Cry for Me installment #2; 19.11.09

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"How did you do it, Yue?" Katara asked once they had rejoined Kya in the clouds. The three women sat around a table decorated with a silk table cloth and white flower petals. The whole set up, Katara thought, looked like something from a wedding in Firenation. Candles glowed in the center of the table cheerfully. It was strange: when they walked among the living, they were translucent; but when they were up in the clouds, it was like they were alive again in that they were solid. Katara's eyes looked at Yue harshly.

"Our worlds connect through dreams. When the living's minds are free to cross over to our world, we are permitted to cross into theirs. That is the only time they can see us. That we can talk to them, touch them. Sadly, as you may remember, the living don't always remember their dreams. And we are forgotten. But once in a blue… me," she laughed silkily at her own joke. "They will remember. And their minds will be at peace."

"You went to Sokka, didn't you?" Yue nodded. "And mom, you went to dad? And Sokka, and myself?" Kya nodded. "Mother?" Katara asked, her eye brows drawn in. "Why do you not speak?"

"When your mother passed, she was torn. She knew she was dying and wanted to stay with you badly. But she also had to come here. Her voice, it was lost. And maybe it will find its way here."

"Sorry." Katara looked at her hands folded neatly on the table. He mother's face was illuminated by the candles. A warm hand was placed on top of Katara's own two. Her eyes met the ones from which they were modeled. Those eyes were smiling sadly into Katara's own eyes. "So, what you are saying is, in a dream, I can be with someone I love?"

"Mhm." Yue looked into one of the candles. "Oh, it's time for me to go. I will rejoin you in the morning." With a smile, the moon spirit walked off past the clouds and disappeared behind the mist.


After Yue had left them, Katara snuck back into the palace. She fell to her knees, watching him. Though it pained her, she forced herself to look on. He held her portrait in his hands sadly and placed it in front of two candles that, Katara had noticed, were always burning but never melting. Zuko pulled the thin blanket over himself and closed his eyes. Once she heard his breathing slow down, she stood up from her place on the floor and quietly walked over to him. Still unsure of herself, Katara breathed deeply and looked at his sleeping face for a moment before closing her eyes and gently pressing her lips to his. A silent ghost of a tear fell from her eye and splashed on his face.

With her eyes still closed, she straightened her back and pulled away from him. "That wasn't hard," she whispered to herself. "Why did you wait until you were dead to do that?" Sadly, she opened her eyes, but not to the dim light of Zuko's bedroom. A bright sun shone above her, floating in a silky blue sky. The ground around her was carpeted in knee high wild flowers. Red-orange firelillies and black and white pandalillies sprang up all around her. She turned her head around, confused, in every direction. She looked down at her hands; they were solid. With a smile on her face, Katara fell to her knees and picked a flower from the ground. She held it to her nose and inhaled deeply, expecting it to smell beautifully. Shocked, she pulled it away from her face: the flower had no smell. None at all.

"I've tried," a familiar voice said behind her. "To smell them I mean. They are peculiar that way. I've never known a flower without a smell." Katara rose to her feet, still clutching the scentless flower in her palm. "You," he said, his gold eyes gleaming under his black hair.

"You," Katara echoed. For a moment she was mystified, and then she felt silly. Of course he would be here, it was his dream. Her eyes looked him up and down, he wasn't dressed like he usually would. He was wearing a white shirt, the like of which, Katara thought, pirates would wear. And black pants that were tucked into his boots. His face had an expression that Katara had never seen on him… it was a mixture of confusion and joy and frustration and disbelief. Hesitantly, she moved closer to him, the flowers at her feet bowing low, and then springing upright after she had stepped off of them. As she came closer, he stepped back almost timidly.

"You're dead," he said quietly, giving an excuse for backing away from her. She could hear his breath as he whispered, "I watched you die. I heard you scream. I saw the light go out of your eyes." Katara held out a hand shyly, reaching out to touch his arm. He didn't feel warm or cold. But he was solid, and she could touch him. Zuko shook his head, as if they were both still alive, and she had touched his arm in front of Aang and Mai. "You're not real, are you?"

"No. But I'm here. And you need to know that I loved you. But I was too afraid to say it. And now…"She laughed sadly. "I have nothing to lose." They both stopped moving, and looked into each other's eyes. "Please. Remember me." Katara's hand shot up to her neck and untied her necklace. She grabbed Zuko's hand and closed his fingers around the ribbon. Then, something strange happened. Zuko's eyes began to water, and he bent down and pressed his lips to hers. When he pulled away, Katara wiped the water from his face, her hand lingering gently on his scar. "Don't cry any more. Please."

As she drew her hand away from his face, she noticed it was translucent. Frantic, she looked at her other hand, and her arms and legs. They were all disappearing. Zuko was looking at her, seemingly lost. "Don't go," he said, trying to grab her arm, but his hand went right through.

"You're waking up," she said, almost in a daze. "I'll always be here for you!" And then she was gone.

Zuko blinked against morning light that flooded into the room through the window. Angrily, he sat up and rubbed the back of his hand over his eyes. Something icy stung his left palm. He opened his hand and looked, bewildered, at Katara's necklace. It had been frosted over, like someone had left it outside at the turn of the season from fall to winter. He hadn't had this before. She had been taken back to the Southern Water Tribe with it snugly around her neck. As he stared at the pendant, he remembered. Everything.

"Please. Remember me." Katara's hand shot up to her neck and untied her necklace. She grabbed Zuko's hand and closed his fingers around the ribbon. "It was just a dream." His eyes drifted to her picture lying below the burning candles on his night stand. Her faint smile was enough to make him believe that Katara had given this to him. And he wouldn't cry anymore. She didn't want him to.


"Will you be okay?" Yue asked, leaning on the windowsill beside Katara. She had been watching him all day.

"Yeah. I'll be fine. I just need some time, that's all." Katara didn't remove her gaze from Zuko. He had been in the garden for most of the afternoon, just sitting under the big tree by the pond. He turned her necklace over in his hands, trying to find out why it had not thawed out by now. Giving up, she watched as he tied it around his wrist.

"Just like old times," he whispered with a smirk.

"Exactly like old times," Katara agreed. "Exactly."