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Italics: (Na'vi language, Metkayina sign language, and Jake's inner thoughts)
A/N: Ill admit that this chapter was written when I was practically half asleep lmao Im sorry if its messy, but i'll fix it! bare with me shsh I'll probably fix all of this when the revisions for both books are in order so don't worry shsh for now, enjoy the very last chapter of Barricades Vol 2! 🤍
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You were the first one to lunge at Quaritch, doing a faux swing of your weapon that tricked him into thinking you'd go one way, but you got the chance to slice his arm deep and get behind him. Quaritch hissed and stumbled forward, looking at his arm and then back up at you with a sneer. You kept a defensive stance, holding tightly to your dagger, prepared for any attack he thre your way. Quaritch spotted a pipe across from him, he grabbed it, and attempted to swing it directly at you. Fortunately, you thought faster and dodged it, avoiding the strike by a mere centimeter.
Quaritch dropped the pipe, realizing it wasn't doing him any good and started to lunge at you himself. He yelled as he approached you, but when he tried to punch you, you swerved it and kicked his gut with all of your remaining strength and energy. This sent him backward, shoving him against the wall behind him. Breathing heavily, but quickly gaining his composure, the Colonel looked up at you and seethed in anger. You stepped closer to him, keeping a safe distance if he attacked.
You try not to waver when you see him reach for his gun. All you had on you was your dagger and he was full of weapons, so you had to be cautious. It seems that the man quickly got back his composure and lunged at you much quicker than you anticipated, but you sidestepped, making him stumble and you took this as your opportunity to grab his arm, twisting it and bending it behind him. Quaritch yelled painfully as you began to bend his fingers and elbows behind his back. "Move an inch and i'll break both of your damn arms," You said lowly, pulling his arm back further and prompting for him to scream louder.
Eventually, you let him go but kicked his back, which caused him to fall forward on his stomach. You had bent his arm so much that he still had it in the same position that you twisted it in. You stepped closer to him, watching as he writhed in pain. You started to let your thoughts run free as you watched him. This felt a little too easy. He was not putting up much of a fight, making you feel more cautious.
"Where is my husband?" You asked lowly. You hadn't seen Jake ever since you got here alone, and if Quaritch was here with you, what did it mean for your mate? The Colonel laughed dryly and your face contorted into one of confusion. "What's so funny?" You asked with no amusement whatsoever. Quaritch somehow managed to get his arm back to how it used to be, but he was still too weak to get up. He was trying to stall you, and you had already caught on to what he was doing. You weren't stupid.
"Sully? Oh, I almost forgot about him. A corpse isn't of much importance to me," Quaritch taunted, and your eyes widened, feeling your heart drop and sink to your stomach. What did he just say? That can't be right. It can't be.
He was just trying to distract you, wasn't he? Yeah, he was. Jake wouldn't let himself be defeated. He's not dead. He can't be. When you find him later, you'll be able to run into his arms again and never let go. Right? This was just a sick and cruel joke to get you to falter.
He promised he'd come back to you and the kids. This wasn't true. None if it was. The same mantra kept repeating inside your head over and over, with a bitter and agonizing feeling overtaking you. You tried to tell yourself that it was just Quaritch using mind games on you, but your heart and mind overpowered that. You felt your entire world crumbling before your eyes just with those simple words.
Quaritch's strategy seemed to have worked because you were so lost in your thoughts that you didn't notice the man standing up and lunging directly at you. He brought you down onto the ground with a thud, nearly knocking the air out of you. You quickly came back to your senses to see Quaritch about to punch you, but you quickly blocked it and kicked him a couple times to get him off of you. One in the stomach and another to his head, effectively making him fall to the side. When you stood up and he stayed in the ground, you tried to go back to your dagger that had fallen somewhere along the way but the man kicked the back of your legs, to which you stumbled forward.
As you tried to gain your strength, you looked forward and your dagger was right there. You groggily started to crawl forward to get to it, but Quaritch stepped on your back with his boot, making you groan painfully at the pressure he was putting in. "Just give up already. You gain nothing by fighting back. I'm going to kill you anyway, so why don't we make this easier" Quaritch said with a tone of faux sense of empathy, as if he cared at all, but you continued to try and reach for your knife.
You start to see red at the mention of your husband. You reached your arm as far as you could, grabbed the dagger and stabbed it onto his shin. Quaritch yelled out in agony as he removed his foot from your back, giving you a chance to stand up fully while he gripped his leg. You charge at the man, with nothing but rage coursing through you, and you tackle him against the railing of the deck. You gripped his arms and kept them tight from being used. You stepped and put hard pressure on the shin you stabbed, making him cry out in unmeasurable pain, but it only brought you contentment. He'd pay for everything that he's done.
You lifted your fist to send a blow square to his face, and when you did, you smashed your fist onto his face over and over. You were using this as an outlet for all the frustration and anger you had pent up for this man. He drove and forced your family out of your home in the forest and taking the children away from everything that they've ever known, he made the place where you and Jake met a sanctuary that only brought memories of murder and destruction, he could have possibly killed your husband in battle and you had no idea where he was, and brought life-long trauma to those you cared about. Not to mention how much he encouraged Tulkun hunting, just to get to you and Jake. He was truly a devil and a menace.
"I meant what I said," You said in between punches. "I'll kill you and i'll tear you apart" You breathed heavily, continuing your attacks on him, unaware that he was slowly finding a hand to the handle of his gun on his waist belt. "In this life, or the next, no matter on how many lives you take" You swore, letting your rage control your words and not where your attention was supposed to be focused on.
It all happened so slow that you could barely process it. One moment, you were sending a barrage of punches fueled by rage at this man, and the next, you saw him reach for his pistol and aim it directly at your abdomen. You attemped to move away, but it was too late.
All of a sudden, you heard a loud bang, followed by a searing pain on your stomach. You gasped with terror and shock, that was quickly replaced by an agonizing sensation. You stepped back slowly as Quaritch stayed leaned over the railing with a satisfied look. You pressed your hand over the wound and could very clearly feel the hole with blood rapidly seeping out. You started to choke and gasp for short breaths as your hands trembled.
