The Midnight Woods

Chapter 14: The Reunion

Zuko couldn't help but let his excitement show for the briefest of moments. They were finally out of the damned forest. The prince threw on his diplomatic visage and as the first rays of light played across his face, a fire nation officer caught sight of the missing prince. He sounded his horn and within minutes troops had galloped to greet Zuko.

Katara watched solemnly as they circled them, their curious eyes slanted in interest.

Wasn't that the water tribe girl?

Didn't she travel with the avatar?

What was she doing with Zuko?

She could HEAR their thoughts; she just knew that the innermost contemplations revolved around her presence with Zuko.

"Give me a horse." Zuko commanded and the troops immediately presented the prince with a stallion. Zuko helped Katara up and then saddled himself before urging the horse into a gentle gallop across the clearing to the nation's camp. What was she doing? Shouldn't she be fighting him right now? Fighting to get away from his grasp?

Probably… But the only thing that concerned her was his body pressed closely against hers once again. Why was she letting herself be taken like this? She did give away her freedom but… What could she hope to achieve by acquiescing to a simple fate like this?

Nothing, he was probably going to throw her in the dungeon like a common criminal, his little 'helpless me' act was probably just to get her to shut up… Why did this only occur to her now? Why couldn't she see if he was as transparent as glass while they were in the woods? Was she really that gullible? Only now, as his troops followed him, did she even consider the fact that all of his actions could have been forged to fool her trusting little heart.

They arrived at the main tent and Zuko dropped from his horse and looked around.

"Come with me." He said simply, his voice still retaining the cold, formal tone that was expected of royalty. Katara looked at him strangely, how easily he could feign emotion, or lack thereof. She was such a fool…

"Zuko, I knew you would make it out. And in one day, that IS impressive." Iroh said glancing briefly to Katara before grinning madly at his nephew. Confusion settled on Zuko's face but vanished quickly.

"What do you mean? I was in that place for well over a week."

"No… It was just yesterday that you disappeared into the forest… The troops saw you fall and…" Iroh stopped and a look of realization dawned on his face. "Ah… So the rumors are true…Time passes much quicker in there… At least it seems to. Well… I'm just glad you're back. Come, you must be hungry."

"I am…" Zuko said in a slight daze. Just ONE day? That was impossible… It seemed so much longer…

"Who is this? Did you pick up a little tribal girl on the way?" Iroh joked sitting down at the table as food was brought to him. Zuko moved Katara into a seat, she was frozen in shock. There were only in there a day?

"This is Katara." Zuko answered filling his plate. Despite his initial shock he still felt the need to answer the pangs his stomach sent out. However, when he looked up again he felt the prying gaze of his uncle burning into him, an unasked question begging to be answered. "She…" What could he say? I really like this girl and even though she's our enemy I think we can be friends? No… Obviously he would be branded with a big beautiful crazy sign just like his mother. "She's my prisoner."

"And she's… eating at the table with you?" Iroh questioned throwing his nephew a calculating glance that didn't go unnoticed by Katara. Sensing danger, the water bender did the only thing she could do in a situation like this: run. She bolted up and threw the goblet of wine at Iroh's face, freezing it instantly on contact. She ran through the tent entrance and barely escaped the grasp of Zuko's troops.

The prince was hot on her trail and as soon as she bolted for the clearing he mounted his horse and raced after her, kicking up clods of dirt and pebbles in a fury. As he neared her he shifted his weight and dipped down, grasping her fiercely around the waist before hoisting her back onto his mount and trotting back to camp.

"Where do you think you're going?" He asked holding her against him steadfastly as she struggled.

"Don't think I don't know what you're thinking. You don't care what I think about you, you'll throw me in a jail cell to rot in misery just so you don't look like an idiot in front of your army." She threw back squirming in his grasp.

"And what if I do? You signed yourself over to me already. If I wanted to kill you then it will be my wish and you have no control over it." He bit back acidly as they entered the camp. "Keep resisting and you'll see how easy it will be to break your neck." Zuko warned and Katara settled in the saddle indignantly. He forced her back into the tent and threw her on the ground as Iroh looked up from his meal.

