Okay, here's another Chapter! I hope you like it.

Dreams and sicknesses

While I waited, I slowly inched towards my tiny bathroom. I hadn't looked inside a mirror since the morning before I met General Iroh and I really desired to look upon myself again, and see what damage those thugs had done to me. I was still weak and the few steps to my bathroom seemed like an enormous way to walk to my tired and aching limbs, but in the end I managed it. Shaking I supported my weight on the small counter, which groaned alarmingly loud but held, I lifted my gaze to my reflection. I was surprised on how pale and drained I looked. My skin is naturally very pale, but now I looked more dead than alive. The bandage around my head was blindingly white against my raven hair and despite all the pain I pulled it loose and saw a brutal angry gash on the left side of my skull. That must have been the spot where I had hit the wall. The skin showed an angry, purple hue and a spot of crusted blood and raw flesh. Surely this would scar too, just like my other wounds. Sighing slightly I dampened a cloth and carefully washed my face, hoping that by the pure touch I could get some of my normal hue back. I absentmindedly loosened my ponytail and brushed through my hair very carefully. It still had some dried blood in it and I couldn't wash it right now, for that the wound was still too fresh. Having accomplished that and upon thinking a bit of fruit might help my condition, I spared a final look into the reflecting surface and decided that I looked a little better, not much better, but still. Still somewhat light-headed I made my way back to my stove where I kept almost all supplies in a counter close to the wall. Rummaging through it (and silently thanking the spirits that I didn't need to kneel to the floor to do that) I found that Chen was right. I still had some rice in there, sure, but in the past week I hadn't thought of buying food while I observed Zuko and General Iroh; yet it wouldn't be enough to have a decent meal. And I needed the energy if I wanted to get healthy again. I found some leechy-nuts and a few moon-peaches I had bought on a whim a couple of days ago and decided that they would do.

Suddenly, even as I wanted to eat something and strengthen myself, I felt like someone had hit me square over the head again. My vision went blurry and I started shaking. But there was no one here, I was alone, no one had hurt me. I tried to stand, but failed miserably and sank to my knees. I had never felt like this before, it was like there was someone in my head, screaming my name. Before I could find out what was happening, I drifted off into the dreamworld and sunk limply to the ground. My surroundings were dark and vast, no end in sight, with no colour around, nowhere. This wasn't what I normally saw when I entered the Dreamrealm, clearly this was someone's dream I had tapped into. Only moments later I realised whose dream this was.

Dimly I heard Zuko's voice in the shadows. "I'm not tired." He said. I tried to concentrate on his voice, hoping I could reach him. Something was amiss with him, I could feel it. He was sick, very sick. He was experiencing fever dreams, dark and confusing. It was draining to wander through his dream, I could always feel him, but I couldn't reach him. I had not much strength in me; I was weak in this state of health. But no matter what happened to me, I wanted to help him. He was in trouble and I needed to get to him. I thought his name clearly in my head and for long time there was no answer. Then I could hear his voice far away.

"Kyona?"

Yes Zuko, I'm here…

I got closer, but it took a lot of self control to be inside his fevering dream. And his voice had been strange. It sounded like the child I had known, afraid and alone, yearning for someone to get him out.

Then the veils of smoke cleared and I entered his dream fully. I saw him sitting all alone in this darkness, his dream-self being the child I remembered. He knelt and had his head in his tiny hands.

Zuko…

I knew I couldn't speak in dreams; I could only send my thoughts to him and hope he understood them. Seemingly he did, for he looked up to me and by Agni, he was lost. I could see it. Lost in his own dreams.

"Kyona? Is that you?" he asked and I smiled at him, while I walked closer. I knew I couldn't touch him, could do nothing other than be there.

I knelt in front of him, kneeling on this unseen floor. This was the strangest dream I had ever entered. His mind was confused and therefore his dream was blurry, not finding a real image. That alone proved his sickness, yet I felt it wasn't just any ordinary sickness. It had nothing to do with his body, his mind was in turmoil and he couldn't find a way out of it again. Maybe he had reached out for me instead of the other way around, subconsciously calling me to him in his need. I had no idea he was able to do that kind of thing to me. But there were more urgent things to think of.

