Author's Note: Hmm. So I don't know how I feel about this chapter. Something about it just isn't settling right. I've rewritten it and reread it a few times and can't seem to figure out what's wrong with it. But yall waited long enough so I hope it wasn't too bad. I'll no doubt have to come back to this one sometime, but until then, thank you all for your support and for being so kind! I hope that you enjoy it!
Warnings: A character with appearance altering burns.
Jake's blood roars in his ears so loud that Bob lets out his own roar into the air, funneling Jake's panic and rage out of both of them. Or as much as he can. Some sort of outlet for both of them. Jake latches onto the feeling of his enraged ikran, using it to stabilize himself. Focus. He has to focus. His baby needs him.
"I'm coming, baby," Jake whispers, maneuvering Bob around until he's on Aphrodite's right flank, on the side where Neteyam's hurt. Tonowari grips his waist hard enough to almost hurt, but Jake isn't paying any attention to that. His baby needs him. The boy behind Neteyam is trying to hold the blood in Neteyam's body. His eyes are blown wide, and his face is pale with fear. "Hey!" he calls out to the young man. "Hey!"
Tonowari leans in slightly. "My son, Ao'nung."
Jake nods, more to himself than anything. "Ao'nung! Hey! Look at me!"
The young man, about Neteyam's age, finally turns to look at him, looking a lot paler than his fellow reef Na'vi look. The girl behind him, his sister, if Jake had to guess, is leaning around him with wide, horrified eyes.
"I see that you have both your hands on him," Jake says, eyes flickering between a panicked Ao'nung and a bleary-eyed Neteyam, holding the handle connecting Aphrodite's neuro-antennae together, staring forward, trying to keep his breathing even. "Is there two holes? Was he shock twice, or did the bullet go through?"
Ao'nung looks down at his hands, eyes wide, too scared to move his hands away. "I don't know. I... I think it's just one. He.. He... I just... He's bleeding so much. I don't..."
"Ma Jake," Neytiri calls over the radio, her, Lo'ak and Kiri moving their ikran closer. Neytiri's eyes are blown wide, ears perked, trying to listen closely. "What's wrong, Ma Jake? What has happened?"
Jake hesitates, scared of scaring his family, but he knows he can't hide it. They need to know. "Neteyam has been shot."
Neytiri's body goes completely rigid, panic flaring across her features. Jake turns his gaze from her, not able to deal with her fears at the moment, he keeps his attention on Neteyam and Ao'nung. He can't focus on Neytiri, because then he's going to feel the panic in him begin to overwhelm him. He has to focus. He can't panic. Neteyam needs him. His baby needs him.
"We need to stem the bleeding," Jake calls. Ao'nung and the girl both look at each other, having nothing on them that would be able to do that. It takes a moment of stunned terror between the siblings before Spider, who, just learned of the situation by turning around and seeing it, scrambles into his bag, digging around, searching frantically.
"Here!" Spider gasps, pulling out his blanket.
"Perfect!" The girl says, pulling the knife off of the Ao'nung's side. She grabs the blanket from Spider and quickly starts cutting it into jagged strips, gripping them tight enough to not have them be blown away in the wind.
"Good, good," Jake says. He could have bear-hugged Spider for thinking of that. "Good job, Spider!"
Spider smiles but his expression is strained, his breathing shallow, half turned to reach for some of the strips. His eyes flicker up to Neteyam's pale face, still staring forward blankly, trying hard to keep his composure and stop from panicking. Jake couldn't be prouder of Neteyam. He remembered one of Jake's first lessons about being shot - a horrible, gut wrenching just-in-case that he had to tell them in the event that something happened, even if it made him sick to think about - and tried to keep his heart rate slow.
"Are you okay, bro?" Spider asks, just barely loud enough for Jake to be able to hear.
Neteyam nods slowly and shakingly, but doesn't speak, as if his waning strength could be used up on words. Jake ignores the terror that cuts through him, eyes flickering to Aphrodite as she roars in rage and pain, no doubt feeling it from her minor wound but mostly funneling through her bond with Neteyam.
