A/N: This chapter is more Zuko laid up in bed and talking to people. I'd like to think it's plot relevant, but I realize it's not very exciting. In the next chapter, Hakoda comes back, and I'll offer some more insight on Malina. (The new comic hits my doorstep on February 7th, but since I already have a plan for this story, I don't want to be swayed too much by that one.) Also, to quickly recap before this next scene, Ming is a Fire Nation prison guard who is dating Bato.

"Ming? Is that you?"

The silhouetted figure moved away from the window. It was the first time Zuko even noticed he had a window. He'd always felt the sun when he woke up, but he didn't remember actually seeing it.

"Fire Lord Zuko! Is there anything I can get you? How are you feeling? Are you hungry? Are you thirsty? Is the light too bright, because I can pull the curtain if—"

"Ming, Ming, it's fine. It's… good to see you." And a relief not to see Malina for a change.

"It's good to see you, too, my Lord. We weren't sure if you were going to make it there… for a while." Ming coughed to cover up the slight crack in her voice as she regarded him with glistening golden eyes.

"Where am I exactly?" Zuko shifted slightly, realizing that he could bear weight on his elbows again, so he pushed himself up to a half-sitting position.

"Hako—um, Malina's apartment? She has a extra bedroom for when her brother comes to visit."

Well, that explains things. "It's my understanding that Maliq is on his way."

"He's already here, actually." Zuko thought he caught a flash of annoyance in her tone and expression, but he couldn't be sure.

"So, where is he staying if I'm in here?"

"He designed these apartments, apparently. He just took whichever one was vacant, I guess." This time, she rolled her eyes, so her sentiments were unmistakable.

This piqued Zuko's curiosity. "So, what's your take on all this North verses South business?"

"My Lord?"

"Well, I would overhear unsettling things in our encampment on the city outskirts, so I'm sure you did, too. Plus, you're with Bato, so…"

"Bato doesn't talk about it much. Besides, we're… we broke up."

"Oh no! But I thought he was going to propose." He gasped at his slip. She did, too. "Oh shit, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…"

"No, no, it's fine. He did propose, but I turned him down. I just couldn't." She swallowed as if the words were caught in her throat.

"Couldn't what? Leave the Fire Nation? Please don't worry about Azula or your job there. I can find someone else. You should do what's right for you. What your heart tells you. You have my full support."

"You're very kind, Fire Lord Zuko. I've given it a lot of thought, and I know I would have to move here. Bato is very involved with the tribe. He's Hakoda's right-hand man. In fact, he's in charge right now while the Chief is away, and it's very stressful. I just don't know if I can handle that pressure plus the culture change, too. It's—overwhelming. I'm not sure if that makes sense, but…"

"It makes perfect sense." It's how I expected Katara to feel about me.

Zuko almost entered into his typical downward spiral of darkness and doubt, but he knew Katara didn't feel the same way. In fact, she'd said as much in Ba Sing Se. I'll never leave you. I think you are worth it. I want you. I do.

Zuko needed to get off his ass—literally and figuratively—and properly propose to this woman already!

"Ming?"

"Yes, my Lord?"

"Do you mind if I ask, and you don't have to answer if it's too sad or soon or... something. But I was wondering… how did Bato propose? What are the Southern Water Tribe customs for that? I know they don't do the betrothal necklaces like they do in the North."

She quirked a brow at him, seemingly taken aback by the question. "Well, now that the North and the South are mixing more, the necklaces are becoming more popular, actually. Just because they are pretty, I think. But yes, traditionally, the betrothal necklace spoke more of possession whereas the Southern way speaks a little more to provision, I'd say."

She then looked away with a somber expression, and Zuko immediately felt guilty for asking. But before he could apologize or tell her not to bother, she continued. "It's a presentation of gifts, all very practical, but still very meaningful. Food, fabrics, hand-carved utensils, furs, those sorts of things. He even sent some—" At this point, she started crying. "—t-t-to my father as well. I feel terrible…"

No, I'm the one who should feel terrible. Zuko closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, not even noticing that he had full range of motion in his arm now. He listened to her soft sniffles and wondered if he could feign sleep until the next person's shift. He just wasn't good at the whole comforting-crying-women thing. Yet, he knew that he owed it to her to try.

When he opened his eyes, she was staring straight at him. "Permission to speak freely, Fire Lord Zuko?" she asked in a surprisingly firm voice.

"Of course. Always."

"You can propose to Katara according to Water Tribe custom if you think that is best. But why not incorporate Fire Nation tradition as well? Your marriage may not be based on politics, but your union brings together two nations whether you recognize it or not. Make it symbolize a true partnership and an equal exchange from the very beginning."

This was an unexpected turn in the conversation. "I understand what you're saying, but the Fire Nation has so many debts to pay. We've never thought of the other nations as our equals, and I won't impose our traditions on Katara."

"Not impose, Fire Lord. Just introduce. Share. Appreciate. You don't have to lose yourself in the relationship."

"I will gladly lose myself if it means paying Katara and her people the respect they're due."

"There's a difference between paying respect and groveling. The Southerners will tell you that. They wish to engage with the Northerners but not at the expense of losing their identity. Then, the North, by virtue of having more wealth and expertise, offer their aid with full expectation of assimilation. Everyone is out to get their due, Fire Lord."

Zuko suddenly felt like they were juggling two weighty topics at the same time. He redirected the focus back to what he thought was the most pressing matter—for him, at least. "OK, fine, but I don't even know what the Fire Nation tradition is for a marriage proposal. It certainly wasn't the way my parents did things!"

