Chapter Eighteen
Jake staggered and he could feel his human body giving out. Stevenson was too close to the mobile, and inside the Ampsuit he would easily destroy it. Pushing his avatar to the limit, he ran towards the man, firing his gun at the glass shield. The bullets pinged off the Plexiglas but that was enough to gain Stevenson's attention. The ground vibrated beneath Jake's feet as Stevenson turned towards him.
"Sully, you traitorous bastard." Stevenson yelled, his voice magnifying through the speakers of the suit.
Jake gave a cocky smile and inclined his head hurtling towards the man. Large steel hands tried to catch him but he was able to dodge and dive out of the way. Scrambling from the heavy feet of the Ampsuit, Jake caught on to a jutting piece of metal and swung himself onto the shield of the suit. Stevenson tried to shake him off but Jake refused to let go. Pulling his dagger from its sheath, Jake slammed the blade into one of the nicks made by his gun.
The pressurised air hissed through the crack and an alarm began to ring. Jake leapt off Stevenson, taking a few steps back to catch his breath.
"How does it feel to betray your own race?" Stevenson asked, having released the glass hatch and donned an exo-mask. Jake pulled back his lips and hissed, showing Stevenson that he was protecting his race, his people. Stevenson laughed at his antics and began to rush towards Jake.
Jake turned in an attempt to evade Stevenson. The only place left for him to run was the mobile, and he could not put the scientists or his human body in jeopardy. If he ran into the forest Stevenson would be able to destroy the unit, yet if he stayed he doubted he'd be able to distract him for very long.
Stevenson continued his pursuit and managed to grab Jake by the tail. Jake blinked rapidly as a warped haze distorted his sight. His body began to grow limp as coughs racked his body. The last thing he heard was Stevenson's triumphant laugh.
Grace burst through the bushes, the sounds of struggle were growing louder and she could feel the unmistakable vibration of an Ampsuit. Hoisting the rifle in her hands, Grace hurdled over a fallen log, her momentum sent her into the air as she fired at the machine. Grace ducked and rolled searching for Jake. Her surprise attack had startled Stevenson into releasing the unconscious body, the rise and fall of his chest the only indication that Jake was still alive.
"My, my, aren't we a beauty." Stevenson said, turning his full attention to Grace.
Grace's eyes darted to the motionless body of her lover trying to work out how to get to him. Stevenson fully turned to face her, a large blade in his hands. Grace stood slowly not allowing any fear to show in her eyes. She could feel Stevenson's gaze upon her body like a revolting caress and all she wanted to do was put a bullet in his heart. However, he was too close to Jake, if she angered the man then he may kill her mate. Grace snarled at the thought and unconsciously rubbed her stomach.
Stevenson followed her line of sight, her eyes locked upon Jake and when he looked back at her, he saw the small swell of life. With a bitter grin, he started towards her.
"So you are the piece of tail Sully has betrayed his people for." Stevenson chuckled. Grace managed to avoid Stevenson's first swipe, running through his legs to the other side. She made it to Jake who eyes were slowly opening.
"Hurry Jhake, you must get up." She whispered looking over her shoulder. Stevenson was already upon them his large steel hand grabbing hold of Jake's queue. Grace tried to scuttle out of the way but Stevenson was quick, grabbing her by the throat.
Grace clawed at the metal appendage, but to no avail. Stevenson had a manic look in his eye that made it clear that neither she nor Jake were going to live. Beside her, Jake struggled but his movements were weak and leaden.
"So who shall I kill first? You or your pregnant bitch?" Stevenson laughed clenching Grace's throat tightly. Black dots exploded in her vision as her breathing became hampered beneath his force.
"Leave her alone, this is between you can me." Jake gasped.
"There are always casualties in war, you know that Sully. I think it would hurt you more if I carve your child from her womb." Grace shivered from the menace in his voice and once again began to struggle against him.
"If you let her live, she can show you were all the deposits of unobtanium are on Pandora." Jake said. Stevenson grew still as greed blazed in his eyes. Grace tried to catch Jake's attention but he was still watching Stevenson. They both knew that she did not know of any such deposits but perhaps Stevenson would fall for his bluff.
"I will still kill you." Stevenson said. To Grace's horror Jake gave an affirmative nod. Stevenson then looked at her and Grace looked straight back at him pushing all her hate for the man to the surface.
"You hear that savage, I leave you be and you show me where I can find the goods."
"I hear you." She said. If Stevenson was shocked by her use of English, he did not show it.
"Good." Stevenson threw her to the ground causing pain to radiate through her body on impact. Grace wheezed sucking in precious air to her starved lungs.
Stevenson's bionic arm was equipped with a lethal blade, which he pressed against Jake's throat. Jake no longer bothered to struggle, and instead looked at Grace, as though committing every feature to memory.
