Disclaimer: I don't own anything, blah blah blah. Why must you torment me, or necessary disclaimer?
Katara stood out on the balcony, over looking the great city of Ba Sing Se. A gentle sigh escaped her lips as she gazed at the peaceful city in the twilight. The setting sun cast the sky in beautiful shades of orange, red, and pink. So lost was she in her daydreaming that she didn't hear someone come out behind her.
"Katara...?"
She turned to the voice with a smile. "Hi Zuko."
"I, um..." he started, one hand running through his shaggy hair, the other held behind his back. "That is.. well... Here." He brought his hidden hand forward, a slight blush on his cheeks.
"A panda lily?" Katara took the rare flower with a smile, inhaling it's exotic fragrance. "Thank you, but you didn't have to get me anything."
"I wanted to. It's not everyday you turn 16. Happy birthday, Katara." He leaned out over the railing next to her, seemingly absorbed in the view much as she had been moments before. But every so often, she caught him sneaking glances at her.
oOo
"Are you sure my hair looks ok?" Katara angled herself in the mirror, trying in vain to see the back of her own head.
"I've never seen it look so good." Toph sat next to her, chin in hand. "In fact, it's the best I've ever seen on anyone."
"Do you really think so? Because... hey!" Katara frowned as the blind girl laughed. "You know that's not funny. I just want everything to look perfect today. Don't you?"
"Listen Sugar Queen. Everyone out there knows what we look like. And the guys have seen us at our worst. Why does it matter so much how perfectly pretty we are now? I'll never understand other women's obsession with their looks."
"It's a wedding. You think you'd want to look even prettier than you usually do. This only happens once in a lifetime!" Katara glanced at the young earth bender. "Besides, you don't have to try as hard as I do. You're gorgeous without having to try at all!"
Toph blushed slightly, but quickly turned her face to hide it.
"Hey ladies." Aang entered the girls' large canopy area grinning.
"Aang! What are you doing in here?" Katara jumped up and hide behind Toph. "You know you're not supposed to see me before the ceremony! Turn around and close your eyes!"
"But if I turn around, why do I still have to close my eyes," he asked even as he complied. He knew better than to argue with her, especially today. "Besides, I'm not trying to steal a peak. I just wanted to make sure you had this." In his held out hand stood a black and white flower.
"A panda lily! Aang, that's perfect!" Katara held back tears as she placed the flower in her hair.
"Good thing you came when you did, Twinkle Toes. I thought Katara was about to run from nerves."
Aang turned his head, eyes still closed. "You were going to run?"
"N-no Aang," Katara stammered. "It's just jitters."
The music picked up and Aang grinned. "That's our queue." He held out his arm. "Come on Toph. We can't leave them waiting."
Katara took a steadying breath as she waited for them to take their places. The music changed again, and she knew it was time. Slowly, she made her way out of her tent and headed for the gathered crowd. 'Breathe, Katara. Just breathe,' she thought over and over as her mantra.
Turning the corner, she gazed up to her beloved and smiled.
"You look... amazing," he breathed, fearing anything above a whisper would make her disappear. "I see you got my little gift."
"Yes, thank you for the flower, Zuko." She smiled happily as they took the last few steps to the sages.
"Thank you for saying yes."
oOo
The sound of laughter filled her ears as she sat feeding the turtleducks. Two small children came running into view, the smaller boy trying to catch his older sister. A sudden pain in her lower back had her gazing down.
"So, you're finally ready to see the world?" Katara stood carefully, one hand resting on her large, rounded belly. As if to answer, the pain began to radiate to her lower ab muscles. Katara took a few steadying breaths, then turned to the playing children. "Kya! Lu Ten! Who wants to find Aunt Suki and tell her the new baby is coming?"
The small boy looked around, confused. "Where is it?" His thumb promptly went back into him mouth.
"It's in her belly silly," Kya said importantly. "We need to find daddy so he can help!" The kids ran off towards the palace, and nearly knocked over their father.
Zuko steadied the children and walked out to help his wife. Placing one arm around her waist, they walked slowly inside. "So, we already have one named for my cousin, and one for your mother. Whatever will we call this baby?" He gently caressed her belly.
Katara looked up at him, breathing through another contraction. "Let me get through this part, then we'll name him."
Suki arrived to help Katara to her quarters. "Come on girl, let's add to your happy family."
oOo
It was dark. The cool breeze from the open window caused the candles to flicker, but Katara wanted the air. Tonight was no ordinary night, she knew. As she reclined back, her eyes drifted to those gathered around her. Generations of family were here, awaiting two very different pieces of news.
The door burst open and a happy young man ran in. "It's a girl," he cried excitedly. "Our first girl!" The others went to congratulate him, and Katara smiled peacefully.
'Our thrid great-grandchild. It won't be long now, my love.'
The night wore on, finding Katara alone in her room. She had sent everyone to bed, after cooing over the new baby. She settled herself, knowing it was her last night on this earth.
A soft knock sounded at her door, and without waiting for reply a man stepped in.
"Lu Ten, my son. Why aren't you asleep yet?"
"Before... before he passed on, father asked me to do something for him." He sat quietly on the edge of his mother's bed, sadness in his eyes. "He said, on the night that your third great-granchild is born, to give you this," he held out a flower to her, "and to tell you he'll be waiting."
"A panda lily. For such a rare flower, I'll never know how your father found so many of them." She took the flower and sniffed it delicately, the fragrance still the same as so long ago.
"Honestly mother? I found out that, after the first one he bought you, father had some planted in a secret garden and kept up buy one of the nobles so he'd always have one on the important days." He chuckled as he spilled his father's secret.
Katara shook her head softly. "And here I thought he always just knew. Then again, I'm the one who went to the fortune teller, not him."
"Mother?" Lu Ten looked down, sadness filling his voice. "Are you going to..."
She placed her hand over his. "Tonight, I'm going to see your father again, yes."
He leaned over, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. "I'll miss you." Without waiting for reply, he stood and left the room.
Katara sighed. She'd lived a full, wonderful life. And now, she was tired. Holding the flower to her heart, she closed her eyes with a smile. And felt herself drifting, floating. In the distance, she saw Zuko waiting for her, his hand reaching for her. To once again embrace her, and this time for eternity. She held out her hand, just a breath's length away...
Katara woke in a cold sweat, shooting out of her bedroll. She instantly regretted it, holding her rebellious stomach as it lurched at the sudden movement. Groaning, she laid back down gently.
"Stupid papaya. Last time I eat one of those," she muttered, trying to calm her angry stomach. "And what was with that crazy dream?" She tried to recall the details, but all she could grasp was something about a panda lily, and Zuko. "I bet Aunt Wu wouldn't have told me to eat that papaya if she knew I'd be so sick and have weird dreams." She furrowed her eyebrows in thought. "Or maybe, she did..."
comments are sweeter than Zuko giving you a rare flower on all the important dates in your life.
Muahahahahah! You thought it was real, didn't you? But it was all a dream! Or.. was it? dun dun dun DUN! For those of you still confused, it takes place during "The Fortune Teller" episode. The papaya Aunt Wu told her to eat made her sick, and.. well, you read the story. =P So, was it just a dream, or perhaps a glimpse into her future? You decide.