As Quaritch wanted, you were utterly and desperately weak right now. He stepped away from the railing and stalked towards you, who could barely stand on her own two feet. The man draped you over his shoulder, and began to walk you over to the edge. You felt like your whole world had stopped moving as tears brimmed your eyes and shallow breaths escaped you. Before you knew it, Quaritch threw you over the edge and onto the water.
"You had a good run, Mrs. Sully. It didn't have to end this way," Quaritch said emotionlessly as he watched you sink more and more into the depths of the ocean. In the corner of his eye, he began to see Lyle start to bring Kiri over with the claws of his Ikran, despite the girl fighting against the hold on her. Everything was going according to plan and how he wanted it to go.
Your body wasn't lifeless yet, but it was limp and it was close to shutting down. As water engulfed you, the sound of your sons calling out for you resonated through the currents. The boys were just leaving the boat on their ilu and watched the Colonel throw you over the edge without putting up a fight. The voices of Neteyam and Lo'ak reminded you to keep trying to live, but your circumstances made it hard. You pressed a hand onto your wound and hissed painfully, prompting for bubbles to come out, and trying to come up to the surface but with only one hand it was near impossible.
Before you could get above water, an ilu swam by from above and suddenly, the familiar figure of your son Neteyam dove down and began to swim to you. He outreached his hand out to you, and you let out a muffled groan while putting on too much strength. Your son put your arm around him and began to bring you to the surface. When he did, you came up above the water and began coughing harshly for both the lack of air and blood leaving your system at an increasingly alarming rate.
"Mom!" Lo'ak yelled out to you, fear setting in as he saw a puddle of blood beginning to form around you and Neteyam. Tsireya watched with horror as she saw you going in and out of consciousness, barely holding on. Spider had a similar look at Tsireya, seeing you hold onto your life dearly with every breath you took. They were becoming shallower and much more harder to exhale out by the looks of it.
"Quick! Spider give her your spot, go right with Tsireya on the side," Neteyam urged, and everyone did as told. Spider and Tsireya hung into the sides of the ilu, while Neteyam placed you in front of him while Lo'ak sat at the back. The brother felt a fear that they've never felt before start to settle in. None of them wasted any time and Neteyam began to guide the ilu to move quickly through the water as fast as it could go. Your vision was beginning to distort and you could barely focus on anything happening, but for the kids, they could all see Jake standing cautiously on a rock surface nearby and they all started to call for him.
"Dad! It's Mom! Help us!" Lo'ak called out, and his head turned around to face his son riding over on an ilu, with you in the front. As for you, the fact that the kids were distantly calling for their dad meant that he was alive then. You smile internally. That was so good to hear. You were holding your side with blood pouring out, and how you looked so out of it made Jake's heart drop and his mind went into a frenzy of panic, along with his thoughts that ran wild.
He ran quickly over to the kids, who had gotten to the shore of the rock and kneeled to grabbed onto your body. He slipped his strong arms under your legs and another one around your back, lifting you, and carrying you over to a flatter surface. "No, no, no, no...y/n?" Jake whispered shakily as he looked down at you, tucked a strand of hair behind your ear and panicked at how your eyes were half lidded. The sound of your husband's voice seemed to give you a bit more strength, so you opened them a bit more and smiled tiredly as you shakily lifted your hand to cup his cheek.
The kids had all left the ilu and were sitting around you, all with tears and silent cries beginning to erupt. Jake could see that there was no exit wound, but you had lost a lot of blood when Quaritch dropped you into the water and made the blood loss go faster. "Y/n!" Jake called out to you desperately, holding onto your cheeks just as you were doing. His other hand pressed onto your wound, causing you to flinch but in a barely noticeable manner, meaning that you were slowly losing all of your senses. Jake's words got caught in his throat.
"Jake? You...you're alive," You whispered, and Jake nodded as more tears slipped down his cheeks and choked sobs left his mouth. "I am, my love. Why wouldn't I be?" Jake asked, trying to get you to keep talking as he was handed a piece of cloth from Neteyam and pressed it against your wound to stop the bleeding.
"Quaritch..." You said, cleary dazed as you focused on his face. Jake's anger boiled, knowing that he shouldn't be surprised this was that bastard's fault. "H-He told me...that he killed you. And...I decided to f-fight, until the very end, so I could s-see you again" You whimpered with a pained smile and that only made Jake's heart shatter with no repair. "T-They killed Aio..." You whimpered sadly.
You couldn't bring yourself to speak any longer, because it hurt too much. You couldn't breathe properly either. Your breaths came out a small squeaks of pain that mingled with your shallow breaths. Lo'ak held a hand behind your head and Neteyam held your other hand, feeling it more and more limp each second.
Tears streamed out of your eyes, and Jake choked on his words, retaining sobs that he didn't want you to witness in what could be your last moments. He looked absolutely horrified and strained cried came from his mouth, failing at holding them in. "Y/n. Please, keep talking to me, okay? Baby, just hold on" Jake said as he cupped your cheek, forcing you to look at him. He wanted to look into those beautiful eyes of yours until the end of time.
"Jake...I-I don't want to die," Your voice wavered as your body started trembling in refusal to give in to death. "It-It hurts...so much" You whispered, feeling tears blurry your vision and silently fall down your cheeks. "I know, baby, I know. Just hold on for a little while longer," Jake's voice cracked, feeling your body becoming less and less responsive as you layed in his arms.
To make matters worse, it started to slowly drizzle, with rain dripping onto your almost lifeless face. "You'll be okay. I promise. Just keep talking to me, alright?" Jake whispered, empty promises at that, knowing there was nothing to be done. He began to cry and saw you barely nod almost unnoticeably as he rocked you back and forth.
He couldn't believe that this would be the last memory you would have of him, and that by itself was a hard pill to swallow. The tears of everyone on that rock were mingling with the raindrops that fell down from the sky. It hurt even more that Jake could feel you drifting away with every second that passed. He pressed his forehead against yours as you looked up at. Never once did your hand leave his cheek, but he slowly felt it start to fall. Refusing to let go, Jake raised his hand, pressed his hand against yours, and kept it there. Not ever daring to let it fall.
All you could focus in was the feeling of your son's touch and your husband's arms around you, the warmth he gave you countered the coldness of death that was slowly coming. "Y/n, please...don't go," Jake sobbed, refusing to let his forehead leave yours. He could tell you were trying to keep your eyes open for him and use all of your strength to stay a few minutes.