"What do you plan to do with her?" He asked taking a sip from his cup of tea. Shards of ice still remained in his beard. Zuko glanced down to Katara and saw the daggers in her eyes, she was far from happy. But what COULD he do now? She was still his prisoner and the prince wouldn't be caught dead giving her preferential treatment over any of his other prisoners. But… There was still that voice screaming at the back of his mind, that little blemish in his conscience telling him that she wasn't just a prisoner, she was his friend.

"Give her to the men. When they're done tie her up. I'm through playing games."

Katara's jaw fell and her eyes widened as she looked disbelievingly at the prince.

"You bastard…You just condemned the one person who knew the real you, the one person who saw past the stupid title of 'prince.' I really thought for a moment you were capable of something greater than this but all I see now is the same coward there always was…" Katara cried letting the tears roll down her cheeks. Zuko looked away from her again and motioned for the guards to take her away from his site. Katara threw one last look over her shoulder and let the hot tears raze liquid trails down her face.

"What was that about?" Iroh asked as Zuko sat down wearily to eat. Zuko looked up from his spot and his uncle caught the hint of sadness lurking in the amber pools of his eyes.

"Nothing. She's a delusional little girl who thinks up some outlandish stories."

"She sounded pretty convinced to me." He said taking another shallow sip from the cup. "What did happen back in those woods?"

"A bunch of shit that shouldn't have happened!" He lashed out unexpectedly. Iroh let an austere countenance cross his features as the prince struggled with a conscience torn in two. "Things I wish never happened." He said softly as the crackling embers around him died down.

"I find it strange that she evokes such strong feelings in you and yet you can let her be passed on like the community whore." Iroh barked more bitterly than he intended. Zuko looked up with indignity displayed in his visage, his brash decision now evoking second thoughts.

"I just wanted to be rid of her." He said soberly. "She made me think about… my life. She made me feel SORRY for all the things I've ever done. I don't want to feel sorry, I don't want to feel any of that. That's what got me here in the first place and I can't go back home anymore."

"You really are afraid to look her in the face. She saw the real you Zuko. When all our titles are stripped what do you think lies underneath? Certainly not a crown, a medal, and not a weapon. Sometimes that is all people see, that is all people want to see and yet she looked past those labels to the one thing that very few people take the time to notice. You have to grow up Zuko, a great leader isn't one who guards his feelings from the enemy but one who uses them to make decisions for his country. You're so afraid of looking weak to the world that you lose sight of who you are and lose sight of what's really important in life. Now the one person who's been able to make you see that is being groped by your own county men because you are too craven to face not only her, but yourself. If you take one thing from me Zuko, let it be this: Honor is not something that can be obtained for one's own benefit. It must be given for the profit of others. The mark of a true king isn't one who seeks to conquer the world for rewards, but one who learns that the true gift is a life of lessons and experiences so that you can share them with humanity."

"But it's so hard." Zuko whispered holding his fallen head in his palms. Iroh smiled.

"Life and love is suffering, Zuko. When you accept that you'll see that everything isn't all that bad and it isn't all that painful. But sometimes to become the people we are we must weather the pain that comes with the pleasure. You must face the consequences of your actions to move forward."

"I think I really like her..." He said brokenly. His uncle let out a laugh that echoed in Zuko's ears.

"I don't think she'll feel the same way when your men have their way with her."

"Shit…" Zuko said standing up and marching out of the tent to the men's camp ground.

"Let go of me!" Katara growled as she was passed from man to man, each trying to peck her on the lips but failing miserably.

"She really thinks we're just going to let her go?" A soldier laughed leaning against his sword hilt.

"I think she does!" Another cried out reaching to grab her. His hand returned with a fistful of her shirt and in one deft movement he ripped the fabric off leaving her there in the thin undergarment. They all laughed at her misfortune and for the love of everything in the universe Katara wanted only to rip their eyes out and cram them in the men's mouths.

"Come on sweetie, we won't hurt you!"

"Stop touching me!" She threw back shielding herself from their impious eyes.

"I'll stop touching you when I drop dead!"

