Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. I really wish I did. I believe I would not have the monetary issues that I do now : )
Author's Note: This is told from Zuko's POV, mainly his thoughts. I find it easier to write than third-person. To get the best read, I suggest reading only one paragraph at a time. As in, you can't see what comes next until you scroll down. However, I think most readers will know what is going on before they get to the end. For those who don't, no peeking!
Author's Note 2: This is the first thing I have posted in literally two years, so bear with me. I have just had this plot bubble in my head for awhile now and it was time for it to come out.
Enjoy!
He could practically feel the pain that Katara was enduring before he heard her screams. They had always seemed to have some sort of connection, but this was taking it a bit far. He didn't particularly like the feeling of doubling over in pain every few minutes or so.
What were those awful people doing to her?
He should have seen it coming, really. Sure, they seemed innocent enough, with their grandmotherly looks and ways, but they were evil! They had separated him and his Katara, shuttled her off to some remote part of the building. And now he was stuck in this room with guards posted on the outside to keep him from trying anything.
Another shot of pain, another scream.
Where was she?
This was all his fault. Sure, it had been Katara's idea but he had allowed himself to be talked into it. Something about the future of the Fire Nation...as Fire Lord he couldn't refuse that logic. But when it came down to it, it was still his fault. He had to fulfill his part in order for this plan to work, and he certainly loved his part. Stupid, stupid Zuko!
How many guards were outside his door? He can take them! No problem...what had Katara said? 'Don't worry about me Zuko, I'll be fine. I can do this.' Ha! She had been gone for hours. She needed him! He could get past the guards outside the door...
More pain, more screams. They were coming in greater frequency now. Those women would pay when he got out of here for causing Katara so much pain!
What would uncle say? Something along the lines of 'Patience is also a form of action.' That would then followed by 'So sit tight and don't do anything stupid, nephew. These things take time.' Ha, what does uncle know? He's not here; it wouldn't take much to get through those guards...
Oh, who was he kidding? Uncle had been through the same thing. It was just so hard to "sit tight". Hence why he was now pacing the floor. Up and down. Back and forth. Round and round. Had that chair always been there? Who decided on the use of so much gold in the room? It was nauseating, really. Up and down. Back and forth. Round and round.
The pain was getting worse, the screams louder.
He knew this was part of the plan; he wasn't stupid. Katara had seemed prepared for it, but he was just left out in the cold. How do you prepare for this? Sure, it had been coming for months but now that it was actually happening? Agni, he wasn't ready for this! At all! Too much was expected from him already and to add this to the ever-growing pile? What had he signed up for? This was going to break him, and then Katara would hate him, and he couldn't handle that. He would end up like Azula, crazy out of his mind.
He had to escape before it was too late! No one would notice. He could change his name. Lord Fire Kuzo, yeah, that just might work...
Agni, what was happening? He had just felt the worst pain he had ever felt in his whole life. Katara's screams sounded like they were right outside the door. But now it was silent and he felt...lighter?
Something was wrong. Terribly wrong. He was going to find his Katara, damn the guards, damn protocol, and damn this plan! If anything had happened to her, or worse...he didn't want to think about it, couldn't think about it right now.
He braced himself to pull open the heavy doors..had they always been unlocked?
The guards gave him no trouble at all but he was still on the defensive. Where was she? Where had they taken Katara? Instinct was telling him to the right. He was running so fast, he could have sworn he saw smoke coming from his tracks. Surprisingly, nobody in the halls bothered him. Did they not know where he was going? Weren't they all in on the scheme to keep him away from Katara?
Success! He had found the room where they had taken her. Three armed guards were standing watch; he could take them, the adrenaline was pumping through his system so fast he could take on anything to get in that room. But what was this? The guards just gave him a look, like they had been expecting him. They seemed to be asking what had taken him so long. The main guard moved out of the way of the door...
BAM!
He broke through and barreled in the room like a wild man on a mission and there in the middle of the bed was his Katara, pale and sweaty from the ordeal she had been through. And she...
"It's a boy, my lord."
...had never looked more beautiful to him.
What had that nice old lady said?
"Zuko, it's a boy. You have a son!"
He lumbered over to the bedside and looked down at the bundle in his Katara's arms. A head full of black hair, skin a tad darker than his own...perfect.
"You okay, Zuko?"
Say something! Comment her on a job well done. Talk about the weather. Anything!
"Zuko, it's okay. Everything's alright."
And for the first time in his life, he knew that those words were true. Everything was alright. Everything was perfect.
Aww...how adorable was that? How did you like it? I welcome all reviews : )