"Jake, it's okay," You reassured as a sob erupted from your lips. You paused and then continued. "That man...is still out there. Get him for the both of us. For our family. I...am so proud of you, Ma Jake. I believe in you," You whispered with a soft smile coming on your lips. You ignored how much your heart broke at the sounds of his cries pleading you to stay.
"Y/n...I can't go on without you. I can't live without you. Don't leave me. Don't leave us," Jake whispered shakily, and you took this chance to use all of your remaining strength to bring his lips down to yours. Your tears mingled together in an agonizing kiss that might be your last. He cried against your lips, which prompted you to do so too, but you held him tight. He said your name over and over like a mantra, like he didn't know how to say anything else. You were supposed to grow old together and watch all of your children grow up into leaders, warriors, and amazing people.
"Jake...I love you. I love you. I love you, so much" You said over and over, silently thanking him for all of the happiness he's brought you. How happy he's made you for the last 15 years. For everything, and he knew. You didn't have to say it, but he knew. You smiled and rubbed your thumb against his cheekbone. "I love you too," He said, leaning down to press your lips against his again. Not wanting it to be the last, even if the situation points to that.
"I'm sorry...please, forgive me," You whispered, and with that, your eyes fluttered close and you felt darkness engulf you. Your hand on Jake's cheek dropped to the ground and your head tilted to the side, landing on Jake's shoulder. Reality didn't settle for a few seconds, and Jake cupped your cheek as his bloodshot eyes looked at you for any sign of life whatsoever.
"Mom, no..." Lo'ak sobbed as Tsireya held onto him and tears streamed down her own cheeks. He laid his head on her shoulder, all the while she cradled his head and cried softly. Neteyam gritted his teeth as he sobbed and kept his eyes shut, keeping his gaze downward. Jake pressed his head against your chest where your heart is, but sobbed harder when he heard nothing.
"Come on, baby. Please don't do this to me. Don't go..." Jake muttered as he rocked you back and forth with him. Their voices became more muffled for you as if they were at a distance, but the most prominent one was Jake sounding so weak as he repeated and begged over and over for you to come back him. Pleads to Eywa, to anyone out there really, that could miraculously bring you back. Anyone who was listening, to hear his prayers and thoughts.
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Soon enough, you couldn't hear anything anymore and then, there was only silence. You couldn't see or hear absolutely anything. Did you die? Because this sure felt like it was. It felt like you were in a space of nothingness, but that just confirmed your suspicions. You really were dead, weren't you? Or at least in the process of dying. You began to feel sullen when remembering all the people you cared about and weren't ready to leave behind. Jake, your children, Ronal, Tonowari, the Metkayina. How could she have allowed herself to die? And in the hands of the Sky People at that. You tried to recal how it happened and then it suddenly clicked in your brain. Quaritch.
The darkness that surrounded you slowly started to dissipate. You closed your eyes and put your arms in front of you as a cover, and after a few seconds of silence, you started to hear sounds that you never thought you would have the chance to listen to again. The sounds of the forest. Animals chattering, the breeze brushing through the trees, the trickling water of the streams, and the sun pouring in from above. Your eyed started to scan the area around you with awe, and you didn't fail to notice where exactly in the forest you were.
Everything looked unreal and absolutely astonishing and surreal. Knowing how perfect it looked, compared to the state of the forest now, this meant that this wasn't real at all. You had dreamed of your children to have seen the forest in its complete and beautiful glory before the Sky People arrived. You walked around the clearing you were standing in, completely silent and taking in everything around you. There were Atokirina's floating everywhere around you, prompting your hair to emit a soft glow white glow. You smiled, you turned around and your words got caught up in your throat. You were standing in front of the path that leade to your former home. Hometree. The tree sat there as if it had never been touched at all, and tears welled up in your eyes as you covered your mouth and inhaled shakily.
Seeing Hometree standing tall as if it never suffered any harm made your heart swell with a bittersweet feeling. Bitter because memories of how it was brutally destroyed came back to you and how it crushed your people to death. Sweet because this is the place you would have loved for your kids to have lived in just like you did, and you wanted them to experience life like you did in this majestic and beautiful tree.
"Y/n" A voice said from behind you and you felt your entire being freeze. You recognized that voice. You could tell who it was from just that person saying your name, bringing a barrage of memories. Your sister Sylwanin and him slowly creating an unbreakable bond. Him vowing to protect you like your sister would've wanted, and him who had a rocky relationship with Jake at first but they grew to become inseparable friends. Brothers. Eternal allies.
It was Tsu'tey. You slowly turned around and shakily breathed in an out, not believing what you were seeing. Was your best friend really standing here in front of you? The one who devoted himself to protect his people alongside Toruk Makto until his last breath? It was him, and there was no doubt about it. You didn't say anything else but smiled and rushed towards him to embrace his tall figure with a hug. He didn't hesitate to wrap his arms around you too, rocking back and forth as he chuckled. Rogue tears fell down your eyes as you came to the strong realization of what was happening.
You pulled away with teary eyes and smiled up at Tsu'tey with a warm grin as he looked down at you, regarding his best friend with a gentle look. "Tsu'tey...is it really you?" You asked, almost imperceptibly, but he nodded. "Yes. And I am glad to see you here" He said calmly, wiping away your tear streaks on your cheeks. You couldn't even register this. He was there, hugging you, in front of you, talking to you.
"What is this place?" You asked, looking behind you at Hometree knowing that none of this was real. Your home had been destroyed and totaled by humans. The forest looked as if it had never been touched at all. Just like how the Na'vi lived in at first. Tsu'tey sighed and began to walk past you, gesturing you to follow him. "You seemed to have died, Y/n. Or at least you're close to it. This is the place where you go when something like that happens" He said, and you stopped walking altogether.
"If this is the place between life and death...then, what are you doing here?" You asked with curiosity, and genuine concern that you're dying and there might be nothing to be done. "I was sent to get you," Tsu'tey said, turning to look at you, and you tilted your hair with confusion. "What do you mean? Get me?" You asked, and Tsu'tey's expression told you clearly that he hated seeing you here at all so early. He hoped you would live a long life with your family. With Jake. Like you deserved to do.