"That can be arranged." Zuko said mordantly as the man grabbed her around the waist. Katara looked up from tear-stained eyes and for a moment was grateful but then remembered he was the reason she was here in the first place. "Let go of her, Private." The prince commanded and watched as the man's hands reluctantly left her side. Zuko walked up and grabbed Katara firmly by her wrist, practically dragging her back to his tent and throwing her casually against the support beam in his room. Katara braced herself against the pole and stared her captor down.

For a minute neither spoke, their eyes did all the talking. Katara was the one that eventually broke the silence.

"Why did you do that?" She asked, no longer angry at Zuko but heartbroken at his childish actions. "Why did you dismiss me so easily?"

Zuko looked to her tired body and then adverted his sober gaze to the floor. Shame present on the deep shadows rolling over his face.

"I just wanted to get rid of you, to go back to the way I use to be. But once you see the truth it's hard to go back living the way you used to live, to go back being the person you were." He paused wondering how it got so easy to blurt out his emotions now. "But I can't let you go."

"Why?" Katara asked slumping against the beam in exhaustion. "Why can't I go to my friends?" She asked as fresh tears ornamented her dark lashes. Zuko looked to her flushed skin and sighed deeply. His arms moved instinctively around her frail body and surprisingly he felt Katara melt into his embrace as her resolve drifted away.

She didn't care anymore, didn't care that Zuko was her enemy or that he was keeping her from Aang and Sokka. She didn't care that he was the son of a tyrant, that he had killed so many. She just wanted to be comforted in any way possible, she wanted to throw away all her emotions- her mothers death and her fathers disappearance. She wanted to just crawl under a rock and dream for the rest of eternity but she knew it was just not possible. The will to fight Zuko wasn't even in her anymore, she just wanted to die.

"I don't know…" The prince answered as he cradled her in his arms. Katara pulled away after a moment and looked into his golden eyes searching for her next course of action. It seemed to be displayed clearly in his face: SLEEP.

"I'm tired." She said remotely and the prince nodded. Zuko picked her up and carried her to his bed laying her broken body down; her eyes never wavered from his own. A few moments later her lids slowly closed and opened and within a few more minutes she was asleep. Zuko watched her chest rise and fall, he watched Katara dreamlessly sleep and wished he could take everything back.

Why? Why am I reacting like this? It's like nothing and everything makes sense… Like I can't make out what's up or down any more. And it's all because this stupid little girl… This water bender…

"Zuko?" Iroh asked as his hand grazed the red lining of his tent. The prince didn't bother to turn around, his eyes still glued to the sleeping form of Katara.

"What are you planning to do? It would be wise to have a course of action to take in the morning."

"I… Don't care what happens." Zuko said throwing a lazy glance to his uncle. Iroh's eyes narrowed in antipathy against his indolent reply but they quickly turned calculating.

"Zuko, do not discard your duties in a fit of depression. You have an important job." He scolded lightly. The prince felt his anger rising, it took a bit of discipline to put it back in check for the sake of being respectable to his uncle.

"My job is a fool's errand." He bit back harshly. Iroh gritted his teeth.

"It is an honor-"

"It's a WHAT?" Zuko ruthlessly whispered turning around to face his relative as a flurry of hot embers crackled around him. Iroh looked steadily to his nephew knowing what was to come next. "All I've been doing for the past 5 years is yielding to my fathers ridiculous orders. I've been bending backwards for an impossible task when all I really want is this stupid war to come to an end. My reputation is tainted because of the brainwashing my own father has implemented in his son in order to perpetuate some ridiculous idea that the world belongs to one nation. What human can possible love a monster like me? What nation will willingly accept defeat and follow our ways if the only weapon we have is fear? I'm done with this chase, if my father wants the avatar he can waste five years of his life wandering around a world that scorns his very name. You really want a course of action? Tell my men that they are to return home and let my father know that I release my birthright to a nation forged in blood."

"So you are going to give up?" Iroh asked in slight disbelief, for the prince to denounce his birthright it was… Well it wasn't a GOOD thing for him…

"No…" Zuko said looking to Katara. "I'm going to start over. Tomorrow when the men go back to the ship I want you to go to my chambers and bring back a black box stuffed in the back of my closet."

"What's in it?"

"Nothing of importance but I would like to give it to someone before I go."

"Of course my prince."

