Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here is chapter forty-eight of "Gone in the Dark." This fic has six chapters to go before it reaches its end. I am sorry to do that, but all things must have an end. Stay tuned for chapter forty-nine.
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Chapter 48: Never Away
The late morning sun shined down on Awa'atlu. A gentle wind went into the marui Neytiri was in. Jake observed her eating eel broth from a bowl. He was seated next to her in the chair. She was in an inclined position. She got a decent amount of the broth on the spoon. She placed it in her mouth. She licked her lips before letting out a contented sigh. She licked both sides of the spoon twice. She emitted a sharp exhale.
Neytiri handed the bowl to Jake after putting the spoon in it. He laid it on the table next to her. She placed her hands on her stomach. She rubbed it so lightly that it seemed she hadn't even done that. He folded his hands and laid them in his lap. He crossed his thumbs before biting his lip. She shot a glance at the ceiling. She blinked twice before turning to him. He swung his tail from side to side twice.
"The eel broth tasted so good," she said, warmth echoing from her voice.
"You ate quite a bit of that stuff," he said as he pulled a braid behind her neck. "You were really hungry."
"After going more than twenty-four hours without food due to being in a coma, who wouldn't be hungry?" Neytiri asked with a shrug.
"I remember the first time you tried the stuff. You didn't like it one bit," Jake said, chuckling to himself.
"It does not taste very good without spices and herbs. Tonowari suggested I add some to the broth. I did. I tasted it a second time. It was much better," Neytiri pointed out.
"It is never easy trying new foods, especially if it is in a body you can't live in," Jake said, clicking his tongue.
"You couldn't stay in this body at first," Neytiri said while laying her hand over his heart. "Now, you are a part of it for all time."
"I'm glad I decided to transfer to this body permanently," Jake whispered, touching her wrist. "It meant being with you."
"During the first few months, there were times I thought you would not wake up in this body. You slept like the dead," Neytiri commented with a nervous chuckle.
"I couldn't help that. It ended when the kids came into our lives," Jake replied, moving his eyebrows up and down. "We dealt with a lot of drooling, spitting up, and changing smelly nappies."
"Of all the kids, Neteyam stunk up our home the most. You even nearly fainted while changing him a few times," Neytiri teased.
"When I heard you say 'PU' while changing him once, I was really surprised. You explained Grace told you about the smelliest letters in the alphabet," Jake said with a snicker. "I never thought she had done that."
"You learn something new every day," Neytiri said.
He kissed her forehead twice. He rubbed it with the back of his hand gingerly. He looked down at the floor for thirty seconds before turning back to her. She moved her ears back. She returned her hand to her stomach.
"I hope negotiations are going well in Kia," Neytiri murmured.
"It was nice to hear Nekx say he hoped they would reach a deal quickly when I saw him and Tonowari off earlier this morning. He told me to tell Max, Norm, Maureen, and the other doctors to take very good care of Keye'txon," Jake said, a smile crossing his lips. "I did just that."
"Did you go see Keye'txon?" Neytiri wondered.
"Yes, I did," Jake admitted. "He was sitting up and eating eel broth. He finished his bowl within a few minutes of my arrival. We had a chat about the end of the war. He agreed with me when I said it should never have happened."
She sighed. "How did he react when he learned about Julay?"
"He said he was very outraged about what she did. He even admitted he wanted to break her into two," Jake said, shuddering badly.
"Many minds think alike," Neytiri said.
He nodded in agreement. "That they do."
"I can't help but wonder when we will see Nekx again after everything is settled," Neytiri said, curiosity lining his voice.
"I have a feeling we will see him sooner than we expect," Jake commented while rubbing his chin.
"I would like that," Neytiri answered and let out a soft sigh. "Perhaps we will see Eli in the same amount of time too."
Jake touched her forehead and stroked it with his thumb. "That would be nice. Of all the Green Spears, he seemed to be the most compassionate and was the least hostile toward us."
Neytiri took hold of her mate's hand. She brought the knuckles to her lips for three kisses. She rubbed them against her cheek very slowly. Mo'at and Tuktiery came into the marui.
"Hey, Mom," Tuktiery greeted as she and her grandmother stopped next to her mother.
"Hello, Tuk," Neytiri responded and let go of Jake's hand. She touched the top of her daughter's head. "How are you doing this morning?"
"I am doing really good," Tuktiery said, happiness lining her voice. She clapped three times. "I am so thrilled I get to go back to my training in the coming days."
"We are sorry we had to delay it. We will make it up to you. We promise," Neytiri said.
Tuktiery pointed her finger at the tube. "It sucks you still have to have that tube in your nose."
"Tuk, watch what you say," Jake scolded.
"Sorry, Dad," Tuktiery mumbled in embarrassment. She slapped her hand over her face rather hard. "I didn't mean to say that."
"It is important we try hard to watch what we say," Mo'at said, touching the girl's shoulder. "You could end up saying something you do not mean."
"We have all said mean things to each other. We regretted them immediately," Neytiri said honestly.
