I do not own or have any rights to April Snow- the movie that this story is based off. This story is rated M but I don't (read can't) write things of a too graphic detail. The story is split into two parts and it is AU.
Part I: Finding Out
Zuko ran into the hospital and careened to a halt in front of the ER doors- the doors behind which his wife lay. He collapsed into a seat trying to control his raging breath as he tried to recollect the phone call that had told him about Mai's condition. It had been a drunk driving accident near Omashu- Mai had been the passenger and another man the driver- both had been drunk and had crashed into an unsuspecting car. The victim in the other car had died on impact and Mai and her companion had ended up in the hospital. Feeling his breathing calm, he tried to figure out what to do now. Wait probably for the doctor. Yes, that seemed like a good idea. He closed his eyes running a hand over his face as he did so, letting out a sigh and trying desperately to calm his raging emotions for now.
Sobs sounded and Zuko looked up and spotted his companion in the waiting room. A young woman, a pregnant woman from the looks of her slightly swollen stomach, stared at the ground sobbing quietly. He wondered who she was here for- was she a relative of Mai's companion? Or was she here for some other reason? He didn't know how long he sat there, staring at the woman and then worrying on his own part for Mai before he heard footsteps heading his direction. A doctor, Mai's doctor perhaps?
"Mrs. Lee? Mr. Azulon?"
Two heads snapped up and two bodies stood up as the doctor approached them to deliver the news. Unconsciously Zuko moved closer to the woman and waited to hear what the doctor wanted to say. Zuko grit his teeth and clenched his fists in frustration waiting to hear the extent of Mai's injuries and hoping that they weren't too severe. He glared at the doctor again- why wasn't he speaking yet? The doctor seemed to get the message and spoke soon after though Zuko wished he hadn't.
"I'm afraid that both your spouses are not out of the danger zone." The young woman began to cry and Zuko felt for her. He himself was worried sick about Mai- Mai, the person he would give anything to trade places with right now. The doctor turned to Zuko first and he quickly realized that Mai's diagnosis was going to the first that he would give.
"Mr. Azulon, your wife has suffered brain damage from a concussion and has three broken ribs. She is currently in a coma but we have confidence that she will eventually wake from it. Mrs. Lee-" The doctor faltered for a moment before he continued, "your husband took the brunt of the impact- we have reason to believe that he moved in front of Mrs. Azulon and therefore took the maximum damage. He suffered multiple head injuries, his heart stopped for a moment but we were able to restart it with a defibrillator, and his left lung was punctured. We have reason to believe his chances of slipping out of a coma are quite slim."
Zuko collapsed into his chair not sure whether he was relieved or not. Mai- Mai was close to dying in there. While he worried about Mai, he was grateful for the unknown man in the car who had inadvertently saved his wife's life. He only wished it didn't come at such high a cost. He glanced quickly towards the woman- Mrs. Lee- who sank back into the chair he had found her in. Slowly, his eyes then lowered to the floor as all the news from the past few hours sank in.
Mai could die. His Mai was fighting for her life. And as the tears hit and one of the nurses looked his way he found he could care less. His wife was on the verge of dying and that was all that he cared about.
An hour later, Zuko and Mrs. Lee were interrupted again, this time by a man who it turned out was the officer who had reported to the scene of the accident. Zuko's tears had abated but he wasn't ready for any real conversation yet. He doubted he would be for a while. Nonetheless, he stood greeting the officer with a nod and waited for any news the officer had to give.
With a grim expression, the officer explained to the distraught individuals that they needed to report to the police station to pick up their spouses' belongings. Standing on shaky legs the two followed the officer outside. Zuko followed the officer in his car while Mrs. Lee went with the officer to the police station. He didn't know how he drove there in one piece. His body was shaking and he wasn't paying as much attention to the road as he should have. Nonetheless, the short drive finished soon and he parked, leaving his car so that he could follow the officer and Mrs. Lee inside the police station.
The police station was noisy-noisier compared to the hospital and it grated on his nerves. There was a flurry of movement and Zuko found himself standing in front of a table with the woman- Mrs. Lee he realized quickly. Various items, most cleaned of blood, were scattered on the table- the belongings of those involved in the accident he realized as he recognized a few of Mai's things. The police officer handed each of them a Ziploc bag apologizing for not having anything else and then left. With a resigned air, the two silently began gathering their spouses' belongings.
Zuko found Mai's wallet, her cellphone, a piece of jewelry she must have had in the car, her shoes, and her wedding ring. He silently pocketed the ring, not wanting to lump it with the other items. Why had she taken it off anyway he wondered trying to not think about it as he scanned the table again. All that was left was a camera. Considering that Mrs. Lee was still collecting her husband's belongings and he didn't remember Mai having a camera like that he left it on the table. Walking towards the officer who had brought them here, he silently nodded to him before walking off to the hotel room he had booked.
Hours later, Zuko felt tears run down his face as he angrily punched the hotel bed. He had done something he shouldn't have- he had gone through Mai's belongings and curious as to who the man inside the car might be he had gone through Mai's phone. He didn't remember her telling him that someone else from the company was joining her for the business trip- or what he was hoping was a business trip.
