Wounds That Heal

NOTE: I understand you all have questions, but keep in mind that as you read, my choices will become clear.

Chapter Two: As A Brother, I Say, "Right On."

Toph joined her brother and Sir Jet downstairs. Zuko looked up from his piece of meat and gestured to her to sit down in front of some sort of potato and some toast.

"So?" Zuko asked when Toph was seated.

"She's not awake," Toph replied, cutting into the potato.

"That's a surprise," Jet muttered, stabbing into his pasta.

Toph and Zuko ignored this and continued eating. Finally, Zuko looked up from his empty plate and into Jet's awaiting eyes, "What happened, really, to make her like this?"

Jet swallowed hard and looked down at his own empty plate, Zuko's golden eyes staring into his own was… chilling. He breathed out slowly and began his tale:

"Two weeks ago my father's brother, our Uncle Ozai, attacked us… didn't everyone hear?" Jet grumbled.

"And Princess Katara watched the entire family die, yes, but why did he do that?" Toph asked, finishing her potato.

Jet closed his eyes and breathed in, remembering the terrible details, "All right, all right. Before Katara and my younger brother, Sokka, and my younger triplet siblings, Sakura 'Smellerbee', Aang and Sasuke 'Longshot', were born, my father, Hakoda, became king because he was the purest, even if he was the youngest. Uncle Ozai was of course jealous, and so he went into hiding. I was only three at the time, and Sokka was in our mother's womb still… at about four months. After all the children were born, and most of us grown, he came out of hiding and threatened us to move out of the castle or we would die. Father believed none of the threats were real, and then… and then we were ambushed by his assassins. I managed to get in there before they took Katara's life… but… I was too late for any of the others. I managed to kill Ozai himself after he killed Father personally… When I came back, Katara was lying next to our brother Aang, her heart still beating. I looked around, and saw that everybody, even the maids and cooks, was dead. I called the doctors, and they cleared out the place, and we cleaned up… and they tended to Katara, but she hasn't… awaken."

Zuko and Toph stayed calm as Jet began to sob. Zuko, looking over at Toph, finally stood and walked over to his chair, placing a firm hand on Jet's hand. Jet looked up at him quickly, then continued staring down at the wooden table in front of him.

"Your sister is still breathing, Sir Jet," Toph said quietly.

"Would this be a bad time to ask why you are a knight, and not a prince?" Zuko asked.

Jet chuckled through his wet face and dabbed at his eyes with a gloved hand. "After that night, when our family died, I decided to continue my knight's training that I had started when I was ten. When I was ten I wanted nothing more that to be an arrogant prince… and seven years later, I wanted nothing more that to save my sister's life."

Zuko let go of his hand and helped him up, "Do want help going to your room, Sir?"

Jet shook his head, "Thank you for coming on such short notice… and thank you for dinner."

"No problem," Toph replied, smiling for the fist time in front of him. Jet stared at her, then moved to Zuko. His eyes lingered for a moment, and then he left.

"At least the princess is still awake…" Toph said, her eyes staring blankly after Katara's brother.

"Did something happen between you and the Princess?" Zuko teased.

Toph did a high-voiced mockery while flapping her hand like a mouth and punched her brother lightly, still smiling.

"Ow! I'm being serious! At dinner you seemed distant…" Zuko replied, laughing before becoming very serious.

"She's asleep, Zuko, what could've happened between us?" Toph asked, turning around to hide a small blush that was creeping up. She turned back to the stairwell and yelled, "I'm going to grab her dishes…"

"Okay… if she wakes up, giving a big smooch… for yourself!" Zuko yelled back. Toph could hear him sniggering. So what is she had a small crush on Katara already… it wasn't like she hadn't seen Jet and Zuko's moment, either.

She followed her senses to where Jet had shown her earlier and opened the door to Katara's room. The soup bowl was… empty?

She gasped as Katara stared at her from the bed. She was sitting up, alert and ready, but a little weak.

"Princess… Katara?" Toph asked, stopped dead in her tracks.

"Mmm…" Katara replied, smiling, "That was good… my compliments to the cook!"

"Princess! How are you feeling, my sister!" Jet asked, taking her hand.

"I'm fine… and who are these two? Our only staff?" Katara asked.

"I'm Toph and this is my brother, Zuko, we're your head Cook and head Maid," Toph replied quickly, "are you still hungry? Thirsty, maybe?"

Zuko looked sideways at her and smiled, picking up another bowl of soup, a piece of bread, and a glass of wine from the floor where he had placed it earlier.

"You're still weak, sister," Jet replied. Zuko set the tray on Katara's lap and she smiled wider.

"Thank you, all of you… but I only need one person to stay with me… I'm afraid I'm getting a headache from all this… whatever it is…" Katara replied, looking up at Jet.

Jet smiled, "I… I'm sorry I cannot stay… I have some things to attend to… royal affairs and a letter to the girls down at the paper telling them you're awake, Katara."

He kissed the top of her head, and left the room.

"I'll stay," Toph said, handing her brother the empty bowl.

Zuko took her aside, "As a cook, I say don't fall in love with your mistress."

Toph groaned and slapped her forehead with her palm, Zuko grabbed her hand and steadied her shaking wrist, "But as a brother, I say right on."

He looked at her and smiled, and she smiled back, "Yeah… thanks. But I won't fall in love with her so easily."

Zuko shrugged, "And I won't fall so easily in love with Jet, then."

The shook hands.

"YOU"RE ON!"