Sorry about how short this one is. As a warning the next couple will be equally short.
Chapter 14: Zutara week, Pain
"Zuko!"horror stuck her heart as she saw him, electricity snaking like poisonous tendrils all over his body. His body shook and writhed on the marble court yard, deafening screams haunted and chilled her bones. If only, if she could only reach him, she'd dealt with lightening wounds before… She could fix this, she could save him.
He was so close, if she could jus… Without thinking Katara ran, as fast as she could to the body.
"I don't think so…"Before she knew it Azula had her by the hair, yanking backwards until she fell to the ground. "You're not going to save my Zuzu, he's beyond you." Katara was helpless, looking up at the demented grin. Azula was lost, her eyes gone wild, her white teeth clenched with her victory. "Good bye peasant. You were destined to die!"
With a bright flash Katara finally saw the dagger in her fingers. As swiftly as she saw the knife she watched as Azula plunged it into her chest, releasing an agonized scream from Katara's throat. White hot pain ripped through her body as she pulled the knife out, letting blood flow freely from the wound. Katara knew she was gone, she'd lost the war. Turning her head, she felt tears dripping from her cheeks, or maybe it was the rain.
Zuko… that was the last thing she saw. Zuko laying on the marble tiles so close but there was nothing there, she'd lost him too, the life had left his eyes.
Zuko…
Katara woke in a cold sweat. Her breath coming out in labored pants. In all the long years she's never once had a nightmare about the war. Ever. Not until tonight. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she tried to pull herself out of the dream. It just… it felt so real, she could almost feel the ghost of a pain sitting in her chest where the blade had intruded.
Zuko… he'd looked so dead. Chills snaked through her body as she recalled the life, leaving his amber eyes empty. No frantic breaths escaped from his lips, no fleeting chance had sat in his future. She'd failed him.
As a healer that prospect scared her the most. Life was in her hands only, well hers and any other Water Bender. Watching that life slip away, right through her fingers was more painful than the blade in her chest. It left her with a blank, hollow hopelessness. Quiet sobs wracked through her body, shaking through the blankets and the mattress, suddenly she'd felt so cold. She was in the Fire Nation, happier then she'd ever been, but she felt so cold.
Hiccupping through her tears, Katara sat upright. She didn't want to be alone… she couldn't. Of their own accord her quiet little feet lead her out the door, down the hall and to his door. It had been a month since she'd moved into the royal wing. The past month had been the most amazing, she'd had in a long time. It had been hard to see Sokka, Suki and Stella (that's what they named their baby) go, but at least now she knew they'd come back, or she could always go to them in the South Pole. Toph, upon departure gave the slyest grin, but still, she got on the boat with Iroh and they too sailed out into the horizon.
It had been lonely at first, watching her friends go, but she was kept busy. Every week she visited Azula, the initial physical inspection was flawless, her body was completely unharmed, every muscle, every vein as ready as they were many years ago. But there were shadows inside her mind. Dark corners aggressively invading every area, taking her mind as its own. A chill slithered up her spine as she remembered her dream, the darkness in Azula's mind had caused that, and Katara's brush against it planted the dream, what if that darkness emerged again? What if Katara couldn't erase it? Initially that darkness chased Katara out of the girl's mind, leaving her feeling scared. But she wouldn't give up, she would never give up.
When Katara wasn't there, she had her garden, that was the one thing she'd been afraid of losing, but now it was here. The first week she'd gone to the town, gathering seeds, and now, the first of her sprouts were poking through the earth.
Zuko…
Zuko never let her feel lonely, never let her feel alone. After a while he had to return to his regular duties as Fire Lord. Still, whenever Katara needed him he was there, his arms open to her. Some corner of her mind felt she became to dependant, but right now she didn't care, she didn't want to be alone.
She rapped twice on the door.
Knock, knock.
"Zuko?"
She waited two seconds in front of his door. The pain of the dream still fresh in her mind.
Knock, knock again. "Zuko?" Impatients ran though her body, fidgeting with her soul, if only she could just have his arms around her, chasing away the fright.
A third time her hand raised to knock but the wood slid open, cutting her short.
"Can I help you?" the world came crashing around her as the tall porcelain statue stood before her. Her golden eyes glaring with an intensity that could melt walls.
"Mai?"
"Obviously. Now what do you want? We don't want to keep our boy waiting."
"N-nothing." Katara left his door, turned away and went away. Leaving Mai standing there in the door, a disgusting smirk plastered on her flawless features.