The Scientist's Daughter | Neteyam x Reader

Chapter 18: Betrayal

The next morning, we were all in the bio lab helping pack up files and equipment. Max and the others, who weren't even involved in the whole thing, were moving slowly and sadly as they moved boxes and object around.

"They bulldozed a sacred site on purpose, to trigger a response. They're fabricating this war to get what they want," Grace mumbled.

"I can't believe that," Norm responded.

"That's how it's always done, especially with people like them. When people are sitting on something you want, you make them your enemy. You do whatever it takes to get what you want," I stated.

Before we could continue our conversation, we were interrupted by Trudy running into the lab, completely out of breath. She was all suited up in her flight gear and holding her helmet. This can't be good.

"They're rolling the gunships. They gonna hit the hometree!" She exclaimed.

We all quickly looked at each other with concerned looks.

"When?" I asked.

"Now. We're spooling up now! I gotta go," she said before running back out of the room.

"My God," Grace said.

Each of us ran out of the room and made our way over to the ops center. We can't let them do this. We ran down the hall and burst into the room to see Selfridge standing at the window, watching the gunships getting ready to take off. He spun around when he saw us come into the room.

"Parker, wait. Stop! These are people you're about to-" Grace tried to speak but Selfridge stopped her.

"They're fly-bitten savages who live in a tree! Look around, I don't know about you but I see a lot of trees. They can move," he said, annoyed.

"For God's sake, there are children in there! Babies!" She cried.

I stepped forward and decided to put in my two cents.

"Look Selfridge, you don't want their blood on your hands. Let us try to talk them out. They trust us," I said, looking at Grace.

"Fine," he said bluntly. "Let's get you linked in."

Selfridge and an escort of armed men followed Grace and I to the link room. Both of us entered our units, as Max and Norm readied our system.

Selfridge walked over to my link and stood above me as I prepared to get to my avatar.

"You've got one hour. Unless you want your boyfriend in there when the axe comes down, you get them to evacuate. One hour," he spoke and then shut the hatch.

I closed my eyes and opened them again at the hometree. Kiri and Tuk were crouched next to Grace and I. Tuk was braiding my hair and keeping it from getting in my face. When she noticed that I was awake, her face lit up.

"Kiri, she's awake," she exclaimed.

I quickly sat up and saw that Grace was already standing.

"Tuk, Kiri, we need to speak to your parents. Now," I spoke.

A concerned look spread across their faces. They both nodded and we all quickly made our way to Bakteyo and Neytiri.

We arrived at the bottom of the tree and saw that the entire clan was already gathered together. They were still shaken up from what happened yesterday. Bakteyo and Neytiri were standing in front of everyone with Lo'ak and Neteyam at their sides.

As we got closer, Neteyam noticed me and immediately made his way over. He took my hand and look into my eyes. He was concerned and scared.

"What happened?" He questioned.

"Neteyam, I need to speak to your parents," I said quickly.

He could tell how urgent it was and pulled me through the crowd to his family.

"What is it, Y/n?" Neytiri asked.

"I have something to say to everyone," I answered.

"Speak, Y/n," Bakteyo stated.

"A great evil is upon us. The Sky People are coming to destroy Hometree. They will be here soon," I said to the clan.

The crowd of Na'vi began to murmur to each other, scared and angry at the news.

"You have to leave or you will die," I continued.

"Are you certain of this?" Neytiri asked.

"They sent us here so we could learn about you and we could tell you this. They knew you would trust us."

Neteyam grabbed my arm and turned me to face him instead of the crowd.

"What are you saying? Did you know this would happen?" He asked, hurt in his voice.

"Yes, we knew this would happen."

He stepped back away from me, a mixed look of hurt and anger on his face. Lo'ak and Kiri stood next to him, trying to keep him calm.

"Neteyam, listen to me please-"

"No! I trusted you!" He yelled.

"She had no control over this, Neteyam," Grace spoke.

"You do not speak!"

"Neteyam! Let them speak!" Lo'ak said, pushing him back.

I stepped closer to Neteyam again but made sure to give him space. I hadn't seen him this mad before, even when we first met he wasn't this mad at me.

"I never intended for things to turn out this way. I never meant to hurt anyone. I never meant to fall in love with the forest and the people and you." I tried to take his hand but he pulled away. "But I did. By then, how could I tell you about this?"

"I got close to you. I mated with you. I loved you Y/n! And you do this to us," he stated.

"Nothing has changed about how I feel about you."

"You will never be one of the people," he spoke calmly. His words felt like knives in my heart.

He gave me one last look before turning around and walking away. Kiri tried to grab his arm, but he swatted at her to keep her away. His siblings looked at me sadly before going after him.

Sylwanin stepped forward from the crowd and spoke to the hunters.

"Bind them," she spoke as the hunters approached Grace and I.

Once they grabbed our hands, we didn't even try to resist. There was no use at this point. Our attempt to warn them hadn't worked. In the end, both sides were pissed at us. I had lost Neteyem and the relationship that we had built.

They wrapped our wrists together in rope and pulled us down the tree to bind us to a post. There was no way of getting out of this. Selfridge was going to shut us down any moment now and there was nothing we could do but hope and pray.