Jake finding out you were pregnant would forever be one of the funniest memories you have ever had.

Your brother looked both happy, yet disgusted when you approached him with Tonowari to tell him the good news. The older brother in him was grossed out with the thought that his little sister ever had sex, but he was so happy to finally be an uncle that whatever misgivings he might have had didn't even matter to him. Jake grabbed you in a big bear hug, damn near squeezing the life out of you and not at all worried about how Tonowari fretted over you when he let go.

"I'm happy for you, really," he said, after letting you go, "It's just...hard seeing you grow up so fast. I remember when we helped you sign up for college, and now look at you. You're a young woman making a family of her own."

Sniffling you gave your brother a hug, "Awww Jake, we all grew up a little too fast didn't we?"

"Yeah," Jake said, looking over your shoulder to Tonowari, "We did, but I know that you'll be happy and safe here and that's all that matters."

He grabbed Tonowari by the shoulder and looked at the other man with a warning glare, "You're family now, Tonowari. You, Ronal, and your kids are now Sullys, as far as I'm concerned. But," and Jake's grip tightened, "If you ever hurt her, there will be hell to pay. Understand?"

Tonowari nodded, "Yes, I do."

You were exasperated at the manly display, but Jake wouldn't hear otherwise. As his little sister, he was entitled to threatening your significant others, especially since you were the only thing of Earth left that he cared about.

Then Jake, being an asshole, had given you the privilege of telling the children your good news.

And you came to find out that the kids had varying reactions to the news that you were pregnant.

Neteyam and Kiri were happy for you, while they were a bit disappointed that having a baby meant that you would not spend as much time with them as you used to, you had reassured them that you would still find ways to visit them. Even promising to bring the baby when they were born so that they could spend time with their cousin. That seemed to appease them that you weren't just going off and forgetting about them.

On the other hand, when it came to Lo'ak and Tuk, neither were really happy with you. Tuk, in particular, was the loudest in vocalizing how it wasn't fair that you weren't around anymore to braid her hair or play with her. She complained that it felt like you didn't want to spend time with them anymore and you had to sit down and talk her through her feelings. Asking her why she was so upset at you getting mated and why she thought you would just abandon her.

Eventually she had been pacified enough when you told her that despite everything you were still a Sully, and Sully's stuck together.

Lo'ak was more upset because you were one of the few people that didn't really judge him for anything he did. You had been a confidant to him, and would listen to him ranting without any judgement. He loved you terribly and to him he saw this in the sense that you would have better things to do than talk to your nephew. The young boy was scared that, once again, he would be overshadowed with the birth of a new family member.

He was a little more resistant to you talking to him about how this made him feel, often spending time outside the reef where he knew you weren't comfortable following him. When he was within the reef, Lo'ak sulked or spent time with Tsireya, going off for hours at a time to do whatever it was that he had been tasked to do. It disappointed you that he didn't want to talk to you, but Jake had promised that he would talk to his son.

You doubted it would end well.

When Tsireya and Ao'nung asked you if you wanted to go to the Vitrautral with them you had been excited. They had taken the news of your pregnancy well, and wanted you to go with them so that you can connect to the ancestors with them so that their new sibling can be recognized among their ancestry. It was very sweet and the sentiment almost made you cry, something that you were doing very easily due to the extra hormones raging through your body, despite your best attempts to keep from crying so often.

You had hugged the two of them tightly to yourself, crying openly into their hair and they needed help from Tonowari to pry you away from them.

They had planned to go during eclipse, which you were skeptical of, but Tsireya promised, "It's the best time of day to go sa'nu! We should be done by the end of eclipse!" Even going as far to invite Neteyam, Kiri, and Tuk to go along with you so that they can connect to the tree as well. When you asked Tsireya if Lo'ak would be there, her ears flattened against her head.

It wasn't an answer but you got the meaning well enough.

Ronal and Tonowari wouldn't be joining you unfortunately, which was fair considering they're duties as Tsahik and Olo'eyktan seemed to grow everyday. They did wish you to have good time, giving you a kiss before leaving in the morning and a passing pat on your stomach even though the baby bump hardly showing. You had left the mauri hours later when both Ao'nung and Tsireya were finally readied to go.

"Auntie! You're coming too?" you turned to see Tuk running up to you with a big smile on her face while Neteyam and Kiri waited near their ilus.

You returned the smile and bent down to swing her up into a hug, "Of course I am! Are you gonna ride with me or Kiri?"

Tuk snuggled into you side as you settled her onto your hip, "I wanna ride with Kiri on the way back, is that okay?"

