The Confrontational Approach

By Advocaat

UPDATE: Revised (again, very lightly) 12/23/2017

Chapter Fourteen

Midnight

Katara couldn't sleep. She couldn't even think about sleep. She felt restless, but for once it wasn't due to chi or fighting or anything like that. Her mind was filled with thoughts of vengeance. Of merciless reprisal. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw that man's face. It was as if she were eight years old all over again. Every night for weeks after her mother's death, that man's cruel eyes had haunted her dreams. Sokka and her dad had mourned but they hadn't seen what she had seen. They had no face to tie to her killer. Katara did. The nightmares eventually stopped, but the memory never faded.

Giving up on rest for the time being, she lifted her covers and silently slipped out of bed. Cautious of her sleeping roommate, she carefully felt around in the dark for her sandals and carried them with her to the door. She waited until she was out in the hall to put them on. She hadn't bothered to change out of her clothing before bed as she had no sleeping clothes to change into so she was set to go the moment her shoes were on her feet.

Stepping out into the night, she was hit by a wave of warm, muggy air. She rubbed her bare arms as her skin responded to the sudden change in humidity. The waning moon was bright in the midnight sky but even its calming light could not settle the dark feelings churning inside her. What would she do when she found that man? She knew what she wanted to do. Oh, she knew that well. She wanted to hurt him. She wanted him to suffer for what he did. She'd never felt bloodlust as strongly as she did when she thought of him. Not even with Zuko.

Every part of her wanted to see him pay, and that realization scared her.

She walked aimlessly through the town letting the moon be her guide. Fire Fountain City had a reputation for being a less than savory place after dark but tonight the town was still and silent. Even the streets in front of the pubs and taverns were vacant. It gave her the creeps. An uneasy feeling began to grow in her chest and she turned around and began heading back to the inn. After a few blocks, however, it became clear that she didn't know the route as well as she thought she did. Every direction looked foreign in the shadowy cover of night and Katara was reminded of her midnight race through the Western Air Temple as she'd run from Aang. She stood still for a few moments and deliberated on which street to take. the uneasy feeling grew stronger. She felt the small hairs on the back of her neck prickle. Someone was watching her.

She picked a direction and began walking, her ears and eyes open for any sign of pursuit. Her primary senses picked up nothing but she couldn't shake the feeling that someone was there. She picked up her pace and continued on. If she kept walking in a straight line, she would eventually reach the outskirts of town. There, if it turned out that someone was following her, she would be able to bend with less risk of being seen.

She saw a line of trees in the distance and made for them, quickening her pace even more. Whoever was following her was good, she'd give them that much credit. There was no whisper of footfalls behind her; no flicker of shadow from the rooftops. She'd never felt more alone. She'd never felt more hunted. But who would be following her? Nobody knew that she and Zuko were here in this town. And even if they did, how would they have known she'd be out right now? Had they been waiting for her to leave Zuko so that they could get her by herself? But why would they come after only her? Zuko was worth far more to the Fire Nation than she was.

By the time she made it to the tree line, Katara had broken into a full-on sprint. Whoever was after her would have to work if they wanted to catch her. She ran through bushes and brambles ignoring the frequent sting of flora scraping against flesh as she barreled deeper into the thicket. She stopped when she burst out of the trees and into a wide meadow and she sucked in a breath when the moon illuminated the ground. The entire area was carpeted with hundreds upon hundreds of fire lilies.

"Katara."

Her blood turned to ice in her veins when she heard the person's voice. Old and gravelly and impossible. She slowly pivoted around to face the speaker, dread pulling at her stomach.

"It's been a while, hasn't it?" the old woman said conversationally. She tilted her head and smiled warmly.

"Hama," Katara breathed. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides. What was she doing here? She'd been handed over to the authorities. Katara had watched her get taken away.

"You remember me. That warms my heart," Hama responded, still smiling pleasantly.

"But how..."

"Come, now," the witch said in a chiding tone. "You didn't think you'd be rid of me that easily? You can't escape my influence."

"I don't want anything to do with you!"

"You'd let the Fire Nation win? Simply because of your own childish morals?" Hama said sharply. "I thought you hated them. They don't deserve mercy, Katara. You know that."

Katara's mind was still reeling from her one-time mentor's sudden appearance. "They're not all bad. Most of them are good people. They've just been tricked, that's all."

Hama gave her an unsettlingly understanding look. "It's that brat, isn't it? The boy you're traveling with."

Katara took a step back. "How—how did you...?"

"Water is drawn to fire, my dear. Fire to darkness and darkness to silence. You'll never get anywhere if you don't understand that." Her face twisted into an ugly scowl then. "You mustn't let him lead you down that path. All that awaits you is ruin."

Katara shook her head vehemently. "You don't know anything about him! Zuko is—"

Her words were cut off by an iron force clamping over her entire body. Her eyes widened in horror. Impossible! It's not a full moon!

