Late Night P2 | Rough Draft | Fin

Happier Days | 1 🔞

Once again, you find yourself sitting at the edge of the shore.

Barely able to keep your eyes open, despite how hard it is to actually sleep.

It's always more comforting to be out here past midnight. Patrolling guards at the far end of the island. No people around, the families all asleep.

As you should be with yours, but the routine of being up late for the kids has fallen permanent on you now.

Between staying up late to make sure they sleep, and then waking up earlier to get things ready or help hunt with Da'mik — it's been exhausting.
Just as the emotional toll has since it's worn on you.

Every time you were seconds from falling into sleep, your heart would jolt you awake again. A feeling of panic you hadn't known since dealing with the drama that involved your mother.
You thought you'd escaped it.

With how much noise your mind clouds with, the only sanctuary you can find is comfort in the shallow water.

Laying there as it partially soaks you, your hair sprawled out underneath you. Trying to find any sense of calm to help you sleep.

No matter what or how hard you tried, it was simply too much. This was the first day you'd gone without sleep, and about to be the second.

Despite the tears of frustration, the pain and heartbreak of worrying about events not even close to happening, and ideas thrown around in regards to what the enemies could one day bring — all you could do was sit there and stare into the night.

Watching the stars above as they shine so brightly, just as the designs on your skin do. Showing how truly part of this world the Na'vi were.

You'd already sobbed your heart out, written things into one of your journals, worn your legs out with walking around the island, and even tried to take some medicine to sleep.

Nothing had any permanent effect on you.

Even with trying to wrap yourself in Jake, or sleep in the spare room in the mobile camp away from the pod — nothing would work.

Jake happens to wake for a moment, and when he attempts to reach out he notices your absence.

The second night in a row you'd been gone without a kid accompanying you.

He calls out to you at first, and you barely hear him over the water filling your ears.

He had to step closer into view, his hair hanging forward as he leans over to give you a faint smile.

"Oh." You suddenly acknowledge him, and turn onto your front as you sit up and look to him. "Hey. I didn't hear you."

He sits down beside you, and helps brush off the sand that's covering your side.
"What's keeping you up this time, baby?"
He asks sincerely.

"I'm exhausted. Mentally and physically. I feel like I can't eat as much. I'm falling back into the depressive state I thought I finally worked past."

"Is it because of what I said a few days ago? The sterilization shot?"

"I don't know." You bring your knees up to your chest. "I think it triggered something I hadn't found the strength to face. All I dreamt about was Niikeym, small and happy. Innocent and curious. Strapped to my chest and feeding from me. Trusting and loving me and admiring having me as his mother."
Jake reaches out to scoot himself closer, and wraps an arm around your waist as he kisses your sand-covered forehead.
"I know Quaritch is dead, and I know it would not bring Niikeym back.
But I hoped it would bring some sort of relief, perhaps even a small moment where we could believe things were better.
Instead all I felt was fear.
Because no matter what we tell the kids, it doesn't change the fact that we can't promise them anything. Not even a tomorrow."
He wipes away at your soaked cheek.
"They shouldn't have to live like this because of us. —-"