"Yes, yes, that's perfectly fine baby bug," you answered, before calling out to Neteyam and Kiri, "Are you kids ready too?"

Behind you both Tsireya and Ao'nung had called for their own ilus before diving to meet them, and you gave Tuk a big grin before swinging her in your arms and throwing her into the water. She screamed happily before hitting the water, surfacing with an ilu next to her as she giggled and laughed. "Come on slowpokes! Hurry up," Tuk called out to you and her siblings.

You rolled your eyes and dove after her, settling into the saddle and pulling her to sit in front of you while you made tsaheylu. By the splashes behind you, you could tell that the older children were following closely as you trailed behind Tsireya and Ao'nung. They were waving you along with them, passing through beds of coral and schools of fish as they lead you all to the edges of the sea walls. You held your breath as you dived beneath the surface of the water, keeping a firm arm around Tuk so that the young girl wouldn't be swept away by the currents.

Little hands held onto the front of the saddle as you pushed your ilu to follow your mates' children, and little Tuk was wiggling in her seat as a pincer fish, or sloapek, zoomed by you. Tuk waved her hand out to the large fish, reaching out to try and touch it even though you were holding her back. Next to you, both Neteyam and Kiri settled into a smooth pace so that they were side by side with you.

Ahead of you, Tsireya made the hand sign for 'Just past the reef, go faster. Almost there.'

You surged forwards and passed both her and her brother, signing back to them, 'We will beat you there.'

Tsireya and Ao'nung gave each other a look before nodding, and waving at you in challenge. Their ilus moving faster to surpass you as they dodges by rock formations and the stray dorado verde. Ao'nung even circled his ilu around so that he could stick his tongue out at you, and making your mount serve a bit to not hit the young teen. He seemed so smug, but you could tell that he was happy.

It had been a trying ordeal to earn his trust, and adoration but seeing the carefree grin on his face was worth it to you. You even thought of them as your children now, a son and daughter who loved you just as you came to love them. You found it hard not to love them in the months you had been with them, and they loved you for how happy you have made their family.

Their parents seemed more at peace now a days, and you were giving them another little sibling to love on. How could they not love you? And how could you not love them? They spent so much of their time with the Sully kids now, and were close friends with them. At first it was to appease Ronal and Tonowari, to make you feel welcomed into their lives and family. By then, they, or rather Ao'nung, had come around and began to enjoy their time with your nieces and nephews. They enjoyed the time spent with you, and that sealed the deal for you.

You made a face back at Ao'nung teasingly to get him to keep that smile on his face, but moved to surface when Tuk tapped on your arm to signal she needed more air.

When you surfaced so did Neteyam and Kiri, breathing slowly as they tried to catch their breath. Ahead of you by a couple dozen feet Tsireya and Ao'nung came up also, they grinned at you. "What's the matter sa'nu?" Ao'nung called out, "Can't keep up?"

He hissed when Tsireya elbowed him, "Oww! What was that for?"

Your daughter gave you an innocent smile, "No need to rub sand in her wounds Ao'nung, sa'nu tried her best and that's what matters."

Ouch, that stung a little bit seeing as that was as far as Tsireya got when it came to trash talking, she was such a kind and gentle soul so when she did choose to joke like this it always ended up being more vicious since it was so rare. You feigned hurt, dramatically throwing an arm over your eyes and tilting backwards with Tuk, who was laughing and begging you not to bring her with you.

"Oh so mean to your poor sa'nu! How will I ever cope?" you moaned in play anguish, grabbing Tuk and cuddling her to you, "Oh little Tuk, you still love me don't you?"

She squealed in laughter as your fingers tickled at her sides and belly, "Auntie stop! It-It tickles!"

Neteyam laughed to himself as he and Kiri came up to you side, "Is Auntie giving you a hard time Tuk-Tuk?" When she nodded yes breathlessly, he reached out and plucked her from you grasp, "C'mon! I won't let her tickle you to death!"

"Aww, everyone is so mean?" you pouted, but the kids all laughed at you.

Tsireya giggled behind her hand but quickly composed herself as eclipse began to fall over Pandora, she quickly hushed everyone and when the environment glowed with bioluminescence she motioned for you all to follow her again. She was right when she said earlier that it wasn't too far from the reef, it took maybe two more minutes for all of you to pass into the Cove of the Ancestors.

