Author's Note: Sorry for the wait! Enjoy!

Neteyam grabs onto both of Tsu'tey's hands with both of his, blood roaring in his ears as he pulls the rigid male with him. One tug, two tugs, three. Too long. It's been too long. His mama... she'll... she'll...

He can't. He can't lose her too! Not like..!

Mommy... mommy is dead...

Terror washes over Neteyam but he snaps out of it when he stumbles over one of the steps leading up into the marui, not realizing that he was moving with Tsu'tey on one side and Jake on the other. He's so panicked, so out of his mind in absolute terror, that he can't focus. His heart is pounding, his head is spinning. Nothing seems like it is moving the way it should. His mom has probably bled to death hours ago and he's over here just struggling to get his mind to focus.

What is wrong with him?

They make their way into the marui and Jake and Tsu'tey immediately get to work accessing the situation. They move over to his mama and inspect what they can, talking to each other and her, in low calm voices. They don't panic. They don't lose their heads like he is. Leaders, Neteyam's mind offers him in the midst of his internal screaming, berating and raging at him for having taken so long. Too long. They were both leaders for a time, though. They can handle stressful situations. They have experience in dealing with stressful situations.

They aren't like him.

Neytiri brushes past him, moving to lower down between her mate and partner. She inspects the wound on his mama, talking in a low, raspy voice to her, who nods slowly at her words, pale faced. Those beautiful blue eyes turn to him. She offers a thin smile, her lips moving but either she isn't actually speaking, or it is so soft that he can't hear her - or maybe the roaring in his ears is too loud - but either way, no noise reaches him.

But she's alive. That's what matters. Even if he made her wait hours for him to bring them back with him.

Neteyam has no idea how long he was standing there, just staring at the pale face of his mama, recalling a flash of something similar from long ago. A moment that stunned him in terror. A realization that kept him rooted in place as the sniffling heat and something rancid in the air that made his throat hurt and his nose sting was too much for him to ignore. It triggered something, a memory from long ago.

He ran. He did. He had been scared at the time, but after the shock of it wore off, he knew he couldn't stay there. So, he ran, chasing after... after...

"Mommy! Mommy please!"

"Neteyam."

He can't. He can't find his mommy. He can't...

"Neteyam."

Mommy... is gone. Gone. Mommy left... why did mommy leave...? What was that red...?

"Neteyam."

Neteyam blinks, looking over at his mama and the Sully parents, to see them all looking at him. The memory scratching at the forefront of his mind bleeds through his fingers like water, leaving him feel eerily empty and a bit off kilter. More than he already is.

"Do you have medicine here?" Neytiri asks, her voice soft, eyes gentle in understanding. He can barely hear her over the roaring of his blood in his ears, so he strains himself when she continues, "Sweetheart, I know that you're frightened, but I need you to focus. Can you hear me?"

Neteyam nods, his throat feels like it swelled up. He turns to head to his medicine corner, kneeling down as she gives him instructions on what types of medicine that she needs to help his mama. He's mute, grabbing plenty of everything that Neytiri quietly asks for. He brings them over in piles before lowering down next to her, turning his eyes to his mama, trying hard to follow Ronal's silent instructions echoing in his skull about keeping his expression even and controlled, but he knows that she can see his lip quivering slightly, his hands shaking a bit.

"Mama," he croaks, lashes fluttering. "Are you... okay?"

She nods. "I'll... be fine..." she lets out a shuttering breath. "My leg hurts..."

Neteyam nods back, taking a shaking breath. "Have you been like this long?" He asks, dreading the answer as Neytiri inspects her leg, frowning. She nods to herself, mumbling under her breath as she mixes some herbs together with direction from Neteyam about what was what, and feeding it to his mama to hopefully help ease the pain that she's in.

"I don't think so..." she rasps, forehead creased as she attempts to shift her weight, hissing in pain as something pulls or cuts into her leg. Jake and Tsu'tey shift a bit beside her, trying to keep her steady.