The girl passes some of them over to Spider before cutting up as many as she can along the length of blanket before putting the knife back into the sheath on her brother's side before awkwardly leaning around Ao'nung to join Spider in carefully wrapping them around Neteyam's body. Ao'nung slowly moves his hands, and they are coated in blood so thick its almost globs of black.
Jake's throat bobs in terror and he wars with himself once more. He should stop. Have them drop to the mountains so that he could actually look at it himself, but he also knows that he doesn't have really anything that could help. They needed to get him to Mo'at. They weren't far from First Base. He could see it. Even if it was off in the distance. They aren't doing anything that he wouldn't. They applied pressure, they're securing the wound as best they can, and then they're applying pressure again to try to help.
As Spider and Tonowari's daughter finish wrapping up Neteyam's wounds, now all three of their hands are coated in blood, a thought occurs to Jake. He reaches a hand up to his headset, figuring that they were close enough for short range radio. He should be able to reach First Base from this distance.
As he's about to touch the mic, Neteyam turns toward him, face ghastly pale and lips nearly white. "Dad," Neteyam says, voice eerily hollow. His body is now trembling like mad. "I... I don't feel good," he says a split second before his eyes roll up into his head. And like someone cutting power to a machine, Aphrodite stops flying, paralyzed by her rider blacking out, rendering her unable to move.
And they plummet.
Jake isn't sure who screamed louder. The parents. The siblings. Or everyone on Aphrodite's back. Including Aphrodite herself.
Jake has absolutely no idea how all the kids didn't get flung off in all directions as Aphrodite spun around madly, the black out short circuiting her mental faculties, momentarily forgetting how to even fly.
Jake and Neytiri drop after them, Lo'ak and Kiri a few seconds behind them, everyone screaming in horrified panic, even the Metkayina Na'vi that have yet to grasp what's really going on. Jake manages to get close enough, with Tonowari's iron clad grip on his hips no doubt bruising, to hear all three kids screaming for Neteyam to wake up.
Spider has his arms and legs literally wrapped around Aphrodite, holding on for dear life, his eyes pinched shut tightly. Tonowari's daughter has her arms around Ao'nung, head buried into his shoulders and her legs dug in tight to Aphrodite's side while Ao'nung's feet hooked into the footrests, one arm wrapped tightly around Neteyam's waist to keep him pressed back to chest with the Metkayina while his other hand is wrapped around Aphrodite's handle, struggling to keep them all connected to the rapidly descending ikran.
Aphrodite hits a floating rock formation, bouncing off of it. The kids scream again, struggling to hold on as she topples backward, skidding off of it and continuing to fall. Neteyam's arms are pinned by the arm Ao'nung has around his waist while his hair is flying around his face, chin up. His eyes are shut, peacefully, as if he was simply sleeping peacefully on his mat at home and not hurdling toward the sharp rocks and river beneath them.
"Neteyam!" Neytiri screams, managing to speed up enough to be just behind him. "Up! Go up!"
"Bro!" Lo'ak screams from further back. "Wake up!"
Jake makes a split-second decision, forcing Bob to get as close as he can without Bob outright refusing, before he moves to his feet, balancing on Bob's saddle with only Tonowari's hands on his hips and his grip on his reigns to keep himself somewhat steady. He reaches up, doing a daring little hop to grab onto Neteyam's tail that was whacking against the sides and thighs of the siblings behind him.
Neteyam will forgive him, Jake assures himself and gives his eldest son's tail a hard yank.
Neteyam's entire body convulses at the pain, and he yelps, eyes springing open. He gasps at the sight of the fast-approaching rocks before wrapping his hand around Ao'nung's so he has a grip of the reigns and directs Aphrodite to pull up. Jake lets go and drops down in front of Tonowari again in time to maneuver around a frantic Aphrodite as she slams into another floating rock, all the kids holding on for dear life once again as she spirals before managing to get the wind under her and she starts to ascend once more.