It wasn't easy to gain access to her phone- Mai had a password restricting entry into it. He knew she was a private individual but this confused him. What did she have to hide in her phone? He cut through the password entering her birth date and getting easy access to whatever he wanted inside it. Ignoring the feeling of trepidation, he navigated quickly to her messages inbox. A number and name he didn't recognize immediately popped up on the screen. Curious and feeling a bit more nervous now, Zuko opened the messages and scanned through them. It only took him a few minutes before he wished that he had never opened the damn thing in the first place.
All the messages were to a man named Jet, Jet Lee. And the most recent messages all suggested that Mai was planning on taking a frivolous vacation with the man. What struck him the most was the rather suggestive and coarse language that she used in the messages. It didn't take Zuko long to figure out the innuendos and he stared in horror at the phone in his hands. He wanted to throw it, to chuck it at the wall and pretend that the messages never existed. But how could he? And so he'd then proceeded to cry. He was crying because here he was worried for her and she had been cheating on him. She had played him a fool. He pushed a shaky hand over his face as questions whirled through his head.
What had made Mai so willing to turn to another? Had he not given her enough? A loving family, a comfortable home, a loving husband: what did this Jet Lee have that he didn't? He wasn't that amazing was he? As he sat there heaving and trying to piece the broken fragments of his life together, another thought occurred to him. Mrs. Lee, the poor woman, did she know? She was pregnant for gods sake- didn't Jet have some damn appreciation for the woman carrying his children? Was that why he had turned to Mai; because he was a damn coward who couldn't stomach the thought of being a father? Turning the phone off Zuko tossed it onto the bedside table in anger as he closed his eyes and shed a few stray tears before succumbing to sleep.
Katara blinked as tears continued to obscure her vision. She'd been at this for what three hours already? Was it possible for someone to cry so much? A sob left her as she brought up a hand to her face. Jet- her Jet was in there fighting for his life. It had been a drunk driving accident they said. He had been with another passenger- a woman. Jet and the woman had both been drunk and he was driving. He was driving. How many times had she urged him to be more careful, to care more about what he was doing? How many times had she begged him for the sake of their family?
Running footsteps sounded but Katara didn't have the energy to look up. She didn't care about anyone else at the moment, just herself and her husband. At that thought, another choked sob left her throat. It just wasn't fair. She'd worked so hard to build a family, to try to build a family and it had resulted in this; this nightmare that she was now living. She didn't know how much longer she sat there but it was only the sound of her name being called that forced her to look up. At the sight of the doctor, she stood on shaky legs.
"I'm afraid that both your spouses are not out of the danger zone." The words caused a fresh bout of tears to fall from her eyes and she didn't bother to wipe them. What was the point? The doctor turned to the man who she had just noticed. She wondered why that was- was Jet dead? She wanted to shake the doctor, ask him what was wrong. Instead however, she stayed silent waiting to hear what he had to say about her husband.
"Mrs. Lee," The mention of her name had her snap to attention, "your husband took the brunt of the impact- we have reason to believe that he moved in front of Mrs. Azulon and therefore took the maximum damage. He suffered multiple head injuries, his heart stopped for a moment but we were able to restart it with a defibrillator, and his left lung was punctured. We have reason to believe his chances of slipping out of a coma are quite slim."
Feeling suddenly nauseous Katara sank into the chair she'd previously been occupying. Jet had risked his life to save the woman. She was so happy that he was a gentleman but inside she was yelling at him. Why did he have to that? Why did he have to put himself in danger for her? She hadn't heard the entirety of the doctor's diagnosis but she was a nurse. She knew that he had a very slim chance of making it out of this alive. And that feeling made her curl into herself as she prayed and cried and waited- waited for some damn godly miracle because she couldn't, she just couldn't, see Jet die in there.
It was a while later that she heard the clearing of a throat and she looked up to see a man. He was from the police station it seemed and he asked them to come with him to the station. They had to pick up their spouses belongings. Swallowing down the second wave of nausea that hit her Katara stood. She hadn't eaten yet today, she couldn't stomach anything. The officer offered to drive her to the station and she took him up on the offer. He led her to a table set apart from the noisy din of the office and she recognized the materials on it as belonging to the victims of the accident.
"I'm sorry all we have are Ziploc baggies but here."
Taking it mechanically, Katara began to slowly sort through the things. Jet's wallet was the first thing that she put away followed shortly by a tie she knew was his. She'd bought him that for his birthday. A few other articles followed all holding sentimental value until all that was left was a camera. The other man- Mr. Azulon- had left and so she assumed this to be Jet's. He had said something about buying a camera a while back- was this it? Adding that to the list of materials in the bag, she closed it and turned to leave. The officer from before stood and gave her a gentle smile.
"Would you like a ride to a hotel?" She nodded clutching her purse and the newly acquired bag tighter to her. She'd forgotten that- she had a hotel room to find and book right?
"The only one that's open this late at night is called 'Secret Tunnel'- the name comes from a legend around here. I'll take you there."