At this, Ming offered a warm and genuine smile. "Well, traditionally in order to become engaged, the couple does the ceremony of the eternal flame."

"The what?" Why does this sound familiar?

"The true eternal flame died out years ago along with the last dragon, but it was said to be kept ablaze at the ancient Sun Warriors temple."

Oh, right. That's why.

"So the couple and members of their families would receive Agni's blessing and carry a small portion of the flame back to their home or a central gathering place to light the eternal flame of bonding between the two lovers. Nonbenders carry torches or lanterns to hold their fire."

Faint memories of his mother's hushed voice during fading twilight hours resurfaced. She always spoke of it like a dream—a fantasy. Now he knew why. "I think I've heard something like this… in a storybook before. But their families participate, too? Why?"

"Because everyone commits to loving and supporting the relationship. Because it symbolizes growth in the life of a family. Because when you add the flames together, the fire doesn't grow bigger, it just glows brighter. Because family is important." Ming lowered her head and stared at her fidgeting hands in her lap.

"Wow. I had no idea the Fire Nation was so…" Normal?

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to—I shouldn't have said anything. Of course, you can do whatever you want. You're the Fire Lord. My opinion doesn't matter."

"Of course it matters! And I appreciate your opinion. It has given me cause to think." Once she dared to make eye contact with him again, he added, "Now, permission to speak freely?"

She nodded, then blushed, then shifted in her seat, and finally settled on studying her hands again. Zuko wondered if he really should continue if he made her that uncomfortable. Yet, he had heeded her advice, and now he had some of his own.

"Ming, you obviously care about the situation with the North and the South. And you care about partnership and equality. If you don't love Bato, or there's some quirk about him that you simply can't stand to live with, then that's that. But he would benefit by having a wife like you by his side. Sure, it would be stressful and overwhelming, like you said, but neither of you would have to handle it alone. You'd have each other."

Dammit, I made her cry again.

"Thank you, Fire Lord Zuko. Thank you."

Soft seal, little seal, swimming in the sea…
Happy seal, swim to me, time to go to sleep.

"Do I have to go to sleep if I just woke up?" Zuko smiled and sighed as his vision filled with blue eyes, a creased brow, flushed cheeks, and full lips.

He drank in the sight of her, relishing, quenching. "If I pretend to be asleep, will you sing it again?"

"You have no idea how many times I've sung that song to you already," Katara replied.

Zuko cringed at the sadness in her voice. "How long has it been? Since… the accident?"

"The moon is full tonight. Which means I should be able to finish your healing."

It didn't answer his question, not directly, but he remembered there was something significant about the moon that night.

"What happened? I mean, what did you have to heal?"

"Nearly every bone in your body, it seemed."

He relaxed under her cool touch as she began making circular motions on his hipbones. He could feel himself fading in and out, though. No! Why is it so hard to stay awake for any length of time? What is wrong with my head?

"Katara, what is wrong with my head?"

"Oh, I don't know, exactly. You were unconscious for several days." She didn't make eye contact with him as she spoke, but remained focused on her work. "Then, when you came to, you were very disoriented. But since then, you've made progress every day."

"Malina said I hit my head. Why didn't you heal it?"

He saw her go rigid at the question. "Well, head injuries are complicated. I didn't know if I could heal it."

"But Malina said you didn't even try."

Then he saw her wilt. Great, I've managed to make two women cry in the same day. If… talking with Ming happened today. Ugh…

"Zuko, I'm sorry," Katara whispered as she released her healing water and clutched her chest with trembling hands.

"For what? You saved my life… again."

"But you could've died, and I didn't… I couldn't…"

"Shhhh, I'm fine now. Haven't we had this conversation before?" I'm on the verge of dying, she saves me, and then she beats herself up over it. I don't know what else to—

"I made Satoru worse. I couldn't risk doing the same to you," she said abruptly.

Whoa. Didn't see that one coming. "Satoru? What does he have to do with anything?"

"When I used bloodbending on him. I did something to his head. It made him madder… meaner… I didn't even know that was possible. I thought I could use bloodbending to be helpful, but now I know it's only destructive and evil."

"Wait, wait, wait. Satoru is destructive and evil. And you saved my life then, too. Maybe it wasn't the best, err—method, but it doesn't make you a bad person. Or your bending powers bad, either."

"That's just it. It's too much power. To not only manipulate a person's body, but their brain, too? It scares me, Zuko." At this confession, she practically launched herself onto the bed and into his arms. "You… scared me. I c-c-can't lose you."

"I'm right here. I'm a busted up half-wit, but I'm here." At least my arms work now. Mmmmm.

"I'll finish up tonight, and you should be good as new by tomorrow." Her breath tickled his neck as she spoke. "Or... almost. Maybe getting out and about will help clear your head a bit?"

"Sounds great. You have no idea the dreams I've been having."

"Yeah, they sound exciting."

"They do?"

"You mumble a lot in your sleep."

"Oh."

"Hey, Zuko."

"Yeah?"

"Who's Druk?"

"I dunno, why?"

A/N: The Satoru incident happens at the end of Rising Tide where Zuko is fighting him (he's my evil OC Fire Sage who does happen to be related to Satoru from The Rift) and Katara uses bloodbending to briefly cut off the blood supply to his brain. She does this just so he'll pass out, because she doesn't want to kill him. But she doesn't realize that she basically caused a stroke, and the aftereffects include some immediate loss in motor control, speech difficulty, and increased aggression. In my universe, Katara has been using bloodbending in a medical setting for quite some time—she's even saved Zuko, Ursa, and Iroh's lives with it. But in Silver Lining, with which this fic coincides, she'll start to come to terms with what this power really means for her.