"Anyone who claims they have said a mean thing in their lives is lying," Mo'at added seriously.
Jake sighed in a soft manner. "That's right."
Tuktiery rubbed the back of her neck with both hands. She moved her tail up and down three times before placing them at her sides.
"It stinks you still have to have that thing in your nose," Tuktiery commented and suppressed a yawn.
"That's better," Neytiri replied with a smile. "Norm wants me to wear until at least the next day. I don't like it, but it is better safe than sorry."
"Just hope you will never have to have such a thing in your nose," Mo'at added.
"You will be happy to know I managed to eat some eel broth," Neytiri replied happily.
"That is great," Tuktiery said with a giggle. She started talking about Lo'ak scaring her awake by yelling.
00000
Lo'ak, Kiri, and Spider sat together on the Sully marui's floor. They were immersed in a game of Go Fish. Spider moved his cards around while clicking his tongue three times. Kiri moved hers close to her face. She peered over the top of them at Lo'ak, who narrowed his eyes at his. She patted them in a gentle manner before licking her lips.
"You got any threes, Lo'ak?" Kiri asked.
"Nope," Lo'ak said, shaking his head. "Go fish."
Kiri grumbled annoyingly as she drew a card from the deck. She placed it among the others. She moved them around some. Lo'ak rubbed his chin. He seemed to be deep in thought.
"You got any queens, Kiri?" Lo'ak asked.
"Damn it," Kiri hissed with a roll of her eyes.
"That means you have them," Lo'ak responded, looking at her. He held out his hand while raising his eyebrows. "Hand them over."
Spider furrowed his eyebrows. "You better do it, Kiri. You can't break the rules."
Kiri huffed. "All right."
Kiri grabbed her two queens and handed them to Lo'ak, who placed them and his queen on the floor in front of him. He smiled at it and her other three matches.
"I won!" Lo'ak yelled in much glee.
"That's the first game you won," Kiri pointed out and chuckled to herself. She laid her cards, as did Spiders with his. "I won the last three games in a row."
"Well, your winning streak had to come to an end at some point," Lo'ak said while gathering the cards.
"He's got a point, Kiri," Spider agreed. "No winning streak lasts forever."
"Let's not forget Spider won the first two games we played," Lo'ak added with much pride.
"Showing pride for Spider is a no-no, Lo'ak," Kiri joked and snickered under her breath. "I am the only one who is allowed to do that."
"Oh, shut up," Lo'ak said and blew a raspberry at her.
"No, you shut up," Kiri retorted and smacked him in the back of his head. She emitted an annoyed snort. "You have such a big mouth that someone should put a medal plate over it."
"Only if you let me put the metal plate over your mouth first," Lo'ak responded with a smirk. He proceeded to straighten the cards. "You have just as big a mouth as I do."
Kiri stuck her tongue out at her brother, who mimicked her with his. They pulled them back into their mouth. He finished straightening the cards. He placed them on the floor.
"Go Fish is such an interesting game. The cards are the fish. The matches are books. The card stack is the pool," Kiri said in much warmth.
"It is the first human game Dad taught us to play. Mom learned it from Grace," Lo'ak said, a soft chuckle leaving her mouth.
"It makes me wonder if Grace plays card game with Trudy in Eywa," Spider suggested with a shrug.
"She probably does," Kiri admitted. "After all, Lo'ak and Tsireya saw Rishi playing ball with Kaylee there."
Lo'ak lowered his ears sadly. "Tsireya and I will never forget finding Kaylee dead on that rock. She never stood a chance against that akula."
"At least you did not go looking for revenge by killing the akula," Spider commented fearfully. "In Brother Bear, Kenai thought killing the bear that ended Sitka's life would bring him peace. It ended up turning him into the critter hated the most. He had to see the world through its eyes."
"In the Xena: Warrior Princess episode called 'Maternal Instincts,' Callisto believed Solan's death at the hands of Hope would bring her peace. It did not," Kiri added. "She asked Xena she knew now how it felt to lose loved ones in such a brutal fashion."
Spider shuddered badly. "Becoming obsessed with revenge turns people into monsters. Even their loved ones are not safe from their wrath."
"I do not blame our parents for going into a rage and killing so many RDA goons when Neteyam died. They felt they did not have much to lose," Lo'ak pointed out seriously.
"It was your refusal to stay put that saved Dad's life," Kiri added.
"I knew you were all likely in terrible danger, so I went looking for you. I found Dad unconscious. He did look about ready to give up on life. I taught him the Way of Water. He decided to try to escape," Lo'ak explained.
"We were all lucky to escape the SeaDragon," Kiri said and smacked her lips. "We were glad to be alive, but we were exhausted."
"Let's hope something like that never happens again," Spider said, some uncertainty lining his voice.
"There is no guarantee it will never happen again," Lo'ak muttered, sighing heavily. "The humans have lots of equipment. They will continue to remain a threat."
Kiri exhaled. "At least one war is over. The other one will end someday."
Lo'ak rubbed the back of his neck. He started talking about how Payakan guided him and Jake to the surface.