Authors Notes: Here is the next chapter of the story. I'm actually quite surprised that the dragon's appearance worked out well. To be honest, I was afraid it wouldn't work. If it didn't, I would have to rewrite a lot. Any way I got a little critcism on how the assassin could control the dragon if he was 60 years old. My answer to that is King Bumi. I mean seriously, that guy is one ripped dude, and he's 112 years old, maybe more. Well whatever, I'm just imaginative like that. Anyways, will Zuko be alright? What will Katara do? …I'm not telling you, you'll have to read to find out(suspense). Here is the next chapter.
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar The Last Airbender. It is the property of its creators and Nickelodeon.
xXxXx
Chapter 10: Apology
'What's going on?' Zuko asked himself, 'Is this death what it feels like to be dead?'
He had always imagined being dead as being cold, and light as a feather. However, he was warm, and his body felt heavy. He could breathe slightly, but it was a little difficult to do so.
'I can breathe? So then I'm not dead?'
He opened his eyes slowly. When he did he saw the most terrifying sight imaginable, even more than his father and sister.
Sokka. Inches away from him. With an open mouth.
"WAAAAAHH!!" yelled out Zuko in a mixture of fear, and shock. He then punched Sokka square in the nose.
"OWWWWW! Wod was dat bor?!" yelled Sokka as he was clutching his nose.
"You tell me!"demanded Zuko, "Why in the name of Agni were you so close to me?!"
"You were habing drouble breading, and I dought…"
"Absolutely not! I would have rather suffo-"
Suddenly, Zuko felt a sharp pain in his chest, and he held himself. He saw his chest wrapped in tight bandaging that seemed to have been changed recently. He also saw his left arm wrapped up in a similar fashion.
"Rgh, what?" began Zuko. Suddenly, he remembered his fight with the assassin.
"How long have I been unconscious?" he asked Sokka.
"Doo days," said Sokka.
"Two days…" muttered Zuko, "How am I still alive?"
"Well…"
Suddenly, the door flew open. It was Aang and Toph.
"What happened Sokka?! We heard a scream!" said Aang.
"Duko, he hid me…"
"Zuko?!' asked Aang, cutting off Sokka. He turned to see that Zuko was alive and well, "Zuko! You're alive!"
"How was your nap Sparky?" grinned Toph.
"Alride bine, ignore me and my broken, beeding nose," muffled Sokka.
Just then, Katara ran into the room with a worried look on her face.
"What's going on?" she asked. She looked at her brother and gasped at his bleeding nose, "Sokka! What happened to your nose?!"
"Ad least you gare," said Sokka, "Duko hit…"
"Zuko?!" said Katara. She turned to see him looking at her.
"Hi," she said looking away.
"Hello," he responded.
Katara returned her attention to Sokka, "Here Sokka, let me heal your nose," said Katara.
She got some water from her pouch, and began to heal Sokka's nose. After a short while, the glowing light of the water began to fade, and Sokka's nose was all patched up.
"Thanks, that really helps," said Sokka.
"So that's why I'm still alive," said Zuko after he looked at his bandages. Everyone looked at him, "I should've had broken ribs, and multiple contusions. You healed me?"
"Yes," answered Katara softly, "Three of your ribs were broken as well as your left arm. I healed them as best as I could," she added quickly.
"Oh," said Zuko softly. He looked away slightly, "Thank you."
After half a minute of silence, Katara spoke up.
"Guys? Can you leave me alone with Zuko?" she asked, "I'd like to talk to him."
Everyone sighed.
"Ok," said Aang, "we'll be at the camp."
Everyone left the room. Once it was only Zuko and Katara, they could only look awkwardly at one another. After a minute, Katara once again broke the silence.
"So…how are your injuries?" she asked.
"Um…ok, they're still a little sore though," answered Zuko.
"Oh, well, I'll have to periodically check on you, and even though Aang will miss a lot, you probably shouldn't firebend for a while."
"If you're worried about this slowing down Aang's training, don't,"assured Zuko, "I've been through worse when I was hunting you down."
Katara looked in silent disbelief.
'Is he nuts?!' she asked herself, 'He almost got killed, and he says he's been through worse?!' "Well, be that as it may, you still shouldn't move."
"It's ok Katara," said Zuko, getting a little irritated.
"No it's not," said Katara, her voice slowly rising.
Zuko tightened his expression, and turned his body facing the side of his bed.
"What are you doing?" asked Katara in a slightly worried tone.
"Proving to you that it's fine," said Zuko.
"No! Zuko stop! You'll hurt yourself even more!"
But Zuko simply ignored her and much to Katara's surprise when Zuko got up, he didn't seem like he was hurt. He got up fairly quickly without wincing in pain. Katara was stunned and even more so when he walked around the room.
"See," said Zuko, "I'm ok."
Katara was amazed. Anyone who was that injured would be out for a week, maybe longer. She wouldn't deny Zuko's inhuman persistence, but she wasn't willing to risk compromising Aang's firebending any further.
