It's been a couple years since I've written anything, and this is an extremely rough idea I'm going with. If I don't delete it I will probably do some revision, but all feedback is welcome.

I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender

"You awake?"

Katara heard the words clearly, but they sounded so distant. So far away, she felt like she was slipping again. The voice was echoing something else to her, but she found it near impossible to focus. She wanted to ask where she was and how she got there, but instead all that came out what a groan. Why did her head pound so loudly? She just wanted to go to back to sleep. "Katara?"

A battle. Katara's eyes opened, but the brightness caused a blur. The room she was in was white, or so the sun made it seem. Her arms quivered as she tried to sit up and a shadow approached her, making her tense. The figure held its hands up in a defensive manner, and Katara rubbed her eyes to try to force them to adjust. The bed shifted as the figure sat beside her on the edge, and in front of her he was holding a cup of tea. Steam poured over the cup and Katara focused on the calloused hands that held it. Her eyes flickered up his arm and stopped at his lips. The straw between the familiar smirk- suddenly she felt lightheaded again. "Hey, it's okay. You're safe now, Katara." Jet reassured her casually as he placed a hand on her shoulder. There were so many questions, about what had happened the night before and about how Jet was sitting right in front of her, alive and well, offering her a cup of tea. Was she imagining everything? Was this all some awful dream? Closure?

"What's going on?" She mumbled, glancing at his hand but not shrugging it off. He frowned and dropped it.

"Last night there was an attack against the Fire Nation." He started, his eyes breaking the gaze he had with her. His voice became detached. Katara was starting to piece her memories together, but before she could speak Jet cut her off. "I don't think anybody was really ready for it, on either side, but it happened and you... I found you unconscious. I don't know what happened but. That's it." He was brief, looking to her hesitantly after he'd finished.

"I mean you. How are you here? Aren't you... are you alright?" She wasn't sure where to place her feelings. In the horror of the night before, or in the fact that her friend who she presumed dead was in front of her again. The corner of Jet's lips twisted to a smirk.

"Told you I was okay." He winked, though neither of them seemed to relax. "Who were you with before everything yesterday?"

"Sokka... Sokka and Aang was supposed to be meeting us. Where am I?" She went to swing her legs over but stopped when he put his hand over hers.

"You need rest. I'll go into town and see if I can find them. I don't even know how safe it is back there." Jet exhaled as he looked to her, pausing before pushing himself off the bed.

"I can take care of myself, Jet. After what you did last night, maybe you should just stay here." She could taste the bitterness on her voice, though she hadn't intended for it to come out so obvious. It made sense, Jet and his group of rebels attacking a city on the outskirts of the Fire Nation. Why else would the freedom fighter come out this far?

"It wasn't me, Katara, I'm not the only one who's not happy with the Fire Nation. I know Aang preaches his peace mumbo-jumbo, but we can't all just forget what we've lost." Jet spat back and she suddenly remembered all the frustration that came along with him. How she wanted to help him understand the nations and freeze him to a tree all at the same time. "Look, rest until tomorrow. We're out pretty far, so in the morning I'll take you to find the others. I'm sure they've already started their search." He offered in a voice that sounded confident. Like he knew they would find Sokka and Aang. Like it would be his new priority and he was sure of himself. Like she wanted to argue with him, but found herself too tired to do so. Maybe he was right. She nodded, glancing around the small room, watching Jet take a seat on the chair across the room. "Good." He muttered, giving a sympathetic look.

"Is this place yours?" She asked, easing herself down.

"Built it myself." She could hear some pride, some hint that Jet was really here with her with his arrogant demeanor. He watched her lie on her side.

"I'm so happy you're alive." She whispered as she closed her eyes. He said nothing.