A/n: This chapter is a little late and I apologise for that but I promise I do have a reason. I was really busy with some competitions these past two days and that took up the majority of my time. But it's here now!
Updates for chapter four: it will be from Tuk's pov, and I'm still working on it but I should have a little more time to write now. ;)
Now without further ado, chapter 3; Jake.
His son was dead.
His firstborn son.
His. Son.
The one who would always look out for Lo'ak when he couldn't. The one who'd always take the blame for his brother's mistakes so Lo'ak wouldn't be in trouble. The son who had been the 'perfect son', doing anything he asked without hesitation.
Neytiri had warned him that living up to his legacy, the Jake Sully legacy was difficult, for anyone. He knew that even before Neytiri had talked to him about it. He was no stranger to living up to legacies, and he knew how much harder it was when you were the direct descendants of those people, especially when you're a kid. Being a teen was hard enough, figuring out who you are and who you're gonna be, but it's even harder when you also have to consider if who you are is up to that legacy's standards, to your parent's standards.
His wife had warned him that he was being too hard on his kids as it was. But what she didn't know was that he was doing it for their own good. Yes, he was being hard on them because he needed to uphold his reputation, but only because his position in the Na'vi society was still unstable. He would never really be Na'vi, no matter what he did, and he wanted to make sure his kids didn't have to go through that, that if they grew up Na'vi then the Na'vi would accept them.
It wasn't just his reputation and the Na'vi though. He needed to make sure that his kids were safe, especially with the humans ruining everything like they always do, first on their own planet then on others. He knew firsthand how ruthless his own - or his former - people could be. That's why he needed his kids to know how to stay out of trouble, to be the best they could, because knowing his family and their history, trouble seemed to always follow or attract Sullys.
Yet, now as he thought about it, maybe his wife had a point. Maybe he had been a little too hard on his kids, especially considering that he'd pretty much uprooted their whole lives when they moved to the Metkayina islands. He could justify that though, knowing that they were - or had been - safest there, even if they weren't entirely welcome. That's why he'd had to make sure he was welcome and that they were on their best behaviour. Because mistakes could be deadly.
Maybe it was that he'd taken them for granted. Maybe he'd taken Neteyam for granted. Thinking about it now, he couldn't remember a single time Neteyam had ever complained, or got into trouble that wasn't because of Lo'ak dragging him along. Even then, he'd tried to stop his brother, only ending up going to keep him safe. That was the job of the older brother but it wasn't just that, Jake realised now. Neteyam had been his firstborn child, and he'd been the oldest son, both of which alone have so much pressure but paired with upholding his legacy?
What had he done?
He'd always been so grateful that his oldest son was so mature, never got into trouble unless it was to protect their family, a great soldier and a great son. But Jake had never thought about what it must have cost that son. How much Neteyam had needed to sacrifice to be that person that Jake was proud of. How much of that son Jake was proud of was actually who his son was? How much wasn't truly him?
It dawned on him that he didn't have the answers to these questions. It dawned on him that he didn't know because he realised that he didn't know his son as a person at all. Thinking back now, he only really knew Neteyam as a child, and then as a good soldier. That gap was filled with nothing but surface level.
Searching for a reason of why, Jake went through his memories of his family, of when Neteyam was born and as a baby then adopting Kiri and Lo'ak being born, then Tuk and during those last three, he doesn't really remember much of Neteyam. He remembers how Neteyam would always be the one they called on to watch his other siblings if something else required Jake or Neytiri's attention. He remembered how well Neteyam would do that job, even when he himself had been a child.
He doesn't remember Neteyam ever complaining about it. He doesn't remember if Neteyam ever wanted to play with them and they said they were busy. He doesn't remember the nights where Neteyam would stay up late, waiting patiently for the second bedtime story they'd promised him in exchange for keeping an eye on his siblings during the day only to eventually give up when he realised they'd forgotten about it, not even bringing it up the next day because he didn't want to make his parents feel bad because he knew they were busy, important people.
