Chapter Twenty-Six

Reawakening

Azula awoke to the brightest kind of lights, bordering on blinding. But the lights adjusted enough, as did her eyes, and suddenly, she could see her surroundings.

It wasn't where she was when she last recalled being awake, that was for sure. It was definitely in the asylum, only she had no idea where exactly. This room wasn't familiar. And she had no way to identify it.

"Azula's awake," replied a voice. Gia. That person was sort of familiar. Her mind scrambled for other people, just for the future. She knew this wouldn't be the last person she'd speak to.

A few doctors slowly came over to her. One of them was Dr. Kiko. He had a solemn, surprised look. "Azula, how are you feeling? Can you speak?"

"I'm absolutely speechless," Azula said with no humor.

Dr. Kiko ignored her sarcasm. "Be careful not to move, because your arms and some of your body are badly injured. Even some of your face. It's not critical, though," Dr. Kiko explained to her.

She looked over, though she could not tell where the pain should have resided. She was not only in a new white dress cleaned away from blood and dirt, but there were probably bandages concealing it. But Azula knew where Vietta nearly killed her; she didn't need to know. She, however, noticed one that was still visible at one glance; dug deep in, and right between her shoulder and throat, one she didn't really remember. It was pretty close to her throat. She nodded absentmindedly.

Something came into her mind, and nothing stopped her from asking, "Where's Takeo?"

Dr. Kiko pointed to her left, and her gaze followed.

Takeo was still sleeping, his blanket masking any marks of the fight she was sure he had. His legs had to be broken, and-yes, she saw the burn marks on his face from the flames that nearly ate him. She had to imagine that pain. She almost felt more sympathetic over him than herself.

"Will you mind telling me what happened outside between you two?" Dr. Kiko asked with a dark look. "There's a hole in the top corner where Takeo's room is. Nearly three people died. And we have no idea what happened, and just as we got those people out, we saw that mess and came outside to see you two unconscious. Mind explaining what happened?"

"I don't need to explain. Will you even believe me?" Azula shot. She was dubious anyone besides Takeo would believe her. She wished he would awaken, so he could back her up. Everything looked bad for her, and she knew that.

But she didn't just need Takeo, she reminded herself. She pointed to the only door, which was closed, in the room. "Go into my room. There's a diary there. It'll explain everything."

"I didn't give you a diary," Tai-Mali pointed out. "And no other nurses did either. So where did…?"

"It wasn't mine. It's Lya's."

"We checked out her room. We emptied it out after she hang herself, so did you-?"

Azula grew impatient. "If you go into my room, you can find it. It's that simple; your head shouldn't hurt that much from figuring that out," she told Tai-Mali, hoping it stung even a little.

But Tai-Mali said nothing. She nodded curtly with a sort of glare and headed out of the room. Dr. Kiko was now the only one that stayed, along with another doctor and another nurse, both unfamiliar.

Azula told him what she was sure was on his mind. "I didn't hurt Takeo, if that's what you think. What happened out there is…something you wouldn't be able to see."

"Then how did you both get hurt? Azula, this is beyond baffling for me, and we don't even have anything. If you told me, I…well, I'll try to believe you," Dr. Kiko went on, though she could hear his uncertainty, even saw it in his eyes.

Azula's eyebrows shot up. "Doctor, I have to say that despite what you think, you have a lot more to learn about me-about anyone here. You may think you're the greatest doctor ever, but you're dead wrong. Taking care of people-especially someone like me-is a lot more work than you see it."

Dr. Kiko's response was shock, and she hid her smirk away since she knew she hit the target dead-on. He took a step back with grown eyes of surprise. Then he glared down at her, a first for the "patient" Dr. Kiko. Maybe she had made him snap; finally.

"I'd prefer if you kept your thoughts of me silent. I'm going to go, Azula, and hopefully, you're speaking of the truth when you said you had Lya's diary," Dr. Kiko said dryly. "Although I'd hold that against you since you obviously stole it."

"You-!"

But before she could fight back, two things happened: Dr. Kiko already left, slamming the door, and she heard a groan beside her. She shut herself up immediately and turned over to him.

"How are you feeling?" she began with a smirk. She at least hoped he was willing to respond.

He did, rather hesitant and revealing a sort of pain. "Like a spirit beat the shit outta me."

"Oh, you'll get over it," she said.

"So…what happened? Why…are we here?" he asked in a sort of daze.

"Oh, I did what any hero did and killed the spirit; for the last time, hopefully," Azula answered.

"No way." He wasn't relieved or thankful; instead, he seemed surprised. "How?"

"I stabbed her, just when I thought she killed you," she said, attempting to hide out horrified the thought sounded deep down.

Takeo nodded. He paused, staring at the ceiling, pondering. "What now?"

"We need to get our stories straight," she replied automatically, not wanting to repeat it all; just saying it was poison in her tongue. "For all they know, they believe I tried to kill you and I caused that mess at the asylum. If you say something, then at least they'll believe me."

"No problem, it's the least I could do since you saved me from a killer spirit," he said with another of his grins. Suddenly, she remembered how despite she used to be bugged by that smile, it was growing on her.

Something else came to her mind. She took a deep breath, wondering if she should really ask. But she had to get it over with. What was the worst that could happen?

A lot. But still, it couldn't hurt to try. She sighed again. "Takeo, I need an answer. I'm not one who's going to wait and hope for an answer I want. Just tell me…how you really feel about me." Her hair shaded her face from sight of other people that were wandering in and out of the room now.

She stared hard at his face, ready to accept his answer. No matter what. She had done so much crap, enough to make her insane, take her to this wretched place. He was not worth it if she had to fight for him, too. Enough, she thought, I don't need this. Just a real home.

Their eyes locked, and for the shortest second, she thought of his answer from the softness in his dark irises. A quiet "yes," where she would get her way and get to a new path in her life where he was there. A boy who really cared for her, and meant to her. He had hurt her, unintentionally led her to love him by Lya's strange plot, made her heart break, and sat there while she, in great pain almost as much as his, destroyed Vietta. But she still wanted him-as long as he wanted her and it was worth it in the end.

But then Takeo closed his lids for another moment, and sighed deeply. She glared and heard him answer in a low whisper, "Sorry, Azula, it's just too complicated for me to really think about that. And I'm sure I don't. I haven't really…thought about it."

Her heart didn't sink. Not a single crack; she felt absolutely nothing but regret of even asking. Did she even have a heart? So many believed she didn't; she wondered if they were right. A person whose brutal personality shoved away anyone who could actually, possibly love her, that was her. That was how it was before.

That was months ago, though. She had changed, she was sure of it. Not entirely, but enough to not kill anyone. That was a start. She would just not waste her life to get him. That was girls in pathetic novels would do. But Azula was stronger, better than that.

Just a month ago, she wouldn't have done anything for him. But now, she would risk her life to save him and of course herself from a demon. She would be at his side when he was weak and in pain. She would come to him and listen even a little to his torture inside. And she wanted him at her side when she needed someone. It sounded so strange to think about these things, but she knew what was thinking about and didn't deny it.

But Takeo would not do anything like that for her. She understood that. Only she didn't want to believe it. The one time she really was drawn close to someone, it was ripped apart. She really had no idea what to think of it besides disappointment. She almost wanted to feel depression, just to feel something, but there was something deep down wrong with her.

She nodded slowly, just so he didn't have to say it again. She scrunched her face, and turned away. "Sorry I asked," she grumbled. She fell back onto her bed, and she closed her eyes. To dream away from this world. At least her dreams were safe, away from Vietta's mind games.