Chapter 9
Zuko kneeled beside Katara as he cradled her injured head. He clenched his jaw as he wiped away the blood on her face so that a faint smear scratched her cheek. Zuko bit his lip tightly so that the tears in his eyes wouldn't fall down his face. Naoki stood solemnly, watching from a distance as the embers simmered around them in the lifeless field of ash.
"Katara… please be okay Katara…"
She stirred as Zuko gripped her body towards his chest. Naoki and Zuko both lifted their eyes at her murmur. Zuko rubbed his eyes as she fluttered hers open. The moonlight reflected in her blue crystal orbs and then she immediately winced and placed her hand to the right side of her head. Katara breathed sharply and then looked up at Zuko.
"You're all right… I can't believe it… I thought you were gone…"
Naoki swallowed hard and looked away. He couldn't do this to himself anymore, but suddenly, a spark of hope ignited in his heart. Katara sighed to herself and pushed away from Zuko with an apparent weakness.
"Where am I? And… who are you? Why are you holding me?"
Her eyes widened and she scrambled away from him. Zuko's mouth hung open in pure shock. His arms fell to his sides as he stood up warily. He shook his head and felt his heart shattering in his chest.
"Katara… don't you know who I am? It's me… Zuko…"
Her expression didn't change at all. Instead it became more dazed and confused. She shook her head slowly, but then a sudden smile appeared on her face as she bounded over to him and gave him a hug.
"Of course I know it's you silly. I'm so glad you came for me, Zuko."
Zuko's heart swelled as Naoki's took a final blow. Katara squeezed Zuko tightly and he managed to laugh despite the cruel trick she had played on him. He wrapped his arms around her tightly and picked her up gently. Suddenly, she stopped embracing him and held her head.
"Oh, my head. It really does hurt."
Zuko's eyes softened as he placed his hand over hers. She looked up at him and saw the moon shining up above them. He stood like a guardian angel protecting her. His whisper was a soft melodic harmony of medicine for her aching body.
"Don't worry. I'm going to get you back to safety, away from Azula."
Just as they walked out of the clearing, Katara spotted Naoki and gasped. Zuko looked from Naoki's ashamed face to Katara's shocked and angry one. He was somewhat confused until he remembered that Naoki was the reason why Katara had run away that morning. A sudden rage filled his body and Zuko lunged towards Naoki. He put his hand to his throat and pushed Naoki up against a tree. Naoki winced as Katara cried out.
"Stop Zuko! Don't hurt him!"
"Why shouldn't I? He hurt you! That's why we're all here right now, isn't that right?"
Katara gradually came up to him and put a hand on Zuko's shoulder. Naoki's tangled hair hung around his face as he struggled to breathe. The slits of his eyes glanced over to Katara who stood behind Zuko's frame.
"Please Zuko."
Zuko grunted as he pushed even harder and then sighed as he let his hand drop. Naoki's neck was filled with dark shadows from the heat in Zuko's palm and fingers. Katara let a tear fall down her cheek as Zuko embraced her, turning his back from Naoki. He caressed her back and then whispered into her ear.
"Can you tell me what happened? I promise I won't get mad."
Katara sobbed silently into his chest and then looked up. She glanced at Naoki and said the truth, finally freeing herself of the emotional burden inside of her heart.
"He kissed me."
Zuko let go of Katara as she trembled by herself. The heat level raised in his body automatically and he turned to face Naoki who was looking everywhere but at him. Zuko let out a tormented scream and then shot a blot of fire towards the clearing. Naoki flinched, thinking it was aimed towards him, but he opened his eyes to see Zuko panting heavily. Zuko calmed down as Katara's sobs echoed around his head.
"I promised her that I wouldn't harm you, dirt bag."
Naoki cast his head down and then fell to his knees, bowing his head to the ground.
"I'm sorry Katara, Zuko. I know you might never forgive me, but I understand now that what I did was wrong. The two of you belong together, and I can't interfere in that. I was only being selfish." He looked up at Katara then, as her tears died away. "Please forget it happened. Be with Zuko so that you can forget what a horrible person I was."
The wind ruffled the leaves in the trees as the silence between the three of them grew. Katara looked away from Naoki and to Zuko, who stood totally numb. She stepped closer to him and rested her hand on his arm.
"Zuko… are you okay?"
He came out of his shock and looked at her pale face.
"Are you all right?"
She nodded and hugged him fiercely. He looked past her shoulder to Naoki who was still bowing on the ground. The trees surrounded him like a prisoner, and Zuko felt the pain leave slightly. Zuko let go of her and then walked over to him.
"Get up."
Naoki obeyed and then hung his head and arms to his side.
"I won't forgive you for what you did, but we will try and forget that it happened." He turned to Katara and then took her hand. "Come on, let's go." Naoki started to follow them and then resisted, leaving the pair alone. He had caused enough trouble until then, and he was finally going to let his emotions go. Naoki turned towards the dead field and a strange awareness filled his heart. He slowly walked towards the edge and touched the ground with his fingertips. A chill filled his body and he backed away as he realized what happened in that clearing. He couldn't bend the earth, nor could he even touch it. This place had died right before his eyes, the earth he admired so much.
