Chapter 9: When it Rains
He closed the door quietly behind him, unable to bring himself to look at the raven-haired princess.
"Sokka…?"
He breathed heavily, his face pale and forlorn, ridden with uncertainty. He tried to speak but only choked on his words. What could he possibly say to her right now?
Her amber eyes welled with pain. "You're going to leave me here, aren't you?" she exhaled.
He was quiet for a moment, trying to control the tremoring of his hands. "Suki won't go if you do."
"But you promised," she bleated, instinctively igniting two strong blue flames in her hands. But just as quickly as she had ignited them, she snuffed them out, covering her mouth with her hands to hide her quivering jaw.
He didn't need to look at her to see how shattered she was. "I know," he breathed. "I'm sorry."
She spun around to clandestinely wipe away the tears cascading down her cheeks. "It's okay, it's okay," she repeated under her breath.
But he knew she was saying this only to console herself, much like the way a cat purrs when it knows it's about to die.
"No." He took a few steps closer to her. "It's not." Another few steps. "If I had my way, we'd all be escaping together." Cautiously, he reached out and touched her shoulder.
"Don't touch me!" she wailed, swatting his hand away.
He could tell by her tone that she was more hurt than angry, and that stung him even more. "I can still help you – "
"You can't. Just go."
"Please, Azula!" he implored. "Let me help you come up with an escape plan."
She took a deep, labored breath. "I have an escape plan."
Her declaration took him completely off-guard. "You… you do?"
"Yes," she breathed. "So just go already. Please."
"I – well… okay. Then… I guess this is goodbye."
"I guess so."
He wanted to hug her, to hold her close to him and never let go, to stroke her hair, to kiss away her tears, or at the very least get her to turn around so he could look into her eyes one last time. But no such luck. "Goodbye, Azula." He turned away from her, defeated.
"Goodbye, Sokka," she whispered.
But just as he was about to exit, he heard her speak.
"Wait." She turned around, staring at him with desolate amber eyes. She took another strained breath. "Tell Zuko… that he's going to make a great Fire Lord."
He gave her a weak smile. "Tell him yourself when you get out of here."
"I'd… rather you tell him." Her voice was softer than a whisper.
It gave him the chills. He nodded. And then he was out the door.
Her voice continued to gnaw and gnaw at him as he walked down the hall. He didn't even realize he had made it into Zuko's cell until the firebender spoke to him.
"How'd she take it?"
"Huh, what?"
"Azula!"
He just stared at the floor.
Zuko let out a snide laugh. "Well, you're still alive, so it couldn't have been that bad."
Sokka shrugged. "She did say she had an escape plan…"
"Well then there's nothing to worry about!"
He still couldn't shake his despondency.
"Azula is a highly intelligent, resourceful girl," the prince assured. "She'll be fine."
He shook his head. "This… doesn't feel right."
"I know," he sighed. "I'm not happy about it either, but what other choice do we have? We know Suki will be a useful asset in ending this war. Azula… is too much of a loose cannon."
"Yeah. You're right," he agreed halfheartedly. "Oh, before I forget, she wanted me to tell you something."
Zuko arched his eyebrows with curiosity and surprise.
"She wanted me to tell you that you'll make a great Fire Lord."
A pained look overtook his features as if he had just been struck with lightning. He clutched his chest.
"Zuko! What's wrong?!"
For a moment, he stood there panting with agony, unable to speak. "She lied."
"What do you mean?"
"Azula… doesn't have an escape plan."
"How do you know – '
"Because I know her!" He shook his head with agitation. "If she's saying this, then she has no intention of ever leaving this island."
"Are you sure?"
"Positive."
Sokka let out a slow, deliberate breath. "Why would she lie about something like this?!"
"I don't know, but… I think we owe it to her to find out."