An hour later, Katara stared at the mismatched possessions of her husband in her dingy hotel room. She put the bag on a side table and picked up the camera. Curious, she found herself turning it on and flipping through the memory. A face of an unknown woman caught her eye and she wondered who she was. She stumbled across a video next and her heart lurched. Something told her that if she opened that video it would hurt her. The still showed a bed with rumpled sheets and the face of the woman from earlier. Her curiosity claiming her, she slowly clicked play and watched the video.
"What are you doing?" The woman- the naked woman- asked as she turned in bed. The sheets slipped and Katara could see the telltale love bites on her skin. A part of her was sick watching this but another part felt that she had to finish.
"Mai love, I'm just taking a picture of you. Have I mentioned you are by far the loveliest thing I have seen in a while?" Jet's voice was unmistakable and Katara's heart broke as she realized what she was seeing.
"Jet! Just come here and kiss me idiot!" The woman pulled him down but Jet turned so that the camera was pointing at the both of them.
"Not yet Mai! Let's commemorate this moment by taking a picture. This way you'll always have me with you in your camera!"
The video stopped there and belatedly Katara realized that she was glad that it had. She couldn't help but stare in grotesque horror at the sight. Mrs. Azulon and her husband were having an affair and she had proof of it. The thought made her nauseous once again and moments later she found herself leaning over the edge of the toilet.
When she collapsed on the bathroom floor ten minutes later all she could do was cry and ask why.
Katara didn't know what to think as she walked into the hospital room the next day. Mr. Azulon was already there in the lobby talking with a young man. He noticed her and gave her a nod before he beckoned her over. Curious and wondering why he wanted her over, she came forward and he introduced her to the young man. As he did so, she noticed that he was less animated compared to yesterday. She didn't blame him she thought wondering if he knew about the affair. At the pitying glance sent towards her stomach, she felt her breath hitch. He did know, she thought feeling the camera burn a hole through her purse.
The camera hadn't been Jet's, it was something that belonged to Mrs. Azulon she realized quite quickly. What had alerted her to this fact was the video inside. In fact, it was this video, rather than the fact that Zuko hadn't recognized his own wife's camera, that hurt Katara the most.
She had a feeling that she should not have last night, but she clicked play when she saw the saved video and watched as Jet- a naked Jet- frolicked in bed with a beautiful woman. It didn't take Katara long to realize that this was Mrs. Azulon and that the two were obviously having an affair. Still a part of her wanted to doubt it. She had gone through her husband's phone this morning willing and praying that last night was a horrible nightmare concocted by her brain. It wasn't so and she found herself collapsing in tears when she encountered the messages on his phone that proved anything but what she was praying for.
How could he she wondered reading the messages. What part of her wasn't good enough? Was it because she was pregnant? What had made him turn to Mai? She hadn't felt the will to do a lot but had finally decided to visit him and ask. They had moved him into a visiting room after all and she figured she could spend some time with him. Jet may have been a cheater but he was her husband and she wanted the answers that only he could give. On her way out the door, she had grabbed the camera intent on returning it to Mr. Azulon since it was technically his wife's and he deserved to have possession of it. She wondered if she should tell him about the video but then decided against it. She thought it would be better if he saw it from himself rather than hearing it from her mouth. And it didn't matter anyway since he obviously knew about the affair.
A nudge from Mr. Azulon had her clearing her head and focusing on the young man again. His name was Teo- a young district attorney who was in charge of handling the case. She had to wish him good luck for trying to deal with this she thought focusing on what he was saying.
"So the funeral for the victim is going to be held tomorrow. You two need to go visit the victim's family anyway so I figured the two of you could go together. That way it would be easier on all parties involved." Katara numbly nodded as Zuko wondered what to do- what was appropriate? Was it all right to go to a funeral like this? He had a feeling that it may be the right thing to do but at the same time, he knew that their reception was going to be unwelcome.
"Here's the address. I figure since Zuko has the car, the two of you could go together maybe? You can figure out the details. I'll talk to the two of you later." Teo gave them both a nod before he left and Zuko and Katara remained the only occupants of the hallway again.
Zuko turned to Katara warily before he asked his next question. They were still strangers even if they knew each other because of the situation they found themselves in; after all it was only now after the accident that they had met for the first time. And he still didn't know if Katara knew about the affair. What would happen if she did? What would he do? He wasn't sure if he could look her in the face and tell her that her husband was a cheating jerk. So he said the only thing that seemed right to him at the moment.
"Um, when should I pick you up? I was thinking the mid-afternoon." Katara nodded as she thought about it.
Honestly speaking, she didn't want to go to the funeral. What kind of masochist did Teo think she was to get yelled at by a grieving family. It was her husband that had killed the man in the car; a man who she found out this morning via a police call had a two-year old son and a wife. Nonetheless, she knew she had to go- it was the right thing to do. Knowing it was the right thing however didn't make it any easier to do.
"Can you pick me up at two-thirty at the 'Secret Tunnel' hotel?" She asked softly. That would give them just enough time to visit and maybe be back before dark. Unless something happened and knowing her, something was bound to happen.
"I can do that. Meet me out front at that time." Zuko answered shuffling his feet. She realized he felt out of place and truthfully, she felt that way too. She didn't blame him for feeling awkward; she herself wasn't sure how to treat him in this situation. Were they acquaintances, enemies, or allies?
