Chapter Twenty One
Katara awoke with a start. She flung herself upright, breathing hard and reaching for her water skin. After a moment she realized she wasn't in danger. She slumped against the wall at the head of her bed; the cool plaster feeling good against her sweaty skin and she blew out a breath and ran a hand over her bedraggled hair. She hated these night terrors and how realistic they always were. They always seemed the same too. Images of Azula, her eyes crazed and raving as she reaped havoc and destruction; Cain, their resident tormentor in the hellish cells below ground; her own personal torture chamber with the solitary chair with the straps; all the horror she and Zuko had been put through like the time she thought he would die or the dream where she thought he really was dead.
She tried to think of something else, something to calm her racing thoughts and pulse. She tried to force her mind back to the home she left behind in the South Pole. She thought of her father and brother and Gran-Gran and all the familiar faces she would see when she finally had a chance to return home. During her travels after the war her brother had written to her, telling her of all the things their people and the people of the Northern Water Tribe were doing to bring the South Pole into the modern age. All the construction and the tales and trials of those working back in her home. Her thoughts wandered to the dreams again so she tried to fill them with images of Aang. Her boyfriend and his always cheerful disposition. His childlike wonder still captured in his ever maturing body. She pictured him, now a bit taller than her, muscles toning, features losing their soft edges of childhood, becoming a man. The tender way he held her and kissed her, the way he told her he loved her. The adventures they had together as they greeted the new era of tentative peace. Yet her thoughts still wandered back to the horrors.
She threw back the covers and adjusted the thin bed clothes she wore before carefully creeping to the door and easing it on its squeaking hinges. Carefully she tiptoed down the hallways, mindful of the squeaking boards below her feet. She reached the door that led to Zuko's room and she gently turned the knob and pushed it open before slipping inside and closing it behind her. She stood for a moment, watching as he breathed, already feeling the coiled tension easing. She eased up to the bed side and whispered quietly into the still air, "Zuko?" There was no reply but she pulled the covers back and gently climbed into the bed beside him, hoping not to wake him. As soon as she was lying beside him he turned and brought an arm over her, pulling her into his chest.
"Katara?" He murmured, barely awake.
"Just a bad dream, go back to sleep." She whispered soothingly. In response, he circled her in his arms, bringing her even closer, holding her to his warm body as he immediately dropped off into sleep once more. Katara pillowed her head on his shoulder and nuzzled her face into his neck, inhaling his warm scent before quickly falling asleep as well.
Zuko stirred as the sun breached the horizon, finding himself curled around Katara and her equally tangled in him. He flushed but selfishly crushed his eyes closed and ignored the potential guilt as he enjoyed the moment of her soft form molded to him and the sweet smell that was purely Katara. He let himself doze, his mind wandering in a tired fog until Katara started to stir. She started to pull back to hazily rub her eyes and he reluctantly withdrew his arms.
"Morning." He said quietly, his voice deep with sleep still.
"Morning." She replied, consciously putting some space between them as she swung her feet over the edge and started finger combing her wild curls.
"Nightmares again?" He asked calmly as he propped himself up on an elbow to watch her back, the sheets sliding off his bare chest.
"Mm-hm…" She hummed, nodding her head, refusing to meet his gaze from embarrassment. She was fifteen now, a master of her element and a world traveler and yet she had still run to the nearest person to comfort her after a bad dream. How pathetic was that? She chided herself mentally.
"Hey." He said soothingly and then she heard him shifting. The bed sunk low on one side as he settled on the edge next to her. He started to reach for her, hesitated, and then continued to put an arm around her, pulling her against him gently. "Do you want to talk about it?"
She huffed out an annoyed breath. "No." She turned to look at him. "Just the same thing. Azula, Cain, the chair, you…" She trailed off and glared into the empty space before her.
Zuko let them sit in silence for a moment. "It's okay." He could feel her getting ready to protest so he hurried on. "No, really. You're strong; that's the only reason you've made it this far in life. But there's something I've learned over the years, something I've learned from you actually. You don't have to do it alone; you have friends you can rely on." At these words he gave her a little shake and she couldn't help but smile. She turned to him, the gloom lifting from her expression. "You know I'm here for you for anything you need." He said sincerely, ducking his head a bit.