Neteyam sits rigidly as they all level out, hastening their journey to First Base. His face has lost all color as the reality of what just almost happened evident on his trembling expression. Lo'ak and Kiri take up the spots behind him while Neytiri stays on his left. Her own face bleached in terror, as is the women behind her. The Tsahik almost bearing witness to her children painting the rocks below with their blood and bodies.
Jake's heart is pounding, and he has to take a few deeps breaths to settle the ungodly amount of panic coursing through his veins. He brings a trembling hand to the mic at his throat.
"Jake to First Base. Come in First Base," Jake says, surprised by how even his voice sounds. Especially because it feels like the threads of terror are the only things keeping him together at this moment. He spots Neteyam's lips moving, but he can't make out what was being said. Ao'nung leans closer, turning his ear to listen before slowly pulling back once Neteyam stops, face even paler than before.
"We hear you, Ma Jake," Tsu'tey's voice comes through the mic and Jake almost cried out in relief at the sound of his mate's calm, even voice. Even Neytiri's body sags at the sound of his voice. "I just heard about the kids. I was just about to come looking for you."
"Tsu'tey," Jake rasps, now hearing the quiver in it. But he swallows thickly, trying desperately to ignore the trembling in his limbs for both the adrenaline and the terror, forcing himself to focus. "I need you to get Mo'at. We are coming in hot."
"I will alert her immediately," Tsu'tey says, voice even, assured.
He doesn't know. He doesn't know. He doesn't know. Over and over again, in the space of seconds, Jake keeps hearing in his head. Tsu'tey doesn't have to know anything. He just listens to Jake's words, hears his voice, and obeys. No questions. No explanations. Not now. Not when Jake simply needs him to obey. But he doesn't know. He's going to be blindsided either way.
But he doesn't know!
"Tsu'tey," Jake says, voice trembling, unable to keep it from his mate. He feels the eyes of his other mate, of his children, on him. There were no secrets between them. Jake never kept anything from either of his mates. After the betrayal about Hometree back when he first joined the Omatikaya, he promised that he would never lie to them. He would do everything he could to always be truthful, no matter how much it hurt. And this hurt so fucking bad. But he had to know! Tsu'tey had to know what was happening. Not just for himself, but Mo'at needed to be appraised of what was about to come barreling into them at top speed. She needed to understand. He needed to understand.
And in order for that to happen, he needed to know.
"Tsu'tey, it's Neteyam. Sky People shot Neteyam."
The following three seconds of silence is deafening as Tsu'tey processes what was just said to him. In the corner of his vision, Jake watches as both Lo'ak and Neytiri bring their hands up to their earpieces, as if trying to hear Tsu'tey better despite him not saying anything at all. The silence seems to stretch on for an eternity as they near First Base.
Finally, eerily even, Tsu'tey says, "Understood."
Miraculously, Neteyam manages to stay conscious the rest of the flight, eyes wide in fear but manages to make the landing on the platform of First Base, where they were staying. The landing is less than graceful, nearly jolting Spider off the side of Aphrodite's neck, but she manages to hold onto the platform, snarling and spitting angrily while Neteyam quickly breaks the bond, freeing his ikran from his pain.
She makes a long, keening noise that makes Jake's ears hurt.
Spider drops to the ground, doubling over, both shaken and clawing at his mask, looking around desperately. Before Jake can even move, Kiri is grabbing him under the arm and racing toward their home, practically dragging him. Her face twisted in panic and fear. It takes Jake a second to remember that Spider was probably running out of air. he prayed Kiri remembered where Jake kept the extras. She seemed to.
If not, Jake wouldn't be surprised if she tore apart their home looking for it.
He couldn't help them. He had to focus on what's right in front of him. Spider will be okay. Jake managed to peak the yellow light on his pack, he still has time. Not a whole lot, but enough.
