(A/N) Oh, finally! Some more Zutara! I actually just found this on my laptop. I completely forgot to upload it! Sorry about that.

This is sort of a companion piece to Swamp Visions, but it can stand alone as well.

Happy reading!

Fever Dreams

I groaned as I sat up, squinting my eyes and shivering. How was I so cold and so burning hot at the same time? I was lying on the bedroll in my room, covered only by one blanket. No wonder I was cold.

"Ah," Uncle entered the small room with a small cloth and a bucket of water. "I see you've woken, Nephew."

I grunted in response and hissed as the cold air hit my freezing- burning? -body when the blanket slid down to pool around my waist. Uncle walked over and knelt down, dipping the cloth in the water and placing it against my forehead.

"You're running a serious fever, Prince Zuko," he murmured, setting the cloth down again and handing me a cup. "You should drink some water, at the rate your body is sweating it out, you'll dehydrate in a day."

I accepted the cup gratefully and gulped the liquid down. I pushed the cup aside and grabbed the bucket, drinking (and spilling) the water in my haste to soothe my dry throat and wash the bad taste out of my mouth.

After setting the bucket back down, I quietly thanked Uncle and curled up underneath the thin linen fabric. I heard Uncle sigh behind me and he gently placed his hand on my shoulder, murmuring something I didn't catch.

I stood beside the turtleduck pond in the courtyard of the Fire Nation Palace, my back to the sakura tree the grew by the pond. Two young children were playing by the pond, petting turtleducks and feeding them. One was a boy, dark skinned with black hair and bright gold eyes. Strange, no Fire Nation people I knew, besides the swordsman Piandao, had dark skin. The other was a girl with dark hair, though it seemed to be brown and not black. Her skin was pale, and her face reminded me shockingly of Azula. Her eyes were closed as she laughed heartily at whatever the boy had said.

"You're so silly, Iroh," she giggled, smacking the boy on his arm.

"Shut up, Kya," the boy, Iroh, snapped.

I frowned. Was this boy named after my uncle?

The girl opened her eyes and I was startled to find that they were a vibrant shade of ocean blue. Was this girl even Fire Nation?

Suddenly everything faded away and I was standing in the midst of huge flames, though none seemed to hurt me. They were much taller than I was, and I couldn't see through them to the world outside of this fiery inferno. I heard someone calling my name through the flames and I turned. Azula and Father stood maybe twenty feet away, through a tunnel of fire. I somehow knew that if I went that way I would be restored to my position as Crown Prince and regain my honor and Father's love.

I turned to go to them, ignoring the flames surrounding me. Father and Azula beckoned to me, encouraging me to come to them, but as I neared the fiery tunnel, I heard an anguished cry behind me.

"Please! Someone help!"

I vaguely recognized it, but I didn't think too much of it. I began to turn to go to whoever was screaming, but Father and Azula shouted for me to come to them, saying that I could never come back to them if I didn't go now. Was my honor more important than an innocent life?

No.

I turned and ran back into the flames, trying to find who was screaming. The fire had suddenly become hot like real flames, and it was blistering my skin as I fought to make my way through it.

"Help!" came the cry again, her voice breaking and turning into a heart-wrenching scream of agony.

I surged through the last of the flames between us and stared at the person who was behind the curtain of fire. It was the Avatar's waterbending girlfriend. She whipped around and saw me, her eyes filling with fear.

"Please don't hurt me! I can't bend in this inferno-"

Her voice cut of with a scream as the fire licked at her skin. I jumped forward and pulled her into my arms, protecting her from the flames. She buried her face in my chest, her erratic breathing slowing somewhat.

"Thank you, Zuko," came her soft whisper, barely heard over the flames. "I knew you had good in you somewhere."

The flames fell away and all that remained was Katara and I standing there, wrapped in each other's embrace.

I had given up Father's love, his acceptance, my honor, all to save my enemy. And for some reason, I didn't even care. All that mattered right now was the girl in my arms.

Katara lifted her head a little and looked into my eyes. I didn't even notice her arms had wound around my neck, I was too busy staring into her blue eyes. Eyes that were the same color as that little girl in my other dream. Was that her daughter? But then, why was she Fire Nation? Unless-

I never finished that thought, because before I could, Katara kissed me.

And you know what? I liked it.

(A/N) And there we go! I hope you liked it, and if you want, let me know what you thought.