"We're all waiting for you. Me, Sylwanin, your father, Nana, Grace, Aio...we've all been watching over you" He said, and your eyes widened at his words as your pupils wavered. Truly you wanted to see all of them, but your time couldn't have come this soon. There was so much you wanted to do. Then a thought ocurred to you. You'd left Jake, and he was alone now, without you by his side, whic is the opposite of what you promised you would be. And the kids were probably scarred with trauma, not even imagining how they were processing this if you were truly dead.
"I'm sorry, Tsu'tey. I-I need to get back. How do I do that? You said that I was close to dying, so maybe there's still a chance. I have to get back to Jake, to my children. Please" You pleaded as you stepped closer, and his pained expression told him that it wasn't any easier on him to make this decision. He and the others had watched how beautiful of a family you had created, but you were taken away from them far too soon. If there was something he could do, he'd do it in a heartbeat. He just can't.
"You should not be burdened with this. You and that skxawng need to be together," Tsu'tey said in a teasing tone, and as much tension as there was, his words made you smile. "But?" You asked, knowing that he had something else to say and it wasn't what you wanted to hear. "But...there's truly nothing I can do. Trust me, more than anyone, I want you to go back to Jake and live out the lives meant for you" He said, and you bit your lip slightly trying to hold back tears, but cries started to leave your lips.
You stepped back slowly as you mentally started to desperately call for Eywa, and your hair started to glow because of it. Your desperation made it glow like it never has before. You can't die yet, and you refuse. You were not leaving Jake and your kids behind. Eywa had to be hearing now, knowing that your hair started to respond to your prayers, but nothing was said on the goddess' side. You begged Eywa to take you when you were older and you died alongside of Jake when you've both lived out your lives and your children had lived theirs. You couldn't possibly let yourself be ripped apart from them now. It was cruel.
"My daughter," A voice said and your eyes snapped open to look at Tsu'tey, and he looked unphased, and not surprised at all. This was the voice you've been hearing inside your head your entire life. "I'm truly sorry. This is not the end I envisioned for you and I wish there was something I could do," Eywa said, and you scoffed with disbelief. Was she serious? Wasn't Eywa supposed to be almighty? All knowing? Your anger boiled knowing that she was keeping you here and away from your family when there was a chance to go back to them. Why did she choose to take you away now?
"Tsu'tey...I can't let him go" You whispered as your voice broke. "Please. Get me...back to him. I can't be without him" You pleaded, and Tsu'tey sighed, feeling his heart break with every plead. It was all up to Eywa now.
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The moment you went into that place between life and death, Jake felt the most horrific and shattering feeling engulf him. The bond between you and him snapped and ripped away without mercy. He felt like a part of him was taken away, and was missing. If this is what he would feel like every day from now on, then he doesn't want to live at all. He wouldn't bare it, and he couldn't. Living without you beside him was torture, and the numb feeling taking over his head didn't make it easy. Neteyam still had his hand behind your head, but it slowly dropped down and he aimlessly looked forward, saying absolutely nothing.
Lo'ak had silent tears streaming down his face as his entire body trembled violently. He watched as his dad clutched onto your body hopelessly muttering words that he hoped would miraculously bring you back, but it was useless. Jake was deep in denial, and he wouldn't be out any time soon. Tsireya held onto Lo'ak, just as tightly as he held her. Spider didn't know how to react. Even if you didn't always approve of him, you were a mother to him of sorts and he'd be grateful for that every day. You never neglected him and accepted the friendship he had with all of your children.
Jake Sully, your husband, the man who never cracked under the pressure and stayed calm and composed even in the most dire of situations did something that his kids have never seen him do. Jake let out a scream at the top of his lungs into the void of the night in the eclipse. The kids' eyes widened and him showing such raw emotions had them at a loss. This time it was different. The person that completed him, the love of his life, the woman who came into his life with the best of intentions, the person that changed his entire world for the better, was dead in his arms as he continued to cradle her close to him.
Your eyes were closed, though your resting expression looked troubled and that shattered Jake's soul to no end. It killed him know that you died in anguish and pain, which is a far cry of how he envisioned you two dying together after having fulfilled every possible obstacle life threw at you, but now was not the time. "Dad, please..." Lo'ak muttered, attempting to reach his arm out to his father but was scared of what might come out of it. Jake was too vulnerable right now to be taken out of his misery.
Jake had his head tucked in the crook of your neck, repeating your name over and over like a mantra, hoping you could hear him somehow. Neteyam and Lo'ak couldn't look at you directly, painfully scooting closer and nuzzling their bodies right next to your lifeless one. Tsireya had moved to be by your head, crying as she tugged back your loose hair strands and Spider stayed by Lo'ak, not knowing how to feel. Just like you thought, it was bittersweet.
Even if he knew that he had to jump into action soon enough and that this mission was not over, Jake felt like his insides were numb. All of him did. He stared off into space, replaying and reliving his wife's death over and over in his head, and couldn't help but start to block everything out. He felt like he lost a part of himself that could never be recovered. If he wanted to keep the rest of his children safe, like you would've wanted, he needed and had to deal with Quaritch and it had to be now.
All of a sudden, Jake started to hear that dreaded voice through his in-ear pieces. The same ones that were taken from Lo'ak. Quaritch was speaking to Jake now, taunting him to turn himself in. "Can you hear me, Corporal?" Quaritch started as Jake stared off into space with a blank mind snd anger boiling inside of him at the mere sound of the Colonel's voice. "Yeah, I think you can" Quaritch continued, and your husband couldn't help but have his face contort into one of pure hatred and silent rage. This man on the other directly shot at his wife, killed her, and took her away from him. He needed to die. Today.
What the Colonel said next made Jake's heart drop. "I got your daughters," Quaritch said, prompting Jake to snap his head back to look at the sinking ship that Kiri and Tuk were apparently still being held hostage in. "Same deal as before. You, for them," Quaritch menaced. Jake let out a shaky and shuddering breath as he turned to look at Lo'ak numbly.
"Where are your sisters?" Jake asked with his eyes lidded and bloodshot gaze. Lo'ak looked up at his dad and gulped nervously at what was being asked of him "What?" Lo'ak muttered, giving Jake all the confirmation he needed. "Your sisters! Where are they?!" Jake asked with more urgency and distress. You only continued to sob and wail, all as Tsireya stayed closed to you for comfort. Lo'ak stuttered when trying to answer, and his mind was clouded with grief and despair to even think about it.