Suddenly, a hand poked out from the hole in the middle of the clearing where Zuko and Katara had come from. Naoki's eyes narrowed as he saw a familiar head of black hair, however it was burnt and a blistered face covered her golden eyes. Azula moaned as she struggled to raise herself onto the ground. She gasped for air until she finally saw Naoki's scornful face.
"Help me! You must…"
A blotch of blood coughed out of her mouth and she heaved as the ground became soaked underneath her face. Naoki knew at once she was the reason for the massacre of the forest. The sudden build of fury unleashed itself as he yelled in frustration. He clenched his fists and pushed them up in the air. Azula watched in horror as the earth surrounding the clearing rose around her like a barricade with no way out. All at once, the ground stopped as it towered over her fifteen or more feet in the air. Without even letting out an anguished cry, the ground fell in on top of her, creating a vast plane of flat earth. Naoki let out a deep breath as the relief swooned over his exhausted eyes. Azula was buried, and there was no doubt in his mind that she would no longer torture him and the sacred land where his heart was born.
..::-::..
The terrifying cry rippled through the air and into Zuko's ears. Katara's head was nestled in his chest as Zuko carried her through the forest. He winced but then let the worried feeling subdue itself as he looked at Katara's peaceful face. They had gone through so much in such a short time. The journey to the North Pole had been filled with amazing sights, but the beauty he had found in her was something that he had searched for so long. His lips curved in a smile as Katara's fingers clung to his clothes. She coughed slightly and then held onto her more firmly, not wanting to let her go.
Zuko gazed up through the dark shadows of the trees above him and smiled when he saw the full moon grazing up above him amid the millions of dazzling stars. For a moment, he thought he had seen a wisp of a cloud pass through the sky in the form of a dragon with an old man on it, and then he shook his head curiously. It had seemed so unreal to him that an Avatar had needed his help, but in the end, maybe it was just his imagination. With that thought, the cloud vanished and Zuko found himself at the edge of the forest, looking on towards the farm they had called "home" for some time.
Katara stirred slightly as Zuko rested her down on the patch of hay in the barn. He pushed aside the strand of hair that was in her face and leaned down to kiss her gently. As Zuko raised his head, he saw her sparkling eyes watching his every move. She smiled and sighed.
"I'm so happy that you're with me right now. I wouldn't want anyone else by my side."
She sat up slowly and then embraced him effortlessly. Zuko buried his head into her neck and hugged her tightly, not wanting to ever let go of her.
"You have no idea how happy I am to hear that. I thought for a moment that maybe you had changed your mind since we came here and…"
Katara jerked away from him and scowled her eyes at him accusingly.
"And what? Haven't we had this conversation before? I don't like Naoki, and I think my reaction to his kiss would have proved that."
Zuko smirked and then scratched his chin.
"I guess you have a point. Running away from a little kiss is a bit drastic."
Katara punched him with all of her strength on his shoulder and he only moved slightly. The energy she possessed was close to nothing. They laughed together and then Katara laid back down onto the hay. She sighed and closed her eyes.
"Zuko?" she asked softly.
"Hm?"
"You'll always… be by my side… right?" A few yawns interrupted her question, and as soon as the last word faded from her lips, she fell asleep. Zuko only smiled and fawned over her, giving her one last goodnight kiss.
..::-::..
The morning sun awoke Katara first as it streamed into the barn and over her face. She rubbed her eyes and stretched out her arms and legs. To her left, Zuko slept at an awkward angle. Carefully, she nudged his side and he grunted, waving her away. He must have been exhausted from the night before, Katara admitted to herself. She shrugged and this time shook him more forcefully. Zuko, more awake now, opened his eyes and then sat up warily, his eyes drooping. He yawned and then Katara inched towards him.
"Zuko… what are we going to do?"
"What do you mean?" he asked questionably.
"Well… I'm not so sure we should still stay here."
He looked at her for a moment, studying her face intently. She was completely right, and he had thought along the same lines before. Zuko nodded and rubbed the back of his neck while looking out into the grassy green fields. They both stood up and looked at one another.
"I guess it's time to pack up then."
..::-::..
The So family was on its edge. During the night, a few guards from the inner city had come to their door once again, but this time for a warrant to search their property more thoroughly for any unsuspected criminals hiding out in their home or barn, without their knowledge. Since Naoki wasn't home at all that day, Sokka had pretended to be Emi's brother. The thought made them both uneasy, but as soon as the guards had left, finding nothing suspicious in their household, Sokka took Emi outside and told her how he felt about her. She was so taken with the fact that he liked her so much that she instantly let out her feelings for him as well. Their kiss was short though, because a muffled cry came from the kitchen.
Mrs. So was on rocking on the floor, sitting and holding a bundle of Naoki's clothing. Mr. So stood above her holding a letter; his face was tight and full of pale disappointment.
"Father? What is it?"
Emi walked over to him slowly as he handed her the letter. Her eyes scanned it unwillingly.