Neteyam quickly stands up, dazed from adrenaline and blood loss - the makeshift torniquet holding just barely at this point, his entire right side is drenched in enough blood to make Jake feel sick to his stomach- swaying, despite Ao'nung and his sister making a grab for him, and he falls right off the side of Aphrodite.
Jake's heart lurches as he too lands and makes to leap off of Bob to try to get to his son, when Neteyam lands in Tsu'tey's arms, letting out a howl of pain, legs shooting straight out, toes curling.
Tsu'tey lowers him down onto his lap, trying to be mindful of the bleeding wounds on Neteyam's side. As he's maneuvering his hands to get a better grip on the eldest of Jake's children, Neteyam's eyes find Tsu'tey's and through the haze of pain and fear, a sudden vulnerability spreads across his features as he takes a moment to see the face of the man holding him before reaching out and wrapping his arms around Tsu'tey's neck, smearing blood across his chest, neck and shoulders. A trembling, heart-breaking sob rips from him as he pulls closer.
"Papa!" He rasps around his whimpers and hiccups. "It hurts, papa!"
Tsu'tey's barely maintained calm, shatters into apprehension and fear as he pulls Neteyam close enough for the boy to get comfort from nuzzling into his neck while he straightens up, racing toward Mo'at's hut. The Tsahik meeting him a part of the way before racing with him back to her workspace, already poking at the bandages on Neteyam's side, despite them being pressed into Tsu'tey's chest, trying to discern the damage.
As he goes, Jake calls out, "Tsu'tey!"
"I have him!" Tsu'tey calls back without even looking.
Jake nods, only to himself as Neytiri jumps from her ikran and races after, barely slowing down to dodge around approaching clanmates. They start wrangling the ikran, helping the Metkayina off their backs. No more, Jake had promised. No more strangers in their home. He swore it to all of them. And yet, here they are. But no one questioned it. No one spoke out or sent him looks of betrayal. They just moved efficiently. Practiced. No need for instructions.
Jake hesitates for a split second, knowing that he needed to see to his clan, he hasn't done a thing for them in almost twenty-four hours, since leaving on his date with Neytiri, and then racing out again as soon as they came back when he learned that three of his four children were missing. But he couldn't. This was his baby. His baby needed him.
Jake made his way over to the injured Metkayina woman as she tenderly, with the help of at least three Na'vi, made it off of Neytiri's ikran, and scoops her up in his arms. She doesn't say a word as he carries her toward Mo'at's hut, not needing to elaborate for everyone else to follow. The clan watches, silently, as they pass, no doubt having seen Tsu'tey rush past with an injured Neteyam in his arms and seeing the rest of Jake's missing progeny also returned to First Base and race through it like their asses were on fire after their mother, who about bulldozed her way through three warriors and a hunter in her haste to get to the hut.
Jake caught sight of Tarsem, making eye contact with the other man, the one he left in charge with Mo'at to keep the clan on track while he was gone, to express without words that his duties had yet to be fulfilled. Tarsem nods, understanding the look, snapping at the clan that stopped to stare, to get back to work. Knowing that things will run smoothly without him, Jake makes his way into the massive hut, placing Rhalwari down onto one of the nearby cots as gently as he can before looking around at the Tsahik's horde of helpers rushing around, spotting one standing still.
"Nim!" He calls.
She flinches, turning slowly. Her eyes land on Jake, and relief flickers across her face before lowering to Rhalwari. She nods without needing any direction and makes her way over, lame leg dragging behind her as she does. She practically crumbles to the floor next to Rhalwari, nodding at Jake once more to let him know that she had this, before he makes his way toward the far side of the room to see how his baby was doing.
Rhalwari stares in silent horror at the young woman in front of her.