"I know you are." She said. Then without warning she threw her arms around him, squeezing tightly. Zuko was lost for a moment before tentatively returning the embrace. "You're the best, you know that, right?" She said as she shoved him playfully. "Thanks Zuko." She said growing shy again. "If you need anything, I'm here for you too." Zuko smiled down at her before patting her knee then heaving himself to his feet.
"Well," he said stretching. "I guess we should get ready for the day."
With that they started their daily routine. Since they were up before Jeong and Yuri, Katara started making breakfast with Zuko's help. After everyone had eaten, they helped clean up before scurrying off into the woods to spend the day. The sun was hot and the warm air made the green garments cling to their skin. Katara eagerly pulled Zuko behind her, leading them down a narrow trail between the trees until the little lake that once haunted her nightmare appeared. Once it had been foreboding, but today it offered refuge from the heat of the day.
"Swimming!" Katara exclaimed excitedly once she had dragged Zuko to the sandy shore.
Zuko looked less enthused, but he folded his arms across his chest and gave her a lopsided smile.
"Come on!" She chided as she pulled off her shoes and tossed them in the sand. She reached for the hem of her shirt and started to tug it off as Zuko turned his back, face flushing, feeling embarrassed. "Well? Are you coming?!" She called, making him glance over his shoulder. Her feet were submerged and she stood impatiently waving him over in her white undergarments.
"I uh…"
"Just hurry up slow poke!" She called as she dashed into deeper water.
Zuko pulled at his tunic in an unsure fashion when a wall of water hit him. "Hey!" He called, sweeping dripping hair from his face. "That's it!" He said with a teasing growl. He tugged until the damp shirt came off and then his shoes followed as he charged into the water after the squealing girl and he dove under.
A tug on her foot dragged Katara under and she splashed to the surface laughing as Zuko popped up next to her grinning roguishly. She splashed him and he returned the favor.
"Getting into a water war with a water bender is never a good idea!" She declared and sent a wave his way, sending him back several feet.
"That's cheating!" He called once he surfaced again.
"Only a little." She called holding her finger and thumb a small distance apart to emphasize her point.
He took a deep breath and dove under the water again, disappearing into the darker depths. It would be easy enough to catch him, but where was the fun in that? There was a splash behind her as Zuko emerged and using his momentum, wrapped his arms around her and brought them both crashing below the surface again. They both came to the surface laughing and splashing. Their fooling around led them to shallower water where they began feigning a battle. Katara would use her water bending to try to trip him up and Zuko used his agility to duck and weave, trying to land gentle blows on her. At one point he slipped through her defenses and gave her braid a playful tug, another time he had come close to scoring and his fingertips grazed her bare stomach raising the hair on her arms at the sensation. She was quick to follow that one up with a water whip aimed at his backside.
Zuko seemed to take the last attack personal for he turned on her with gleaming eyes and she let out a small shriek of surprise as he lunged for her, too fast to respond. He swept her up and spun them around, allowing them to fall back into the water with a mighty splash. They sat up in the shallows in a tangle of limbs and laughing at the silliness of it all.
"I surrender." Katara laughed as she held up her hands.
Zuko encircled her wrists with his hands and pulled her a bit closer. "Does this mean I win?" The intensity of his gaze made her drop her eyes and hope her flush wasn't obvious. It also made her aware that she had wound up sprawled across his lap in the water, barely wearing anything at all while he wore only trousers.
"Yes." She said, pulling back nervously. He let her go easily and feeling embarrassed she quickly changed the subject. Before she even realized what she was doing her fingers were tracing the puckered scar tissue of his chest. "It looks better." She blurted, cursing herself for sounding so awkward and cursing again for seemingly being unable to stop touching him.
He followed her gaze down to his chest and reached up to touch the edge of the scar, not far from her lingering fingers. "It feels better." He commented softly, watching her study him.
She schooled her features into a professional mien and turned the soft caress into a studious probing. "Does it ever give you any problems?"
He shook his head, covering her hand with his, pressing it to encompass the entirety of the scar. "Sometimes it twinges during a bad storm or when I bend lightning. But it doesn't bother me too much. I had a good healer." He finished, giving her hand beneath his a gentle squeeze. With a mental shake Zuko released her hand and sat back in the water, giving them some space. Katara looked like she was thinking something over so he went to stand and offered her a hand up. "Done swimming for the day?"