"Don't move," Neytiri says, keeping her voice low. Then she looks over at Neteyam, her expression softening. "We need to widen the hole so that we can pull her leg out without cutting her up more."

Neteyam nods. He climbs to his feet and heads over to the bench filled with his father's tools, some of which were designed specifically to help build - or in this case, break down - the very flooring of their marui. He grabs onto one of the knives and heads back over to them, offering it to Neytiri, quietly saying, "I can't do it, my hands are shaking so bad... I'll hurt her."

He's not embarrassed. He's sure he probably should be, but instead, he's ashamed. He's angry at himself for not being good enough. For not realizing that she had been subtly saying that something was wrong for a while now. She must have realized something was wrong with the flooring and had he just thought to check it out himself, he would have known that it was rotting away. Instead, now his mama is hurt.

Neytiri nods, taking the knife from him as Neteyam kneels down in front of his mama, pausing to nuzzle her face and kiss her cheek, whispering an apology into her skin before helping Neytiri in dismantling the floor, bit by bit while Tsu'tey and Jake supported her weight, holding her up so that she wouldn't be putting pressure on either of her legs, as one was numb, twisted weird and the other was in the floor.

As they work, Neytiri quietly offers, "Lo'ak is getting Ronal. She'll be here soon."

Neteyam nods, leaning in to nuzzle his mama, she kisses his temple, and he feels his panic bleed from him more and more. Honestly, he had completely forgotten about the other teen in all the madness. He feels bad but he can't focus on that now.

"I'm sorry I didn't know," Neteyam whispers, his tail twitching harshly in anxiety. "I'm sorry I didn't come home sooner. I'm so sorry, mama."

His mama shakes her head, pressing as close to him as she can with Jake and Tsu'tey's arms around her. They shift a bit, no doubt straining from having to remain in the same position for so long, but they don't complain and Neytiri works as fast as she can while still being safe. She is still pale faced and she's shaking, from the adrenaline or from how long her body has been stuck contorted the way that it was, he's not sure. But she definitely seems to be more alert, which is a good thing.

Neteyam pulls back from his mama and makes a paste to put over her wounds, figuring it would be what Ronal would want to put on it when she gets there, knowing her. And because he has to keep his hands moving, despite how badly his hands are shaking. His panicked mind is calming down but now he just feels the intensity of his own adrenaline that he has running through his veins.

"How is she?"

Neteyam looks over his shoulder to see Ronal walking in, carrying a basket of some of her own supplies. Neteyam hops up to take it from her as Neytiri explains what she knows so far. Neteyam is so relieved to see the older woman that he feels a touch of tension leave his shoulders.

"There is some heavy bleeding from the cuts when she fell through the floor, she can move her ankle and bend her knee," Neytiri says, evenly. She must have learned that while Neteyam was too overwhelmed by his own thoughts. He is the tsakarem. He should have been the one to figure all of this out and report it to Ronal when she got here, but instead, he's silent. "We are cutting her out and supporting her weight before we remove her."

Ronal nods, not seeming to notice that Neteyam was not fulfilling his duties as she lowers down next to them, leaning forward to look at Rhalwari's thigh as best she can while Neytiri continues to cut away at the flooring. Ronal looks at the way that Jake and Tsu'tey were supporting Rhalwari, how Neytiri was cutting up the floor, close enough to not make the hole too much larger while still being able to get her leg out, then she looks down at the concoction that Neteyam made. She nods in approval before glancing over at the broth cooking behind Neytiri, tilting her head.

"Have you been like this long, Rhalwari?" Ronal asks, grabbing out some more herbs to make another concoction.

"No," Rhalwari replies, voice shaking. "At least... I don't... I don't think so..." She shifts slightly, one arm draped over the shoulders of each of the forest male's shoulders.

Neteyam walks over to one of their water barrels and fills a cup, bringing it over to his mama, surprised he hadn't even considered giving her some beforehand. How long had she been without water? How come it's taking him so long to remember his training? What is wrong with him?

He is never going to be good enough to be Tsahik one day.