"See you then." Katara answered taking her leave and walking to Jet's new room. It was awkward to leave so abruptly but she really didn't know what else to do. She didn't know this man and he didn't know her. So she stuck with politesse. Being polite was simple, easy, and normal and she figured that she could offer him that. She knew she should have given him the camera but she didn't feel like it. And so she selfishly hid it from him and walked away.
Zuko watched her walk away and sighed before he left for Mai's room. She was probably in the same state from yesterday. He walked into the room and felt his heart twitch at the sight. As much as he found himself angry at Mai currently he also found that he still cared for her. He loved her still- he didn't know if that love would last but it didn't just disappear overnight. Rather, it was diminished and had become slightly dormant. Seeing Mai's prone body in the bed made his heart sink. He'd give anything for her to be by his side right now and not in that bed. Slowly, he approached the bedside.
Mai's face was beautiful even in her current condition. For once however, she wasn't looking at him with those sharp eyes of hers. He remembered the day they met as interns in his father's company. She was working to take over a secretarial post and he was still trying to decide if he wanted to give up his rightful position as heir to his sister. She'd gotten on his nerves quite fast but soon running into her became a daily occurrence and he fell for her before he knew it. He thought she felt the same way and he wondered if she still did. Was Jet just a fling- something she needed to get out of her system? Or was Jet his replacement?
"Why'd you do it?" He asked softly cradling her face in his hand. "Do you love him?" There were no answers to his questions and part of him was relieved. He didn't think he could stomach the answers anyway.
"Sir," A nurse called interrupting him, "I hate to bother you, but someone has come to visit- a Mr. Iroh?"
Zuko snapped out of his musings and gave a nod to the nurse. He stood and followed her out the door to the small waiting room at the end of the hallway. His uncle was there with a kind and somber smile on his face as he came forward to greet him.
"Zuko my boy, how are you?"
"Uncle." And that word was enough to let the old man know what he was thinking. He took the younger man in his arms and led them to a seat. Iroh knew that his nephew needed someone to talk to and he was more than willing to offer it. He knew how much the younger man loved Mai and how much he needed a supporting hand so he was willing to offer it to him.
"She's in a coma uncle. The doctor isn't sure if she'll wake up." If Iroh noticed how Zuko turned his face away and gently swiped a finger under his eyes, he didn't say a word. It wasn't time for him to.
"Have faith Zuko. Mai was always a fighter wasn't she?" At the mention of the young man's wife, Zuko's hands curled into fists. Noticing this, his uncle gently laid a hand on his. "Zuko?" He questioned softly.
"Mai and I need to have a long talk when she wakes up uncle." Zuko replied his eyes having a faraway look. As much as Iroh wanted to know what was going on in his nephew's life he realized that he needed to wait. Zuko would tell him on his own time and he would be there for the young man when he did.
"How do you do it uncle? How did you go on even when Aunt died?" Iroh's eyes softened and he brushed off the sadness that usually took over when he thought of his late wife. She had been the only woman who he thought he could ever love and her death had had a significant impact on his life.
"You always worry and miss people you lose Zuko." His uncle began thinking of how he had nearly decided to follow his wife until he realized he had someone who still needed him. "But over time you realize that they still want you to do something; they want you to live your life the way you were supposed to. But you can never forget them."
"No I suppose you can't." Zuko murmured under his breath. The two men sat that way for a while, neither knowing what to do or say. Finally, Iroh broke the silence once again.
"Perhaps I can visit Mai?" He asked softly standing up. Zuko grimaced, whether out of hurt or anger Iroh didn't know. Nonetheless, he waited for the young man in front of him to make a decision.
"Let's go."
Iroh had been mentally prepared for the sight in the room, or at least he thought he was. Still, seeing his nephew's wife on the hospital bed wasn't exactly easy on him. Mai was connected to an IV tube and a monitor- for her heart he assumed. Her breathing was slow and steady but shallow. It wasn't the healthy breathing of a deep sleep but the difficult breathing of someone in healing. He gently placed a hand on her forehead. She may not have been close to him over the years but Zuko loved her and so Iroh respected her.
"Uncle, do you think you could watch Mai tomorrow afternoon?" The question had been abrupt and Iroh raised a questioning brow. He knew Zuko worked hard but was he leaving Mai for work?
"What is more pressing than your wife Zuko?" He asked a hard edge to his voice. His nephew fidgeted before he sighed, shoulders drooping as though he had given up a fight.
"The funeral for the victim's family is tomorrow. I've been urged to go by the lawyer."
"Do you need someone to go with you?" It wasn't that difficult to see how the trip tomorrow was going to rub raw Zuko's already grating emotions. It wouldn't be that difficult to get someone from the city to accompany him.
"The other passenger in the car, his wife is coming with me."
"I see, how is her husband?" Zuko forced a grunt and clenched his hands into fists. For some reason, talking about this other person irked him. Iroh wondered why but knew that now wasn't the time to ask. Zuko would tell him in due time.
"He took the brunt of the collision. He's worse off than Mai right now." Neither man said another word and instead spent the rest of the visit in silence. It wasn't as if they had to anyway, the unspoken tension in the room and the unanswered questions were enough.