"Uncle… Please do not call me prince, the title isn't fitting of someone like myself. Besides, it looks like when my father dies, you'll be next in line." Zuko said collapsing on the bed beside Katara. Iroh smiled dimly before walking out of the tent.

"Like hell I am." He said marching to his sleeping quarters.

Katara felt the familiar weight of something on her stomach. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked into the solemn sleeping face of the prince, his arms cradled around her protectively as he slept. She slowly slipped from his embrace and walked to a water basin by the bed and dipped her hands into the cool liquid. She drenched her face and opened her eyes to see the sunlight illuminating the walls of the tent. She slept like a rock and it felt wonderful to get such a recuperative sleep for once in that past several months. She hadn't slept on a mattress in so long, especially not till the following day. Her eyes darted to the bed as she watched Zuko stir from his sleep. He said nothing as he sat up, his eyes instead wandered over to a black box she hadn't noticed on one of the tables last night.

"Katara, I need to tell you something important." Zuko said as he wandered over to her with the parcel in hand. "I want you to have this before you go."

Katara reached out and opened the package surprised when her mothers necklace glittered in the morning light.

"But… Three… years… You kept it?"

He merely nodded.

"Wait… What do you mean go?" She asked looking up to him.

"I want you to go back to your friends. My men have informed me of their position, they camped out not too far from here."

"You're letting me go? Why?"

Zuko paused, he didn't think she would ASK why so much as just take the opportunity and go.

"Because I no longer want this life. I'm turning myself in to the Earth Kingdom army."

Katara looked at him strangely. She walked to the tent opening and pulled it open.

There were no men, no tents, just the beaten ground they had camped on. She turned around an let her mouth hang slightly open in shock.

"But they'll kill you." She said walking back to Zuko in a daze.

"I know." He said gravely. Katara's breathing became heavy, wasn't this what she wanted? Didn't she want him to see the error of his ways?

"You can't do this… You can't!" She screamed. "This isn't how it's suppose to be!"

"This is the only way. I'm a horrible person Katara, I've done things that would make your hair stand on end and you know it. I see how wrong I was and now it's my turn to make it right. If the law says I have to die then they law is right. I'm not running from the truth anymore even if it means death." Zuko said watching as tears escaped their imprisonment and whispered down the fleshy planes of Katara's face.

"I'm sorry." She said brokenly, not quite sure how to rectify the situation. Zuko gave a lopsided smile.

"No you aren't." He joked trying to ease her tears. Why do I care if she's in pain? "The world will be better without me." He said almost seriously. Katara let another set of tears come but held herself back from becoming a blubbering mess.

"Thank you…" She said softly swallowing a lump forming in the back of her throat. Zuko smiled faintly and rested his arms by his side waiting for her to turn around and march out of his life after turning it inside out.

But she stood there.

"Go Katara, your friends are waiting." Zuko said softly urging her to leave. She looked up and kept the image of his face burned into the back of her mind, it would be the last time she saw it. Taking a few steps back she exited the tent leaving the former prince alone in thought.

And that's the end of that… Zuko thought as he turned around to sit on the bed. He fought hard not to think of the coming days but he knew his time was up and that he would be tried for the death of all those men. He was going to die.

Zuko rested his head in his hands and swallowed the lump in his throat, 19 years was a long time to live… But not long enough…

"Zuko?"

He looked up to see Katara walking in, her eyes wet with tears and her mothers necklace pressed firmly in her palm. His eyes were clouded in confusion but the water bender simply but her hand up to silence him and bent down before the fallen prince. She reached out with her palm and brought his hand to her lips leaving a wet imprint on his skin.

"I couldn't leave." She said looking up into his golden eyes. Zuko looked disbelievingly at her his mouth unable to form the words to describe what was going on inside of him. "I couldn't leave…" She said again, faltering as a wave of pain washed over her. "Zuko… Do you know what it's like to fall in love with someone who's already dead?"

He shook his head 'no.'