"I don't know," Lo'ak said, but it only brought more fear onto his dad. "Where are they?" He yelled, with a few of his words getting caught up in his throat. Tsireya knew Lo'ak would have a hard time answering, so she took it upon herself to tell Jake where Kiri and Tuk were. "On the ship. They're tied up on the ship" Tsireya said as her voice shaked, more tears streaming down her cheeks and face.
Spider turned to Jake, remembering exactly where it was that he saw Kiri and Tuk last. "They're at the moon pool. O-On the well deck, amidships," The boy continued, but Jake shook his head slightly and closed his eyes, having a hard time processing information right now. "What?" Jake asked, trying to put all of his focus on getting his daughters back. He was a soldier and a father. He needed to put the situation aside for a moment and focus on the situation now, as much as he wanted to be by your side right now. He needed to get the revenge he so desperately wanted.
"Just- Come on, I'll show you," Spider said, standing up, grabbing Jake's forearm, and bringing him to stand up. Jake gently set you down by Neteyam, Tsireya, and Lo'ak. "I'll come back for you, baby. I swear..." Jake muttered before pressing a loving kiss to your forehead. The human boy began to drag him over to the shore so he could show him the way, but Jake stopped in his tracks when he started hearing the Colonel's voice through the coms again. "Talk to me, Corporal. I need an answer Jake, or there will be consequences," Quaritch said, walking through the deck.
"Yeah, I hear you" Jake breathed out, pressing down on the buttons of his coms, and then looking back to face his sons that were still by your side along with Tsireya. "Take care of her. I won't be long" Jake said, and the kids nodded. He felt deep down that maybe he wanted to go down too just to be by your side again, but there were peoole who needed him, and you would want him to keep fighting.
Eventually after travelling on the Skimwing, Jake and Spider reached the SeaDragon together and arrived on one of the ramps of the ship that was now somewhat sunk, so they were able to leave the Skimwing and start swimming up to the platform. When reaching the closest shallowest part of the platform, Jake lifted his head partially from above the water, leaving only his eyes and top part of his head to be seen as he scanned the area. He held his spear close, and soon, Spider also lifted his head from the water right next to Jake.
Jake lifted his head a bit more from the water so now his entire head was above the surface, but he still layed low. Waiting for a few seconds, the man turned to Spider and nodded with confirmation. "Go," Jake said simply while getting out of the water and start walking up the ramp, and Spider understood instantly. Following directly after Jake, the human boy crawled up the platform of the ship and stayed close to the ex-marine beside him.
Jake could only see red right now and every step he took was calculated. He was smart about every single step he took, and with each thought he formed, everything he was doing right now was for you, and only you.
When getting closer to a stepping platform that led up to the top deck, Jake stopped, placed his large spear over it, and then helped to pick up Spider so that he could get up to the deck first. As soon as the human boy made his way up, Jake lifted himself shortly after, letting Spider lead the way. Turns out that the ramp platform they crawled up through led them to stand inside one of the damaged turbines of the ship. The two of them started making their way through it, with as much discretion as possible.
"Where are they?" Jake asked, following after Spider since not only did he know where his daughters were, but he probably knew the ship a lot more since he spent a lot of time here as a captive. "The middle deck, where they lost their subs. There's like a pool in the center. They're at the fort railing. I saw them earlier," Spider replied, earning a nod from Jake as the two crossed the turbine tunnel and began to check what direction they could go to next.
When jumping off, Jake noticed that Spider did the same, ready to follow after the ex-marine, but Jake was quick to stop Spider. The man knew that things would turn south soon, and he needed Spider to stay safe for now. He had already done more than enough for bringing Jake here in the first place, and that was big. "No, no. Stay here," Jake said quietly, and Spider looked at the man in front of him with confusion. The human boy complied either way and stayed behind while Jake made his way around the ship's turbines with large flames of fire still brewing in every corner he turned.
While walking stealthily, Jake came upon a rather big piece of metal that he could hid behind as he thought of what to do next. Jake placed his hand on top of it and lifted his head slightly above the piece of metal to see what was waiting for him on the other side of it. All of a sudden, your husband started hearing Quaritch's voice again through the coms. "Talk to me, Corporal. The ship is going down and your girls with it," Quaritch started, trying to incite fear in Jake, making Kiri and Tuk's head turn to look at the Colonel with frightened expressions, with wrists still tied to the ship.
Quaritch paused for a few moments before continuing to speak, wanting both the girls and Jake to hear his next words. "Your wife didn't have to die," The Colonel said coldly, making Tuk and Kiri widen their eyes in dread and shock. The realization that their mother was most likely dead filled them with horror. "You brought that on yourself," Quaritch continued all the while Jake was continuing to make his way stealthily throughout the ship.
After crawling through every corner he could find, completely going unnoticed, the man made his way towards a small opening which made him realize that he was on the roof of the ship, and just below him, was the deck of the moon pool where his girls were tied in. Jake leaned down slightly and just as he expected, Quaritch was there with many other soldiers around him on standby with guns and weaponry, both humans and Avatars alike.
"You thought you could keep your family safe and protect them, but you can't," Quaritch continued, not knowing that Jake was right around the corner. As Kiri and Tuk continued to hear the Colonel speak, now knowing that their mother was dead, it only made their hearts sink heavily. Kiri was breathing heavily as tears began to build up in her eyes, while Tuk had a sad look on her face that was mingled with anger and determination, not doubting her dad for even one second. She knew he was coming at any moment now, and this man would get what he deserved.
"Only one way to keep em' safe" Quaritch said, unbeknownst to the fact that Jake was already making his way closer and closer. Your husband had already made his way down and was crawling through a small opening that lead directly to the moon pool, and he was forced to listen to everything Quaritch was saying to try and get him to give up. Jake breathed heavily, looking through an opening to seeing the soldiers that were waiting for him the moment he stepped out. He had to be smart about this. "Now, let's get this over with before you lose your daughters, huh?" The Colonel threatened.
