Chapter 38
(An hour later)
"Remember what I told you," counselled Iroh as he clapped Zuko on the back.
The young man thanked his mother for remaining with Katara (which Ursa had enjoyed—she'd had no one to divulge embarrassing tales of naked!baby!Zuko to in years!), and entered Katara's room, pulling the door nearly closed before he pulled the privacy curtain around her bed.
"If you were awake, we'd never run out of things to say to each other," he said. "And I would listen to you and every word you'd ever say."
He slipped off his shoes, and shrugged his jacket onto the back of his usual chair.
"But there are some things I think others can say better than I can… so I'm going to borrow their words, just for a little bit, ok?"
Then, mindful not to make any noise that would betray him, he climbed into her bed beside her. Drawing the blankets up over them both, he settled her against his chest, and leaned down comfortably to whisper in her ear a song he'd heard on the radio, and always remembered. It made him think of her.
When you try your best, but you don't succeed
When you get what you want, but not what you need
When you feel so tired, but you can't sleep
Stuck in reverse
And the tears come streaming down your face
When you lose something you can't replace
When you love someone, but it goes to waste
Could it be worse?
Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you
And high up above or down below
When you're too in love to let it go
But if you never try you'll never know
Just what you're worth
Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you…
"I'm sorry I can't play you the guitar riffs—but I'll try and find it for you later. I think you'd like it," he murmured softly to her, eyes closed, when he'd finished singing. He'd become so accustomed to speaking to her and not getting a reaction he just cuddled her closer for a moment, then kissed the top of her head.
"Someday, we'll fix you. So you keep healing, ok? I'm still waiting for you, here at home. Always."
Then he remembered another song, from years before, when they'd last been together-a song that recently had become new again.
"Do you... maybe you'll remember this one?" he tried, his voice breaking. He swallowed and tried one last time.
When the rain
Is blowing in your face
And the whole world
Is on your case
I could offer you
A warm embrace
To make you feel my love
When the evening shadows
And the stars appear
And there is no - one there
To dry your tears
I could hold you
For a million years
To make you feel my love
I know you
Haven't made
Your mind up yet
But I would never
Do you wrong
I've known it
From the moment
That we met
No doubt in my mind
Where you belong
I'd go hungry
I'd go black and blue
I'd go crawling
Down the avenue
You Know there's nothing
That I wouldn't do
To make you feel my love
The storms are raging
On the rolling sea
And on the highway of regret
The winds of change
Are blowing wild and free
You ain't seen nothing
Like me yet
I could make you happy
Make your dreams come true
Nothing that I wouldn't do
Go to the ends
Of the Earth for you
To make you feel my love, To make you feel my love...
...
His words faded, caught in his throat. He squeezed his eyes shut tight to clear them.
So he was taken aback when he heard a quiet reply.
"Zuuh…," came a rough, scratchy voice.
Zuko's eyes flew open. "...Katara?"
For the first time that he could remember in the past 2 months, Katara slowly looked up at him with her beautiful blue eyes, and smiled faintly.
"… Zu…ko?..."
Iroh and Ursa broke the laws of physics when they rushed in upon hearing Zuko's wild shouts and laughter.
"You came back," Zuko breathed, holding Katara close once the hubbub and visits had died down.
"You came back first," she smiled.
"I never left you," he whispered, smoothing her hair from her face.
(THE END)
AN: Songs are copyright Coldplay ("Fix You") and Bob Dylan/Adele ("Make You Feel My Love"). Longer AN coming up. ; )