He doesn't remember a recent time when the two of them had done something together, just the two of them as father and son, not commander and soldier. The last thing he can remember them doing together is the fishing lesson where he'd taught little Neteyam to shoot a bow and catch a fish. He'd been so happy and proud of his son in that moment, seeing the young boy grinning ear to ear and talking nonstop about it when they cooked it and ate it together with the family and some other fish they managed to get.
God, had that really been so long ago? He looked at his son's body in front of him. When had his son gotten so big? So mature? Even as a child, he doesn't remember Neteyam doing much stupid things. That had mostly been Lo'ak and sometimes Kiri. Even Tuk had done some dumb stuff but Neteyam had always managed to make sure she never got hurt while doing it before he taught her quickly not to do it again. And she'd listen, because he was her older brother. All their kids would listen to him actually, sometimes more than they listened to Jake.
The whole thing just reminded Jake of when his own brother died. He'd been devastated, even though him and his brother had been so different and they'd never been too close because of it, but there'd always been their brotherly bond that had been stronger than anything regardless.
His mind went to Lo'ak, knowing that his son would likely go through a similar experience as his own. He wouldn't wish it on anyone, but maybe this would finally put some sense into the boy's head. He'd promised himself way before he'd even been married that if and when he had kids, he'd never compare them to each other. But he couldn't help himself from sometimes wishing that Lo'ak was a little bit more like Neteyam. He loved all his kids, of course he did, but Lo'ak was too much like him and one day it'd get him killed. It already got Neteyam killed. How many more would have to be hurt because of his son's ideas before he finally got it in his head that there were consequences to his actions?
Jake learnt a harsh lesson with all the deaths around him, a sad truth. You only ever truly appreciate someone when they're gone. When it's too late, to say sorry, to change things.
It was too late now. Too late to learn who his son really was. Too late to say sorry for not being a better father. Too late to save him and tell him that he was so proud of his son, every single thing he did. So proud of how his son would always step up for his siblings, he knew it took guts and true bravery. So proud of how his son handled all the pressure of being Jake Sully's firstborn son and still managed to be so happy and energetic and so kind and amazing and everything Jake could ask for in a soldier and a son.
He took one last look at his son's lifeless corpse, a life taken too soon, a boy that would have become a better man than Jake ever was or could ever dream to be. In that second, he made a choice. A vow to himself.
He was going to make Quaritch pay for this. Not just with his life - which Jake would make sure dragged on in endless pain and suffering until Quaritch begged him to end it - but with everyone else's lives on that ship. All of them would die.
A second later, his earpiece crackled and the voice of the one he'd just vowed to end echoed in his ears. He listened, his blood turning to ice as Quaritch's words filled his brain, overtaking any other thought in his head, only leaving one.
A promise. He'd die before he ever saw another of his kids dead because of him ever again. And the first step?
Revenge.
Jake Sully was out for blood, and nothing, nothing in this world or any other would stop him. Because he wasn't doing this for himself. He was doing this for is family, and in his world, family is everything.
It was then that Jake Sully changed, his son's death awakening a new part of him, a more feral part that had been tame before. It was that part of him that made him turn to his distraught wife and give her somewhere to direct her anger and sorrow.
It was that feral part that took over as he rode to save his family, and to avenge the one he couldn't. The one whose life had been spent being under appreciated and only after his death did they truly realise what they had lost.
As they rode with fury and fire in their hearts towards the ship, Jake looked up, all his emotions gathering into a single tear that dropped from his eye and onto his cheek as he said what he should have said to son long ago, the words lost in the wind and the waves.
I see you now, Neteyam.
A/n: Once again, I wrote the ending at 11:30 pm when I should have been fast asleep. It wouldn't have usually taken that long, but this ending would not end. It fought me and was like, 'oh this doesn't sound like an ending, just add a bit of this, and that too, maybe some more'. But, I think it's not too bad of an ending. Btw, if you guys really want anyone else's povs then pls lmk and I can see what I can do. This story is completely in your hands so you decide whether you want just 4 chapters or more. ;D
Stay safe, be kind, and see ya soon!
CrowofArcadiaOaks