You were in awe of the rock formations that formed a semi circle above the actual cove that held the Vitrautral, and slowly moved with your nieces and nephews to where Tsireya and Ao'nung had headed. The sheer beauty of the rock formations that perfectly framed Polyphemus just as eclipse was taking over was something you would never forget, and when the world glowed around you with life you cried. Just a few tears welling up in your eyes and sliding down your cheeks silently.

Never in your life did you think you would be lucky enough to see something so beautiful. Earth was so damn ugly, with its smog covered cities and stagnant rivers. The sky had lost its color and clarity, pollution so bad that no one on Earth's surface could see the stars anymore. Growing up, you resigned yourself to thinking that you would never see the beauty in nature, since there was no nature for you to behold. Only being able to view beauty like this through e-books and digital media files.

And yet, here you were, in person, to see the real thing.

It was beauty that you could never be able to live without anymore.

"Come on sa'nu!" Ao'nung yelled, breaking your concentration on the beauty that was right in front of you, "The others already made tsaheylu and connected to the tree! Your turn!"

You smiled at the boy you began to think of as a son, following him down to the vibrant pink and purple feather like leaves of the tree. He gave you a small nod as he came to float next to Tsireya and connecting his tswin to the leaf. On the other side at different heights, the kids were also connected to the tree. You could see the relaxation on the others' faces, and you brought your tswin up to connect like them. The second the little pink tendrils met with the leaf, you felt like you were back in your avatar link ups.

The same sensation of your mind transferring from place to place over took you, and when you opened your eyes you were back at Awa'atlu. All around you, you could see different Metkayina walking around and going about with their days. Before you could step forwards a hand reached out to touch you and you jumped in surprise.

A beautiful woman was in front of you wearing the same headpiece that Ronal did and similar clothing, her tattoos had the same swirls that Ronal's did but in different places. Where Ronal's tatoos were centralized on her head and torso, this woman held the marking of both Tsahik and warrior with the way that her tatoos extended onto her biceps and forearms.

"Hello?" you asked dumbly, "Who are you?"

The woman rolled her eyes, "Ahh, you are the woman that my dear Tsireya and Ao'nung told me about. I've waited to meet you, I thought that my daughter would have brought you here first."

At the hesitant look on your face, she smiled and brought her free hand to her head in greeting, "I See you, mate of my daughter. I am Ni'atwu te Namiie Yuey'ite, it is nice to finally meet you."

The rusty gears in your brain finally kicked into gear and you returned the gesture to her, "It-It's nice to meet you too! I- uhhh."

She laughed off your nervousness, "It is okay, you need not be so formal. I am happy to meet the mother of my future grandchild."

Thankful for the way Ni'atwu easily deffered any formal meeting, you smiled back at her, "I'm happy to meet you, you're very...different from Ronal?"

Ni'atwu nodded, "Ahh yes, ma'Ronal is more reserved than I, she gets that from her father." You looked around trying to see if Ronal's father was nearby, but Ni'atwu shook her head claiming that they didn't want to overwhelm you on the first meeting. "In time, you will come to know our family. From my mate to my sisters and brothers in arms, to overwhelm you with them now is not the best idea. But they are very eager to meet you as well."

For what seemed to stretch for a long time, you talked to Ni'atwu about anything and everything you could. You learned that she died fighting against the Sky People when they decided to first tread into Metkayina waters when Ronal was just a teen. She had just the one child, but Ni'atwu was one of seven children. The former Tsahik never trained from adolescence like Ronal to become Tsahik, it was foisted on her when her older sister died of an accident involving an akula. She had been a warrior before becoming Tsahik and mating with Ronal's father, and took great lengths to making sure Ronal knew how to defend herself in the case that she wasn't there to do so.

She wanted the best for her only daughter, and against the odds you seemed to meet her expectations.

"Ma'Ronal has been hardened by life and grief, and you sand down her rough edges in a way Tonowari cannot. I thank you for this," Ni'atwu said, patting your hand, "When I next see you, it better be with my grandchild on your hip."

You nodded, feeling the burning in your chest of where you were holding your breath and she sighed, "There's not much time left in the eclipse, and you are running out of breath."

But before you could say anything else, you were ripped from your connection, and was being frantically pulled the surface of the cove. Tsireya helped keep you above water as you caught your breath and tried to make sense of what was happening. All you could hear was yelling, and Neteyam's voice being the loudest as Tuk cried.

"What's going on?" you cried out in question.

Tsireya was frantic as she tried to explain that Kiri had seized up under the water, but she was too shook up to properly explain it to you. You watched in horror as Neteyam tried to breathe life back into his sister's body, his CPR sloppy and incorrect but it managed to work. She coughed weakly in his arms, but didn't wake up or open her eyes.

