-.-Renuion, Pt. 1-.-

"So who is he then?"

"Hmm?"

"You said you're okay not knowing who your father is so you can make him up. So, who is he?" Nix prompted.

Gracie smiled. "He was one of Dr. Augustine's scientists, a huge nerd. He wasn't an Avatar driver though, but he loved everything Na'vi, like you. So, what'dya think? Am I close? Does he sound like someone you'd fall in love with?"

Did he ever. Nix cracked a smile. "Sure, maite."

Not even close. But Gracie didn't have to know that.

The next morning, Nix awoke early, and this time it wasn't because of the sunrise.

It was that time again - not that time of the month, just that time. She had started something, years ago now, and now every once in a while it would return to her.

She felt that longing, that pull, one that had become familiar over the stretch of years, already too strong to ignore or avoid.

The scientists kept samples of Na'vi and Avatar DNA on hand. A plunge into depression had caused her to access them and make a choice, and since then, she was now forever changed.

Once everyone else woke, Spider and Gracie raced off to meet up with the Sully kids while Nix had work to do. Norm had given her an extensive list of samples to collect out in the forest and to then bring back to the lab for testing. They were at war now, but life still had to go on in some capacity.

"Nix? Nix?" Jake's voice scratching over her comms system blasted into her thoughts.

"Go for Nix."

"What's your location?"

"West of camp, why?"

"We just received an update from Lo'ak: he, Spider, Gracie, Kiri and Tuk have come across some Avatars."

Shit. "Where abouts?"

"By the old shack."

Doubt shit. She hadn't been back there since she had left mid-battle fifteen years ago, and for good reason.

"I'll head that way, I'm on foot."

"Heading to meet you."

"Copy that."

She hurried as fast as her small limbs would carry her. Thankfully she always carried a rifle with her nowadays whenever she went out to collect samples.

The kids knew they were not supposed to go that way under any circumstances ever. This had been the rule their whole lives, and especially within the last year with the RDA's return. What were they even doing over there anyway? She had a feeling Jake and Neytiri would do the same, but her kids were certainly getting a stern talking to once all this was over.

The old shack was overgrown and infested, the world around it taking it back. This gave it an eerie, post-apocalyptic quality, but then again, it kind of was.

And just in front of the shack itself: the AMP suit. It wasn't like they had buried him, no just left him to rot, as he so deserved. The sight of the suit - and the knowledge of who and what was inside - turned her stomach.

There was no sign of the kids - yet. She didn't know whether this was a good or bad thing.

Unbeknownst to her, Quaritch's Recom unit had just touched down and entered the area, also on foot and armed.

"Sir, movement up ahead," updated Z-Dog.

Quartich stepped forward to investigate. A human woman, armed with a rifle and wearing a breathing mask. Her red hair gave it away. "Phoenix Vallencourt... We'll I'll be damned..."

Nix whirled around at the sound of footsteps.

Avatars, a whole squad of them. Oh they were Avatars all right, and fully outfitted by the RDA.

The leader of the squad held up a hand to stop the advance of the others and addressed her. "Phoenix."

It would already have been alarming that he knew who she was, let alone that she recognized his voice.

A beat. Her expression distorted as she gazed upon him and the recognition flashed in her eyes. "M-Miles?" she squeaked. No, no. No, no no nononononono-

"What the fuck?" finally fell from her mouth, oh so eloquently. But no, it couldn't be.

But it was, it was him.

And now that that part had fallen into place, she started to recognize, one by one, his squad, the same squad as always.

She was going to be sick.

What was happening?

"Hey Sweetheart." He gave her a nod.

"You're dead!"

"We were. And now we're not." Simple as that. As if it were so simple.

Somehow, she got her arms to respond and raise her rifle once more.

"Let's have none of that, as you can see, you're very outnumbered-"

"HEY!" Just then, two tan bodies and three blue bodies, came tearing out of the trees towards them. "GET AWAY FROM HER!" Gracie roared, teeth bared, arrow already notched on her bow. Spider and Lo'ak did the same. Kiri and Tuk were hissing, crouched in defensive stances.

She'd found the kids - or rather, they'd found her. "No, no, get back, what are you doing?!" Nix cried. Shit, she'd been taken off guard, and now the kids were in even more danger than they may have been before.

They were surrounded in an instant.

"Stay down!"

"Stop fighting!"

"Shut up!"

"Down!"

There was a lot of overlapping snarling and yelling.

"Colonel, look, check it out-" Wainfleet held up one of Kiri's hands. "-Four fingers: we've got a half-breed."

"Leave them alone!" Nix cried. "They're children!" Not that the RDA had ever cared about children before.

Quaritch approached Lo'ak, "Show me your fingers."

Lo'ak responded in a very on-brand manner by flipping him off with both hands.

Okay, props to him, but bad timing.

"Lo'ak!" she hissed. "Do not antagonize them!"

But Quaritch was chuckling. "You're his, aren't you? You're his all right..." He took Lo'ak forcefully by the queue, making him growl. "Where is he?"

"Sorry, but I don't speak English with buttholes."

"Lo'ak!" Again, honestly. Though, he really did have his dad's energy.

"Where is your father?" Quaritch demanded in terrible Nav'i, not gaining any response. "Really, you want to play it that way?" He withdrew a knife from his belt and with it, he moved away from Lo'ak and towards Kiri.

"NO!" Oh Great Mother, oh Great Mother please protect us! She didn't know what to do - she was just one person, one human surrounded by armed Avatars. She couldn't save all the kids even if she tried.

"Kiri - NO! STOP! DON'T TOUCH HER!" Spider roared.

"Leave her alone!" Gracie screeched.

Nix wrenched her captor forwards so that she could stand closer to the human kids.

"Don't hurt her, please!" Lo'ak begged. Spider just continued snarling.

Quaritch looked between the only humans in the group. "They yours?"

She just stepped closer to the kids, confirming his answer.

His ears drooped. Her betrayal hurt him, but this hurt more. But it had been fifteen years, so not difficult to imagine she would have settled down with someone else. But who? It had to be a human, based on this boy and girl.

"What's your name kid?" he demanded of the boy

Spider hesitated, then said, "Spider Socorro."

Quaritch knelt down so that he was more level with the kid and took a good, long look at him. "Miles?"

"Nobody calls me that."

"Well I'll be damned - I figured they sent you back to Earth."

"You can't put babies in cryo, dipshit."

Quaritch observed him for a moment longer before turning to Gracie. "And you?"

"Go to hell, tosser!" Gracie spat, causing Nix to feel a flutter of pride amongst her fear.

Did he recognize her? Did he notice that they shared the same eyes? The eyes of his previous self?

If he did, he made no acknowledgement of it. Instead, he reached up to his neck to press on his comms. "Iron Sky, Blue One, Actual. We are standing by for extract, over. Be advised we're bringing in some high-value prisoners."

Nix gets all the F-bombs in my version of this franchise because I say so!

Quick note: As I'm writing this I've HAD AN IDEA! I have added a MAJOR plot twist to this book so if you don't recognize Gracie from before, go back and re-read the first few chapters to fill yourself in! :)

As always, thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed! :)