Jake turned his head to the side and quickly noticed that there were missiles still stocked right beside him, which have yet to be be launched. He suddenly came up with an idea that would give him the opening and distraction he was looking for. Jake searched in his military vest for a few seconds before pulling out a small hand grenade from one of the pockets. Getting ready to run, Jake pulled the pin, quickly placed the bomb inside the missile compartment and ran the other way.
Upon reaching the place that Spider was still waiting in, Jake slid down the ramp and yelled out to the boy as warning. "Get down!" Jake yelled, and Spider did not hesitate in following after the man and hiding behind a turbine nearby. From the order, it was clear an explosion was about to happen, so he stayed out of the line of fire as best as he could.
Not even a few seconds later, the grenade went off, ricocheting with the missiles which caused them to explode too. The impact was so great that it made many soldiers fall back because of the impact, and many were caught up in it. Quaritch was also close to the explosion, which made him, Kiri, Tuk and other soldiers stumble and fall down a bit. Because of the destruction, many pieces and fragments of the ship that caught on fire were now falling from the air and landed directly on soldiers who were trying to get away in the emergency rafts.
Kiri and Tuk had a feeling that the explosion was their dad's doing, but still, the impact frightened them to unmeasurable levels. Not only that, but that impact might've caused the sinking process to accelerate. Even so, when all soldiers started to scatter in panic, Jake took this as his opportunity to run straight into action. He couldn't waste this chance. The top of the SeaDragon was in flames at this point, making many soldiers resort to leaving, but many stayed and continued Quaritch's orders.
The smoke and fumes from the flames gave Jake the perfect opportunity to come in unnoticed. The ex-marine came from the shadows, with his spear raised high, and leaped straight towards the nearest soldier, stabbing the man directly through his chest with a war cry. Jake did not care at all now, and he went through soldiers, taking them out without blinking and in a barrage of perfect attacks. Upon noticing his presence, many other man started to approach Jake but he was quicker.
Your husband saw one of Quaritch's Avatar soldiers approach him, so Jake immediately imapled the man straight through his chest and left the spear there as the man choked and breathed for air. As a second weapon, Jake whipped out his rifle and yelled with fury when he started shooting at every other soldier that was attacking him. He recieved gunfire, but Jake was quick enough to get some cover.
A female Avatar yelled out as she attempted to shoot Jake, but he used the railing to give himself impulse to do a somersault and to land on one knee, aimed his dagger and lunged it st the at the Avatar woman that was shooting at him, with the knife landing on her neck. The woman cried out in pain as she fell down and more soldiers started to come at Jake.
Using his spare blade, Jake stabbed and slit the throat of a soldier coming his way, and he used the sharpest end of his dagger do it, killing the man instantly. Moving onto the next, Jake saw another man in his way so he immediately imapled him with one of his knives and lifted him off the ground to use the man's body as a human shield, right as the Avatar woman you shot began to stand up again. Before the female Avatar could shoot, in a blink of an eye, Jake used his rifle with one hand and shot her dead.
In her last moments, the woman shot a few bullets, but not many that could reach him until she finally died and her body fell to the floor. Jake walked over to the woman's body, pulled out his trusty dagger and looked down at her with a sneer. Jake was nothing but clouded and choked with rage right now, not thinking about anything else aside from you before heading straight for his daughters.
Jake soon left the area and reached another once he went into a passageway. The moment Jake appeared in the line of sight of the soldiers below the ridge he was standing on, they all turned their guns upwards, sending a barrage of bullets his way. "Look up!" One soldier yelled out, all shooting at once but Jake was stealthy enough to move through the platform unscathed. When running through the ridge, Jake encountered a man with a gun raised at him, so he grabbed the soldier and threw him over the edge with no hesitation.
Jake had eventually fought for a long time, eventually losing count of how many dead bodies that he left behind. All he knew is that he was getting closer to Quaritch, which meant that he could make the bastard pay for putting his hands on you. It made him seeth with rage.
Seeing that there were no more enemies to take care of in his vicinity, Jake took this chance and opportunity to race straight towards his daughters. He grabbed his hatchet, and when he got there, he only saw Tuk attached to the railing. He could've sworn that Kiri was here, too. The moment Tuk saw her dad approaching, her eyes widened and started scooting closer on her knees. "Dad, dad!" Tuk whispered, watching as her father approached.
"Shh..." Jake hushed his daughter and approached her with his knife, not wasting another second to set her free. When Tuk was free and she was able to stand up, Jake grabbed ahold of her shoulders gently. The fact that her dad was covered in blood and his expression looked venomous, Tuk started to tremble with fear. But not at her father. She just hopef that blood wasn't his. "Where's your sister? Where is she? Where is she?" Jake asked frantically, to his very visibly tired younger daughter.
"That way, that way," Tuk panted tiredly, pointing over to where she saw her sister being taken away by Quaritch. Jake nodded and stood up. "Alright. Stay behind me," He said, and Tuk nodded, staying close enough behind her dad. Jake walked forward a bit more, and what he saw next made his blood boil.
There he was. Quaritch came around the corner holding Kiri with a knife to her throat. Jake sneered and growled as his ears tipped back, hissing subtly under his breath. Quaritch had a smug look on his face that only angered Jake more. Tuk's eyes widened at the state her sister was in. "Kiri!" She exclaimed, tempted to rush in and save her, but Jake put a hand in front of her to prevent Tuk from coming forward or any closer than she is.
"Running out of time here, Corporal. You already lost your wife today. Who, I admit pur up a pretty good fight," Quaritch said coldly, and Jake had the deadliest look on his face. "You really want to lose a daughter? Quaritch taunted, making Jake sneer and come forward with his knife, but it only made the Colonel press the dagger against Kiri's neck with more force. The girl hissed and groaned with pain, feeling blood trickle down her neck. "Do not test me!" Quaritch seethed, making Jake step back with a hiss, still holding onto his knife, finding the perfect chance to kill him.
"Just kill him, dad!" Kiri yelled out, groaning slightly at Quaritch pressing the dagger more onto her neck. She didn't care if she died, all as long as the person responsible for her mother's death was killed and taken out. You were there for everyone who needed you, being selfless and kind. You deserved justice. Both girls could agree that you needed to be avenged.
"Let my daughter go. I'll rip you apart. For putting your hands on my wife, for taking away her life, and putting my family misery. Hand my daughter over, and I might consider going easy on you," Jake said lowly and in a husky tone, knowing that he was not messing around.