Your sweet little Kiri looked so tiny and so fragile.

You could only watch as Neteyam sped away with her, desperate to get her some help before it was too late.

Please, you prayed, don't let it be too late.

"You don't know what's wrong with her?" you felt like pulling out your hair as Norm and Max monitored your niece.

Jake, when Neteyam first returned with Kiri in his arms, had called for outside help, and a small part of you was hurt that he didn't ask for yours. You didn't get a fucking doctorate for shits and giggles, and even though you didn't specialize in xenobiology, you still knew your way around the body. They brought in their equipment and ran an IV into Kiri, Norm and Max talked amongst themselves and to Jake about what had happened. Not once asking you for your medical opinion, though to be fair you were just as lost as they were.

Kiri had a seizure that didn't leave any lasting damage behind, and yet they didn't know why she wasn't waking up. None of it made any fucking sense, and you were anxious, stressing yourself out terribly as she lay there unmoving.

For their part, Norm and Max looked just as remorseful that they had no definitive answer. Norm sighed as he brought up a scan of Kiri's brain and giving it to you, "It's like I said, she most likely had a seizure due to epilepsy of the prefrontal cortex. And if what Jake says is true about her 'hearing Eywa', you can't let her connect again to the tree."

You bristled, "She's not some religious fucking whackjob, claiming to hear shit that isn't there. What's happening to Kiri isn't just something that you can slap a diagnosis on, especially when you aren't fucking trained in healthcare. Seizures can be caused by a multitude of environmental factors, and not just psychiatric ones!"

"It's simple! She connected to the tree and as a result had a seizure, that sounds pretty environmental to me! Coupled with the fact that she has been experiencing states of religious delusions and visions, it all points to the same probable diagnosis," Norm defended, "If you want her to live, you won't let her connect again. It's a matter of life and death for her, if she seizes underwater again its over."

Jake tried to calm you down as you snarled, "Then give us a fucking breather for her, so that she can breath under the water when she goes to connect to the tree again. Boom, simple solution to the simple problem! You cannot ask her to never connect to Eywa again, it is not just a cultural thing for her. Her connection to Eywa supersedes that of a normal Na'vi."

Across from you Norm threw his hands up in defeat, "What do you want me to say? I'm giving you my medical opinion here, its for Kiri's best interest."

"And my medical opinion is to let her choose what she wants, there are many holistic ways she can try to manage these seizures."

Max interjected, "Holistic approaches may not work for her, if she wants to manage this she needs medication-"

"That we don't have access to! This is the best solution for her with what we have to work with!" you deflated when you looked at your niece, "Kiri deserves to chose what she wants to do, but either way leave a respirator so that if she has trouble underwater she won't fucking drown."

Neytiri glared from where she sat next to Kiri, "Are you skxawngs done arguing or are you going to help Kiri?" You shrank a bit when she looked at you, visibly upset but still worried for your own health, "And you! This stress is not good for you or your baby! So stop with this yelling, it will only stress you more." You could see how both Norm and Max looked at you, surprised at the news that you were pregnant, and while interested in that there were more pressing matters to attend to.

Namely, not making Neytiri any more upset then she already was, since she was practically murderous at that point.

Frustrated, but not wanting to upset Neytiri further you sat on the other side of Kiri and tried to regain what little composure you had. You watched as the two men continued to talk to Jake about Kiri's condition. It irked you terribly that they just decided that Kiri was to never connect again, at least not while living here. They spent a lot of time around the Omaticaya to know that that wasn't an option, it would cut off her connection to her ancestors and people. Hell even her connection with nature would be impacted.

You knew your niece was deeply spiritual, so to her it would be worse than a prison sentence.

The flutter of fabric distracted you and you turned to see Ronal, standing in the mauri looking unsure with a large platter of supplies. You could see how quickly she assessed the situation, and you knew the exact moment your mate deemed it better to not help. Her eyes swept over the arrayed technology with a grimace, clearly uncomfortable with the human intervention. Behind her Tsireya wrung her hands and looked just as anxious as you felt.

Ronal sighed, "I see I am not needed here."

Quicker than lightening, Neytiri grabbed her with pleading eyes as she hissed, "You are Tsahik!"

You scrambled up to your feet, and begged your mate to listen to you with your eyes, "Ma'Ronal, please... help Kiri."