The next day, Katara wiped the tears from her eyes as she shuffled into her coat. It was cold this November, even more so in Omashu, the mountain resort. Slipping out of her room, she walked towards the hotel entrance waiting for Mr. Azulon to arrive. He did arrive soon in a jeep that was perfectly suited to this weather. She climbed in, not trusting herself to do anything else as he drove to the site of the funeral. It was quiet in the car but what else did one expect from them?
"We're here."
The words prompted Katara to break from her view of the Earth Kingdom countryside and gingerly step out of the car. It was obvious which direction the funeral was in; the heart wrenching cries from the family were enough to jar her. She said nothing, following Zuko and leaning on his support because frankly put she was tired. She was tired of trying to come to terms with Jet, tired of telling herself that she needed to be strong for all three of them. He didn't say anything to her obvious presence at his side or the way she half hid behind him in fear as they arrived at the funeral site.
In Omashu and the Earth kingdom bodies were cremated two days after death and the rest of that day visitors came and went to pay their respects to the deceased before the urn holding the ashes was buried into the ground. She tried not to think of the fact that it could be her in those white robes crying next to a picture of Jet.
Zuko lit a stick of incense as was custom and the two bowed their heads in prayer. When they finished an old woman, the young man's relative, asked them who they were with a sad smile. Katara couldn't talk but Zuko did, his words coming out in a hushed whisper.
"We are the spouses of the ones involved in the accident."
The grandmother's countenance changed and she hastily pushed them away with cries of "leave" and "go". Other relatives began to assault her and Zuko. He managed to pull them away but the damage had been done. It wasn't until they were far enough that Katara began to cry. A few minutes later, she spoke.
"Stop the car please." Katara had no idea how the words left her mouth but she knew that she couldn't cry in front of him. She just couldn't do that in front of him. He stopped the car as she indicated and she wasted no time in stepping out the car and squatting on the side of the narrow road.
Zuko ran a hand over his eyes as he too stepped out of the car. He'd kicked his cigarette habit a long time ago but he was itching for one right not to stave off the damn tension he felt. They had no reason to yell at them, to curse Katara and Zuko. But in a way, he understood and that's what hurt most- the fact that he understood. It wasn't fair that he had to pay for Mai's mistakes. But then, he thought of his wedding vows and he growled curling his fingers into a fist. It wasn't damn fair!
He heard Katara's sobs and didn't know what to do. He wanted to go and comfort her but was that allowed? He didn't even know her before this and she was married. Granted, her husband and his wife were in an affair but he felt it was only right for him to at least show some compassion for her. So with a sigh, he pushed himself away from the car and walked towards her. He didn't do anything for a few moments, but finally reached forward and gave her shoulder a squeeze. Squatting on the side of the road next to her, he gently turned her and for the next half hour held her as she cried. He wouldn't admit it but a few tears left his eyes as well.
When they arrived back at the hotel they both went their separate ways- Zuko parked and left to go to the hospital while Katara scurried off to her room, the emotional toll from the day having sucked her energy. Zuko easily found Mai's room not even realizing he'd arrived there until the voice of his uncle greeted him. Mechanically, he walked to the bed and ran a gentle hand over Mai's face before he collapsed into the nearby seat. His uncle came forward and lifted him by the shoulders.
"Come Zuko, you have not eaten today have you? Let's go to dinner."
Iroh sat across from his nephew a short while later in the tiny restaurant across from their hotel. Iroh knew his nephew quite well. He knew that Zuko often drowned the first of his sorrows or troubles with alcohol and food. He didn't particularly find it healthy but he remembered how he'd done the same. So he figured he'd allow him this one night of overt depression before he let him come to terms with all the changes in his life. He also figured Zuko was about to spill something to him that required a bit of looseness on his part.
"Uncle," Zuko began, "I need to tell you something." Ah, there it was, the first sentence after the first glass of shochu. He nodded eyeing the bottle set in front of him. That was all they were going to have tonight. He knew Zuko was allowed to drink a little but even he had limits to the things they were going to do.
"Mai-" Zuko choked and looked at the half-empty glass in front of him. Glaring at the glass, he tipped it back wincing at the burn in his throat. Pouring himself another glass he was tempted to throw that back too but decided he would tell his uncle about Mai first.
"Mai was having an affair. She was having an affair with the guy in the car." The last words came out choked and he drank down the second glass just as fast as he had the first.
His uncle just let the boy get his emotions out, listening to the young man's rant. Still his heart ached for the boy he had come to see as his own son. Zuko had already been through so much in his life. He had lost his position as heir to follow his dreams of working backstage in theater and had managed to rise up from the ashes so to speak. Iroh idly poured himself a glass as the waitress arrived with the food.
"What else is there Zuko?" He asked after the waitress left. When the boy refused to speak, he silently pushed the bowl of stew he'd ordered towards Zuko. "Eat Zuko, you need sustenance. I will not allow you to fall sick on my watch." Zuko grudgingly took a few bites, feeling hungry in spite of his angst.
"The idiot she's cheating with has a wife. And that wife is pregnant."
