Miles still asleep, his mouth slighty agaped. His muscled arms were encircled around her waist, framing her body with his. Trailing a finger along his right cheek, she noticed that he had that tranquil look on his handsome face which was very unlike his usual, rough appearance. His features were not that of a trained soldier, but of a child who was awakened early into this seemingly ruthless world, of someone feigned with that slightest bit of innocence.
"Mornin'," he suddenly spoke, but his eyes were still closed. Slowly, his eyelids cracked open and Grace was greeted by his impossibly cool blue eyes. There was something about his eyes, something she couldn't ever fathom; staring into them brought a sensation inside her that she couldn't understand. Maybe it was the way they pierced her, or perhaps the way his eyes mimicks the gesture when he smiles.
Grace stroked his cheek, pulling him close to her so that his forehead was resting against hers, then she gave him a soft peck on the lips. The moment their lips met, Miles pulled her even closer to him until he flipped them over, with him over her in the bed.
"Grace," he muttered, his eyes so bright and happy it almost melted her heart.
A smile crept up her face as she heard him utter her name. Her fingers trailed on his hair, then proceeded to wrap her arms around his shoulders. "What?"
"Nothing, I'm just... Hoping that you are happy. Here, with me," Miles leaned in and buried his face on the crook of her neck, inhaling her scent. "Are you?"
"Couldn't be less." With as much strength as she could muster, Grace pushed him off, tugging at the blanket to cover her naked body. She stood up and gathered their clothes scattered on the floor. All the while she picked up her things and slipped on her clothes, Miles followed her every move; she could feel his eyes heavy on her back.
Miles grumbled under his breath and looked out the window. "I've got a call from Trajan last night, he told me… They were sent to deploy in Nigeria, and I'm being ordered to follow suit as soon as I arrived back in the camp."
Grace didn't answer and instead she went on with what she was currently doing, brushing her hair in a repeated manner as she sat before the vanity table.
He noticed the way her hand gripped the brush tight and Miles knew he'd better be changing the topic or else they could start into another argument again. He took a deep breath and continued. "He also asked me if… You and I… are you know. Together? That brother of yours said that he could already hear wedding bells."
Grace frowned at that. "Well I think not anytime soon. You're leaving."
Crap. He totally thought he could get away with the shit he himself started but seeing the look on her face, it ain't happening. "Is that really still a big problem?" Miles ran his fingers through his blonde hair and stood up, deciding to slip on his clothes too, but only his boxers and jeans.
The redhead turned to him as soon as he was dressed. "Of course it is a problem. My Dad was a former Marine and I know how hard it had been for my Mom, with Dad being away most of the time. And when Trajan and I were born, it was terribly harder."
Since he met her, it was hardly the first time she has ever spoken of her parents, and even her family as a whole. It stunned him for a minute how it felt so alien to him as he heard her speak 'Mom' or 'Dad' the first time. And yet, as she talked about them he could see the rage in her eyes.
"You haven't talked about them to me, until now," he said, changing the topic. Miles moved over and sat beside her before the vanity.
"Do not change the topic, Miles," she crossed her arms.
"No, I'm not. I'm just telling you it's the first time I heard you mention them; Ellen and Nathaniel."
Grace paused. "You… You know them?"
"Trajan's my best bud. Why wouldn't I know them? They've been like the Mother and Father I never had. Your brother and I often came there whenever we can manage to sneak out." He turned to her sadly. "But they never mentioned about having a daughter. The only thing I knew was that their daughter – you – ran away and decided to live your life on your own."
He suddenly sensed the wind apparently shifting and her shoulders dropping slowly. He stared at her face, gauging her reaction, but the sadness in her hazel brown eyes took over. "Although Trajan frequently talks about you; how beautiful you are and how I can be his brother-in-law if I married you. Things like that," Miles tried to counter, but he was having none of the compensation he attempted to do. He had already threaded on thin ice and now it was too late.
Grace pursed her lips and cracked a bitter smile, a smile that does not contain any humor but instead pain. "I- uhm… My Dad and I were never really close because he was always too far away, either on a mission, trying to save other people's lives that he didn't even sense that his own family's facade is collapsing. Whenever he came home, he was either too tired or too stern to us. I tried to catch his attention, getting into trouble after trouble and disobeying him and Mom. He disagreed with almost everything I did. He'd always wanted me to stay at home barricaded and do the chores. Dad didn't understand that women are now as stronger as men and already had place in society." She frowned deeply. "Or so I thought."
