I pace the cobblestone path, chewing my hair, occasionally pausing to glance up at the sky. A few people came to help me with Zuko a while ago, and I just finished dowsing the buildings that were set on fire with water during the Agni Kai. Now, I wait. I looked down the hallway and saw people walking in and out of the room Zuko was in. I turned away and continued down the hallway, sitting on a bench that overlooked the garden. I leaned my head on the wall and closed my eyes. Where are they? I heard footsteps behind me, and I whipped my head back, only to see Zuko standing, or, attempting to.
"You're going to strain yourself, Zuko." I mumble, turning away.
"I'll survive." He says, sitting down next to me. I hear him groan, clutching his chest. I roll my eyes.
"You alright?" He says, turning towards me, his hair hiding his eyes.
"No. I'm not all right. I'm worried sick. I feel terrible, and honestly, I feel like I should have been hit by Azula's lightning instead. I don't deserve to be in one piece." I say, my voice rising.
"Katara.." Zuko starts, only to be interrupted by me.
"No! Don't 'Katara' me! I've been a jerk! Aang is god knows where, the comet is still in the sky, and quite frankly, I don't think Fire Lord Ozai can be stopped. Sure, Azula is down, but for some reason, I feel like something happened to Aang. And if something happened to Aang, I might as well been hit by that lightning!" I yell, tears forming in my eyes.
"Please, stop yelling. It won't help anyone." Zuko says, reaching for my shoulder. I quickly sit up, backing away from his touch.
"Just go back inside, and lie down. I'll come inside in a little bit for a healing session. I just need to be alone." I whisper, walking down the steps into the garden. I hear Zuko sigh and get up, his footsteps slowly fading as he walked towards the room.
I make my way towards the tree in the middle of the garden and slide down it, sitting at the base of the trunk. I put my feet in the pond and bring up an orb of water, gently moving it back and forth. My eyes strain, as I keep a narrow focus on the globe of water levitating in front of me. I squint my eyes in anger and yell out, throwing the sphere of water ahead of me, freezing it into an ice spear, hitting the rock wall in front of me and hearing it shatter. I bring my knees up to my chest and bury my head in them, and the tears begin to flow.
I sob quietly, letting my tears stain the bottom of my dress, and soon, my eyes become dry. I raise my head from my knees and look up at the sky and gasp. The comet has vanished over the horizon, leaving the sky a twilight color. The tears have dried on my face, so I bend another small globe of water from the pond to my hands, and wash my face of the residue. I lean back on the tree trunk and begin biting the inside of my cheek nervously, knowing that since the comet has passed, someone should be returning here soon. I get up and walk towards the back of the palace, where the Agni Kai took place. I begin pacing again, looking up at the sky every few seconds. I hear footsteps approach me, and I sigh, recognizing them for the second time tonight.
"They'll be back. I know it. Aang is going to be fine." Zuko says, sitting down on bench behind from me. I ignore him and continue pacing, tugging at my hair loopies, which were slowly coming undone.
"You are going to kill yourself worrying!" Zuko yells, obviously frustrated with the way I've been acting. I keep on ignoring him, but I stop pacing and sink down to the ground, burying my face into my hands. I hear him walk over and I peek through my fingers.
"Don't. Please. Just leave me be." I say, feeling my eyes water for the hundredth time today.
"No…Katara…look!" Zuko says, pointing in the sky. I whip my head around and look up to where he was pointing, only to see a giant airship coming our direction. I glance around and see Appa, who was growling and snarling at the ship. Tears begin to fall down my face harder, and I bury my head in Appa's fur.
"That's…my fathers airship…" Zuko says, lowering his head.
"They…he…didn't make it." I whisper. I begin to release uncontrollable sobs and slide down, sitting on Appa's front leg. Zuko stands stoically ahead of me and I can see him raise his eyebrows.
"Where is the rest of his fleet?"
"Probably…s-still…destroying e-everything!" I sob out, barely inaudible. Appa groans loudly, as if to comfort me.
The airship is in full view now, directly above our heads, as it begins to lower itself down. I continuing crying, my loud sobs drowned out by the whirr of the propellers. The ship has a rough landing on the ground in front of us, causing Zuko to fall backwards. I close my eyes bury my face deeper into Appa's fur, as the ramp lowers. I hear footsteps make their way towards us, but I don't dare look up.
"Katara!" A familiar voice yells, and I shoot my head up, only to see my brother limping his way down the ramp with Suki and Toph by his side.
"Sokka!" I scream, lifting myself up from the bison and running towards the open airship. I fall into my brother's arms and begin silently crying.
"It's okay Katara. We're all right. But… I have bad news." He says, releasing himself from my hug. I begin sobbing harder, expecting the worst.
"I lost Boomerang! And my space sword!" Sokka says, looking down at the ground, and I swear I saw a tear form in his eye. Suki rolled her eyes and patted him on the back, trying to comfort the heartbroken warrior.
"You…what…that's…all you care…about?" I say, my voice raising, making him jump back on his bad leg.
"Ow! Well…yeah! What else is there to be worried about? The Fire Lord is defeated." Sokka says. I look around his shoulder to see a bunch of Fire Nation army men being led out of the ship by Toph, who was comically yelling at them and attaching bended metal to their hands. "Just in case you get any ideas!" The last man in line was badly bruised and had his hands, feet, and mouth in metal cuffs. Toph picked him up by the hair and dragged him out of the airship, throwing him down on the ground in front of Zuko.
"Delivery!" She says, with a proud look on her face.
"My…father…." Zuko says, with an astonished look on his face. "But… how?"
"Who else do you think? You should have seen Twinkletoes out there, looks like he doesn't need us as teachers anymore…" She says. My ears perked up at the familiar nickname.
"Aang… where is he?" I gasp, pushing the Fire nation soldiers away from me.
"Inside, mediating, as always. I swear, he never takes a break, that kid." Sokka says, picking at his teeth. "I mean we just won! What more could he be worried or upset about?" I winced at the thought, knowing exactly what else is bothering him.
"Go get him, Sugarqueen." Toph says, giving me a push that nearly makes me stumble. I turn around and give her a small smile, stupidly realizing that she can't see it. I turn around and make my way into the airship. I walk down the dark hallway, and see a small light coming from a room at the end of the hall. I take a shallow breath, wiping away the tears on my face, and make my way towards the light.