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Chapter 36:

I opened my eyes and I was lying on a bed. I slowly looked around and I saw Zuko sitting on a chair with his head in his hands. Memories of the fight flooded through my head and I moaned quietly as the pain in my back suddenly kicked in. Zuko's head snapped up, he got up from his chair and leaned in close to me.

"Katara…?" His voice seemed breathless, "are you okay? You blanked out…a few hours ago…"

I looked up at him and gasped loudly. His lip was split and his jaw was swollen and his right eye was darkening. There were hints of blood over his face. "Zuko..." My voice was literally breathless and I gasped for more air, but I couldn't find myself to speak. Instead I reached out and my hand traced his lips and his jaw before I even realized what I was doing. I stared at his lips intently and I knew he was staring right at me, but he didn't move aside.

I traced his eye with my hand and then my hand slowly slid down back to my side. Zuko had done all of that, for me. He had done all of that out of jealousy or for my protection, I couldn't find the words to thank him, instead I continued staring at him. Suddenly I jerked upright the bed and I gasped from the pain and Zuko slowly helped me back down to a lying position.

"Zuko," I gasped. "My brother…"

Zuko nodded perceptively and he sat down next to me.

"Zuko…" I paused for some air, "I want to see him."

"I know…" he whispered, "I know Katara…" He slowly brought his hand to the side of my face and stared down at me intently.

"Where…is he?"

Zuko leaned down and his lips brushed against my forehead. I felt warmth run through my body as he held his lips to my forehead for a long time. When he finally pulled away, he took hold of my hand. "He'll be up in a while…don't worry."

I closed my eyes, feeling the distinct warmth of Zuko's hand. My eyes snapped open and I looked over at Zuko's shoulder, it was bleeding again. "Zuko…" I breathed heavily and my hand reached up and touched his shoulder. "Your…shoulder…"

He gently pushed my hand away and he held it back in his hand. "Shh," he said in a soft voice. I continued staring at him as the doorknob slowly turned. I didn't look up at who entered, I continued staring at Zuko as he slowly pulled away from me, a sober expression crossing his face. I watched as Zuko stood to the back of the room as a young man came by and sat next to me.

I finally looked over at the young man sitting next to me. He had brown hair, the same colour as mine pulled into a ponytail. He had bright blue eyes that stared back at me and I knew exactly who he was. My brother.

I had imagined so many different scenes in my minds of how I had imagined myself meeting him. Some of which included me tackling him in a hug and crying and some of which included me pretending to be cross with him for not trying to find me. But I had never imagined a scene where I was speechless and motionless.

"Katara?" His voice was weak and he was leaning close to me. "Are you okay? Katara?"

I didn't have any idea what to say. This young man, my brother.

"Katara, do you remember me? Do you know who I am?"

I found it in me to nod. I did remember him. A stream of memories flooded through my mind and I had no doubt this man was my brother. I closed my eyes and swallowed trying to collect myself. If I knew he was my brother, why was this so hard? I opened my eyes again and his blue eyes stared back at me, pleading for me to speak.

He seemed hesitant to come any closer to me, and I was glad. I didn't what to do or what to say and I couldn't find it in me to do or say anything either, so I was quiet and motionless.

"Katara…?" His voice was quiet and confused, but I didn't open my eyes. I suddenly felt suffocated and I wanted, needed him to leave. I inhaled sharply and then held my breath. I didn't understand what was happening to me, but I wanted him to leave. The only person I wanted to talk to was Zuko. For so many days, I had waited so desperately to meet my brother, but now I couldn't even move let alone speak.

I turned my head away from him and I heard him shuffling towards me. "Katara…Are you okay?" He breathed heavily, "I understand this must be hard for you, but I need you to remember me. Katara, I have to tell you so much…I need you to try and remember me."

I swallowed hard. I did remember him. I remembered everything about him. I remembered him always playing pranks on me and I remembered him always trying to boss me around just because he was one year older than him. I remembered how he used to baby me and always tried to take care of me. I remembered him always wanting to be older so he could help father. I remembered how devastated my family was when he had been taken away. I remembered crying and crying and hiding in my room for days and days, crying for him to return. I did remember him.

"Katara…do you know my name…?"

Yes, I knew his name. His name was Sokka. His name had always been Sokka. Of course I knew what his name was.

I felt his hand touch my forehead and I flinched. I heard him sigh before he spoke. "I have to tell you so much…do you remember mother? Do you remember our mother?"

I remembered my mother always trying to keep us safe, but also wanting us to have fun. I remembered my mother telling us stories and singing for us while father played on the piano. I remembered when mother had passed away, I remembered crying with father and Sokka. I remembered it all. I still didn't open my eyes.