Iroh knew there was no point in letting his nephew tame his words so he allowed it. He did understand his nephew's pain however. And he was angry at Mai. Why did she do it? Why did she have to hurt the one man who didn't deserve it more in this life. Still, if Zuko was taking it hard he only wondered how the young woman was faring. He wanted to meet her tomorrow and ask her if she wanted to talk. She deserved some sort of medal for putting up with what she was going through right now.
The rest of the dinner passed by in silence. Both men just ate silently finishing the stew and the bottle. The waitress came back and asked if she should drop by with another bottle but Iroh shook his head negatively. His nephew was already drunk, he didn't deserve the suffering that came with excess drinking.
It was an hour later when he escorted his drunk nephew to the hotel room that he wondered just what he was doing. Was he right in helping Zuko the way that he had? Looking at the drunk man that his nephew had become he vowed silently that today was going to be the extent of the excessive behavior. He wasn't going to deny his nephew one night of this, but that was where it stopped.
"That's her room!" Blinking, Iroh adjusted the hold he had on his nephew, as he looked towards the room Zuko was pointing to.
"Whose room?" He asked softly dragging the young man towards his room. Iroh noted that the two rooms were coincidentally in the same hallway and down the hall from each other. As he supported Zuko and tried to unlock the door he heard a door open, the same door Zuko was talking about. A gasp caused him to pause in his task and turn around slowly.
"Sorry to disturb you miss." Iroh apologized. "We'll be out of the hallway soon." And with that, Iroh chose to disappear with Zuko in tow.
Katara spent most of the next day at Jet's bedside. The nurses at the hospital were really nice and asked her if she wanted to give him the sponge bath herself. She half wanted to retort that Mai should be the one doing it but caught herself in time. It wouldn't do to be bitter right now. When she made her way back to her room, it was only six in the evening. She hadn't picked up any dinner and chose to spend the time in her room thinking about all the events from the past week. She'd been crying so much that she hadn't had time to just sit and figure out what she was going to do when Jet woke up.
Her eyes strayed to the phone and the camera she had yet to return, both sitting on her side table. She went to reach for them but pulled back at the last second. She already knew what was written there so she didn't really need to see the things again. With a sigh, she leaned back against the headboard and let out a sigh. She needed to call Sokka, she thought idly. Her brother needed to know what was happening. A knock sounded, interrupting her musings and she debated letting it slide when she heard a voice outside the door. Recognizing it as Mr. Azulon's, she stood and cautiously opened the door.
"Er hi." The man answered running a sheepish hand over his face. "I uh, I just wanted to say hi and maybe get to know you better. There aren't a lot of people around here who are strangers and um I just wanted to get to know you."
Katara didn't say anything as she heard his rant. She knew what he meant when he said he wanted to get to know her. They were both the awkward victims of an affair that shouldn't have happened. Weighing the options in her head, she decided it wouldn't hurt to get to know him. She remembered how kind he had been yesterday and how lost he had looked when he came in drunk with that older man. For a moment, she wanted to be happy and believe that out of all this she could come out with a friend.
"I'd like that." She answered softly holding the door tight in her grasp. "Can you give me a moment?" He nodded and she closed the door gently stuffing the camera into her purse before she slipped her coat on and left the room.
Zuko lead her to a nice family restaurant in the resort town. Katara had visited it often enough in the time she'd been there so she recognized it and was glad for the warmth and comfort offered. She and Zuko didn't say anything for a while, instead giving their orders to the waitress that stopped by. Finally, Katara cleared her throat and spoke.
"It's nice to finally meet you like this Mr. Azulon."
"Zuko." He corrected automatically. Chancing a quick glance to her stomach, he spoke. "I hope that you are doing okay?"
Katara had to blink back tears at the obvious concern on his face. People had asked her how she was all week but no one, not a single one had thought to ask whether she and the baby were okay, no one had even hinted at it. She knew that he only meant it out of courtesy, that he was only greeting her because he was being polite, but it just made her feel so happy to see that someone genuinely cared.
"I'm fine, thank you." She finally answered with a small smile. "Call me Katara please." He nodded his head as the waitress came back with their soup. They drank their soup in silence and it wasn't until they finished it that she decided to speak up.
"What do you do?" She asked softly eating the noodles she'd ordered ravenously. Sometimes, she disliked the fact that she had to eat for two. It was more uncomfortable eating so much in front of strangers.
"I work as a stage manager." He answered feeling a bit more at ease in front of her. "And you?" Katara gently touched her stomach as she spoke.
"I used to be a nurse at a hospital in Ba Sing Se. When I got pregnant I was basically kicked out by my doctor in charge. He doesn't like women working for him." Zuko scoffed but his look softened at her anger. "The good thing is, the rest of the staff likes me enough that he was forced to keep me working- at least part time till I can't really move too much."
"You must be really good at what you do then?" She flushed a little at the praise but answered him nonetheless.
"Well, I can't really say much but I did manage to save a patient's life three months ago and I have delivered at least fifty babies."
"Congratulations then." Zuko answered taking a sip of his drink. "If you don't mind me asking, what did your husband do?"