"Sit down," she said.
"Huh?"
"Sit. Down. Please," she said in a calm, commanding tone.
"I told you I'm fine," said Zuko harshly, "I've even showed you I'm ok. Why does it matter to you anyway? I thought you wanted me to suffer."
Katara suddenly became angry.
"I don't want anyone to suffer!" she yelled.
"Oh really?" said Zuko, "I know I deserved it, but you haven't exactly made my days very pleasant."
"I don't know what you're talking about?" said Katara.
"You don't?!"shot back Zuko, "Let's recap shall we. You make fun of me for losing my bending, make fun of the firebending forms of the Sun Warriors, refused to give me food…"
"Zuko…" whispered Katara.
"…you sneak in my room, looked through my private belongings, take a portrait of my mother…"
"Zuko…" she said again, getting a little frustrated, "I get it."
"Hold on, there's more," said Zuko, "You verbally attacked my mother, oh, and you threatened to kill me when I arrived! Does that ring any bells!"
"It does," said Katara sadly, "now sit down. You'll hurt yourself," she pleaded.
"Why?! Why is my well-being so important to you all of a sudden?!"
"Because I'm trying to apologize to you!"
Zuko was taken aback by Katara's answer. He looked at her, and studied her expression.
"You mean it this time, don't you?" he said.
"Yeah, I do."
Zuko sighed, and walked over to the bed. When he sat down, Katara sat down next to him.
"You're right," said Katara, "I've been nothing but a total jerk to you, I'm really sorry. I'm sorry for everything I've said to you, done to you, and acted toward you. And I'm especially sorry for verbally attacking your mother. It was cruel, and wrong," she then swallowed out of nervousness, "Can…can you…forgive me?"
Zuko thought about what she had said and how she had said it. It was the longest minute of Katara's life because she was sincere in here apology, but she was afraid he would say no.
"Yes," said Zuko, "I forgive you."
Katara looked at him in disbelief, "Wh-what?"
"I forgive you," repeated Zuko.
"Why? How? How can you forgive me? I did terrible things to you," she said in disbelief.
Zuko looked confused.
"Don't get me wrong, I'm happy that you said yes, but how can you just forgive me," she asked.
"Because," began Zuko, "I believe that people deserve a second chance. No matter how terrible their crimes," answered Zuko, subconsciously touching his scar.
Katara looked away.
"I feel so terrible now," she said.
"Why?" asked Zuko.
"Well, you forgave me. I feel terrible because I'm not sure if…if I can forgive you," she said. Zuko looked away feeling a little hurt.
"I see," he said. Katara felt ashamed at what she had just said.
"No, I don't mean it like that. I want to forgive you, I really do, but I'm afraid. I'm afraid that if I do, if I trust you, you'll hurt me in the end," said Katara.
After a minute, Zuko turned to her, and looked at her sadly.
"I want you to forgive me Katara more than anything," said Zuko. He then paused, "But I want you to forgive me when you're ready to forgive me, ok."
Katara thought for a moment, and gave a small smile, "Ok, I will." she said. She felt relieved that Zuko wasn't going to pressure her, "and don't worry, I'll be nicer to you, I promise."
Zuko smiled, "Alright then," he said," So, I've been out for two days?" he asked, trying to change the mood of the conversation.
"That's right," said Katara," and don't worry. I made sure that Aang practiced."
"Oh, ok," said Zuko with a sigh of relief. He then looked to Katara, "So how long did you rehearse your apology?"
"What?"
"I know you rehearsed," said Zuko with a grin on his face, "I rehearsed what I was going to you and the others when I first got here, so I can pretty much tell."
"Um…about a day," said Katara embarrassingly.
"I see," chuckled Zuko.
"It's not funny," said Katara, rising to her feet, and putting her hands on her hips, "I had to put up with everyone thinking I was talking to myself!"
Zuko's chuckle turned into laughter as he imagined Toph and the others thinking that she was weird. Katara was surprised at the sight. She never saw Zuko like this, all carefree and laughing. He was a far cry from the Zuko that she knew a year ago.
"You really have changed," said Katara.
Zuko stopped laughing.
"Not really," said Zuko, "I think I'm just becoming my old self. That's all."
"Oh, I see," said Katara. The room was once again silent, "Zuko, I want to ask you something," said Katara as her thoughts drifted to the events of Ba Sing Se.
"Sure," said Zuko.
"Well," she began, "It's about…"
Suddenly the door flew open.
"Katara! Get to the camp quick!" yelled Sokka.
"What happened?" asked Katara really worried.
"The dragon is acting up again!" answered Sokka.
"Wait," said Zuko, "the dragon is still here?"
"Long story," said Sokka, "We need to get to camp now! Come on!"
After finishing what he had to say, Sokka ran back to the camp.
"I'll ask you some other time," said Katara when she looked to Zuko.
Zuko nodded, "Sure," he said.
Yay! She apologized! Thank you for reading, and please review.
Also, I decided to write up a bio on my account. Feel free to look if you want.