"Is that supposed to intimidate me? Your wife only died because she involved herself and tried to protect your sorry ass, Corporal" Quaritch said coldly, with a smug tone, and that made it harder for Jake to restrain himself in place. How could he disrespect you in that way even after he took you out? How vile and pathetic could he be? It was truly sickening.
"How about you just let her go? I'm going to kill you anyway" Jake said, watching Quaritch's face as the man started to heavily weigh out his options. Eithe he could let Kiri go and fight Jake, or try and taunt him more to get him to break. Soon enough, he made his decision and pushed the girl forward. Tuk immidiately ran towards her sister and both girls started to head towards the water behind the two men, watching as they dangerously circled each other. As Kiri pushed Tuk behind her, Spider cane from around the corner and joined them.
Jake smirked at seeing Quaritch give into what the ex-marine asked of him, lining up exactly with his plan. The Colonel could recognize the look in Jake's eyes. The man wanted to fight, and accepted that he might even die trying to do so, almost if that's what he wanted so he could join you. Until then, they both had a score to settle right here on this ship.
"Kiri, Spider, Tuk...go find your brothers. Stay with them, and don't move" Jake ordered, not daring to break the deadly eye-contact he held with the Colonel. The girls and Spider did not hesitate and nodded, jumping into the ocean, letting Spider lead the way back. Jake dreaded her daughters seeing their mother in the state she was in, but their brothers were there too. They'd be there for one another. Now, Jake had a bigger task in front of him. You asked this of Jake in your last dying breath. He wouldn't let you down, not even if he tried to.
"You took her away from me. She was everything to me," Jake started, not believing himself starting to use the past tense. Not wasting another moment, Jake lunged at Quaritch and tackled him to the ground as the deck began to tilt to the side. "She was my whole world.Her abscense already feels like my insides are being torn to shreds. And for that...I'm going to kill you. As many times as I have to. You'll die here today. I'll make sure of it" Jake sneered as he began his intense brawl with the Colonel under his grasp.
Jake was truly losing his mind and Quaritch was taking notice of that. He had never seen that emotion in Jake before, and if he had to be honest, it was something to be feared. Jake spoke with blood all over him and his ember eyes were narrowed with hatred. Jake had a type of anger now that couldn't be described, but until Quaritch was dead, he wouldn't rest.
"You're fucking crazy" Quaritch said as Jake began to press his knife against the Avatar Colonel's neck, not being afraid to use a dangerous amount of force and pressure that was sure to be lethal. But that was exactly what Jake wanted. Jake huffed, mingled with a scoff, and did not hesitate in pressing his dagger down harder on the man's neck. "Maybe I am" Jake said, feeling Quaritch begin to fight back.
Quaritch soon pushed Jake off of him and their battle began once again. It seemed to be eternal the more that the ship tilted on its side and began give those two limited options. The two men had moved from the deck, that was now useless to them, and onto a platform that served to them as a sturdy surface. Jake was high up in a beam while Quaritch stayed on the ground swinging his dagger at him.
Jake looked down, avoiding Quaritch's attempted swings, but then he looked to his side and saw a couple of chains that hung loosely beside him. Jake got an idea and grabbed onto the chains, sliding down to the platform and to stand in front of Quaritch, and beginning to use the chains as a whip of some sort, smacking Quaritch in the face and head with all of the strength he had left. The Colonel let out yells of pains at this, stepping back as Jake continued to fend him off with the chains.
When Quaritch stumbled back, Jake rushed at the Colonel, turned the man around and wrapped the chains around his neck tightly. It was so hard that Quaritch's head could be close to be decapitated. Jake wanted nothing but to see this bastard ended once and for all. Quaritch grasped onto the chains, attempting to get them off, but it was useless. The man choked and groaned, feeling more dizzy and unable to see anything as he slowly felt himself shut down. When the Colonel was limp and almost lifeless, Jake released the chains, let the man drop to the floor while barely conscious and Jake proceeded to steal the handgun from the belt that the Colonel had on him.
Jake cocked the gun, letting it click before aiming it down at Quaritch with no remorse and an empty expression. Seeing what Jake was about to do, the bastard had the audacity to even ask for mercy and spare his life. How dare he? "Wait, Sully-" Quaritch started to ask, but Jake didn't even give him the chance to finish. Your husband shot him one right between the Colonel's eyes. Then again, and again, and again, and then a couple more times. He was already dead, but Jake saw satisfaction in what he did. He had done it.
When Quaritch was absolutely dead, Jake pushed him out the edge of the deck, watching as the body of the Colonel seeped and sank to the depths of the ocean floor, never to be seen again. The ship continued to sink, and Jake still had a chance to jump into the water and call his skimwing to get him back to the rock. He was just stuck in place, numb once again after all that killing he did, and all for you. Though, he didn't regret any of it. Not once. For you he'd go to the ends of the earth, kill as many as he had to, and wouldn't think twice.
The ecplise had passed by the time that Jake made it back to the rock. All 4 of his kids, along with Spider and Tsireya were still keeping you company. Tuk was crying endlessly as Kiri cradled her close, not to ignore the fact that she was crying as well, maybe even more so.
When Jake arrived, looking so defeated and tired, nobody said a single word. On the way back, Jake tried to keep his cool. He didn't want to snap at his children when they were hurting just as much as he was. Jake's anger wafted into the air the moment he killed Quaritch, but now, there was emptiness.
Jake kneeled by your side just as he was before, placing your body on his lap as he cradled the side of your head and pressed his forehead against yours. The entire family stayed that way for hours, not realizing that a miracle was happening right before their eyes. As your children huddled around you and their father, they all failed to noticed how your heartbeat had returned to your body, and how your body had gone from lifeless to just unconscious.
Kiri was holding onto your hands, and felt them move just a small fraction. Was her mind playing tricks on her? She gasped and more of those uncontrollable tears started to stream down her face. Your daughter squeezed your hands and then pressed her ear to your chest, and after a few seconds, Kiri heard it. Your heartbeat. Strong as it has always been.
