Alone
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar, or any of these characters. sob
She came alone.
The fact that she had shown up at their campsite tired, hungry, empty-handed, and all alone surprised them. Her detailed story of guilt and a change of heart surprised them more. But what topped it all off was the realness in her eyes; her beautiful, golden eyes. The guilt, the fear, it sparkled all too real and convinced even Toph that Azula had changed.
For days she watched Katara and Toph train the Avatar (she soon learned his name was Aang), and anytime that scar on his back showed, the guilt came back. After only a short time, she made an offer to teach Aang firebending; and he accepted. But they didn't work for more than two days before…
A shrill, ear-splitting cry broke the peace and quiet of the night. Azula sat straight up, breathing in short, shaky pants. When her new friends started showing up, her frightened shallow breathing turned into a coughing fit she couldn't stop. Katara knelt down next to her and pressed a hand to her forehead.
"Azula, what's wrong?" she asked, then her eyes widened. "Oh my…you are burning up."
Azula scarcely heard what the waterbender was saying, but understood enough to know that it wasn't good. Katara had placed a hand on her shoulder and was asking she lie down. She continued to cough but followed instruction, and lay down. Then Katara looked to the group and started giving orders.
"Sokka, get a bucket of water from the stream and make sure it's cold. Aang, get a fire going so we can see. Toph, if you can, find a blanket."
The three split up to follow their orders and soon, an orange fire was glowing nearby, Azula had an extra blanket, and Katara was nagging Sokka about whether or not the water was cold. After a few minutes, Katara finally believed him and gave the poor princess a drink. By then, Azula had stopped coughing and was beginning to settle down. When Katara was convinced she would sleep through the rest of the night, she let her friends go.
"Sokka, wait," she said.
Sokka waited.
"Could you stay with her tonight?"
He thought about it. Certainly he needed sleep too; he shouldn't stay up all night watching over a sick girl, should he? He was about to reject when he glanced at her. She appeared so helpless and tired. Even though her eyes were closed, and she was mostly asleep, he thought she looked scared.
"I'll stay," he agreed.
His sister smiled thankfully and got up to go back to bed. Sokka sighed and sat down next to Azula. It was quiet except for the crackling fire, and the silence got to him quickly. After a couple minutes, he picked up her hand as an attempt of comfort.
"Sokka,"
He jumped; he didn't realize she was still awake.
She must've noticed since she smiled. But the smile quickly faded as she continued, "Sokka, I'm afraid."
After all they'd been through, all the fighting, the destruction, and not to mention, the Avatar-killing and Earth Kingdom-falling, it didn't seem possible that Azula could be afraid. Even after their peace and her attitude change, it was unusual that she could be, dare he say it, afraid. The more he thought about it, the more it seemed possible, though. She was human; after all, she must feel fear at some point. But why would she have a reason to be afraid at that moment?
"What's wrong?" He at last said.
"They're looking for me," she whispered. "I know it."
"Who's looking for you?"
"My family, my friends, the Fire Nation."
She probably knew that would happen going into the whole thing, but it certainly hadn't dawned on Sokka. It made sense, and since their princess was missing, it'd take attention away from Aang. He started to admire her courage for leaving anyway, even if she was scared sick now. But as the thought of the entire Fire Nation looking for her instead of the Avatar sunk in, he realized that it'd attract the same amount of attention to their little group as before. If word got out that she was with, and helping, the Avatar, she'd be labeled a traitor to her nation and become a wanted criminal. Then the entire world would be looking for them since wanted criminals of the Fire Nation tend to have a nice reward. Still, Sokka admired the fact that she had that kind of bravery.
"You're well protected, trust me," he began trying to reassure her. "It's nothing new around here that the Fire Nation's on our case."
He noticed then that she hadn't opened her eyes the entire time she'd been talking to him and he wondered if she was just sleep talking. He decided no, since she was making too much sense out of everything, but then again, she was a princess…(No, no, she's awake…)
"Thanks, but," Azula was cut off for a moment as she coughed a couple times. "But I feel terrible that I just brought the whole world on you when Aang's still…"
"Still what?"
"Still…you know, hurt."
"What are you talking about? He's fine."
"That might not always be the case. One day he may never be better, but the next day, he couldn't be worse." She explained, finally opening her eyes and sitting up, "That's long term, if not, permanent damage, and no matter how strong he seems, it won't last forever. With the luck we have, we'll get ambushed on a day where he can hardly move if he can even move at all."
"If that happens, we'll find a way." He dropped her hand to touch her shoulder. "We always have before, and no one's died yet. Heck, up until…uh, you know…no one had been injured like that."
"Some luck," she said with a hint of guilt in her voice. "But when one bad thing happens, it's all down hill from there."
"That's not true,"
"Then prove it." Azula hadn't quite finished 'it' when a cold wind blew and her body shivered. "Sokka, could you get me that blanket, please?"
Sokka gave it some thought as he reached over and grabbed the blanket. When he draped it over her shoulders, he had it. He wrapped his arms around her; ready to explain about Katara's lessons on keeping the cold warm if she asked, only to find she leaned against him willingly, waiting for him to prove a point.
"After Aang was, you know…injured, you came around." He explained, thinking she might take that in the wrong direction, "He has someone to teach him firebending now, and we stand a chance against the Fire Lord." He stopped again, then added, "I guess, without you, there could never be peace."
The words touched Azula's heart, and tears welled up in her eyes. As she let her tired eyes drift shut, a few tears falling, she softly whispered, "Point taken."
Eventually, the two fell asleep. Azula, despite her sickness, slept well in Sokka's arms. Sokka was a little uncomfortable, but he would have to live; Azula was more important at the moment.
...O...
"Hey, Sokka," Katara said that morning to him wake up. "How's Azula? Was she alright last night?"
By then, he was awake and alert enough of his surroundings and replied quite tiredly, "She was fine last night."
"Did she wake up at all, or anything?"
"No."
"Then why are you…?"
He realized she was referring to why Azula was wrapped tightly in his arms, and fast asleep. He sighed, "You didn't want her to get cold, did you?"
"No I-wait a minute! Since when do you care?"
"Shh…" Sokka moved carefully to put a finger to his lips, "She's asleep."
A/N: I have two more that go along with this, that are finished, and three more following them. I'm considering whether or not I should add them.