"My dear family-
I hope that you are all in fine health and that you find this letter without any trouble. Upon the arrival of our guests, I have had time to think about some things about my own life that I never understood. It is my duty as your son to help you out Father, and I have done that for seventeen years, and in less than a month, I will be become a grown man. It has been without your consent that I had joined a secret society. Their mission, as well as mine, is to protect this land from any outside influences that wish to harm it.
After an incident that I wish to remain disclosed to myself alone, I have unfortunately decided that it is time I find out who I really am, and what my purpose in life is. I have made mistakes and misjudged the gravity in those errors. I need to find myself, and that is why I have decided to go on a journey. Perhaps I shall find what I seek. If in due time I find that, I will desperately return home.
I love you all, Emi, Mother, Father. I wish sincerely that you didn't grieve over my absence. I am strong enough to take care of myself and I don't wish you to worry about me. This is goodbye until I become a better person,
Your son, Naoki."
Tears fell from Emi's eyes as Sokka put his hands on her shoulders. She turned around and buried her head in his chest and let the letter drop from her hands. Mrs. So let out another sob as Zuko and Katara rushed into the room. Every head turned towards them, and the crying instantly stopped. For a mere second, the hope that her son returned came into her heart, but seeing their guests made Mrs. So somber and discreet about her emotions. Zuko narrowed his eyes and asked them boldly,
"What happened?"
Mr. So sighed and looked at the man in front of him sadly.
"My son has left to go on a journey to become a true man."
Katara's eyes widened and then she dropped her gaze to the floor. She rubbed her arm and then looked away. They all looked saddened instead of angry, which most likely meant that no one knew the real reason he had left. Zuko took a hold of her hand and held it firmly.
"That is unfortunate news. We have something in common with Naoki. Katara and I have come to say farewell."
Sokka's eyes grew as Katara smiled slightly and shrugged her shoulders. His face suddenly felt drawn out and then he sighed.
"So, I come and you go? Is that how it's going to be?"
She laughed slightly as she hugged her brother, something that seemed close to impossible a few days ago.
"I'm sorry Sokka, but Zuko and I must go on. We have overstayed our host's generosity."
Emi turned towards Katara and smiled sadly.
"I'll miss you a lot Katara. I know that it would be selfish of me to ask you to stay. You helped me more than you know."
She winked at Katara and in return, Katara gave her a quizzical look.
"I'm not sure I understand."
As Mrs. So swept Katara and Zuko into a ferocious hug, Katara saw a look pass between Sokka and Emi. She smiled, finally understanding what she meant.
"Oh, I will miss the two of you so much!! Even though it was for a short while, it felt like the two of you were my own children!"
Zuko backed away a bit and shook his head slightly. Katara laughed sheepishly as she waved her hand to distract away the tinge of blush on her cheeks. Mr. So nodded and clapped Zuko on his shoulder.
"I agree with my wife. You worked hard for your stay, and we are grateful for your help."
"We deeply appreciate your generosity," Zuko said while bowing.
Katara looked around the room and then sighed.
"I guess we should go now then…"
Suddenly, her stomach growled and everyone looked towards her with a raised eyebrow. Katara laughed and Mrs. So winked.
"Oh no you don't! You're not leaving here without a proper breakfast!"
..::-::..
Zuko and Katara waved cheerfully as they walked away from the house and the forest that now haunted their memories. The boastful sun lead them down the path towards the fields of shifting grass like it had done a while ago. Katara looked back after some time and saw that the city had disappeared from her view. She sighed and looked down at her hands. Sensing discomfort, Zuko wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer towards him as they walked on.
"What's wrong Katara?"
She didn't shift her gaze one bit, and then she choked on her words.
"What… what are we going to do now? We still have no place to stay at that we can call home. Look what happened when we tried settling down. We only got ourselves tangled into a mess. What are we going to do?"
Zuko smiled and kissed the top of her head gently.
"We'll travel around the world, visiting every place imaginable…"
Suddenly, something caught his eye in the field and he rushed away from her side. Katara's mouth dropped as she saw him bend down to pick something up. He ran back towards her as he hid his arm behind his back. He slowly finished his sentence.
"We'll visit every place we can, but we have nothing to worry about, as long as we have each other."
Katara's eyes began to water as he put his arm towards her. In his clutched hand was a familiar looking flower. She took it and breathed in its lovely smell. Katara could only smile as the memory flooded through her.
"It's a Lovaris."
Zuko nodded and smiled, taking her into his embrace.
"No matter what will happen, you'll always be my beautiful flower."
Katara held onto the flower and tilted her head, so that the bright rays of sun light could catch this moment, and that it would keep the wonderful flowing feeling inside of her heart forever.
THE END
A/N: I hope you liked it… even though I didn't :( I'm not sure what's wrong with me… but this fic wasn't one of my best. I'm sorry :( For those who did read, THANK YOU!! It means sooo much to me!! If you'd like to leave a review, you may :D
As for ending this fic, it's because there was nothing left to do with it. AND because, as I have said too much already, I've got a new Zutara fic that is probably going to be a ton better than this was! And maybe twice as long ;) SO, if you enjoyed this, and wish it was longer, be sure to check out the new fic "Dying To Survive" in the next week :D
Thanks again, and I hope you have a wonderful day:D
-Monika-