They proceed in silence only broken by Ronal's soft voice commanding Neteyam and Neytiri, until finally Neytiri had cut through enough of the flooring for Jake and Tsu'tey to lift Rhalwari up out of the hole. She flinches in pain, despite the medicine in her system. Neteyam moves to Ronal's side to assist her in any way she needs, trying to steady himself. He will be Tsahik one day, he hopes. He will have to learn how to treat people that he loves. So far, he's not doing too good of a job.

Neteyam helps Neytiri cut through the thin length of flooring wrapped around his mama's bloodied leg, pulling it apart while Ronal sets right to work, cleaning and assessing the wounds as the flooring sliced a bit of her calf, her knee and all around her thigh. Jake and Tsu'tey move off to the side to stay out of the way but stick close in case they are needed for anything more.

Neteyam is so grateful, but he can hardly speak. His throat feels like it's sealed closed.

As they work, Neteyam tidies up the space for Ronal, clearing away the blood from his mom's injuries and bringing the Tsahik everything that she needs, trying to anticipate her next move so he can already be in motion before she can ask him to do something. He's not sure he's doing well, but Ronal doesn't complain, which he's thankful for. He will just have to do better. Practice more. Get out of his head and focus.

A creak has Neteyam's ears swiveling back as his dad says, quietly, "Is she okay?"

"Yes," Ronal says, voice even as she lathers up Rhalwari's thigh with medicine while Neteyam prepares bindings of kelp coated in a sealant to help it stay on. She nods toward the piece of flooring. "Look at that."

Neteyam lays down a strip of kelp next to Ronal, watching his dad, curiously. His dad, pale faced and worried, inspects the piece of flooring after gently nuzzling his mama's hair to which she ran a hand down his chest, reaffirming in a soft murmur that she was okay. Now that she's no longer in that position, rolling the ankle of her other leg for it to crack and relieve pressure, as well as the bleeding having been slowed, she's thankfully starting to look better. So, Neteyam hopes that it's true. That she is okay - no thanks to him.

Tao'su nodded against her hair, a frown pulling the corner of his lips down as he looked at the flooring covered in drying blood. There is a sudden anxiousness there, not wanting to think about his mate in pain. How long she'd been there. If she really was okay.

Neteyam could get that. All too well.

"What's wrong with it..?" Neteyam rasps, barely able to get the words out after a few minutes of staring at his dad's furrowing brow. Tsu'tey and Jake stare at him in the corner of his eye but he's too ashamed to look at them. He can barely look at his dad when his eyes turn to him.

"Nothing," he says, shaking his head slowly. "At least, nothing obvious. I'll go look under the marui." He takes the piece with him, pushing to his feet. He kisses the top of Rhalwari's head as he goes. For some reason, Neteyam thought that his dad would simply walk past him, just as angry at him as Neteyam was in himself, but his dad stops at his side, kisses the top of his head too and murmuring, "Don't be so hard on yourself, Neteyam. She's okay." And heads off.

Neteyam didn't know how to breathe, let along how to respond to his dad's words. Of course, he knew that Neteyam was upset with himself, and just in general. Neteyam has always been weird about Rhalwari. He always worried about her safety.

Mommy... where is mommy...?

"Would you like some help?" Jake offers, pulling Neteyam from the hollowed out little voice in the back of his head. An image or a memory... a something just at the edge of his recollection. But it's gone again.

Tao'su hesitates, frowning, almost like he was going to deny it, but then nods. "Okay, thank you."

Jake spares Neteyam a glance that he couldn't returned. Neteyam just quietly kept up with anything and everything that Ronal asked for alongside of Neytiri. He helped prop his mama up comfortably, offering her a thin smile when she ran a hand down his arm, he got fresh cloth and water. He made medicine. He did it all in silence, too ashamed to say anything or meet anyone in the eye. At some point, Rotxo came running in, apparently Lo'ak had managed to find him too and told him what happened - or at least as much as he knew, to which Neteyam was thankful for the young Sully boy.

