Chapter 7: Awakening

The world didn't make sense. The colours were wrong: so much red and gold and so blurry. The sun outside was too yellow, the bed too soft (though she didn't mind that part too much) and there was something gripping her hand like a vice. There were too many sounds colliding in her already pain-filled head. She closed her eyes, focusing on distinguishing the different noises. No, no they were all too loud, too muddled. She frowned. Focus harder. Yes! There was the sound of running water! The familiar sound gave her the confidence to dissect the other noises. Footsteps - but not in the same room, just outside it. A door closing. Footsteps closer. Someone was murmuring something. The vice on her hand moved to grip her shoulder and she was about to try and tell whoever was in the room that the voice was hurting her when she heard something even more natural to her than the water.

A voice was calling her name. The voice was urgent but no less caring for it. She didn't understand how she knew that voice but she did.

"Katara?"

She heard it faintly, as if through a haze of thick mist. She tried to move her mouth to respond to the kind tone but no words ensued, her throat was too dry and the effort turned into a hacking cough. Someone was gently raising her up to sit then pushing a glass of water to her lips. The icy liquid slid soothingly down her soar throat and she felt some strength come back to her. With a groan she opened her eyes fully, blinking to clear the sleep from her lids.

Suddenly, she remembered.

Zuko was there calling her name, shaking her shoulder, gripping her hand again. She wanted to reply, to ease his worry but memories were bombarding her so quickly she couldn't think of anything else.

She'd come to the fire kingdom. And she'd felt…and she'd wanted to…and then Zuko had…

She'd gone to the beach to think but then the rain had come. She didn't remember getting back to the palace or getting herself to bed, Zuko must have helped her.

Zuko. Zuko was still watching her - eyes wide in fear, jaw clenched and muscles in his arms tensing as he clung to Katara's shoulder. She was scaring him. With a great effort, Katara cleared her head with a shake and smiled briefly at him. Zuko sighed with relief. Maybe she really was ok, as the physician had promised. He tried her name again.

"Katara?" he whispered hesitantly, "are you ok?"

"I'm fine, I think" Katara replied self consciously. Se was suddenly incredibly aware of the tender intensity in his eyes as he surveyed her face and a blush raced to her cheeks. She had barely enough time to cover her burning face before pale, strong arms were thrown around her. One of Zuko's hands buried into her hair, the other pressing against her back, pulling her closer against his chest. Shocked, she could think of nothing to do and simply lay limply in his fervent hold. She could feel his breath stir the hair on the top of her head, could feel it tangle beneath the desperate clutch of his hands, could sense the closeness of his lips as he whispered urgently to her

"Don't ever scare me like that again."

An uncomfortable cough at the back of the room. The physician stood awkwardly, looking around the room, at the ceiling, the floor - anywhere but the ardent couple before him; this was a private moment and he was an unwanted accessory. Unfortunately, however unwanted he was, for the time being he was necessary.

The pair sprang apart, their faces glowing a furious red. Zuko strode purposefully to the other side of the room while Katara smoothed her mussed hair, averting her eyes from the calm gaze of her physician.

"Lady Katara," he addressed with a respectful bow, "your condition has improved much quicker than we could have hoped. It is my belief that your nature as a healer aids your own body in times of sickness. However," he continued sternly, "you must take your health more seriously in future - no more running around in the rain, are we clear?"

Katara mused the obviously rhetorical question for a second before cheekily inquiring "Will I be allowed out of bed?"

"Two weeks bed-rest." replied the physician.

"Three days." insisted Katara, bristling at the idea of being stuck in bed for fourteen days.

"Ten."

"Seven."

"Deal."

"Then we're crystal clear." Katara smiled at the gentle old man and he could only forgive her for her brazenness. He understood now why this young water bender held his powerful king enthralled. A quick glance at said king only confirmed this belief; adoration shone in his exhausted eyes, adoration and relief at her recovery. Yes, he would keep an eye on these two. In fact, he might hunt down his friend Iroh now for some of his fine tea and maybe a conversation or two. For the life of him, he couldn't understand why the servants considered him a gossip.