Her legs collapsed and she was forced to the ground. She looked up to find Hama standing over her, her arms outstretched like a puppeteer and a wicked smile on her wrinkled face. "Don't tell me what I do and don't know about the Fire Nation, girl. You think I didn't meet any nice people living in that town? That place was full 'good people'. Always there to offer an old lady a helping hand; looking out for one another. But none of that matters. When push comes to shove, they'll betray you. They don't work the way we do in the Water Tribes. They're parasites. They'll take what they want and then leave you dry. Don't tell me that boy isn't the same."

Katara struggled against the old woman's hold on her blood. She wouldn't listen to this. Maybe Zuko had betrayed; betrayed her, betrayed his uncle, betrayed his father; but he was doing everything he could to make it up to the people who deserved his repentance. "He's not!" she ground out. "Zuko wouldn't abandon me. I—" she looked directly into Hama's eyes, "I trust him."

It was the first time she'd allowed herself to speak those words aloud. In her heart, she had known for some time that her feelings for Zuko had changed, but she'd never spoken it out of fear.

"You're a fool!" Hama spat, glaring down at her furiously. "Where is he now? What good is your faith in him when he isn't even here to help you?" Her grip tightened even further and Katara felt her cheek press into the ground. "Surely by now he's noticed that you're gone. Perhaps if I make you scream he'll come running? Let's find out."

The old woman's vice-like grip turned further inward and Katara felt a pressure on her lungs as the blood vessels running along them constricted suddenly. She gasped and sucked in a breath and the expanding of her diaphragm tugged on the vessels attached to her unexpanded lungs, causing them to be pulled unnaturally. The pain was excruciating. It felt like her chest was being ripped apart on the inside. In her panic she started hyperventilating, which served only to further the torture. She began to cry from the pain as she gasped, her body trying to put air in her lungs even as each breath tore her insides further.

"Oh, that's right. You can't scream without air, can you? Silly me."

The pressure released and Katara curled up on the ground, sobbing as pain continued to wrack her insides. She coughed and blood spattered over the lilies in front of her. Someone help me! She thought desperately. Zuko! Her right hand automatically lifted to her chest to grab at the coin tucked away inside her bindings.

Zuko won't come, her brain reminded her. She'd hurt him badly this afternoon. She'd destroyed the fragile bond they'd only just created with one another. It's all my fault. All my—

The pressure reappeared, this time closing around her wildly beating heart. It squeezed, hard, and Katara clawed at the ground as a terrible scream bubbled up through her larynx, fed by her damaged lungs.

Hama smiled insanely as she screamed and screamed, clamping even harder over the abused muscle as her prey writhed on the ground. "Where is he, Katara?" she gloated gleefully, "Why hasn't he come?"

Help me!

"Well, Katara?"

Someone, please!

"Katara!"

Katara's eyes snapped open. The pain abruptly disappeared, as did the flowers and the maniacal old woman standing over her. Suddenly, everything was completely dark. Was she dead? Had Hama killed her? Suddenly the darkness lifted and she was staring up at Zuko who was holding a pillow in his hand.

"Thank Agni, you're awake," he said, lowering the pillow.

"Z—Zuko," she stuttered uncomprehendingly.

Zuko pursed his lips but his eyes softened as they settled on hers. "You wouldn't stop screaming. What were you dreaming about?"

"Dreaming? I don't..." It was a dream?

Katara closed her eyes and relaxed against the mattress. Of course it was a dream. Hama was gone; locked up. There was no way she would be in Fire Fountain City. "Nothing. It was nothing."

Right now was not the time to bring up her experience with Hama. La only knew what Zuko would think of her if he knew what she was capable of—what Hama had done to her.

What she'd nearly done to him.

Her eyes opened again when she felt Zuko's hand grasp hers. She looked up to see his gaze still fixed on her own. He looked almost uncertain for a moment, and his eyes flickered away briefly before returning to hers with a sure intensity. "I trust you too, Katara."

Katara threw her unoccupied hand across her face and cried.

oO0Oo

Epic pillow smothering maneuver!

Props to anyone who noticed the Princess Tutu reference in this chapter. ;P

Sorry this one is so short but I wanted to get something up for you guys since I made you all wait through Zutara Month. (which I still haven't finished. Derp.) I wanted them to begin the trek to Yon Rha's pad in this chapter but I had to push that back. Hope you all don't mind too much. I'm especially sorry to you, Guest-who-left-me-like-15-reviews-begging-for-an-update. I've been in your shoes, dawg. I know I'm a terrible person.

This was another dramatic one, but at least Zuko and Katara are making progress with each other. Thanks for all the glorious reviews for the last chapter. You guys are all completely awesome. I wasn't expecting such an overwhelming response. Pardon me while I grin like an idiot. I never expected this story to become so popular. When I started, I was expecting this story to max out at about fifty reviews. Now I have over four hundred! You guys are seriously the best. Rock on, Avatar fandom!

Next Chapter: Really gonna hit the road this time, I swear.