"What did you figure out?" Rhalwari asks softly, finally pulling her eyes away from Neteyam as Rotxo sat at her side, holding onto her hand. Neteyam looks over his shoulder to see his dad and Jake pass through the entrance of their home, dusting their hands off.

"Vvet crabs, set up a nest beneath the marui, that whole side there is going to have to be replaced," Tao'su says sighting. He gestures toward the far wall, where they keep all their food, medicine, tools and where his parents keep their personal belongings. It's the wall facing the mountain - one of the downsides to the natural defense, it has a lot more particular maintenance than regular marui do. And while it's been a few years, they were still learning how to do it all.

"Vvet crabs, huh," Rotxo says, frowning. "So, we're going to need to tear up the floor?"

Tao'su nods, a shoulder heaving sigh escaping him. "Yeah, they've basically picked it all apart on that side, but their spores have compromised mostly that side, but it stretches all across that wall. I'm surprised nothing else has fallen through over there."

"We're lucky that none of the food or supplies fell through," Rhalwari says, relieved. She's finally starting to look better.

Rotxo and Tao'su have the exact same exasperated expression their faces, while Neteyam quietly says, "We would have rather had to regather supplies and food, then for you to have gotten hurt."

Rhalwari makes a sad little sound, ears flattening against the sides of her head as she looks down. "No, you're right, of course."

"Try to stay off that leg for a few days," Ronal says after a beat of silence. "I'll come back tomorrow afternoon and change the bandages and reapply some medicine directly to the wound. Vvet crab spores from their nests can make you feel nauseous and dizzy, and you've spent a while exposing an open wound to it, so keep off your feet. Neteyam," she turns piercing greenish blue eyes to the tsakarem, "give her medicine for the pain as she requests, and I'll show you how to make something to start neutralizing the spore and it's affects, just in case."

Neteyam nods. "Yes, Tsahik."

Ronal looks over at Tao'su and Jake. "The two of you will need to take the medicine as well." Her tone assured it was not a request, or a suggestion. Both men nod. "Not much can be done now for you, Tao'su, as it's already in the air around your home, but Sully, you should wash up before bringing that back into your marui."

"Yes, Tsahik," Jake says, tipping his head respectfully.

"As well as the two of you," Ronal says to Neytiri and Tsu'tey. "You have both been exposed, so clean up before heading home."

"Yes, Tsahik," they both say.

"Rowee cannot come back to the marui until we clear out the spores," Ronal says, sternly, continuing on. Her gaze slides between Rhalwari and Tao'su, both nodding. Her eyes flicker up past Jake and Tao'su. "Vvet crabs made residence under the marui, Rhalwari is fine, but we need to clear up the wall and flooring infested as soon as possible."

Neteyam turns to see Tonowari standing at the entrance way. He nods, returning the wave of his forehead to everyone in the marui. His bright blue eyes turn to Rhalwari, softening a bit. "Can we get you anything, Rhalwari?"

"No, I'm okay, chief," she says softly, shaking her head. "But thank you."

"We'll get some of the clan together and get started tomorrow morning," Tonowari says to Tao'su. "You are all welcome to spend the next few days with us until it's done." He looks at Ronal, who nods in agreement.

"We couldn't impose on you," Rhalwari says softly, frowning.

Ronal shakes her head. "Nonsense. Give us the night to clear the space and then stay with us until it's all fixed here."

"Thank you," Rhalwari murmurs, rubbing at her forehead with the hand not being held by Rotxo. She casts a look at the hole in their floor, a frown pulling more at the corners of her mouth. Neteyam and Rotxo both bow their heads in thanks to the Tsahik and Olo'eyktan.

Ronal turns to Neteyam and goes over how to make the medicine for him and his family for the night, and he insists that the Sully family remains while he makes it under Ronal's supervision. Once it was all made up, he split up the medicine so that everyone could have some.