This woman, this Nim, was without a doubt, one of the most stunning young women that Rhalwari had ever seen - on one side of her face. The right side of her face was horrendously burned, from the side of her head which left only small patches of hair left, down her face, burning away most of the ear on that side, along her neck and down to her shoulder, disappearing beneath the large, thick shaw she has to cover herself. The burns appear to be healing well, some sort of medicine smeared on that side to give it a sheen. The upper lip on that side is pulled slightly in a snarl, showing off part of a sharp white fang. Her eye looks mostly undamaged, but she tilts her head far to look in that direction, belying the loss of sight of the eye partly hidden beneath the melted lid.
None of the Metkayina, as they crowd in, scooting into the corner to stay out of the way, say a thing. Most just staring at her and everything but her in utter silence. She doesn't say anything, doesn't ask any questions, nothing. She just sets to work removing the make-shift splint and observing the damage, not once lifting her head or making eye contact with any of them.
It's easier to watch her hands work, the right hand and what can be seen of the arm revealing a smattering of burns, not nearly as severe as her face, than to listen to what was happening a few feet deeper into the room.
Jake makes his way through the throng of his gathered children, their mother, and any aids standing nearby, waiting for Mo'at to order them around. He stops to see his baby, his oldest, laying on one of the mats, face twisted in agony as he sobs, staring up at the face of his papa, who was leaning over him, arms bracketing their baby's head, so that they were staring at one another. His body is manipulated in such a way that Mo'at can work on Neteyam's abdomen without him being in way.
Tsu'tey's thumb gently rubs comforting circles onto the side of Neteyam's forehead as he whispers soft, loving words to their son.
"Papa," Neteyam sobs, tears streaming down his cheeks and down toward his hairline as he writhes in pain, looking around and clinging to Tsu'tey's back. "It hurts, papa! It hurts really bad! Make it stop, please! Please!"
"I know it hurts, baby, I know," Tsu'tey says, having easily taken to Jake's nickname for their children, voice even despite the rage and worry threatening to split him in two. "Your grandmother is going to fix you, just be strong, baby. Be strong. We are here."
One of the helpers moves over with a bowl of something, with Tsu'tey's help, she manages to pour some of it down Neteyam's throat. He coughs a bit, sputtering as if drowning, face pinched in pain. She softly apologizes, waited for him to catch his breath before she pours some more. As much as she can get him to drink before he turns away, shaking and sobbing.
Mo'at does something which makes Neteyam recoil, pushing off the ground and crying brokenly in pain, his voice raspy and warbly. Jake feels his body tense while Tsu'tey curls closer, like his physical body could protect Neteyam from the pain he feels.
"Mama," Neytiri hisses in concern, but Mo'at ignores her.
Without looking, Tsu'tey reaches back to place a hand on Neteyam's left hip to press it down once more, eyes still focused on his son's tear-streaked face, Neteyam's blunt nails dragging bone white marks down Tsu'tey's shoulder blades to his ribs before they darken once more. Tsu'tey leans down, ignoring any pain or discomfort he might be feeling, to nuzzle his sobbing son's face and neck.
Jake lowers on the other side of Tsu'tey, leaning down as well to place his hand onto Neteyam's head, petting down his braids. A cold, terrifying calm settling over him now that he knows that his son is staring at him, panicking.
"Shh, baby boy, shh," Jake says softly, "I know it hurts. I'm so sorry."
"Daddy," Neteyam whines, fresh tears spilling over his little face. Jake feels pain lance through his chest. It's been... years since Neteyam last called him that. Too many years. "It really hurts, dad. It hurts." He whines again, voice cracking, eyes bloodshot.
"I know, baby," Jake whispers, lowering his face to Neteyam's forehead, peppering it, his eyes and his cheeks with kisses, hoping that it would also sooth his son. He feels Tsu'tey's hand cup the side of his neck, thumb swirling in similar circles on his jaw as the one against Neteyam's forehead, both offering comfort to Jake, and asking for it in return. Jake doesn't miss the shift to his pulse point, as if to prove to himself that Jake is still alive as well.
Jake tries not to look at the blood. Neteyam's blood coats himself, Tsu'tey's arms and chest, stomach and legs and now a bit on Jake from Tsu'tey's hands. Instead, he looks at the sobbing face of his first born and leans in closer.