What is it that troubles you, Zuko?

His childish golden eyes looked into mine and I could see he was hesitant.

"I freed the Avatar's bison. I don't know why I did it, but I freed him. And Uncle said it was the right decision, but I'm supposed to capture the Avatar, not help him. Uncle says I'm now at war within my own mind, but I don't understand."

My, he seemed so lost. Now I could understand him. He had been trained to hunt the Avatar until his life left this earth, and now he had helped him. That decision had provoked his sickness. And he was alone in this realm, searching for a way out of it, so he had called upon the only person he had known that could enter his dream. Me.

He looked confused, so I asked him to lay out all that had happened to him since I had last entered his dream, which had been a long time ago. He told me of the city and the job his uncle and himself had taken up and that his uncle would get his own teashop, but he had found a search letter for the Avatars bison and had gone to capture it and wait patiently until the Avatar would come and claim it. His uncle had prevented it and he had freed the beast. When he had reached his home, he had fallen ill. Now I understood.

You must make a decision. You can either throw everything away that fate offered you, or you can accept it and dwell in peace.

"But I don't know! I have been taught to find the Avatar! I don't know what to do!" he sobbed almost and I wanted so badly to touch him.

I can't make that decision for you. You must choose by yourself. Only you can make it and therefore I can't really help you…

Already I felt my last remaining strength lessen and my mind slipping away from him, being pulled back to the waking world before it was too late and I would die. I was afraid, yes, but not for my safety. I was afraid Zuko would make a faulty choice and if he did, there was no telling what could happen to him.

"I just don't know what to do." He whispered and I gathered myself together once more to ask him further.

Zuko, what makes you happy?

"I want to regain my honour. And for that I need the Avatar!" he accused me almost, as if he thought I hadn't listened to his previous explanations.

Honour depends on every human being. No one can take honour from you; it is given to you by the choices you make in life…

"That's what Uncle always tells me." He said and looked back into my eyes again, and I could see his hopes that I would tell him what to do.

Your Uncle is a wise man, Zuko. He has reasons to tell you so. And he loves you. Do you think he would do anything that could bring you to harm?

"No." came the quiet reply of that dream image of Zuko's mind. Slowly the blurry images faded and gave way to a warm, red shine.

Then you must choose now. I cannot stay; I have already tarried too long and taxed my strength too heavily. I must leave now…

"Kyona, am I going to see you again?" he asked me and I heard the fear of being alone, forsaken by all he loved, in his childish voice.

Perhaps we'll meet again, I cannot tell that…

I felt my mind fading and the picture in front of me got fuzzy and blurry. I knew I had to get back, before it was too late. As I left through the dark shadows, I could still hear his voice, as if he was right next to me. He was calling my name and in my mind I answered his calls.

And then my eyes cleared again and I returned to the physical world and to Chen, who was kneeling above me, wearing a very concerned expression. I wondered how I would explain this whole thing to him, or how long I had been in the Dreamrealm. Judging from the weakness in my body and the fact that I couldn't even lift my arms much less sit up, told me that it had been almost too long. I had never before been within the Dreamrealm in such an already weakened state.

"Qin La?" I heard Chen ask me, faint and full of worry and I had to remind myself constantly that he didn't know my real name yet. Weakly I turned my head towards him, watched silently as he simply scooped me up and placed me back on the couch. I didn't struggle; I was too exhausted to intervene with his touching me.

"What happened?" I whispered as soon as he sat down in front of me.

"I came back and found you on the floor, muttering something I couldn't understand. You shouldn't have been standing up, you probably passed out because you walked around." He explained and I couldn't help but feeling relief at this. He had already made up his own explanation; therefore I wouldn't need to give him one.

"Maybe you're right." I mumbled weakly, for once because I didn't want to give him any more hints at my unique capability and for the other, because I was still very exhausted.

