WOOT! Twenty minutes, that's a record! Heh, alright: either many many short chapters or a few long ones. I'm just trying to get this to flow, you know? So I apologize for any and all inconveniences, frustration, and consequences of impatience. Enjoy.
I am safe.
No one will hurt me.
These are just dreams.
I am safe.
Zuko will protect me.
I will protect myself.
The pirates are gone.
I am safe.
Katara repeated the words over and over again in her head, trying to clear her mind from the night before.
She sat on the top deck of Zuko's ship, sitting as far up the bow as she could without bringing discomfort on herself.
Although… maybe discomfort may distract me from those… nightmares… Katara mused silently. Sighing and closing her eyes, she continued silently repeating her mantra as she heard the waves crash against the hull, the birds sing, and the ocean whispering to her.
"Katara?" If she was startled by Zuko's sudden voice, she did not show it. He reached his hand out and touched her shoulder, nearly drawing back when he felt how cold it was. "Katara?" he whispered again, wrapping an arm around her.
"You're trembling…" Hastily he began warming his body with his inner fire, hoping to calm the Waterbender down. Tears began cascading down her face, dripping on her lap, staining the blue cloth darkly.
"I… I heard my mother again…" she whispered hoarsely. "And… and Sokka… oh Zuko, Sokka looked terrifying, and…" she buried her head in Zuko's shoulder, crying shamelessly. He patted her back awkwardly, not knowing what to do.
He settled for whispering softly to her, rubbing her back soothingly, and raising his temperature to calm her down.
"Shh… it's okay, Katara… they're just nightmares, they won't hurt you… I'm here…" He looked about to say something more, but suddenly Iroh ran up to them.
"Nephew… Miss Bei Fong has sent a reply."