"You know what we should do?" Jake whispers, Neteyam's delirious and pained eyes turn to him.
He takes a shaky breath, hiccupping in pain. His lips part, but no words come out. So, he just shakes his head a little, trying desperately to focus on Jake's face.
"Your papa and I found a pretty lake over by the eastern plateau, you know, the one that leads to the ocean? It's kind of secluded, closed off, but it's so pretty. We were thinking about bringing you out there for your birthday, but I'm too excited. Maybe we should go sooner. You think?" Jake asks softly.
Neteyam's eyes sparkle a bit, glistening with the tears streaming down his cheeks. He takes a shaky, pained breath before rasping, "I want to." His eyes fall to Tsu'tey, who swallows thickly. "Can we?"
Tsu'tey nods slightly, beads in front of his face sway at the movement. Neteyam's eyes track it for a moment before focusing back on Tsu'tey's face as he says, softly, "You know your dad was never going to be able to wait until your birthday to show it to you."
Neteyam's pale face breaks into a half smile, half grimace. "Yeah." He recoils, voice cutting out mid-whine as he throws his head back into Jake's hand, his little, pointed chin nearly running into Tsu'tey's. His body convulses in pain, throat letting nothing but a shuttering breath and a squeak that made Jake's chest tighten even more. Fresh tears slide down his cheek as he turns to Jake, seeking comfort.
Tsu'tey's hand goes from Jake's neck, down to his chest and then onto his shoulder blades, making it easier for Jake to pepper more kisses to Neteyam's face. This isn't typically Jake. He's not the overly affectionate one of the three of them. Neytiri is easily the most affectionate, followed closely by Tsu'tey. Jake isn't usually the one that just reaches out and touches people. At least not intimately so. A pat on the back, a hand to the arm or shoulder, and it he's really daring, a hand on the lower back, but not much more than that. He's much more respectful of everyone else's space, unlike the rest of his family - his children taking after Tsu'tey and Neytiri.
Na'vi, by their nature, are a lot more physically affectionate, so Jake has always been open to anything that someone else wants from him. His children come to seek comfort, or his mates, and he offers it freely, but he never goes seeking affection or forces it on anyone - especially his mates and children. He waits for Neytiri's permission to touch her when they sleep at night, even if it's a simple as wrapping his arm around her waist, and he always waits for Tsu'tey to notice, and smile at him - his own version of permission - before wrapping his arms around his waist and leaning into him.
Neytiri and Tsu'tey shower him with affection, always touching him and kissing him, and he loves every bit of it, but he was never like that as a human. Not as a child and certainly never as an adult. So, he has always been extremely conscious of everyone's boundaries. Outside of family and very close friends, Jake almost never touched anyone without permission or them initiating it first - so long as the situation isn't dire.
So a part of him is surprised that Neteyam would even consider seeking comfort from him when Tsu'tey was right there, but he also surprised himself by how much he was kissing and nuzzling Neteyam's face, neck and shoulders. As if any tiny amount of comfort would suddenly make him all better. Take all the pain away. Heal his wounds and cure his cold.
"Can mom come?" Neteyam rasps, one hand moving from Tsu'tey's shoulder blade and onto Jake's bicep.
Jake nods, kissing his sweet boy's face again. "And your siblings?"
Neteyam's watery smile is like a balm to Jake's heart. So sweet. So innocent. "Yeah. I want them to come too..."
"How about..." Tsu'tey says softly, nuzzling Neteyam's cheek, his eyelashes fluttering a bit. "How about we make a day of it? Go out early, have lunch, play for a few hours. Maybe even spend the night?"
Neteyam's eyes brighten a bit, barely flinching and gritting his teeth, as he looks to Jake. "Can we..?"
Jake kisses his forehead, noticing how slowly Neteyam is blinking. "That papa of yours has some pretty good ideas, doesn't he?"
The corner of Neteyam's lip curls. "Yeah..."