"It's a terrible pain. Like the idea could just swallow you up in all the sadness you've ever felt. I couldn't leave… because I realized that I've fallen in love with a dead man…. I've fallen in love with you." She said softly letting the impact of her words settle in his ears. Zuko reached down and brushed her lips ever so lightly, the briefest of touches that sent a shiver of ecstasy down his spine. Katara melted into the kiss and stood up between his legs. "Why did you let me leave?" She asked resting her palms on his shoulders. Zuko looked into her eyes and bravely answered.

"Because I love you."

She smiled sadly and bent down to kiss him. They fell back onto the bed and held each other knowing that they couldn't hold back anymore. Zuko's mouth slid over the curve of Katara's neck, her skin blooming with longing under his warm wet lips, her body pulsing with readiness as his hands roamed over her skin. She let his name escape her mouth in the form of a moan and his desire to take her increased tenfold. Katara bent over him and ravaged his mouth in feverish kisses before pulling off him slightly and gently laying her lips on his disfigured eyelid. The prince looked tenderly up at her, surprised she made a move as bold as that.

It made him crave her even more.

His hand ran through her long hair, getting tangled and tugging her head back lightly as he heatedly kissed her lips. His tongue gently pushed against them and she invited Zuko in letting him take in the sweet rewards. Their lower bodies pulsed with longing, both grabbing at each other's clothes. Zuko let the rest of Katara's shirt fall away and marveled at her ample breast.

"You're so beautiful." He said drinking her in as his eyes roamed over her naked torso. Katara let a breath escape her mouth and smiled again as she bent down to kiss him.

"How beautiful?" She asked playfully. Zuko let out an easy laugh and brought her close whispering in her ear: "Word's can not possibly describe." Zuko nibbled on her ear lobe and felt her shiver with pleasure. His hands slid up from her hips and his cradled a her breast before moving on top of her. His head dipped down, hot kisses rolling over her soft skin to the warm spot between her breast. His lips rolled over to one and he caught her taught nipple in his mouth and delighted as Katara bucked in surprise. The new sensation was wonderful, she basked in the feeling of his velvety tongue rolling over the firm peaks and let out strangled gasps of air. Never in a million years did she believe a man could do that do a woman and have it feel just so GOOD. Her nails dug into the flesh of Zuko's back; he winced vaguely but enjoyed the animalistic side of her he evoked. They savored each moment, each touch of skin to skin and their subtle gasps and sighs were the only music punctuating the heavy air of the moment. Zuko peeled away the last of Katara's clothes and looked on the most beautiful creature he'd ever seen.

"Do you… Want this?" He asked shakily not recognizing his own thinned out voice. Katara's lips parted and she looked brazenly upon Zuko with a warm inviting smile.

"I want you." She whispered huskily and at that moment Zuko could no longer keep his desire in check for the sake of Katara- he needed her. His hands moved down to caress the sweetest part of her, his fingers deft and gently probing in all the right areas. The water bender closed her eyes as she let go to the heat of the moment and cried out his name as he became bolder and more aggressive. Katara grabbed him roughly and he turned to her questionably. "I want you now." She said through gritted teeth. Zuko smiled down at her and braced himself. He looked down at his lover and closed his eyes as a pleasure filled moan escaped his lips and he entered her. Katara let out a cry as pain radiated through her body but she held him close begging him to not move. Zuko stayed there for a moment before slowly moving inside her. The water bender basked in the beautiful ache she felt and rocked against him in perfect sync both slowly increasing in tempo until they reached a pivotal point. She started to cry as she climaxed with him and Zuko buried his face into her neck inhaling her scent and feeling the rush of hot tears down his own face.

It was the most beautiful thing he'd ever experienced in his life and Katara thought the very same thing. They both collapsed on the bed panting heavily wondering how they never found this exquisite rapture long ago. And they were sad because they knew it would be the first and last time. He grabbed her and held her close, his own mortality crumbling away.

"Katara?"

"Yes…" She said dreamily, her skin singing from his touch.

"I love you." He breathed in the morning air. Katara closed her eyes and wept.

She fell in love with a dead man and had been the one to bury him.

AN- Sorry this took so long. I've been going crazy with college (I'm a game design major! I want to make a video game! Whoo hoo!) So… eh… This got put on the side burner. But what a chapter to get back on track with huh! I hope you guys liked it. The end is almost here and you are all going to cry. Muahahaha.