The Tsahik looked extremely uncomfortable as Norm and Max started up at her, clearly waiting to see what was her next move. You touched her shoulder gently, and she turned her head to you. You would never make her do something she didn't want to do, but your niece wasn't waking up and there was nothing that was helping her. Ronal was the last hope you had at waking Kiri.

Her blue eyes met your tearful yellow ones, and she spoke loudly but never once broke her gaze, "I cannot work if these...things are in the way. Remove them."

You smiled at her, so thankful that she would help your little niece even though she wanted to be anywhere else at the moment. Neytiri hissed at Jake and the other men, "Out! You have done nothing!" A small part of you enjoyed the frantic scrambling that ensued, you watched with a calculated eye as Norm and Max frantically gathered their equipment as Jake just ducked out of the way.

"Ma'yawne, hold this for me please," Ronal gently pushed the platter into your arms, and you raised an eyebrow at the large needle that lay in it with bowls of paste, along with different incenses and some flint to ignite it.

Your mate gently sat next to Kiri, opposite to where Neytiri sat with a little Tuk that snuck in, and you made to sit by her side as she looked over Kiri. Quietly Ronal lit the incense and set it to the side, letting the home fill with smoke. You removed the bowls from the platter to set next to her, before gently picking the needle up to give to her as she prepared herself.

Ronal looked at you, "I will try to purge the spirits that plague her, but it may take a long time. She will need all the strength she can get from her family." You wiped stray hairs away from Kiri's face and Tuk held onto her hand, desperate to stay with her sister.

Neytiri looked so sad as she curled into herself, "Anything, Tsahik, anything you can do to help her will be appreciated. I will be indebted to you."

"You will not be indebted to me, Neytiri te Tskaha Mo'at'ite," she said in all seriousness, "You are family to my mate, I will help you regardless."

When Ronal began to chant lightly and pricking parts of Kiri's skin with that needle, you had to steel yourself. It was a bit disconcerting to see the large needle so close to Kiri's face, but Ronal was Tsahik for a reason. She knew what she was doing and with how efficiently she used acupuncture on Kiri's tanhì, you had no room to doubt her. Instead you moved Kiri when Ronal needed to access her sides and back, even going as far as to prick the tanhì on Kiri's fingers and toes. Each time the needle dipped into her skin, Ronal was quick to cover the tip in the pastes from the bowls.

The second Ronal finished the acupuncture, she set the needle aside before bending over Kiri with her hands cupped over her mouth in a funnel. Ronal heaved in quick breaths, and puffed her cheeks out when she suddenly reared up to push the air away from her, hands still cupped in that weird fashion.

She did this, over and over, performing this procedure over many parts of Kiri's body. You weren't sure how long she continued to gather the air away from Kiri and blow it upwards, but when you looked outside for a split second you could see the sunset over the horizon. Ronal continued this, until you heard a sharp intake of air. You snapped in Kiri's direction and let out a cry of relief when you saw her look around confused.

Her face crumpled and Kiri started crying, loud heaving sobs, as Neytiri and Tuk rushed to comfort her. You looked to your mate who sat back with her hands clasped over her stomach, and you leaped forward to hug her. "Thank you Ronal, thank you for saving her!" you cried, tears rolling down your face. She held onto you as she cried in her arms, so thankful that Kiri was alright and the stress finally leaving your body.

"No need to thank me, ma'yawne. I would never let her suffer alone like that," Ronal shushed you as she ran a hand through your hair soothingly.

Behind you, you could hear Jake and his sons come in, all happy that Kiri was okay.

And as lovely as this moment was, you wanted nothing more than to go home with your mate and let them have their moment. You sniffled as you stood up, "Let's go home, Ronal."

She smiled at you, and nodded. The two of you quietly gathered her things and you gave Kiri one last hug before leaving the Sully mauri with your mate. Neither of you really talked until you were in the safety of your home. Even then you said nothing as Ronal sat down and held her arms out to you, letting you lay against her as she combed her fingers through your hair.

You merely let her foist her affections on you, terribly tired out from the events of the day. By the time, Tonowari and the kids came home, you were already asleep with your head in Ronal's lap as she sat there with her songcord in her hands, humming her song to you. Ronal and Tonowari kept vigil over you as you slept, neither willing to leave you alone after such a scary day.

Vitrautral - Tree of Souls

Sloapek - Pincer fish

Akula - Large oceanic predator, reminiscent of a shark

Tanhì - Star, bioluminescent freckle

Säspxin - Disease, illness, sickness

Got a new job, its 3rd shift so hopefully I get the energy to keep writing after I get home from work. Hope you guys liked it.