"Think we should keep him for a while longer?" Jake weakly jokes, knowing how lame it was, but Neteyam's lips curl slightly more.
"Yeah..."
Jake swallows, apprehension coiling in his gut once more. Tsu'tey's face has hardened once more as he stares at Neteyam, as if willing him well. "How do you feel, Neteyam?" Jake asks softly, watching his eldest son's long lashes fluttering against his cheeks, like it's getting harder to keep them open. "Are you getting sleepy?"
Neteyam nods, huffing from his mouth. "Yes... my... my eyes... I..." His eyes slip closed, and his voice cuts off. He lets out a breath and starts to relax. Jake pensively looks to Mo'at and Tsahik Ghresa, that he hadn't realized returned, were working on his abdomen.
"Mo'at..?" Jake asks softly.
"It's what we gave him earlier," Mo'at says evenly, not taking her eyes off of what she's doing. Her face is drawn and tired, expertly keeping herself together despite her grandchild being under her hands. "Looks like it finally kicked in."
The tension in Tsu'tey's shoulders melts a bit, but he keeps his focus on Neteyam, eyes burrowing into his sleeping face, listening to every soft, wheezing breath he makes, watching every tiny twitch of his expression, waiting anxiously.
Jake isn't sure how long he laid there, his body aching from staying in one position for too long - he has to wonder how Tsu'tey feels. Neytiri quietly assisting her mother and Tsahik Ghresa, eyes darting worriedly at Neteyam's pale face, his chest rising and falling in short pained breaths. Lo'ak, Tuk, Kiri and Spider huddle close - Jake doesn't know when the later two got there but he's happy to see Spider is okay - but don't get in the way and stay uncharacteristically quiet, even Tuk, who sat in Lo'ak's arms.
"Take him," Mo'at's voice pulls Jake back to himself. He glances over at the older woman, her golden eyes staring at him.
"What?" Jake asks, eyebrows pulling together slightly.
"Take him to be cleaned up," she says in a way that sounds like she's said it multiple times. "Neteyam should not awaken to see his dad and papa look like that. Both of you go to get cleaned up."
Jake knew what she was talking about. Knew she meant the blood. But he could only really focus on a select few of her words. "You think he's going to wake up? That he's going to be okay?"
"We shall see," she says evenly, her face drawn and tired. "But if he does wake up, he shouldn't have to see that. Go get cleaned up."
Not the confirmation that he wanted, but he knew she was right. Neteyam probably wasn't even focusing on anything aside from the pain. She's right. Jake wouldn't want him to see that. Especially knowing that it's his own blood. And...
Jake looks up at the stoney expression on Tsu'tey's face. His eyes scanning Neteyam's face over and over and over again, nonstop since they got to the hut. Tsu'tey needs a break. Just for a second.
"Tsu'tey," Jake says softly, waiting for his mate to look at him. He doesn't. "Tsu'tey?"
No response, just staring.
"Papa?" Tuk calls out softly, her voice taking on a lilt of fear. "Papa, are you okay?"
No, he can't. His children are scared enough as it is. He can't do this.
Jake leans up, body protesting but he ignores it to carefully, tenderly, touch the side of Tsu'tey's face, pushing it toward him until his mate finally looks at him, blinking slowly, as if confused. Jake moves to stand, grabbing hold of Tsu'tey's hands as he does, tugging softly every couple of seconds until Tsu'tey follows suit, movements jerky and uneven. His bones crack up and down his body and Jake couldn't help but flinch at that.
Jake carefully glances over at Neytiri, who was watching them with keen, alert eyes. "Can you..?"
"I will not leave him for a second," Neytiri vows, her raspy voice soft.
Jake swallows, nodding, before very carefully leading Tsu'tey around Mo'at's knelt form, and out of the tent, ignoring the watchful eyes of everyone they left behind. Neteyam needed him, so he stayed with Neteyam, did everything he could to ease his baby's fear and pain - which wasn't much.
Now, his mate needed him.