With a small chuckle and a twinkle in his eye the old man left the room, allowing the young man and woman to adjust to their fledgling love. No doubt the road would not be a smooth one, water and fire were opposites, but he had hope they would traverse it with grace and power, hope they would carry the world with them.

Silence filled the room, tense as both waited for the other to speak.

"You should listen to him" Zuko muttered, embarrassed by his emotional display earlier.

Katara shrugged her shoulders, brushing his concern away. But Zuko's worries, his embarrassment, his fears, his lo… his care made him unpredictable. This simple action infuriated him. Didn't she care what she'd put him through? Didn't she know what she meant to him? Didn't she even care about her own self? How could she act as if her health were nothing when she was his everything!?

He panicked at the thought.

He had never allowed himself to acknowledge his feelings freely, never even really trusted them though he suspected their presence. Unable to deal with the tidal wave of emotions he clenched his fists, feeling the heat within him rise.

"Why were you so damned idiotic!?" he suddenly shouted at the girl sitting quietly on the bed. She looked up at him in shock before a frown clouded her forehead, her eyes seemed to glow dangerously. How dare he!? Why did he think she had run away in the first place!? He had turned her life inside out, upside down and then dropped it on the ground. He had just expected her to deal with his ridiculous ideas. Well if he didn't know then she would just have to tell him wouldn't she. Yes. Yes, she would.

"How dare you!?" she bit back at him - her words breathing ice, quenching the fire his had so recently released. His eyes revealed the same shock she had felt. He was king - people did not raise their voice to him. He had forgotten how fiery this water nation girl could be.

"Cast your mind back, Zuko," she dropped the title purposefully. He may be Fire Lord now but he was once her enemy Zuko, her friend Zuko and she would not bow down to him if he chose to act unjustly. "Try to remember why I might have wanted to get away!"

Zuko bristled, he had hoped they might recommence that conversation later when her health had improved, certainly not now with emotions running so recklessly. He had wanted to spare her the conversation entirely, spare her that life! He had tried to protect her, had never wanted to drag her in to this! It wasn't like it was his fault! How dare she start taking it out on him!

He went to iterate these furious thoughts to the hot-tempered maiden across the room from him but restrained himself at the last moment. It would do no good to continue in this vain. With noise that was vaguely reminiscent of a growl he stomped towards the door. Reaching it he grabbed at the handle but stopped, resting his forehead against the warm wood. He turned calmly back to Katara, gritting his teeth to maintain the more appropriate emotional level.

"I hope your health improves. I will return tomorrow to check on you. I expect to find you in bed as the physician ordered." and with a forced bow of his head he spun out of the door, unable to resist slamming it.

"I couldn't care less about your expectations! I'll get out of bed if I want to!" Katara screamed at the closed door. She began to struggle from the pillows before collapsing back against them, her physical strength failing her determined mind. What had just happened there? She didn't really understand where that argument had emerged from. It hadn't missed her attention though how her heart had raced, how against Zuko's rage she had felt the overwhelming desire to cry. Fear had consumed her heart at his displeasure in her. Above and beyond the rage she had used to mask it, terror had consumed her heart at the idea that he might find error in her.

"Why on earth do I care so desperately?" she puzzled aloud.

Deep down, she already knew.

Just outside of her room, leaning breathlessly against the wall, his head in his hands, Zuko endured the same rush of emotions.

The same question echoed in both minds: could fire and water ever be combined?


(A.N. I am DESPERATELY sorry it's been so long! Forgive me? Well I hope this chapter will act as some form of reparations and I PROMISE (yes, a solemn promise) to get another chapter out within a week. Deal? Good. As always, thank you for reading and a special thank you to my reviewers, people who put me on their alert list or their favourite story/author list - you people motivate me to keep going. So, thank you! And I hope to continue this story to the best of my potential.)