"Dad! She's breathing!" Kiri yelled out and everyone perked up, but Jake looked at her daughter quizzically, not really registering what she just said. Jake's mouth was agape and his lips trembled with uncertainty. "Kiri, what?" Jake questioned, sniffling a few times before letting her siblings move out of the way a bit so she could check her mom well.
Everything was silent for a few seconds, and when Jake leaned down to hear your heartbeat, a shaky gasp escaped him. He looked back to you and placed a hand against your cheeks. Your face looked a lot more peaceful now than it did before, which he took as something good.
All of a sudden, Jake and the kids heard a voice that they thought that they would never have the chance of listening to ever again. "Jake?" You whispered as your eyes fluttered open. Tears brimmed Jake's eyes as a gentle smile came onto your lips and your children all rushed in to embrace you in a family hug.
"Mama! We thought we lost you!" Tuk cried, and your heart melted with sadness at what you were hearing. You didn't want to be the cause of so much of their distress, although it was sort of expected with this situation. As Tuk continued to hug you, Neteyam, Lo'ak and Spider were frozen on the spot while Tsireya and Kiri were gleefully hugging each other with happy tears spilling out of their eyes.
When Tuk moved away to hug her siblings in utter joy, Jake was looking down at you with tears spilling out, not knowing if this was real or not. He couldn't do anything but look at you, feeling like he couldn't breathe. But what confirmed it, was the bond that he had with her reconnecting all over again, much more stronger than ever before. "Ma Jake..." You sniffled as you tried to wipe his tears away with your shaky and trembling hands.
Jake unexpectedly wrapped you up in his arms in the tightest hug he could muster, tucking his head in your neck while being mindful of your wounds. His hands cradled your head and your waist. Your face was pressed against his chest, and you breathed in and out, feeling like this is right where you were supposed to be. "Jake, I'm here. It's okay, I love you" You hushed in his ear, slowly feeling him pull away.
He didn't pull away for long because he soon brought his lips down to yours in a feverish kiss that made you lose all of your inhibitions and surroundings, only getting lost in his touch after feeling deprived of it in such a cruel way. Jake didn't want to make it too graphic since his kids were still there, so he pulled away and let you breathe properly. He put his forehead against yours once again, refusing to ever let you go again. He won't ever do that again.
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The Sully's felt like they had spent the rest of the day there. Jake didn't let go of you once, not even on the ride back home to the village and had you ride with him on his Skimwing. You, for one, agreed with him because you fekt too weak to ride one on your own. Also, you just didn't want to be without him for a single moment. Your children all stayed close, with Neteyam and Lo'ak staying close and constantly asking if you needed anything while your girls stayed close, trying to cheer you up.
On the way back to Awa'atlu, Jake told you that he killed Quaritch, for real this time. You didn't hesitate in telling him how proud you were of him. He had just done so much for your family and continued fighting until the end. You stilk had so much tell him from your talk with Eywa and Tsu'tey. They were the reason you were alive right now in the first place, so you would not take it for granted at all.
When arriving at the village, Ronal embraced you with a gentle hug after taking note of your injury. Tonowari welcomed you back, giving you and Jake supplies to take care of the wounds the entire family had, but to be fair, Jake used most of the supplies on you. When walking back to your family's hut, your kids insisted that they wanted to stay by your side but you and Jake told them that they could go play a bit, so they complied and promised to be back in time for dinner later that day.
You and Jake were sitting outside of your hut, laying against the outside of it. You were sitting in between his legs as you rested against his chest and his arms wrapped around your waist, pressing light kisses to your neck, making you hum with contentment as you both watched the sunset and felt the cool breeze come by.
There was silence for a few more minutes and Jake's eyes couldn't help but wander down to your heavily bandaged up waist. He sighed and rested his head back, rubbing his thumb against the skin above the bandages. The kids were playing in the reef nearby so both of you watched your kids enjoy their time, which was very well deserved after they day they had.
"Jake?" You prompted, and Jake hummed against the side of your head, and you heard his voice right in your ear which sent shivers down your spine. "I love you," You said, and you smiled when Jake's arms tightened around you, getting more comfortable. "Mm...say it again," He hummed again, as he moved his lips down and began to kiss the nape of your neck, making you giggle and smile at his gesture.
"I love you" You whispered again, turning your head around to face him. He pressed his forehead against your own, nudging his nose with yours with a sigh. "You scared us so much. I thought I lost you" Jake muttered also voicing what his children thought too. You hummed regretfully and Jake leaned down to press his lips against yours in a long and drawn-out kiss, leaving you breathless. "I'm sorry. But, you should know who I saw when I was about to die." You said, and Jake's head tilted to the side in habit. You found it adorable ever since you met him years ago, and even now.
"I saw Tsu'tey," You said, and Jake's eyes widened a fraction before he gestured silently with his hand, asking what happened. "He was the one who actually brought me back. Fought like hell to do it, even went up against Eywa" You laughed, remembering how much ge fought for you to get your life back.
"He said. 'Take care of him. Protect my brother'" You said and Jake couldn't help but smile softly. Tsu'tey had become a bit of a brotherly figure for him, even if it was towards the end up until he died and they couldn't connect more, they both had the same goals. Jake couldn't deny that he thought about his friendship with Tsu'tey and how good of a role model he would've been to his children. He was missed every day without a single miss.
You and Jake continued to watch the sun hide behind the horizon line, relisihing every moment. Jake couldn't have imagined coming back to the village without you. Having you with him feels right in every way. He has vowed and swore to protect you and his family at all costs, no matter what. Now more than ever. After today, doubt wouldn't cross his mind. His family was complete and in one piece, to him, that was all that truly mattered.
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I finished this at midnight (knowing I have a calculus test tomorrow LMAO) and I feel like I improvised for most of it SHEJD im sorry! I hope you guys liked this alternate ending nonetheless! For now, this is the end of Book 2 of the Barricades series! <3
Since this book is done, now we will move onto updates for 'Your Existence'! I cannot express to you all how excited I am :,) Ill be starting later this week so stay tuned! 🤍
Also, as I said before, I wanted to point out the fact that as soon as book 1 and 2, Im going to start revising both of them. I run them through grammarly, but I still want to improve the chapters already up <3
There's not much I have to say now, but as always, I'll add other news in future chapters if there are any at all, Anyway, I'll see you all in the next one! 🤍 Have a good rest of your week everyone!
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