Where's My Love? - Lo'ak

Chapter 3: The Confession

"The chopper let out a missile, that missile hit pretty close to you and Neteyam. Lo'ak too. There were still quite a few people on the ground, most being from the ground team." Jake starts, and Esmyrie's hand stops scratching at her arm, her attention now going completely to the man in front of her, as her heart begins to beat in worry.

"Mr. Sully, where is my dad?" Esmyrie asks timidly, not knowing if she wants to hear the anwser.

"Your dad was on the ground, leading the ground team as you remember. When the missile went off, he was close by.... He... he got hurt badly." Jake explains, seeing how the girls eyes widen in fear.

"But he is okay now, right? He is getting help?" The girl asks, her heart beating faster.

"Esmyrie, I'm... I'm so sorry. As your leader, I am meant to protect.... I tried so hard to protect Nilar, but.... by the time I got there, he was already dying... I'm so sorry, Esmyrie." Jake finally says the words, and his heart hurts when he see's the broken expression go across the girls face.

"No.... no no no no no! You lie! Why do you lie!?" Esmyrie asks, now standing up and glaring at Jake.

"I'm sorry. I tried to help him, I promise.... I just... He's gone Esmyrie, and I'm so sorry it isn't me gone instead of him." Jake whispers, his ears flattening at the grief that comes out of the girl.

"No! No! You liar! You liar! Where is he!? Where is he!? Mr. Sully, you bring him here right now! Right no! Stop lying! Stop lying!" Esmyrie yells out, now going towards the adult and punching at his chest.

The hits don't hurt Jake at all, so he allows Esmyrie to keep doing it, knowing she is angry and grieving.

"You liar! You liar! He trusted you! He trusted you to keep him safe! You were supposed to keep him safe! He is your brother! Your brother! and you let him die! Why would would you do that?! Why!? He's okay! Tell me he is okay!" The girls cries out, her anger getting stronger and stronger, causing her punches to get harder.

Jake continues to allow the girl to punch and push at him all she wants, taking the heat, letting the girl yell, and cry and do whatever she needs to do.

The cries and yells of the girl don't go unnoticed by the rest of the Sully's. They can hear her cries from their own tent, and when they reach Lo'ak's ears, his flatten out in pain, hating how his best friend is struggling.

"Mother, should we-" Neteyam starts, also feeling worried for the girl, her cries being heard.

"No.... you father has got this handled." Neytiri says, holding Tuk to her chest and trying to cover her ears from hearing the girls screams.

Kiri looks at her mom, then her brothers, her head going back to her bowl of food in sadness when she hears her friends sobs but ordered not to do anything.

Lo'ak and Neteyam share a glance, the younger brother moving closer to Neteyam as his worries for the girl get the better of him. Neteyam has always been Lo'ak's protector, Lo'ak sometimes feels safest with him, and Neteyam knows that, so he gladly accepts Lo'ak's closeness, even putting a supportive hand on his baby brothers shoulder.

After what felt like hours of the girl yelling at the leader, her voice goes quiet, and her punches seize, leaving her standing in front of the man with tears streaming down her face and whimpers leaving her mouth.

Jake takes this as his opportunity to go and hug the girl, trying to give her some form of comfort, but Esmyrie pushes at the adult, and Jake stops in his tracks.

"Did he suffer?" Esmyrie finally asks, mumbling the words, causing Jake to not quite hear what she asked.

"What?" Jake asks, crouching down to be at her level.