"When I'm done with this puppet, your human body is next." Stevenson growled.
Grace knew that she only had one shot at getting this right. From the fold of her loincloth she pulled out her dagger and threw it at Stevenson, aiming for his throat. She did not miss her mark. Stevenson's eyes widened in shock as blood flowed into the exo-pack. His grip on Jake instantly weakened and with an almighty crash the Ampsuit fell to the ground. Grace ran to Jake's prone body and crouched over him, hissing at the fallen human. With one last breathe Stevenson's eyes glazed over. Certain that he was dead Grace gave her attention to Jake.
"Get up." She said shaking his body. "Jhake." She shook him once more then turned to the mobile. A few human faces were pressed against the window, having watched the fight from within the confines of the mobile unit. Grace rushed towards them her hands banging on the window.
"Where is Jhake!" She shouted, searching for the human form of her mate. Several of the humans rushed to what she knew to be the psionic link unit and pulled out a motionless body. The man was tiny compared to the Na'vi's great height. His legs were withered and skinny, with hair all over his face. But Grace knew those features from anywhere. It was her Jake and he wasn't breathing.
"We can't let you in, the oxygen will make you dizzy." One of the scientist called, backing away as the men carried Jake onto a metal bed.
Grace swallowed the lump of fear in her throat and nodded. There was nothing she could do for him, they way the Na'vi treated the sick was not the same as the humans. Her mother had been able to make the transference when she had been near death perhaps the same could be done for Jake. Looking back through the window she saw two flat disks being placed on Jake's chest, someone pressed a big red button and his body jerked.
"What are you doing!" Grace cried as his body convulsed again. To her surprise, a woman who resembled Leila stood before her, the glass separating them.
"They are trying to restart his heart." Leila explained frowning as the machine began to emit a drowning beep. Grace did not like the look on the woman's face but just as she was about to ask Leila what was happening, she had moved to the bed where Jake lay.
Grace hated not knowing what was going on, she felt useless and not at all calm. The humans continued to rush around, piercing Jake's skin with long pins and attaching pipes to his body. Grace leant against the mobile and slid to the ground, her hands stroking her rounded stomach.
"No matter what happens little one, know that your father loves you." She whispered not caring as the tears fell.
Jake blinked his eyes open, squinting at the harshness of the fluorescent lighting. His breath fogged up the exo-pack and his body felt stiff and old. He had no idea how long he'd been unconscious for but he doubted it was less than a few days. Carefully Jake lifted his arm, the back of his eyes throbbing as it came into focus. Human hands flexed back at him and Jake couldn't stop the burning sensation in his heart. He was no longer in his Avatar. They had won the war, he had seen Stevenson die before his eyes but he had also been close to death. If Grace had not found him when she had he would have died. He actually thought he had died, there were no memories from the mobile to now. The last time he had awoken from a deep sleep, he had been flying in space for twenty years, what if the same had happened?
The gurgle of a baby snapped Jake out of his thoughts. Turning slowly on the gunnery Jake saw a Na'vi baby sitting in a pen beside his bed. The shock of seeing the baby was almost too much for Jake and he continued to lay there, his mouth opening and closing in disbelief. Large amber eyes stared back at him in amazement, the small bow lips of the child wobbled for a few moments before the infant erupted into tears. Jake winced as he dragged himself off the bed and into his chair. The feeling of helplessness was overwhelming as his numb fingers fiddled with the latch of the pen. The baby instantly quietened as Jake wheeled closer, and to Jake's surprise the child crawled towards him.
Jake wasn't familiar with handling young children and although the Na'vi baby was the size of a human four year old, Jake knew that he couldn't be any older than one.
"Are you mine?" Jake whispered. The baby just looked at him, his small cries simmering into quite sobs. Jake's muscles strained as he picked up the child, carefully he placed him on his lap and made for the door.
Hell's Gate was even more rundown that Jake remembered, Eywa was reclaiming her land and through the cracks in the wall, vines pushed through. A few times Jake was forced to stop as weeds were caught in his wheels. The baby was now fast asleep on his lap, his small mouth enveloping his blue thumb. He had four fingers and four toes which was enough for Jake to surmise that the child couldn't be his. How was it he came awake to find a baby next to his bed, but no sign of life.
Believing that the control tower would be his best bet in locating others, Jake made his way to the station. Just as he was about to turn a corner he heard voices, female voices talking from the crush hall.
...
"Your mother is asking of you." Leila said taking Grace's hand in hers. The Na'vi before her was nothing like the young woman she had met a two years ago. Her once vibrant eyes were shrouded with weariness, lines bracketed her mouth that no one her age should have. Though Grace smiled, joy never reached her eyes and Leila could see that the woman was slowly breaking.