Sokka continued speaking to me, asking me questions, which I didn't respond to. He was trying so desperately, and I wanted to tell him I remembered him but I couldn't move or speak. I didn't want him to be here. I heard Zuko say something to Sokka. I squeezed my eyes shut harder as I heard the door open and close.

I held my breath, waiting for Zuko to start questioning me or scolding me for not speaking, but he didn't say anything. I heard Zuko take a seat back in the chair beside me. I felt his hand hold my hand and he gave it a small squeeze. I slowly opened my eyes and there were tears in my eyes.

Zuko wasn't staring at me, he was looking away from me as a tear slipped down my cheek, I wiped it away furiously. Zuko turned to look at me and stroked my cheek with his thumb. I closed my eyes again, trying to stop crying. "I don't understand…"I said softly and more tears slipped down my cheeks and Zuko wiped them away.

"It's okay Katara…" He whispered, and something about his voice comforted me. I held onto his hand and opened my eyes again and I looked up at him, my vision blurry from my tears. "It's just…" I swallowed hard, "I don't blame him or anything…I even remember him…I don't understand why…" My voice was uneven and quiet and Zuko listened to me and nodded.

"It's not your fault, Katara. It will take you time to accept everything…" He spoke as softly as I had spoken, as if afraid if he spoke any louder I would cry harder. He leaned in close to me and kissed my forehead again, "it's not your fault." He whispered against my forehead.

He slowly pulled away and I continued to hold his hand. I felt as if when I let go, he would leave and I would have to face my brother alone. I didn't want to face him alone. I didn't want to face him at all.

"You can face him whenever you are ready." He told me. "If you want to be alone with him, I understand. If you want me to stay with you when you speak to him, I'll stay."

He stroked my cheek, "It'll take time for you to take in everything that's happening, but you have to trust him."

I nodded slowly and felt more hot tears sting down my face. "You have to understand that he loves you, he only wants what is best for you."

I nodded again. Zuko and I sat in silence for a long time until I drifted off into sleep.

When I woke up, Sokka was sitting at my bed. I panicked and tried to close my eyes again, but he had seen me. He walked up to me. "You're awake. Did you have a good sleep?" He asked me. I felt someone squeeze my hand and I turned to see Zuko right by my side, I visibly relaxed ad slowly sat upright in bed as Zuko helped me.

I offered Zuko a weak smile. Sokka handed me a tray of food and I felt disgusted at the fact that he was giving me food. "You need to eat something Katara." Zuko said to me. I turned to Zuko and stared down at the food.

I looked up at Sokka, but didn't meet his eyes. He looked sad and I felt angry with myself that I was making him sad. Sokka sat down at the foot of my bed and I flinched and then regretted it with the look that crossed his face. "Katara, is it okay…" He looked at Zuko, "if I talk to you alone?"

Zuko squeezed my hand telling me it was okay if he wanted me to leave. I turned to Zuko and shook my head, telling him to stay. Sokka placed his face in his hands and then he turned back to face me.

"Katara, I understand why this is hard for you. But can you at least talk to me? Please, I…I miss you Katara."

My eyes stung and I finally met Sokka's eyes. His eyes were pleading with me, begging me to say something. This man, who was my brother. Who I had spent my childhood with. Who had been taken away against his own will. Who I had grieved for when he had left. Who had murdered my father. Who had escaped from the king's grasp. My brother. "Sokka…" I choked out his name and then I melted in Sokka's arms and I cried.

He held me tightly and the familiarity of his hold made me cry harder. "I understand what happened…" I sobbed into his shoulder. "I really do…"

"So why do I still feel this way?" I choked out my words and Sokka held me tighter.

"Katara, I have missed you every single day of my life…"

"Then why didn't you come back? Why didn't you come back to find me?" I pulled away from him and I knew my face was streaked with tears.

"I didn't want to put you in danger…" He whispered.

I wiped my face and I hugged him again. A new feeling overwhelmed me and I finally felt like everything was right. I pulled away and smiled up at him. "I've missed you."

Sokka laughed and smiled back at me. "I have so much to tell you. Do you remember when you hid in the piano?"

I laughed and shook my head, no. Sokka smiled at me. "I have so much to talk to you about, but first…" he stared down at my tray of food. "you have to eat something."

I nodded and turned to see Zuko was gone. It didn't really matter, I felt safe with Sokka. I felt happy and glad I had finally found him again.

Sokka and I spent the entire day talking about stories from our past and then I told Sokka how my life had been and he told me everything about his life living in the royal estate as a soldier. He shared his stories of the horrible things him and the rest of the soldiers were meant to do. I felt guilty because of how simple my life had been compared to Sokka's. I didn't see Zuko the entire day; he was probably in his own room, relaxing from the amount of travelling we had been doing.