"We'll head out," Jake says after he and his mates had their share of the medicine. Neteyam nods, moving to walk his three students out. As they walk down in the white sand, the sky has since gone from its brilliant blue to a starburst of reds, yellows and oranges as the sun dips closer and closer to the horizon out at sea. Neteyam spots the Sully kids standing with Tsireya and Ao'nung over by the water just past the firepit.

Tsireya, spotting them first, turns with a sympathetic look on her face. "Is she okay?" She asks as they draw closer.

Neteyam nods. "Yes. She's okay." He feels at the band to his tweng at his hip, feeling the strip of leather that he had grabbed for Lo'ak earlier in the day - the reason that he had found his mama to begin with. He hadn't even realized that it was there in the panic of everything that was going on. He grabs it off his side and walks over to Lo'ak, holding out the strip of leather for him.

Perplexed, Lo'ak takes it. "What's this?"

Neteyam takes his hand and shows him how to wrap it around his palm as Tao'su had shown him a long time ago. "My dad made this for me to help hold onto the ilu's kuru when I was little. You... wrap it like this, okay? You need to have the special grips in the leather on your palm. Hopefully it will help you build up the strength in your hands. Be sure to alternate once you've got the hang of it."

Lo'ak nods, staring at the older teen's face for a long moment, searching it, before he says, quietly, "Okay. Thank you, Neteyam." Neteyam nods back, just... holding Lo'ak's hand for a beat, so thankful for the part he played in this, no matter how unintentional it had been. Had Neteyam not come to the marui to get this for Lo'ak, who knows how long his mama would have been like that? Had Neytiri not decided that today was going to be the day that she faced her fears? Had so many things been different -

He doesn't want to think about it.

"I'm glad your mom is okay," Lo'ak finally says, squeezing Neteyam's hand.

Neteyam nods back, still keeping his head down. "Me too."

Finally, he pulls away from the other forest boy and looks at Kiri, seeing something shining in her golden eyes, before she says, "Goodnight, brother."

Neteyam nods back, staring into her eyes, trying to figure out what it is that she saw in him before finally just saying, softly, "Sleep well, sister."

Her smile widens before she loops an arm through Lo'ak's and drags him off. Tuk smiles up at Neteyam, bouncing forward to hug him around the waist, too tight and too fast for him to respond before chasing after her older siblings. Neteyam waved goodnight to the three adults, who all waved back and moved to follow their children, except for Tsu'tey. His expression was mixed, as if he was warring with himself on something. Jake's lips press together as Neytiri tilts her head in confusion a few steps away, waiting on the taller male.

"Did you..." Tsu'tey starts, searching Neteyam's face intently.

Shifting a bit, Neteyam tilts his head. After a beat of no clarity from the other male, he quietly prompts, "Did I..?"

Tsu'tey hesitates, still studying Neteyam's face before his shoulders slump and he shakes his head. "No, never mind. I'm glad that everything is okay. Goodnight, ma'yawntu."

Too exhausted to press, Neteyam nods. "Thank you all for helping me," he says softly. He's been saying that a lot these last few days, huh? "Have a good night."

After their farewells, Neteyam turns to Ao'nung, who was staring at him with this softest, most understanding look on his face that makes Neteyam melt. Like a cord snapping, Neteyam launches himself into Ao'nung's arms, sobbing into his neck. A moment... he just... he needed a moment to let it all out, then he'll be okay. He hadn't realized how tightly he was holding that shame and fear in until he was given the chance to just let it out. Ao'nung was warm and comforting and Neteyam loved him so much that it hurt his chest just to feel it.

He needed this. He needed this relief.

Ao'nung squeezes him so tightly, just like Neteyam likes when he's upset. It's so hard for him to breathe but he likes this feeling. The pressure makes him feel better.

Neteyam holds onto his betrothed for a long time, desperately trying to control his emotions as they threaten to completely overwhelm him. After a few, shuddering breaths and a few quick swipes to his face, he pulls back to look up at Ao'nung. "I'm okay."

Ao'nung, understanding completely, nods. "I know."

"I just needed a moment," Neteyam whispers, his voice as frail and weak as he felt.