"I will not leave, Leila." Grace said wearily having had this conversation with her friend many times. It was tiresome having to listen to the doctor talk about what was healthy and was not. Grace was content with being by Jake's side, even if he never woke from the deep sleep. Leila had promised her that there was enough power to keep both Jake and his Avatar alive. However, until Jake was conscious then there was little they could do.
"I was talking to To'itan about babies." Leila said swiftly changing the subject. Grace smiled gratefully, far too tired to get into an argument.
"Oh and what did he say?" Grace asked, knowing full well what the overprotective warrior would be thinking.
"He tells me one is enough, he fears that what happened to you will happen to me." Leila sighed. Grace shook her head in disbelief though laughter bubbled in her throat. Every woman felt pain when giving birth, but To'itan was adamant that he could only go through childbirth once. Grace felt for him. It was the males duty to create tsahaylu with their mate, not only did it half the burden of giving birth but it also sealed a connection between father and child. In Grace's case she had made tsahaylu with Jake's Avatar. Though the Avatar lacked conscious thought, the bond had soothed her enough to have a somewhat easy birth.
"Do not mind To'itan, I too have a mate that was not pleased about my pregnancy." Grace laughed.
Jake could barely breathe as Grace and Leila spoke about babies and mates. Since he was no longer in his Avatar, it would make sense that Grace would have no qualms about finding someone else. The baby in his lap woke with a yawn and gave a small gurgle as he heard the women's voices. Their voices suddenly stopped and he heard the scrapping of furniture. Though he had wanted to be reunited with Grace on better terms, there was no time like the present.
Grace looked at him with shock, her eyes darting between him and the baby on his lap. Jake drank in her familiar features, though she looked exhausted, there was a sudden burst of light within her eyes that at least told him she was happy to see him.
"Jhake, you are awake?" She asked squatting in front of him. Jake tracked her motions instantly noticing the flatness of her stomach. Agony tore through him as he realised that she was no longer pregnant. He had been a fool to think Grace and the baby would be alright during the battle. He should have been firmer, and forced Grace to stay at the tree of souls. Instead he had allowed her to do as she pleased. Now there was no baby.
"You aren't pregnant anymore." Jake said his arms tightening around the child in his arms. Grace sent him a sad smile and shook her head. Jake glanced at Leila and noticed her take another baby from a crib beside one of the benches. The baby in his arms gave a squeal of excitement, raising his arms to be carried. With a small laugh Grace took the child away from Jake and handed him to Leila. The two babies then began to babble as though having their own conversation.
"I'll just take these two." Leila said. Grace nodded then sat before Jake again, her features unreadable.
"I guess it's a good thing then. I'm human, you are Na'vi. What could I possibly give you?" Jake said refusing to meet Grace's eyes.
"You do not have to remain human Jhake. Become Na'vi and stay with me." Grace said running her large hand against his cheek. Jake rubbed against her soft touch before pulling away, unable to get over the loss of his son.
"When did you lose the baby?" He asked needing to know the details, hoping they would ease his mind. Grace gave him a confused look. Then turned to the corner where Leila played with the babies.
"I have not lost the babies Jhake, they are with Leila." Grace said. Jake's eyes locked onto the two small children tumbling over each other and his heart swelled. Twins? Jake turned to Grace and saw the way she played with the tuft on her tail, her lids were lowered blocking her eyes from his scrutiny. Jake reached for her, his fingers stroking her fine black hair.
"I thought you had miscarried. I've been in a coma for how long?"
"Almost a year and a half. Many people told me to let you be, but I couldn't. I promised you I would always be by your side." Jake caught the tears from her eyes feeling his cheeks ache from the smile on his face. Grace had stayed by him the whole time even though he may have never made it back to the world of the living. If there were any doubts in his mind about how Grace felt for him, they were quelled.
"You had the children here?" He asked, the word children sounding alien to him. He was a father and he'd missed out on seeing them born and grow. He wanted to reclaim those months.
"Yes, I have not left Hell's Gate since. To'itan and my father would bring me food." Grace said.
"It must have been lonely." Jake stated, seeing how worn Grace looked and sounded. She had raised their babies on her own while looking after him, how would he ever repay her?
"At times, yes. But you are my mate where else would I be but by your side." She stated drawing his hand to her lips and kissing his fingers. Though she was much larger than him and alien to his eyes that did not stop desire from bubbling through his veins.
"I am ready to be reunited with my Avatar, I think I've spent too much time a sleep." Jake smiled. Grace looked up at him and nodded her head eagerly.
The End
Okay so thats the end of my Avatar series, its taken longer than I would like and I cant say I'm too pleased with the ending. However I have other fanfics on the back burner that I really want to finish. Just want to say a be thanks to all of those who read my fics and left encouraging reviews xxx