Disclaimer: I don't have any rights or ownership to Avatar: The Last Airbender. This story is a creative outlet and is for entertainment purposes only. I am not making, nor do I intend to make, any profit from this.
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Thoughts
By TheMoonOnna
The door slammed behind her. Her parting word echoed in my mind. Permanently.
It wasn't a mere threat. It was a warning - no- a promise. She would stop me before I hurt Aang. Not that I wanted to. Not that I planned on it. But I'm not exactly dependable. And if I managed to hurt or betray him, she would make sure I was held accountable. By which she meant to kill me, I was sure. This was comforting. She would keep me from returning to the way I was, even if I couldn't stop myself from slipping. I felt… protected. But Katara, kind little Katara, would tear me to pieces. The image of her having to end my life made me grimace harshly. Not from the phantom pains of being sliced by water whips or slashed by icicles, but from the idea that Katara would kill. I was sure that she had never killed before. It was what made us most different. Her innocence against my …
I stumble back until I feel the bed against the back of my legs. In a haze, I drift downward to sit on its edge.
No, she cannot become like me. She cannot turn into a killer. I will make sure of it. I doubt she would be willing to kill in any other circumstance. Only protecting Aang is worth that much to her. And I would be the only threat ever allowed close enough to endanger him. If I could do what I intended, to truly convert, her innocence would be spared. Until now I had been genuine in my conversion, but now I am resolved. I will not falter. And I will protect her.
Why? She would probably drench me - or worse - if she knew. But she wasn't supposed to even be in this danger. I realize now, as my eyes widen, unfocused, that we were connected from the beginning, in a grossly morbid way. My family…her family. Katara should be in the South Pole right now… teasing Sokka… helping her mother with errands…able to see her father every evening at dinner…
Her mother. If it weren't for my family, Katara would still have hers. My family, and its ambition, had sent wave after wave of raids to rid the South Pole of water benders. Fire Nation records noted the missions as successful in the end. And yet, somehow, Katara managed to survive. I dare not ask how. I only know I'm glad she did.
Katara will survive - if not on her own, then with my help. I will restore at least one part of the world to the way it was meant to be before my family went on its rampage. I will see Katara through this war. She will remain the innocent young girl from the Southern Water Tribe. As she will keep me from falling again, I will keep her from falling at all.
I exhaled haggardly as I fell back into the bed, and I began to dream.
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Author's Note: This is a one shot, in that I feel it can stand alone as an artistic piece. It offers up a moment, a slice of time in Zuko's train of thought. I do, however, plan to use this as a springboard to write a much more complete story. But I wanted some feedback first. Let me know what you think.