Miles bit his lip, not knowing what to say.
"Then there came a moment when Mom got a phone call. I was about eighteen that time. Dad met an accident while he was on a mission. His legs were crushed after having been trapped under a fallen masonry; the doctors said that he would not be able to walk again after that incident. Worse part about that was he suffered from PTSD for years. Dad changed. He became more irritable, paranoid for no reason, unable to sleep, and had trouble focusing when around other people. We got into a fight one night, he disagreed with what I wanted to become, and so I left." Grace sighed. "And I've never returned since then."
There was silence for a couple of minutes until Miles pulled her and wrapped his arms around her trembling body. Miles saw them, ridiculous as it would seem; the cracks in her heart. She was an accomplished and independent woman, stern; as other people might say, but inside is still a yearning noone can ever fill except her family. "I'm sorry to hear that," was all he could say. "You know, it's not yet too late for forgiveness. Why don't you go home and talk to them? It's been like 10 years, Grace. They're your family, I'm sure they could understand."
"Well they didn't,"
"At first. But there could always be second thoughts." he tilted her chin and looked at her pain-stricken eyes. "Let's go visit them," Grace tried to wiggle from his grip but he held her wrists. "Grace, please."
After minutes of constant refusals and arguments, she finally nodded her head and agreed to go. "Alright, I'm getting changed."
Miles smiled. "I know you do not have extra clothes, so I'm letting you borrow this," he opened the wardrobe and pulled out a simple short-sleeved royal blue dress. "This was my Mother's. You could put this on. I'm sure if she was alive she'd be happy to let you use it."
Grace felt uncomfortable on her seat as she looked out the car window, trailing her eyes on the trees along the roadside. She recognized the area. They're just a few kilometers away from their home and she's getting really nervous. She was thinking, what if they didn't welcome her, or are still mad at her for what she did? What if she was right, that they already forgot they even had a daughter and totally erased all memories they have of her?
Needles pricked her body. When Miles turned his head to glance at her, he saw her forehead crease a bit. He reached for her trembling hand and squeezed it, wanting to let her know that he's there and he would support her in whatever that might happen.
A few tension-filled moments later, they finally arrived, and Miles parked his car just a few meters away from the house. They didn't get out just yet, as silence filled the car.
"We're here," he announced. Grace nodded and was the first to get out, stepping into the very grass she loved running in and biking; inhaled the air that told her it was certainly home.
She walked slowly, with Miles billowing just behind her, and suddenly stopped. She took in the sight and gazed at the old man sitting in his wheelchair, staring blankly ahead. His wrinkled hand and silvery- gray hair were the first things that caught her attention. He no longer was the same man who had that vibrant black as coal hair and tan complexion. He was extremely pale, and it was evident that old age has claimed him just as fast as time flew between them.
She felt her knees weaken, and immediately fell on the ground, with tears threatening to fall from her eyes. Miles kneeled down beside her and said, "I'll go greet them first. You can come to us anytime you're ready," he pressed his lips against her forehead when she nodded.
Miles bit his lip as he slowly stood and walked to approach Nathaniel, the man he considered as his second Dad, and also the father of the woman he intends to marry.
When the old man finally noticed his presence, a smile lifted his cheeks and showed his pearly-white teeth. "Corporal Quaritch, you're here! Is Trajan with you, Son? Where is he?"
"It's always a pleasure to see you, Sir," he gave him a salute and the old man did the same. "But I'm afraid Trajan is not here. He's on a mission in Nigeria, and he'll be back in 2 months, if I am not entirely mistaken."
"Ah, I see," the old man nodded. "So what brings you here?"
Just as he was about to speak, an old woman, Ellen, suddenly came out of the house to greet the visitor. "Oh Miles! You're here! I'm so glad to see you," the redhead woman reached and embraced the man she already considered her son.
"Apparently, I'm here because… I brought a gift, for you two." Miles smiled at the couple before turning his head back, waiting for Grace to walk in.
And she did.
Grace walked slowly, her eyes and composure unreadable, like she could collapse at any minute.
Silence filled the place.