Katara was a little surprised but she knew that she shouldn't have been. The question was bound to come up sometime in their conversation and it was just as well that it did now when she was relaxed. She wondered if it was normal for her to feel so happy though, happy to share some part of her old life. For a moment, she felt like she could forget that Jet was in the hospital and pretend that she was meeting a friend in a coffee shop in Ba Sing Se. Shaking her thoughts, she answered Zuko who was patiently waiting for her.
"He's a police officer in Ba Sing Se. He patrols the lower tier so he's always been a little rougher than most but he cares for the city." Her eyes took on a faraway look and Zuko didn't blame her for it. He wanted to ask her how she met him and how she fell in love with him but the questions weren't for today.
"He seems like a nice man." He said instead with a smile. Katara nodded softly shaking away the nostalgia and memories that came when she thought about Jet and her first meeting with him. Instead, she asked Zuko the same question that he had just posed her.
"What did Mai do?"
"Ah, she was er- she was supposed to be my secretary." At Katara's raised eyebrow he shook his head and continued. "But then I quit and she became my sister's secretary instead."
"Didn't want to get in trouble with the no-employee dating rule?" She asked finding it easy to tease him and talk to him in this manner. It surprised her but she brushed it off and instead decided to enjoy the moment. It hurt that Jet wasn't here but a small part of her wanted to pretend that Jet was fine and that she was having fun with Zuko to spite him. The guilt from that thought sobered her enough to cause her to glance back down at the table to hear Zuko's answer.
"Yes that, but I also realized running the company just wasn't for me. I liked the stage life more so I changed careers."
"What's it like?" She asked softly her food having long been finished and her curiosity getting the best of her even in a situation such as theirs. "Is it hard working as a stage manager?"
"In a way yes," Zuko answered finding the question easy to answer, "it's definitely scary being in charge of so many people but at the same time it's exhilarating when I realize I finished the production."
"You thrive from being on stage don't you?"
Zuko paused as he was about to take a sip of his water. He smiled wistfully thinking on how Mai had said the same words to him a long time ago when he had been struggling with his decision to give up the company to Azula. She had said the same words and those words had sealed his decision. He wondered if it was right for him to do this but shrugged the thought away. He still loved Mai, though why he still did was something he didn't want to think about. But Katara was still waiting for an explanation to his question and so he answered her.
"I do."
The three hours that Katara and Zuko spent together were nice. For the two of them, it was a welcome respite from the reality that lay awaiting for them just a few blocks away in the hospital. A part of them felt guilty but they both decided to ignore it for now. It was nice to spend time with a friend, it was nice to be happy for even a few moments when the past four days had been nothing but pain and hurt. As Zuko bid her goodbye that night and she smiled back at him softly he couldn't help but wonder if it was alright for him to ask Katara to be his friend.
The next day, she found herself running into Zuko at dinnertime. He had an older man with him and at seeing her, Zuko waved. The older man smiled kindly and Katara waved back not sure what she was supposed to do. Was she supposed to go to him? Or was she supposed to just walk away awkwardly. She was spared from making the decision when Zuko beckoned her over.
"Katara, I'd like you to meet my uncle. Uncle Iroh- this is Katara Lee." Katara bowed quickly in introduction and the man gave her a comforting smile and pat on the shoulder. He had a knowing glint in his eye and Katara silently wondered if he knew what had happened in her life recently. She thought he did since after all he also knew Zuko and probably his situation as well.
"It's nice to meet you Katara." Iroh greeted before turning to his nephew. "I'll take care of everything back home, just make sure that you get back soon too." Bidding goodbye Iroh left the two young people alone. Katara fumbled with her dress as she smiled at Zuko.
"Hi." She greeted not sure what to say to him now. He nervously shuffled his feet before inclining his head in the direction of the hospital exit.
"Hey, have you had dinner yet?" Katara shook her head pleased that a little of the ease from yesterday had flown back into the conversation. "Then maybe we could grab dinner again?" She heard the hesitancy in his voice and smiled to ease his nerves.
"I'd like that."
Dinner this time was the same as last night, the two of them talking about safe topics- topics that didn't necessarily revolve around the pair in the hospital. Katara learned that he was the manager for one of the main theaters in the first tier Theater District- not an easy feat. He learned that she worked in a second tier hospital- one that was known for its famous orthopedic unit. They both laughed, enjoying the time together and ambled slowly down the street towards their hotel. It was as they reached the hallway to their rooms that Zuko asked a question that had been nagging him for a while.
"Katara," he asked softly, "if you don't mind, could I look at the messages on Jet's phone?"
The question should have annoyed her; it should have made her angry. Instead, it only left a hollow feeling in her chest. She'd started to accept that Jet and Mai had been in a relationship but she hadn't yet come to terms with the fact that Zuko knew as well. She knew that if she handed Zuko the phone it would be like opening that last door between reality and the hidden truth. She fumbled with her purse not sure what to say or how to answer as she looked at him. But then she thought of the video and the camera that was never Jet's. Didn't Zuko, as much as he was going to hate it, deserve to have his wife's possession? She looked at him then, taking in his anguished face and the hollow look in his eyes before she decided that it would be better to get this over with. She realized then that what Jet had done was real and it was time she accepted it and slowly began the process of moving on.