Brought from her musings she suddenly smiled brightly at him. "Yeah, thanks." She said, taking his hand and once they reached the shore, she bended them each dry, including Zuko's shirt she had soaked earlier, and they dressed quickly.
They were making their way back to the clearing they often occupied when they heard a strange grumbling sound. Instinctively they both turned to look around and then up to the sky.
"Appa!" Katara yelled as a massive furry creature flew overhead.
Zuko took up a stance and quickly sent a torrent of fire into the sky in a single column, hoping to signal Appa and whoever rode with him.
Listening carefully they heard faintly "Appa! Yip yip!" as the bison was turned back towards them.
Katara began jumping up and down, waving her arms eagerly yelling, "Aang! Aang! We're down here!"
As Appa neared, a boulder was hurtled towards him and they could hear Aang call out a startled "Woah!" As he expertly steered the bison out of the way. But more boulders followed as they tried to shoot the flying bison out of the sky.
Katara's hands flew to her face. "Oh no…"
"Dai lee!" Zuko hissed, looking around.
A red and yellow clad figure jumped up from the great flying animal, wielding a staff and with a grunt of power swung, propelling the boulders back where they had come from. Katara and Zuko could hear shouts as the rocks flew into the trees not too far away.
"Come on!" Zuko shouted, gripping her upper arm as he took off running for the clearing so Appa could land and they could get out of there.
The ground shifted beneath them, jags of rocks shooting up to trip them. Zuko stumbled but somehow kept himself and Katara upright as they continued to run. They had made it to the clearing, but they could see figures closing in on them.
"How'd they know where we are?" Katara shouted over the racket of earth being thrown haphazardly back and forth and the resultant destruction.
"Azula must have had men stationed all around looking for us and they must have followed Appa here." Zuko called back. A rock fist came hurtling forward and Zuko powered through it with a fiery punch. Katara had pulled water from her canteen as she prepared for the onslaught. Ice needles embedded themselves in a shadowy space between the trees as a flash of movement ran by.
"They're everywhere!" She yelled as she and Zuko stood back to back to intercept any attack that was aimed at them. Katara took up a pentapuss bending stance, watery arms lashing at the dai lee agents that ducked in and out of attacking range and batting down rocks launched towards them. At her back Zuko shot fire balls when the agents would risk leaving the cover of the trees and kicked aside the stone manacled gloves. So intent on the offensive was he that Zuko startled as Appa landed before him, giant tail sweeping through the clearing and air bending a great blast of wind, knocking the dai lee aside. Aang had landed in front of Katara and had mimicked Appa, swinging his staff to temporarily disable the attacking dai lee so they could make their escape.
"Get on!" A familiar voice shouted as Iroh leaned over the edge of the saddle, holding out his hand to help them aboard.
"Uncle!" Zuko shouted, grasping the older man's hand and scrambling aboard. Aang had scooped Katara up and deposited her on the saddle beside the other men before quickly taking up the reins and giving them a sharp crack calling, "Appa! Yip yip!"
Appa launched into the air, the passengers all clinging to the saddle at the sudden take off. "Look out!" Katara cried as a giant stone slab was hurtling towards them.
Iroh stood and with a loud grunt launched a fiery attack so great it met the boulder and they both exploded from the force, fiery rock raining to the ground below as Appa swept them off and up out of range for anymore attacks. "Not bad for an old man." Iroh said good naturedly at he settled himself back in the saddle.
"Uncle!" Zuko cried and he hugged the old man fiercely.
Iroh squeezed his nephew in return then as they parted, looked him over with a critical eye. "I'm glad you're alright nephew." He looked over to Katara. "And I'm glad you are doing alright too my dear."
"Iroh!" Katara said as she too threw herself at the old man for a hug. He returned the gesture then patted her back soothingly.
"Everybody alright back there?" Aang called over his shoulder, studying them and grinning.
Katara climbed to the front of the saddle and stole a kiss. "We're much better now." She told him before settling back down for the long flight to the palace.
Iroh placed a hand on Zuko's shoulder. "I'm sure you have quite a bit to tell us."
Sarahplainntall here! Happy Thanksgiving, enjoy this new chapter. Pretty please review!