"You should rest now. I'll stay here." He said and the tone in his voice clearly indicated that he wouldn't allow me to object to that.

"Thanks Chen." I whispered and allowed myself to sleep again. I slowly drifted off and before my mind fluttered away completely I caught myself wondering if it was normal that I felt safe with Chen.

I awoke again, feeling loads better and stronger, a few hours later. Chen had busied himself throughout my slumber with cooking (he was the only man I ever saw cooking and despite his sayings, his meals were quite good), however the moment I mumbled and stretched a bit, sitting up slowly he was beside me again, his eyes wandering over my features with something I can only describe as anxiety.

"Do you feel better?" he asked and calmly awaited my answer.

"Yes, I do. Thank you again for staying here, Chen. I owe you big time." I said and smiled at him. Again he showed that huge smile, filled with happiness and merriment, the smile he showed me every time I saw him.

He passed me a bowl of noodles and meat, which I ate gladly, feeling the vigour return to me with every bite I took. I felt calm, peaceful even and that was not only due to the fact that my earthbending friend was at my side. I felt Zuko had chosen the right path. He would overcome this sickness and for once heed his uncle's wisdom, choosing to accept his life in Ba Sing Se.

The next days went by like a blur; I don't remember much of it. I did spend a lot of time with Chen however, whom I had finally convinced that I was fine again (though my injuries would take a while to heal) and that there was no reason for him to keep watch over me every second of the day. We went out often and I finally found leisure to appreciate the cultural hub that is Ba Sing Se. We went dining sometimes and he even managed to drag me into a play, though I have to admit that I always despised plays and theatres.

In those days I felt him growing closer to me, truly becoming a friend whom I could trust. I often thought of confessing my lie to him, telling him my real name and explaining my true business in Ba Sing Se. That I had come to look for Zuko and the Avatar, but in the end my mind always prevented it. I was still somewhat afraid that he would turn me over to the authorities if he found out the truth about my heritage, my country and my mission (if I was so bold of calling it that).

I often thought of the possibility that I now could go and look for Zuko, being reunited with him, but still that horrid vision remained in the back of my head (among many others), the one where he simply walked away from me, abandoning me in the darkness. I chose that I couldn't face him, not now. I wasn't even sure if I ever could. Truly that was only a lie I told myself, it wouldn't matter when I met him, the result would be the same. Tarrying would only make the betrayal seem worse to him.

I often walked in dreams too, only to be able to see what of the future I could glimpse. It always was the same, the blue dragon defeated the red one, crushing the creature brutally between its fangs and the Avatar was hit by lightning. Though the vision itself got steadily worse. The last one I ever had of it was the worst I ever saw and hopefully will ever see again. The blue dragon attacked the red one, ripping him cruelly apart, its sharp claws digging into flesh and scales and a wave of blood erupted from the broken body. And while the blood curled around my body, engulfing me in a sea of crimson, I saw the lightning hit the Avatar, watched him twitch and flinch violently, while the blue dragon roared out in triumph over his cruel victory. I hoped it wouldn't happen like this, that the Avatar would survive and I always had to fight the urge to run to the Avatars lodgings to tell him of it. It was something that would happen nonetheless, something fated and I had to put my trust in destiny's hands. I had to trust that the Avatar would survive it, no matter what happened or how it would happen.

Yet leaving all of this aside, I experienced the meaning of normal life once more. I had time to spend in the city, going out and see all there was to see. But I should have known that such a thing could only be temporary. But to my great shame I must say that I didn't see it coming, I hadn't seen any clue on it in my visions. I had no idea of the horrible events that took place while I remained blind to it.

Allrighty, now I have some serious business to announce.

Why don't you people review? Is it sooo bad to write a quick review what you thought of it? I really need the feedback to know if I'm doing this okay. Slowly I get depressed here and thinking that my OC could not be as good as I see her (I'm biased anyway), some feedback would really help!

So please people, just a quick not on what you think so far. I know the last chapters were not really the best I've ever written, but still, this is my first fanfic for ATLA and I need to know if I'm not doing bull with this^^