"Of course."

"Thank you for checking up on us."

"No problem. 'Reya and I will be by tomorrow to help." Tsireya, who was politely standing off to the side, nods.

Neteyam nods, grateful to both of them. "Thank you. I'll see you both tomorrow. Goodnight."

Tsireya sneaks in a quick, tight hug before pulling back and wishing him a goodnight before heading over to her parents, who were slowly making their way to the water a little way off to wash up. Ronal was exposed to the spores, but now so was Tsireya and Ao'nung from hugging Neteyam. The tsakarem felt bad, and almost apologized but Ao'nung just leans in to nuzzle him softly before promising to see him in the morning.

Neteyam reluctantly let him go, watching his betrothed retreat down the beach until he reunited with his family. He waved respectfully to them when all eyes turned his way, before heading back to his own marui.

Rotxo and Tao'su seal up the hole as best they can, so no one accidentally falls through before Tao'su steps away to go find someone to take Rowee for the night until they can temporarily move in with Ao'nung and his family. Neteyam and Rotxo saw to finishing dinner - as they have been living in the marui and eating the food this long without obvious side effects - and to whatever his mama would need. She had to walk them through how to finish up the dinner and salvage what they could, so that they could eat when Tao'su returned to the marui for the night.

Neteyam was silent through dinner despite Rotxo trying to get him to join them in conversation. He helped clean up dinner, made some pain medication for his mom to take should she wake up at some point in the night and want to take it and feel better.

"Thank you, sweet boy," Rhalwari says softly as Neteyam placed it next to her while his parents settle in for the night.

"You're welcome..." he says softly, putting it within arm's reach above her head, as well as a cup of water should she need it. "Do you want another blanket, mama?"

She shakes her head. "No, sweet boy, I'm okay." She looks over her shoulder at Tao'su before taking Neteyam's hand when he made to move to the other side of the room to sleep with Rotxo. "Boys, sleep here tonight."

Neteyam hesitates, knowing that they were doing this for him. Because he's too sensitive. It's not common for parents to just be sleeping with their kids once they are old enough, but his parents do because Neteyam is just a large, sensitive baby. He wants to sleep with them, though, to make sure that his mama really is alright, that he's right there when and if she needs him, but he knows that he's inconveniencing them.

Rotxo cheers, rushing over to where they are with a few blankets. "Heck yeah! Sleep over!"

They pull Neteyam down so that he's sandwiched between Rhalwari and Rotxo. It takes a bit of time as they spread the blankets out around them all and they get comfortable before falling still. Neteyam lays on his back, staring up at the ceiling of their marui, just staring and listening to the sound of his family breathing around him. His mind won't quiet, running through all the horrible scenarios that could have occurred. Despite his mama relaxing after Ronal left, Neteyam could see that she had been freezing due to blood loss. Her face still pale, hands still shaky, and she pressed close to his dad for comfort.

Neteyam felt like a failure. He felt like he did everything so wrong today. He overreacted. He let his panic take over. He couldn't do a good job at anything. Not as a teacher. Not as a tsakarem. Not as a son or brother. He let so many people down today, and the weight of it hurts. Realistically, he knows that his parents won't just drop him for failing them this one time, but there is this horrible, gut wrenching feeling that he can't fight.

He felt the breath of his mama on one shoulder and his brother on the other. He tried to focus on that instead of trying to wrangle his wild thoughts. He's not sure how long he spent, just staring up at the ceiling before he felt his mama pull him closer to her, running a cold hand up and down the side of his face.

"Please don't cry, Neteyam," she whispers. It's there, again. At the edge of his mind. So close but he can't... he can't quite see it. But it's there... if only he could... if only...

Neteyam..!

N-Netey-ah!

"Sweet boy, I promise, I'm okay."

No, I-! No! M-My Neteyam! My...

"I will be okay, sweetheart. I'm sorry that I scared you."

Let me g- Neteyam!

"Sleep, sweet boy." A kiss to his wet cheek. "Sleep. Tomorrow will be better."