"I'll get the phone. Um do you mind waiting?" The surprise on his face at her answer was intriguing but she brushed it off and waited for his reply.
"I'll be downstairs."
An hour later, Katara sat across from Zuko in the only place open in the resort town in the rainy weather- a bar that had seen better times. She'd apologized profusely as she handed him the camera; telling him that she had known it was Mai's but that she didn't know how to return it. He'd shaken off her apology, instead handing her Mai's phone and telling her the password so that she could gain access to the same messages that he had seen before. They both sat there lost in their own thoughts not sure of what to say now that their partners' infidelity was out on the table.
"We should head back." It was Zuko who finally broke the odd hush that had descended on their table. Katara nodded looking down at the empty mug of hot chocolate in her hands. Paying for their bill, they both left the restaurant and didn't say anything until they reached their hotel rooms.
"Good night." Katara said softly not sure if she was even allowed to say that. It was hardly a good night by any means. Zuko merely grunted in response as she hastily opened her room door and slipped inside.
Katara didn't know how long she spent in her room crying. She was so sick of it, sick of the crying, sick of the hurt, sick of wasting her time thinking about why her husband felt the need to cheat on her. It hurt the most when she knew that it had killed possibly the only friendship she'd ever have in this miserable town. There was no way she was leaving before the doctors cleared his move to Ba Sing Se. The hospitals were better there, but Jet was still too weak to move to the city. She wiped her tears away, determined to get over this pain, and slowly walked to her dresser taking in her reflection.
What she saw frankly frightened her. It wasn't the Katara she knew staring back at her. A hollow empty shell of the Katara she knew reflected back at her. Her hair was mussed, her braid falling apart, and her face seemed hauntingly pale. Her blue eyes, the bright blue eyes that she'd gotten from her mother, were hollow and dark, telling the story of the past few days even if she didn't want them to. Hastily, she set about trying to change that woman into the woman she knew she was. She rubbed her eyes willing the happy blue to return and redid the braid in her hair smoothing down the locks as though she were back home in the city.
She liked this woman better. She was a far cry from the woman she knew she was, but she was getting there and that thought made her let out a shaky smile. Jet wasn't going to rule her. It hurt- it hurt so much to know she was betrayed but she was going to move on. She was going to live for the child that she was going to bring into this world and she was going to step away from that shadow of Jet. She didn't ever want to see the woman she'd seen just a few minutes ago. Katara was going to be herself again.
Thud.
The sound startled her and she found herself looking at the window. It sounded again and slowly she stepped away from her dresser and pulled aside the curtains to look down and see what the sound was. Her blue eyes widened and she stared at Zuko as he rhythmically threw mud balls at a wall. He was strangely in tune with the task, letting it consume his anger and frustration. She felt the need to be there suddenly, to just wander down the streets with him. Zuko knew the scary Katara, but she wanted him to see the real her, the new her. And so, she quickly set the curtains down and grabbed her jacket before shuffling outside.
Zuko heard the crunching footsteps as he readied his next throw. He didn't acknowledge them, wanting to get at least one last throw in before he had to face the stranger. After the thud resounded, he turned to face the stranger and was surprised to see Katara. She was bundled up with gloves, a scarf, and her tight coat, and she gave him a small wave which he found himself returning. Looking at the mud speckled around him he gathered some, shaped it into a ball, and handed it to her.
"Do you want to try?"
Katara slowly approached him and eyed the ball of mud. It was the rainy season in Omashu, the Earth Kingdom not really having a winter of sorts. She took it, wondering what Zuko found so interesting in the task of throwing the balls and was surprised. It was heavy, not heavy enough to sag or force her to grit her teeth in pain, but heavier than she expected it to be. Perhaps this was the texture of the soil here? After all, the Earth Kingdom was known for its rather durable earth. Testing the weight, she took a stance and then threw hearing and seeing the ball hit the wall across from her with a dull thud.
It was strangely exhilarating, powering even, to do that. And when Zuko smirked and turned to look at her she realized why he had taken up this task. There was something amazing about realizing that this was one thing she could control. The past five days were a mess and she had been running around trying to ground herself in something; everything she knew seemed to have been ripped apart at the seams. But this little action- this act of throwing mud balls- she at least had control over that.
"It feels good doesn't it?" Zuko asked softly, his amber eyes shining with some unknown emotion.
"Yes, is that why you've been at it for a while?" He turned to her then, a nervous grin appearing on his face.
"I'm sorry if I disturbed you, I just needed to – throw something." He trailed off his eyes taking a faraway look and his stance slouching. Katara felt bad about bringing the question up and decided to change the topic.
"Do you want some hot chocolate? Or tea? It's cold and I think we could both warm up a little."
"No, it's too late now." Zuko smiled softly at her stare and waved in the direction of the hotel. "Plus, shouldn't you be resting in your condition?" He asked the question playfully his eyes taking on an amused glint and she grinned back in reply.
"I suppose. Walk me back?" Grinning, he held out an arm and the two left to their rooms.
Please feel free to leave a review so I know how this story turned out!
Kaoruhana ^_^