Ellen Augustine leaned on the stair's banister for support, and her hands flew to cover her mouth as she uttered "Oh my God," Nathaniel Augustine, who remained frozen on his wheelchair, was silent, but mixed emotions were mirrored on his eyes.
"Mom, Dad," Grace said, almost whispered. Her eyes finally lost the might of holding her tears back and they rolled down her flushed cheeks. "It's me," How long has it been since she last saw them? 10 years? God, she missed them. She missed them so much. They were her parents, the ones who brought her into this world and raised her. Family. Home.
Her Mom remained on her position, but tears were also streaming down her wrinkled face. Nathaniel let out a breath and smiled. He reached his hands out, motioning for Grace to come closer, and she did. She ran to her father like a child would do after getting wounded in the playground. Grace kneeled before him and wrapped her arms around her Dad, he hugged her so tight like she wouldn't let go. Tears continously streamed down her face as her Mom joined their embrace. She wrapped her arms around her husband and daughter, and cried even more. Not because of sadness but of joy. "Mom, Dad, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," she sobbed.
Miles smiled while looking at the family. Grace is home. At long last.
"I'm so glad you're home, darling," her Mom said while stroking her hair.
Grace smiled at her Mom, who was the exact copy of her face. "I am, too."
When the three finally got over the shock and joy, Nathaniel and Ellen turned to Miles. Her Dad was the first to speak. "How did you-"
"Grace is my fiancee, Sir, Aunt Ellen," Miles immediately countered, moving closer to Grace and locking his hands with hers. "We're getting married,"
The old couple were rendered speechless for a moment, and Miles tensed a bit. But soon they've warmed up to the idea. "Well that's good news, then. I'm glad my daughter's marrying a good man."
Night has fallen; the moon lit a luminous silver in the ever dark sky.
Nathaniel Augustine gazed upon darkness above, pondering the day's events. He was finally happy, complete, now that his daughter is home and will be marrying a man of certified degree and honor. A Marine like him, cut him open and you'll see Semper Fi engraved through him.
A voice suddenly cleared its voice behind him, effectively cutting him from his train of thoughts. He turned his head aroun and saw Miles leaning on the door.
"It's cold out, Sir. It's also getting late. You should be resting." he walked his way and sat beside him.
"I'm actually used to the cold, Son. I do this almost every night, gazing at the sky,"
"We are very much the same, Sir."
Nathaniel pursed his lips. "Why do you insist on calling me Sir? You can call me Dad, now that you're marrying my daughter."
"Well that's really flattering, Sir."
He threw the man a deadly glare.
"I mean, Dad." Miles chuckled.
"That's more like it, Son. That's more like it." Nathaniel fell quiet for a second. "Son, let's have a man to man talk, are you up for that?"
"Well sure, I'd definitely want to."
"Do you love my daughter?"
"Yes, I do. I love her."
The old man hummed. "Do you want to know why I treated Grace like that when she was a child?" Nathaniel gazed up again. "I only wanted to protect her, because I knew all the dangers that exist in this world but she was so stubborn that it became hard for me to make her understand that I was only trying to protect her." He breathed. "I want her to have all the things she want, she, Trajan and their Mother. I wanted them to be safe." The old man chuckled to himself. "But you know that girl, he was just as stubborn as an ox, made to defend her cause. I don't know where she got that but my wife said she got it from me."
Miles crossed his arms. "I know that, Dad. But you don't have to worry. I would protect Grace with my life, I would never hurt her and I would risk having two arrows struck to my chest just to save her. Mark my words."
I'm feeling so dizzy so forgive me if ever slipped on some grammatical errors.
Oh! References:
I named Grace's Dad Nathaniel because it was the name of another character Stephen Lang (Miles Quaritch) was famously known for, Commander Nathaniel Taylor from Terra Nova.
Ellen Augustine was the name of her Mom because of you know, ugh, Ellen Ripley, the badass heroine Sigourney Weaver (Grace Augustine) played.
For Trajan, uhhmmm, well. Trajan is the name of Sigourney's real-life brother.
For Liz (Miles' little sister) I named her after a friend of mine who is extremely stubborn and cute.
For Beth (Liz's teacher) I named her after my Geometry teacher, actually. She was really nice and by the time I was thinking of story ideas, she was infront of the class discussing a lesson. So I included her in my little story.
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